Traditional and Digital Marketing Practices of Private Pool Owners in Barangay Pansol, Calamba City: Towards a Blended Marketing Strategy

This study examines the marketing practices of private pool resort Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in response to increasing competition and resource constraints. Specifically, it aims to identify prevailing traditional and digital marketing strategies, evaluate renters’ perceptions pertaining to their influence on booking decisions, and develop a context-appropriate blended marketing approach. The study adopted a convergent mixed-method design grounded in a pragmatic paradigm, focusing on single-pool private resorts in Barangay Pansol. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 purposively selected resort owners and analyzed using a deductive thematic analysis grounded in the Marketing Communication Mix framework. Quantitative data were gathered from 30 renters using a structured survey and examined using descriptive statistics and a 5-point Likert scale. Findings show that while digital channels, particularly Facebook, are widely used, traditional strategies, such as roadside “pool agents,” remain influential, with booking decisions affected by both online visibility and interpersonal trust. The study shows that a blended marketing strategy improves resource efficiency, customer engagement, and competitiveness, with practical effects on MSMEs and policy directions to support digitalization and sustainable local tourism development.