Impact of Changing Trends on Travel and Tourism

The assignment analyzes the impact of changing trends on travel and tourism, including demographic trends, demand for adventurous traveling, accessibility, climatic environment, accommodations, amenities, and more. It highlights the importance of understanding social, economic, and environmental factors to develop effective marketing plans for Thomas Group Plc.

Qualitative Portfolio

1. Interview Checklists Task
Being a part of project to conduct an in-depth analysis on “Old people and their holiday
memories”, an interview checklist is made, to ask with some visitors about their holiday
experiences.
Preparation
Interview Planning Checklist Items Yes No Not
Required
Comments
Q1. How old are you and how many
destinations you have travelled yet?
Q2. Tell something about your most memorable
holiday tour?
Q3. Describe something about your recent
holiday?
Q4. Where did you hear about this tourist
destination?
Q5. How many members had gone with you?
Q6. How many days you have spent there?
Q7. Any special memorable moment that you
have spent while visiting that place?
Q8. How was your experience with this
destination?
Q9. Which destination you want to visit again
in future?
Q10. Which factors attract you more to visit a
destination place?
Q11. Did travel industry help you in enhancing
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your tourism experience?
Q12. What kind of changes you actually seek to
get new holiday experience from travel industry
for satisfying deeds?
2. Participant Observation Task
Research Diary
For observing the participants in a public place, research team of three members have
chosen a pub of London named by- Hanged, Drawn and Quartered. It is located nearby the
former public execution ground of Tower Hill. Here, people of all age i.e. college students,
youngsters and mainly business persons are visited. As to focus on some criteria about how staff
members greet its customers and offer variety of services, how people get deflected by theme of
hotel and services offered to them etc., research team has itself present there. This would help in
observing each client within a specific duration how they respond and what type of services
mostly buy by them. Theme of this restaurant is inspired by French cocktail bar Coupette. It is a
Bethnal Green’s chic based theme which is mixture of Gallic twist of traditionally tropical Piña
and addition of champagne.
Through visiting near about three hours in mentioned pub, it has been noticed by project
makers that given pub has good ambience. This would create first impression on its guest and
attract them to stay for more than hours. Secondly it is great place for adults where they can
spend their time for getting stress free from high working environment of business. As Beers are
considered as all sorts i.e. starting from the lightest and spontaneous lagers to heaviest stouts,
through various bitters, ales and milds. Therefore, people after taking their seat give order for
bear. This restaurant sold wines by bottles with a variety of scotch like teachers, The Famous
Grouse; White Rums, Bacardi, Vodka and more. Here, Johnny Walker Red Label is probably
considered as most famous blended whisky and Glenfiddich is also the most famous single malt
of this restaurant.
After taking beers, adults have ordered for further alcoholic drinks with some snack
items. It includes snack items include Fried Dill Pickles, Citrus Marinated Olives, Buffalo wings
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with Spicy Blue Cheese Sauce etc. People also attracted by way of presenting the order by this
pub and good ambience where fusion mix of songs attracted every person to come on dance
floor. Youngsters are enjoyed much here in this pub because it concerns mostly for safety and
security of every guest. This pub also provides transport facilities to drunks and rowdies who
couldn’t find ways to returned home, especially on Saturday nights. After taking orders, every
guest of Hanged, Drawn and Quartered, have given their feedback about services and
suggestions for further improvement.
Short Commentary
Researchers have chosen the visual methodology to collect information about how people
enjoyed at pubs and get their mood relaxed from highly stressed life. Observing participants at
public place and make notes is concluded open ended research, where everything is easily
accessible for investigators. This would help in gathering more reliable information for
addressing issues of a research project and draw effective conclusion. As public place is chosen
for analysing views of participants without making any type of direct interaction. Therefore, it
provides accessibility to project makers to easily collect data. At initial stage, just observing
others and make notes about the whole scenario is looking quite difficult. But spend more than
two and three hours at such place to visualise the participants’ reaction, makes easy to collect
required amount of information.
