Contemporary Issues in Travel and Tourism

This report analyzes contemporary issues and emerging trends in the travel and tourism sector, focusing on their impact on Thomas Cook. It examines key issues, explores emerging trends, critically examines Thomas Cook's strategies for responding to these changes, and assesses the impacts of these responses on the organization's performance.

Contemporary Issues in Travel and
Tourism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Current issues changes in travel and tourism .......................................................................1
1.2 Analysis issues using methods and resources ......................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Emerging trends influencing changes in travel and tourism sector .....................................3
2.2 Trends affects on tourism product and services....................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
3.1 Emerging trends respond by travel organization .................................................................4
3.2 Critically examine strategies taken by organization ............................................................5
3.3 Justified strategies.................................................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
4.1 Impacts of response on performance of travel organization ................................................7
4.2 Consequences of failing to response ....................................................................................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Tourism is travel for joy or business and also concept as well as practices of attracting,
accommodating and entertaining traveller and business of operating tours. The World tourism
organization determines in terms of beyond common percept of tourism as being limited to
holiday action only as people travelling and staying in places outside their regular
atmosphere(Boniface, Cooper and Cooper, 2016). It is sources of earning profits for many
nations and affects economy of both source and host nation. This study is based on Thomas
Cook. It is British international travel organization. They offer Charter and scheduled traveller
airlines, holiday packages, cruise lines, hotel and resorts. This report will explain current issues
that driving changes in travel sector and analysis two issues of selected destination by utilizing
resources and methods. It will evaluate emerging trends that influencing changes in travel and its
affects on selected destination in terms of tourism product and services.
TASK 1
1.1 Current issues changes in travel and tourism
Travel and tourism is facing many challenges and issues that are driving changes in their
business. These issues are effected on travellers and their expectation. Such as:
Technological Advancement: Technology is providing more demanding tourists who
enhancing expects to be able to plan, tailor and book their holiday all from their smartphone.
With the help of it, travel providers retaining customer loyalty and increasing their expectation. It
includes digitation in product and services.
Cyber security and data privacy: The regulation of data protection are changing, so
that travel and tourism organization prepare for general data protection regulations. All travel
companies are holding personal information that involve customers details and suppliers data.
With the help of changing rules, company make sure that changing in gathering information of
customers(Henderson, 2017).
Travel Package Directive: All travel organization review their business models and
ensuring they capable protect themselves by clear and impressive trading terms with consumers
and suppliers. In the package, company must have considered insurance policies.
Environmental factors: Some of environmental factors that includes pollution, weather
etc. affects on travel and tourism sectors. So that, organizations make sure that offering the
services to follow changes in environment. It is also threats for economy of worldwide.
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Fuel prices: Increasing fuel prices is also current issues for every travel and tourism
companies. So that, companies make sure that deciding the prices of their products. This issue
effects on operation of business.
Repair and maintenance: Ineffective repair and maintenance are recent issues which
face by travel and tourism organization. Therefore, companies make efforts on repair and
maintenance for their products on monthly basis(Ayikoru, 2015).
Changes in seasonable demand: Seasonal demand is also the biggest issues faces of
travel and tourism sectors. So that, organizations make sure that providing services according to
seasonal demand. This helps in increase sales and profitability of business. This effects on
customers need and their expectation.
Low Cost Airline: It is emerging trend in travel and tourism sector. For example, Virgin
Group provide airline services and products on low cost. This helps to increase number of
customers.
Globalisation: It is also emerging trend that adopt by travel and tourism sector. With this
trend, people easily go other place.
1.2 Analysis issues using methods and resources
There are many current issues in Brazil that faced by tourist. Such as health and safety
concern, social and culture issues etc.
Health and Safety: Every visitor to take care of their health and safety during travel in
particular destination. By collecting information, there are many issues regrading health and
safety face by tourist. There are poor health care for international tourist. On the behalf of
internet sources, there is low level of medical care services in Brazil. While health and safety
concern, it is shocked information that chosen destination has low ranked. The environment is
also issues in terms of health and safety (Dioko, 2016). According internet sources, quality of
environment is also not good. This effects on well-being and safety of tourist. Through it,
decrease visitor attraction, their activities and behaviour regrading chosen destination.
Security Issues: When comes to security concern, it is also the biggest issues faced by
tourists while they are travelling in Brazil. According to internet sources, there is high level of
crime rate in chosen destination. If talking about their personal safety is very good while global
security is very less. In terms of security concern, tourist has face problem. This effects on visitor
attraction on Brazil. It is one of the largest nation in terms of crime rates in worldwide, Brazil is
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the largest rates of crime. Not only in crime rates but also health and safety, chosen destination is
ranked the highest position within nations. This also effects social and culture environment of
selected destination.
