Author: Andre Coleman

Perth is described as Western Australia’s growth capital and there are some pros and cons about Perth Tourism Development (Tourism Western Australia 2010).

Perth has been ranked in the top three most desired hotel investment markets together with Sydney and Brisbane in the HTL Capital Advisers 2008 Industry Survey.

Perth is the point of arrival in Australia for 70% of the state’s international visitors (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009).

When talking about the background of Perth, the ecological footprint of residents of Perth Western Australia is among the highest in the world (Urlich 2000). General affluence and high standard of living are primary contributors. Urban form and housing styles are also contributors, directly and indirectly. Perth is extremely low density (R8 on average). Low density suburban development over decades has caused the loss of large areas of bio-diverse vegetation and habitat. Automobile dependency is relatively high. Greenhouse emissions are consequently extremely high on per capita basis (which creates policy and cultural tension).

In and around Western Australia’s capital Perth, there are inner city parks, bustling markets and a colourful lifestyle, as well as water-based activities like fishing, boating and surfing. Western Australian is the nation’s fourth largest economy, responsible for the production of 13.6% of the Australia’s gross domestic product (GDP). Perth city is a hub for the state’s activity and the point of dispersion for the state’s interstate and international visitors (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2010).

Perth has grown to become a city of international significance – an increasing population, high workforce participation and productivity continues to fuel demand.

Perth has been ranked the least sustainable city in an assessment of the carbon footprint of Australia’s 20 largest cities (ABCNews 2010).

This report is going to discuss the impacts of Hospitality and Tourism industry to Economic, Social and Environmental aspects in Perth. And to some extent, these three aspects would affect tourism industry in Perth also.

Besides these, it also takes an example of Holiday Inn Hotel City Centre Perth in the area of CSR (Corporate social responsibility). The hotel has been engaging lots of charity programs.
2. Economic impacts
Tourism growth

Perth and Western Australia have achieved marginal growth in their market share of Australian international visitation since the year 2004. This is most evident in Western Australia’s market share of international visitors, which was up 1.1 percentage points to 13.6% as at year end 2009( Tourism Western Australia,2010).

International visitors spent a total of 21.2 million nights in Western Australia, 17.0 million of which were spent in Perth. This represents a 42% increase for Western Australia and a 39% increase for Perth, since September 2004. The difference between the growth in visitors and growth in visitor nights reflects the growth in average length of stay, approximately 25% (6 days) and 23% (5 days) for Western Australia and Perth respectively – almost half of which occurred in the year to September 2009( Tourism Western Australia,2010).

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More quality hotel rooms for Perth, in a world class city with vibrant waterfront and cultural precincts.

The focus on the development of significant tourism infrastructure will mean Tourism Western Australia will pull back from its traditional involvement in smaller ‘industry development’ activities.

Tourism Western Australia will develop a new Statewide Major Events Strategy to create new home-grown events and attract more national and international events to Western Australia (Tourism Western Australia, 2010).

Tourism in Perth:

Tourism and the related business activity are playing an important role in Perth Economy, although a relatively greater one in terms of employment.

An estimated 4.0 % of local workers are employed in the tourism services sector in Perth. However, the tourism industry – and in particular, segments such as accommodation – also is playing a key role in business and corporate activity much more broadly, providing not only the services but also facilities to support activity in these sectors(Tourism Research Australia 2009).

Economic Stress in Perth

It is generally believed that Hospitality and Tourism is a booming industry. The rising level of stress in Perth is perhaps indicative of the local impacts of the wider economic downturn. Large numbers of people engaged in vulnerable industries, such as hospitality. The economic slowdown has seen increasing numbers of people engaged in these industries out of work. It is, however, likely that the recovery in the resources sector, and the State economy more generally, will see economic stress decrease in Perth suburbs such as Butler, Alkimos and Yanchep (Tourism Western Australia 2010).

Perth Airport: the regional gateway

Perth is playing a major role in facilitating tourism activity.

Perth airport serves as the gateway to Western Australia, facilitating 9.4 million passenger movements annually, including 2.6 million international passengers(Perth Airport, 2009). Indeed, Perth is the point of arrival in Australia for 70% of the state’s international visitors (Tourism Research Australia 2009). Looking forward, passenger movements at Perth airport are projected to double over the two decades to 2029, with international passenger movements growing by 4.0% to 5.6 million and domestic passenger movements growing by 3.3% to 13.4 million (Perth Airport 2009).

3. Social Impacts
New hotel development in Perth

Tourism Western Australia welcomed plans for a quality hotel development on Beaufort Street in Perth (Tourism Australia 2009).

The capital city, Perth, offers a sought after lifestyle for the international investment community with its natural, relaxed and multicultural environment, low sovereign risk, pro-development government policies, a highly skilled and innovative workforce and world-class infrastructure (Deloitte 2009).

Market fundamentals for Perth hotels are very strong with double digit yield growth over the last three years projected to continue for the next five years. The outlook for mid market and first class hotels is very positive despite current global economic uncertainty (Marin and Jafari 2002).

Projects of strategic importance in Perth have attracted significant international investor interest creating an exciting business, tourism, residential and entertainment hub to put Perth in the international spotlight (Transocean Consulting Services 2007).

This combined with Perth’s strategic global location, positioning as a major international business hub with close proximity to Asia, makes Western Australia an attractive investment destination.

From the statistics, Perth occupancy rates are still amongst the highest in Australia at 81 per cent.

Perth’s consistent growth over the last five years is encouraging to investors such as the Rothchester Group and its preferred operators (Tourism Australia 2009).

There is strong demand for hotel accommodation in Perth and a particular shortage of high quality hotel accommodation in the city.

In Hong Kong more than 70 per cent of delegates chose Australia as their preferred choice for investment.

Tourism Western Australia will continue to assist investors to ensure quality hotel developments are built in the Perth central business district and regional Western Australia.

Raising awareness of local issues and needs

Tourism can also raise awareness of local issues and needs.

Branding of local product and achievements creates regional identity not only nationally but also internationally.

There is a trend towards investment in interpretation of natural and cultural resources in Perth. Perth attraction to natural and heritage icons often helps fund conservation important efforts and provides opportunities for effective management of sensitive and important areas.

Tourism is largely an experience driven industry, and Perth local culture is a unique experience – more so local personality, hospitality and food than so called built attractions. (McCool and Moisey 2000)

Tourism can boost the preservation and transmission of cultural and historical traditions (Weaver 2000). This often contributes to the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources such as John Forrest National Park and Matilda Bay Reserve in Perth , the protection of local heritage like Aviation Heritage Museum and Heritage Cottage Bed & Breakfast, and a revival of indigenous cultures, cultural arts and crafts.

More education and training programs in Hospitality and Tourism Industry

One of the biggest problems which occurs to Tourism Industry is Occupational Skills Shortage ( Sommerville 2007).

There are not enough qualified and experienced people, and for many of the jobs in short supply, however, education and training usually is not provided for a long time in Perth. At the same time, an increasing number of people seem to leave the workplace than entering it. It is hard to increase the numbers of people being trained because of the need for experienced employees to supervise and mentor apprentices, trainees or graduates and the limitations this placed on the number of new entrants that could be employed and trained. More than that, these education and training courses are often not keeping pace with the innovation and technological change in the workplace in Western Australia (Sommerville 2007).

4. Environmental impacts:
Air Pollution in Perth

Not many tourists might choose Perth as their destination or even locals might not stay in Perth during summer and winter times, due to severe Air Pollution in Perth, While Perth has a relatively small population when being compared with some other Australian capital cities, air pollution in Perth is very significant (Department of Environmental Protection 2009).

The following analysis shows that Perth has levels of air pollution which might present health impacts to tourists and locals. The levels of photochemical smog (ozone) in Perth during summer regularly exceed national standards (Department of Environmental Protection 2000). Besides this, during winter months, a smoke haze frequently hangs over Perth. In most cases these episodes of unacceptable air quality are influenced by weather conditions that prevent air pollutants from detracting quickly (Department of Environmental Protection 2000).

Figure: The sites of the Perth Air Quality Monitoring Stations

Source: Air Quality in Perth 1992-1999 report (DEP 2001)

A detailed analysis of the air quality in the Perth metropolitan region is contained in the DEP’s Air Quality in Perth 1992-1999 report (DEP 2001). In summary the report shows that:

aˆ? Ozone levels in summer are tending to remain high, approaching or exceeding the acceptable standard;

aˆ? Background levels of ozone are increasing;

aˆ? Airborne particle (haze) levels in winter are relatively high, and during spring and autumn are relatively low.

As the population grows, even if the level of car ownership remains the same as it is now, there will be even more cars on the road.

On top of this, the length of vehicle trips is expected to increase as the size of Perth grows.

It is expected that for every one per cent increase in population there will be a 1.6% increase in the number of vehicle kilometers travelled.

Figure: The total vehicle emissions of carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen going into Perth’s air each day.

Source: Air Quality gets a Black Mark, Australian Environment Review, Vol 11, No 4, May 1996.

Figure: Predicted daily vehicle emissions of carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen for Perth in 2011 assuming there is no new anti-pollution

Source: Air Quality gets a Black Mark, Australian Environment Review, Vol 11, No 4, May 1996.

As for the solution of the Air Pollution, reduction in motor vehicle ownership and usage is the key target. Increased use of public transport -international experience, and recent local successes strongly indicate that rail should be the focus for Perth (Department of Environmental Protection of Perth 2003).

In Hospitability and Tourism Industry, Some forms of recreation, including rowing, bushwalking and rock climbing, make little or no contribution to air pollution (Department of Environmental Protection of Perth 2003). Other pursuits however, affect the quality of our air. Trail bikes, jet skis and power boats all put toxic emissions into the atmosphere.

It is possible to continue to enjoy all forms of recreation and at the same help to improve air quality.

Coastal erosion

As for Tourism Industry, Coastal Erosion is very serve phenomena.

Hotels, resorts or even local houses along the coast would be affected to some certain extent (Medlik 2003).

Rising sea levels, more frequent storms, cyclones and floods along the coastline are putting beach front properties at risk. Coastal erosion is the permanent loss of land along the shoreline (World News 2009).

Natural causes of erosion (World News 2009): Changes in wave climate such as an increase in wave height change in the angle of wave approach or increased frequency of high magnitude waves. Reduction in the amount of sediment delivered to the coast from reef and rising sea level.

Human-induced causes of erosion (World News 2009): Sand extraction from beaches that reduces the sand volume of the coast, coral mining, insertion of structures such as seawalls which locally alter wave processes and change sediment transport patterns and removal of mangroves.

Waste Water Management in Hotels
Environmental Effort = Reduced Consumption = Lower Operating Costs

Hyatt Regency Perth Hotel is the example of doing Waste Water Management.

Environmental impacts of Hospitality and Tourism are described as following points:

· Large draw on public infrastructure and utilities (electricity, water, sewage) which must be shared with local communities

· Discharge of untreated effluents into the environment in large quantities

· Massive import of goods to service the industry- excess packaging and waste

· Improper land use planning and poor designs of infrastructure systems

These impacts on the community in Perth can be indicated as following: shortages in public utilities – (water rationing, brown outs), ineffective hotel wastewater treatment plant might cause human health impacts and rise in disposal costs for waste removal (Water Corporation 2006).

Protecting Perth’s Public Drinking Groundwater Sources

The growth of Hospitality and Tourism industry in Perth, to some extent, is helping to protect Perth’s Public Drinking Groundwater Sources through raising public awareness.

The main sources of groundwater in Perth are the Jandakot and Gnangara Mounds on which the Jandakot, Gnangara and Perth Coastal (Water Corporation 2007).

Underground Water Pollution Control Areas (UWPCAs) are defined. Within these areas policies have been developed to protect water resources from pollution. The Department of Environment (DoE) is responsible for the protection of water resources used for public drinking water supplies throughout Western Australia (Water Corporation 2007).

5. Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility, some hotels and resorts do make very good examples. Some hotels have 10 percent of the total guest room revenue donated equally to a charity of their choice and Community Footprints, the social responsibility program. Some hotels win lots of popularity through their outstanding and continuing social contributions to the local community which included numerous social initiatives in the fields of sustainability, environment, heritage, community interaction and youth development ( Cq Researcher 2010).

Activities involved are such as inspiring the younger generation with environmental awareness and to instill a sense of ownership for the future of their country. More than that, supporting under-privileged children and eco-friendly green initiatives for many years are also examples of some hotels’ social responsibilities (Cq Researcher 2010).

Holiday Inn Hotel City Centre Perth
Holiday Inn City Centre Perth builds customer loyalty and strengthens employee commitment through a program of charitable engagement with the multiple local communities in which they operate (Cq Researcher 2010).
In the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR) Holiday Inn City Centre Perth is involved in many initiatives aimed at reducing its impact on society, for example energy and water conservation.
The focus of this briefing is on its engagement with charities and how it has helped their business.
The charities are in their core interests of Community, Employees, Arts, Youth & Education, Environment and Human Rights.
The charities they involved such as Children In Need, the Red Cross and so on.
The hotel is also helping to upgrade schools with sanitation facilities as well as library and science equipment, workbooks and classroom materials.

Besides Holiday Inn City Centre Perth, the other hotels in Perth are also helping to make it much easier for their staff to be environmentally friendly. The provision of bike lockers and shower facilities means that staff can gain some exercise and be ready for their day at work. Some hotels even provide child-care facilities, this means that busy mothers and fathers can reduce the distances they drive, or even better, enjoy some time with their children as they travel together on public transport(Cq Researcher 2010).

6. Conclusion
This study report introduces the city Perth and analyzes how Hospitality and Tourism Industry affect the city Perth based on social, economic and environmental factors. Not only that, it also discusses the issue about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and gives some examples about the hotels in Perth.

Sustainable development is the objective, not just the protection of biodiversity and species.

Tourism is a fast growing industry and a valuable sector, contributing significantly to Perth economy. Perth is experiencing substantial growth in terms of inner-city living, development and Hospitality & Tourism industry, servicing 100,000 daily visitors and workers in addition to its 15,000 inner-city residents. The City of Perth is a main provider of free entertainment for the 1.6 million people in the metropolitan area and is the premier destination for business, entertainment, nightlife, culture and the arts.

Around 4.0 % of local workers are employed in the tourism services sector in Perth. However, they lack training and education. Moreover, local employees usually work at very low paid and unskilled jobs.

People also enjoy living close to recreational areas such as the Swan and Canning rivers and near the open spaces of the various parklands, wetlands and the hills.

There is a tendency for the people of Perth to live in single residential home surrounded by private gardens. Transport is another factor people consider when choosing where they live. These factors have all contributed to Perth becoming a sprawling city. This pattern of development is expected to lead to people travelling greater and greater distances so they may satisfy their work and social requirements.

This report addresses the issues of economic stress and tourism growth in Perth. As for Environmental impacts, Air Pollution, Coastal erosion, Waste Water Management in Hotels, Public Drinking Groundwater Sources are some of the issues are being discussed above. Perth has been facing very severe air pollution. Hyatt Regency Perth Hotel manages well in terms of waste water management. And when comes to social impacts, Tourism can also raise awareness of local issues and needs. More than that, Western Australia also welcomed new hotel development in Perth.

To conclude, Hospitality and Tourism Industry has huge impact on Perth in terms of three factors which discussed above. More than that, it is clearly that some local patterns also affect tourism industry in Perth.

The new travel agency business for luxury seeking focuses in supplying entire end are little, personal trips (maintenance). There is a general, full service travel, which can persuade the rudimentary desires of both business and leisure markets and travel into the future. These services may encompass air, ground transport, cruise and inns, as well as tips and exceptional trips.

With effectively no trading efforts, this new travel agency business aims to deal many of vacation adventures. Sales of protection principles and other services will be supplemented and probably add more. It will offer a full variety of services to support adventurous traveler, encompassing briefings before and after vacations, travel protection, as well as a book or directions of services exact to each place traveled to and activity. In supplement, it boasts a full variety of added services to support adventurous traveler, double-checking that they have a pleasing and memorable. These services encompass protection, pre-and post-vacation bundle data and book or directions of recommendations and data services exact to each place traveled to and excursion activities.

It would like to encourage its services utilizing the customary procedures of public relatives, and Internet activities. In customary public relatives include:

aˆ? Press Releases

aˆ? Advertising Company

aˆ? Articles of the periodical

In the Internet, the business can supply new excursion on the Internet or for e-newsletter. Functioning beliefs of the business is trading to focus, supplying an effective service utilizing expertise and a restricted number of employees. Capitalization on his know-how, he may suggest and direct purchasers on the kind of gear that will require to travel, to make the most of their vacation

Purpose of the business
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The development of this new one travel agency to help the keeping of clients, while sustaining the essence of the junction agency of dealers and power over increasing prices.

Prepare a high grade of clientele approval in the industry.

Segment and goal luxury travelers in the district of travel.

Mission

The mission of this new business is to offer exclusive trips and luxury travel know-how for the market niche for the perceptive clientele, which directs to their approval, as evidenced by the replicate alignment as well as affirmative response by phrase of mouth. This Travel Agency Business hunts for to differentiate you as a professional in the area of luxury travel and be identified for spectacular service and foresee desires and yearns of their clients. And, in future procedures, are committed in smart persons will not only obtain those services, but those who give it, relish the know-how and goods, as well as all to be joyous with the expert first-class service.

