Whitspread Plc: Contemporary Issues in Travel and Tourism Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of contemporary issues in the travel and tourism sector, focusing on the case of Whitspread Plc. It begins with an evaluation of the key issues driving changes in the industry, such as infrastructure deficiencies, service level expectations, and rising fuel costs. The report then delves into an analysis of these issues using primary and secondary research methods, including surveys and online resources. Furthermore, it examines current trends influencing the industry, including sports tourism, adventure tourism, and niche markets like dark tourism. The report also covers the implications of these problems and trends, such as impacts on employment levels, the need for structural alterations, and the role of technology. Finally, it discusses the consequences of businesses failing to adapt to change, emphasizing the importance of strategic responses to maintain competitiveness and reputation. The report uses a mix of primary and secondary sources to analyze the issues and provide relevant recommendations.

Contemporary Issues in
Travel and Tourism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1: Evaluation of the issues which drives changes in travel and tourism sector...................1
1.2: Analysis current issues through appropriate resources and methods..............................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1: Current trends that influence change in travel and tourism sector..................................3
2.2: Analyse current trends by using appropriate techniques and resources..........................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
Covered in PPT.......................................................................................................................5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................5
4.1: Implications of problems and trends that drivers changes with tourism sector..............5
4.2: Likely consequences of businesses failing to respond change........................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Travel and tourism industry plays a valuable role in the growth of an economy due to
which such industry get enough support from the government and private tourism companies
with a hope of getting huge income. United Kingdom has attained maximum number of travel
and tourism companies which is engaged in development of tourist destinations and attract
visitors through out the world. Along with the profit, travel and tourist companies are also liable
to act for their welfare of the societies through creating lots of employment opportunities to the
local individuals of UK. Such business can be influenced by several factors which includes
political instability, interest of visitors, climatic conditions, lack of security etc. The present
assignment report is based on Whitspread Plc which deals in providing their diversified business
activities related related with travel and tourism in UK. The project explaining the different
issues and challenges that drive travel and tourism business to adopt changes. There are various
aspects as well which are also discussed under this report with the context of Whitspread Plc
(Cohen and Cohen, , 2015).
TASK 1
1.1: Evaluation of the issues which drives changes in travel and tourism sector
Whitspread Plc is one of the successful tourism company which has operated different
business activities in United Kingdom. They mainly focuses on UK inbound, domestic and
outbound tourism market in order to attract visitors across worldwide. It will increases their
profit thus contribute maximum to the economy of UK. But due to some issues and challenges,
the growth of such industry may get affected thus compulsorily required for such tourism
companies to identify such issues and resolve them as quickly as possible. Such issues are
discussed under the below:
Lack of proper infrastructure: Such issues should affected the experience of visitors due
to which they may show less willingness to visit at such destination having inadequate
infrastructure once again. Therefore, it is important for private tourism companies and
government to focus on implementing an effective infrastructure so as to maximise the interest
and satisfaction level of tourists. Such infrastructure includes transportations mode like
developing roads, electricity, water supply and telecom. Providing such facilities will easily
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attract lots of customers thus need to spend money on adopting such infrastructure (Hall and
Page, 2014).
Service level: Every tourists expect from the travel and tourism companies to provide
better services and facilities in return of their money paid to them. As having different cultures
and backgrounds, the tourist may find difficulties in interacting with local people which may
affected their travelling experience. Therefore, it must required for travel and tourism companies
to provide them various services such as immigration staff, taxi operators, hotels, tourist guides
and many more which increases their interest in travelling at different destination places.
Increasing in cost of fuel: It is considered as important issues which is essential for
companies to focus on resolving in order to achieve growth and huge revenue. Most of the
countries are much affected due to rising in fuel cost due to which the number of tourists visited
at such country goes down. Due to affects of gasoline on such sector, the fuel prices increased
due to which the customers may drop their idea of travelling to such country. Thus, required by
Whitspread Plc to find an alternative way of avoiding such issues in order to large number of
tourists towards their destinations (Hannam Butler, and Paris, 2014).
