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Mapping Information systems’ maturity in the Portuguese Hospitality Industry

Sá, Gustavo Oliveira · 2021

Abstract

Hospitality is a highly competitive market that struggles to improve its performance. Today, the use of technology is a critical factor for more efficient performance. For this reason, hotels are increasingly willing to adopt information systems to optimize the performance of their operations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the information systems’ maturity levels of Portuguese independent hotels and small hotel chains, to map them regarding hotels’ characteristics and identify patterns among those maturity levels. The literature indicates that hotels are becoming more willing to adopt information systems to optimize their operations, but it is always dependent on the decision-makers. The NEC (Network Exploitation Capability) Model (Piccoli et al., 2011) was employed to evaluate Portuguese hotels' information systems adoption. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed to perform this research. Six hoteliers, from the 77 hotel companies surveyed, were also interviewed, wich represented almost 10% of hotels. The results revealed that some hotel characteristics influence the information systems’ maturity level, which, in average, has a value of 2.7 out of 5. Nevertheless, hoteliers, on average, give a selfclassification of 3.51. Besides measuring hotels’ information systems’ maturity, the study goes deeper. It explores the type of systems used by hoteliers, their main drivers and the limitations to invest in technology or in factors that do not only influence their information system’s maturity. Additionally, this study shows how hoteliers see the technology on their day to day operations and staff qualification investment. Finally, this srudy corroborates the positive impact of technology on promoting business maturity, which consequently boosts hotels’ performance and competitiveness.

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Mapping Information systems’ maturity in the Portuguese Hospitality Industry

Author: Sá, Gustavo Oliveira
Year: 2021
Source: https://run.unl.pt/bitstream/10362/119704/1/TGI0411.pdf
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he
Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
Gus a o Oli ei a Sá
Disse a ion p esen ed as he pa ial equi emen o
ob aining a Mas e 's deg ee in In o ma ion Managemen
NOVA In o ma ion Managemen School
Ins i u o Supe io de Es a ís ica e Ges ão de In o mação
Uni e sidade No a de Lisboa
MAPPING INFORMATION SYSTEMS’ MATURITY IN THE
PORTUGUESE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
by
Gus a o Oli ei a Sá
Disse a ion p esen ed as he pa ial equi emen o ob aining a Mas e 's deg ee in In o ma ion
Managemen , Specializa ion in Ma ke ing In elligence
Ad iso : P o esso Nuno Miguel da Conceição An ónio
Ma ch 2021
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Fi s o all, I wan o s a by hanking my hesis supe iso Nuno An ónio o his guidance,
suppo , ime, and a ailabili y. The way he challenged me and exposed his poin s o iew
was an ex emely aluable con ibu ion o he wo k I de eloped. He made his esea ch
possible.
Secondly, I would like o hank my amily, especially my pa en s, who suppo ed me
uncondi ionally, my iends who ha e always enabled, mo i a ed, and encou aged me o
de elop his esea ch. I p oudly dedica e his hesis o you.
Fu he mo e, I would like o sha e how app ecia i e I am o he help I ecei ed om my
Climbe RMS eamma es, as well as RM Academy, who guided me h oughou his p ojec .
Also, o all he ho elie s who con ibu ed wi h hei ime and expe ience wi hin he indus y
o u n his hesis in o a ele an esea ch.
Las bu no leas , a u h hank you o P o esso Paulo Ri a, who led he Resea ch
Me hodologies Class, di ec ing us wi h his guidance and eedback.
Since ely, hank you.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
iii
ABSTRACT
Hospi ali y is a highly compe i i e ma ke ha s uggles o imp o e i s pe o mance. Today,
he use o echnology is a c i ical ac o o mo e e icien pe o mance. Fo his eason,
ho els a e inc easingly willing o adop in o ma ion sys ems o op imize he pe o mance o
hei ope a ions. The pu pose o his s udy is o e alua e he in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y
le els o Po uguese independen ho els and small ho el chains, o map hem ega ding
ho els’ cha ac e is ics and iden i y pa e ns among hose ma u i y le els.
The li e a u e indica es ha ho els a e becoming mo e willing o adop in o ma ion sys ems
o op imize hei ope a ions, bu i is always dependen on he decision-make s. The NEC
(Ne wo k Exploi a ion Capabili y) Model (Piccoli e al., 2011) was employed o e alua e
Po uguese ho els' in o ma ion sys ems adop ion. Quan i a i e and quali a i e echniques
we e employed o pe o m his esea ch. Six ho elie s, om he 77 ho el companies
su eyed, we e also in e iewed, wich ep esen ed almos 10% o ho els. The esul s
e ealed ha some ho el cha ac e is ics in luence he in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y le el,
which, in a e age, has a alue o 2.7 ou o 5. Ne e heless, ho elie s, on a e age, gi e a sel -
classi ica ion o 3.51.
Besides measu ing ho els’ in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y, he s udy goes deepe . I explo es
he ype o sys ems used by ho elie s, hei main d i e s and he limi a ions o in es in
echnology o in ac o s ha do no only in luence hei in o ma ion sys em’s ma u i y.
Addi ionally, his s udy shows how ho elie s see he echnology on hei day o day
ope a ions and s a quali ica ion in es men . Finally, his s udy co obo a es he posi i e
impac o echnology on p omo ing business ma u i y, which consequen ly boos s ho els’
pe o mance and compe i i eness.
KEYWORDS
Ho el In o ma ion Sys ems; In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y; Ne wo k Exploi a ion Capabili y;
Ho el So wa e; Ho els’ pe o mance and compe i i eness
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
i
INDEX
1. In oduc ion .................................................................................................................. 1
1.1. P oblem De ini ion and Backg ound ..................................................................... 1
1.2. Speci ic Objec i es ................................................................................................. 2
1.3. Me hodology ......................................................................................................... 3
1.4. S uc u e ................................................................................................................ 4
2. Li e a u e e iew .......................................................................................................... 5
2.1. Tou ism and Hospi ali y con ex globally .............................................................. 5
2.2. Tou ism and hospi ali y con ex in Po ugal ......................................................... 6
2.3. Independen ho els s. chains ............................................................................... 7
2.4. Wha a e in o ma ion sys ems, and wha is hei ole in business? ..................... 8
2.5. In o ma ion Sys ems in Hospi ali y ....................................................................... 9
2.5.1. Ho el In o ma ion Sys ems: which a e hey, and wha is hei pu pose? ..... 9
2.5.2. The Impac o Ho el In o ma ion Sys ems and i s adop ion ........................ 12
2.6. In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y (ISM) in Hospi ali y ............................................ 15
2.6.1. Wha is In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y? ...................................................... 15
2.6.2. How is ISM measu ed, and how can i be classi ied? .................................. 15
3. Me hodology .............................................................................................................. 19
3.1. Resea ch Design .................................................................................................. 19
3.2. Quan i a i e esea ch - Su ey ............................................................................ 19
3.3. Quali a i e esea ch – In-dep h In e iews ......................................................... 21
4. Resul s and discussion ................................................................................................ 22
4.1. Quan i a i e Resea ch – Su ey Analysis ............................................................ 22
4.2. Quali a i e Resea ch – In e iews Analysis ......................................................... 38
5. Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 44
5.1. Summa y o esul s .............................................................................................. 44
5.2. Tes ed hypo hesis ................................................................................................ 45
5.3. Resea ch Implica ions .......................................................................................... 46
5.4. Limi a ions ........................................................................................................... 46
5.5. Fu u e Resea ch ................................................................................................... 47
6. Bibliog aphy ................................................................................................................ 48
7. Appendices ................................................................................................................. 56
7.1. Appendix I - Su ey Ques ions............................................................................. 56
7.2. Appendix II - In e iew Sc ip .............................................................................. 61

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
LIST OF FIGURES
Figu e 1 – Dis ibu ion o ype o ho els in Po ugal om 2011 o 2019 (Sou ce: INE, 2020) .. 2
Figu e 2 – NEC Ma u i y Le els and i s ansi ions .................................................................. 16
Figu e 3 – Da a Analysis Diag am ............................................................................................. 20
Figu e 4 – Rela ionship be ween NEC Ma u i y Classi ica ion and Sel -Classi ica ion ............ 23
Figu e 5 – Rela ion wi h Ma u i y Le el wi h Ho el Ca ego y .................................................. 26
Figu e 6 – Rela ion wi h Ma u i y Le el and he p esence o in e na ional compe i ion ....... 27
Figu e 7 - Le el o Ma u i y and he Decision-make 's age .................................................... 29
Figu e 8 – Rela ion wi h Ma u i y Le el and in o ma ion sys ems in he ho el and i s
in eg a ions ...................................................................................................................... 31
Figu e 9 - Coun o which in o ma ion sys ems a e a ailable in he ho els ............................ 32
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
i
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 - Fi e S ages Model o ISM, hei A ibu es, Desc ip ion, and Mac o-Beha io s ...... 17
Table 2 - Gene al ISM Le els, acco ding o Ma ook & Ihme .................................................... 17
Table 3 – Dimension o he companies ep esen ed in he su ey ......................................... 22
Table 4 – Classi ica ion acco ding o NEC and incong ui ies on he classi ica ion .................. 24
Table 5 – Le el o Ma u i y by Geog aphic Region .................................................................. 25
Table 6 – Le el o Ma u i y by company's dimension ............................................................. 25
Table 7 – Le el o Ma u i y and he decision-make 's backg ound ......................................... 28
Table 8 – Le el o Ma u i y and he Decision-make ’s ole in he company ........................... 30
Table 9 – Le el o Ma u i y and he numbe o sys ems in he ho el...................................... 31
Table 10 – Le el o Ma u i y and in en ions o in es in in o ma ion sys ems ....................... 33
Table 11 - In es men in he la es echnology ....................................................................... 34
Table 12 - Numbe o ho els pe ma u i y le el ha in es ed in he la es echnologies ...... 34
Table 13 - Main D i e s o hi ing echnology by he ma u i y le el ....................................... 35
Table 14 - Main limi a ions o hi ing echnology by he ma u i y le el ................................. 36
Table 15 – In es men in S a Quali ica ion ............................................................................ 37
Table 16 - In e iews made, o ganized by he ma u i y le el and ho el cha ac e is ics ......... 38
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
ii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
ADR – A e age Daily Ra e
B2C – Business- o-business
B2C – Business- o-consume
BE – Booking Engine
CM – Channel Manage
CRM – Cus ome Rela ionship Managemen
CRS – Cen al Rese a ion Sys em
GDS – Global Dis ibu ion Sys em
GM – Gene al Manage
HIS – Ho el In o ma ion Sys ems
HR – Human Resou ces
IS – In o ma ion Sys em
ISM – In o ma ion Sys em's Ma u i y
IT – In o ma ion Technology
NEC – Ne wo k Exploi a ion Capabili y
NIT – New In o ma ion Technologies
OCC – Occupancy
OTAs – Online T a el Agen s
PMS – P ope y Managemen Sys em
POS – Poin o Sale
Re PAR – Re enue pe a ailable oom nigh
RM – Re enue Managemen
RMS – Re enue Managemen Sys em
ROI – Re u n on In es men
RS – Ra e Shoppe
SEO – Sea ch engine op imiza ion
SME – Small and medium en e p ises
TAs – T a el Agen s
TO – Tou Ope a o
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
1
1. INTRODUCTION
This in oduc ion will p o ide he con ex o his s udy, wi h he p oblem de ini ion, esea ch
ques ions, objec i es o he s udy, and a b ie s uc u e.
1.1. PROBLEM DEFINITION AND BACKGROUND
Technology impac s e e yone, all businesses and companies, and ou expe iences as
indi iduals and as consume s (Ham e al., 2005; Lam e al., 2007). Companies oday canno
pe o m well wi hou eso ing o echnology. Ho els a e no an excep ion. Due o he
ou ism con ex , ho els ope a e in a genuinely compe i i e ma ke , and echnology is ac ing
as a d i e o e iciency in p ocesses and inno a ion (Cobos e al., 2016). Hospi ali y
companies ake oppo uni ies om echnologies, bu his can be imp o ed wi h a s a egy
(Piccoli e al., 2011). I is only hen ha ho els mus execu e hei s a egy and go o
es uc u ing (Andal-Ancion e al., 2003).