General market area

The total locality of the market of a new travel agency business is to evolve and sustain strategic alliances with service providers nationally and internationally, and the tourism professionals to conceive new sales passages for businesses. It will offer several older goods to which clients will travel memorable. His aim will be on supplying a full variety of services, focused in their purposes have deep information of recreation and excursion that are offered. Market study displays that the major condemnations of his kind of customer’s living travel bureaus that their representatives are not cognizant of their goods, they easily open and read the catalog to convey one of the numerous travelers are disappointed.

Basic organizational design

New business travel agency is a business that focuses in little packages luxury travel for perceptive consumers. It will work with 2 database to advance clientele service over the homeland and internationally. The founders and workers of this assembly of skilled travelers and travel bureaus who are to blame travel, adept and fervent about the services that the travel agency for the development and supply. The business has reconsidered its approximates of functioning charges and evolved an allowance for the first year of operation. Expenditure is mostly dedicated to trading and functioning costs and administration are limited. Initially, the business will use advisors to assist travel the mechanical facets of the tourism commerce, but running a website administration business, subject to the public displaying commerce, required to run the travel agency. To boost market share and boost emblem perception, the trip will be suggested primarily at the grade just underneath the market rate. Thus, short-term earnings from the procedure should be reduced to medium. Where commerce has conceived a groundwork of trusted clients and emblem perception has expanded, permitting the business to lift charges trips at market rates, functioning earnings margin is anticipated to increase.

Industry and Market Analysis

In the tourism business, more and more, the business will aim on the tourism market of purposeful luxury travel. Its major clients are persons, twosomes and assemblies with a high cost that the proximity of recreation and travel not less than one time a year. Looking for the supreme travel know-how, your clients demand high value undertakings and places to stay the largest grade of service (Renshaw, 2007). The business designs to deal its services through a Web sheet, Internet advocating and public relations. This travel agency will offer incorporated infrastructure expertise that presents smart investigation of travel facts and numbers, permitting businesses to maximize come back on their buying into travel. For travelers, this will supply a reliable service and a broad variety of assets to assist them stay persuaded, creative and concentrated on their enterprise objectives. An assessed tendency in tourism is expanding deregulation. Deregulation has expanded the requirement for differentiation and, in numerous situations, decreased charges on airline permits and other travel associated services (Marian, 2002). Additional tendencies encompass limits on the establishment of a charge by most foremost airlines, a boost in excursion travel, and decrease profits. Many promise clients are not certain of the location they desire to achieve. The business will save time and cash from clients and assist double-check that they are persuaded with their visit. It will supply comprehensive and unaligned travel recommendations permitting our purchasers get access to a broad variety of tourist services and goods, the most relevant. It will offer large savings on air travel in enterprise class in most airline flights. It has the promise and get access to the best of tariff bindings on the market. Excellent sales abilities needed for their activity. Thus, all will be completely taught sales. In supplement, each month, it will ascertain each other observing the undertakings of trading half of the day and supply response on the power and flaws in skills. It will furthermore be utilising the scheme, communicate administration, which will supervise the effectiveness of diverse advocating schemes and distinct trading messages. The key to its strategic benefit is to have higher facts and numbers about prospects and customers.

Competitive analysis

This new business is a new travel agency that is found in a locality that focuses on the diverse excursion vacation. Nevertheless, there are numerous excursion travel businesses in the capital and lesser towns that could contend with that association, to supply holiday travel packages of adventure. Although the expert excursion travel agencies, for example a business, we have applied, only 15% of the market, 65% of clients will use them again. The aim is to boost that percentage through our value services.

This is a new travel agency business will have a good comparable investigation and comparable benefit over other possibilities in this market by supplying little parcels more exclusive clientele visits of these assemblies have close individual vigilance from hosts travel. It will evolve this place from 1 to 1 communicate with promise clients individual communicate with an dignified travel agency, whose prime goal assembly of our market and broad-based programs come to a kind of newspapers, exceptional happenings, as well as interactive, full-service Web site. This new business will have all facets of travel expertise at his disposal (George, 2003).

Key achievement components for the functioning of this new project will assist to the work as a travel agency that focuses in luxury travel segment in the tourism commerce and the development of replicate enterprise from a groundwork of trusted, persuaded customers. This class of travel is alike to numerous others. There will be a large-scale nationwide systems, little home-based enterprises, consolidators on the Internet, etc. Membership rates for some travel associated associations give some suggestion of the number of participants in this market.

Operations

At the starting of the procedure will comprise of two constituents of the public and professionals in the area of tourism and a board constituent, which focuses in trading and Internet technologies. A usual transaction will take location as follows:

The agency will communicate the promise clientele to find the site. The agency will have all the essential data required to aid the purchaser profile on the site. Database Consulting Business cruises are accessible encompassing the applicable facts and numbers as input facts and numbers, charge, accessibility, and trips of the dock, the agency can agree clients require to cruise. Booking data by e-mail is also a key task of this new business. Confirmations will be dispatched to the client. The agency will be to blame for correct storage and assemblage of payments for goods. Wholesale dwellings will be begun to purchase large amounts of permits and trading online at discount prices.

Marketing concept

During the present time span of fast financial development, this new enterprise travel agency will depend on numerous significant possibilities in the area of tourism. In full engrossment on the tourist market, will offer a restricted set of sophisticated packages, but depart, as well as supervising their services rich professionals, it can rendezvous the desires of its customers. His information and know-how will travel excursion to rendezvous and pass their clients are competitors. This will conceive personalized travel itineraries for purchasers and supply the most entire, informative service excursion travel. Offering a full variety of services, this business can differentiate itself from its competitors.

It is established in the heart of the city. The natural attractiveness and a plenty of outdoor undertakings appeal numerous fitness-oriented. Per capita, the district has more persons than any other in the homeland is dynamically engaged in hill and water sports for example skiing, ascending, kayaking, rafting, hill biking, etc. These persons are the goal market of this company. It will aim on the sale and advancement of excursion travel, mostly to personal persons, but furthermore for business purchasers in the region.

Human Resources

HR will permit clients to navigate the often time-consuming, so the most productive means for travel from the issue of outlook of convenience and cost. In this case, they should sort large volumes of data, with the outlook said that the mean traveler may not have. This business will offer a kind of places in all parts of the tourism industry. Recruitment services covering enduring, provisional and agreement work Travel and centre competencies for the teaching trip. HR purposes of the business will be the principle with consider to recruitment and assortment, disciplinary methods, remuneration principle is the acknowledgement that human assets design and teaching and development, but furthermore all purposeful localities of HR will be coordinated and correlated in alignment to fit into an general enterprise strategy. This scheme HR Travel Agency is a comprehensive design in relative to the implementation of exact HR purposeful areas.

Human Resource strategic design the business will require data about where the business likes and how HR undertakings to support the company’s goals. Integration of human asset administration with business goals and objective will assist to the general goals of the company. Thus, the rudimentary human resource’s function will be to create strategic design to capture the “people” components and how they concern to the future achievement of the company. The business carries the tourism commerce of expert formation of the primary staff. The adviser will be the company’s vegetation in 5 days. During this time span, the consultant:

aˆ? Training employees in rudimentary methods and directions of the cruise commerce

aˆ? Staff teaching on sales methods

aˆ? Systems Supervisory Board

The Company accepts as factual that this time span of groundwork and the company’s computer schemes will supply expanded effectiveness when possible.

The promotion of Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination1. Introduction

In order to accomplish the aims and objectives, this piece of work focused on the promotion of Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination in the world. The vital idea behind the selection of this topic is to discuss the importance of heritage tourism.

Tourism plays an important role in the socio-economic development of any country. It is also one of the major sources to earn foreign exchange, and generating employment for urban as well as rural public. This chapter have 6 parts. Background of the study

Background to the study:

Tourism industry in India is on a great boom at the moment. India has a great potential to be a major tourist destination in the world. It’s the second highest foreign exchange earning industry and government gave travel and tourism industry an export status. Indian tour and travel industry is one of the most profitable industries in the country. During the year 2006, four million tourists visited India and spent US$8.9 billion (Economy watch, 2006).

The buoyancy in the Indian tourism industry can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the tremendous growth in the Indian economy, because of that the disposable income of the middle-class increased to expend on their recreation. Secondly, the IT sector in the country by which India famous as an IT hub in the world. Which attract people globally for business trips. Thirdly, the aggressive advertising campaign “Incredible India” by the tourism ministry of India also changes the image of India worldwide. Tourism industry also provides employment to millions of people directly and indirectly in the country. Which help the society and solve the big issues of unemployment in the country. Estimates of 20 million people are directly employed by this sector in the country currently. According to the above lines Rajasthan the north-west state of India is very popular among the national and international visitors. The royally palaces and forts, endless golden desert, hardworking and colourful people make the state more exciting to visit.

Besides all this, Probably India is the only country which offers various categories of tourism. These include history tourism, adventure tourism, medical (Ayurvade and other) tourism, eco tourism, culture tourism, rural tourism, religious/pilgrimage tourism, spiritual tourism and beach tourism etc (I love India, 2007)

Justification of the study:

Heritage tourism is now big business. In economic and entrepreneurial terms, it is one of the major success stories of recent years. At a time of declining Industrial activity and rising unemployment in any society, heritage tourism has provided an alternative form of enterprise, creating jobs and generating wealth for local economies (Herbert, 1995).

Tourism in India has the potential to do wonder in this upcoming industry of profit as well as fun. Rajasthan the largest state, and one of the most eminent tourist destinations, which is famous for its pictureqous natural beauty and wonderful construction. Rajasthan are usual attractions for first time visitors (Mintel, 2008).

The outlook for travel industry in India looks extremely bright. “Conde Nast” rank India 6th amongst the top 10 tourist destination in the annual “Reader’s Award” in 2004, which was 9th a year before. The magazine ranked Raj Vilas, in Jaipur (Rajasthan) as 3rd in the overseas leisure hotel category for Asia (Business Standard, 2004). The JBIC (Japan Bank of International Cooperation) rank her 5th most attractive investment destination.

The report “Indian Tourism Industry Analysis” provides an insight into the Indian tourism market. According to the report, India is one of the most potential tourism markets in the world. India expected to see 10million international tourist by 2010, which was 5million in 2007. Andhra Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan are the leading tourist destinations in the country (Bharat Book Bureau, 2004)

Aims and Objectives:

To critically assess the opportunities to promote Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination

Objectives

Evaluate the potential of Rajasthan’s heritage to develop as tourist destination.

Critically evaluate the present tourism promotion system and the government policies on Rajasthan tourism.

The development of recommendations for the promotion of Rajasthan as a heritage tourism destination.

State profile:

The colourful and exotic state of Rajasthan lies in the north-western part of India. It is the largest state (132,150 sq mi) and also knows as the land of kings, the home of Rajputs (Indianhills). Rajasthan is bordered on the west by Pakistan. In the west of state is the Thar Desert and the upland region of Deccan in the eastern part. The Aravalli hills cross the state from north-east to the south-west. The state was formed in 1948 from several former principalities states of Rajputana. Rajasthan is one of the strongholds of the conservative Hindu (75% of the population) then Muslims, Jains and native people (Encyclopaedia).

The largest state with 33 districts and a population of 56.47million (2001 census) with a literacy rate of 61.03%, Jaipur is the state’s capital as well as the cultural, financial and trade capital of the state. Rajasthani, Sindhi and Punjabi are the regional languages of the state. Hindi and English also commonly used by people (Answer.com).

Heritage is not only the monument or historic buildings, but everything which relate us to the rich past of that particular culture or tradition is heritage. The folk dance and music, souvenir (cloths and jewels), craft work (handicraft like paintings, iron or wood work) and festivals, fairs food and lifestyle are also the part of the rich cultural heritage of any destination.

Rajasthan is a state with entirely different visage, the most scenic state of India. The culturally rich state of Rajasthan is popular for its festivals & fairs, luxury trains, folk dances/music, arts/crafts and royal legacy in the form of palaces, forts and gardens. It medieval forts and palaces, the very distinctive nomadic desert lifestyle is unique all over the world.

A world of colour, splendour and spectacle awaits visitors to India’s largest and the most romantic state. With its wild desert scenery, ancient sandcastle forts, pastel colour cities, dust speckled light and its swathes of scarlet, and marigold textiles (The Independent Asia), which creates Rajasthan one of the most popular tourist destinations in west India. It can be said as; it is the cultural capital of India. There are various popular destinations in Rajasthan but the main tourists attracting cities are Ajmer, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur. All these cities were the former Princely states, as the result tourist can witness the imperial legacy everywhere in these cities. Here we have the brief panorama of the famous cities and their heritage.

1.5.1 Panorama of the Heritage Cities of Rajasthan:

Ajmer Founded in the 7th century by ruler Ajaypal Chauhan. Have a famous fort called “Ajaimeru” or Invincible hill, lakes gardens and many other visiting places. Ajmer is about 130km south-west from Jaipur is the major religious centre for Muslims. This city is famous for the tomb of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, a medieval Sufi Saint, where pilgrims gather from over the world (India hills.com). 16km from Ajmer, Pushkar a very small town named after the holy lake “Pushkar”. 400 temples and 52 Ghats around the lake make it a very popular religious centre of Hindu community. The one and only lord Brahma temple is here. Otherwise sleepy town turn into a hub in the annual Pushkar festival in October or November every year (Travel 2 Rajasthan.com)

Mount Abu, Rajasthan’s only hill station is home to Dilwara Jain temples known’s for their amazing marble carving. The oldest of the five temples dates to AD 1031. Nikki Lake, sunset point, Achal Garh fort and Guru Shikar the highest point of Rajasthan are the other famous visiting spot in Mount Abu.

Chittaurgarh located 70 miles northeast of the City of Udaipur is the home of Chittaur fort India’s largest fort and the ultimate symbol of Rajputs chivalry and pride. The nine-story Vijay Sthambha or Tower of Victory is the most highlighting feature of the fort (Ref J). http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=6&hid=5&sid=af82485a-215e-4122-a4ff-0942348b33c5%40sessionmgr11

Located on the foothills of a sandstone hillock, the city of Jodhpur seems like an oasis in the vast desert was founded by Rao Jodha Ji (Rathore clan) in 1459. It named after him only. Jodhpur is the second largest city of Rajasthan, divided into two parts the old city (which is inside the 10km wall) and new city. Jodhpur is a very popular tourist destination. The city landscape is very pleasing and attractive. The city has lots of attractions in the form of forts, palaces, gardens, temples and lakes. The city is known as “Sun City” because of its bright and sunny weather throughout the year (Jodhpur India), and also the building were painted in light blue hue. Located at the edge of the endless golden Thar Desert, Jodhpur is a fascinating medieval city known for its amazing architectural splendour, lively culture, brilliant craftsmen, gourmet cuisines and lots of shopping. The city has various attractions in the form of Maharangarh fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Mandore garden, Mahamandir temples and Jaswant Thada the royal cenotaphs. This attracts the domestic and international visitors equally (Palace on wheels).

The ‘City of Lakes’ (often referred to as the ‘Venice of the East’) Udaipur is the home to lakes Pichola and Fateh sagar, both are amazingly beautiful for cruise and sunset. The city is also famous for City places and Lake palace (hotel), Sahelion Ki Bari or “Garden of the Maids of honour”, museum and temples are the other visitors attractions. Marwar festival fall in the spring is also very famous in national and international visitors.

The Golden city of Jaisalmer is famous for its fort, havelies, national park and Sam (sand dunes). Nothing else in India is remotely similar to Jaisalmar, with its fort that straight out of an Arabian Night fable.

The capital city and the natural gateway to the exotic state Rajasthan, Jaipur popularly known as ‘Pink City’ in the world is the main visitors delight. Founded in 17th century and named after is founder Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. Jaipur is the cultural, trade and financial capital of Rajasthan. With Delhi and Agra, jaipur is the third important vertex of the ‘Golden Triangle’.

Stunning backdrop of ancient forts: Nahargarh, Amer, Jaigarh and Moti Doongari fort. Hawa Mahal, City Palace, and Jal Mahal are some well-known landmark palaces in the city with famous Albert hall museum.

Significance of tourism to the Indian economy:
2. Literature Review

Literature pays a major role in any research or case study. Virtually no research can be done without the benefit of references, whatever the scale or nature of the project will be (Brunt, 1998). Fink (1998:3) believes that literature review is a “systematic method for identifying, evaluating and interpreting the work produced by researchers, scholars and practitioners”

Yin (2003) also suggest that evidences for good literature may also come from six sources suck as documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant-observation and physical artefacts. Yin (2003) further suggested that literature review provided all sort of information like data, statistic, graphs and scholar view about the topic. A useful overview of the six major sources considers their comparative strength and weaknesses. You should immediately note that no signal source is highly complementary, and a good case study will therefore desire to use as many sources as possible.

A good literature review is not just a description of previous work; it also appraises, compares and contrasts it with other relevant work, and with the authors own work (Brown, 2006). Literature review is the section which will provide reference, if followed up, will widen your knowledge and stimulate independent thought (Altinay el at, 2008:25).

