Engaging for inclusion: social marketing communication and disability employment in hospitality

For people with disabilities, employment remains a challenge due to widespread discrimination, especially in hospitality. Social marketing, which uses traditional marketing techniques for social ends, may help address this stigma, especially considering the current digital opportunities. This study examines online social marketing communication actions of the Spanish ONCE Foundation and Ilunion Hotels, internationally recognised for their inclusive CSR practices designed to improve labour inclusion and enhance sustainable tourism. Using Dual-Process Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, the paper analyses message framing (positive/negative appeal), its impact, and relationship to social media engagement. Qualitative content analysis was combined with descriptive statistics and econometric regression models. Thus, all the communication actions analysed generally helped promote their labour inclusion, with significant social media impact and engagement. Positive appeal was typically more effective at driving engagement, although negative appeal generated more discussion and visibility. Therefore, dislikes may influence traditional engagement measures without truly reflecting campaign success simply by eliciting controversy or resistance. Previous studies highlighted a lack of specific research on social marketing, disability and tourism. This paper fills this gap, offering insights into how to build a more sustainable future aligned with the SDGs and strengthening the inclusive image of hospitality companies.