With the low cost airline, people are easily going some other places. It is beneficial not
only people but also travel business. In terms of people, it is good for know about other places
and its culture. In terms of company, it is beneficial for increasing sales and profits of business.
TASK 2
2.1 Emerging trends influencing changes in travel and tourism sector
There are many emerging trends that effects in terms of changes in travel and tourism
sector. Therefore, if travel companies are followed all trends in business that helps in increasing
customer demand, sales and profits. Such as:
Medical Tourism: It refers to people travelling to nation other than their own to acquire
medical treatment. It is the most frequently is for surgeries or same treatment.
Dark Tourism: It also known as black and grief tourism that has been defined as tourism
including travel to places past times connected with death and disaster. It was recommended that
concept also involve reasons tourists visit.
Grey Tourism: It is corner market in tourism sector that defined to senior travel market.
This meaning is given on the basis consistent normal assumption people have in mind.
Sex Tourism: It is the travel to various venue for sake of sexual activity, specifically
with prostitutes. The major aim of effecting commercialized sexual relation by travellers with
residents at destination.
Custom Tour: It is a self-directed travel plan created and managed for people. This type
of travel involves personal airport, hotel transfer, performance, events and activities.
Greater flexibility of booking: It is the most essential trends that effective changes in
travel and tourism business. Because of, every people use internet for online booking fir
travelling. So that travel organization increase their online presences for increase customers and
sales of business(Muqbil, 2018). They also make sure that giving online booking facilities to
consumers. With the help of it, customer easily booking of travel just one click.
Social factors: It includes lifestyle, customer demand, culture, traditions that affects on
tourism business. Therefore, travel organizations make efforts to changes in their existing
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products according demand, lifestyle, culture of customer. The lifestyle in society are changing
gradually. This effects perception, personal needs and attitude of tourist.
Health and safety: It is important trends that changing in travel and tourism sector.
Therefore, travel companies offers products taking care of well-being and safety of
tourists(Dioko, 2016). This trend effect decision making with regarding to destination and
attributes during holiday. If companies offer product on the half health and safety concern that
increase volume of demand.
Security: It is important trends that changing in travel and tourism sector. Therefore,
travel organization make sure that chosen destination safe and secure for tourists. It includes
terrorism, regional wars and other crisis have regrettably become facts of daily life and effects
the demand to feel safe and secure(Baka, 2016).
Leisure time: Modern society utilize enhancing pressures on daily lives to people and
impact wish for more leisure time and relaxation. It is increase in free disposable incomes. This
trend is reproving for tourism, because enhance number of days of paid leave for holiday making
has come to halt.
Sustainability: Increase awareness of environmental continuous. This enhance in more
demand for sustainable destination for tourism. In destination, nature and population play highly
outstanding role. In addition to that, to justify costs of property, price increasing be passed on
the travellers themselves.
2.2 Trends affects on tourism product and services
There are many emerging trends in Brazil in terms of tourism products and services. With
the help of it, increase visitor attraction for chosen destination. Such as:
Health and safety: It includes environment trends of destination. This trends affects on
attraction of visitors while they are travelling in Brazil. Because of, chosen destination is ranked
lowest when it comes health and safety concern. There is low medical care facilities for tourists.
By this factor, decrease visitor attraction(Dioko, 2016).
Security: Brazil is one of the highest country in which the crime rate is the largest. In
terms of security, this decrease visitor attractiveness for chosen destination(Mariani and et.al.,
2014). It is the most important factors for increasing attraction of tourists. Terrorism is the most
danger factor that effects on security of tourists and other people.
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Customer demand: If chosen destination is not safe and secure, so that it decrease
customer demand for destination(Law and et.al., 2015).
Good prices: The price of destination is very good in Brazil. With the help of it,
increasing visitor attraction and their demand. It is very important trend of chosen destination.
History of destination: The history of destination is more important for tourists
attraction. In the Brazil, there are many churches and beaches that more attraction of visitors.
History of destination most important for tourists(Baka, 2016).
Economy of destination: It includes inflation rate in nation. If inflation rate increase of
visitor's nation and destination's inflation rate is decreased that good for visitor. This helps in
increasing attraction of tourists.
Technology: It is also beneficial trends that effects on destination as well as tourists
attraction. With the help of it, visitors are easily reached on location of destination. By this trend,
they are simply booking destination and detailed description about locations, time, price and
other information.
An example of medical tourism is Austarila, because there is high level of medical care
and services to people. In order to that, Hiroshima & Nagasaki is the example of dark tourism,
because of, this tour relate to death and disaster that effects highly impact of tourist attraction.
Thailand is the example of sex tourism, because there are many people coming at destination. On
other side, custom tourism impacts all the destinations of every nations.