Hart (1998) explained the importance of literature review by suggesting that “without it you will not acquire an understanding of your topic, of what has already been done on it, how it has been researched, and what they key issues are” (Hart, 1998:1).

At this point of report the critical review of the available literature is important in order to achieve above mention aims and objectives. In order to get main aim which to promote Rajasthan as a heritage tourist destination, number of academic Books related on heritage tourism and development will help to critically evaluate the prosperous cultural heritage of Rajasthan, which is the first objective of this report. Through this literature the value and significance of the heritage can identified, and it will also help to check the scale of the heritage in Rajasthan.

As the new trend of getting information by electronic media like: Television, internet will be a great help, particularly the official tourism websites of Rajasthan or India tourism will provide the latest information on this sector. And also provide information about the recent tourism development promotion, policies and issues. Internet is the best ever, faster and the more efficient information provider these days, and also the information on the sites are more authentic and quick.

Daily news papers contain articles, interviews and editorial will give the current updates about tourism industry and its achievement. Editorial column will provide critical analysis of government’s tourism policies and tourism forecast. Leading national and local dailies (Rajasthan Patrika and Danik Bashkar and The Times of India) will show case current events and news on Rajasthan tourism.

The official statistics compiled by the government department and public sector agencies provide a valuable source of information (Burnt, 1998). This can provide by the official website, news dailies and journals based on Rajasthan.

2.1 What is Heritage and Heritage Tourism?

In 1983 National Heritage Conference defined heritage as: ‘that which a past generation has preserved and handed on to the present and which a significant group of population wishes to hand on to the future’ (Hewison, 1989). Hardy (1988) said most researchers accept that heritage is linked to the past that it represents some sort of inheritance to be passed down to current and future generations, both in terms of cultural traditions and physical artefacts (Dallen et al. 2003:2). These definitions indicate culture choice; its focus on preservation and the fact that some people will adopt a conservationist view of heritage. (Herbert, 1997:8). Heritage is like a gift which is passed by one generation to another in the form of culture, nature, customs which is different and unique from others.

Prentice (1993) said heritage can be classified as tangible immovable resources (buildings, natural areas) and tangible movable resources (objects in museums, documents in archives); or intangibles such as values, customers, ceremonies, lifestyles, and including experiences such as festivals, arts and cultural events. Heritage can also classified according to type of attraction (Dallen et al. 2003:3).

Oxford English dictionary define heritage (1983) as which has been or may be inherited. That’s mean anything which pass from previous (old) generation to another (new) in the form of physical, cultural, natural and financial or other can be heritage.

Tourism is not just an aggregate of merely commercial activities; it is also an ideological framing of history, nature and tradition; a framing that has the power to reshape culture and nature to its own needs said by MacCannell in 1992, (Herbert, 1997:1)

The origins of tourism are ancient. Urry (1990) suggested that tourism was known in Imperial Rome with the use of seaside ‘resort’; certainly in medieval times pilgrimages to the Holy Land involved pleasure and sightseeing as well as religious duty. As a concept and a reality, the Grand Tour was established by the late seventeenth century as a component of polite society’s social round (Herbert, 1997:6). Heritage is not just the historic monument or cenotaphs buildings, but all which relate people with the rich past of that particular culture or tradition is heritage.

These above lines explain that tourism is nothing recent, by which we can say that it’s a very new concept in the society. Tourism is very old and was present in the different form like seaside or pilgrims.

But in 21st century it become more immense and fascination by the media. And tourism is different from leisure because in tourism people go out from there home overnight and stay there and enjoy the place by any reason. It can be religious, medical or just leisure. To show case the historic monuments to handicrafts or artefacts, and allow for community to view and be taught about there great past is heritage tourism.

2.2 Modelling of heritage and heritage tourism

This debate reveals that heritage and heritage tourism is complex. To simplify and to make it more clearly the following model is proposed; model of heritage and heritage tourism. Figure 1

This model is approach the behavioural perspective within behavioural geography. It suggests that heritage exists within the two types of environment; ‘phenomenal (unique) and ‘behavioural’ (human behaviour).

The previous is an expansion of the normal concept of environment that include natural phenomena and cultural and built environment that have been either altered or created by human activity on the other hand, the behavioural environment is where the social and cultural facts existing within the phenomenal environment are passed through a filter of human values (Dallen et al. 2003:7)

According to Kirk (1963), these environments forms on the basis on which decision are made which may, or may not, be acted upon to be translated into action within the phenomenal environment.

Heritage tourism experience is in the core of this model, and the key outcome is good experience out of every trips. As the expanded inner section of the model illustrate, the heritage tourism experience is formed within what is labelled here as the “experimental heritage environment”. The core heritage tourism experience is influence and shaped by mixed elements like supply and demand (of the destination), politics (government policies), authenticity, conservation (of heritage) with in any destination region. How all those element influence each other and by their role they play in heritage tourism experience.

The model of heritage tourism clearly gives answer, that heritage and the heritage tourism is very complex and they overlap each other in different environments. And they both (phenomenal and behavioural) affect the destination with other components in the core; economic filter and cultural/societal filter.

It is important now to return to the question of a heritage spectrum (range) as advocated earlier by Richards (1996). This concept is very important as it helps to clarify the existence of many types of heritage experiences and heritage landscapes. It purely means that when we talk about tourism experience it has all types of tourism with its landscapes types and heritage attractions.

The heritage spectrum model suggest that the heritage landscapes pass through a multiplicity of setting ranging from the natural and immaculate to then built urban and artificial heritage landscapes. The model also shows that heritage tourism has common characteristics of ecotourism (nature based) on the left side and urban tourism (theme perks) and cultural tourism (viewing cultural heritage, architecture) in the right side and middle respectively.

The following model also demonstrates that the tourism types (eco-tourism, cultural-tourism and urban-tourism) should not be viewed as mutually exclusive as overlaps most certainly exist. Because of this reality the model refers to heritage tourism as an overlapping concept.

Types of tourism in heritage tourism overlap each other but also give types of landscapes and type of heritage attractions separately. In which ecotourism give natural and rural types of landscape if visiting national parks in the type of heritage attraction.

2.3 Value and significance of heritage

The focus of value shifts to the significance people place on heritage. Hall and McArthur (1993) identified four interrelated areas of significance in heritage: economic, social, political and scientific significance.

Economic significance: Heritage is not cheap! Restoring a property maintaining it, installing necessary facilities (i.e. toilets and drinking water) and establishing and running an interpretive programme can easily cost twice as much (Dallen, 2003:143).

Zeppel and Hall (1992) believe heritage is preserved because of the value it offers in terms of expenditures, of visitors to site (Dallen, 2003:13). Tourism is big business and really in demand. People have started paying these days for outdoor fun, and if the destinations have potential they will not think twice to visit there. Rajasthan heritage have the potential to attract the tourist all over and generate foreign exchange.

Social significance: this refers to the private and collective identity that people and society have with ‘their’ heritage. That’s what local person and community think about their heritage, and how they value to it. The people of Rajasthan feel pride on is rich and colourful cultural heritage. A social ethics will often be the driving force to consider preservation in the first instance (Dallen, 2003:13).

Political significance: As Hall and McArthur note, heritage by definition is political, in terms of reinforcing what is conserved, how heritage is told, and placing the wishes of private owners of heritage into conflict with government or public interests.

In the words of Johnson (1999:187), ‘heritage tourism is not just a set of commercial transactions, but the ideological framing of history and identity’. Politics is in its very essence about power, and heritage by its very nature is apolitical phenomenon, since history is always told from the perspective of winners of wars and people in positions of power (Hall 1994, 97, 2000), (Dallen, 2003:257).

The history of Rajasthan is all about war and warriors. Politic is all over the place in Rajasthan. Even though in literature, arts and crafts there are a pinch of politic.

Scientific significance: many national parks and protected forest areas may contain genetic material and ecosystems (flora and fauna) that will be useful to medicine and research work. They also provide habitats for rare and endangered species. There is also an educative part to heritage-providing visitors with information about the living history, culture, and people of areas (Dallen, 2003:13).

Not only the national parks, protected forest and wildlife’s had their scientific significance in the heritage of Rajasthan, but the agrological site as well. The site of Indus valley civilisation in Indian sub-continent is very important for the study of river valley human history. The Harappa civilisation considers one of the oldest civilisations on earth.

2.4 Scales of Heritage

Heritage is not homogeneous (uniform); it exists in different level and scales, namely world, national, local and personal (Graham et al. 2000; Swarbrooke 1994; Timothy 1997). Given model illustrates these scales of heritage tourism experience, suggesting that they are all linked by the notion of ‘shared heritage’ (Dallen, 2003:14).

Heritage is very heterogeneous (varied); it can be different in one destination. And if the destination is in India the probability is much because India is a very diverse country with the birth place of many cultures and civilisation. Rajasthan which is the largest and the most colourful state is also not an exception in is cultural heritage.

World: Timothy (1997) noted that world scale heritage attraction draw large masses of tourists from many countries. How ever, for most foreign tourist, these sites themselves are likely to be only a small part of more extensive itinerary. For example visiting a historic agrological site of Harappa visitor can witness the life and culture of that era.

Visiting an international heritage attraction is a way of appreciating universal civilisation and achieving some degree of human unity (Moulin 1991). The idea to conserve our heritage came first in the early 1970s by UN’s environment programme and UNESCO’s Man Biosphere Programme.

National: ‘Through time, certain heritage features came to symbolise a society’s shared recollection (Lowenthal 1975:12). Foe example the Holy town of Pushkar is a symbol (pilgrim) of Hindu community and Ajmer is for Muslims in Rajasthan. On this level, historical monuments often represent durable national ideals, and national pride can be an important stimulus of preserving the built environment in western societies (Lowenthal 1975; Timothy 1997) these type of historic site can be pride of any society like Taj Mahal is a pride for each and every Indian.

Local: Lowenthal (1979:554) noted that the local level, communities need familiar land marks so that they can remain in touch with their own collective pasts in a rapidly changing world. There are many sites which are not very popular but they still have their local importance like, The nine-story Vijay Sthambha or Tower of Victory is the most highlighting feature of Chitturghar fort is the memorial of their local hero’s, women and children who sacrifice their lives for the motherland. For visitors it just a memorial tower but the significance for the local were very different, it very important for them.

‘Memorials erected in memory of a community‘s earliest pioneer efforts, or a local historical museum can provide an important experience for local to which outsiders may not be able to relate’ (Timothy 1997:752).

Personal: Lowenthal (1979) asserted that modern-day destination of historic relics has deepened people’s sense of nostalgia for the past. A search for root and historical identity and an increased appreciation for one culture and family legacy are evidence of this phenomenon. Timothy said (1997) of the four type of scale of heritage here personal heritage has received the least attention in the literature and hence is least understood.

Personal scale of heritage is very private. For example family reunions travel to historic or religious place, cultural and vocational interest is another form of personal scale of heritage. The attachments with family houses or souvenirs are perfect example of personal scale of heritage.

2.5 What is Marketing and Destination Marketing

‘Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirement profitably’ define by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, CIM UK. And the other hand the American Marketing Association ‘Marketing (management) is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational objectives’ (Seaton et al.1999:6).

As per Adcock remark ‘The right product, in the right place, at the right time, at the right price’. The most influential and dominant word of 21th century is marketing or if said like this, that everything is saleable if the packaging is good i.e. the right product marketed at the right place at the right time (season) with a right price (in compression to competitors) is marketing by Adcock. It means that marketing is not only selling or advertising, but also to promote the brand value and quality to the customers. And also build a connection between the producer and customers. The aim of marketing for an organisation is to achieve profit or other objective. Marketing is not only important for the manufacturing or production industries, but equally necessary for the promotion of hospitality and tourism industry to achieve desire goal. A social and managerial process by which individual and groups obtain what they need and what through creating and exchanging products and value with others is called marketing (Kilter, P 2003).

Destination marketing:

Seaton (1999:351) said that the destination marketing is the spirit land of tourism marketing. The destination has the internal connection to all the other industries (stakeholders) in the tourism sector like transport, hotels and attractions. Destination management is not just managing the physical product (i.e. the venue, hotels, transport system, visitor attractions) but also very much to do with building companies reputation and teamwork across the destination, its also has an important component to play in creating understanding and recognition across the community for the economic importance of the conference, trade and events sector (Davidson et al. 2006:35).

Marketing is the process of planning and execute and the promotion of the product of achieve the desire goal and objective in terms of profit and brand success. Like the same theory functioning behind the destination management or tourism marketing management. Destination marketing management show case the destination as product and highlights to get profit out of it heritage and culture.

Benefits of destination management
Marketing Mix:

‘Kotler (1984:68) define it as ‘T

In India, Railways play a vital role in the socio-economic life of the country. Today, the number of domestic as well as international travelers is increasing with an increase in the disposable income of Indians. To support the increasing traffic of travelers even Indian Railways have come out with few plans over last 10-15 years. They are trying to build their tourism wing as well but still travelers are not aware of the various initiatives taken by Indian Railways. Indian Railways have a totally new wing to handle this i.e. Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

The first objective of the project is to bring awareness by designing the marketing plan for them. This will be used all over the country to promote rail tourism.

The other objective of the project is to find the feasibility of new route which they can venture into. This would require both financial and operational strategy.

The final deliverable for the MRR would be a combination of both the strategies mentioned above for Indian Railways to showcase the marketing plan and advantages and risk for investing in the new routes.

Objectives of the study

The objective of this study is as follows:

To study Indian Railways especially tourism hand of it.

To study changing tourism pattern in India.

To study current IRCTC tourism plan.

To understand the demographics of tourist

To recommend a marketing strategy for already present plans

Finding new route which IRCTC could venture.

To develop financial and operational plan for this new route.

To recommend a plan for the implementation of above strategy.

Hypothesis of the MRR

In India, numbers of tourist are increasing every year due to increase in the disposable income. Railway has a tourism wing which tries to satisfy the need of these tourist but still general public is not much aware various initiatives taken. Tourist are still competing with the general traveler to get a seat in rail instead of opting for various other special offers provided by rail tourism. We have an opportunity to start new route and promote both old as well as new routes by formulating a marketing plan for this.

Scope and Limitation
Scope:

This study would help in promoting rail tourism in India. Also this would help them to generate extra revenue by venturing into new routes. It would help to satisfy the current increasing demand for transportation by tourist.

Limitation:

MRR would choose certain region based on selected parameters to search for new routes and to start with the marketing plan for the same. This selection does not mean that IRCTC would be willing to share all the data for the project.

MRR would only deal in highlighting and describing important benefits associated with start of new routes. It would not cover financial and operational details of it.

The financial plan would require valuations of new strategy. Limitations in data might lead to valuations based on assumptions and model.

However both time and resource did not permit venturing into a study of other Railway systems in detail except through what was available on Internet and locally available article on the subject.

Chapter 2: Brief overview of global Tourism Industry
Introduction

Tourism is travel for various purposes like recreational, business, leisure or pleasure. World Tourism Organization headquartered at Madrid defines tourists as people “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes”. In recent times tourism has been recognized as an important social and economic phenomenon. At the World Conference on Tourism held in Manila in 1980, the importance of tourism and its widespread effects were recognized in the Manila Declaration on World Tourism, which stated, “Tourism is considered an activity essential to the life of nations because of its direct effects on the social, cultural, educational and economic sectors of national societies and on their international relations”.

There are three forms of Tourism as per United Nations as follows:

Domestic Tourism – When a resident is travelling in its own country.

Inbound Tourism – When Non-residents are travelling in the given country.

Outbound Tourism – When residents travels to another country.

History

In earlier times, rich uses to travel to distant parts of the world, to see great buildings, works of art, learn new languages, and experience new cultures and to taste different cuisines. The word tourist was used by 1772 and tourism by 1811. In 1936, the League of Nations defined foreign tourist as “someone traveling abroad for at least twenty-four hours”. United Nations in 1945 have amended this definition by including a maximum stay of six months.

United Kingdom was the first country to promote leisure travel which was associated with Industrial Revolution due to increase in Industrial population. This comprise of new middle class at that time. This model was then replicated in France, Continental Europe, and south pacific Asia and slowly in other parts of world.

Mass tourism was developed with the development of technology and infrastructure, allowing tourist to move around in the world with ease. It was developed only due to new development in transport system around the world.

Tourist Destination statistics

The global tourism market is very concentrated at the top end; 45% of the world`s international arrivals in 2010 are accounted for by the top ten countries. However the future trends show a major shift in the share of tourist arrivals from developed European economies to emerging Asian markets.

Following is the ranking of top destinations as per United Nations World Tourism Organization as per different categories:

International Tourist arrivals by country of destination as of 2011

France – 80 Million

United States – 62 Million

China – 58 Million

International Tourism receipts as of 2011

United States – $116 Billion

Spain – $60 Billion

France – $54 Billion

Most visited cities by international tourist arrival

Paris (France) – 15.6 Million

London (UK) – 15.2 Million

Antalya (Turkey) – 10.5 Million

Goldrush_big.jpg

Source: Amadeus

The above diagram shows a research conducted by Amadeus which shows that there will be a dramatic change of travel spend with Asia-Pacific visitor arrivals accounting for 22% of global traffic and Asia-Pacific residents representing 32% of global travel spend in 2020. Although Europe will dominate the tourism market overall but Asia-Pacific have shown a great improvement and is growing faster than other regions.

Economic Factors

Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries. In 2011 Travel & Tourism contributed 9% to the global GDP which values to more than US$6 trillion, and accounted for more than 255 million jobs. Travel & Tourism industry is expected to grow by an average of 4% annually over the next 10 years, taking it to 10% of global GDP, or some US$10 trillion. It is expected that by 2022 Travel & Tourism industry will account for 328 million jobs or 1 in every 10 jobs on the planet. As per a survey Travel & Tourism is a key generator of employment across the European Union directly generating 10 million jobs across Europe, substantially more than the automotive manufacturing (3.2 million), mining (3.6 million) and financial services sectors (8.5 million). Employment is created in the sectors like transportation services like airlines, cruise, taxi, etc; hospitality services such as hotels, resorts, etc; and entertainment industry like amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, theatres, etc. Even Asia Pacific region is now investing money in Travel & Tourism to depict same figures in their economies as well.

Below is the diagram showing how the contribution is made towards economy and employment through Travel and Tourism (T&T). It is divided into three parts i.e. Direct, Indirect and Induced.

Source: World Trade and Tourism Council research report

The direct contribution of T&T to GDP in 2011 was USD 1,972.8bn (2.8% of GDP). The direct contribution of Travel and Tourism to GDP is expected to grow by 4.2% pa by 2022. Total contribution of T&T to GDP was USD 6,346.1bn in 2011 i.e. 9.1% of GDP and is expected to grow by 2.8% to USD 6,526.9bn i.e. 9.8% of GDP by 2022.

Source: WTTC
Negative factors affecting tourism

Below are the factors which are affecting tourism in most part of the world:

Terrorist threat is one of the biggest negative factors affecting tourism. Terrorist attack in London, US, etc has reduced the number of tourist going to these countries. Also there is terrorist threat to tourist destinations, such as in Bali and several European cities.

Tsunami in Asia had affected tourism in most of the Asian countries at that time. Thousands of lives were lost including many tourists. Tsunami, Katrina and other cyclones in other regions have slowed down the tourism industry in their respective countries.

Virus attacks like H1N1 influenza virus have affected the tourism in several countries.

Other factors like economic unrest and recession have affected the number of tourist going for vacation.

Future Developments

Tourism is expected to grow at a rate of 4% annually and all this requires constant development in the technology and infrastructure. Tourists can be divided generally as per their budgets and taste thus new different ideas are required to pull tourist towards a country or city. For example some people like to go on a hill while some people like to go out for a theme park. Thus various developments were done to cater all the segments as per their needs. Developments like airlines have made it very accessible to travel round the world. International organization WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people is on planes at any time.

Internet development has brought a new revolution in tourism industry. One can book tickets (Rail, ship, airlines, etc), plans, packages, etc through internet. One can easily get a customized package as per their needs on a click of button. Due to competition these website gives competitive prices which is always beneficial for the end customer.

Sustainable Tourism

As the environmental condition of the world deteriorating every year this is an attempt by tourism industry to make as low impact on the environment and local culture as possible, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves. There is a difference between Sustainable tourism and ecotourism. Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial (mass) tourism. Purpose of Ecotourism is to educate the traveler, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, or to foster respect for different cultures and for human rights.

A number of countries around the world are dependent on Tourism and consider Sustainable tourism as the important vehicle for economic and social development. Sustainable tourism is visualized as leading to management of all resources in such a way that social, economic and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining biodiversity, cultural integrity, life support system and essential ecological processes. It implies meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is not just the responsibility of government but it is the responsibility of all the stakeholders in tourism sector as well as the tourists to ensure that what they are getting today is preserve for future generations to enjoy. All stakeholders are responsible to give a good quality of life to future generations and they shouldn’t do anything which would affect the lives of future generation.

For Sustainable tourism each country has to address various issues of policy-making, planning, management and the participation of the private sector and other stakeholders must be addressed in terms of opportunities for action and possible constraints that need to be overcome by concerted efforts.

Sustainable-Development.png

Sustainable tourism aims to reach a balance between the three factors mentioned above i.e. Social, Environmental and Economic factors without affecting the tourist’s expectations from their travel. Sustainable tourism integrates tourism with other factors like economic and growth policies so as to reduce the negative impact mass tourism. Sustainable tourism requires involving local community as well while developing any tourism plan as they are the people who will get affected by any kind of development in their area. Murphy promoted the use of an ‘ecological approach’ while implementing the sustainable tourism development process. He considered both ‘plants’ and ‘people’ during the process. This is in contrast to the ‘boosterism’ and ‘economic’ approaches to tourism planning, neither of which considers the detrimental ecological or sociological impacts of tourism development to a destination.

Chapter 3: Overview of Indian Tourism Industry
Introduction

India is a huge land with a variety of different flora and fauna. Each place has something new to offer. It has covered by Himalaya’s hilly region on one side and sea on the other sides. Tourism in India is one of the largest service industries. As India is a vast country so there are thousands of destinations and each destination is a tourist spot in itself. Whether you visit the metros, big cities or remote areas of India, you will experience something different and interesting alike. Besides, India is also dotted with a number of picturesque hills which draw tourists from world over and provide a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of cities. For those who are interested in history and architecture, India has a number of sites which have been designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. You can get a fine glimpse of the bygone era at these Heritage Sites. UK and US tourists are among major tourist population that visit India. Most popular tourist destinations, in India, among Foreigners are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Most popular destination among Domestic tourist is Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Being oldest states of India, heritage Sites and most importantly Pilgrimage Sites, attracts Domestic tourist.

According to World Travel and Tourism Council, from 2009 to 2018, India will among top tourism destination, having the highest 10-year growth potential. The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007 ranked tourism in India sixth in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms of safety and security. A 5000 year history, culture, religion and alternative medicine fascinates all segments of tourist. The focus of the industry is on “Atithi Devo Bhavah” campaign, targeted at the inbound foreign tourist. Translated literally it means “Guest is God”.

Main attraction to India is its cultural and geographical diversity. It also had a rich history and each region has its own uniqueness which appeals to large and diverse tourist base. There are many tourist spots which come under UNESCO heritage. India provides heritage, sports, medical and business. India has one of the largest and fastest growing medical tourism sectors. According to global hotel and hospitality consulting firm, HVS International, the strong performance in tourist arrivals in 2005 can be attributed to a strong sense of business and investment confidence in India inspired by:

India’s strong GDP performance

Strengthening of ties with developed world

Reforms in aviation sector which led to better connectivity with many countries, and

Opening of sectors of the economy to private sector/foreign investment.

Other factors are:

Development of infrastructure by government

India’s emergence as an outsourcing hub

Success of “Incredible India” campaign and other tourism promotion measures

India’s growing recognition as an exciting place to visit.

Ministry of Tourism

National policies are planned by the Ministry of Tourism. They are responsible for the development and promotion of tourism in India. They are also responsible for the regulation of tourism industry as well as promotion of India as tourist destination to the world. They have to take consideration from all the stakeholders in the sector to execute any plan or development in any of the regions. All the stakeholders involved in this process needs to work collaboratively to function smoothly. Ministry is putting considerable effort to promote new forms of tourism like eco-tourism, medical, sports, water, etc. The Ministry of Tourism also maintains the Incredible India campaign. As of January 2011, head of the ministry is the Cabinet Minister Subodh Kant Sahay. India stole the limelight at the World Tourism Mart 2011 in London by winning two global awards – World’s Leading Destination and World’s Leading Tourist Board, Incredible India.

Economic Factors

Tourism contributes 6.4% to the national GDP and 8.8% to the employment in India. It is the 3rd largest foreign exchange earner in India. Travel & Tourism (T&T) directs contribution to GDP in 2011 was INR1,689.8bn (1.9% of GDP). By 2012, it is forecasted that it will grow by 7.6% to INR1,818.5bn. This shows how much economy can grow just with the help of hotels, rails and other form of transportation services (excluding commuter services). Not only this but it also includes the other industries which are dependent on the tourist such as restaurants and leisure industry. It is expected that by 2022 direct contribution of T&T to GDP is expected to grow by 7.7% pa to INR3,805.2bn (1.9% of GDP). The Total contribution of T&T to GDP was INR5,651.0bn in 2011 (6.4% of GDP) and by 2012 it is expected to grow by 7.3% to INR6,062.3bn (6.5% of GDP). Total contribution is further forecast to rise by 7.8% pa to INR12,891.2bn by 2022 (6.5% of GDP).

% of whole economy GDP

Source: WTTC Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2012

Direct T&T generated by leisure travel spending (inbound and domestic) is 73.8% of direct T&T GDP in 2011 (INR3,335.4bn) compared with 26.2% for business travel spending (INR1,181.3bn). Business travel spending is expected to grow by 4.1% in 2012 to INR1,229.6bn, and rise by 7.6% pa to INR2,562.2bn in 2022. Leisure travel spending is expected to grow by 8.6% in 2012 to INR3,622.3bn, and rise by 7.6% pa to INR7,554.3bn in 2022.

Source: WTTC Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2012

Domestic travel spending generated 82.2% of direct Travel & Tourism GDP in 2011 compared with 17.8% for visitor exports (ie foreign visitor spending or international tourism receipts). Domestic travel spending is expected to grow by 8.3% in 2012 to INR4,009.9bn, and rise by 8.1% pa to INR8,710.3bn in 2022. Visitor exports are expected to grow by 3.5% in 2012 to INR829.2bn, and rise by 5.2% pa to INR1,382.6bn in 2022.

Source: WTTC Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2012

Below are the country rankings of absolute contribution for year 2011. We can see that under direct and total contribution to GDP India is ranked 11th and 12th respectively which is a good ranking. Compared to other Asian economies China is the only country ahead of India in ranking. If we consider employment parameter then India is ranked as 1st for direct contribution to employment while 2nd for total contribution to employment after China. If we see capital investment done with respect to other countries then India is ranked at 4th position.

These rankings are in absolute term but if we consider relative value then India is way behind its neighbors. It is ranked as 126th as total contribution to the GDP. While contribution of tourism to employment is ranked at 102nd and capital investment at 97th. Compared to its competitive neighboring nation it is a poor ranking.

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Source: WTTC – The tables provide brief extracts from the full WTTC Country League Table Rankings, highlighting comparisons with competing destinations as well as with the world average. The competing destinations selected are those that offer a similar tourism product and compete for tourists from the same set of origin markets. These tend to be, but are not exclusively, geographical neighbors.

Below is the long term ranking on the same parameters as above. If we analyze the rankings then we can see that it is improving from the current relative rankings.

C:UsersDellDocumentsAIMMRRDocsLong term.jpg

Source: WTTC – The above table highlights comparison with competing destination as well as with world average. It is a snapshot from WTTC country league table ranking. The competing destinations offer a similar tourism product and compete for tourists from the same set of origin markets i.e. geographic location.

Statistics of Indian Tourism

In 2010, numbers of foreign tourist arrival were 5.78 Million which shows the annual growth rate of 11.8%. This double digit shows that the number of tourist coming to India is increasing at a good rate because the global annual growth is just 6.6% while annual growth of entire Asia Pacific Region is 12.7%. Although this annual growth rate is comparatively high but the share of India in International tourist arrival is just 0.61% and India is ranked at 40th position.

We can also see in the below chart provided by UNWTO that the inbound tourism in Asia and pacific region is going to grow faster than any other region of the world. So this gives a lot of potential for Asian countries to grow and develop their economy via medium of tourism.

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Source: UNWTO

Maximum tourist comes from USA (16%) followed by UK (13%) and then Bangladesh (7.5%). Delhi (34.5%) and Mumbai airport (20.5%) is the main entry point for tourists coming to India. Below table shows the purpose of FTAs visit to India.

C:UsersDellDocumentsAIMMRRDocs77.jpg

Source: India Tourism Statistic 2010

In 2010, peak tourist month was December while on the lower side was May. In December there were around 11.8% tourist and in May there were 5.7% tourist only. The below graph shows that peak season were in Jan – March & Oct – Dec in 2010. This is generally consistent with the pattern in 2008 and 2009 also.

C:UsersDellDocumentsAIMMRRDocsMonth.jpg

Source: India Tourism Statistic 2010

Peak months differ for countries to countries like for USA, Canada, Malaysia, Australia and Singapore, December was the peak month. For countries like UK, Germany and Korea January was the peak month. For few countries it is even August or July. But overall it is the winter season (October-December) where we see maximum FTAs in India i.e. 31.1% and minimum in summer season (April-June) i.e. 18.8%.

Of all the FTAs in 2010, Male FTAs accounted for 59.3% while Female as 40.7%. Over the last 15 years the percentage of female visitors has increased in India. The trend among the age group which we have seen in the inbound tourist was that maximum comes from the age group of 35-44, followed by the age groups of 45-54 years and 25-34 years. Minimum were in the age group of 15-24 years.

Domestic Tourism:

Along with International tourism even Domestic tourism is increasing at a good pace. The compound annual growth rate of domestic tourist visits to all states/UTs from 1991 to 2010 is 13.5%. Below is the diagram showing year-wise domestic/foreign tourists visits to States/ UTs during 2000 and 2010

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Source: India Tourism Statistic 2010

Below is the figure showing the percentage share of Top 10 States/UTs in Domestic tourist visits in 2010. We can see that Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamilnadu itself comprise of roughly 55% of the total domestic tourist visit. In terms of foreign tourist Maharashtra is the state which is most visited i.e. 28.5%.

C:UsersDellDocumentsAIMMRRDocsshare.jpg

Source: India Tourism Statistic 2010
Chapter 4: Transport Industry in India
Introduction

Transport in the Republic of India is an important part of the nation’s economy. Since the economic liberalization of the 1990s, development of infrastructure within the country has progressed at a rapid pace, and today there is a wide variety of modes of transport by land, water and air.

India’s transport sector is large and diverse; it caters to the needs of 1.1 billion people. In 2007, the sector contributed about 5.5 percent to the nation’s GDP. Public transport still remains the primary mode of transport for most of the population, and India’s public transport systems are among the most heavily used in the world. India’s rail network is the 4th longest and the most heavily used system in the world, transporting over 6 billion passengers and over 350 million tons of freight annually.

Good physical connectivity in the urban and rural areas is essential for economic growth. Since the early 1990s, India’s growing economy has witnessed a rise in demand for transport infrastructure and services. However, the sector has not been able to keep pace with rising demand and is proving to be a drag on the economy. Major improvements in the sector are required to support the country’s continued economic growth and to reduce poverty.

Primary Mode of Transportation

Railways. Indian Railways (reporting mark IR) is an Indian state-owned railway enterprise, owned and operated by the Government of India through the Ministry of Railways. It is one of the world’s largest railway networks comprising a total of 114,500 kilometres (71,147 mi) of track over a route of 65,000 kilometres (40,389 mi) and 7,500 stations. IR carries over 30 million passengers and 2.8 million tons of freight daily. In 2011-2012 Railway earned INR104,278.79 crore (US$18.87 billion) which consists of INR69,675.97 crore (US$12.61 billion) from freight and INR28,645.52 crore (US$5.18 billion) from passengers tickets. It is one of the world’s largest employers. The railways play a leading role in carrying passengers and cargo across India’s vast territory. However, most of its major corridors have capacity constraint requiring capacity enhancement plans. To reduce congestion on rail corridors along the highly trafficked Golden Quadrilateral and improving port connectivity government is launching the National Rail Vikas Yojana (National Railway Development Program). The development of two Dedicated Freight Corridors from Mumbai to Delhi and Ludhiana to Dankuni is also in governments plan.

Roads. Roads are the dominant mode of transportation in India today. They carry almost 90 percent of the country’s passenger traffic and 65 percent of its freight. The density of India’s highway network — at 0.66 km of highway per square kilometer of land – is similar to that of the United States (0.65) and much greater than China’s (0.16) or Brazil’s (0.20). However, most highways in India are narrow and congested with poor surface quality, and 40 percent of India’s villages do not have access to all-weather roads.

Ports. India has a long coastline, spanning 7516.6 kilometres, forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. It is serviced by 13 major ports (12 government and 1 corporate) and 187 notified minor and intermediate ports. The latest addition to major ports is Port Blair on June 2010, the 13th port in the country. These ports serve the country’s growing foreign trade in petroleum products, iron ore, and coal, as well as the increasing movement of containers. Inland water transportation remains largely undeveloped despite India’s 14,000 kilometers of navigable rivers and canals.

Aviation. India has 125 airports, including 11 international airports. Indian airports handled 96 million passengers and 1.5 million tons of cargo in year 2006-2007, an increase of 31.4% for passenger and 10.6% for cargo traffic over previous year. The dramatic increase in air traffic for both passengers and cargo in recent years has placed a heavy strain on the country’s major airports. Passenger traffic is projected to cross 100 million and cargo to cross 3.3 million tons by year 2010. Privatization and expansion of the Mumbai and New Delhi Airports and development of new international airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Transport infrastructure in India is better developed in the southern and southwestern parts of the country.