A new ecosys em is u ging as a ui o he digi al ans o ma ion, c ea ing a new way o
in e ac ing in business, es ablishing mo e connec ions wi h cus ome s, o c ea ing mo e
ma ke ing con en (Ribei o & Flo en ino, 2016).
The ho el sec o p esen s p oblems o e iciency and pe o mance. To inc ease e iciency,
imp o e p oduc i i y, and suppo decision-making, o ganiza ions, in gene al, ha e been
inc easing hei in es men s in In o ma ion Technology (IT) g adually (Sun & Lu, 2014).
Despi e many people in e oga ing hemsel es abou IT's bene i s in o ganiza ions, IT has
s a ed o gain ecogni ion o he imp o emen s in ope a ional e iciency and s a egic
posi ioning (Chen & Liu, 2019).
As seen in Figu e 1, he Po uguese ho el pano ama is ma ked by small na ional chains and
independen ho els, wi h a weigh o 58.8% (1,196 ho els) on he ho el sec o in 2019,
acco ding o he da a published by Deloi e (Galha das e al., 2019). This ype o ho el has
less p opensi y o adop echnology and use i daily o op imize hei asks and be e
manage hei businesses (Ba os e al., 2011). The scope o his esea ch will be independen
ho els as hese uni s and small local chains up o 6 ho els, wi h no a ilia ion o in e na ional
b ands. In 2019, independen and small ho el chains ep esen ed no 58.8% bu 80% (1,709
ho els) o he ho el sec o in Po ugal (Galha das e al., 2019; INE, 2020).
Po uguese independen ho elie s a e in a s age o echnology imma u i y, cha ac e ized by
ew sys ems and p ocesses (Ba os e al., 2011). Imma u e o ganiza ions can p o i om IT,
bu i is mo e challenging o make i egula ly. Ne e heless, when a ho el mo es o he nex
s age o ma u i y, i can achie e a pe o mance imp o emen (Piccoli e al., 2011).
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
8
2.4. WHAT ARE INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AND WHAT IS THEIR ROLE IN BUSINESS?
In o ma ion echnology and in o ma ion sys ems a e aking a ele an ole in businesses. IT
has capabili ies o change adi ional businesses, such as Tou ism bu hese capabili ies a e
o en no ma e ialized (Andal-Ancion e al., 2003).
Zwass, V. has de ined he in o ma ion sys ems as "an in eg a ed se o componen s o
collec ing, s o ing, and p ocessing da a and p o iding in o ma ion, knowledge, and digi al
p oduc s" (Zwass, 2017). In o ma ion Sys ems can only achie e hei ull po en ial when hey
co espond o he needs o managemen 's in o ma ion. The managemen in o ma ion
sys ems aim o gi e necessa y in o ma ion o planning, o ganizing, managing s a , and
con olling ope a ions. I also p o ides in o ma ion o moni o ing p og ess o achie e
business goals, ack pe o mance, ecognize pa e ns, suppo decision making, and analyze
al e na i es o s a egic, ac ical, and ope a ional decisions (Kasa ana, 2016).
E en hough challenging o analyze, mos companies ha e a da abase ha is a collec ion o
da a abou use ul in o ma ion, namely gues s' da a (Kasa ana, 2016). "Knowledge is Powe ,"
and his knowledge is sus ained by in o ma ion echnologies ha allow ho els o know hei
gues s be e and sa is y hei needs be e (Olsen & Connolly, 2000).
E e y business wan s o ha e a compe i i e ad an age, and some imes his idea is
associa ed wi h IT and new echnologies. Thus, many decision-make s op o in es in IT o
ea o being behind he compe i ion, a ision ha leads o no le e aging he IT’s po en ial
alue inside ha o ganiza ion among employees (Chen & Liu, 2019; Weill, 1992).
Despi e IT's bene i s o o ganiza ions, IT has s a ed o be ecognized o he imp o emen s
in ope a ional e iciency and s a egic posi ioning. While s udies concluded a ela ionship
be ween IT in es men and o ganiza ional changes, o he s did no , so we canno gene alize
since many o he ac o s in luence IT's impac on he o ganiza ion, making i a complica ed
ela ionship (Chen & Liu, 2019; Mi a, 2005).
Some au ho s conside echnology a d i e o e iciency in p ocesses and inno a ion (Cobos
e al., 2016). To inc ease e iciency, imp o e p oduc i i y, and suppo decision-making,
o ganiza ions, in gene al, ha e been inc easing hei in es men s in IT g adually. P oduc i i y
can be measu ed by he asks made du ing a speci ic pe iod o wo k low o da a p ocessing.
The inc ease in p o i abili y is ha de o measu e bu consis s o he ac ha an applica ion
ou weighed cos (Kasa ana, 2016).
The adop ion o hese kinds o sys ems esul ed no only in a educ ion o he cos s, bu also
in he inc emen o e enues, and so, mo e ou s anding p oduc s bu also in he
imp o emen o cus ome se ice and ope a ions (Siguaw e al., 2000; Ta can & Va ol,
2009). Besides, he po en ial o acqui e new business is no only based on acqui ing new

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
9
cus ome s bu also on gene a ing new e enues om exis ing cus ome s, such as upselling
(Da e n & Kau man, 2000; Kimes, 2008; Law e al., 2013).
The main ba ie s o echnology adop ion can be he lack o echnology s a egy o lack o
in o ma ion abou hose new IT se ices, and essen ially i is he cos o IT (Cobanoglu e al.,
2006). Unde s anding he IT cos is he so wa e license and he educa ion on s a , suppo ,
and main enance, and depending on he echnology, new ha dwa e equipmen compa ible
wi h he new solu ion (Chen & Liu, 2019).
When i comes o he echnology o be used, a e i s implemen a ion, he use can pu
some ba ie s such as he le el o skills o knowledge, which is a limi o he alue o IT
in es men s (Da e n & Kau man, 2000). Some imes, bo h decision-make s and he use s o
he sys ems a e no he same people. I he e is mo e accep ance om he use s, i will
minimize he esis ance and maximize IT's e ec i e u iliza ion (T. Kim e al., 2008; Yang &
Mao, 2017). The e o e, use sa is ac ion is supe impo an , a ec ing, di ec ly and indi ec ly,
he company's pe o mance while using he solu ion. I he e is sys em accep ance, he
employee will be mo e pe o ma i e and e ec i e ope a ionally (Chen & Liu, 2019). Once
he implemen a ion o a new sys em is done, aining is equi ed o he employees who will
use ha echnology, allowing hem o pe o m as e and mo e com o ably in a unique
solu ion ha is mo e amilia o hem (Moyeenudin e al., 2018).
Digi al ans o ma ion in Hospi ali y has s a ed o happen, and i can be de ined as he
ou come o di e en digi al inno a ions, acco ding o Al awadieh e al. I seems o be
ine i able o ho els despi e all inancial cha ges, om ha dwa e and so wa e o aining he
s a o use he echnologies (Al awadieh e al., 2020). Lam e al. de end ha digi al
ans o ma ion is necessa y and no an op ion (Lam e al., 2007). Se e al au ho s de end
digi al ans o ma ion as essen ial o companies o achie e hei goals, imp o e he se ice
quali y, educe cos s, c ea e knowledge, and maximize e enues (Al i e ic & S embe ge ,
2015; Camille i, 2018). This p ocess ei he led o c ea ing a new way o in e ac ion in
business, es ablishing mo e connec ions wi h cus ome s, o c ea ing mo e ma ke ing
con en (Ribei o & Flo en ino, 2016).
2.5. INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN HOSPITALITY
2.5.1. Ho el In o ma ion Sys ems: which a e hey, and wha is hei pu pose?
Ho el In o ma ion Sys ems (HIS) could be placed in ou ca ego ies (Ham e al., 2005; Lam e
al., 2007):
1. F on o ice sys ems.
2. Back o ice sys ems.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
10
3. Res au an banque managemen .
4. Gues - ela ed in e ace.
These HIS ca ego ies can be seen in he mul iple sys ems used in he a ious depa men s,
such as he au oma ion o he sales o ice p ocesses, like da a ga he ing, analysis, answe ing
g oup eques s, o accoun managemen . Acco ding o he HIS li e a u e, hese a e he
sys ems ho elie s can ake ad an age o o imp o e hei day- o-day ope a ions:
- Accoun ing Applica ions: i is a back-o ice so wa e ha can be in eg a ed wi h he
modules o he PMS such as accoun s ecei able and payable, in en o y and pay oll
accoun ing, inancial epo ing (Kasa ana, 2016).
- Booking Engine (BE): i is a ool ecommended o he ho els o ha e owa d ge ing
di ec ese a ions on hei websi e, applica ion o mobile ese a ions, and social
media channels. Booking engines can be designed acco ding o he ho el's websi e.
To ha e he ese a ions p ocessed equi es a connec ion wi h he channel manage
o he PMS (Can oni e al., 2011). A signi ican pa o ho els p i ileges bookings by
di ec channels such as a ho el's websi e, ensu ing he bes a es o loyal y
ad an ages o cus ome s who book he e (O'Conno & Mu phy, 2004).
- Channel Manage (CM): This sys em allows he ho els o send a ailabili y and p ices
o online channels au oma ically, exposing hei in en o y in a mo e signi ican
spec um o channels and OTAs. I also helps o manage he channel and p icing
con lic (Ci ak e al., 2018).
- Cha bo s: his echnology is a compu e applica ion ha ope a es as a i ual
assis an dialoguing in he use s' na u al language (Lasek & Jessa, 2013; Venka esh,
2000), educing sales and suppo se ice and so, i s cos s, allowing cus ome s o
know mo e abou he ho el's ooms and hei a es and making di ec bookings (Pu i
e al., 2019).
- Cus ome Rela ionship Managemen (CRM): his is a sys em o dealing wi h he
his o y and ac ual indi idual needs o gues s, hei con ac s, and in e es s o he
sales and ma ke ing eam o access and sell addi ional hospi ali y p oduc s o
se ices acco ding o hose in e es s (Kasa ana, 2016). I is i al o ha e a CRM o
he gues 's amily and iends o become gues s (Mu phy e al., 2016). Acco ding o
Piccoli, G., CRM wo ks be e o he ho el b and le el wi h loyal y p og ams (Piccoli
e al., 2003).
- Elec onic locking sys em (ELS) - This elec onic key locking sys em is ne wo ked wi h
he PMS. The necessa y code gene a ed will also be dele ed, and a on desk pe son
can code he oom key o he nex gues 's a i al (Moyeenudin e al., 2018).
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
11
- Ene gy Managemen Sys em (EMS): a ypical unc ion ha shu s down he ope a ion
o equipmen hose a e no in use o a pe iod and au oma ically manages oom
empe a u e, ai mo emen s in public spaces and gues ooms (Kasa ana, 2016).
- Global Dis ibu ion Sys ems (GDS): allow he dis ibu ion o ho el ese a ions online
wo ldwide, and In e ne Dis ibu ion Sys ems (IDS), which a e o ien ed o consume
ese a ions, wo king as sel -se ice (Kasa ana, 2016).
- Human Resou ces sys ems a e ins umen s o s a scheduling, pe o mance me ics,
employees' da a, compensa ions, among o he s (Buckley e al., 2001).
- In e ac i e communica ions sys em: aims o acili a e he mee ings and he e en s in
he ho el and ensu e he phone de ice o he gues s' oom o communica e wi h he
ecep ion o oom se ice when necessa y (Examine & Dinh, 2009).