1.2: Analysis current issues through appropriate resources and methods
There are various issues which has been discussed above has made huge impact on the
interest and decision of tourist to visit at various destination places in UK. Due to such issues,
the income of travel and tourism companies falls. Therefore, it directs tourism companies such as
Whitspread Plc to use different methods and resources in order to identify such issues and
resolving them as quickly as possible. Such methods and sources includes:
Primary source: It is considered as an effective tool which help Whitspread Plc to
analyse the current trends, situation, competitor's strategies, customer's preferences etc. Under
this method, Whitspread Plc required to conduct research or survey in order to collect data and
information from the tourists in order to find out their perceptions and issues they faced while
travelling. For this, different tools and techniques has required to be adopted such as interviews,
observations, questionnaires through which they can exactly find out the current issues or trends
exist in travel and tourism sector.
Secondary source: It is another tool which need to adopted by Whitspread Plc in order to
identify and analyse the current issues and problems that may faced by travellers while visiting at
various destination places. It is an effective tool which gives result to company at less time and
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money due to which the Whitspread Plc are more capable to handle such issues in an effective
and efficient manner. Informations regarding issues and trends can be collected by Whitspread
Plc through different sources such as books, online texts, journals and many more. Such data are
not reliable and accurate as compared to the information collected through primary methods and
it will help in making an effective decisions with less time and money (Kim and Ritchie, 2014).
TASK 2
2.1: Current trends that influence change in travel and tourism sector
Travel and Tourism company is engaged in providing various tourism related services
which are required by customers during travelling at various destinations. There are number of
tourists who are visited every year with their different purposed such as business purpose,
educational purpose, leisure purpose etc. In United Kingdom, there are several trends which can
occurred due to changing in interest and preferences of customers. Following are the some
current trends as well as activities that can make impact on travel and tourism industry of UK:
Sports tourism: It is form of tourism which attracts large number of tourist for providing
them sports related activities. Mostly the youths are preferred to visit at such place where they
can get sports activities thus required for Whitspread Plc to manage and prepare a plan in order
to arrange such activities over destination places so as to attract maximum number of visitors.
Paralympics and Olympics plays an important role in increasing such trend and attracts lots of
customers to visited at once to gin valuable experience (Luh Sin, Oakes and Mostafanezhad,
2015).
Adventure tourism: The tourist which are visits at various destination for the purpose of
spending some leisure and joyful time are preferred to get some adventurous in order to make
their journey memorable. Therefore, it must required for Whitspread Plc to make an effective
plans and strategies regarding arranging all such activities through contacting with merchants
and service provider in advance. In United Kingdom, Urban Jungle, Bungee Jump etc. are some
adventurous places where the customers get memorable experiences during travelling.
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It has been seen clearly from above picture that UK has attained large number of visitors
at every year due to which the income of travel and tourism industry are increasing over a period
of time. In 2016, the inbound number of visitor are 37.6 which rises to 39.7 in 2017 which is a
good sign for such industry.
2.2: Analyse current trends by using appropriate techniques and resources
At present times, Niche tourism market is an effective due to focusing on diversity thus
become more popular in travel and tourism sector. Such niche market includes agro-rural
tourism, adventure tourism, gastro, dark tourism, medial and health tourism etc. among of these
dark tourism is considered as more preferable tourism places by the customers. As maximum
number of tourist may show their willingness to visit at such places where they can get adequate
information related with ghosts, death, tragedy and mystery. They show more interest in getting
information about historical values and stories about different tourism destinations. Dark tourism
consists of various types of destinations such as disaster, doomsday, suicide, poverty and grief
tourism (McKercher, 2016). Information about such destination can be collected through
different methods such as primary and secondary. London is such a country which is more
popular in attaining such dark tourism destinations due to which such city is successfully attracts
large number of people across worldwide. The Tower of London is an example of such type of
destination which was used for prison and menagerie where the lions, tiger, jack the ripper tours
etc. are keep for the purpose of visitors.
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TASK 3
Covered in PPT
TASK 4
4.1: Implications of problems and trends that drivers changes with tourism sector
In this, different trends and issues which make huge impact on the business in the travel
and tourism sector thus required to accept changes in order to exist in such industry for longer
period of time. Such trends and issues direct tourist companies such as Whitspread Plc to make
an effective strategies and plans to adopt required changes in an effective and efficient manner.
Whitspread Plc need to consider such issues for their travel services which are given across
worldwide (Timothy, 2014).
Employment level: The services and facilities provided on various destination places by
travel and tourism companies such as Whitspread Plc may get affected due to increase in labour
cost due to which it becomes difficult for company to manage and arrange all tourism activities
for their visitors in more satisfied manner. Increase in the labour cost will make directly impact
on the profitability of company in adverse manner due to which their annual revenue may also
much affected. Therefore, the management of Whitspread Plc should required to control such
rising cost in order to retain experience employees for longer period of time.
