Responding to Change: Strategies for Travel and Tourism Businesses

This report analyzes how travel and tourism businesses can respond to various changes, including technological, socio-economic, and environmental shifts. It emphasizes the importance of change management strategies, using the example of Rome's tourism sector to illustrate key issues like learning from past mistakes, valuing individuals, and leveraging knowledge. The report further develops strategies for companies like Virgin Atlantic and NCL Cruise to adapt to change through customized packages, creating a change vision, and implementing effective marketing plans. It justifies these strategies by highlighting the need for customer satisfaction, awareness of socio-economic influences, and the development of new products like specialized hotels and budget airlines. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of anchoring change within the corporate culture and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the organization in relation to its competitors, advocating for innovation and customer-centric approaches to maintain a competitive advantage.

Running head: STRATEGIC TOURISM MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIC TOURISM MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
3.1 Analyze how travel and tourism businesses could respond to change......................................2
3.2 Develop strategies on how selected travel and tourism businesses could respond to change...4
3.3 Justify strategies for how selected travel and tourism businesses could respond to change.....6
References........................................................................................................................................7

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3.1 Analyze how travel and tourism businesses could respond to change
There are five main types of changes in the travel and tourism industry. These changes
are as follows. Technological changes- Technological changes include the transformations in the
information and communication sector (ICT). The travel and tourism industry has made
generous use of these changes by enabling booking online that in addition allows the customers
to research online destinations. This can be done through either Travelocity or directly through
the Expedia. The travel and tourism sector have tapped in the advantages provided by the
revolution in information technology. Small to medium size enterprises have their personal
websites , online booking facilities, online credit and debit card booking, provision of e-mail
address that allows the customers to directly contact the travel agency for their specific queries.
Tour operators have reacted to change through their own websites and by shifting into the
dynamic packaging This allows the tour operator and the customer to engage in an interactive
process. The next change can be identified in case of the air travel. There has emerged a new
generation of cruise ship that enables a range of transport system developments. One illustration
of this is the super-jumbo Airbus which is an aircraft that has been designed to cope with the
growing demand and expectations for air travel. In case we take the example of travel and
tourism in Rome, it is imperative for the business to take into account the change management
strategy (Moutinho and Vargas-Sanchez 2018). Change management plan can be proceeded
through the implementation of objectives and goals that needs to be accomplished. It is pertinent
to provide a coherent and cogent criteria accomplishing success of the business. This is to be
followed by developing the plan through the incorporation of adequate details that would outline
the steps that needs to be adopted and the direction and content of actions that needs to be
executed with the aim of achieving the goals and objectives that would help the company to

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secure its position and entrench its competitive advantage. There are situations when the
corporate enterprises, management and individuals fail to recognize the efficiency through which
the companies can manage owing to their cause and effect of the acts that alienated by high time
(Baum 2015). In order to respond to the changes and alterations with alacrity four key issues
need to be kept in mind in case of Rome. The first step is to explore learn through exploration of
the past mistakes and strive not to repeat those mistakes. The second step is to understand that
individuals should be considered as highly significant fact in the business yet they are faced with
maltreatment. The third aspect is that technology may not be the penultimate determinant of
success. There needs to be cooperation, coordination, bonhomie and involvement from people
for the travel and tourism business to achieve success. The fourth aspect is that knowledge is
power as envisaged by French post-structuralist scholar, Michel Foucault. Communications and
information combined with education along with the integration of experience constitutes the
source of knowledge. On the aspect of socio-economic change, the travel and tourism packages
for the single parent can be an innovative idea to make the single parent feel comfortable. There
is a concern about the negative impact on the environment posed by air travel and therefore, the
travel and tourism industry has considerable impact on the environment (Moutinho and Vargas-
Sanchez 2018). The awareness about environment and the increasing consciousness among the
consumers have led to the growth in sustainable tourism and ecotourism. Another environment
impact on tourism is that natural disasters and natural calamities can pose threat on prospect of
travel. This is analogous to the political instability and terrorism that is the political impact of
tourism.

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3.2 Develop strategies on how selected travel and tourism businesses could respond to
change
Tour operators enable the customers to customize their own package rather than selling
ready-made packages of transport, accommodation to the customers and transfer. This attempt of
tailor made packages could benefit the travel and tourism business in providing convenience to
the customers. The highlight of the tailor made packages is that that the customers can choose
their specifications and create their own travel itinerary. Unlike, the dynamic packaging in which
the menus tend to be restricted this option of providing customizable service expands the menu
choice for the customers. This process of dynamism can be tapped in by the travel and tourism
industry that would allow the customers to add extra to the menu that can be included in the
revised packaged price. The travel and tourism can allow the online bookers to may use of these
add-ons to the package. There are certain strategies that can be utilized by Virgin Atlantic and
NCL cruise for accomplishing the goals and objectives. To initiate change in the company there
needs to be willingness from both these companies (Ezeuduji 2015). This willingness will serve
as the initial motivation for the company. Both these companies need to develop a sense of
urgency. Issue of timing
 Issue of timing- Both these companies need to understand about the importance of
time for implementing appropriate change. . More constructive strategies need to
be adopted in case of higher level of changes. There should be enhancements
within the work practises that would be suitable during the phase of recession or
inflation.

