In 2017, International Markets Research conducted and published a study according to which, out of the total number of 21,599,736 citizens of Romania, 11,326,186 are internet users. Of the segment of people aged between 25 and 34, 84% use this resource daily, and of the total number of users aged between 35 and 44, 81% of them access the internet every day, using online resources. In addition, a study conducted by Google and Kantar TNS (supported by more than 625,000 interviews conducted in over 40 countries) announced, in 2016, a decrease in computer use to 79%, and 38% of smartphone users accessed the Internet from their phones.
Between October 15-20, the Klain agency conducted a study on 149 accommodation units, which confirms that 32.21% of the hotel businesses in Cluj-Napoca do not have a website, and 41.58% of those who have a website, have not optimized it for the mobile device, which creates a major deficit in the competitive environment and a disadvantage caused by the increased abandonment rate, shortly after accessing the link. This loss also translates into a decrease in the number of potential customers in the category of tourists who prefer to use the smartphone for this type of action.
According to gpec.ro, RTB House conducted a study collecting data from more than 1000 campaigns. The statistics highlight the change in smartphone user behavior. During the summer months, activity on mobile devices saw a 30% increase. This is because tourists prefer to inform themselves in a timely manner about their holiday destinations, giving up their laptop or desktop. On the Romanian market, the rate of activities carried out with the help of the phone increased by 36% compared to the average during the year. Cătălin Emilian, country manager Romania and Bulgaria RTB House confirmed for gpec.ro the need for mobile-specific promotion, in relation to “seasonality” and the increase in the smartphone usage rate.
Compared to 2016, in 2017, Cluj-Napoca registered a significant increase in the number of tourists (especially foreign ones). In the first eight months of the year, the city was positioned at the top, with a percentage of 35.55% compared to the same period last year, according to clujcapitala.ro . Also, the number of nights spent by tourists in the city was 587,436, which means an increase of 24.07% compared to 2016. According to ziare.com, the data taken from the National Institute of Statistics placed Cluj (also in the first half of this year) in the top of the counties preferred by foreigners for accommodation.
A second category of shortcomings faced by the websites of the hotel businesses in Cluj-Napoca is represented by the content available in only one language: the Romanian language. The increase in the number of foreign tourists in the city and their preference for domestic accommodation units must be a strong enough incentive for owners who omit to translate the content into at least two foreign languages. The refusal or lack of interest in the case of optimizing the information at this level, hinders the procedure of documenting foreigners willing to benefit from these services. According to our research, 36.63% of the 149 accommodation units analyzed in Cluj-Napoca have the site’s content only in Romanian, and 22.77% of them do not have clear and well-made images on the site.
On the first place in the top of mobile internet users’ preferences is the most widespread social network – Facebook, followed by Google. Romanians access websites from a device running Android, in a proportion of 79.54% and from one with IOS in a proportion of 16.04%. And 99.21% of mobile users use Google as a search engine (according to adcombo-blog.com). Foreign tourists are increasingly turning their attention to social networks, such as Facebook, but also Instagram, as Social Media becomes a growing force, currently considered to be the fourth power in the state. Social media platforms are constantly changing and lead to an improvement in the experience between the business and the customer or potential customers, not only through the relationship that is established, but also through the large number of information that the page provides.
Pages optimized by Facebook or Instagram not only transmit general information that can also be found on the site, but also have a much more valuable resource: the reviews that the business receives from those who have used those services and that can positively influence the development of accommodation units. Platforms such as booking.com and tripadvisor.com are important tools that a hotel business can use in its journey. Moreover, statistics show that a consumer reads, on average, 11 reviews before making a decision. These aspects, however, end up contradicting the reality of Cluj, according to which 51.68% of accommodation units do not register a presence on Facebook and only 3.36% have an Instagram account, i.e. 5 out of 149.
More than 50% of Romanians use the internet, smartphone activity increased by 30% during the summer months. The results of our study confirm that 41.58% of the hotel businesses in Cluj-Napoca do not have a website optimized for the mobile device, and in 2017, Cluj-Napoca recorded a significant increase in the number of tourists (especially foreign ones). These aspects cannot be neglected, but on the contrary, a summary analysis of the data reveals the important role of each element of the relationship between the internet, mobile devices, Social Media, accommodation units, website optimization and tourism in Cluj-Napoca. They are the ones that must determine the proper functioning of the business, in relation to all the factors involved. Thus, hotel websites in Cluj-Napoca must offer a complex experience, not only current and relevant information, but also easily accessible from a variety of devices.
