QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING LUXURY MARKETING IN TIMES OF CHANGE: CASE OF HOSPITALITY IN MOROCCO

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the hospitality industry in Morocco, with hotels, restaurants, and affiliated businesses experiencing the restrictions of government lockdowns and border closures. As a result, many hotels were unable to accommodate guests due to national containment measures, leading to the cancellation of numerous reservations. The aim of this study is to analyze the practices and strategies of luxury marketing used by luxury hotels in Morocco to maintain their brand positioning and attract customers during times of economic crises, pandemics, and sociocultural changes. The research uses a qualitative approach, including in-depth interviews with industry professionals, such as marketing managers, general managers, department heads, and marketing consultants. The data collected will be analyzed to identify emerging trends and themes in the practices and strategies of luxury marketing in the hospitality industry in Morocco. The results of this research provide insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by the industry, the practices and strategies that they use to adapt and maintain their position on the luxury segment, but also the impact on the consumer experience. This research contributes to the literature on luxury marketing and provides practical implications for luxury hotel managers in Morocco and other similar contexts, by giving element of answers to the main research question: Adapting to evolving economic, social, and cultural contexts, how did luxury hotels adapt their marketing strategies to maintain their brand image and positioning while responding to changing customer expectations and the impact of the health crisis?

Keywords

• luxury marketing
• hospitality
• customer experience
• crisis
• covid19
• morocco
• marketing de luxe
• hotellerie
• experience client
• crises
• covid-19