Social Media Impact on Asian Tourists: A UKCBC Case Study

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This report analyzes social media's impact on Asian tourists.

1
The Influence of Social Media on Asian Travellers
1
Student Name:

2
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Research Objectives and Questions.................................................................................................4
Structured Topics.............................................................................................................................5
Literature Review............................................................................................................................7
Methodology..................................................................................................................................10
Appendix........................................................................................................................................12
Reference List................................................................................................................................14
2
Student Name:

3
Introduction
1.1 Introduction
In the age of globalisation, social media plays an important role in the service sector.
Organisations operating in the travel and tourism sector use social media platforms to understand
the needs and requirements of the tourists. The use of social media for customers has modified
over the years as improvements in technology have ushered tourists to base their decisions
according to the reviews they view on social media.
1.2 Background of the research
The travel and tourism industry is based on catering to the customers’ needs and requirements
and organisations operating in the sector resort to using social media to enhance communication
with their target customer demographic. Social media plays an essential role in attracting tourists
from different areas to destinations that receive good reviews on the social media. Customers of
tourist and travel sector perform their research on destinations on social media. The Asian
tourists have recently grown as a potential customer demographic for the travel and tourism
industry of the UK market economy. These tourists conduct their research on social media to
identify which destination they wish to visit in the future. The Asian customers have developed
their technological skills in the age of globalisation and prefer to do their own research on tourist
destinations through social media.
1.3 Research rationale
Social media acts as an effective platform for tourist organisations to market their products and
services. Alternatively, the customers use social media to investigate the tourist destinations and
the tour operators. Online reviews and social media acts as a resource for the customers to
understand the tourism economy of a region efficiently. According to human psychology, visual
representations on social media attract tourists, especially Asian tourists from the Asia-Pacific
region to European and western countries (Jansson, 2018).
1.4 Research aim
3
Student Name:

4
The aim of this research study is to understand the impact of social media on Asian travellers and
their decision-making processes.
Research Objectives and Questions
2.1 Research objectives
 To understand the role of social media on travel and tourism sector
 To identify the role social media plays on customer decisions
 To evaluate the effect of social media on Asian tourists’ decision-making activities
 To observe the relation between social media trends and tourists’ decisions
 To identify the tourism specific trends on social media and their effect on Asian tourists’
decisions
2.2 Research questions
 How do social media affect the travel and tourism sector organisations?
 In what ways do social media manipulate customer decisions in relation to travel and
tourism industry?
 How do social media affect the Asian tourists’ decision-making activities?
 How are social media trends related to tourists’ decision-making processes?
 What effect do tourism specific social media trends have on Asian tourists’ decisions?
4
Student Name:

5
Structured Topics
3.1 Semi structured topics
The impact of social media on travel and tourism sector and the role social media plays in
conditioning the Asian tourists’ decision-making activities can be observed as semi structured
topics for conducting research. The data collected through questionnaires provided to the
participants comprise of both open-ended questions as well as structured questions. Analysing
the collected data and correlating them with the literature review will provide the researcher with
an elaborate understanding on the role social media play in conditioning the Asian tourists’
decision-making procedure.
3.2 Interest
The growth and development of social media has resulted in revolution of marketing. The social
media marketing operation has become an essential part for organisations intending to grow their
market share. However, the impact social media has on the consumers’ decision-making process
has not been studied effectively. Social media marketing allows organisations to reach a wider
audience and devise marketing strategies accordingly. On the other hand, social media provides
consumers of travel and tourism sector to conduct research on different travel and tourism
operators thoroughly and decide the best plan for tourism destinations. The research will observe
the effects of social media on consumers’ decision power regarding travel and tourism
destination and operators. Online reviews of different elements operating in the travel and
tourism sector allow consumers to develop their understanding of these elements and select the
best option for them to select. The digital media provides consumers with an elaborate platform
of choices and variety of plans they can select from however, a proper research allows them to
differentiate between available choices and select the best option that suits the consumers’
preference.
3.3 Access to primary data
Data collected for fulfilling the research objectives are easily accessible since the questionnaire
designed for understanding the effect of social media on Asian tourists were distributed online
among the Asian students of UKCBC with several open ended questions. Some questions had set
5
Student Name:

