Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Research has shown that adoption of online reservation systems by the
hospitality and tourism industry brings both economic and social benefits to
the hotels and customers. The study sought to assess the adoption of online
reservation systems among hotels in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana. The study
was guided by the pragmatist’s paradigm to include the positivists and the
interpretivist philosophy of research (quantitative and qualitative approach).
Questionnaires were administered to all the 183 reservation/front office
managers of the star-rated hotels through census. A purposive sampling was
further used for 6 selected managers for interviews for triangulation.
Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test of independence, Factor analysis, and
Binary logistic regression were used for analysis. The study revealed that the
majority of the star rated hotels (87%) in Accra Metropolis have adopted
online reservation systems with Online Travel Agents and Hotel’s own
website being the most forms of reservation systems used. Technological,
managerial and economic, and environmental factors emerged as the factors
which influenced adoption of ORS. It was also observed that hotels
maximized reservations, have their business open to the public always. The
study furthers observed that, slow internet access time, lack of qualified
personnel, high commission rates, and lack of interaction between personnel
and clients were the main barriers to the use of ORS. In as much as the
adoption of ORS is beneficial, hotels are faced with several obstacles that
prevents them from maximum utilization of the ORS facility