PESTLE Analysis

Political Context – Many limitations were imposed by public transport sector. Also government has imposed many taxes which will further increase the prices of automobiles. Government has asked public transport vehicles in many cities to move to CNG instead of petrol which has affected many individuals. Launching the ambitious National Highway Development Program which has seven phases and is expected to be completed by 2012. It includes improved connectivity between Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, popularly called the Golden Quadrilateral, in the first phase, North- South and East- West corridors in phase two, four laning of more than 12,000 km in phase three, two laning of 20,000km and six laning of 6,500 km respectively in phase four and five, development of 1,000km of expressway in phase six and other important highway projects in phase seven. Total expected investment is INR 2.2 trillion. Accelerated Road Development Program for the North East Region to provide road connectivity to all State capitals and district headquarters in the region.

Economic Context – Petrol prices are increasing every year at a sky rocket speed and this will surely hamper the transport industry as it will lead to increase in the travelling fare. Consumer confidence has decreased as a result of the economic downturn and people are seeking savings in their everyday life. Increase in the average disposable income of both families and individuals indicates that more people can afford to buy and use a private car. Tourism bring foreign exchange earnings of USD 14.19 Billion. The top-income households, the real consuming class with high disposable income, have been getting richer faster. It is for this reason that the boom in sales of virtually every consumer product from cars to bikes to TV sets is visible all over.

Societies Context – Growing population and numbers of visitors/tourists/immigrants imply increasing demand for transport Services. People are more time-poor and seek efficient ways of transport in the city, where public transport possesses advantages such as rail and bus lanes that avoid traffic jams. People seek the convenience, personal comfort and social status that mainly private cars or, to a certain degree, taxis can offer

Technology Context – Rapid development in communication and computer technologies, e.g. increasing use of videoconferencing, tele-working and the Internet

How Tanzania Governments can promote tourism to UK?

The means that will enable Tanzania to promote and market tourism to UK tourists, and how tourism opportunities can be exploited to attract more UK visitors.

Table of contents (Jump to)

Introduction

Literature Review

Chapter 1: Tanzania and Tourism

Chapter 2: The Sustainable Debate

Chapter 3: Tourism and Governments

Chapter 4: Tourism and Marketing

Methodology

1. Research Philosophy

1.1 How do we know what is valid?

2. Research Approach

3. Research Strategies

3.1 Case Study

4. Time Horizons

5. Data Collections Methods

5.1 Sampling

5.2 Market Research & Questionnaire

5.3 Questionnaire Design

6. Data Analysis

7. Research Ethics

8. Politics of Access

Findings

Interpretation of Findings

Conclusion

References

Bibliography

Appendix

Appendix II

Appendix III

Introduction

Tanzania is situated just south of the equator in East Africa. The mainland lies between the areas of the great lakes: Victoria, Tanganyika and Malawi, with the Indian Ocean on its’ coastline to the east (Africa Guide Online 1). Tanzania has frontiers with the following countries; to the North; Kenya and Uganda, to the West: Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo, to the South: Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, to the East: Indian Ocean (Tanzanian Government Online1). The country is also the home to the Kilimanjaro which is with its 19,340ft, the highest mountain in Africa (Africa Guide Online 1). Dodoma is the political capital with a population of 300,000, while Dar es Salaam is the countries commercial capital (Tanzanian Government Online 1).

Tanzania has three main climatic areas; the coastal area and immediate hinterland, with tropical conditions and an average of 26.6°C (80°) and which is high in humidity; the central plateau, which is hot and dry and the third region is the semi-temperate highland areas, with a healthy and cool climate (Africa Guide Online 2). The hot periods are between November and February and the coldest areas between May and August (Tanzanian Government Online 1). In regards to when the best season for tourists to visit is, writers seem not to have found a consensus; some suggest the standard tourist season is January and February, as the hot dry weather at this time of the year is generally considered to be the most pleasant (Lonely Planet Online). While others argue that the best times to travel is between July through to March for the Northern and Southern parts of Tanzania as well as Zanzibar. And for the Western area the months from May through to March are most suitable for tourist activities (Tanzania Online).

Tanzania belongs to the poorest countries in the world. In 2005 the country has a population of 36,766,356 and a population growth rate of 1.83% (2005 est.), while 36% (in 2002 est.) of the population is below poverty line (CIA Online). However, there are various numbers in regards to this subject, and some of them even claim that it is 50% of the population which lives below the poverty line (Tanzanian Government Online 1). And although the numbers are still shocking, there seems to have been some improvement in terms of the poverty in Tanzania in the past 20 or so years. Since in 1988, according to IFDA, there were nearly 12 million rural Tanzanians, or 60 per cent of the rural population, living below the poverty line (IFDA, 1992, Cooksey, cited in Bierman and Moshi, 1997:77).

The population in the mainland consist of 99% native Africans (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes). And the other 1% consists of Asians, Europeans and Arabs. However, in Zanzibar the mix of populations differs, there are much more Arabs, some native African, and then mixes between the two (CIA Online).

This again is mirrored in the religion represented, in the mainland its 30% Christians, 35% Muslims and 35% indigenous beliefs, where as in Zanzibar it’s more than 99% Muslim (CIA Online).

The official language is Kiswahili or Swahili (called Kiunguja in Zanzibar). English is the official primary language of commerce, administration and higher education. But Arabic is naturally widely spoken in Zanzibar, and on top there are various further local languages all over Tanzania, naturally with more than 130 different tribes (CIA Online).

The GDP composition by sector looks as followed: agriculture: 43.2%, industry: 17.2%, services: 39.6% (2004 est.). The economy heavily depends on agriculture (coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum, cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep and goats), accounting for almost half of GDP (85% of exports, employing 80% of work force). The official aid flow in 2000 was 1,044.6million USD, which was 11.6% share of GDP in the year 2000. (Ellis and Freeman, 2005)

Tanzania seems stable under the Mkapa president leadership, however, political paralysis and deep rifts between minorities seem to have manifested themselves and are unlikely to disappear within the near future. Also is the support of the opposition (against Mkapa) growing, leading in 2001 to massive rallies and sometimes even violence.

The economy received massive boosts in 2001 with the opening of the Bulyanuhu gold mine and in 2004 with the opening of the Songosongo natural gas field.

Tanzania was also one of the countries affected by the recent December 2004 Tsunami. However, thankfully the government had enough time to react to the warnings, and thus evacuate most of the area, leaving “only” 13 killed (Lonely Planet Online).

Please see Appendix I on page 32&33 for a brief outline of the earlier history of Tanzania.

The following dissertation will begin by looking at the current status and issues in Tanzania’s tourism industry. The second chapter will look at the very timely issue of sustainability in tourism and in regards to Tanzania and the also the UK consumers attitude towards it. The third chapter will examine the role of governments in the tourism process. In the fourth chapter the marketing tools for a tourism destination will be analysed. This is then followed by the methodology, which will explain the methods and methodology used for this dissertation. Then the findings are presented, and interpreted. Finally a conclusion will bring to a close the dissertation. Furthermore, naturally, there are the references, bibliography and some appendices.

The dissertation will by no means be exhaustive, due to the time, word, monetary and access restraints. It is merely designed to give some ideas towards a possible way of a better promotion of Tanzania in regards to the UK market. Literature Review

Literature Review
Chapter 1: Tanzania and Tourism

Before looking at what the means for promoting tourism are, firstly an analysis of the current state of tourism and its problems in Tanzania is necessary.

Wangwe et al. (1998:67) write on tourism possibilities: “Tanzania is blessed with many attractions for tourism including wildlife, Mount Kilimanjaro, and beautiful beaches. There are also many cultural and historical attractions as well, such as traditional ngomas, and Zanzibar and other coastal towns whose sights show the interaction of East Africa with many ancient civilizations including the Romans, the Indians and the Middle East”.

Tourism in Tanzania is a fairly new development. In fact “for nearly three decades after Tanzania’s independence, tourism kept a very low profile. However, the National Tourism Policy, which was put in place in 1991, and the government policy of trade and economic liberalization have had a positive impact on the acceleration of tourism development”. And “As of 1994, the National Park system had expanded to eleven, namely, Serengeti, Ruaha, Ngorongoro, Mikumi, Tarangire, Katavi, Kilimanjaro, Rubondo, Manyara, Arusha and Gombe Stream”. Also “ In 1994 about 262,000 tourists visited Tanzania” (Wangwe et al. 1998:67)”.

In fact, tourism is Tanzania’s fastest growing sector, however still counting for less than 10% of GDP (Author Unknown, Nov.2002). And tourism is also Tanzania’s second largest foreign exchange earner (Author Unknown, 01/02/1998). Pollock (cited in Fennell, 2003) writes that tourism has started to be an important part in the economy of Tanzania. However, the importance of game conservations has been recognized nationally as well as internationally, standing in direct contrast to tourism development. And also although tourism may help to fund conservation and development, the reliance on it can be problematic due to the fickle nature of the market (Smith and Duffy, 2003).

However, the tourism industries mission statement which forms the basis of the tourism planning policy is to: “.develop quality tourism that is ecologically friendly to the conservation and restoration of the environment and its people’s culture” (Author Unknown, Tanzania Government Online 2).

Nevertheless, National Parks are already often overcrowded, and this is developing into a serious problem (Hein, 1997). The Sopa Lodges in Tanzania are fully booked throughout the summer, and Agent Nina Wennersten of Woodcliff Lake says that Tanzania’s tourism has doubled in each of the last two years (Ruggia, 2004). Also the Africa Safari Co’s chief executive Susie Potter said that the year 2005 was shaping up to be a great year for them (Travel trade, 17/11/2004). Smulian (2005) writes that “agents should advise visitors hoping to see the stunning wildlife of Tanzania’s national parks to book early this year, after the countries best-ever season saw overbooking at lodges last summer”. All in all it seems that Tanzanians tourism market is booming. The UK is in fact the largest tourism market for Tanzania, says director of the Tanzania Tourist Board, Peter Mwenguo. He also notes in 2004 that the tourism industry in Tanzania is booming now (Ruggia, 2004).

And although environmental efforts seem to be taken seriously, such as the Serena Hotel Chain in Tanzania, which operates to environmental standards that are among the world’s best (Middleton and Hawkins, 1998). Nevertheless, the country is lacking in adequate infrastructure and there seems to be no multi-sectoral approach, nor has the development of tourism been very coordinated (Wangwe et al. 1998:68).

This then leaves the government with various difficulties in developing a sustainable tourism policy, and writers such as Schmale (1993) give examples of Tanzania in regards to the socio-political and economical environment and the challenges local organizations face. For example there is the problem of the socio-cultural impact on the Maasai people whose traditional territory includes the National Parks. “Employment for the Maasai living around these parks was limited to posing for photographs and selling craft souvenirs (Bachman, 1988, cite in Hall and Lew 1998:63)”.

Tanzania targets high-spending tourists and the steep rise in tourist numbers have increased the pressure on services (Author Unknown, Nov.2002). The country is thus opening up opportunities along the Indian Ocean shoreline (Author Unknown, Nov.2002) namely the CC Africa lodges on less-visited parts of Tanzania (Dunford, 2004).

However, Vesely (2000) comments that there are also plenty of possibilities for not so wealthy visitors to go to Tanzania, and that there are well developed camp-sites, tented camps and motel style facilities.

However, in the past eight years, there also has been some negative news on Tanzania. Just recently there were two British students shot in a violent ambush on the Island of Pemba in Tanzania (Dennis, 2004). The Foreign and the Commonwealth Office immediately updated the travel advice, since last month there was already a fatal shooting of a British tourist and a fatal shooting of a British businessman in Tanzania. And tour operators do believe that this will hit tourist numbers in a negative way (Dennis, 2004). Unfortunately, these incidents have not been the first once, and there have been events already in earlier years. In 1998, US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by terrorists, naturally resulting in heavy cancellations from US tourists at the time (Berger, 1998). Furthermore were there some political violence incidents in Zanzibar in 2001, which spoiled the reputation of Tanzania as a stable and progressive democracy (Vesely, 2001). One could expect and argue that all of these incidents had negative impacts on the tourism in Tanzania, and thus a special part in Chapter 4: Tourism and Marketing will be allocated toward the marketing of a destination in crisis.

Chapter 2: The Sustainable Debate

The above chapter has outlined that Tanzania’s tourism industry is performing very well, and that indeed the UK tourists are their prime market. In fact, there were even overbooking last year, due to such high demand. Consequently, there are new resorts opening up and it is questionable to whether one should further exploit the tourism opportunities, in the light of sustainable development and tourism.

Although modern mass tourism only appeared post war 1950’s (Weaver and Oppermann, 2000 and Winpenny, 1991), the results that uncontrolled exploitation of tourism opportunities has shown is catastrophic, as can be seen on examples such as the Spanish coast (Richards and Hall, 2000). Thus unsurprisingly, sustainability is arguably the new fad word in the tourism industry, since many destinations now face environmental, socio-cultural and even economical damages caused by the chaotic growth of (mass) tourism. In fact; “There are examples from almost every country in the world, where tourism development has been identified as being the main cause of environmental degradation” (Lickorish and Jenkins, 1999:85).

Therefore, the practice of sustainable development is of crucial importance. The definition offered at the Globe ’90 Conference in Vancouver for sustainable tourism and development was as followed; “Sustainable tourism development is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that we can fulfil economic, social and aesthetic needs while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems” (Tourism Stream Action Committee 1990, Ledbury cited in Hein, 1997:30).

Tourism’s impacts can be divided into three elements; economical, environmental and socio-cultural (Coltman, 1989). Thus, those are the three headings that not only the sustainable debate, but also other outcomes should be measured at. Therefore, according to sustainable tourism, three points have to be achieved through tourism development:

Increasing economic value of tourism
An improvement in the life quality of people
Protection and responsible use of natural resources (Keyser, 2002)

And also consumers are responding to this new sustainability “trend”. In fact, mainstream consumer preferences are being influenced by this movement for responsible forms of tourism (Goodwin cited in Jenkins et al. 2002). And Butcher (2003) notes on an important shift to a growth in ethical consumption. Thus, sustainability also indirectly influences the economic impact, in terms of consumer choices for sustainability.

Especially our target market, the UK, seems to show an interest in criticism of tourism development and “bad tourism and tourists” (Allen and Brennan, 2005). Therefore, sustainability development and tourism should be practiced by the Tanzania government and tourism industry. Not only because it will help to ensure that the environment will not get too spoiled and thus leave good prospects for future tourism business, but also because it might arguably be seen as favourable by the UK target market.

Chapter 3: Tourism and the Government

The involvement of governments in the process of tourism promotion arguably varies in levels depending on the country. And thus the question arises whether and when governments should be involved, not only in the marketing, but in the business of tourism.

Jeffries (2001) argues that due to the cooperation and coordination required, due to the complexity of the industry and its products, debatably only the government has the authority and apparatus to organize such successfully. Furthermore does he outline that “in very poor developing countries (such as Tanzania) governments are encouraged by aid programmes to use tourism not only as a tool to combat poverty but as a means for encouraging and financing biodiversity and nature conservation, a matter of considerable interest in donor communities” (Jeffries, 2001:106).

Therefore, it could be suggested that the governments involvement seems of crucial importance to the success of Tanzania’s tourism future, but also to the country in itself in terms of sustainability on the economic, environmental and socio-cultural aspect.

In fact, the Tanzanian government seems to have recognized such, and is highly concerned with improving the infrastructure quality and diversity, ease of destination entry formalities, revision of applicable taxes and maintenance of peace, stability and security, regulation of foreign exchange regulations and controls (Tanzania Government Online 2).

Chapter 4: Tourism and Marketing

“. marketing is a strategic process that aims to fit the resources of a destination to the opportunities existing in the market” (Godfrey and Clarke, 2000:125). Following the thought of this quote, one could postulate that marketing is finding a way to identify the market which will be interested in the resources available.

Before the promotion of the destination starts, a marketing plan should be established.

The marketing process which results in a marketing plan should focus on answering four questions:

Where are we now? [situation analysis; PEST and Porter’s 5forces and SWOT];
Where do we want to be? [marketing objectives];
How do we get there? [strategies and tactics];
How do we know if we’ve got there? [monitoring; before-and-after research, marketing productivity ratios, evaluation and control].

(Godfrey and Clarke, 2000)

This should then lead to 2 different marketing plans, a 3-5 year strategic marketing plan, setting the outlines for the activities and the directions for the annual plans. And the annual or the tactical marketing plan which should have detailed actions and methods for monitoring achievement (Godfrey and Clarke, 2000).

Then it is important to look at the consumer behaviour. The consumer buying process can be broken down into five steps: Problem Recognition, Information Search, Evaluation of Alternatives, Purchase, Post-Purchase Evaluation or behaviour (Dibb et al., 2001 and Kotler et al. 1993:47). It is debatably of crucial importance to understand the behaviour of the consumers, as especially during the information search and the evaluation of alternatives stages they are faced with so many possible tourism destinations. Pike (2004) argues that consumers nowadays have more product choices but less decision making time than ever before. Therefore underlining that the means in which the consumer comes in contact with the marketing effort of Tanzania, arguably needs to be memorable and favourable. Pike (2004) further outlines this by arguing that the size of a consumer’s decision set of destinations will be limited to approximately four, and destinations not included in that set, are much less likely to be chosen.

Next the market segment for Tanzania needs to be identified. “A market segment can be defined as ‘a subgroup of the total consumer market whose members share common characteristics relevant to the purchase or use of the product’” (Holloway, 2004: 116).