Alteration in structure: It is important for Whitspread Plc to implement changes in their
business structure so as to deal with situations and issues arises due to complex environment and
conditions. For this, the company required to merge or acquire other tourism industry in order to
enhance their potential and capability of providing an effective tourism services to maximum
number of people. It can done with a motivate of generating huge profits along with capturing
large market share of United Kingdom.
Technology: It is an important factor which facilitate visitors in getting quality and
effective tourism services in such an effective manner that will help in maximising their level of
satisfaction. As it requires he amount of money to adopt advanced and updated technology but it
will bring profitable outcomes to company in near future. For example, Using LED on wall of
museum help visitor in gaining knowledge about the history of such museum along with their
whole information in detail (Current Issues in Travel and Tourism, 2017).
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4.2: Likely consequences of businesses failing to respond change
Whitspread Plc company is a privater company which deals in providing travel and
tourism services across worldwide. Therefore it is important for company to respond changes in
an appropriate manner so as to provide continuing services to their visitors without any barriers.
For this, an effective strategies has been formulated so as to avoid such barriers. But if such
strategies fails to cope up with exist trends and changes then it will bring negative impact on
their image and goodwill exist in market. Some of the implications are given as under after
failing to adopt changes:
 The existing goodwill and reputation of company may get much affected due to which
the customers will show less interest and willingness to buy their tourism products and
services. Due to this, the revenue will also goes down and the existence of company may
comes into danger (Visit Britain reports increase in volume and value of inbound
tourism, 2015).
 It will be difficult for employees of Whitspread Plc to accept changes properly. It will
leads to increase in wage of affiliation and harm the stable position and goodwill of
company. This will rises the cost o company and may lose its competitive position in
market.
 It will also affects the relationship with the suppliers due to which the supply of tourism
products and services may also get affected. Due to this, the company are unable to
provide quality services to their visitors.
 The loyal visitors may get shifted to another tourist company which leads to decrease in
market share of company and made negatively impact on the goodwill of company
(Domestic tourism data, 2017).
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above project report that travel and tourism sector
contributed maximum support to the economy due to which the government and private tourism
companies provide enough support in achieving desired goals and objectives. There are several
factors and barriers which makes adverse impact on the travel and tourism business which
required management to adopt an effective strategies and plans in order to deal with such
changing factors in an effective and efficient manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Cohen, E. and Cohen, S. A., 2015. A mobilities approach to tourism from emerging world
regions. Current Issues in Tourism. 18(1). pp.11-43.
Hall, C. M. and Page, S. J., 2014. The geography of tourism and recreation: Environment, place
and space. Routledge.
Hannam, K., Butler, G. and Paris, C. M., 2014. Developments and key issues in tourism
mobilities. Annals of Tourism Research. 44. pp.171-185.
Kim, J. H. and Ritchie, J. B., 2014. Cross-cultural validation of a memorable tourism experience
scale (MTES). Journal of Travel Research. 53(3). pp.323-335.
Luh Sin, H., Oakes, T. and Mostafanezhad, M., 2015. Traveling for a cause: Critical
examinations of volunteer tourism and social justice. Tourist studies. 15(2). pp.119-131.
McKercher, B., 2016. Towards a taxonomy of tourism products. Tourism Management. 54.
pp.196-208.
Oviedo-García, M. Á., 2016. Tourism research quality: Reviewing and assessing
interdisciplinarity. Tourism Management. 52. pp.586-592.
Reisinger, Y., 2015. Transformational tourism: Host perspectives. CABI.Timothy, D. J., 2014.
Contemporary cultural heritage and tourism: Development issues and emerging trends.
Public Archaeology. 13(1-3). pp.30-47.
Timothy, D. J., 2014. Contemporary cultural heritage and tourism: Development issues and
emerging trends. Public Archaeology. 13(1-3). pp.30-47.
Online
Current Issues in Travel and Tourism. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21568316.2012.748688>.
Visit Britain reports increase in volume and value of inbound tourism in 2015. [Online].
Available through:
<https://www.hospitality-interiors.net/news/articles/2016/01/457364505-visitbritain-
reports-increase-volume-and-value-inbound-tourism-2015>.
Domestic tourism data 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.statista.com/statistics/379636/domestic-tourist-spending-in-london-uk/>.
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