Impact of Social Media on Marketing in the Travel and Tourism Sector

This report investigates the profound impact of social media on marketing within the travel and tourism sector. It begins by outlining the research project's specifications, including aims, objectives, rationale, and questions, focusing on the influence of social media on the industry. The report identifies factors contributing to research project selection, highlighting the merits and demerits of social media in travel marketing. A critical review of key references reveals social media's role in brand recognition, customer base expansion, and consumer perception. The research methodology employs a positivism approach, utilizing quantitative and qualitative data collection methods like surveys and interviews. Data analysis, presented through pie charts, interprets results in terms of the original research questions, leading to recommendations for further consideration. The report concludes by emphasizing social media's transformative role, including its pros, cons, and influence on consumer behavior in the travel and tourism market.

How has Social Media transformed
Marketing for the Travel and Tourism
Sector?
0

Table of Contents
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
1.1. Formulate and record possible research project outline specifications....................................3
1.2. Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection.......................4
Merits of Social Media in marketing with respect to travel and tourism sector..............................5
1.3. Undertake a critical review of key references..........................................................................6
1.4. Produce a research project specification...................................................................................8
1.5. Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification................11
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................13
2.1. Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis.......................................13
2.2. Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification
and procedures...............................................................................................................................14
2.3. Record and collate relevant data where appropriate...............................................................22
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................23
1

3.1. Use appropriate ‘research evaluation techniques’. Which types of evaluation (formative or
summative) is more appropriate for your research? Why?............................................................23
3.2. Interpret and analyse the results in terms of the original research specification (pie charts)
question investigation analysis......................................................................................................25
3.3. Make recommendations and justify areas for further consideration......................................35
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................36
4.1. Use an agreed format and appropriate media to present the outcomes of the research to an
audience.........................................................................................................................................36
Reference List................................................................................................................................37
Appendix........................................................................................................................................39
2

Task 1
1.1. Formulate and record possible research project outline specifications
Aims of the research
The aim of the research would be the proper integration of relevant facts and statistics that
portrays the scheme of social media marketing in the travels and tourism sector.
Research objectives
The researcher has formulated certain objectives that will aid in the smooth execution of the
research work.
 To critically assess the impact of social media marketing on the dynamics of the tours
and travels industry
 To identify the recent trends that proves the impact of social media marketing on the
tours and travel marketing industry
 To critically review the pros and cons of social media on the tour and travel marketing
industry
 To analyse how social media influences consumer perception
Research rationale
The research emphasizes on the application of social media marketing with respect to the tours
and travel marketing sector. It also critically assesses the influences the influence of social media
3

marketing on the diverse range of products and services offered by the tours and travel marketing
industry. The platform provided by the social media for the promotion of a diverse range of
products can be measured and critically reviewed by the researcher. This also portrays the
researcher that critically analyses the significance of the research. The significance of the social
media marketing can also be critically analysed through the critical review of the pros, cons
operating in the marketing sector of the tours, and travels industry. The study will shed light on
the influence of social media marketing and the significance of the medicine in the dynamics of
the market. It will show the impact of the social media and the various ways it has benefitted the
tours and travel industry.
Research questions
The researcher has critically integrated the following research questions below:
 What is the impact of social media marketing on the tours and travels marketing
sector?
 What are the recent trends that have had an impact on the dynamics of the tours
and travel industry?
 State the pros and cons of social media marketing on the tour and travel marketing
industry?
 How is consumer perception influenced by the tours and travel marketing
industry?
1.2. Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection
Social Media marketing plays an integral role over the dynamics of the travel and tourism sector
(Gretzel et al., 2015). In the present era, travel and tourism sector has witnessed a diverse change
in its marketing schemes due to the incorporation of social media (Rogers, 2015). The presence
of Social media has provided immense opportunities to the travel and tourism companies. It has
4

presented a diverse platform for the advertisements of marketing its products and services and
the attainment of excessive lucrative gains for the tour operating industries. Travel and Tourism
industries have witnessed huge profit margins with the integration of social media channels to
market their products and services. The research critically reviews the significance of social
media marketing over the tours and travel-marketing sector. It will provide a critical analysis on
the significance of the tours and travels marketing sector. The research will now provide a
critical evaluation on the application of Social media for the tours and travel marketing sector.
Merits of Social Media in marketing with respect to travel and tourism sector
With the integration of social media over tours and travel marketing the marketing procedures
have witnessed a global change and a boost in its online reviews. It has increased the visits of
viable customers to the social channels that market the product thus increasing customer base.
The presence of social media marketing has further enhanced the accessibility of the products or
services that are channelized to potential customers all over the world thus boosting the
recognition of the industry.
Demerits of Social Media in marketing for Travel and Tourism Sector
The inculcation of social media marketing for the tour and travel sector has increased the
possibilities of negative and rife feedbacks on a social platform.
It can also result in consequences related unethical behaviour from customers on a global arena.
Taking in consideration, these factors and critical review on the use of social media can affect
the growth of the research project and influence its behaviour on the marketing for travel and
tours industries.
5