There are different types of segmentation; geographic segmentation, demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation and behavioural segmentation (Kotler et al. 1999). Due to the given constraints, it is impossible to undertake serious market segmentation in this dissertation.

After the segmentation has been decided upon, the destination needs positioning. The successful implementation needs to follow these seven steps.

Identify the target market in travel context
Identify the competitive set of destinations in the target market and travel context.
Identify the motivation/benefits sought by previous visitors and non-visitors.
Identify perception of the strengths and weaknesses of each of the competitive set of destinations.
Identify opportunities for differentiated positioning.
Select and implement the position.
Monitor the performance of the positioning strategy over time.

(Pike, 2004:117)

The positioning elements consist of the destination name, a symbol and a slogan (Pike, 2004). The name, in a case for a tourist destination is naturally already given, However, the Tanzanian government should think of a creative symbol that will stay in people’s mind. Also (according to Pike, 2004) does Tanzania not have a slogan yet, therefore a catchy slogan such as “I New York” should be developed.

All of those efforts will help in creating a brand image. A brand is more than a symbol; it’s a promise to the consumer, and thus represents more than a logo (Pike, 2004). And since holidays are a high-risk purchase, due to the fact that the tourist can neither directly observe what is being bought nor try it out (Goodall and Ashworth, 1988), it seems of vital importance that a strong brand image is developed. And brand loyalty can be easily measured by repeat and referral customers (Pike, 2004).

There are three marketing strategies that lead to commercial success; low cost leadership, differentiation (high added value) and focus (specialization to uniqueness) (Holloway, 2004). From the above analysis it could be argued that Tanzania does not rely on low cost leadership, but rather on a differentiation strategy. In fact; “Differentiation is the path chosen by most brand leaders in any industry” (Holloway, 2004:270).

The next step should be to communicate information and messages to the public, which can be done through four different ways; advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and publicity (Holloway, 2004).

The advertising can take numerous forms and can vary from persuasive to reminder advertising, variations from high to low budget, from a mood or image to a fantasy or a lifestyle message, from newspaper to television, direct mail to radio and magazines to the timing of the media (and many more) (Kotler et al., 1999).

The success can be measured in the communication effect through copy testing. The pre-testing through the direct rating should naturally be done prior to the release of the advertising. And for post-testing an advertisement, recall tests or recognition tests can be used (ibid.). The sales effect should be measured, which however proves a rather difficult task. Although there often is a relationship between promotional spend on sales, the exact correlation is almost impossible to establish, due to so many other influences (Holloway, 2004).

The RETOSA (Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa) marketing research and promotions manager Francis Mfune says that they need to target the trade, especially wholesalers if they want to promote their tourist destinations well (Ruggia, 2004, II). Therefore, it could be advised that the government tries and establish good relations with wholesalers in the UK.

The public relation is another promotional tool for the government of Tanzania. However, arguably not always are the public relations controllable. As can be demonstrated on the case were some tourism officials of Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia blaming the negative media publicity which portrays Africa as a terrorist continent, for the business loss in their tourism industries (Verde, 2003).

The PR activities vary from press relations to product publicity, corporate communication, lobbying and counselling (Kotler et al. 1999). The Tanzanian government could use PR promotion in the form of publications, special events, news, and speeches (ibid.)

And as for promoting Tanzania under the current problems with crime and terrorism, there are some steps to marketing of a destination in crisis:

Step 1: Identify the event/problem as either a crisis or a hazard

Step 2: Establish a crisis management team (Media and PR, relations with the travel industry in source markets, destination response coordination with the local tourism industry, liaison with local and regional tourism authorities and foreign governments, governments advisories and travel insurance and alliances with tour operators, airlines and hospitality industry representatives servicing the destination in source markets)

Step 3: Promoting the destination during and after a crisis

Step 4: Monitoring recovery and analysing the crisis experience

(Beirman, 2003).

Methodology

In the methodology, it will be outlined how the research was conducted, which designs and methods were used as well as how the data was collected and an explanation of why the particular methods were used. The research process onion (please see Appendix II on page 34) developed by Saunders et al. (2003; 83) was used as guidance and hopefully helps elucidate research method and methodology used to the reader.

1. Research philosophy

The research philosophy is represented by two different corners of thought; the realist (objectivist) and the relativist (subjectivist) (Saunders et al., 2003).

Realist: positivistic, a stance of a natural scientist, believes in quantitative data and external realities. Relativist: interpretivism, believes in qualitative research and the social construction of reality (Saunders et al., 2003).

It places a rather difficult task to identify which philosophy the research was based on, as there are parts of both corners apparent. However, the realist corner arguably was more present. To further examine the different philosophies, it would be advisable to look at realism and relativism in the view of ontology and epistemology. Ontology is described as the “assumptions we make about the nature of reality” (Easterby-Smith et al. 2002: 31), while epistemology is the “general set of assumptions about the best ways of inquiring into the nature of the world” (Easterby-Smith et al. 2002: 31).

1.1 How do we know what is valid

During the first part of the dissertation, the research was focused on secondary research, including some quantitative data. The disparity between some of the research makes it difficult to depict a clear picture. The realist perspective sees validity in whether the research procedures can supply an accurate illustration of reality (Easterby-Smith, 2002).

Arguably this proves almost impossible in the country of Tanzania, due to the differences between Tribes, as well as due to the lack of formally conducted research, and the disparity of locations and conditions of living standards of people. However, for the secondary research conducted about the theories of tourism, sustainability and marketing, a reliable picture should have been depicted on the various theories and concepts. All the secondary data was gathered from books, academic journals, online databases such as Ebscohost.com, newspaper articles and online resources.

As for the primary research, only a small sample of research was conducted, making the reliability of this preposterous. However, the primary research was mainly used to tests some of the marketing theories, to elucidate which efforts would be worth further considering. The reliability of the research is arguably more positive, as it is unlikely that the respondents would have given different answers to a different person. The generalizability of the research is limited however, although it might give insights into countries with a similar tourism package, the research was made solely with Tanzania in mind.

2. Research Approach

There are two different research approaches, one is theory testing, namely the deductive approach, and one is theory building, namely the inductive approach (Saunders et al., 2003). Again, it is most difficult to apply one approach only to the research. In the first part, the theory is outlined, and in the primary research, it is tested. However, by no means can it be claimed that this dissertation has build a theory, and thus it is arguably more of a deductive research approach.

3. Research Strategies

“By a research strategy, we simply mean a general orientation to the conduct of business research” (Bryman and Bell, 2003:25). Bryman and Bell however focused the research strategy on the distinction between researches being conducted through quantitative or qualitative data. Whereas Saunders et al. (2003) see the research strategy more as a general plan of how one goes about answering the research question.

3.1 Case Study

Daymon and Holloway (2002) describe the case study research as a rigorous examination which uses multiple sources of evidence of a single entity, which is fixed by time and place. It is best used when investigations into the how and why are done. Saunders et al. (2003) see case studies as investigations into a timely topic, using numerous sources of evidence and collection methods including; questionnaires, observations, interviews and documentary analysis.

In the first part of the dissertation, the focus was on giving a clearer picture of the product to be marketed. Because arguably, if one does not know what it is that has to be marketed, one can not identify the means required to market the destination successfully.

Therefore, firstly the country Tanzania was introduced, then the state of tourism in Tanzania, followed by a brief outline of the timely issue of sustainability in tourism. Furthermore there is the chapter about tourism and the government. Then the marketing means we

When people go travelling, they buying a product that involves and includes people. It offers tourists an exciting chance to become -even if it’s just for a little while- a part of another culture. This paper is looking at the importance of managing and marketing heritage and cultural tourism and to what extend its used as a promotion strategy to boost tourism in Barcelona. Due to globalisation and increasing competition, many cities are experiencing a stage of regeneration. Especially since traditional industries like the textile manufactory are declining, a major priority is to attract foreign investment and become a high profile destination for tourists. To achieve that, culture and heritage are used as valuable assets for promoting a city.

Definition of cultural and heritage tourism

Culture and heritage have been elements in tourism since a long time. When looking at the role of cultural and heritage tourism, definitions need to be made. Culture can be defined in terms of shared norms, values, customs, artistic achievements by a group of people at a certain time (Beech&Chadwick, 2006: 486). McIntosh, Geoldner and Ritchie have recognized culture as a motivator for people to travel, identified by the desire to see and know more about other cultures. This includes to find out more about the natives of a country, their, lifestyle, music, art, folklore, dance etc (Cooper, et al 2008: 47). Heritage can be defined in terms of what is inherited by one generation from past generations , that can be i.e. a property or a tradition. All in all the National Trust’s definition of cultural heritage tourism is explaning it very well: it is ” traveling to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. It includes historic, cultural and natural resources.” (culturalheritagetourism.org)

Cultural tourism products

Developing successful tourism attractions involves an understanding of what tourism is and how it works. There are key principles, which makes tourists being attracted to a destination. The nature of tourism can be defined as a commercial activity which involves the consumption of experiences, in practice it is a business with the purpose for economic benefit of the tourist destination. The tourism industry enables tourists to consume experiences (McKercher& du Cros, 2002: 27) It is entertainment and a demand-driven activity which is not easy to control. Cultural heritage attractions are a part of tourism and not all cultural assets are cultural tourist attractions(McKercher& du Cros, 2002: 26).

Promoting Culture and Heritage Tourism in Barcelona: Marketing tools

Barcelona has inherited a prosperous cultural tradition, which is resulting from its superb position in the Mediterranean. It has over 2,000 years of history and Barcelona experienced the Iberian, Roman, Arabic and Christian preceding civilizations. It has a distinctive personality as the capital of Catalonia, an area with its own Catalan language and culture (professional.barcelonaturisme.com). During the past decades, Barcelona proofed itself as a vibrant, innovative and imaginative city, which knows how to stay in the international spotlight. Worldwide 37% of trips are taken with the reason to experience culture., where Spain’s market share of cultural tourism is 8,2%. 21% of all foreign tourists came with the purpose to explore culture, compared to 59% for leisure and holiday. Cultural tourism is the second biggest segment of international tourism in Spain with figures of 9 million tourists in 2003 (ectn.eu.com).

Barcelona has confidently established its position as one of Europe’s leading city tourism destinations. With nearly 4 million overnights in 1990, 8 million in 2000 and 12 million overnights during 2008, Barcelona has experienced a massive growth over the past decade (turisme2015bcn.cat ).

In 1993 the public-private “Turisme de Barcelona” Consortium was founded with the intention to promote the city itself as well as reshape the image. It can be seen as the as a continuance of the work from COOB after the Olympics, which was set up by the Chamber of Commerce and the City Council (professional.barcelonaturisme.com). Several strategies were created to achieve the new goals. One key strategy was set to promote cultural tourism: ‘We will promote cultural tourism based on the city’s identifying elements such as the Catalan language, its status as regional capital, unique architectural heritage and Catalan cuisine’ (turisme2015bcn.cat).

The development of cultural services and projects are often used to support the marketing and tourism efforts. This could mean the creation and renewal of museums and art galleries and the hosting of art festivals. This aspect is often part of a comprehensive cultural tourism strategy (Page, S & Hall, CM, 2003: Chapter 8)

Every year Turisme de Barcelona is realising about 400 promotional activities, which are selected according to different market segmentations, tourist typologies and countries. These can be art and culture, shopping, sport, nightlife or leisure to name just a few. The traditional and established iconic landmarks such as Park Guell, La Ramblas or Gaudi’s work as tourist attractions are giving the city a unique image. Barcelona is using several strategies to promote itself; with the most important strategy being destination branding, where the cultural and heritage aspect plays a leading role. Also, there is no doubt that ‘cultural and heritage resources in particular play a key role in the development of urban tourism’ (Page, S & Hall, CM, 2003: Chapter 3). The media in its worldwide spectrum is used to carry out the brand and to promote Barcelona as a tourist “place product” by using television, radio, press and internet (turisme2015bcn.cat).

Barcelona is known throughout the world as a cultural city with an important heritage and vibrant variety of cultural attractions. Barcelona has nine World Heritage Sites to offer (Palau de la Musica Catalana, Park Guell, La Pedrera, Palau Guell, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo , Casa Vicens and Cripta de la Colonia Guell (professional.barcelonaturisme.com).

During a five-year period, Barcelona enlarged its cultural attractions with new initiatives. In every year, a particular area has been devoted in a programme through the Universal Forum of Cultures 2004. In 2000 music was devoted, while 2001 was bestowed to art. In that year when the city hosted the triennial exhibition Experiences, Barcelona Art Report 2001 and the International Congress of Museums. In the year 2002, Barcelona strengthened its international position when it hosted the International Gaudi Year, which has put the city in the world culture of spotlight. In the year 2003, sport and design were the city’s thematic events and received big media coverage (professional.barcelonaturisme.com).

In Barcelona has over 50 museums which are showcasing permanent collections by famous artists such as Picasso, Miro and Tapies. The city also offers a wide choice of theatre and entertainments facilities, and hosts famous festivals such as the Summer “Grec” Festival, where theatre, music and dance come together. The city has two most important classical music venues, the Palau de la Musica and L’Auditori, which both present top-quality programmes. Furthermore, the city’s opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, has one of Europe’s most prominent opera seasons (professional.barcelonaturisme.com).

Barcelona offers different sightseeing tours to discover Culture and Heritage, where passengers get provided with any information they may require. They also give a voucher booklet which offers discounts at the main city attractions. This is a tool to promote the visit of Culture and Heritage sites.

The Barcelona Tourism Board introduced a few years ago the Barcelona Card , which ones purchased provides tourists with free travel on city transport and discounts and free offers at museums, leisure attractions, nightclubs, shops, restaurants, on entertainments and other services. Various Walking Tours, where the Gothic Quarter can be discovered, where they show the tourists through the historic and political heart of the city. With a Modernisme route, the Catalan art nouveau buildings by architects such as Antoni Gaudi. Domenech I Montaner and Puig I Cadafalch are showed and explained. There is also a Gourmet route existing which goes through the old town and gives visitors the possibility to explore Barcelona’s gastronomic culture. Barcelona also offers the “Articket”, a ticket that allows tourists to visit the 7 leading museums in Barcelona (barcelonaturisme.com).

Critical View

Cultural tourism brings individuals and human communities into contact. It can encourage the revival of the traditions and the restoration of cultural sites and monuments. But unbridled tourism can have the opposite effect. On the one hand, cultural heritage can serve as a tourism attraction, and tourism can lead to the financial and political support for management of a heritage. On the other hand, there is also possible conflict insofar as tourism can damage cultural heritage, and therefore limits on visitation can damage tourism or rather hold back its expansion. What is clear is that tourism is growing and will have an increasing impact on cultural heritage. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) predicts that cultural tourism will be one key tourism market segments in the future, and notes that growth in this area will present an increasing challenge in terms of managing visitor flows to cultural sites.aa

how development cooperationin specific settings, industry organizations note

that “the challenge is to manage the future growth

of the industry so as to minimise its negative impacts

on the environment and host communities

whilst maximising the benefits it brings in terms

of jobs, wealth and support for local culture and

industry, and protection of the built and natural

environment.”

.

Executive Summary

The main objective of this report is to assess an endorsement of each of the triple constraints of project by the explanations of the importance of managing the cost, managing the requirements and the importance of effectively managing schedule of opening ceremony of games. In this report each of the above elements of triple constraints of project management will be discussed in detail. Our project aim is to fully utilize the triple constraints and provide excellent results in opening ceremony of Commonwealth Games 2014.

INTRODUCTION OF PROJECT

Effectively managing projects to scope, schedule, & cost is a difficult & critical job. Companies all over the world hire competitive & outstanding project managers for successfully completion of their assigned projects. This scenario is gaining so much importance for managing multi sports global events.

Commonwealth Games is an international manifold sports occasion. This sports event is sponsored by an organization called Commonwealth Games Federation after every four years. Presently it comprises of 54 member nations. The twentieth Commonwealth Games is going to be held at Glasgow from 24th July to 3rd August in 2014. Hence Government of Scotland will have to manage & prepare well to greet 71 participating teams of Commonwealth Group. There will be seventeen games in which 6500 athletes will take a part at different venues.

The opening ceremony for Commonwealth Games 2014 will be held on 24th July 2014 at Celtic Park stadium which is located in the East End of Glasgow. Currently this stadium can accommodate 60,000 spectators which is the highest capacity place in the city. The Flag march of various countries will also take place here. The closing ceremony of this upcoming international games event will be held at the second largest stadium of Glasgow which is known as Hampden Park.

The following is the Iconic Logo for this mega sports event was revealed in front of more than thousand guests invited on Commonwealth Day 8th March 2010 at Glasgow.

PROJECT PLANNING

Project planning deals in managing the overall activities to stage an outstanding opening ceremony from concept planning through the completion of the venue tear-down. The project manager should involve those team members who have relevant knowledge of project implementation.

Strong lines of communication will improve and a better understanding of the project can be gained and will set the foundation for good teamwork during the implementation stage. Strong communicators are best project managers hence it is vital to maintain better communication level across the whole project management process (Pillai, 2006).

In effective project planning communication with stakeholders is also important in the development stages as it is vital to build good relations with the stakeholders who are recognized as being most critical for the end result (Graee, 2007). Project planning will include crowd management, access operations, easy ticketing, public information services, and lost and found cell and accessibility support services.

