Analysing the Influence and Effectiveness of YouTube in Trip Planning

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This project analyzes YouTube's impact on travel planning.

Research Proposal

Table of Contents
TITLE......................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................2
RESEARCH BACKGROUND.................................................................................................... 2
RESEARCH QUESTION...........................................................................................................2
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES.........................................................................................................2
RATIONALE........................................................................................................................... 3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................ 4
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY......................................................................................................6
RESEARCH TYPE....................................................................................................................6
DATA COLLECTION METHODS..............................................................................................6
SAMPLING............................................................................................................................ 6
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS...................................................................................................7
RESEARCH PROCESS DESIGN DIAGRAM...............................................................................7
RESEARCH PLAN................................................................................................................... 8
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................. 9
APPENDIX............................................................................................................................... 10
RESEARCH PLAN (GANTT CHART)......................................................................................10
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TITLE
“Analysing the influence and effectiveness of YouTube in planning a
trip among general population”
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INTRODUCTION
RESEARCH BACKGROUND
The digital technology is transforming the way people make plans and decisions. In present,
the general people tend to search for new information and knowledge through digital
media. The increasing use of social media applications such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter,
and Instagram has created a huge pool that channels information across the world within a
minute. Especially in the travel and tourism sector, digital media has a great power to
influence customer’s decisions (Minghetti and Buhalis, 2010). YouTube is one of the most
popular digital media channels that contain content related to each and every field of
information. It provides a platform to the travelers to share experience and seek inspiration
from the information about the unseen and distinctive travel locations across the worlds.
Therefore, this research would attempt to analyze the effectiveness of YouTube Videos in
planning trips among the general population.
RESEARCH QUESTION
How YouTube information/video could be effective for planning a trip?
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
This research is aimed at identifying the impact of YouTube Videos on travel planning among
the customers. The research would also focus on determining the effectiveness of YouTube
in making a successful travel plan. In order to achieve the set project aim, the following
objectives are developed.
 To determine the extent to which YouTube videos are popular among the general
population
 To analyze the influence and role of YouTube in making travel plans
 To evaluate the effectiveness of YouTube Videos in making travel plans
 To identify the reliability of YouTube information in context to travel and tourism
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RATIONALE
YouTube is widely used in social media application in the present scenario. People are
increasingly using YouTube for gaining information for planning their next travel destination.
This research would support in identifying the extent to which people are using YouTube
sources for obtaining information about new travel destinations across the world and the
influence of YouTube Videos on the travel planning and decisions of the people.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
According to Xiang, Magnini, and Fesenmaier (2015), Technology has successfully embedded
itself into the travel and tourism industry. To provide enhanced customer service the travel
and tourism heavily rely upon digital technology. Many players within the travel industry are
disrupting the industry digitally. From travel inspiration, Booking, preparation, arrival and
post-trip digital technology are widely presented across the process flow of traveling. Wang
and Fesenmaier, (2013) have stated that Many people are using digital technology to find all
the information they need including viewing destination choices. Digital technology
supports the travelers before, during and after the travel activity. Through using digital
technology, the customers may access recommendations to find appropriate destination
and accommodation; they can also use several mobile applications to take guidance for the
tour as well as could also explore their holiday photos after reaching home. The digital
technology provides a technology driveway to research, plan and experience their holiday
travels.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fotis, et al., (2012) has stated that the rise of the internet and social media has altered the
marketing and customer decisions in the travel industry. From the way of researching
potential destinations to the activities that they participate in after arrival, the consumers
are using social media in new ways. The social media has created a democratization of
online reviews as today travelers search online for their future travel destination. According
to Xiang and Gretzel, (2010), 89% of the millennials plan their travel activities by gaining
inspiration from the content posted by their friends and peers on social media websites like
Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. The people are browsing social media for travel
inspiration and validation. The social media content is tremendously accessible and
influential that serves to put off potential travelers or inspire them.
YOUTUBE
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I recent years, online videos become the most powerful source for education, information,
and entertainment in the travel industry. According to Mir and Ur REHMAN, (2013) A study
conducted by the Google has shown that two out of three U.S. consumers prefers to watch
online videos related to travel while thinking about planning a trip. The travel content on
YouTube is multiplied as the people are increasingly sharing their travel experiences.
According to research, more than one billion people visit YouTube every day and spend
more than six Billion Hours on YouTube (Crowel, et al., 2014). The travelers are spending