- Online Repu a ion Managemen (ORM): Online epu a ion consis s o imp essions,
ei he posi i e o nega i e, ha people ge om he companies. In his case, he
people's expe iences in he ho el. F om he e iews, ho elie s can ake a sel -
e alua ion and imp o e hei expe ience o be mo e e icien ly success ul. This kind
o sys em can agg ega e gues s' imp essions om a ious websi es and OTAs o
posi ion he public image (Ci ak e al., 2018). Ho els ha do no sha e con en on
hei online channels a e a a disad an age. Almos all ho els ha e booking.com and
T ipAd iso , bu only a ew wi h e iews (Lei e & Aze edo, 2017).
- P ope y Managemen Sys em (PMS): i helps o i ually manage he gues s' s ay a
he p ope y, wi h se e al on -o ice and back-o ice unc ions, namely: allowing
managemen o all ooms, moni o ing a ailabili y, e alua e he s ages o
ese a ions, a ibu e ooms o gues s, moni o ing cleanliness and housekeeping,
acili a e he check-ins, acili a e he gues s' paymen (Kasa ana, 2016). As p obably
he mos essen ial and cen al sys em in a ho el, i has many in e aces wi h o he
sys ems such as Poin o Sale, Re enue Managemen Sys em, Channel Manage s,
Global Dis ibu ion Sys ems, and o he sys ems. A PMS, acco ding o Moyeenudin, H.,
"a se o au oma ed so wa e modules ha can suppo a a ie y o ac i i ies in he
on o ice" namely: ese a ions module, ooms, gues accoun ing, and gene al.
Mo eo e , i has small modules o back-o ice and audi s (Moyeenudin e al., 2018).
- Poin o Sale (POS): I aims o moni o se ice a ea ansac ions like es au an s, spa,
ba s, and o he selling poin s. I can ack all e enue cen e s a a ho el (Kasa ana,
2016).
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
12
- Ra e Shoppe : i can be used independen ly o inco po a ed in a Re enue
Managemen Sys em (RMS), p o iding a moni o iza ion o compe i o s' p ices om
a ious channels in a cen alized pla o m, he pa i y be ween he online channels
whe e he ho el is selling he in en o y. To ake ad an age o a a e shoppe , i
should include an RMS and benchma king in eg a ion o eed he p icing
ecommenda ions (Top 15 ea u es o look o in a a e shoppe , 2018).
- Re enue Managemen Sys em (RMS) also helps wi h p icing s a egies, e alua es
indica o s, chooses policies in day- o-day ope a ions, p edic s upcoming demand,
acks compe i o s' a es, and analyzes g oup bookings. RMS sys ems also p o ide
decision-making in o ma ion o o he depa men s like ma ke ing, sales, o e en HR
(Al awadieh e al., 2020; Y. Kim e al., 2005). The cos o an RMS is indeed he mos
signi ican ba ie o he adop ion o his echnology. The eplacemen o Re enue
Manage s by sophis ica ed RMS has been discussed. Due o his kind o sys em's cos
and he complexi y o his p o ession, i will be some hing dis an in ime o happen
(Al awadieh e al., 2020).
2.5.2. The Impac o Ho el In o ma ion Sys ems and i s adop ion
To be mo e compe i i e agains he new and adi ional playe s, he lodging indus y elies
on echnology in a ious ope a ions. Mo eo e , echnology in Tou ism has b ough mo e
sophis ica ion o he ope a ions (Al awadieh e al., 2020; Sigala, 2018). Hospi ali y
companies ake oppo uni ies om echnology, bu hey can be enhanced wi h a s a egy
(Piccoli e al., 2011). IT is no only seen as me e ools bu also as a s a egic asse o he
Hospi ali y indus y. These sys ems ope a e 365 days o 24 hou s. (Lam e al., 2007).
The compe i i e ad an age can be p oduc di e en ia ion, imp o ing cus ome se ice,
educing ope a ing cos s, o he abili y o app oach speci ic ma ke segmen s (Kasa ana,
2016). To imp o e pe o mance and s a egic compe i i eness on a long- e m basis, IT is an
impo an ins umen ha helps ho els achie e i (Kim e al., 2008).
By he end o he las cen u y, many companies we e in es ing in New In o ma ion
Technologies (NIT), namely, in websi es, mobile communica ions, and so wa e. Some o
hose echnologies enabled a dec ease in he numbe o in e media ies. In he case o
ho els, Tou Ope a o s (TO) (Andal-Ancion e al., 2003). These kinds o echnologies a e
assigned o manage s wi h mul iple esponsibili ies, so hey a e no echnically specialized
and may lack o mal aining. Typically, a manage has a basic knowledge o how sys ems
ope a e, only selec ing he sys ems ha be e i hei needs ins ead o he o ganiza ion’s
(Kasa ana, 2016). This si ua ion happens mainly in small independen ho els whe e he
s uc u e is simple (Piccoli e al., 2011).
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
13
While da a usage has inc eased in he ho el sec o , i is impo an o highligh ha some
ho els used sp eadshee s o ack his o ical da a, elabo a e o ecas s, o se hei p icing,
changing ha in o ma ion wi h o he ho elie s abou hei pe o mance (Al awadieh e al.,
2020). Da a managemen is a way o imp o ing quali y and pe o mance once i can help
ecognize employees' knowledge (Moyeenudin e al., 2018). These sys ems ans o m da a
in o ac s and use ul in o ma ion, which is nowadays an asse o a ho el, once i inc eases
knowledge abou hei gues s, se ices, pe o mance, inance, and ope a ions (Kasa ana,
2016).
Exis ing echnologies su pass he numbe ha a ho el could implemen . Howe e , no sys em
alone can help manage all a eas o a ho el, so he e a e sys ems ne o in e ace wi h o he
sys ems o sol e his limi a ion (Andal-Ancion e al., 2003; Kasa ana, 2016). Like in o he
sec o s, in hospi ali y, he in e ace be ween sys ems is o o emos impo ance o c ea e
au oma ion (Piccoli e al., 2011). In e aces wi h PMS and o he sys ems a e essen ial
because hey allow access o da a and in o ma ion collec ed by he PMS in a ious sys ems
as well as o c ea e au oma ed p ocesses. Howe e , hese in e aces ep esen isks such as
losing da a, comp omising some capabili ies, and making sys ems slowe . To o e come
hese isks, ho el manage s ha e o eel con iden , eso o con ac s, make communica ion
clea , pe o m compa isons, and c ea e con ingencies (Kasa ana, 2016).
IT adop ion is mo e d i en by cos educ ion and op imiza ion o he ope a ion han by
cus ome se ice imp o emen (Do an e al., 2002). While he Hospi ali y indus y is no
echnology-d i en, echnology adop ion seems complica ed (Law e al., 2013). Implemen ing
echnologies is ela ed o ac o s like he ho el's size o a ilia ion o a ho el chain, which
ends o ha e mo e echnology a ailable. Mo eo e , i is also associa ed wi h he decision
make 's p o ile: "age, educa ion le el, and job enu e." When he decision-make s a e
younge , wi h a highe educa ion le el o a sho e job enu e, he decision ends o a o
echnology adop ion (Ahme & Mu a , 2014). The emb acing o echnology is also ela ed o
pe sonal inno a i eness om he s a , o ganiza ion inno a i eness, and he use 's
accep ance o he in o ma ion sys em. Bo h pe sonal inno a i eness and o ganiza ional
inno a i eness in luence each o he (Kim e al., 2008).
Despi e no ha ing empi ical suppo o his a gumen , O’Conno & Mu phy (2004) de end
ha manage s a e less willing o adop echnology han hei employees. Since HIS a e
pe cei ed as mo e aluable by employees who pe o m daily asks ha can be op imized, i
is ha d o make decision-make s unde s and hese sys ems' use ulness. HIS accep ance will
be inc eased wi h he sys ems' highe use - iendliness (Huh e al., 2009). I is also belie ed
ha echnology is becoming mo e use - iendly and da a-d i en, making i mo e
sophis ica ed (Al awadieh e al., 2020; Ka adjo & Fa ahmand, 2007).

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
14
The quali y aspec s a e unde s ood di e en ly by dis inc sys em use s (Sim e al., 2006). A
key o he success o HIS migh be use -o ien ed suppo . Essen ially, du ing he ea ly s age
o echnology implemen a ion, i is c ucial o ecei e aining om he endo s o pe o m
be e and inc ease use s’ mo i a ion o use IT (Lam e al., 2007).
In 2003, a ew au ho s w o e ha businesses should ake in o conside a ion en d i e s o
he adop ion o echnology, alling in o h ee ca ego ies: "inhe en cha ac e is ics o
p oduc s and se ices", "in e ac ions be ween a company and i s cus ome s," and
"in e ac ions be ween a company and i s pa ne s and compe i o s" (Andal-Ancion e al.,
2003). These d i e s a e:
1. "Elec onic deli e abili y": ho el cus ome s can ha e in o ma ion, compa e p ices, and
book ese a ions online.
2. "In o ma ion densi y": companies inc eased he amoun o in o ma ion hey ha e
a ailable online.
3. "Cus omizabili y": NIT can o e p oduc s wi h indi idual needs o cus ome s.
4. "Agg ega ion e ec s": i can acili a e he upselling and c oss-selling o p oduc s and
se ices.
5. "Sea ch Cos s": NIT has b ough mo e anspa ency in ansac ions, allowing he p ice
ea u e compa ison p oduc ion.
6. "Real- ime in e ace": allows dealing wi h da a and in o ma ion changes au oma ically.
7. "Con ac ing isk": he idea o he p oduc pu chased online can be di e en om
eali y.
8. "Ne wo k e ec s": In some cases, he u ili y o a se ice inc eases as many people a e
using ha se ice. In he case o a ho el, i can be he example o he s a us ha s aying in
a well know and luxu y ho el concedes o a gues .
9. "S anda diza ion bene i s": NIT allows synch onizing p ocesses and s anda diza ion,
men ioning he impo ance o in eg a ed sys ems.
10. "Missing compe encies": acili a es alliances and pa ne ships be ween companies o
help o he s in he case o some missing compe ency om he ini ial p o ide (Andal-
Ancion e al., 2003).
Mo e sophis ica ed cus ome s end o in luence he IT adop ion posi i ely (Law e al., 2013).
Sel -se ice echnology can p oduce se ice independence h ough echnological in e aces.
This end is mo e ealis ic in upscale ho els (B own & De , 2000). Howe e , his echnology
add esses issues such as he possibili y o se ice ailu e o ques ioning he quali y o he
cus ome se ice wi h he lack o in e pe sonal con ac , echnology anxie y (depending on
he cul u e), and elimina ion o social expe ience (Do an e al., 2002). Du ing he pas yea s,
he gues oom expe ience changed a lo , and so ho els wan ed o in oduce mo e
echnology in he ooms, seeking o p o ide hem mo e com o and en e ainmen op ions
(Ana e al., 2016; Ma ga ido, 2015).
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
15
The concep o "Ho el o he Fu u e" is connec ed o cus omiza ion, eso ing o cus ome
p e e ences, and ad anced echnology (Doyle, 2014). Gues s imagine his kind o ho el as
ela ed o new echnologies, educing cos s and inc easing e iciency, as well as he abili y o
"pe sonalize he cus ome expe ience and imp o e se ice" (Ma ga ido, 2015; Talwa ,
2020).
2.6. INFORMATION SYSTEMS’ MATURITY (ISM) IN HOSPITALITY
2.6.1. Wha is In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y?
The impo ance o unde s anding he po en ial o echnology is known (Da e n & Kau man,
2000). IT has gained a posi ion o compe i i e ad an age in his genuinely compe i i e
business en i onmen . I is a as amoun o in o ma ion o be p ocessed and communica ed
o in e nal and ex e nal channels (Lam e al., 2007). In Hospi ali y, echnology became a
p ime elemen o suppo se ice deli e y (Olsen & Connolly, 2000).