6
options that the participants could select from among the available options. Access to data for
fulfilling the research objectives of this research project was accessible and relevant since the
study is related to the decision-making aspect of Asian students who are interested in travel and
tourism activities based on their research on social media. The literature that would provide the
researcher for understanding the social media trends relevant to travel and tourism operations in
the UK market economy is available and accessible easily.
3.4 Scope and Importance
The scope of this research can be considered as wide since the study of social media and its
effects on consumers’ decision-making activities in the travel and tourism sector is a wide
concept. Identifying the effect social media has on the Asian tourists also provides the researcher
with a selective scope in understanding the effects of social media marketing and online reviews
from different users of the travel and tourism industry. The importance of this research lies on
the fact that online reviews provide consumers with an elaborate understanding of different
travel and tourism aspects. Identifying the effect social media platforms have on the customers’
decision-making procedures is performed through the research.
3.5 Feasibility (Resources: time and money)
The research would be concluded in 5 weeks.
Parameters Cost (£)
Reviewing Literature 300
Primary data collection process 500
Documenting the final report 150
Total Cost (£) = £950
Table 1: Budget
(Source: Created by the learner)
Considering the time and amount required fulfilling the research project, it can be stated to be
feasible. Total funds needed to conduct the research for 5 weeks are calculated to be £950.
6
Student Name:

7
Literature Review
4.1 Introduction
Social media plays an effective role in building the opinion of tourists across the global tourism
market economy. Organisations operating in the travel and tourism sector rely on the power of
social media to attract customers and modify their tour plans according to the demands of the
target demographic. Social media is capable of manipulating and conditioning the tourists’
decision-making abilities regarding their choice of tourist destinations and tour operators (Net,
2015). In order to market their products and resources efficiently and in a cost effective manner,
organisations select social media marketing and influencer marketing to draw consumers to their
brand. Social media influences consumers’ decisions regarding their choice of tourist destination
or tour operators through various visual channels. Social media provides the consumers with an
extensive understanding of the travel and tourism sector and organisations operating in the travel
industry.
4.2 Social media’s role on travel and tourism sector
Social media plays an essential role in the travel and tourism sector as it allows organisations of
the travel and tourism sector to market their products to wider audience group and develop tour
plans according to the demands of a variety of consumers from different economic and cultural
backgrounds. According to the study conducted by Amaro et al. (2016), it can be stated that
social media provides consumers with an extensive scope of researching different aspects of
travel and tourism industry. The study highlights the activities that millennial tourists perform
online in order to form appropriate decisions regarding their travel and tourism activities. Social
media allows organisations operating in the travel and tourism sector to advertise their products
and services in an effective way that would attract customers from different regions. However,
social media also provides consumers from different areas to engage in social networks to
conduct research and share personal experience in their business interactions with travel and
tourism sector.
4.3 Role of social media on customers’ decision-making abilities
Social media acts as a customer service channel that promotes trade and interaction between
different travel and tourism elements and customers. The reviews provided by customers also
7
Student Name:

