MARKETING STRATEGY AND COMPETITIVE EDGE OF HOSPITALITY FIRMS IN PORT HARCOURT

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between marketing strategy and competitive edge of hospitality firms in Port Harcourt. Two objectives and hypotheses were formulated to direct the study. The quantitative study obtained primary data with a well structured research instrument. A total of 125 sample population were obtained from the register of hospitality firms in Port Harcourt. The descriptive statistics showed that the mean and standard deviation of innovation and promotion strategies were instrumental to competitive edge of hospitability firms. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient output inferred that there is positive and significant relationship between innovation strategy and competitive edge and between promotion strategy and competitive edge of hospitality firms in Port Harcourt. The study concluded that adopting innovative and promotional strategies will engender competitive advantage by hospitality firms. It is recommended that hospitality firms should integrate innovation strategy in their organizational policy so as to gain competitive edge; that pro-activeness in service delivery should be the livewire of hospitality employees so that competitive edge can be ascertained, lastly, promotion strategy as a tool for competitive edge should be adopted by hospitality firms