Assessing Social Media Marketing's Influence on TUI Travel Sales

This research project investigates the impact of social media marketing on the sales performance of TUI Travel, a major player in the travel and tourism sector. The study aims to understand the concept of social media marketing, evaluate its positive and negative aspects, and assess its influence on TUI's sales. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing questionnaires with marketing employees at TUI to gather data. The project includes a literature review, a detailed research methodology outlining research types, approach, philosophies, data collection, analysis, and sampling techniques. The findings are analyzed using thematic methods, and ethical considerations are addressed. The project concludes with recommendations for TUI travel to enhance its social media marketing strategies and improve sales. The project is structured into tasks covering research proposals, project execution, data interpretation, and recommendations.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Table of Contents
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
LO 1 Research proposal..............................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................8
LO 2 Research projects...............................................................................................................8
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................20
LO 3 Data Interpretation and Recommendation.......................................................................20
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................24
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................25

TITLE: To assess the impact of social media marketing on sales performance of companies’
operating in travel & tourism sector: A study on TUI travel.
TASK 1
LO 1 Research proposal
1.1 Research background:
Digital technology refers to the device or system which helps companies to build the
strong connection with the customer. Through these aspects it helps companies to promote the
business at global level for longer way. As digital technology is the vast expanded areas and
thus, in this social media marketing play the important role. By adapting the social media
platform, it helps the company to promote the business through fulfilling the customer needs and
demands and also helps them to take appropriate reviews for better improvement. Present
research is based upon the TUI group which was founded in 2000 and having headquarters in
Crawley, UK.
The main reason of choosing this company is that this company is carrying the business
in around 180 countries and also claimed that they already made the dealing with around 30
million customers. To carrying the business for longer term gain, it is examined that around
54,000 employees are engaged with the business. TUI travel also using the online platform to
expand the business into various sectors so that they can attract new customer towards the
business.
Aim and objectives:
Aim: The aim behind conducting current study is to identify the impact of social media
marketing on sales performance of TUI.
Objectives:
 To develop understanding about the concept of social media marketing.
 To evaluate positive and negative aspects associated with the strategy of social media
marketing.
 To assess the extent to which social medial marketing impacts TUI’s sales.

 To recommend strategies to TUI travel pertaining to social media marketing for sales
enhancement.
1.2 Rational:
As social media marketing is wider in learning and thus lot of factors are examined
through adapting this procedure in relation to promoting the business. Thus, the reason of
choosing this topic is that due to the process of globalization, it reduces the barriers in business
in respect of enhancing the business. In such manner the issues is examined regarding gathering
the information which is occurring in market. The reason behind selecting this topic is that travel
and tourism are one of the most earning sectors in country and thus lot of customer are attracted
to this business. In such aspects social marketing platform is the effective procedure which is
adapted by business for longer term growth in tourism sectors. Another reason of choosing this
topic is that lot of authors had already gathered information which is relevant to this topic, thus,
it takes less time to collect the data which make the research authentic and different from others.
1.3 Literature Review:
According to Heinze and et.al., (2016) the concept of social media marketing is useful in
respect of building the strong relationship with the customer by promoting the business through
satisfying the customer needs and demands. This is mainly carried by the marketing person who
carried the capability to handle the marketing aspects in right manner. As due to changes in time,
the needs of the person are also changing, thus resulting in building strong strategies to retain
customer interest towards the business for longer way.
Tajvidi and Karami (2017) argued that it is necessary that skilled and trained person are
appointed who can handle the social media platform and able to resolves issues of the customer
in effective way. Thus, this process carries to be more time-consuming procedure and also
adequate budgets is set to carry these aspects in right manner. In such manner, advertisement or
emails services are one of the best methods to retain customer through adapting innovative and
creative ideas to promote the company brand image in market.
Sotiriadis (2017) examined that the positive aspects in respect of adapting the social
media marketing in context of improving sales is relating to attracting the large number of
customers towards the business. As most of the business activity and services are promoted
through social media platform and thus it helps in building large customer base. It also helps in