8
provide other consumers with an effective understanding of the type of facilities and quality of
services that hospitality and travel and tourism organisations can provide at a certain destination.
Since social media serves the role of a mediator between customers and tourism organisations,
social media platforms provide the consumers with a customer perspective of destination and
facilities available to them at any tourist destination (Buhalis and Amaranggana, 2015). Online
reviews of hotels, resorts, restaurants, tourist destinations and tourism activities allow consumers
to decide for themselves the best option in the travel and tourism sector (Bui and Wilkins, 2018).
Consumers of different travel and tourism organisations prefer to conduct their research online
on the available offers and other destinations to understand the efficiency of different
stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry.
4.4 Effect of social media on Asian tourists
According to global digital involvement studies, it has been determined that Asians spend more
time online than other consumers do. Asians prefer to conduct research on different aspects
through virtual media and enjoy performing various financial activities online rather that visit
stores. Involvement of Asian consumers in the online platforms is higher as compared to others.
Travel and tourist organisations utilise this opportunity to advertise their products online
effectively in order to attract the Asian customers. According to the study conducted by Mohsin
et al. (2017), it can be observed that Asian tourists prefer to conduct their own research through
social media about the travel destination and tourist organisations to form their opinion. Asian
tourists especially Chinese and Korean tourists prefer to visit destinations that are recommended
by their friends or family. They also prefer tour operators that are popular among their peers.
4.5 Social media trends and their effect on tourists’ decisions
Social media trends affect the service sector in various ways but it also affects the tourists’
decision-making abilities. The global trends of travel and tourism industry are responsible in
deciding the consumers’ decision regarding the travel and tourism industry operations. The
tourists follow social media trends in order to select their type of travel and tourism destination.
Trends are developed by consumers and by organisations to cater to different needs of the
consumers. According to the study performed by Khoo-Lattimore and Yang (2018), trends of
travel and tourism industry affect the consumers’ decision in selecting a particular variety of
8
Student Name:

9
leisure activity or tourist destination. Peer advice and online reviews also are based on the
current trends in the social platform that affect the customers’ preferences.
4.6 Tourism trends on social media and their impact on Asian tourists’ decision-making
abilities
The Asian tourists conduct their research regarding tourism activities online through social
media platforms and understand the current trends that dominate the travel and tourism industry.
This provides the Asian tourists with an elaborate understanding of the facets of global travel and
tourism industry (Khoo-Lattimore and Yang, 2018). The Asian tourists prefer to perform their
selection process according to the trends they witness on social media platforms, as they believe
these trends are a marker of efficient marketing strategy implemented by tourist organisations
and other stakeholders of the travel and tourism industry.
9
Student Name:

10
Methodology
5.1 Research Type
The research is performed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Applying both the
methods for collecting data will allow the researcher to perform a comprehensive research
procedure for fulfilling the research objectives.
5.2 Study population and sampling
The research would be conducted on the effect of social media in formation of Asian tourists’
decision-making procedure. A semi-structured survey would be conducted on 200 Asian students
of UKCBC who are active members of the college’s travel and tourism workshop. This will
allow the researcher to understand the effect of social media on their decision-making abilities
effectively.
5.3 Data collection methods and instruments
Data would be collected based on the answers of 200 Asian students who are active members of
the college’s travel and tourism workshop. The survey questions would be provided to the
participants through email where some questions would be open-ended. This will allow the
participants to provide their own opinion. Pre-decided answers would be provided to them for
understanding their independent decision-making process.
5.4 Data analysis methods
The collected data would be analysed through graphical representations in order to understand
the actual effect of social media on customers’ decision-making abilities.
5.5 Ethical considerations
The data collected through survey and questionnaires would be utilised for research purposes
only. Privacy of the participants would be maintained efficiently and the participation of the
students would be voluntary.
5.6 Diagram of Research Process
10
Student Name:

11
11
Student Name:

12
Appendix
Research timetable
Activity Start date Duration (Days) End date
Deciding the research
topic 2/9/2019 1 2/10/2019
Creating the aims and
objectives 2/10/2019 1 2/11/2019
Reviewing Literature 2/11/2019 9 2/20/2019
Identifying the
methodology of
research 2/20/2019 2 2/22/2019
Primary data collection
process 2/22/2019 15 3/9/2019
Analysing the collected
data 3/9/2019 4 3/13/2019
Forming appropriate
outcomes and
recommendations 3/13/2019 2 3/15/2019
Documenting the final
report 3/15/2019 1 3/16/2019
Submission 3/16/2019 1 3/17/2019
Table 2: Work Breakdown Structure
(Source: Created by the learner)
12
Student Name: