The Influence of Facebook on Sales and Consumer Base in Thomas Cook: A Research Proposal

This research proposal investigates the impact of Facebook on the sales and consumer base of Thomas Cook, a prominent UK-based travel and tourism company. The study aims to explore the role of social media, particularly Facebook, in enhancing brand awareness, customer engagement, and ultimately, driving sales within the travel and tourism industry. The research will delve into the decision-making process of consumers influenced by social media platforms, analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of using Facebook for marketing purposes in the travel sector. By examining the case of Thomas Cook, the research seeks to provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of social media marketing strategies in the travel and tourism industry.

Research Proposal
1

Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
1.1- Formulate and record possible research project outline specifications.............................4
1.2.Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection....................6
1.3.Undertake a critical review of key references.......................................................................8
1.4.Produce a research project specification..............................................................................11
1.5 Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification.............14
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................16
References:....................................................................................................................................17
2

Introduction:
This research report summaries the impact of Facebook on Thomas Cook which is the UK based
travel and tourism sector. The research proposal presents the hypothesis, aims, objective,
research questions and other topic linked to the investigation.
3

Task 1
1.1 Formulate and record possible research project outline specifications
Research topic: the topic of this research project is “The influence of Facebook on the
enhancement of sales and consumer base in Thomas Cook”
Brief introduction:
This report examines the use of social media tools mainly the Facebook for marketing the
products and services of travel and tourism industry. Thomas Cook is using all Facebook and
instagram to pull consumers from all the parts of the world so that they can increase their sales
and consumer base.
Research questions:
This research will answer the following questions:
Question1: Describe the notion of social media?
Question 2: Examine the influence of social media in travel and tourism sector?
Question 3: Assess the impact of using Facebook by Thomas Cook?
Question 4: Examine the benefits and disadvantages of using Facebook in tourism and traveling
sector?
The hypothesis of research:
Hypothesis is the assumptions on which the research work is continued in a well-organized
manner. Hypothesis helps in conducting a research in a correct way. Below specified are the
hypotheses of this research project:
H1: Social media is having a progressive influence on the traveling and tourism segment
H2: The numbers of Facebook users are increasing at a growing rate
4

The aim of the research:
This research aims to examine the influence of Facebook on Thomas Cook. Various social media
applications are used in the travel and tourism industry. Social media gives a vibrant platform to
the tourism companies to market their service in an effective and efficient manner
The objective of research:
The objectives of this research project are specified underneath:
 To define the concept of social media
 To examine the influence of social media in travel and tourism sector
 To measure the impact of using Facebook by Thomas Cook
 To study the decision making theory with regard to travel and tourism
 To examine the advantages and disadvantages of using Facebook in tourism and traveling
sector
5

1.2. Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection
The rationale of research:
Social media tools mainly the Facebook is altering the way in which publics communicate.
Improvements in mobile technology have made social media additionally available, letting to
come to be a part of publics’ everyday routines and lives. Tourism groups like Thomas Cook
have taken benefit of this astonishing technology by growing their advertisings of product and
destinations on Social Media with an only purpose of getting out crowds.
Scope and Importance
The scope of this research project is wide as it examines the role played by technology in the
travel and tourism industry. Technology or social media is essential for running a business
successfully. Facebook helps the traveling companies like Thomas Cook in building a strong
consumer base
Feasibility (Resources-Time and Money)
The prime factors which contribute to the procedure of this research project selection are
specified below:
 Human resources:
For completing a research in a well-organized manner it is important to select appropriate
experts, scientist, researchers and various other personnel. A good research requires good efforts
which are done by the human resources.
 Financial resources:
Money is important for leading a research in a detailed manner. Finance is required for acquiring
the information required in this project. An investigation of the company’s accounts and books is
permitted to a researcher by paying an appropriate fee.
 Time:
6

Time is one of the key aspects of the research project. The time in which the research will be
conducted and finished matters a lot to the researchers. Well planned research always gets
completed on time and produces some worthy conclusions and results. If a research is not
completed in the time it turns out to be a waste so a research must be completed in set time
frames.
7

1.3. Undertake a critical review of key references
Application of Technology in Travel and Tourism Sector
Technology is all about using social media applications and tools by the traveling companies and
groups like Thomas Cook. Social Media is a collection of Internet developed tools which build
on technological and philosophical basics of the Web 2.0, and which permits the exchange and
creation of User Generated Content. Basically, social media is a collection of applications which
are nearly open or allowed and permit community and salespersons to generate content and
important conversation online. Few instances of the social media are blogs, social networks,
video-sharing sites, audio podcasts, Internet radio, message tools and mobile social sharing.
Technology is mainly used in the traveling companies so that the consumers can easily plan their
vacations
Influence of Technology in Travel and Tourism
Technology plays a pivotal role in travelling and tourism industry. Technology keeps on
changing so the travelling companies are required to use update and latest technology. The use of
social media in the modern day business is a latest trend. Thomas Cook is the famous tour
operator of UK which is using Facebook to market its products and services. Using technology in
helps in increasing profits and sales of the travelling companies.
Literature review:
Define Internet
According to Tanti and Buhalis (2017), the internet is a worldwide computer network which
offers a variety of communication facilities and information, containing unified networks by
means of identical communiqué protocols. Further, it can be said that internet is a medium of
linking a computer to any new computer anyplace in the sphere through out-and-out servers and
routers (Tanti and Buhalis, 2017).
Define Social Media
8

According to Gerbaudo (2018), Social media denotes to a medium of communication between
persons in which they talk, share, or make ideas and statistics in virtual networks and societies.
In current times social media plays a significant role in nearly every sector. Display place like
what Sapp, Instagram, Facebook, twitter, etc. have turned out to be significant both from
business and personal viewpoint. Social media have made a huge influence on the vacation
industry (Gerbaudo, 2018)
Focus on Facebook
According to Laudon and Traver (2013), Facebook is one of the most famous and earliest social
media landscape. It was originated by Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook is a platform which helps
people to communicate with one another irrespective of their locations. Facebook plays a pivotal
role in the travelling companies. Thomas Cook developed its own Facebook page s that it can
market its packages to the people who are located all across the globe. Moreover, Facebook
helps in increasing the profits and image of the travelling company.
Decision-making Theory
The decision-making theory helps in deciding what is right and wrong for a consumer. Decision-
making theory is used in the travel and tourism sector so that people can pick the correct
packages and products. The Decision-making theory is a philosophy of exactly how rational
persons must act under uncertainty and risk. It utilizes a combination of axioms regarding the
manner in which sensible individuals act.
Influence of Social Media in general and Facebook in particular on Thomas Cook
According to Wu (2017), Customers engross with social interacting websites in an order to take
up-to-date decisions regarding their journeys and share their experiences and feeling which they
had at the specific airline, restaurant or hotel. As the consumer facility channel social media is
just impossible to be ignored. Publics are utilizing social media during, before and after they
tourism to share both good and bad experiences. Social media mainly the Facebook has enabled
and prolonged folks’ capability to share their tourism experiences with the wider and larger
onlookers than ever beforehand. Social media and its rising role in leisure industry have been
progressively a developing topic. From information exploration to decision taking actions, social
9

media plays an important role in numerous facets of vacation industry. Social media mainly the
Facebook also shows a substantial role in holiday business promotion and assistances travel
service suppliers in concentrating on greatest practices with the help of the feedback which they
receive from public and tourists through social media. Facebook is reflected to be a significant
approach in an order to advertise tourism packages of the Thomas Cook. In vacation industry,
the social media has changed backgrounds of marketing. Currently, most of the vacationers
regulate their vacation plans on the basis of Facebook reviews and shares , consequently creating
online purchaser service is a vital part of constructing an optimistic brand status (Wu, 2017),.
10