Through observance of real scenario, it has seen that as Hanged, Drawn and Quartered
situated on a side-street therefore, there is an extremely huge rush in this pub, where people
couldn’t even find ways to enter, especially on Saturday nights. The services, welcome drink,
variety of alcohols and fully entertainment loudest music of this pub are enough to hold retention
of customers. French style based theme and extremely safe and secure atmosphere are liked
much by people. Willingness of people to pay for acquiring its services are much high. It has
been notified by researchers that just to enjoy the services of this pub, participants are ready to
pay on any cost, because it provides them transport facilities in case of uncertainty.
3. Visual Methodologies Task
In tourism research, visual culture is considered as an important source for collecting
information about organisations, related to their campaigning to attract visitors. Tourism is
considered as major economic and social significant impact on economy, that defines as a
temporary movement of visitors to visit destinations outside their normal places of work and
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residence. Therefore, to grab attention of visitors and potential customers, organisations that
deals under hospitality industry, undertake various activities. In context with Moxy Hotel of
London, to attract visitors it uses visual composition of advertising technique, as shown in given
picture. Through this promotional campaigning, it wants to bring awareness among customers
about type of services it offers. Here, the present picture give message to visitors that services
and accommodation facilities of this hotel are enough to cater their needs. It emphasis on every
needs and comfort level of customers, where they can get every facility including music to spa.
This image has shown highly accommodation facilities, perfect ambience and mixture of theme,
under which every demand of customers can be completed. It includes mouth watery variety of
dishes and livestream music or room concert facilities, where music are played as per demand of
each customer. Along with this, ambience and culture of hotel is quite impressive, that gives
feeling of home to its visitors. Spa facilities, gaming zone, live concert music are special features
of this hotel, that people mostly willing to get for getting relaxed and take a break from highly
stress life.
To bring awareness and reach potential customers, Moxy Hotels has mainly emphasised
on picture composition or visualise promotional campaigns. It includes Blank Canvas, which is
giving artistic and creative opportunities to customers including painters, photographers, artist
and more, to create artwork for enhancing its brand. Hereby, selected paintings or artworks will
become the cornerstone of a permanent as well as emerging art collection in this hotel. Similarly,
playing room facilities where innovations are specially created for youngsters to make fun with
funny toys and gaming zone. Thus, this promotional activity shows entire signs of special
features, ambience, culture and accommodations. It would help in attracting visitors to visit at
least once here and enjoy their time to get break from stressed life.
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4. Coded Interview Transcript
Code A: Learning
A1: Learning in childhood
A2: Learning from books
A3: Learning from other people
A4: Learning from experience
Coded Interview Transcript Code sign
Well for me, it was like a holiday home, a portable
camp and chill with family.
A4
Just chill out George was only 7
weeks old and everything was dead easy going and
slow the pace reminded us of when we went
travelling to Asia and this was the life, but on the
doorstep.
A1
The VW aspect was
more to talk Amanda into it.
A2
It’s that whole thing, there’s a
buzz about it. People talk about it, so that would be
the initial reason.
A3
Well we went on a caravan holiday and we sat in
this caravan and we thought this is cool; we will
just have barbeques and just drink beer.
A2
But there’s actually nothing to do. Not like at
home.
A4
That’s still why I would like a static caravan as
well. Somewhere to go, to chill out and get drunk
A4
Relaxing A4
Whoever designed it thought I want to live in this I
will put a sink there, I will put the beds there etc.
A2
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it’s clever and a lot of thought has gone into it.
It’s like you feel like you have got something
special and whether it’s done through the
perception of it.
A2
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5. Copy of Major Project Proposal
Project Topic: “To identify the factors within travel and tourism industry that
influences tourist satisfaction. A Case study on Thomas Cook Group”
Introduction and Rationale
Tourism play most important role in the development of economy of a country. Today
with emergence of new technologies, companies dealing in this sector are getting several
opportunities, to continue grows and expand its business market in various countries. Since
satisfaction of people with their travel experiences can increase fidelity to the destination.