promoting the brand loyalty and enhances the interaction power between the business and
customer.
Litvin, Goldsmith and Pan (2018) suggested that the negative criteria of choosing the
social media in business is that there are more chances of getting negative publicity if the
customer needs and demands are not fulfilled. As mainly the business is affected through getting
negative reviews from the customer regarding not availing the products in near future. It also
results in facing loss of control in respect of managing the overall procedure in set manner.
Social media marketing is the time-consuming manner and thus lot of management is needed to
promote the particular services in market.
As per Bilgihan and et.al., (2016) by applying the social media platform in promoting the
services of the business, it mainly adapts through offering coupons or discount regarding
preferring the particular services. For e.g. In case of TUI travel, they mainly increase sales
through attracting customer by offering special discount or any special offer on particular
occasion. Through this manner, they retain the customer towards the business for longer way. In
relation to increasing sales, proper feedback is to be taken once the customer avail the services or
also tag them in particular products so that they pertain themselves to be the part of the business.
Ramanathan Subramanian and Parrott (2017) on the other hand stated that the social
media considered to be the business tactic which resulting in improving the performance and
growth of the business. Thus, through this manner, the extends to which it examines impact is
resulting to enhancing brand awareness of the business or connecting the people through
examining the taste and preferences regarding selecting the particular services. This helps in
increasing sales in company through reaching them by promoting their demanding products.
1.4 Research methodology:
Research types: In this method, researcher had two options qualitative and quantitative but to
conduct the research, researcher will apply the qualitative method to conduct the research. By
applying this method, it helps in raising questionnaire which results in getting more accurate
information.
Research approach: In this method, appropriate planning and procedure is undertaken to gather
information from various aspects. It mainly covers inductive and deductive approach but to
gather detailed information, researcher will choose the inductive methods. As these methods is
mainly applied if the researcher is choosing the qualitative methods.

Research philosophies: It mainly carries with the ideas, belief, thoughts and expression to carry
the research through appropriate methods. It includes interpretivism and positivism methods. To
carry the research in effective way, researcher will prefer the interpretivism methods in which
data is to be interpreted so that accurate results are to be identified. This is helpful in research, as
firstly data is to be interpreted before imposing in the research.
Data collection: It mainly carries with the process of understanding and gathering information
which helps in making the research valid. Thus, it carries two methods primary and secondary
methods. Primary methods are mainly used to collect data which is original or not chosen by any
researcher while in relation to secondary data it is mainly adapted from the views of other
authors. Thus, in this research, researcher will apply both the methods to carry the research and
also to make the research different and unique from others.
Data analysis: In these methods, data is collected, inspected, monitored and then transformed to
provide accurate results. It mainly carried two method such as thematic and non-thematic
methods. To analyse the data in better way, researcher will prefer the thematic methods. As in
this method, the data is presented on theme which reflects the accurate information regarding the
matters which is collected in research.
Sampling: It refers to such methods which is applied in relation to gathering information where
there are larger number of populations. It mainly carried two aspects such as probabilistic and
non-probabilistic methods. Thus, in this research, researcher will choose non-probabilistic
methods in which they apply the random sampling procedure which refers to selecting random
people to carry the research work. In this research, the research work is carried by raising
questionnaire from the 20 marketing employees which are working under the TUI travel. As they
are more familiar with the facts and information which is relevant in gathering the authentic
information regarding social media marketing.
Ethical consideration: In these aspects, ethics is to be maintained by the researcher before
securing any property regarding collecting information. Ethics is also to be maintained regarding
carrying consent form which is to be signed by the employees in respect of not disclosing any
such information without their prior consent.
1.5 Time plan
Activity 1the 2Nd 3rd. 4th
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Select
Research
topic
Examining
Literature
Review
Methods for
conducting
research
Significant
factors are
identified
Questionnai
re is
prepared for
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collected
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Determines
facts which
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By using
thematic
method,
facts are to
be analysed.
Cross check
the
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collected
After
rechecking
the
information,
the proposal
is
submitted.
TASK 2
LO 2 Research projects
2.1 Research Question
1. What is the meaning of social media marketing?
2. How the positive and negative aspects reflect the strategy of social media marketing?
3. What the extent to which social medial marketing impacts TUI’s sales?
2.2 Research methodology and Questionnaire