TASK 3
3.1 Emerging trends respond by travel organization
Thomas Cook is the British intentional travel organization. They offer different product
such as Charter and scheduled traveller airlines, holiday packages, cruise lines, hotel and resorts.
Therefore, current trends in tourism effects on travel organization.
Online booking comfortably: It is easy to book any kind of product and services of
travel by people. So that, Thomas Cook increase their online presences and booking services for
enhancing customer. With the help of it, company meet requirement of tourists and their
attraction for product and services(Boniface, Cooper and Cooper, 2016).
Selection destination: It is the most essential to select the best destination take care of
health and safety, security of tourists. Therefore, Thomas Cook make sure that deciding the
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effective destination for increasing visitor attraction. With the help of it, company increase sales
and profits of business.
History and culture: Travellers wants to travelling in those destinations there is the most
important history and famous culture. So that, Thomas Cook make sure that planning of those
destinations where history and culture must have popular for increasing visitor attraction. By
this chosen destination, firm meet needs and demand of the customers.
Health and safety: It is the most beneficial trend for travel company and visitor. So that,
Thomas Cook make sure that offer better products and services for concern of health and
safety(Law and et.al., 2015). By this way, company meet requirement of customers and
increasing their attraction. Firm make sure that chose destination for health and safety concern
for tourists.
Independent travellers: Some people wants to solo travelling, so that Thomas Cook
make sure that giving the facilities for these people. They take care of their safety and security to
solo travellers. By this trend, increasing attraction of solo tourists. This helps in increasing sales
and profits in the business. By this way, company meet need and demand of customers.
3.2 Critically examine strategies taken by organization
Thomas Cook follow Lewin's model to respond to change by trends in travel and tourism
sector. There are mainly three steps included in this model.
Globalism: There are huge changes in travel and tourism business by globalism. It
involves airline safety, labour outsourcing effects on domestic travel in global economy.
Therefore, Thomas Cook know that it is more beneficial for their business.
Fuel Costs and Carbon footprint: This type of trend also effects travel and tourism
business. So that, Thomas Cook ensure that quantify of carbon foot print. Therefore, firm has
invested in alternative forms of energy.
Unfreezing: It means ready to change. First step of conversion and one of the most
critical steps in the whole process of managing changes in trends. It includes improve
preparation and disposition of people to change by raising realization for moving form state
comfort zone to changed condition(Law and et.al., 2015). It includes making people aware of
requirement for change and improving their motivation for accepting new modes of working for
better outcomes. In this context, Thomas Cook follow this step for accepting change in trends of
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organization. Effective communication is very essential during this step for support of people in
process of changes.
Change: It means implementation to change. It includes acceptance of new mode of
doing things. In this stage, people are melted and implemented actual change. Careful planning,
impressive communication and encouraging engagement of single person for support necessary
change during this step. Due to uncertainties and fearful of people of the outcomes of following
change process, not easy of transition(Kurt Lewin’s Three Step Change Model, 2018). Therefore,
Thomas Cook implement actual change in the business. It includes search for new alternative
and choice. Investigation of innovative values and changes in organization structural. New
condition to be verified while information are available.
` Freeze: It means refreezing to change. People movement from stage of transition to more
stable state that regards as balance of state during this stage. It is the ultimate step in which
person accept or internalize new modes of working or change. Accept this as porting of their life
and establish new relations. In this tourism, likely that optimistic underpinning and approval
provide serious hand of assist in process of decision making. Therefore, Thomas Cook follow
this step of new ways of working.
3.3 Justified strategies
Thomas Cook follow Lewin's model for respond to change in trends of travel and tourism
sector. This model is more beneficial for organization to take alternative way of changes, simple
understand model for change. This model is also useful due to complex nature of company. This
model helpful while implement incremental changes in organization. It is more useful for
acceptance of change in working of company(Mariani and et.al., 2014). With the help of it,
company determine complex situations and implement alternative way of changes in the
business. There are three steps such as unfreezing, change, freeze(refreezing) in this model. All
steps are more beneficial to respond to change in company.
In this context, unfreezing step is beneficial for improving willingness and preparation of
people to change. It includes creating awareness of people and improving their motivations. In
addition to that, change step is good for new ways are determined for acceptance. In this stage,
implement actual change. In order to that, freeze step is also advantageous for internalize new
ways of working or changes(Baka, 2016). With the help of it, Thomas Cook accept changes in
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trends of travel and tourism sector. This model helps top down approaches to management of
change. This model helps in achieving goals and objectives of organization.
Lewin's model is evaluated for being simple and mechanical as result this is not
applicable for present scenario of company. This also help in learning transformed modes of
working. If company accept changes, so that they offer effective product and services to
customers. This model is also beneficial for change in policies and structure of organization in an
effective manner. This helps in increasing the attraction of customers of product and services of
Thomas Cook. Ultimately, this enhance sales, profits and market share of the business.