Therefore, to attain this satisfaction, it is essential for tourist organisations to identify factors that
affect the same, in order to encourage tourism (Buhalis and et. al., 2012). This project is going to
make an analysis on factors which enhance tourism, for managing facilities accordingly. For this
purpose, Thomas Cook Group is chosen, that deals in travel sector. This travel agency of UK, is
counted as one of the top tourist organisations that provides highly efficient services related to
both domestic and international clients. But due to changing trends in tourism and increasing
competition in same industry, this agency has faced difficulties in meeting the requirement of its
clients (Wu and Li, 2017). Therefore, to improve and increase customer journey experience, its
managers need to identify factors that impact on preference of customers.
The reason behind chosen this project is to grab knowledge about how changes in
business environment impact both on travel companies and travellers. This would help in
analysing the ways such company handles the changing perception of tourist and provide
facilities accordingly (Law and et .al., 2015). This project will aid researchers to enhance their
knowledge in travelling and hospitality field. Along with this, they also get opportunity to take
more challenging assignment in future to work in efficient manner. While in terms of
organisational point of view, in future they can provide effective suggestions to travel companies
for enhancing customer base and increasing travel experiences.
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Research Aim: “To identify the factors within travel industry that enhances tourism. A Case
study on Thomas Cook Group”
Research Objectives:
 To evaluate the contribution of travel companies in enhancing tourism.
 To determine factors which affect perceived value of travellers.
 To ascertain the difficulties Thomas Cook Group has faced for anticipating needs of
travellers of customers.
 To recommend ways by which Thomas Cook Group can enhance tourism
Research Questions:
 What is the contribution of travel companies in enhancing tourism?
 Which factors affect perceived value of travellers?
 What are the difficulties Thomas Cook Group has faced for anticipating needs of
travellers of customers?
 What are the ways by which Thomas Cook Group can enhance tourism?
Research Methodologies
Research methodology is defined as the procedure that is used for identifying, selecting,
processing and analyzing information about a specific topic. This part of research paper helps
readers for evaluating the reliability and validity of the study. The method which is used for
collecting data and information for making business decisions is termed as termed as the
research methodology (Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier, 2015). This methodology involves
interviews, questionnaires, publication research, surveys and other research techniques. This
includes both historical and present information.
Methods of Data Collection
The different methods which are used by researches in conducting of a research are
qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods (Soteriades, 2012). These are described as below-
Quantitative method, mixed method and qualitative method – Qualitative method follows
the philosophy of rationalism and according to it human beings gain knowledge on their
capability. On the other hand, qualitative method is based on the philosophy of empiricism and
according to this, human beings acquire knowledge from sensory experience. The quantitative
method includes a structured approach and it has a set of procedures of questions. Qualitative
method is unstructured and is flexible (Chiu, Zeng and Cheng, 2016). It uses open methodology
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like face to face interviews, questionnaires, surveys, etc. While, Mixed method includes concept
of both qualitative and quantitative techniques to collect data collection. It includes philosophical
assumptions and inquiry methods, that provides a better understanding of problems of research.
Key approaches to data collection
There are basically two approaches for the collection of data such as primary and
secondary approach. Primary sources are those sources which provide first hand information.
This information or data is gathered directly from individuals or groups (Page and Hall, 2014).
Secondary sources are the ways by which data is taken from already existing sources like
government sites, online surveys, journals, magazines, articles, etc. Under this process, for
gathering secondary data, literature review has conducted by extracting relevant information
from past data through internet access. This would help in gathering an adequate amount of data
for conducting further research.
Focus group interviews- This is a type/kind of interview in which there are group of
people who share common experience of research (Tussyadiah, 2016). The major aim of focus
group interview is to gather information regarding experiences of group of individual
experiencing common situation. At the time of discussion topics are framed and key points are
made. It is advisable for researcher to record information correctly in order to gather relevant
data for analysis.
