Seneca College TRV303 Tourism Research and Development Report

This report, prepared for a Tourism Research and Development course (TRV303), encompasses several key areas within the tourism field. Task A involves a summary and critical analysis of an article by Xiang, Magnini, and Fesenmaier (2015) discussing the impact of information technology and social media on travel planning and consumer behavior, particularly among millennials. Task B is a personal reflection on the student's travel experiences, interests, and career aspirations within the tourism industry, including a specific interest in working for Disney Cruise Line. Task C presents and compares two definitions of tourism from different sources. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and insights gained from the research and reflection process, highlighting the student's understanding of the tourism industry and its future trends. The student's personal experiences and future goals are interwoven throughout the report, providing a holistic view of their engagement with the subject matter.

Running head: TOURISM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
TOURISM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Task A: Tourism Research..................................................................................................2
Task B: Reflection...............................................................................................................3
Task C: Definitions..............................................................................................................5
Task D: Conclusion.............................................................................................................6
References............................................................................................................................7

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Task A: Tourism Research
The authors Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier (2015) in their article entitled “Information
technology and consumer behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using
the internet” attempts a discussion on the usage of the internet among the numerous American
tourists for the purposes of tourism. The concerned article tends to discuss the heavy usage of the
various travel agencies that operate over the internet. The authors of the article state that these
agencies are observed to have been dominating the tourism market in the modern times,
especially in the developed countries. The authors claim that the usage of the internet had gained
popularity among the travelers since long. However, there has been observed a growth in the
matters that are related to the use of the social media in the tourism industry. The article aims to
discuss the implications that have resulted from the increased usage of the internet and the social
media among the present generation of travelers, especially the millennials. The article further
puts forth the identification of the fact that the concerned millennials further demonstrate a
differentiation in the usage of the internet for the purpose of travelling. The article further states
that a certain section of the millennials depict a trend of engaging in the payments through the
various transaction methods that are available online.
The authors state that the growth in the usage of the internet has led to the conditions
wherein the given clients of the concerned tourism organization can interact directly with the
organization without the intervention of the various intermediaries in between. This has helped in
the matters related to the disintermediation in the industry thereby enabling a freer and clearer
connection between the service provider and the end-clients of the service. The article states that
the use of the internet has emerged as one of the major tools for the planning of the travel among
the given millennials as well as the other members of the society who have been using the social

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media and the internet for the purpose of gathering information on the given area of travel. The
article states that the selection of the proper channel of advertisement and the proper language
for the attraction of the clients of the concerned organization. The use of the internet has become
one of the major sources of information for the people who have been involved in the tourism
industry. The major focus of the articles lies on the various advertising techniques that are
adopted by the concerned agencies.
The authors in the article state that the “Travel and tourism businesses must find ways,
particularly optimal combinations of channels and sources, to distribute their products and better
communicate with their prospective and returning customers in order to develop sustainable
competitive advantages” (Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier p. 4). The article majorly focusses on
growth in the use of the internet among the various members of the millennial generation. The
article has been useful in the educating the people in the regarding the use of the internet for the
purposes of travel and tourism. The article might be improved by implementing a wider research
in the given fields. This might have helped in the enrichment of the article. The article might also
have been improved by incorporating data from the actual clientele of the travel organizations
rather than relying on the American Travel Survey for the data on the given study.
Task B: Reflection
I am by birth a citizen of the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan. I have been interested in
travelling and tourism since my childhood days. I have already travelled to various places all
over the world. The various countries and places where to I have travelled till date include the
countries of Alberta, Colorado, Hawaii, Korea and Seattle, an area situated in the western coast
of the United States. One of my favorite hobbies is to travel the world and learn about the
different cultures and the other habits that define the various practices of the people residing all