Tapia has de ined ma u i y as he sophis ica ion le el wi hin a pa icula ield (Al i e ic &
S embe ge , 2015; Tapia e al., 2014). Popo ic, A. p esen ed in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y
as he "g ow h and de elopmen o IT in as uc u e and unc ioning" (Al i e ic &
S embe ge , 2015; Popo ič e al., 2009). Ma u i y is no jus abou he echnology adop ed
by a ho el bu also abou i s being di ec ed. This concep o en implies a le el o
sophis ica ion le el signi ican ly achie ed. The "Capabili y Ma u i y Model" aims o imp o e
he esul s o echnology p ocesses (Al i e ic & S embe ge , 2015). This ma u i y equen ly
in ol es ans o ma ions o c ucial business ope a ions and a ec s p oduc s, p ocesses,
s uc u es, o managemen p ac ices (Ma e al., 2015).
Misunde s anding echnology leads o unde pe o mance due o a lack o knowledge abou
IT and h ee c ucial unc ions: demand gene a ion, mul i-channel dis ibu ion, and e enue
op imiza ion. In he opinion o he same au ho s o he NEC Model, hese a eas should be
some hing in which ho els shall in es o educe he unde pe o mance. I his is made in a
syne gy be ween he h ee di e en a eas, i b ings mo e esul s. They also ecognize ha
hey do no in es mo e due o a lack o esou ces (Piccoli e al., 2011).
2.6.2. How is ISM measu ed, and how can i be classi ied?
Piccoli e al. (2011) ha e de eloped he Ne wo k Exploi a ion Capabili y model based on
h ee componen s: gene ali y, de ail, and usabili y. This model is composed o i e s ages
and so ou ansi ion phases. I he ho el comes o a new s age, he e will be a pe o mance
imp o emen , and he ho el will build mo e p ocesses and sys ems. One s age is he basis
o he nex one (Piccoli e al., 2011).
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
16
The NEC Model’s au ho s concluded ha in 2011 mos o he hospi ali y i ms ound
hemsel es a he i s o second s age. Mos o hem ha e only one employee wi h NIT
skills. A ew companies we e in S age 3, wi h mo e ope a ional beha io , especially ho el
chains. The e a e no i ms in S age 4 wi h a mo e disciplined mindse o analy ics o
e ec i e ope a ions. Hence, also, he e we e no 5 h s age p ope ies ul illing hese
equi emen s (Piccoli e al., 2011):
1. Ha e de ined he o ganiza ional oles and s uc u ed depa men s.
2. Con inuous imp o emen on hei BI in oducing new analysis.
3. P esen in o ma ion in an in eg a ed way ac oss he o ganiza ion.
4. Pe o ming unde an R&D mindse and wi h an ac i e ole in indus y esea ch
and solu ions.
Figu e 2 – NEC Ma u i y Le els and i s ansi ions
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
17
S age
De ining
A ibu e
Desc ip ion
Mac o-Beha io s
Basic
Du abili y
Taking ad an age o
u iliza ion indi idually
Only a ew o none o ganized p ac ices.
The decisions a e le o he idea o one
indi idual.
Sys ema ic
O ganiza ion
O ganized ope a ional
p ac ices
The e a e equen ly o ganized pe o med
p ac ices.
In eg a ed
Synch oniza ion
Synch onize ope a ional
p ac ices
The p incipal business ope a ion sec o s
(demand gene a ion, elec onic
dis ibu ion, and e enue op imiza ion)
synch onize hei ac i i ies.
Analy ical
Logic
S uc u ed logical
p ac ices
The Analy ical wo k exceeds independen
epo p ac ices om daily ope a ions.
Op imized
Con inua ion
Con inual de elopmen
The capaci y o compound, ea ange
sys ems and asse s while he o ganiza ion
and ma ke s change om he echnological
pe spec i e.
Table 1 - Fi e S ages Model o ISM, hei A ibu es, Desc ip ion, and Mac o-Beha io s
Di e en au ho s ha e p esen ed a model o ISM wi h h ee s ages, based on se e al ac o s
o measu e he ISM: da a s o age, IT li e acy, eliabili y, in eg i y, secu i y, a ailabili y,
ne wo king, le el o suppo o managemen , access o he in o ma ion wi hin he ho el,
so wa e enewal cycle, ha dwa e enewal cycle, access o ho el in o ma ion om he
ou side. I is possible o obse e a link be ween ISM and non- inancial pe o mance, namely
gues ela ionships and business p ocesses (Ma ook & Ihme, 2006). The measu emen o
pe o mance also includes in angible aspec s. Hospi ali y pe o mance has wo dimensions:
gues ela ions and p ocess quali y (Al i e ic & S embe ge , 2015).
Table 2 - Gene al ISM Le els, acco ding o Ma ook & Ihme
Pe o mance mus be e alua ed ega ding p ocesses le els and ou comes. Tha ou come
needs o conside many ex e nal ac o s which impac he o ganiza ion and i s pe o mance
(Piccoli e al., 2011).
Gene al In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y Le els (Ma ook & Ihme, 2006)
Le el I
In o ma ion Sys ems ope a e as a pa ne in he echnology depa men o au oma e he
p ocession o da a.
Le el II
In o ma ion Sys ems ope a e as a business pa ne , cen e ed on suppo business
unc ions, and in eg a e hem.
Le el III
In o ma ion Sys ems ope a e as a pa ne o he business s a egy, seen as a
compe i i e ad an age.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
24
Classi ica ion acco ding o NEC
Coun o ho els
App op ia eness
27
App op ia eness wi h Sel -Classi ica ion
3
No Incong ui y
3
Incong ui y wi h Sel -Classi ica ion
24
O e Classi ica ion
9
Unde Classi ica ion
15
Incong ui y
50
App op ia eness wi h Sel -Classi ica ion
13
No Incong ui y
13
Incong ui y wi h Sel -Classi ica ion
37
O e Classi ica ion
36
Unde Classi ica ion
1
To al
77
Table 4 – Classi ica ion acco ding o NEC and incong ui ies on he classi ica ion
Fu he mo e, only 16 ou o he 77 ho el companies ha e classi ied hemsel es in he same
s age as hey a e, acco ding o he esea ch, while he o he s ha e classi ied hem abo e
hei s age. Mo e han 58% o he esponden s hink hey a e in (a leas ) one s age abo e
wha hey a e – o e -classi ica ion. Less han 21% we e mo e pessimis ic, posi ioning
hemsel es below wha hey a e – unde -classi ica ion.
When i comes o ela ing he ISM wi h o he a iables, we s udied in he i s place he
ela ion o he ho els' cha ac e is ics, such as he Region whe e he company owns ho els,
hei dimension (measu ed by he numbe o ooms), he ca ego y o each ho el, and i
hese ho els ha e big ho el b ands on hei compe i ion, who migh in luence hei s uc u e
o pe o mance.
The egions o Po ugal p esen ed in Po uguese and a e ep esen ed in able 5 by NUTS II
(Nomencla u a das Unidades Te i o iais pa a Fins Es a ís icos): No e
i
, Cen o
ii
, Lisboa
iii
,
Alen ejo
i
, Alga e
, Região Au ónoma da Madei a
i
e Região Au ónoma dos Aço es
ii
.
Geog aphical egions do no equally dis ibu e he ho els ep esen ed in he s udy. Howe e ,
obse ing he numbe s compa ed o he egion's weigh in he na ional con ex , he e is a
be e dis ibu ion. The ma u i y le els in Alga e and No e a e qui e well dis ibu ed and
ep esen ing he pa e n o he su ey. The opposi e happens wi h Cen o and Madei a, wi h
a signi ican p edominance o i s -s age ma u i y ho els. On he o he hand, Lisboa and
Alen ejo, which coun wi h almos 59% o hei ho els loca ed on he hi d s age o ma u i y.
Las ly, looking a he Azo es ha despi e ha ing ou ho els, only wo companies a e
ep esen ed; hus, i is no su icien o make conclusions.

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
25
Table 6 ela es he ma u i y le el wi h he companies' a e age size (numbe o ho els) and
he ho el's a e age size (numbe o ooms). I is non- iable o conclude any ela ion be ween
ma u i y and he companies' size since he e is no pa e n. In e ms o he numbe o ooms,
i is shown a sigh ly g owing endency in ho els' size on he highes ma u i y le els. E en so,
i is no conclusi e enough o es ablish a ela ionship be ween hese wo a iables.
Le el o Ma u i y
Sum o
Ho els
Sum o
Rooms
A e age o Ho els
pe company
A e age o
Rooms
1
48
3490
1,5
77
2
5
350
1,3
70
3
51
4459
1,4
87
4
8
998
4,0
125
5
40
3818
1,7
95
To al
152
13115
2,0
86
Table 6 – Le el o Ma u i y by company's dimension
Compa ed o he ho el companies' dimension, i is non- iable o iden i y any ela ionship
be ween he le el o ma u i y and he ca ego y o ho els, since ho els wi h di e en
ma u i y le els a e equally dis ibu ed by di e en ca ego ies, especially he adi ional ones,
om 3 o 5 s a s. Thus, i is a ainable o conclude, by igu e 5, ha he e is no ela ion
be ween he le el o ma u i y and he ho el ca ego y.
Le el o
ma u i y
Alen ejo
Alga e
Cen o
Lisboa
No e
RA Aço es
RA Madei a
To al
1
3
2
10
7
16
1
9
48
2
2
2
1
5
3
6
6
4
20
10
5
51
4
6
2
8
5
1
8
5
7
15
3
1
40
To al
10
18
19
34
49
4
18
152
Table 5 – Le el o Ma u i y by Geog aphic Region
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
26
Figu e 5 – Rela ion wi h Ma u i y Le el wi h Ho el Ca ego y
Unlike he wo p e iously s udied a iables, in igu e 6, i is possible o iden i y a ela ionship
be ween he ma u i y le el and a big ho el b and's p esence in he compe i ion. Almos all
ho els (94%) do no ha e big b ands as compe i o s a e loca ed in he i s h ee s ages o
ma u i y. A simila si ua ion happens wi h ho els wi h his kind o compe i ion, al hough
hey a e no di ec compe i o s, speaking o 82% o ho els. On he o he hand, wi hin ho els
wi h a big b and as hei di ec compe i o s (59%), 37% a e in he i h s age. When making
he p e ious (bu e e se) analysis, 70% o ho els ha coun wi h big b ands on hei di ec
compe i ion a e in he las h ee s ages.
Addi ionally, while 54% o ho els in he i s le el ace big b ands on di ec compe i ion, his
weigh is 83% o he i h s age. The e o e, a ela ionship be ween he le el o ma u i y and
big b ands' p esence in he compe i ion is no iced. The ac o o hese compe i o s migh
explain his end o be in e na ional big chains which a e, as seen in he li e a u e, mo e
ma u e and digi alized, wi hou amilia managemen and so, he independen uni s and
small ho el chains which compe e wi h hese in e na ional chains also end o ollow he
compe i ion and adop mo e echnology imp o e hei managemen o be mo e compe i i e
as well.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
27
Figu e 6 – Rela ion wi h Ma u i y Le el and he p esence o in e na ional compe i ion
Ano he ma e men ioned in he li e a u e as ele an o in luence he ISM o a ho el is he
decision make 's p o ile o echnology. This pe son needs o see alue in in o ma ion
sys ems and hen decide whe he o buy hem o no . The s udy has in es iga ed h ee
di e en a iables ela ed o he decision-make p o ile: his/he backg ound, his/he age,
and his/he posi ion in he ho el company.
Table 7 shows he po en ial ela ionship be ween he ma u i y le el (on he le ) and ho els'
dis ibu ion ega ding hei decision-make backg ound. In gene al, he decision-make s
ha e hei backg ound ei he in Hospi ali y (45%) o in Business (31%). The e is no clea
ela ion conside ing he academic backg ounds. Howe e , i appea s only be ween he i s
(basic) and hi d (in eg a ed) s ages o ma u i y some decision-make s ha e a backg ound
apa om Hospi ali y o ha e no academic backg ound. These wo make 16% o he ho el
companies. Also, in gene al, no immense p e alence is egis e ed o IT/Sys ems' backg ound
o be he people who decide o buy an in o ma ion sys em, a ound six imes less han
Hospi ali y. Hence, he e migh be a ela ion be ween hese wo a iables, bu i is no e y
e iden o ake a conclusion.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
28
Ou o he 77 answe s, 50 men ioned he decision-make has be ween 31 and 50 yea s old.