more time watching online videos as the views of travel-related content on YouTube is
increased up to 118% year over year. Around 80% of YouTube travel searches focus on
travel destinations and attraction points.
INFLUENCE OF YOUTUBE IN PLANNING A TRIP
According to Crowel, et al., (2014) YouTube dominates the content marketing and provides
content in a more natural way rather the streaming videos available on the other social
media platforms. Travel videos are some of the most viewed videos on YouTube. The people
get to know the new destination through authentic sources on YouTube. The people are
highly reliant on the organic YouTube sources that are sourced from outside the formal
organizations. The video is increasingly omnipresent with travel. Every traveler, especially
Leisure travelers are most likely to turn to the videos at some point while making travel
decisions. Travel videos are some of the most viewed videos on YouTube channel (Reino and
Hay, 2016).
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research methodology involves the ways and methods that are used to derive answers
for the set research questions in a systematic manner. It involves different tools and
techniques for accumulating meaningful information to the research project. In order to
achieve the set research objectives, a descriptive design technique is employed in this
research (Saunders, 2011). The different tools and techniques of research and data
collection are analyzed and the most relevant research techniques as per the nature of the
topic are employed in this research.
RESEARCH TYPE
In this study, the mixed research approach is involving qualitative and quantitative approach
is employed. The application of mixed research approach would support in retrieving an in-
breadth and depth understanding about the research topic and facilitate in obtaining a
more reliable answer to the set research question (Creswell and Clark, 2017).
DATA COLLECTION METHODS
The qualitative data is gained through reviewing the existing literature on the use of digital
media and social media in the travel sector and its influence on the travel planning of the
customers. For qualitative research, the literature sources published after 2010 will be
emphasized to collect authentic data for the research. The quantitative data is set to be
obtained through employing the method of the survey questionnaire to identify and analyze
the popularity and extent of use of YouTube among the general population while making
travel decisions and plans (Creswell, et al., 2011).
SAMPLING
The research data is set to be collected from the qualitative literature review and
quantitative survey questionnaire. for the survey, The size of the sample population for the
survey questionnaire is the set to be 50 and the survey is conducted among the university
students, teachers and around the neighborhood to identify the popularity and influence of
YouTube in accessing travel related information and making travel decisions (Creswell, et al.,
2011). The probability sampling technique incorporating simple random sampling is applied
to select the sample population randomly.
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ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
This research study is employed in the mixed research approach that involves both
qualitative and quantitative research. Thus, while performing the research work, the
research ethics related to both the qualitative and quantitative research will be considered.
The overall research is set to perform in consideration with the university and government
norms. The personal data and information of the involved individuals are protected
throughout the research work and no personal information has been asked to the
participants (Oliver, 2010). The participants of the questionnaire survey will be primarily
informed about the nature and subject of the study to ensure informed consent of the
participants. Moreover, the work of other authors and scholars will appropriately source
and referenced to avoid any harm to the personal rights of the individuals. Thus, compliance
with ethical practices and research ethics will be ensured throughout the research work.
RESEARCH PROCESS DESIGN DIAGRAM
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RESEARCH PLAN
Time is an unavoidable constraint in any kind research activity. Research work is a very long
process that requires a higher amount of time, resources and funds. It is very important to
draw a specific timeframe and budget to complete the project within the right time and the
right amount of resources and capital.
A Gantt chart can be effectively used for scheduling and planning a research project. It
facilitates in determining the required amount of time and resources to plan accordingly to
complete the research work. Gantt chart also supports managing dependencies between
the different activities of the project (Creswell, et al., 2011). A Gantt chart will represent the
time schedule against each activity of the project that would support in coordinating the
research activities to complete it within the set time. A Gantt chart is presented below in
Appendix 1.
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REFERENCES
 Creswell, J.W. and Clark, V.L.P., 2017. Designing and conducting mixed methods
research. Sage publications.
 Creswell, J.W., Klassen, A.C., Plano Clark, V.L. and Smith, K.C., 2011. Best practices
for mixed methods research in the health sciences. Bethesda (Maryland): National
Institutes of Health, 2013, pp.541-545.
 Crowel, H., Gribben, H. and Loo, J., 2014. Travel content takes off on YouTube. article
in ‘think with Google’, August.
 Fotis, J.N., Buhalis, D. and Rossides, N., 2012. Social media use and impact during the
holiday travel planning process (pp. 13-24). Springer-Verlag.
 Minghetti, V. and Buhalis, D., 2010. Digital divide in tourism. Journal of Travel
Research, 49(3), pp.267-281.
 Mir, I.A. and Ur REHMAN, K., 2013. Factors affecting consumer attitudes and
intentions toward user-generated product content on YouTube. Management &
Marketing, 8(4).
 Oliver, P., 2010. The student's guide to research ethics. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
 Reino, D. and Hay, B., 2016. The use of YouTube as a tourism marketing tool.
 Saunders, M.N., 2011. Research methods for business students, 5/e. Pearson
Education India.
 Wang, D. and Fesenmaier, D.R., 2013. Transforming the travel experience: The use of
smartphones for travel. In Information and communication technologies in tourism
2013 (pp. 58-69). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
 Xiang, Z. and Gretzel, U., 2010. Role of social media in online travel information
search. Tourism management, 31(2), pp.179-188.
 Xiang, Z., Magnini, V.P. and Fesenmaier, D.R., 2015. Information technology and
consumer behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using the
internet. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 22, pp.244-249.
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APPENDIX
RESEARCH PLAN (GANTT CHART)
Project Activity 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
Project planning
Conducting a literature
review
Designing survey form
Conducting a
questionnaire survey
Transcribing the data
Conducting data
analysis
Formulating
conclusions and
recommendations
Preparing final draft
Submitting the draft
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