O E-COMMERCE NOS MEIOS DE HOSPEDAGEM: Principais ferramentas utilizadas pelas redes hoteleiras no Brasil

The adoption and strategic use of ICTs and e-commerce have become essential in the tourism and hotel sector, given that information plays a vital role in this sector. It is within this context that this study was carried out, with the principal goal of analyzing the tools of e-commerce used by the national and international hotel chains established in Brazil. This research outlines the main technological resources presented in the theoretical approach, and the influence of digital technology and innovation in relationships with consumers and suppliers of the hotel chains. The research universe consisted of 45 national and international hotel chains, of which 15 were included in the sample, representing a total of 223 hotels in Brazil. In terms of methodology, a quantitative and qualitative approach was used, characterizing this research as exploratory and descriptive, and constructing the deductive reasoning and theoretical framework through a literature review.  For the data survey, a structured, self-administered electronic questionnaire was used. The questionnaire was sent to those responsible for the management of e-commerce in the hotel chains, who answered questions about the activities corresponding to the sector. The information gathered was measured on a 5-point Likert scale, and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test. The results obtained through the data analysis show that both the national and the international hotel chains use e-commerce tools, but the latter do so with greater intensity. They also reveal a lack of interest in the creation of strategies for reservation apps on mobile devices, or geolocalization apps, both of which would benefit the mobility of the tourism sector. On the other hand, the hotel chains included in this survey use direct sales, i.e. without intermediaries, showing a strong tendency towards the use of e-marketing tools for the effective use of e-commerce. The conclusion drawn is that the hotel chains investigated in this study need to reflect on strategic ways to increase their use of e-commerce, in order to adapt to the changes and technological innovations, providing personalized products and services for consumers, with the aim of maximizing profits.