TASK 4
4.1 Impacts of response on performance of travel organization
If Thomas Cook accept response to changes in trends, so that it is beneficial in different
ways in the business. If company utilize digital technology, so that they are increased their online
appearances. This helps in increasing attraction of visitor and their expectation. Digital
technology involves mobile booking, social media networks etc. By this way, company build
relationship with customers personally(Dioko, 2016). Firm know about consumer's review and
feedback that increasing productivity of business. If firm offer product and services on affordable
prices, so that more and more customers buying their product. With the help of it, increasing
sales and profitability of company.
Company must have chosen destination where there are no issues happened regarding
health and safety, security etc. By this way, customer more attract for chosen destination. With
the help of it, increase sales and profits in the business. If Thomas Cook select popular
destination which is history and culture is very popular, so that it increase customers attraction
and their expectation(Ayikoru, 2015). With the help of it, they meet requirement and their
demand of customers. Therefore, Thomas Cook make sure that offering product and services on
affordable prices. This helps in increase customer demand and their expectation.
By this trend, raising sales and profits of Thomas Cook in travel and tourism sector. By
all these trends, improve performance and productivity of company. If the company fulfil
demand of seasonable to customers, so that it helps in increasing sales and profits of business.
With the help of it, increasing customer attraction, demand and their expectation.
4.2 Consequences of failing to response
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If Thomas Cook is not accepted response in changing trends, so that it happen many
consequences in their business. If the company is not used digital technology, so that customers
are not getting the information about their product and services. They are switching on other
organization. This negative impacts on sales and profits of business(Dioko, 2016). In case, firm
is offering product on higher prices, so that customers are not buying their product and services.
This decreased customer demand, expectation and attraction that effects negatively on overall
Thomas Cook in travel and tourism sector. If company is selected destination which is not
popular, so that limited tourists are coming on chosen destination.
In this context, If Thomas Cook is not accepted health and safety trends while they offer
product and services. So that, customers are not purchasing their services. This affects negatively
impact on business in terms of decrease sales and profitability. By this issue, company do not
meet requirement of consumers and their attractiveness(Henderson, 2017). If competitors of
Thomas Cook offers product and services on low prices, so that customer are switching on their
challengers. This reduce sales and profitability of selected organization. By all these trends,
decreased sales and profits of business. It also negatively effects on productivity and efficiency
of Thomas Cook in travel sector.
CONCLUSION
This report has summarised that current issues that involves advance of digitisation,
cyber security and data privacy, travel package directive, environmental factors, fuel prices,
repair and maintenance, changes in seasonable demand in the travel and tourism sector. It can be
concluded that security issues and health and safety affects Brazil by using internet sources. It
can be discussed that emerging trend that involves greater flexibility of booking, social factors,
health and safety, security, leisure time, sustainability, in travel and tourism sector. It can be
analysed that trends affects on tourism and travel product and services that involves history of
destination, economy of destination, technology, security, health and safety etc.
Furthermore, report has completed that Thomas cook respond emerging trends that
includes online booking comfortably, selection destination, history and culture, health and safety,
independent travellers etc. It can be discussed that company follow Lewis's model for respond to
changes that involve three steps like unfreezing, change, freeze.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Ayikoru, M., 2015. Destination competitiveness challenges: A Ugandan perspective. Tourism
Management. 50. pp.142-158.
Baka, V., 2016. The becoming of user-generated reviews: Looking at the past to understand the
future of managing reputation in the travel sector. Tourism Management. 53. pp.148-162.
Boniface, B., Cooper, R. and Cooper, C., 2016. Worldwide destinations: The geography of travel
and tourism. Routledge.
Dioko, L. D. A., 2016. Progress and trends in destination branding and marketing–a brief and
broad review. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research,.10(1).
pp.5-13.
Henderson, J. C., 2017. Destination development: Trends in Japan's inbound
tourism. International Journal of Tourism Research. 19(1). pp.89-98.
Law, R. and et.al., 2015. Distribution channel in hospitality and tourism: Revisiting
disintermediation from the perspectives of hotels and travel agencies. International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 27(3). pp.431-452.
Mariani, M. M. and et.al., 2014. Managing change in tourism destinations: Key issues and
current trends. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management. 2(4). pp.269-272.
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Online
Kurt Lewin’s Three Step Change Model, 2018. [ONLINE]. Available through. :
<https://www.accipio.com/eleadership/mod/wiki/prettyview.php?pageid=135>.
Muqbil. I., 2018. Future Trends In Tourism. [ONLINE]. Available through. :
<https://www.travel-impact-newswire.com/2003/11/future-trends-in-tourism/>.
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