The ex emes, be ween 18 and 30 yea s old as younge decision-make s and mo e han 61
yea s old, he amoun o answe s is e y simila . Wha is no ha simila is ha ou o he
i e answe s co esponding o he olde (mo e han 61 yea s old) decision-make s, only one
u ned o be a company in he i h le el o ma u i y, while h ee companies in he i s
ma u i y le el. When looking a he wo younge anges o ages, be ween 18 and 30 yea s
and be ween 31 and 40 yea s old, se en companies in o al a e seen, ei he in he i s s age
o ma u i y and he i h s age o ma u i y. Las ly, compa ed o he wo middle anges,
be ween 41 and 50 yea s and 51 and 60, i was no ound any clea pa e n. Consequen ly,
looking in o igu e 7, i is easible o say ha he e is a sigh ly ela ion be ween he ma u i y
le el and he decision-make ’s age when speaking o younge o olde people. Howe e , i
was no possible o es ablish a ela ionship wi h he middle anges.
Decision-make P o ile
Coun o ho els
Le el 1
28
Business
9
Hospi ali y
8
IT/Sys ems
2
None
6
O he
3
Le el 2
3
Hospi ali y
3
Le el 3
26
Business
9
Hospi ali y
13
IT/Sys ems
1
None
2
O he
1
Le el 4
2
Business
1
IT/Sys ems
1
Le el 5
18
Business
5
Hospi ali y
11
IT/Sys ems
2
To al
77
Table 7 – Le el o Ma u i y and he decision-make 's backg ound
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
29
Figu e 7 - Le el o Ma u i y and he Decision-make 's age
Looking in o able 8 below, i is un easible o design a ela ion be ween he posi ion/ ole o
he decision-make in he company and he ma u i y le el a ibu ed o ha company. Mos
o he decision-make s a e CEOs, Gene al Manage s, o Company Owne s, wi h a signi ican
p opo ional weigh on he numbe o classi ica ions on each le el. Hence, i is un easible o
see a ela ion be ween hese a iables, as seen wi h he o he a iables abou he decision-
make p o ile.

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
30
Apa om he ho el's cha ac e is ics o i s decision-make , he NEC Model also sugges s
ha he ma u i y le el is connec ed o he sys ems a ailable in he ho el and s a
quali ica ion who use hese echnologies o pe o m hei asks. In he g aph below,
ep esen ed by igu e 8, he a e age numbe o sys ems a ailable in ho els and he
in eg a ions wi h he PMS and he CM, known as collec ion and dis ibu ion poin s o
in o ma ion o o he sys ems, as seen in he li e a u e. Acco ding o he su ey esul s,
he e is a mode a e endency o ho els in highe ma u i y s ages o possess mo e
in o ma ion sys ems and mo e in eg a ion be ween hose sys ems, making sense om
synch onizing in o ma ion, which is a measu e o ma u i y.
On a e age, a i h-s age ho el has 30% mo e sys ems han a i s -s age ho el and 19% mo e
han a hi d-s age ho el. Making he same analysis on he PMS in eg a ions, he numbe s
become 35% and 17%, espec i ely, and also, 35% and 23% on he CM in eg a ions. O
cou se, he e is s ill he need o unde s and he b eaking endency wi h s ages wo and ou
o ma u i y, which migh be explained by he small numbe o ho els ha assumed hose
classi ica ions. So, he e is no enough da a o make a p ecise analysis assuming hese
Posi ion o he decision-make
Coun o ho els
Le el 1
28
CEO
3
Company Owne
5
Gene al Manage
11
IT Manage
2
Manage Assis an
1
O he
5
Re enue Manage /e-Comme ce
1
Le el 2
3
CEO
1
Gene al Manage
2
Le el 3
26
CEO
5
Company Owne
4
Gene al Manage
8
IT Manage
1
Re enue Manage /e-Comme ce
4
Sales Manage
4
Le el 4
2
CEO
1
IT Manage
1
Le el 5
18
CEO
3
Company Owne
3
Gene al Manage
8
IT Manage
2
O he
1
Sales Manage
1
To al
77
Table 8 – Le el o Ma u i y and he Decision-make ’s ole in he company
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
31
second-s age (sys ema ic) ho els and ou h-s age (analy ical) ho els a e ou lie s. Hence, i is
a ainable he ela ion be ween he numbe o sys ems a ailable o a ho el and i s
in eg a ion and ma u i y le el.
Figu e 8 – Rela ion wi h Ma u i y Le el and in o ma ion sys ems in he ho el and i s in eg a ions
In mo e de ail, his assump ion can be explained by he ac o unequal dis ibu ion be ween
di e en le els, seen in able 9. Ou o he 28 ho el companies in he i s le el o ma u i y,
17 o hem ha e equals o less han se en sys ems (61%), while ou o he 18 companies on
he i h le el, 12 ha e eigh o mo e sys ems (67%).
No. o IS in he Ho el
1
2
3
4
5
To al o ho els
3
2
1
3
4
3
4
7
5
8
3
1
1
13
6
1
3
1
3
8
7
3
8
1
12
8
3
3
1
4
11
9
2
2
4
10
3
2
2
7
11
3
1
3
7
12
1
1
2
13
1
1
14
2
2
To al
28
3
26
2
18
77
Table 9 – Le el o Ma u i y and he numbe o sys ems in he ho el
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
32
Mo e han analyzing he numbe o sys ems, i is c ucial o unde s and he posi ion o he
ho elie s ega ding he la es echnology conside ed o his s udy: Cha bo s o ho el’s
websi es, CRM, and ORM, agains he PMS, he cen al and one o he oldes kind o
in o ma ion sys ems o ho els. As e iden in igu e 9 below, e e y ho el company ha
answe ed he s udy has a PMS. I is he cen al sys em, and e e y ho el shows he need o
ha e one, ega dless o he ma u i y le el, ho el ca ego y, o dimension.
Figu e 9 - Coun o which in o ma ion sys ems a e a ailable in he ho els
On he o he hand, on a e age, only one- hi d possess he la es echnology. Among hese
h ee, CRM is he mos a o i e, wi h 38% using i . Howe e , less han 30% ha e a Cha bo o
a sys em o ORM. The e is a clea g owing endency: as he le el o ma u i y g ows, he
p esence o he la es echnology g ows oo. The a io o he la es echnology p esen ed in
he i s -s age ho els is app oxima ely 0.68 ou o 3 echnologies pe ho el company wi h his
classi ica ion, 1.0 o hi d-s age companies, and 1.5 o i h-s age companies. The key
di e en ial is loca ed on he cha bo , as he CRM o ORM sys ems, ho els a e equally
dis ibu ed among he ma u i y le els.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
33
Mo e han e alua ing wha ho els ha e oday, he s udy wen on o hei in en ions o adop
mo e in o ma ion sys ems nex yea . Table 10 shows ha mo e han 54% in end o dec ease
hei cu en in es men in echnology. Ou o hose 42 companies, only one exp esses o
acqui e ou new echnologies, which can signal ha some ho els a e changing hei
supplie s o mo e a o dable ones. Ne e heless, 23% sugges s in es ing up o 10% mo e in
echnology by he nex yea and 19% o in es up o 25% mo e. Only one company in ends
o in es up o 50% mo e in wo new echnologies and one company mo e han 100%. Fi e
new echnologies sugges a es uc u e o his ho el company's in o ma ion sys ems.
The amoun desi ed o in es is aligned wi h he numbe o new echnologies ho els wan o
in es in, in gene al. E en some companies do no in end o hi e new echnologies ins ead o
imp o ing he ones hey ha e. A small numbe o ho els is a ailable o inc ease hei budge
o echnology. Howe e , due o he ac ual Hospi ali y con ex , wi h he c isis o igina ed by
he COVID-19 pandemic, ho els a e dec easing in es men s in many ields, no jus
echnological ools.
The in en ion o buy echnology is no explici ly ela ed o he ma u i y le el o ho els. The
same weigh o ho els in he i s (basic) and i h (op imized) s ages o ma u i y in end o
buy less echnology. In ac , he e is a sligh endency o mo e ma u e ho els o inc ease
in es men in echnology. Howe e , i hese ho els al eady possess se e al, hey migh ha e
a i ed a a poin o decele a ing he in es men s made on in o ma ion sys ems.
Plan o in es mo e and in how many sys ems
1
2
3
4
5
To al o ho els
Up o 10% mo e
6
10
1
1
18
1
2
3
5
2
1
4
1
1
7
3
3
1
4
none
2
2
Up o 25% mo e
5
1
3
1
5
15
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
4
3
3
1
4
4
1
1
1
3
5
1
1
none
1
1
Up o 50% mo e
1
1
2
1
1
Mo e han 100%
1
1
5
1
1
In end o in es less
17
2
12
11
42
4
1
1
none
16
2
12
11
41
To al
28
3
26
2
18
77
Table 10 – Le el o Ma u i y and in en ions o in es in in o ma ion sys ems
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
40
The mos ma u e, in e ms o in o ma ion sys ems equipmen , companies a e equa ed wi h
10 and 11 sys ems. So i is no possible o iden i y a pa e n agains a company in he Islands
e sus he No e egion.
4. Which sys em do you use he mos (minimum once a week)?
Since he sys ems a ailable a e di e en , he use o hem is na u ally di e en . Rega dless o
he ho el, hese people mainly u n o CM and PMS. In cases whe e his ool is a ailable, so
a e ORM and RMS/RS. A le el 1, only one ho el did no ha e any o he ools men ioned
he e, apa om PMS. The highe he company's ma u i y le el, he mo e o en he sys ems
we e used, and a highe spec um o use.
5. How do hese sys ems help you o pe o m asks?
In gene al, opinions a e sha ed in e ms o ime sa ed, mo e gene ous and as e access o
in o ma ion, cen aliza ion o in o ma ion and p ocesses, and i will also be he ac ha i is
agili y o he excellen decision-making a he igh ime. Fo Sa a F ei e, one o he
in e iewees, in o ma ion sys ems a e "a g ea help, whe he in ime sa ings and human
esou ces. Wha I used o do in hou s, now I do i in minu es, and ime is money."
6. Do you ha e sys ems in eg a ed? I so, which ones? Which in eg a ion ea u es do
you use?
The mos common in eg a ion, and co obo a ing he su ey esul s, is PMS and CM, ei he
wi h CRM, BE. They allow se e al in e ac ions in e ms o in en o y managemen , and
change o a i s, ma ke ing ac ions acco ding o GDPR, managemen o new and cu en
ese a ions.
The in e iewees claim ha hese in eg a ions allow managing he ope a ion mo e
e ec i ely in eal- ime, wi h in o ma ion cen aliza ion. Besides, he ad an ages o sa ing
ime o hese p o essionals and educing e o ma gins a e iden i ied and all au oma ed
asks.
7. Ou o he sys ems you use, which ones we e chosen by you?
The in luence on he in o ma ion sys ems' decision a ies be ween 25% and 100% in he
answe s' o al, depending no on he company's cha ac e is ics bu he esponden 's p o ile.
These da a ha e o do wi h decision-making powe and he use o each sys em i sel .
8. In you opinion, would you need mo e in o ma ion sys ems in you ac i i y? Wha
abou you company? Please s a e why.
The ho el wi h ewe ools, including wi hou a CM, conside s ha ing one necessa y o
manage he dis ibu ion be e . Fo ho el companies ha al eady ha e hese sys ems, hey
do no conside mo e sys ems necessa y. Ins ead, g ea e cen aliza ion and adjus men s o

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
41
he sys ems, o be mo e e icien in hei use. In gene al, di e en needs a e ew and ha e o
do wi h he pa icula i ies o he businesses.