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 Creating a change vision- When both these companies would think about
initiating change there would be greater solutions and ideas available for the
company. The companies need to link to theses conceptions with the vision in
which individuals would bean le to understand the issues and keep it mind whilst
making any decisions regarding their respective companies.
 Marketing plan for Virgin Atlantic strategy and marketing mix- The tourism
product in this case the destination can be experienced by the customers. This can
be understood as the composite product of transportation, facilities and attraction.
Pricing in these two companies is a complex process and it would include services
of that of bus, airways, hotels and air travel to name a few. The geographical
location determines the price. There can be the selection of different marketing
strategies that would be selected to reflect on the overall objectives of the
organization (Veal 2017). On the aspect of promotion there needs to awareness
that would have a far-reaching effect on the prospect and growth of the business.
The marketers of these companies need to make use of the different promotional
strategies that can be done through spreading awareness about the new features
and facilities of the company of the company through the newsletters and
advertisements on the social networking sites. In addition, promotion can done by
by incorporating youtubers to create awareness on their Youtube channel and
even through word-of-mouth publicity of the existing customers.
 Marketing plan for NCL cruise line and marketing mix: NCL is one of the largest
cruise liner that operate in the global market. They have adopted a number of
different strategies to establish their prominence in the global market. They have a

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concept of freestyle cruising on their cruise liners. This means that they have no
fixed dress code, dining times or times for other activities on its cruises giving
them relative advantage. Currently it holds 11% market share in the global
market. It also has bee including activities to suit the younger clientele’s lifestyles
apart from funnelling large amount of money in its promotions.
 Product life cycle: the Virgin Atlantic is in the maturity stage of the product life
cycle and may decline unless they take some strategies in consideration. The NCL
is in the growth strategies that they have been adopting in the current situation.
 Brand development: The brand development of the Virgin Atlantic can focus on
the development of the different consumer based services like providing online
choice of the inflight food menu. It can also focus on the increment of the
destinations they fly to. The NCL can focus on the cost effectiveness of their
various cruise plans to attract consumers of a younger age.
 Changes to business practices: The changes in the business processes that will aid
the development of virgin Atlantic will be the implementation of consumer based
strategies which will help them to justify consumer needs. The NCL should focus
on gaini9ng a better market reach.
3.3 Justify strategies for how selected travel and tourism businesses could respond to
change
Virgin Atlantic and NCL cruise can firstly create change vision. Both these companies
need to create a marketing plan that is conducive to the development of these companies. The
companies need to place high value on customer satisfaction by allowing the customers to

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customize their travel itinerary and make the most of the technological benefit. It has been found
that that the socio-economic influence of the travel and tourism industry. Therefore, one strategy
would be not remain aware about the countries that have an unstable climate and nit initiate any
travel plans for those regions (Law et.al. 2015). The negative impacts that arose due to the
depletion of the natural resources of the environment have led to ecotourism that can be tapped
in by these companies. Two new products have been created to deal with the ongoing issue in the
travel and tourism industry. These new products are hotels for particular customer types and
budget. Establishment of hotels and the tie-up with these hotels will help these two companies to
expand its customer base and attract customers with different aesthetics, taste and choice. On the
other hand, the incorporation of budget airlines have extensively made use of online booking and
self-packaging once again being beneficial for the travel and tourism industry. Anchoring the
change within the corporate culture if both these companies- It is important that both these
companies realize that they need to make concerted efforts to improve every aspect of the
company. The managers of these companies need to be determined the changes and involve the
employees in this change (Bowie et al. 2017). These two companies have understood the
potential of non-family groups and its prospect in the growth of the industry, therefore it have
introduced non0family group tourism that allows the millenials, single mothers and the people
who are sexual minorities to enjoy every aspect of tourism. At the same there are a large number
of affluent and fit members of the grey market. Both these organizations drawing from the
SWOT analysis are aware that its strength lies in innovation and understanding the pulse of the
customers whereas the threat emerges from the already established travel and tourism agencies
that have a made a mark for themselves thereby gaining competitive advantage over these
companies.

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References
Baum, T., 2015. Human resources in tourism: Still waiting for change?–A 2015 reprise. Tourism
Management, 50, pp.204-212.
Moutinho, L. and Vargas-Sanchez, A. eds., 2018. Strategic Management in Tourism, CABI
Tourism Texts. Cabi.
Veal, A.J., 2017. Research methods for leisure and tourism. Pearson UK.
Ezeuduji, I.O., 2015. Strategic event-based rural tourism development for sub-Saharan
Africa. Current Issues in Tourism, 18(3), pp.212-228.
Law, R., Leung, R., Lo, A., Leung, D. and Fong, L.H.N., 2015. Distribution channel in
hospitality and tourism: Revisiting disintermediation from the perspectives of hotels and travel
agencies. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(3), pp.431-452.
Bowie, D., Buttle, F., Brookes, M. and Mariussen, A., 2016. Hospitality marketing. Taylor &
Francis.