Project Scope:

The requirement is also called the Scope of a project. The requirement is that whatever is already been discussed or to what has been agreed to be achieved in a particular project is known as the requirement or the scope of a project. In other words, the requirement specifically lays out the tasks, features, information, content, etc. that will be included in the project at hand. As it can predict or foresee the final outcome of a project if not exact but near about by the layout of the requirement.

The requirements specified to accomplish the outcome. The overall definition of requirement what the project is going to accomplish, and a specific description of what the outcome should be or accomplish. The main component of requirement is the quality. At the end quality is something which is really matters.

During the project cycle if some features or functions are added or subtracted then surely it will either shorten or lengthen the completion time of a project and also it will either increase or decrease the cost as well. It may affect quality if requirements are added to the project but the time of completion, remains the same then it might affect the quality of a project. On the other hand if requirements are added and allotted time has also increased but the resources are not increased then it can also affect quality of a project.

Project Objectives:

The key objective of this project is not only to fling the tourism & sports to new heights in Glasgow but also to create long lasting & an outstanding image of Glasgow City which provides value for money, amusement, & healthy environment to spectators all around the world.

To achieve long term objective of this mega event we have to manage opening ceremony successfully so that Glasgow can position itself in the competitive global market by raising its profile to high echelon. By delivering an unforgettable event for visitors, it can provide economic benefit of ?26 million for Glasgow & ?81 million for Scotland. Beyond economic benefits of hosting this mega event, there will be a momentous time to increase wellbeing of social & cultural diversity of Scotland.

Program Management
Ticketing:

The Commonwealth Games will be a memorable spectator event. There will be sale of more than million tickets on this mega event. As major venues will be decided then publicity campaign for sale of tickets will be launched.

Dedication:

Opening ceremony will be a great opportunity for Glasgow to establish a long lasting legacy by the cast of hundreds of volunteer who will make it really thrilling and momentous event & it will be watched by one billion people around the globe. There will be performance of mass maneuvered dance by cast from whole Scotland. It will give long lasting impressive Scottish symbol in which both new & diverse dimensions of society will be depicted which is contributing to Commonwealth Games. This exciting event will start with dedication to adults & all athletes & dignitaries & officials who are going to attend.

Opening Section:

International sports spirit will embody in opening ceremony, with its strong cultural component, festivity of tradition, artistic beauty and overall performance. Giant video screens will provide visualization & creative colour lighting will played a major role in providing total visual solutions for the exciting opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2014. The event will be highlighted by a stunning gigantic cone-fashioned video display show in the centre of the stadium that will provide a magical experience to spectators.

National Anthem:

A guard of honor mounted by the volunteers marched the Scottish Flag to the flag post. At the same time they will perform an arrangement of the National Anthem by singing Flower of Scotland in English. Commonwealth flag will enter from welcome pole. The participating countries will march in, with Scotland coming first & then other nations will join the marching event according to the alphabetical order.

Opening Remarks:

The inauguration of games will start with opening remarks of President of Commonwealth Games Federation who will declare the official opening of games. There will be a lot of melodic extravaganza comprising of Scottish and overseas artists. There will be also a lot of fireworks. Many celebrities from Hollywood, international sports, & politics will address the crowd of people and athletes.

Budget of Project:

The budget is prepared in consideration of inflation & other sizeable elements.

Description
Million

Amount of Bid

?523

Operations Cost

?193

Broadcasting & Legislative Cost

?81

Staffing Costs

?72

Communication

?50

Marketing & Sponsorship

?17

Cost Breakdown:

It is the next component of the Triple Constraint which is recognized as Cost. When we converse regarding the cost of a project, we are conversing about what is required to be allocated to the project in reference of cash and endeavour so that the work can be started. It can be resources like workforce; it can be equipment and different supplies essential for work, funds for risk administration and evaluation.

To build up an estimation for a project cost, it depends on a number of aspects for instance: resources, labour packages likes labour pays and extenuating or handling aspects that increase cost, different methods utilized in cost are, risk administration, cost contingency, cost escalation, and indirect costs.

However further in this fundamental accounting approach to fixed and changeable costs, the economic cost that have to be considered comprise employee talent and efficiency that is computed using a variety of project cost estimation methods. It is significant when corporations employ provisional or contract workers or outsource employment.

Cost Process Dimensions: Cost approximation is an assessment of the cost of all the things essential for carrying out work; Cost financial plan is totalling the approximate costs of resources, job packages and actions to set up a cost baseline, cost managing- feature that create cost variation and discrepancy can be manipulated and managed through utilizing a range of cost administration methods.

Elements in Cost Analysis:

Equivalent approximation method: Through the cost of similar project to establish the cost of the present project

Establish Resource expenditures: The expenditure on merchandise and workers is assembled by estimation.

Down up estimating: Utilizing the smallest level of job package feature and summing up the cost linked to it. Then moving it up to an upper level intended then scheming the whole cost of the project.

Parametric estimation: Determining the statistical association among past data and other variables.

Vendor offer examining: Taking the average of a number of offers specified by vendors for the project.

Reserve examining: Total the cost of each activity on the system path then add a contingency or reserve to the finished outcome of the examining by an aspect established by the project manager.

Cost of Quality Analysis: Approximation of the cost at the maximum quality for every activity.

Funding Project:

The Scottish Government is contributing ?344 million ($498 million) to Glasgow 2014 with the remainder coming from Glasgow City Council, who are putting in ?80 million ($116 million), and commercial income of ?100 million ($145 million) raised by the organizing committee.

Cost is as important constraint as other two in the Triple Constraints. Unless the project is funded by a wealthy sponsor otherwise we will have to consider the cost/resource constraint.

If funds are limited for a project then it is important that we do not exceed the number of workers also try to finish the job on time because extra time means extra money for workers and extra cost for the machinery which is being used in the project. So keeping this in mind, our main focus will be on the Triple Constraints and factors related to it.

Every project task will have a cost so as our project, whether it is the cost of the labor hours of interior designers, architects, workers or the price of required materials. In the phase of making a project budget each of these and other cost is estimated so there won’t be any hindrances during the operation of our project. Estimation will not always be accurate; some of these will be more accurate than others. Cost of labor varies due to their position i.e. architects, worker, supervisors and interior designers, but it can be predicted and will be accurate.

On the other hand price of required material often fluctuate. If there are changes made in our project then the cost will definitely increase or decrease as per the changes. It is always better if changes are clear and mention up front not during the project. It keeps the whole team as well as the clients stress free. Almost every company at the start of a project set aside some design allowance (money) for any emergency situations. This reserves money usually used when the actual cost of the item is different than what was estimated. We are also setting aside design allowance for “just in case”.

Unexpected weather change and problems with receiving material from the supplier are very usual on long and big projects. We are including a contingency amount for the project budget in order to cover these kinds of mishaps. Here we will be trying to meet our estimated cost by finishing our project on time and not go beyond the estimated cost. In addition we have to keep the profit in mind as well and try to maximize it by not delaying the project and efficiently using our resources.

Work Breakdown Structure:

In the project management team has to look at how much time is being devoted to each segment and determines the amount of man hours and workers needed to complete the project. Schedule, in project management is examined down to its least details. The quantity of time necessary to finish each and every part of a project is examined. Once a study is engaged, those parts are split further into the time necessary to do each job. Clearly through this company is able to approximate the time of the project and what and how many resources are required to be devoted to that project.

For investigative reason, the time necessary to complete a project in a better way is approximated using a number of methods. One way is to recognize tasks required to complete a project. The work attempt for every task is approximated and that estimations are moved up into the final assessment. The tasks are as well prioritized, dependency among tasks is recognized, and following knowledge is written down in a project timetable. The dependency between the tasks can influence the period of the project. Schedule is dissimilar from resources and cost group.

Gantt Chart:

Gantt chart is a useful planning tool. The Gantt chart is a simple & a targeted production goal which is based on studies (Darmody, 2007). This is extremely pertinent to the project as projections will be based upon the trial move carried out by Senior Project Manager. It is known that in order to meet the project budget we will have to meet our project schedule. Problem occurs only when the project is somehow delayed and not finished on time, it destroys the budget. It does not assure that if we meet the schedule we will meet the budget too, but significantly will increase the chances.

Team Management for Project:

Project planning also involve recruiting, managing, & training teams numbering in the tens of thousands. The team will comprise the project manager, overseen by senior management and further staff related to the chosen strategy. This may be in-house staff, contractors or a mixture of the both. Every effort of planning can be squandered if it is not supported by training of volunteers joining the opening ceremony.

PROJECT MONITORING, RISK & CONTROL

There are four critical factors for effective control & monitoring of a project. These are risk, change, quality, & issue. Risk & issue are usually interchangeable. But the issue is something which is already recognized whereas risk is something which so far has to happen. The identification & evaluation of problematic areas is the best & accurate method to decrease the effects of risk & issue. Efficient & flexible control systems must be placed in order to ensure the success of project by strongly monitoring of vital elements of project which are time, cost, and performance. It is better to be proactive rather than reactive in managing project (Barber, 2005).

Spectators’ crowd and security management needs priority monitoring. Specific actions for implementation will need to be taken timely if any flaw in management of opening ceremony is discovered. For this purpose strict surveillance will be done by junior team members.

Risk Management:

Risk is an inherent part of the project & there could be enormous number of risks associated with the project but strong measures against risk will make it more certain for successful completion of project. These measures are tight security screening for public safety, intensive site security & asset protection, planning for high-risk crowd management.

Dealing with Uncertainties:

There are some methods that could to reduce the uncertainties in the project planning and may help to cope with those risks and proceed with the project. These coping strategies can be classified as:

Project planning should be assessed on the basis of the external environment like excellent monitoring by the organization. To reduce the major uncertainty exist in the project planning external environment should be asses on the continuous basis.

All the information used in the project planning should have some uniformity and standardization procedure should be used, like all the relevant data should be collected.

Critically evaluate the assumption use to collect data and tools that have been use for planning, it should be kept in mind that selecting a accurate planning along with the uncertainties is the main objective of project management planning.

Critical Reflections on Learning Outcome-01
”The Knowledge of the Phenomenon of Project Life Cycle and Alternative Approaches to Management of Projects”

The project management is a complex process but ostensibly simple task need skillful manager. Being a Senior Project Manager I have to consider everything equally like requirements of the task, stakeholders, & the people who involve in managing the project. Project management is like a winding road which takes you back & forth from what we hope & what we think and also from what we feel to what we do (Srica, 2008).

The main reason for developing such project life cycle is to analyze the sustainability of the profit that lead Glasgow toward more robust economic growth which might lead toward more tourist attraction for this evaluation proper project life cycle was develop in order to show the sustainability of the project. Glasgow will be hosting common wealth game of 2014 which have the same importance as London hosting the Olympic of 2012.

The basic reason for developing the project life cycle was to evaluate the opportunities that might lead the management toward more prosperous development of the tourism industry as well as the economy and this event would help the management to establish such base for the local population which might contribute to the enhancement of the image of the Scottish region. In order to bring this thing into reality strategies have been defined and developed in order to convert Glasgow as a reality for the opening ceremony of the Common wealth game 2014.

One of the basic objective of this event was considered to represent Glasgow as a multicultural city which represent an image that Glasgow has no ethical or cultural dilemma that would prevail any negativity to the expatriates; this objective have created a robust based for the Scottish committee to won bid. Another integral part of this event was to up lift the social, cultural activities of the Glasgow common wealth game; this might be the perfect time to represent Glasgow as a peaceful region from all aspect and this image would help to attract many tourists as well as the foreign investor.

Common wealth game project life cycle diagram have been mentioned in order to under the worthiness of the particular project. Project life cycle is sequence of different actions or activities that leads toward the defined goal or objective it is very clear that this project is associated with the opening ceremony of the common wealth game held on Glasgow on 2014. Regardless of the other step which might lead to more complex situation project life cycle started from the initiation phase which is considered to be as birth phase of the project it has been analyzed that the nomination in the bidding was the intrinsic part of the project initiation in which Scotland has standardized its objective that Glasgow will be hosting common wealth game of 2014.

After the management has decided to retain toward the development of the proposal they have develop a proper plan which might lead to win this bid for that different strategies have been used but the most appropriate one was the multiculturalism that has encourage the committee to give chance to Glasgow to host such event. Role of project manager is very crucial and critical in this project because he/she will decide weather to move toward next step or correct the measurement with the context of the long term or short term objective of the project, it has been analyzed that each phase associated with the common wealth game need to be carefully analyzed and judge.

During this project it has been analyzed that each section of the project should be aligned with the other project as well but in synchronized manner; overlapping should be avoided at all cost, but in this case it has been analyzed that actual budget has been estimated from the estimated budget this might leas to more complex situation in the upcoming year. And paying close attention to such details is the difference between doing things well and excelling as project managers. This cycle has been divided into four phase which are as follows:

Initiation/ Project generation

Planning

Execution

Closure

Project Generation:

The first base of the project is to generate a project and in this event hosting commonwealth game was the major outcome. In the next phase Glasgow has identified different opportunities and threat associated with the project. Once the project is being approved then it will lead toward the development of the project objective.

Project Planning:

Plan was to held commonwealth game in Glasgow in 2014 along with the spectacular opening and closing ceremony that required intensive planning which requires specific phases that need to be divided into various categories. There are few plans that have been identified while

This game would be held in the summer season in 2014, different sports activities will be conducted in this 11 days event. It has also being estimated that more than 6500 athletes along with their official will take part in this event and approximately 1 million people will see this event. Different athletic village will be established with the state of the art facilities.

Current Economic Status:

According to an economic survey in UK this has been cited that Glasgow has a very prosperous growth. Over the last ten years, Glasgow economy has grown in a persistent manner as compare to the other cities of UK. A leading economic indicator (Gross Value Added) states that in the starting of 2004 the GVA was about ?12 billion while other cities has experienced an average ?9 billion. This statement states that Glasgow could hold such events but it requires intensive planning and monitoring of the project.

Implementation Phase:

Overall strategy for hosting common wealth game was to promote an image of Glasgow. Reason was that planned budget was more than ?300 million which is quite high estimated budget which lead toward more financial constraint. Glasgow commonwealth committee was reluctant to reduce the estimated budget because reasoning was so much clear that image of Glasgow need to be restored.

It has been also analyzed that during the starting of this project budget has been increased by 81 billion, organizing committee also decided that they will increase the budget up to 500 million which is not a good sign during the recession in different part of the world

Scottish government has decided to add 30 million and 28 million pound from the reserve fund which might lead to more financial constraint but in another aspect this reserve fund might help to overcome issues such underestimated financial constraint activities.

CRITICAL REFLECTION:

There’s seems to be quite clear evidence that strategic partners and high-level of governance should prepared themselves for the promotion of Glasgow as the suitable place for tourism and economic structure. The project financing planning seems to be very murky it should be precise and clear; joint effort from the operational level can overcome this problem.

Another aspect of successful project evaluation would be employee turnover ratio, this thing need to be control and evaluate by the authority. Risk management should be properly evaluated because these things need to be characterized and defined.

While different planning can be seen at different level because planning is being done into two different categories first would be the strategic partners and second would be the governance body that is associated with the Olympic and commonwealth committee. Strategic partner associated with this project has been working on risk management to deliver effective commonwealth game activity in the year 2014.

The major flaw has been identified during this project life cycle is the underestimated budget this could be elicit that increased the size of the budget would lead toward more financial constraint current figure shows a trend that ? 378 million was estimated but actual figure has gone up to ?279 million before 2014 which represent a valid insufficient planning from the committee. Proper proactive and reactive planning is needed in order to sustain the economic recession that is currently faced by the Glasgow council.

References:

Barber, E and Warn, J (2005). ‘Leadership in project management: from firefighter to firelighter.’ Management Decision, 43:7/8, 1032-1039. [Online] Available at: http://proquest.umi.com (Accessed 29/11/2010).

Darmody, P.B (2007). ‘Henry L. Gantt and Fredrick Taylor: The Pioneers of Scientific Management.’ AACE International Transactions, 2007, 1-4. [Online] Available at: http://proquest.umi.com (Accessed 03/12/2010)

Graee, K, Karlsen, J.T and Massaoud, M.J (2007). ‘Building trust in Project-stakeholder relationships.’ Baltic Journal of Management, 3:1, 7-22. [Online] Available at: www.emeraldinsight.com/1746-5265.htm (Accessed on 25/11/2010).

Pillai, M.P (2006). ‘Human Side of Project Management.’ AACE International Transactions, 2006, 1-6. [Online] Available at: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb (Accessed 25/11/2010).

Srica, V (2008). ‘Social Intelligence and Project Leadership.’ The Business Review, Cambridge, 9:2, 189-199. [Online] Available at: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb (Accessed 20/11/2010).

Web References:

http://www.glasgow2014.com/businessportal

http://www.gera.org.uk/documents/view.php?documentID=203,

INTRODUCTION

Like humans, products undergo life-cycle. Similarly Product life cycle goes through different phases, which involves many procedures, and needs more skills, tools and processes. Product life cycle involves launch of product in the market with consideration of cost and sales.

Product Life Cycle undergoes Four stages.