9. Ou o he sys ems you use, ha e you been ained o use hem co ec ly?
All in e iewees s a ed ha echnology endo s ained hem. Howe e , some opinions
show ha aining could be imp o ed and deepened, ei he mo e ac i ely o ia cus ome
suppo .
10. Usually, sys ems, especially so wa e, a e going in changes o e ime. How does
you company keep ack o hese upda es? A e he e egula de elopmen s on he
solu ions?
All in e iewees gua an ee ha hey a e awa e o new solu ions in he ma ke and main ain
cons an communica ion wi h cu en echnology pa ne s o upda e hemsel es on new
de elopmen s and upda es. The signi ican di e en ia ion is and isible acco ding o
companies' ma u i y, in which companies hese new solu ions a e e ec i ely upda ed.
11. Has you company p o ided ee echnology aining du ing he las yea , in
addi ion o ha p o ided by he supplie s o in o ma ion sys ems? I so, gi e
examples.
All he companies also ha e p o ided aining o hei employees in a ious a eas depending
on hei asks.
12. Be o e being in ouch wi h his in es iga ion, ha e you e e hea d o he concep o
in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y? Wha did you know abou his?
These answe s allowed he iden i ica ion o clea e idence acco ding o he le el o ma u i y
o he company. None o he le el 1 in e iewees knew he concep o in o ma ion sys em
ma u i y. A le el 3, hey ha e supe icially hea d abou i , and a le el 5, hey ha e had
con ac wi h his concep p e iously, whe he in a p o essional o academic con ex .
13. I you answe ed he su ey, indica e which a ing you ga e o you company's
in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y le el and why you chose ha classi ica ion.
Knowing ha he companies we e o le els 1, 3, and 5, he sel -classi ica ions ob ained we e
3 o 5, espec i ely 3 and 4, hen 3 and 5, and inally 3 and 4. All esponden s main ained
hei sel -classi ica ion. Companies ha ha e anked hemsel es abo e he NEC Model
classi ica ion a e linked wi h he ac ha hey ha e been on a posi i e e olu ion pa h in
ecen yea s, linked o a compa ison a a egional o na ional le el, and hus posi ion
hemsel es abo e ha a e age. On he o he hand, he le el 5 companies ha ha e sel -
classi ied hem below ha e o do wi h he need o g ea e e iciency in he use o exis ing
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
42
sys ems and wi h he in e na ional compa ison wi h la ge Eu opean and Ame ican chains,
which also compe e wi h hese na ional ho els.
14. In you opinion, why u ge limi a ions o a ise o be a he nex le el o ma u i y? Do
you hink you o ganiza ion can easily o e come hese limi a ions?
As was e iden in he li e a u e e iew and con i med by he su eys, he limi a ions,
especially a le els 1 and 3, comp ehend essen ially wi h budge issues, i.e., sys ems' cos .
No a speci ic sys em, bu he package equi ed o ho el ac i i y and he in e aces be ween
hose sys ems. I was also indica ed as a limi a ion ha he e is s ill a pa h o s imulus o
employees o eso o echnology o op imize hei asks, so i is necessa y o wage on hei
aining.
Ano he limi a ion poin ed ou is whe he i is jus i ied o use an addi ional ool o pe o m
small asks. Rudi Aze edo s a es, " he inancial limi a ion is seen in hese companies as a
di icul y o make he Boa ds, o he decision-make , o unde s and he added alue o hese
sys ems and wha will be he ROI because a echnological ool in a ho el budge is a small
pe cen age."
15. In you o ganiza ion, wha a e he a ious o ganized p ac ices o en implemen ed
o imp o e pe o mance?
All companies poin ou egula mee ings wi h hei boa ds o p esen a ions o esul s and
s a egy de ini ion, based on cus ome and employee eedback and ho el pe o mance.
F om le els 3 and 5, he e is a benchma king s a egy. Employees' aining is always poin ed
ou as a c i ical indica o in his imp o emen , wi h he echnological aining aspec .
Finally, one o he companies (le el 5) s a es ha imp o ing he ools' pe o mance is no
done he moni o iza ion because "i is al eady a gi en ha is gi ing eedback and is
necessa y o ou good pe o mance," says Rudi Aze edo.
16. How a e he demand gene a ion, elec onic dis ibu ion, and e enue op imiza ion
sec o s synch onized in you o ganiza ion?
Le els 1 and 3 we e unable o indica e he demand gene a ion's synch oniza ion s a egies,
elec onic dis ibu ion, and e enue op imiza ion. A le el 5, he answe s we e mo e
conc e e, wi h he s a egies o be hough om op o he ope a ion wi h se e al ac ions
hough o see how he gues goes h ough a low, di ec ly ela ed o he di ec booking by
he websi e. This will enhance cus ome loyal y, p o ide a g ea e possibili y o expe iences,
and op imizes ou e enue wi h he educ ion o dis ibu ion cos s.
17. Wha ypes o in eg a ed analysis a e made complemen a y o indi idual epo s?
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
43
As was expec ed, le el 1 and le el 3 companies do no elabo a e in eg a ed analysis. The
analyses a e all done indi idually by a ious people o depa men s. Ne e heless, hey ha e
hei sou ce o da a, he PMS being he cen al s a ing poin o all. The emaining
companies y o do e e y hing in an in eg a ed way, " om he budge o he daily ou ine o
analysis so ha he e is he in eg a ion o knowledge and e e yone can wo k on he same
hing, by he same da a sou ce," says Tiago Oli ei a.
18. How is you o ganiza ion esponding o echnological changes in he ma ke ?
Finally, mo e as an opinion ques ion, answe s a e e y simila inside he same le els. The e is
s ill wo k o do on changing he mindse s in shi seeing echnology as a cos o an
in es men , which begins slowly o be made a he lowes ma u i y companies.
Fo he mo e ma u e companies, hey a e e y ac i e in he sea ch o new solu ions. They
ha e mos o he so wa e a ailable as in la ge na ional ho el chains, in a ious depa men s.
Howe e , hey poin ou a limi a ion in he imp o emen o hese solu ions and he
ansi ion cos s.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
44
5. CONCLUSIONS
5.1. SUMMARY OF RESULTS
As seen by he su ey's collec ed answe s, many a iables p esen a cause-e ec
ela ionship wi h he ma u i y s age. These a iables migh be he decision-make s’ p o ile,
ha ing a big b and on hei compe i i e se , o in o ma ion sys ems po olio, opposi e o
companies’ dimension (in he numbe o ho el uni s o ooms), o in es men in s a
quali ica ion.
The esponden 's p o ile undoub edly in luences he answe s when compa ing he asks
a ilia ed o his/he ole and he echnology used o do so. Di e en people ha e di e en
needs o ask op imiza ion and hen di e en echnology needs and hus, in luence he
decision-making o echnology di e en ly. Mos o he in e iewees we e no he inal
decision-make , leading o unde s anding he spec um o hei in luence o decide which
sys ems hey use.
As seen in su eys and in e iews, highe ma u i y s ages p esen a highe a e age o HIS
and i s in eg a ions. Besides, hese ho els use hei IS mo e equen ly and mo e
unc ionali ies o ake mo e bene i om i . The p ima y need o ho elie s seems o be he
op imiza ion in using hei exis ing sys ems and imp o e hei e iciency, and in some cases,
hei in eg a ions, ins ead o acqui ing mo e sys ems. Howe e , he main limi a ions a e he
budge limi a ions and he lack o capaci y o see and ake alue om hese solu ions as
companies, no indi idual use s. In aining, he esul s indica e ha echnology endo s
assume a i al ole in his ask. Fu he mo e, ho el companies a e, in gene al, in es ing in
hei employees' aining and quali ica ion.
Sel -classi ica ion is disc epan om eali y due o se e al ac o s bu shows e idence o a
connec ion wi h he kind o ho els esponden s use o benchma king.
Conside ing he ISM i sel , his esea ch was, o some ho elie s (in e iews indica e 50%),
he i s con ac wi h his concep . Fo he ones who knew, hey belong o companies placed
in he highe ma u i y le els. Conce ning he di e en ia ion be ween ma u i y le els, some
ad anced s a egies, like he upselling men ioned in he li e a u e (Da e n & Kau man,
2000), a e seen in he highe le els and he in eg a ed analysis. Las ly, his conduc s o
conclude ha no all o ganiza ions ha e he capabili y o espond o echnological changes.
All o ganiza ions s a e hey a e awa e o new sys ems bu canno implemen hose in hei
companies.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
45
5.2. TESTED HYPOTHESIS
Based on quan i a i e esea ch h ough su eys, he esea ch hypo heses can be con i med
o ejec ed.
H1: The e is a con i ma ion when add essing he i s esea ch ques ion and i s hypo hesis.
On a e age, independen Po uguese ho els a e loca ed on he hi d ma u i y s age –
in eg a ed, wi h ope a ional synch oniza ion p ac ices - o he NEC Model, wi h a
classi ica ion o 2.73 be ween one o i e.
H2: The ma u i y le el seems o be ela ed o some ho el a iables, bu no all o hem, as
he hypo hesis sugges ed. I was no possible o conclude he ela ionship be ween he
ma u i y le el and he ho el companies' size, measu ed in he numbe o ho els, despi e
iden i ying a possible ela ionship in he numbe o ooms pe ho el. A close si ua ion comes
up once mo e in he ho el ca ego y, no being a ainable o iden i y a ela ionship wi h he
ma u i y le el once mo e. Las ly, wi h he decision-make s' p o ile, no pa e n can be
designed wi h he posi ion he decision-make assumes in he company. Howe e , he
decision-make 's backg ound is no ele an , bu i ma e s i he/she has one. This means
owning a supe io educa ion deg ee migh impac he le el o ma u i y and he decision-
make 's age, wi h he younge gene a ions aking ho els o mo e ma u e le els.
Consequen ly, he hypo hesis is conside ed ejec ed, acknowledging, as men ioned in he
li e a u e, he p o ile o he decision-make impac s he in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y.
H3: Wi h he hi d hypo hesis, he e is a need o di ide i in o wo pa s. The i s is
con i med, knowing e e y ho el has a PMS, being he ho el's cen al sys em. Also, he e is a
cause-e ec ela ionship wi h he ma u i y le el and he numbe o sys ems a ailable, and
hei in eg a ions. As he second pa o his hypo hesis, only 16 o he companies (21%)
possess one o he h ee la es echnologies conside ed o his esea ch. The numbe o
in eg a ions be ween di e en sys ems is no signi ican ly di e en since ho els wi h mo e
in o ma ion sys ems will ha e mo e in eg a ions. Since he di e ence is p opo ional, he H3
is con i med, excep o he in eg a ions be ween di e en sys ems.
H4: Despi e ha ing almos a ie, he ou h hypo hesis can be con i med, wi h 42% o he
ho el companies planning o in es in hei employees' quali ica ions nex yea , a si ua ion
ha can be explained by he pandemic o COVID-19, which a ec ed Hospi ali y
emendously. Only abou one- hi d (35%) o he ho el companies ha e done his du ing he
las yea s.
H5: Simila ly o he H3, H5 needs o be di ided in o wo pa s. This ini ial hypo hesis is a
om he ac ual main d i e o in es men in echnology, which in ends o be "inc ease
e enue/p o i s". Simul aneously, he cen aliza ion o in o ma ion, p ocesses, and a eas o
ac i i ies was he leas chosen eason, along wi h ha ing a compe i i e ad an age. On he
o he hand, he hypo hesis was p o en o be he main limi a ion iden i ied by p e ious
s udies - no ha ing mo e budge alloca ed o mo e in o ma ion sys ems (Cobanoglu e al.,
2006).

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
46
This s udy made i possible o alida e, based on he NEC model, he posi i e impac o
echnology in p omo ing business ma u i y and, consequen ly, in ho els' pe o mance and
compe i i eness.
