Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to investigate the present procedures used for making price decisions in the hotel industry and to explore the potential use of price as a competitive variable. Chapter I is a general analysis of pricing in theory and practice; this involves a critical review of current literature; an analysis of the economist's approach; a survey of the practices and procedures used in industry and an examination of price as a competitive marketing variable. Chapter II outlines the characteristics and structure of the hotel industry as a basis for identifying the problems involved in price decisions and in order to evaluate the potential role of price as a competitive variable in this industry. Chapter III reviews the pricing practices used in the hotel industry: actual methods, dynamic trends, spatial and quality variations are explored. The second half of the chapter contains the results of an empirical survey and describes the processes by which pricing decisions are made in the industry and records the problems encountered. Chapter IV is normative in nature and suggests a procedure for approaching price decisions and the criteria that should be used. The potential and limitations of price as a competitive variable in various market situations is emphasised. The analysis is mainly at firm level. Chapter V reviews the importance of marketing and role of marketing variables within the industry and enumerates broad changes in attitude that will be necessary at an industry level if optimal price decisions are to be achieved.