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over the world. I myself like to travel and explore the world and also want to assist the other
people like myself to travel the world and gather knowledge about the various cultures that are
present in the world.
I would like to help the Japanese people to travel the world as well. the activity of
travelling helps in educating the concerned people regarding the various cultural activities that
are maintained by the residents of the given locality. The travelling also helps in gathering
knowledge about the various practices and habits of the people residing at the various
geographical localities of the world. The travelling to the various places also helps in the
widening of the knowledge bases of the people who have been travelling as compared to those
who have been stagnant at a particular locality within the country.
One of my favorite pastimes have been clicking pictures of the various scenic beauties in
nature. The travelling activities help me to have the opportunity to click pictures of the various
scenarios that are available all over the world. The major advantage of travelling lies in the fact
that the activity of travelling has helped me in amplifying my desire to click pictures of the
various sceneries at various locations. I also love to click pictures of the famous architectures and
monuments that speak of the rich cultural heritage of the given area. This helps me to gather
knowledge on the cultural heritage of the concerned area.
My future goal in the tourism industry is to serve the cruise line of Disney. I have been
working at a Disney store at present and, at the same time, pursuing a course in tourism in the
present times. This course will help me in developing my skills and expertise in guiding as well
as helping the various tourists who have been visiting the cruise. The Disney cruise line is known
for the fleet that serves at the various destinations like Alaska, British Isles, the Bahamas, the

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Bermuda, the Canadian coastal areas, the Caribbean areas, the Panama Canal, the Transatlantic
areas and other such places that might serve the purpose of exciting vacations.
Task C: Definitions
The activities of tourism refer to the activities of travelling for the purpose of business or
the pleasurable purposes. The term tourism also refers to the theory and the various practices of
travelling or touring. The tourism business is inclusive of the attraction, accommodation and the
entertainment of the various tourists who have been visiting a certain place with the intent of the
travelling and gathering knowledge on the various matters that are related to the various business
activities that are related to the operation of the various tours within the given activities
(En.oxforddictionaries.com). The tourism industry might involve the tours that have been
organized within the territorial boundaries of the country of the concerned tourist. It might also
include the international tours that have been undertaken by the given tourist.
According to the World Tourism Organization, the activities related to the tourism might
not only be related to the activity of holidaying. The concerned activity might also relate to the
activities that are undertaken by the people including the travelling to as well as the stay in the
various places that do not belong to their usual environments (Cf.cdn.unwto.org). The World
Tourism Organization states that the activity of tourism to take into consideration the residence
of the concerned tourists at a place for over a year or even consecutive years. The World
Tourism Organization suggests that the purpose of tourism is not always limited to the travel in
the concerned areas. The tourism might also be undertaken for the business purposes and other
purposes.

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The definitions stated above discusses that the tourism activities involve the business and
other purposes in addition to the leisurely activities of the travelling and other such activities.
The tourism business is inclusive of the attraction, accommodation and the entertainment of the
various tourists who have been visiting a certain place with the intent of the travelling and
gathering knowledge on the various matters that are related to the various business activities that
are related to the operation of the various tours within the given activities.
Task D: Conclusion
Thus, from the above discussion, it might be concluded that the travelling also helps in
gathering knowledge about the various practices and habits of the people residing at the various
geographical localities of the world. The tourism industry might involve the tours that have been
organized within the territorial boundaries of the country of the concerned tourist. It might also
include the international tours that have been undertaken by the given tourist. The above
discussion has helped me gain insights on to the new trends in the tourism industry and the ways
in which the concerned industry might flourish further. The findings as discussed above might
help me in my future career in the tourism industry.

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References and Bibliography
Cf.cdn.unwto.org. Cf.cdn.unwto.org. N.p., 2018. Web. 23 Sept. 2018.
En.oxforddictionaries.com. "Tourism | Definition Of Tourism In English By Oxford
Dictionaries." Oxford Dictionaries | English. N.p., 2018. Web. 23 Sept. 2018.
Mariani, Marcello M., et al. "Managing change in tourism destinations: Key issues and current
trends." Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 2.4 (2014): 269-272.
Samori, Zakiah, Nor Zafir Md Salleh, and Mohammad Mahyuddin Khalid. "Current trends on
Halal tourism: Cases on selected Asian countries." Tourism Management Perspectives19 (2016):
131-136.
Xiang, Zheng, Vincent P. Magnini, and Daniel R. Fesenmaier. "Information technology and
consumer behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using the
internet." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 22 (2015): 244-249.