English abstract
The latest innovations in technology have changed the way people live and the
way organizations conduct and promote their businesses. Social media has become an
essential instrument for the tourism industry. Furthermore, selling tourism industry
products through the virtual internet provides a real opportunity for SMEs. For Oman,
this is critical to the country's development, as SMEs have the potential to be the engine
of economic growth due to their large number, size, and types of operation. Therefore,
this study aims to investigate the role of social media as a marketing tool for SME tour
operators in Oman and the influence that social networking platforms have on
enhancing business from the perspective of SME tour operators.
This study built on Social Network Theory (SNT) as a basis for exploring the
impact of social media networks as a marketing tool within Omani SME tour operators.
SNT enables SMEs to understand and monitor the interactions and communications
within the network that they have with their customers, as well as to glean insight into
their online behaviors. This study is essential for SME tour operators in Oman to shed
light on the importance of social media, as well as various strategies that could improve
their business, allow them to grow in the tourism sector, and increase their customers'
loyalty. It has significant implications for SME tour operators' social media managers,
as they may gain insights that enable them to enhance their online marketing activities
and sustain their bonds with their customers on social networking sites.
This study applied the netnographic approach to collecting data from 15 SME
tour operators using semi-structured interviews and online observations that have been
conducted through the Instagram platform. The findings of this study contain four main
themes: social media utilization, creating online networks, account manager role, and
sustaining bonding. Thus, the study provides an explanation of a) SME tour operators'
online behaviors while using social media platforms in their marketing activities, b) the
impact of social media on SMEs' business, and c) how SME tour operators use social
media to create and sustain bonds with their customers.