5.3. RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS
The p esen s udy allows a be e unde s anding o how independen ho els in Po ugal a e
placed in e ms o in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y, including compa ing ho els o di e en
cha ac e is ics. Po uguese independen ho els can now see wha is missing o imp o e hei
ma u i y. Thei pe o mance and compe i i eness poin ed ou he indus y's p oblem whe e
echnology is he answe o his p oblem. The p esen hesis has co obo a ed his heo y
while accomplishing i s speci ic goals.
Gene ally speaking, he e is s ill a long wo k o do in his ma e o change he mindse o
ho elie s, especially decision-make s, o see echnology a he as an in es men ins ead o a
cos . Hence, i Po uguese independen and small ho el chains decide o go a e he NEC’'s
ecommenda ion (Piccoli e al., 2011), co obo a ed by hese esea ch’s esul s, hey will
in es in in o ma ion sys ems, in eg a e he di e en sys ems a ailable, ensu e quali ica ion
o hei s a o use hese ools, and op imize hei pe o mance and ope a ions. The e o e,
a ake less eac i e a i ude and ins ead, a mo e p oac i e a i ude owa ds managemen .
5.4. LIMITATIONS
Like o he s udies, his one also aces i s limi a ions. Fi s , as he esea ch cen e is
in o ma ion sys ems o ho els, i was ha d o ind li e a u e on indi idual sys ems. Ei he
because hey a e no e y popula o e y ecen , o simply do no exis . As an example,
online check-in and check-ou p ecluded he esea ch o hese sys ems. This leads o a
second limi a ion: how a s udy abou echnology becomes obsole e e y quickly, acco ding
o Bilgihan, A., Cobanoglu C., and Mille , B. So, he s udy migh no be applicable in long-
e m esea ch (Bilgihan e al., 2007).
The e is a need o emind he s udy o ocus on echnology, which is a cons an change,
leading o he NEC Model (Piccoli e al., 2011), pe haps o need e ision o e en mis i he
cu en Po uguese con ex . Incong ui ies o 65% a e egis e ed, and e y ew answe s we e
collec ed o le els wo and ou o ma u i y.
Fu he mo e, i is challenging o in es iga e many ques ions o e alua e each s age's de ail
due o he esponden s' limi ed a ailabili y. Las ly, i is essen ial o e e o he challenge o
ga he ing he ini ial numbe o in e iews planned. The plan was o in e iew di e en
p o iles besides he sales/ e enue p o essionals, who p o ed o be ha de o each.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
47
5.5. FUTURE RESEARCH
As pe u u e esea ch, he sugges ion is o segmen he esea ch mo e, ocusing on newe
in o ma ion sys ems ins ead o he en i e pool o he exis ing sys ems.
On he o he hand, sc u inize he incong ui ies egis e ed: wha ho elie s hink and know
abou in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y o cla i y why he e a e so many disc epancies be ween
he classi ica ion and hei sel -classi ica ion. Mo eo e , he accu acy o classi ica ion can be
s udied ega ding he decision-make 's p o ile o e en he esponden . I would be possible
o see which kind o p o iles a e mo e awa e o he in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y concep ,
as i was s a ed wi h he in e iews o he p esen esea ch.
O e all, i would be especially in e es ing o use machine lea ning capable o p edic ing he
ho el's ma u i y le el, gi en he ho el's cha ac e is ics, decision-make p o ile, and he
po olio o in o ma ion sys ems in he ho el om a mo e signi ican da a se o ho els. This
would allow se ing deepe he pa e ns o in o ma ion sys ems in a ious ypes o ho els.
Thus, ho els could benchma k be e and compa e hemsel es o hei compe i ion. Plus,
echnology endo s could a ge hei clien s be e and quickly iden i y he gap in o de o
imp o e hei pe o mance.
Once his in es iga ion is applied in o he coun ies o egions, he e is he need o adap o
he ho el con ex , namely he weigh o independen ho els and ho el ypes.
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
48
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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in o ma ion echnology adop ion ela ionship in he ho el indus y. Jou nal o
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2013-0038
Al i e ic, N., & S embe ge , M. I. (2015). In o ma ion sys em ma u i y and he hospi ali y
en e p ise pe o mance. Economic and Business Re iew, 13(4), 227–249.
h ps://www. esea chga e.ne /publica ion/265042704_In o ma ion_sys em_ma u i y_
and_ he_hospi ali y_en e p ise_pe o mance
Al awadieh, Z., Al awadieh, Z., & Ce in, G. (2020). Digi al ans o ma ion and e enue
managemen : E idence om he ho el indus y. Tou ism Economics.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1177/1354816620901928
Ana, B., Paulo, R., & Ana, M. (2016). High ech mee s high ouch in upscale ho els. Jou nal o
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Anas assopoulos, G., Filippaios, F., & Phillips, P. (2009). An eclec ic in es iga ion o ou ism
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Managemen , 28(2), 185–194.
h ps://doi.o g/h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.ijhm.2008.06.014
Andal-Ancion, A., Ca w igh , P., & Yip, G. (2003). The digi al ans o ma ion o adi ional
businesses. MIT Sloan Managemen Re iew, 44(4), 34–41.
h ps://www. esea chga e.ne /publica ion/263273340_Digi al_T ans o ma ion_o _T a
di ional_Businesses
An ónio, N., & Se a, F. (2015). The use o design science esea ch in he de elopmen o a
pe o mance managemen sys em o hospi ali y. DosAlga es, 26(26), 23–46.
h ps://doi.o g/10.18089/DAMeJ.2015.26.2.2.Nuno
Ba os, C. P. (2006). Analysing he a e o echnical change in he Po uguese ho el indus y.
Tou ism Economics, 12(3), 325–346. h ps://doi.o g/10.5367/000000006778493673
Ba os, C. P., Bo i, L., Peypoch, N., & Solonand asana, B. (2011). Manage ial e iciency and
hospi ali y indus y: The Po uguese case. Applied Economics, 43(22), 2895–2905.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/00036840802600145
Bilgihan, A., Cobanoglu, C., & Mille , B. (2007). Impo ance-pe o mance analysis o gues
echnologies in he lodging indus y. Co nell Ho el and Res au an Adminis a ion
Qua e ly, 48(3), 299–312. h ps://doi.o g/10.1177/0010880407304023
B own, J., & De , C. (2000). Imp o ing P oduc i i y in a Se ice Business E idence F om he
Ho el Indus y Imp o ing P oduc i i y in a Se ice Business E idence F om he Ho el.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1177/109467050024003.Rep in ed
Buckley, M. R., Beu, D. S., F ink, D. D., Howa d, J. L., Be kson, H., Mobbs, T. A., & Fe is, G. R.
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(2001). E hical issues in human esou ces sys ems. Human Resou ce Managemen
Re iew, 11(1–2), 11–29. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/S1053-4822(00)00038-3
Camille i, M. A. (2018). The P omo ion o Responsible Tou ism Managemen Th ough Digi al
Media. Tou ism Planning & De elopmen , 15(6), 653–671.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/21568316.2017.1393772
Can oni, L., Fa é, M., In e sini, A., & Passini, V. (2011). Ho el Websi es and Booking Engines:
A Challenging Rela ionship. In o ma ion and Communica ion Technologies in Tou ism
2011, 241–252. h ps://doi.o g/10.1007/978-3-7091-0503-0_20
Chen, X., & Liu, Y. (2019). The Impac o In o ma ion Technology In es men on Fi m
Pe o mance. In DES ech T ansac ions on Compu e Science and Enginee ing (Issue
mso a). h ps://doi.o g/10.12783/d cse/mso a2018/27543
Ci ak, B., Kaya, E., & Emeksiz, M. (2018). Rou ledge Handbook o Hospi ali y Ma ke ing (D.
Gu soy (Ed.)). Rou ledge. h ps://www. ou ledge.com/Rou ledge-Handbook-o -
Hospi ali y-Ma ke ing/Gu soy/p/book/9781315445526
Cobanoglu, C., Demi e , I., Kepeci, B., & Sipahioglu, S. (2006). The impac o echnology in
ho els: A case s udy o Is anbul and Anka a ho els. Ana olia, 17(2), 318–322.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/13032917.2006.9687193
Cobos, L. M., Mejia, C., Oz u k, A. B., & Wang, Y. (2016). A echnology adop ion and
implemen a ion p ocess in an independen ho el chain. In e na ional Jou nal o
Hospi ali y Managemen , 57, 93–105. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.ijhm.2016.06.005
Da e n, M., & Kau man, R. (2000). Disco e ing po en ial and ealizing alue om
in o ma ion echnology in es men s. Jou nal o Managemen In o ma ion Sys ems,
16(4), 121–143. h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/07421222.2000.11518268
Do an, M. S., Haddad, K., & Chow, C. W. (2002). In e na ional Jou nal o Hospi ali y &
Tou ism Adminis a ion Maximizing he Success o Balanced Sco eca d Implemen a ion
in he Hospi ali y Indus y. In e na ional Jou nal o Hospi ali y & Tou ism Adminis a ion
Examples, 3(3), 33–58. h ps://doi.o g/10.1300/J149 03n03
Doyle, A. (2014). The Ho el o he Fu u e. Success ul Mee ings.
h ps://www.success ulmee ings.com/S a egy/Technology/The-Ho el-o - he-Fu u e
Ei as An unes, M., Gid o, R., San os Rosa, P., Sousa Ma ão, J., & Cin a Cos a, I. (2018).
Po uguese Hospi ali y A las 2018 - 13 h edi ion.
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in as uc u es-se ices/Po uguese Hospi ali y A las 2018_EN_20-06-2018 2.pd
Ei as An unes, M., Sousa Ma ão, J., Gid o, R., Cin a Cos a, I., & San os Rosa, P. (2017).
Po uguese Hospi ali y A las 2017 - 12 h edi ion.
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Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
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7. APPENDICES
7.1. APPENDIX I - SURVEY QUESTIONS
In oduc ion o he su ey
This su ey is done in he con ex o an in es iga ion p esen ed as a equi emen o ob ain
he Mas e 's deg ee in In o ma ion Managemen . I s a ailabili y o he esea ch "Mapping
o In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese ho el indus y." This su ey akes
app oxima ely 5 o 7 minu es o comple e. All esponses will be collec ed anonymously.
Pa I – Gene al In o ma ion
1. Responden 's posi ion:
• Rese a ions Manage
• Sales Assis an
• Re enue Manage /e-Comme ce
• Ope a ions Di ec o
• Sales Manage
• Gene al Manage
• CEO
• CFO
• Company Owne
• IT Manage
• O he
2. Posi ion o he echnology decision-make
• Rese a ions Manage
• Sales Assis an
• Re enue Manage /e-Comme ce
• Ope a ions Di ec o
• Sales Manage
• Gene al Manage
• CEO
• CFO
• Company Owne
• IT Manage
• O he
3. Decision-make backg ound
• Business
• Hospi ali y
• IT/Sys ems
• None
• O he

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
57
4. Decision-making age (yea s)
• 18-30
• 31-40
• 41-50
• 51-60
• 61-70
• >71
5. Ho el Name/Ho el o ganiza ion name ____________
6. Numbe s o ho el uni s managed by he o ganiza ion__________
7. To al numbe o ooms/accommoda ions managed by he o ganiza ion________
8. Ma k in which ca ego y ypes he o ganiza ion has ho el uni s:
• 1 o 2 s a s
• 3 s a s
• 4 s a s
• 5 s a s
• Apa ho el
• No o icial a ing
9. Ma k he egions (NUTS II) whe e he o ganiza ion has ho el uni s
• No h
• Cen e
• Lisbon
• Alen ejo
• Alga e
• RA Madei a
• RA Azo es
10. Do you ha e any majo ho el b ands ep esen ed in you compe i ion?
• Yes, in my di ec compe i ion
• Yes, e en hough he's no my di ec compe i o .
