Business Development Assignment - Thomas Group

Business Development
Report
(Part 1)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mobile apps play a vital role in domain of every business organization and in personal
life of individuals. Travel and tourism industry refers to best example for importance of such
apps because huge part of their success is rely on travel apps. Due to advancement of
technologies, travel agencies gain opportunity for marketing its products and services in large
area of marketplace. As people prefer smartphones to plan their tour, which various activities
like online flight booking, reservation in hotels and restaurants, hire cab and other transport
facilities,etc. Therefore, launching travel apps will aid companies dealing under tourism sector,
to fulfill demand of them by giving best deals. In addition to this, mobile apps are considered as
one-stop solution for people who are going to plan a trip an unknown place in domestic or
international market. Through this app, they can get solutions related to ticket booking, car
rentals, reservation in hotels etc.
In this context, to explore if travel apps aid visitors in obtaining entire information related
to visit a place, Thomas Group is taken in this present report. Here a business proposal is
formulated which entails the effectiveness of mobile apps for increasing sales performance of
this travel agency. This company of UK conduct its business operations in many developed and
under-developed countries as well as serve products or services in entire world. It offers tour and
travel packages, online tickets, high accommodation and transportation facilities etc. to travelers
on different price rates. Therefore, for determining effectiveness of mobile or travel planner
apps, present research is conducted by using secondary research methods. It is helpful in
exploring information related to usage of mobile apps for both users and travel agencies.
Through this research technique, it has evaluated that one of the best advantageous part of
launching mobile apps for Thomas Group is to stay connected with customers and provide time-
to-time solutions.
In this era, concept of feasibility and business is drawn to develop a business plan for
Thomas Group. Business concept reveals targeted market, strategies and policies to gain
competencies. While feasibility plan helps in exploring alternative techniques to achieve set
goals and objectives in suggested period of time. Along with this, researchers has used a unique
model canvas also to develop business plan for Thomas Group. This canvas includes some major

part of this company, which includes- priority customers, superior value propositions, channels
and media partners, value-chain based resources etc. These steps help in outlining the major
activities by which Thomas Group can introduce mobile apps more successfully. For this
assistance, a business plan is prepared by researchers.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................1
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REPORT........................................................................................1
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................1
Chapter 2: Business Concept...........................................................................................................5
Chapter 3: Feasibility Research.......................................................................................................8
Chapter 4: The Business Model.....................................................................................................20
Chapter 5: The Business Plan........................................................................................................24
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................39
Appendix........................................................................................................................................41

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REPORT
TOPIC- “To develop mobile app related to travel and tour sector which will provide
necessary information to tourist. Case study on Thomas Cook Group”.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Mobile devices are the most essential part of today's life which is used for connecting the
entire world with each other. People utilize mobile apps for multi-purpose activities like to
explore information about business of a company, purchase commodities through online
applications and more. Therefore, it has become a major part of E-business industries for
growing their businesses. Entrepreneurs can develop official interaction with customers, give
advertisement for employment, create awareness about services and products among consumers
etc. In context with travel sector, companies working under tourism sector get various
opportunities to expand business market with the usage of mobile devices (Kounavis, Kasimati
and Zamani, 2012). As business of such organisations are mainly depended on attention and
retention of loyal customers; Therefore, if travel industries introduce mobile apps then they can
make official interaction with tourists. They can provide time to time information to travellers
about services, destination packages, accommodations, transportation, food and beverages etc.
This would help travel agencies or tour operators to attract tourists towards services and assist
them to buy as well.
In this regard, Thomas Cook Group has been chosen in this report which deals in travel
sector and provides services related to travel and hospitality. This tour operator is headquartered
in London and was established 1841. It has near about 23,000 employees who are giving their
contribution in making holiday journey of tourists more enjoyable. This travel agency is counted
as one of the top industry among others industries that are operating in UK. The main
competitors of Thomas Group are Jet2, TUI and BCD Travel. This firm provides high
accommodations on affordable rates to customers to make their journey memorable.
As Thomas Cook deals in travel sector therefore; by introducing mobile apps, it can
provide information about holiday packages, discounts and other travel related offers to tourists
of domestic and international customers. It will help in attracting tourists towards services of
company which will further aid in enhancing customer base. This would also give opportunity to
Thomas Cook to give a tough competition to rival companies and acquire a good position at
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marketplace. Through launching mobile apps, this travel agency can- provide more value of
business to tourists; create a loyalty program within app; build a stronger brand and make
connection in better manner with customers living at vast places (Van der Wagen and White,
2018). Thus, it will help in boosting profitability of business because when expectation of
customer exceed then its sales performance will also increase.
In order to do design and structure of present report, modern approach is used. This
approach do not concern much on linear processes. But it provides various methodologies or
alternative sources for project management. It includes Critical Path Method (CPM), Lean
methodologies, SCRUM (Agile project management methodologies) and more. In this regard,
CPM is useful in exploring the most critical path of project. It is also helpful in estimating the
time to complete major activities of task. In addition to this, SCRUM methodology is helpful in
developing a team to execute a plan or software products in monthly “scrum sessions” i.e. -
major activities of tasks are broken down into 30-day intervals. Therefore, some of the methods
given by modern approaches are helpful for software development and implementation of IT
technologies in business. While, other methodologies can be implemented in process
improvement, production, product engineering and more.
Furthermore, main structure of report is made in formal style which includes: Executive
summary; Table of Contents; Introduction; Main body; Conclusion and References. For
preparing this business proposal, both primary and secondary methods are used. Primary source
helps in ascertaining the opinion of people about implications of mobile apps. While secondary
source helps in gaining more appropriate knowledge because the information which has been
collected by the researcher is already been carried by authors,scholars and others over set topic
or aim.
Research Aim: “To develop mobile app related to travel and tour sector which will provide
necessary information to tourist. Case study on Thomas Cook Group”
Research Objectives:
 To evaluate the concept of mobile app in travel industries.
 To examine benefits provided by mobile app to Thomas Cook Group.
 To ascertain the strategies for implementation of mobile technologies in business.
Research Questions:
 What is the importance of mobile app in travel industries?
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 What are the benefits provided by mobile app to Thomas Cook Group?
 What are the strategies for implementation of mobile technologies in business?
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