1.4. Produce a research project specification
Research topic: the topic of this research project is “The influence of Facebook on the
enhancement of sales and consumer base in Thomas Cook”
Brief introduction:
This report studies the usage of Facebook for advertising the services and packages of travel and
tourism industry. Thomas Cook is using all Facebook and instagram to pull customers from all
the parts of the world so that they can increase their sales and consumer base.
Research questions:
This research will answer the following questions:
Question1: Describe the notion of social media?
Question 2: Examine the influence of social media in travel and tourism sector?
Question 3: Measure the impact of using Facebook by Thomas Cook?
Question 4: Examine the benefits and disadvantages of using Facebook in tourism and traveling
sector?
The hypothesis of research:
.below specified is the hypothesis of this research project:
H1: Social media is having a progressive influence on the traveling and tourism segment
H2: The amounts of Facebook consumers are growing at an increasing rate
The aim of the research:
This research aims to inspect the impact of Facebook on Thomas Cook. Numerous social media
applications are utilized in the travel and tourism industry.Social media gives a vivacious stage
to the tourism businesses to advertise their packages in a well-organized manner
11

The objective of research:
The objective of this research project is specified underneath:
 To define the concept of social media
 To examine the influence of social media in travel and tourism sector
 To assess the impact of using Facebook by Thomas Cook
 To study the decision making theory with regard to travel and tourism
 To examine the advantages and disadvantages of using Facebook in tourism and traveling
sector
Methodology
 Research Type
This research is conducted by using both quantitative methods and qualitative methods. Both
facts and descriptive information are used for conducting this research in an organized manner.
Basically, this research is completed by using mixed methodologies
 Sample size
The size of the sample of this research project is small. The questionnaire will be distributed
among 20 persons from leading this research and to obtaining the results
 Data collection methods and instruments
For conducting this research both primary and secondary data collection methods are used. The
data collected for this research is through random sampling technique. Random sampling
technique is very easy and effective
 Data analysis methods
This research will be completed with the help of questionnaire. The secondary information for
this research project will be gathered through journal, article, PDF etc. (Veal, 2017).
 Ethical considerations
12

 the research must be completed in its set time frame
 Prior approval from the Thomas Cook must be taken before conducting this
research
 this research should not harm the sentiments and religion of any person
 This research must be completed without any biasness.
 Diagrammed of Research Process
Figure: Research process
Source: (Wang, 2017).
13

1.5 Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification
Activities
Details Preliminary data End date Time duration
(in days)
A Identification of the research
theme
1/05/2018 2/05/2018 2 days
B Accumulating ground info 3/05/2018 4/05/2018 2 days
C Data assortment 5/05/2018 8/05/2018 4 days
D Investigation of data 9/05/2018 11/05/2018 3 days
E Estimation of data 12/05/2018 13/05/2018 2 days
14

F Recommendation and
Conclusion of the research
14/05/2018 15/05/2018 2 days
Gantt chart:
MAY
Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
A
B
C
D
E
F
15

Conclusion
From the above report, it can be concluded that Facebook is playing a marvelous role in
improving the travel and tourism sector. This report also concluded that the social media is
getting more exact in the tourism sector in an order to improve the decision making procedure by
the consumers.
16

References:
 Gerbaudo, P., 2018. Tweets and the streets: Social media and contemporary activism. Pluto
Press.
 Laudon, K.C. and Traver, C.G., 2013. E-commerce. Pearson.
 Tanti, A. and Buhalis, D., 2017. The influences and consequences of being digitally connected
and/or disconnected to travellers. Information Social media & Tourism, 17(1), pp.121-141.
 Veal, A.J., 2017. Research methods for leisure and tourism. Pearson UK.
 Wang, D., 2017. Research on Design and Realization of SOA-based Tourism E-commerce
System. Revista de la Facultad de Ingeniería, 32(13).
 Wu, X., 2017 Smart Tourism Based on Internet of Things. Revista de la Facultad de
Ingeniería, 32(10).
17