Advantage of Focus group interview:
 A time saving opportunity for researchers where they can easily measure customer
reaction.
 Easy to get response of each participant in highly efficient manner.
Disadvantage of focus group interview:
 Lack of in-depth analysis due to less number of participants.
 Personal biasedness of participants is the major disadvantage of this method that affect
perception of other respondents also, in negative manner.
Questionnaires- This is defined as the process or method of written questions that are
sent to different individuals for filling this questionnaire and giving appropriate answers for
making an effective research. Questionnaire is filled by the person and it reflects the views of
that person. This way is best way for collecting data from people (Wu and Li, 2017).
Questionnaire is a cheap way of gathering of data. It is important for people to fill questionnaires
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seriously as this information is use by researchers to evaluate their research or study. Researchers
under present project choose a sample of 20 respondents for getting their views on changing
trends in travel and tourism. For this purpose, they have followed that following steps in
preparing questionnaire to get meaningful and relevant data-
 The question must be simple and they should not have complex words so that people do
not get confused while answering the questions.
 It must have one meaning for avoiding ambiguity.
 The questionnaire must carry out a trail of questionnaire with a group of individual for
making effective research.
Advantage of questionnaire:
 This method offers a quick way to get result with online and mobile tools.
 It is quite inexpensive and practical way to gather original and reliable information.
Disadvantage of questionnaire:
 There is lack of personalisation because it includes customization as a prevailing
marketing theme.
 Biasedness is the biggest issue of questionnaire method because some respondents may
have hidden agenda, that impact on outcomes of research in negative manner.
Research Analysis
After conducting the entire research on Thomas Group People, through various methods of
primary and secondary source like questionnaire and focused group discussion, it has been
analysed that changing trends of travel and tourism, has impacted on preference of customers.
Travel and tourism industry has played a major role in UK in improving and enhancing its
economy after Brexit. They perform various activities in order to gain attention of travellers of
both domestic and international areas. It includes planning attractive holiday destinations,
options of hotels and various types of accommodation services as per purchasing power of
travellers and more. In context with Thomas Group, for developing plans its marketing team
used to conduct proper research for understanding needs of potential customers, their purchasing
power and more. This would help in offering facilities and increasing customer journey
experience accordingly. But as clients demand more travelling and luxury experiences from
travel companies and ready to pay for the same. Here, some main factors that include
demographic trends, demand for adventurous travelling, accessibility, climatic environment,
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accommodations, amenities and more, create changes in travel and tourism. Therefore,
understanding such factors of social, economic and environment, marketing team of Thomas
Group Plc can develop more effective plans to gain satisfied customers.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Page, S. J. and Hall, C. M., 2014. The geography of tourism and recreation: Environment, place
and space. Routledge.
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.
Buhalis, D. and et. al., 2012. Best practice in accessible tourism: Inclusion, disability, ageing
population and tourism. Channel View Publications.
Soteriades, M., 2012. Tourism destination marketing: approaches improving effectiveness and
efficiency. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology. 3(2). pp.107-120.
Xiang, Z., Magnini, V. P. and Fesenmaier, D. R., 2015. Information technology and consumer
behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using the internet. Journal
of Retailing and Consumer Services. 22. pp.244-249.
Tussyadiah, I. P., 2016. Factors of satisfaction and intention to use peer-to-peer
accommodation. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 55. pp.70-80.
Wu, H. C. and Li, T., 2017. A study of experiential quality, perceived value, heritage image,
experiential satisfaction, and behavioral intentions for heritage tourists. Journal of
Hospitality & Tourism Research. 41(8). pp.904-944.
Chiu, W., Zeng, S. and Cheng, P. S. T., 2016. The influence of destination image and tourist
satisfaction on tourist loyalty: a case study of Chinese tourists in Korea. International
Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. 10(2). pp.223-234.
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