• No
Pa II – In o ma ion Sys ems in he Ho el
11. The ma u i y o in o ma ion sys ems can be de ined as he "g ow h and de elopmen
o IT in as uc u e and i s ope a ion". Please a e on a scale o 1 o 5 wha you hink
is you le el o ma u i y o you in o ma ion sys ems.
1___ 2___ 3___ 4___ 5___
12. Please poin ou he sys ems you use in you ho el company
o Accoun ing applica ions
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
58
o Channel Manage
o Cha bo s on he Websi e
o Cus ome Rela ionship Managemen (CRM)
o Online Repu a ion Managemen
o Global Dis ibu ion Sys em (GDS)
o Booking engine
o Poin s o Sale (POS)
o P ope y Managemen Sys em (PMS)
o Ra e Shoppe
o Re enue Managemen Sys em (RMS)
o Elec onic locking sys em
o In e ac i e communica ions sys em
o Ene gy Managemen Sys em
o Human Resou ces Sys em
o O he s:_____________________________
13. Compa ed o he las h ee yea s, in he nex 12 mon hs, does you o ganiza ion plan
o in es mo e in in o ma ion sys ems?
• No. We in end o in es less
• Up o 10% mo e
• Up o 25% mo e
• Up o 50% mo e
• Mo e han 100%
14. I you answe o he p e ious ques ion (13.) was ha you would in es mo e,
indica e which sys ems you in end o implemen .
o Accoun ing applica ions
o Channel Manage
o Cha bo s on he Websi e
o Cus ome Rela ionship Managemen (CRM)
o Online Repu a ion Managemen
o Global Dis ibu ion Sys em (GDS)
o Booking engine
o Poin s o Sale (POS)
o P ope y Managemen Sys em (PMS)
o Ra e Shoppe
o Re enue Managemen Sys em (RMS)
o Elec onic locking sys em
o In e ac i e communica ions sys em
o Ene gy Managemen Sys em
o Human Resou ces Sys em
o O he : ___________________________________
15. O he sys ems you ha e, which ones a e in eg a ed wi h you PMS?
o Accoun ing applica ion
o Channel Manage
o Cha bo on he Websi e
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
59
o Cus ome Rela ionship Managemen (CRM)
o Global Dis ibu ion Sys em (GDS)
o Booking engine
o Poin s o Sale (POS)
o Re enue Managemen Sys em (RMS)
o Elec onic locking sys em
o In e ac i e communica ions sys em
o Human Resou ces Sys em
o O he s: ______________________
16. O he sys ems you ha e, which ones a e in eg a ed wi h you Channel Manage ?
o Cha bo s on he websi e
o Cus ome Rela ionship Managemen (CRM)
o Global Dis ibu ion Sys em (GDS)
o Booking engine
o Poin s o Sale (POS)
o P ope y Managemen Sys em (PMS)
o Re enue Managemen Sys em (RMS)
o Ou os: _______________
17. In he nex 12 mon hs, does you ho el o ganiza ion plan o in eg a e mo e
in o ma ion sys ems, whe he cu en o u u e hi ing?
• Yes, as ea ly as nex yea .
• Yes, be ween 1 and 3 yea s.
• We ha en' made he decision ye .
• No.
18. Has you ho el o ganiza ion in es ed in he quali ica ion o employees in
echnological skills in he las h ee yea s?
• Yes, mo e han 3 imes in ha pe iod.
• Yes, be ween 1 and 3 imes in ha pe iod.
• Only he aining gi en by he echnology supplie s hemsel es.
• No.
19. Does you ho el o ganiza ion in end o in es in employees' quali ica ion in
echnological skills in he nex 12 mon hs?
• Yes, mo e han h ee imes in ha pe iod.
• Yes, be ween 1 and 3 imes in ha pe iod.
• Only he aining gi en by he echnology supplie s hemsel es.
• No.
20. Wha a e he main easons o you o ganiza ion o hi e a new in o ma ion sys em?
Please selec he h ee main easons.
o Reduced ime spen on daily asks
o Ha e a compe i i e ad an age o e he compe i ion
o Cen alize in o ma ion, p ocesses, and a eas o ac i i y
o Inc ease Sales/Re enue and/o P o i abili y
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
60
o P o ide a be e expe ience o ou gues s
o Manage dis ibu ion mo e e ec i ely
o Ha e mo e in o ma ion o be e decision making
o Rein en ing ou sel es and being close o digi al ans o ma ion
21. Wha is he main eason o you company o hi e a new in o ma ion sys em? Please
selec one eason.
• Reduced ime spen on daily asks
• Ha e a compe i i e ad an age o e he compe i ion
• Cen alize in o ma ion, p ocesses, and a eas o ac i i y
• Inc ease Sales/Re enue and/o P o i abili y
• P o ide a be e expe ience o ou gues s
• Manage dis ibu ion mo e e ec i ely
• Ha e mo e in o ma ion o be e decision making
• Rein en ing ou sel es and being close o digi al ans o ma ion
22. Wha a e he main limi a ions o you o ganiza ion o hi e mo e in o ma ion
sys ems? Please selec he h ee bes easons.
o We see no alue in o he sys ems we know
o We don' know he po en ial o o he sys ems
o They seem oo complex o ou s uc u e
o We don' ha e a budge o mo e sys ems
o We don' wan o use mo e ools
o We don' ha e quali ied and quali ied pe sonnel o use he ools
o We do no wan ou in o ma ion o be accessed by hi d pa ies
(sys em p o ide s)
23. Wha is he main limi a ion o you o ganiza ion o hi e mo e in o ma ion sys ems?
Please selec only one eason.
• We see no alue in o he sys ems we know
• We don' know he po en ial o o he sys ems
• They seem oo complex o ou s uc u e
• We don' ha e a budge o mo e sys ems
• We don' wan o use mo e ools
• We don' ha e quali ied and quali ied pe sonnel o use he ools
• We do no wan ou in o ma ion o be accessed by hi d pa ies
(sys em p o ide s)
Pa III - Ma u i y o In o ma ion Sys ems
24. In you o ganiza ion, a e ope a ional decisions made only by a single decision- ake ?
• Yes
• No
25. A e he e equen ly o ganized pe o med p ac ices in o de o imp o e?
• Yes
• No
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
61
26. A e he p incipal business ope a ion ac i i ies synch onized?
• Yes
• No
27. Does he analy ical wo k exceed independen epo p ac ices om daily ope a ions?
• Yes
• No
28. Ha e he capaci y o compound, ea ange sys ems and asse s while he o ganiza ion
and ma ke s change om he echnological pe spec i e?
• Yes
• No
I you would like o ecei e he esul s o his s udy la e , you can p o ide you email
add ess: ____________________________________
7.2. APPENDIX II - INTERVIEW SCRIPT
In oduc ion o he in e iew
This online in e iew will be conduc ed in he con ex o esea ch o complemen he
comple ion o he Mas e 's deg ee in In o ma ion Managemen by NOVA IMS. The
esea ch's heme is he mapping o he ma u i y o ho el in o ma ion sys ems in Po ugal.
Answe s will be collec ed exclusi ely o he p esen s udy and anonymously in he esul s o
he s udy. The in e iew has 19 ques ions and has a du a ion o abou 30 minu es. Righ
now, I wan o hank you o he ime a ailable.
Do you au ho ize he eco ding o he in e iew?
1. Name, Region, Ho el, # ooms, #ho els
2. Wha asks/ esponsibili ies a e inhe en o you in you o ganiza ion?
3. Which in o ma ion sys ems does you ho el ha e?
4. Ou o hese, which ones do you use egula ly and o wha (minimum once a
mon h)?
5. Which sys em do you use he mos (minimum once a week)?
6. How do hese sys ems help you o pe o m asks?
7. Do you ha e sys ems in eg a ed? I so, which ones?
8. I you answe ed he p e ious ques ion in he a i ma i e, which in eg a ion ea u es
do you use?
9. Ou o he sys ems you use, which ones we e chosen by you?

Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
62
10. In you opinion, would you need mo e in o ma ion sys ems in you ac i i y? Wha
abou you company? Please s a e why.
11. Ou o he sys ems you use, ha e you been ained o use hem co ec ly?
12. Usually, sys ems, especially so wa e, a e going in changes o e ime. How does you
company keep ack o hese upda es? A e he e egula de elopmen s on he
solu ions?
13. Has you company p o ided ee aining du ing he las yea , a he echnological
le el, in addi ion o ha p o ided by he supplie s o in o ma ion sys ems? I so, gi e
examples.
14. Be o e being in ouch wi h his in es iga ion, ha e you e e hea d o he concep o
in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y? Wha did you know abou his?
15. I you answe ed he su ey, indica e which a ing you ga e o you company's
in o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y le el and why you chose ha classi ica ion.
16. In you opinion, why u ge limi a ions o a ise o be a he nex le el o ma u i y? Do
you hink you o ganiza ion can easily o e come hese limi a ions?
17. In you o ganiza ion, wha a e he a ious o ganized p ac ices o en implemen ed o
imp o e pe o mance?
18. How a e he demand gene a ion, elec onic dis ibu ion, and e enue op imiza ion
sec o s synch onized in you o ganiza ion?
19. Wha ypes o in eg a ed analysis a e made, complemen a y o indi idual epo s?
20. How is you o ganiza ion esponding o echnological changes in he ma ke ?
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No e: his egion is loca ed in he No h o Po ugal. I is mo e adi ional, ha ing Po o
( he second bigges ci y in he coun y) as i s economic d i e . Tou ism is essen ially leisu e
and wi h many small ho els and u al ho els.
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Cen o: Cen o ( ansla ed om Cen e ) is a as e e i o y. I ga he s mo e dis ic s,
making i mo e di e se om leisu e ci ies o small municipali ies d i en by small egional
co po a ions. Tou ism is signi ican ly associa ed wi h he mal wa e s and eligious ou ism in
Fá ima. The a e age leng h-o -s ay in Cen o is 1.7 nigh s, he smalles in Po ugal, as well as
occupancy a es (Galha das e al., 2019).
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Lisboa: T ansla ed om Lisbon, his is he capi al o Po ugal and he bigges ci y. I is a
e y dynamic ci y, wi h a b oad spec um o ho el ypes: big in e na ional b ands, small
Po uguese ho el chains o independen , and many gues houses o hos els. Lisbon is he
egion wi h mo e accommoda ion uni s, he highes occupancy a e, and a e age daily a e
Mapping In o ma ion sys ems’ ma u i y in he Po uguese Hospi ali y Indus y
63
(ADR) in he coun y, compe ing di ec ly wi h o he cen al Eu opean capi als (Galha das e
al., 2019).
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Alen ejo: Alen ejo is he mos u al a ea in Po ugal. I is signi ican ly associa ed wi h big
homes eads and small amilia accommoda ions, segmen ed o leisu e a ele s wi h e y
seasonal ou ism.
Alga e: Like Alen ejo, Alga e has he mos seasonal ou ism. Loca ed in he e y sou h o
Po ugal, i is amous o i s sun and beach, which a ac s e y di e se leisu e a ele s.
Apa ho els wi h one o wo s a s un il supe -luxu y eso s make Alga e di e se, one o he
a o i e beach des ina ions in Eu ope, especially among Ge mans and B i ish. Alga e is
hugely economically dependen on ou ism.
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Região Au ónoma da Madei a: Madei a is one o he Po uguese a chipelagos loca ed
sou h o he Con inen . Sunny, opical, ypical. Madei a is amous o i s landscapes and
es i i ies. Wi h he a e age highes size o ho els, Madei a has an a e age high occupancy
a e, and i s ou is s s ay on a e age longe , 5.1 days (Galha das e al., 2019). Simila o
Alga e, Madei a elies a lo on ou ism o be economically sus ainable.
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Região Au ónoma dos Aço es: T ansla ed o English as “Azo es”, has a mo e ecen
g ow h han Madei a, wi h he lowes occupancy a es, he a e age leng h o s ay, and ADR
(Galha das e al., 2019).
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