Research Methodology: It refers to the procedure or any technique which is adapted by the
researcher in respect of gathering the accurate information through which the sustainability of
the research is determined. It carries following methods such as:
Research types: Research is mainly adapted in relation to carrying the detail study on particular
topic. Thus, it carried two types such as Qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative
methods are mainly used if the data is to be collected by using the SPSS methods but in case of
Qualitative methods, it is mainly used if the questionnaire procedure is used by the researcher
(Patten and Newhart, 2017). Thus, by conducting the research or gathering more relevant
information regarding the social media marketing usage, researcher has used the qualitative
methods through which they raise questionnaire to collect data which supported the research in
right manner.
Research approach: Researcher use this method in respect of carrying accurate planning and
understanding regarding attaining the project (Drake, Rancilio and Stafford, 2017). Thus, in such
aspect's researcher has applied the inductive methods which refers to the combination of the
qualitative method. In these aspects the internal matters and reviews are gather regarding raising
questionnaire from the person which are selected in sampling.
Research philosophies: It mainly undertakes the methods which is examined through belief and
ideas to interpret the results in better way. It carries two types of methods such as interpretivism
and positivism. Here, to carry the research work, researcher had adapted the interpretivism
methods to interpret the data to examine the relevant information. As in this research, the data is
to be interpreted which is collected from various sources.
Data collection: This method is very useful and effective and also reflects the integrity of the
research. As through these methods, the process is stated in relation to gathering or measuring
the information which is helpful in examining the data collected for several sources. It mainly
carries two methods such primary and second (Litosseliti, ed., 2018). Thus, to carry on the
research and to gather the information, researcher had applied both the methods to collect
relevant information. In this present research, these methods are useful as to present the data or
use the information, it is necessary that some information are original and some are collected for
secondary sources such as articles, journals or taking helps from other authors research.
Data analysis: It is such methods in which data is analysed once it is collected from various
sources. It further carries two methods thematic and non-thematic methods. To present the

research and make it unique, researcher had adapted the thematic methods, in which the
information is to be presented on the bases of theme.
Sampling: It refers to such process which is mainly adapted in case of facing issues regarding
collecting information from large number of customers. It mainly includes two method such as
random sampling method and systematic methods, but here researcher had applied the random
sampling methods in which the random people are selected to gather relevant information from
them (Bell, Bryman and Harley, 2018). In this research, 20 marketing employees from TUI
travel are selected as they are more familiar with the working on social media platform and thus
able to generate more ideas to retain customer towards the business.
Ethical consideration: Ethics which is to be maintained by the researcher regarding not
infringing any right of the person regarding using their name to collect any data or information
which is restricted by the government or company (Dawson, 2019). Ethics which the researcher
had to undertake is relating to the carrying the consent form which is necessary for the employee
before disclosing their reviews which they presented in respect of answering questionnaire.
Reliability and validity: These methods are mainly adapted by the researcher in relation to
carrying the quality of the research. Thus, reliability refer to consistency of the data as for e.g. If
the data is collected from 2018 report, then there are more chances of getting accurate results.
Similarly, in respect of validity of the research, as the data which is collected from different
sources carries the valid results and not infringing any person rights. In such aspects, the validity
of the data is undertaken in respect of undertaking the measuring activities to provide effective
and relevant results.
Questionnaire:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Q1: Age of employees working in TUI travel
 Below 25
 25 – 45
 45 – 55
 Above 55

Q2: Experiences of working in marketing department
 Below 2 years
 2 – 5 years
 5 – 7 years
 Above 7 years
Q3: Do you familiar with the concept relating to social media marketing?
 Yes
 No
 May be
Q4: Is social media marketing is applied by the TUI travel in sustaining business for longer
way?
 Yes
 Neutral
 No
Q5: According to you, what is the factors included under the social media marketing?
 Customer satisfaction
 Brand awareness
 Inbound trafficking
 All of the above
Q6: Do you agree that customer satisfaction resulting in enhancing the sales in tourism sector?
 Strongly agree
 Agreed
 Neutral
 Highly disagree
 Disagree
Q7: According to you what are the positive aspects of adapting the strategy of social media
marketing?
 Brand loyalty
 Build strong customer base
 Enhancing connectivity power
 All above

Q8: From your opinion, what are the negative aspects of social media marketing which affects
sales performances?
 Negative publicity
 Time consuming concept
 Lack of personal interaction
 All of above
Q9: Is the changes in customer taste and preferences also results in causing impact to company
strategies?
 Yes
 May be
 No
Q10: As per your view, what are the extends to which social media marketing impact TUI
travel?
 Providing offers or discounts
 Organizing campaigns
 Taking feedback
 Innovative advertising
Q11: Do you agree that the role of advertisement helpful in enhancing the sales of TUI travel?
 Highly agree
 Agreed
 Neutral
 Highly disagree
 Disagree
Q12: What according to you, is the best strategy that is recommended to TUI travel for
enhancing sales through adapting social media marketing?
….........................
2.3 Theme, tables and graphs
Theme 1: Age of employees working in TUI travel
Particular Respondent (20) % of respondents