1.3. Undertake a critical review of key references
In the present era, social media has played a dominant role in the operation of the major
industries. The tours and travel marketing sector also integrates the use of the social media for
the marketing schemes that is beneficial for the promotion of the particular brand or service by
the marketing industries (Ramanathan et al., 2017). This is beneficial for the tour and travel
industry for the smooth execution of the marketing industry. In the words of Ashley, (2015)
social media marketing has been beneficial in the provision best marketing strategies for the use
of promotion and brand recognition. Social Media marketing has been helpful in boost of
customer base for the tours and travels marketing sector. This platform has been integral in the
portrayal of discounts offers and effective guidelines offered by the company. This platform has
also been useful in the integration of travel marketing and the influence of consumer perception.
With the integration of this technology, the travel and tourism field has been highly influenced as
it has witnessed an increase in its market sales. Social Media marketing can also influence the
customers to behave in a particular manner. With the increase in market targets, customer base
and provision of innovative taglines, it plays a major role in influencing the marketing sector of
the tour and travel industry.
As opined by Horner, (2016) there are recent trends that portray the significance of the social
media marketing on the tours and travel industries. With the integration of trends like Digital
marketing, it has been possible to address the major issue that plays a pivotal role in influencing
the customers. As stated by Vogel, (2016) with the birth of digital marketing the marketing
sector in the tours and travel industries have been able to effectively able to procure the lucrative
gains for the tours and travel industries. The social media is applied as a catalyst in the operation
of the marketing schemes provided by the marketing sector. With the rise in the trend of
digitalisation the tour and travel industries have been to target viable customers for the increase
in their customer base. The tours and travel companies are also able to effectively interact with
the customers who are in search of relevant information for their industry. Online interaction
proves to be significant for the smooth execution of the tours and travel industry market. The rise
6

in the trends of providing online brochures and feedbacks has also been integral for the smooth
execution of the company.
As stated by Grant, (2016) although, social media marketing has been beneficial for the smooth
and timely promotion of the services and products passed by the tours and travel industry, it has
been subjected to pros and cons that govern the dynamics of the marketing industry. The pros
and cons of the social media marketing can have a huge impact on the tours and travel marketing
industry by lowering. The positive drawbacks that govern the dynamics of the social media
marketing industry are mainly the increase in the customer base, relevant information portrayed
on the tours and travel industries, feedbacks received by online users on a global arena. The
application of the social media has been able to grasp a number of users who are keen on the in-
outs of the marketing schemes provided by the industries. The drawbacks on the integration of
social media marketing on the industries are that there are a diverse number of online users, who
hurl out their negativity on the dynamics of the market sector. The social media market could
also be exposed to a number of violent threats and negative feedbacks that can have an impact on
the dynamics of the marketing industry in the end.
As stated by Tsaur, (2017) consumer perception plays an instrumental role in influencing the
dynamics of the tours and travel market industry. Consumer perception is termed as the critical
analysis of consumer behaviour on the sale of products and services in the market. The travel and
tourism industries are also affected by the change in the behavioural ethics of the consumer who
are the main target of the travel industry. The travel and tourism industry targets a number of
tourist travellers who are in pursuit of venturing to new destinations. The social media plays a
significant role in the process of promoting the destination of the marketing strategies of the tour
and travel industries. It influences the decisions made by the tour industries by the integration of
viable taglines and suitable offers that could attract the consumer to venture into the travel
company. With the application of the social media marketing, the customers are influenced to
purchase products and services for the lucrative gains of the company. However, it has been
proved to beneficial for the attainment of a wider customer base in the global arena. Therefore,
7

by the portrayal of various services by the tour and travel industry, the social media becomes a
catalyst in the influence of consumer perception.
1.4. Produce a research project specification
Research Philosophy
The application of a research philosophy plays an integral role in the smooth and timely
execution of a research project (Babin, 2015). The research philosophy is integrated to procure
authentic results for the research work. The research philosophies are integrated into three sub
categories mainly; positivism, Interpretivism and the descriptive approach. The application of
these approaches ensures the smooth and timely execution of the research project and procures
relevant data. Positivism approach emphasizes on the dependence of data that govern the
dynamics of the research (Sekaran, 2016). Interpretivism approach ensures dependence on the
behaviour of the consumer and the thoughts and feelings involved in the integration of the
research project (Bryman 2015). The descriptive approach ensures the critical review of a
situation before assessing the factors that govern the dynamics of the research work. The
researcher has adopted the positivism approach for the relevant integration of facts and figures
that govern the dynamics of the social media industry in relation to the tours and travel
marketing company. This ensures the compilation of correct data in the process of the research
work through the integration of famous scholars who have applied the use of facts and data
regarding their project work.
Research Approach
The research approach plays an integral role in the initiation of a successful research work and
also plays an important role in the smooth execution of the work by the integration of inventive
and creative ideas. The research approach comprises of the chiefly of the Inductive Approach
and Deductive Approach. These are used to garner relevant facts regarding the dynamics of the
8

research work. The Inductive Approach emphasizes on the use of fresh and novel ideas for the
research work. The Deductive Approach emphasizes on the application of existing data’s and
theory for the smooth operation of the research work. The researcher adopted the use of the
deductive research approach to authentically integrate the success of the research project.
A Gannt Chart will be provided to portray the effective timeline of the research work
Record of the important activities
that were carried out.
Week 1
and 2.
Week 3
and 4.
Week 5
and 6.
Week 7
and 8.
Week 9
and 12.
Week 13
and 15.
Selection of Research Topic
Secondary Data Compilation
 
Making of the Research
Framework
Critical Literature review
9

Research Strategy
Choice of research techniques to
cover research statement.
Primary data Compilation
Detection of the compiled data
and analysis.
Conclusion
Making a Rough Draft
Research Submission.
10

1.5. Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification
Research Essentials Research items used for the execution of the
research project.
The Research Philosophy applied for the
research.
Positivism research philosophy.
The method of Data collection Primary Data Collection.
The integration of the research approach used
for the research work.
The Deductive research approach has been used for
the process of the research project.
The integration of an appropriate research
design that has been used for the project.
The Exploratory research has been applied.
Integration of Sampling Techniques. The probability sampling technique has been used
for the smooth execution of the research work.
The researcher has applied the use of the exploratory method to execute his work in a smooth
and timely manner. This is valuable in the collection of viable and relevant information
regarding the dynamics of the work.
11