A products will have a limited life in the market,

A product will come across different stages. In each and every stage it will across various different challenges, problems, and opportunities to the Seller,

Their will be fluctuation of profit and loss of a product,

Any products needs manufacturing , financial, marketing, purchasing and human resource in every stage.

Every product will have its own life cycle. This life cycle starts from the launch of the product in to the market to its final withdrawal. At this period various changes will occur in the behavior of the product in the market. Major goal of any company is to increase the profits of the product in the market, now managing of product life cycle is very important. Different companies follow different plans like basic, strategic etc. It is very important to any company to understand the product life cycle to realize when to launch and when to withdraw and when to increase the sales.

Product Life Cycle Management(Marketing)

Product life cycle management deals with strategies used y the business management of a product which goes through its life cycle. It deals with the how product is sold and how it is advertising and how the product is reaching to saturation point.

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MODEL :

The PLC model consists of 5 Phases. This phases is applicable to all the products. Each phase has sub stages based on the market demands. They are:

1. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PHASE

This stage begins with development of new product idea. This stage involves combining of new ideas and finally bringing a new idea. In this stage, every product will go different stages of tests before going in front of final costumer via test marketing. The product which survives in the test market will be introduces in real market. In this stage company cannot expect any sale.

2. INTRODUCTION PHASE

This phase includes the launch of product with its extra requirements; this will create grater impact at he time of sale. In this stage, most of the company’s expenditure are done on promotions and advertising. Companies must be strong enough to spent more money to receive less profits. It is very important to maintain the product in market irrespective of the challenges.

Company should follow different strategies to maintain the product in the market and to compete. Customer will give his views on the product, he will describe how product will sustain the market or not. In this way companies will know about the products before introducing in the market.

3. GROWTH PHASE

In this phase company will se the growth and leading their product in the market. This is the exact time to increase the share of the company. Company must show the maximum variety of product it have and it should discriminate itself from the competitors. By Frequent modification of product will discourage the competitors. Promotions and advertisements should continue but not as introduction stage.

4. MATURITY PHASE

In this period market becomes saturated with discriminations of basic products.

At this stage company enjoys more profits. At this stage pricing and offers are provided to maintain the product value, competition and to improve product life.

5. DECLINE PHASE

This stage is arrived when company is planning to withdraw the product from the market. This stage includes lots of issues. Some companies will rise the product cost such that it may give chance to either increase the product value or it may help to stop the production.

INTRODUCTION TO ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2007.

Mega-events such as ICC Cricket World Cup are a unique form of tourist attraction defined as large and internationally known event.. Events are usually viewed as a major economic tourist

asset for the host area that also brings new infrastructure and facilities. All the Countries around the world have always saw the impacts and legacies of Mega events like World Cup Cricket as a major events for economic development and international recognition.ICC is organizing Cricket World Cup founded in 1975 and it is conducted for every four years. After a lot of procedures and site selection process, it was decided that the ninth venue of the tournament will be played in the West Indies in 2007.West Indies had won first two world cups in 1975 and 1979. The ICC(International Cricket Council) has conducted a Cricket World Cup tournament for men’s cricket every 4 years since 1975. The competition has been changed gradually since, and the ICC agreed to make the event quadrennial in 1979. The first three tournaments was conducted in England, and sponsorship help was done by a insurance company, and was known as the Prudential Cup. Some other sponsors are Reliance, Benson and Hedges, and Wills. This Company’s had their names attached to the event till 1999, when it became the ICC World Cup. The involvement of number of teams is periodically increased from 8 to 9 then 12 to 14 in 2003, and at last, totally 16 teams where involved in the ninth competition in 2007. The first tournament was for 2 weeks and 15 matches where conducted. In 2003 tournament, matches was co-hosted by South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, and their where 54 matches played in 44 days. It included 2 hours opening ceremony. In 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup the contribution of local organizers and corporate subsidiary of the West Indies Cricket Board named the Windies [West Indies] World Cup 2007, it also produced beautiful and mind blowing opening and closing ceremonies. Out of the 16 teams at the ICC CWC 2007 tournament the 10 first class teamsand remaining 6 teams are One Day International Cricket Qualified.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 tournament is the ninth time of the tournament and took place in the West Indies. This tournament was from 13 March to 28 April 2007.This tournament used Cricket One Day International format. These competitions involved 51 matches in 47 days and these games were played in St. Kitts, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Guyana, Grenada, and St. Lucia, Antigua. Sixteen nations will participate in this event.

To host this event the Caribbean countries had built tourist facilities, seaports, airports, accommodation and other infrastructure. All around of 12 stadium facilities have been developed in the nine countries for successful conduction of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007tournament.

This tournament had 16 qualified cricket teams. This is the biggest number of teams involved in the history of the World Cup. Teams involved in this tournament are India, West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Australia, these nations had determined as ICC Test Championships. The total number of visitors attended for tournament is expected to be 672,000 and 13,176 per match in over all 51 matches. This 16 teams had divided into four groups and tour teams in each group. The top two teams of each group was advanced to the quarter finals on knock out based results . Four teams from this group of eight had then moved on to the semi finals.. The opening ceremony was in Jamaica. The final match was played in Barbados.

Phases of product lifecycle and corresponding technologies
Phase 1: Conceive
Imagine, specify, plan, innovate

I would like to discuss on ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. It is a Mega event which had got an world reorganization. This is a event which included Cricket Matches, Opening ceremony includes the vibrant lifestyle and heritage of the different regions of people had unfolded the stage celebrations to welcome the world to the Mega Event starting with a medley of calypso, mento, reggae, ska, soca, dancehall, and other musical genres.

The three-hour performances at Trelawney Stadium in Jamaica had included stilt walkers, the different dance sequences, a mass choir and fire crackers show. There was a drum score by a performance troop from South Africa, which connected the link between the previous ICC Cricket World Cup and this year Mega-Event.

Festival, which was celebrated every year in several regional nations, was a main theme of the evening’s performances and wide range of scenes have saw characters such as revellers, a shaggy bear and plantation girls playing maze had encouraged every one and created a lot of entertainment.

Planning includes lot of stages to organize an world recognized events like Cricket world cup. Primarily we need to appoint the people who have very good experience in the respective fields like Executive officer, Security officer, Competitions officer, Marketing officer, Commercial officer, Communications officer, Operations officer, Transport and Logistics officer, IT officer, Financial officers.

After recruiting these designated peoples we have to set the targets to be finished with in dead lines. We have to prepare a perfect plan how to implement the Event keeping in mind of long time impacts and legacies. Now we need to rise the finance by government or from the sponsors. It is important to develop the local infrastructure and local community by giving various opportunities, medication, Education, Employment and need to involve local people in planning also. Now it is very important to track each and every field, whether each and every work is going properly in a synchronized form. Primarily it is very important to develop Infrastructure like building new stadiums or repairing the existing Stadiums. It is very important to concern about each and every aspects like Capacity of the stadium, Quality of the stadium, Security for the spectators, building roads and hotels for accommodation. It is very important to care about the local people while building the roads and hotels, such that local people should not be disturbed because of any of our activity. Need to take care of accommodation for both VIP’s and general peoples. Opening ceremony should be planed such that no accidents should be happened. Safety measures should be taken if any emergency.

We can make event innovative by implementing the concept of Environment sustainability. Recycling the products, reducing the waste by the slogan “lets carry our own garage”. We can produce the car-boards by recycling the waste papers. Polluting vehicle should not be allowed till certain range of event. Waste water can be recycled and it can be used for plantation. For emergency mobility we can use electric vehicles.

Phase 2: Design
Describe, define, develop, test, analyze and validate

In a Event like Cricket World Cup, we have to mainly concentrate on assigning targets and need to establish the co-ordination between superiors and working staff. Here we are not going to use any Software’s to design the event. It is entirely ideology. Her design is concerned about establishment of links for successful hosting of events. Mostly head of any event is the respective Government. It will hire the Event managers to develop their Ideas. Government will give the targets to event managers, and fund will be released accordingly. A event manager have to make sure the works are going well by his personal staff or ant temporary outsourcing staff. Governing body will have Chief Executive officer, Chief Security officer, Chief Competitions officer, Chief Marketing officer, Chief Commercial officer, Chief Communications officer, Chief Operations officer, Chief Transport and Logistics officer, Chief IT officer, Chief Financial officers.

Let us consider a particular field like Chief Transport and Logistics officer. Officer is the head of this section. He is responsible of all transportation of raw materials and he is concerned out making transportation arrangements for visitors and for players etc. He have to contact different countries representatives to arrange the accommodation, food, security and etc for the players and officials of that nation. First event manager have to have to take the count of the people coming from individual nations. He have to take the preferences of the type accommodation and the food they needed and the places they want to visit and etc. By taking consideration of al the preferences event manager have to arrange the accommodation and he have to engage the vehicles for them, he have to arrange the a well skilled person who know a out the local environment. Event manager have to arrange the security for the visitors and make sure there are no negative issues. Event manager have to make the arrangement for the food they needed and book the places where the players and officials want to visit.

Chief Financial officer have to release the fund required. Officer has to analyze the requirements needed. He have to collect the needs required to each and every individual field. Officer has to arrange the requirements needed.

Chief IT officer have to take care of the website design and have to prepare an interface to communicate with in the staff and for queries from visitors. He is responsible for maintaining the electronic media. He have to take care of publicity of an event through websites, social networking sites and etc. He have to create an LAN(Local Area Network ) and have to establish the connection between the computers which are used for event purpose. He have to take care of security of the data such that unauthorized persons should not access. Separate User name and Password should be give to each and every staff working for the event and data access control should e provided based on the designation of an employee.

Therefore each and every individual department works on their respective targets assigned by the Government for success of the event.

Phase 3: Realize
Manufacture, make, build, procure, produce, sell and deliver

The main aim of organizing event is all about generating revenue. In Events industry is not much related to Realize Phase. This phase is all about the physical out put of the event. In this phase we can see the results of the efforts kept in planning stage. Lets discuss about the results of the event. Starting from the first day we had the grand 3 hrs opening ceremony. It included medley of calypso, mento, reggae, ska, soca, dancehall, and other musical genres. The three-hour performances at Trelawney Stadium in Jamaica had included stilt walkers, the different dance sequences, a mass choir and fire crackers show. Most important aspect of opening ceremony was Fire cracker show. That was very colorful and it gave a greater entertainment and joy for the people. It gave a warm welcome to the spectators. Next comes about the tournament, here we can see a wide range of out comes of the planning. We can see the luxurious accommodation for the players and the officials of the different countries. We can see the new built roads, buildings, stadiums, hotels and lots more. We can see a new environment which is new to most of them. This all credit goes to government and the innovative event managers. We can see people enjoying while matches, and visitors and different places. We can see the media coverage about the event, we can see every media channel talking about the event.

This phase is not related to selling the product. We can generate revenue in events by selling Tickets, Media rights, Generating sponsorships from the corporate companies those who wants to use event as a place to publicize their products and accessories can sold which have events logo on it. Money can be generated by selling general products which are used at the time of match. Revenue from Tusk shop like T-shirt sale, selling refreshments, selling tickets and etc.

Improved media advertising offers can generate more revenue from media channels. We should give rights to only one media channel to telecast the matches. This idea will generate more revenue because of single channel in a country. Offers on the ticket will increase the profits than individual. We can also plan a travel package which includes the match tickets, lodging and some of the tourist spots. Internal and external advertisement will also generate money and we can use online booking system where we can commission on the sale of the tickets.

In events industry we can not expect any Test. This industry is all about the real time out put. It is all about implement the plan which would help for the success of the event. All we can do is, to organize the event as perfect as possible. We can take feed back from the visitors which would help to improve for next events.

Phase 4: Service
Use, operate, maintain, support, sustain, phase-out, retire, recycle and disposal

Services in Events management includes operate, maintain, support, and recycle. It is very important to operate an event with the help of government, event managers and working staff. Event mangers responsibility is to balance the relations. Co-ordination between government, event mangers and working staff is important. In case of any miss understanding will leads to incardination. Maintaining of coordination leads to success of event.

Maintaining the quality of the event is also very important. It is the responsibility of the event managers to control the supply of the requirements and he should have entire details of the event. Event manager should be super active at the venue and he should keep much more efforts than ever to maintain the quality of the event. Event manager should take care that non of his staff members should not be distracted by any issues at the time of event. Maintaining of security is also very important.

Recycling the garbage is very important. We can encourage this recycling by providing a plastic cover in which every one have to carry their own paper waste, this will help to reduce the efforts of the labor and it would become an encouragement program to bring awareness to recycle the waste

CONCLUSSION.

Product life cycle is also very important to any event. In events management steps involved to relate product life cycle concepts are planning an event, raising the funds, advertising, implementation, maintaining, and withdrawing. To my knowledge, every step of product life cycle concepts may not applicable to events but some concepts of product life cycle are base to organize any event. A successful event can be organized only when we come across some stages of product life cycle concept.

Malaysia is a tourist-driven economy, besides manufacturing sector such as the auto industry and other important sectors that are driving the Malaysia’s economy. Tourism sector is Malaysia’s second largest revenue earner, after manufacturing.

Tourism involves many players including tourists, businesses, tourism managers, host communities and society. All players need to derive benefits from tourism for tourism to be truly successful. The aspirations of these players are partially competing – tourists seek to maximise ‘consumer surplus’, i.e. get the best experience possible for the least cost, while businesses seek to maximise (short-term) profits and host communities are interested in long-term income and employment as well as net benefits.

Usually tourism success is measured by the number of tourists entering the country. This measure is useful when assessing tourism at a national scale since economic activity generated can be assumed to be dependable to tourist numbers. Thus, from a national – or even state perspective – it is useful to pursue an increase in tourist numbers, both international as well as inter- and intra-state.

2. Problems Tourists Faced Arriving in Malaysia

There several problems tourists may faced when arriving in Malaysia.

2.1 Inadequate Infrastructural Facilities.

Some states have experiencing inadequate infrastructural facilities and related services particularly in relation to accommodation and transportation. The immediate problem in several regions in Malaysia, for example, is the shortage of resort-type hotels. The deficiency also extends to suitable accommodation facilities for budget class tourists. This is more apparent that some islands with tourist potential off mainland Borneo have not been provided with accommodation facilities.

In relation to transportation, public transports are too frequently not available to tourist destinations away from the main city or towns. Tourists have to hire taxis which are expensive to reach their destinations.

2.1.1 Possible Solutions – Investment Incentive and Allocation for Development

The government, through the relevant authorities, is urged to offer financial and enhanced investment incentive for investment in tourism related infrastructural facilities. A more direct role is to increase the allocation for development of infrastructure in potential but undeveloped tourist site. Public transport shall also be made available to remote tourist destinations.

2.2 Increase in Crime

Instances where there are increases of crime due to the increasing of tourist numbers include the following:

(i) Tourists as Victims of Thefts and Robbery

Despite friendly warning from hotel staff, taxi drivers, and locals, the tourists are less likely to observe the normal safety precautions they would do at home. So valuables are left in clear view in locked or unlocked motor vehicles or unattended on a beach. In addition, hotel rooms or apartment are not properly secured, and cameras, money, jewelry are left lying around.

Incident as per Appendix I highlights how a Britons’ holiday was ruined by snatch thieves.

(ii) Hot Spots Location

Foreign tourists use to frequenting places such as bars, nightclubs and strip joints catering to tourists and providing ancillary services such as prostitution and drugs. These places are prone to criminal activities.

2.2.1 Possible Solutions – Round the Clock Patrol by Tourist Policemen

Strengthening tourist police and the plainclothes special strike force personnel on round-the-clock patrol may help reduce petty crimes like pick pocketing. In Kuching, Sarawak, there are now more than 30 tourist policemen and 20 special strike force personnel on regular patrols along the waterfront and nearby areas frequented by tourists.

2.2.2 Safety and Security at Tourist Areas

Patrolling of tourist areas by Malaysian Navy especially those around popular islands will reduce the instances of piracy, thus, convincing the tourists that they are in secured area..

2.3 Language Barrier and Communication Skills.

The country in general and Sarawak in particular is experiencing the shortages of tour guides who can speak foreign languages such as Japanese and Korean. The Ministry of Tourism has acknowledged that Japanese and Korean-speaking tourist guides are in demand to cater the increasing number of these two groups of tourists.

Tourists seek assistance in order to achieve their goals. What some times occur is a degree of intercultural miscommunication. At tourist offices, information kiosks, reservation desks and the like, a tourist may expect a simple smile, some small talk, asked how he is enjoying himself, where he is from, how else he could be further assisted. Yet another tourist may expect to be offered assistance before he has to request it. However, some of the elements of good communication skills have been lacking among the tourist front liners.

2.3.1 Possible Solutions – Attending Classes

It is of paramount importance for the relevant authority to initiate special classes or courses for the tourist front liners to master the relevant languages and improve their communication skills.

3. Recommendations on How to make Malaysia Attractive to Tourists.

3.1 Programme for Tourists.

Supports a programme of events (e.g. dragon boat festival), arts (e.g. presentation of local artist collections), sports (e.g. Formula One, F1,) and other culture (e.g. cultural villages). The Malaysia populations must support all these events so that the local crowds from all ways of life and cultures will attract foreign tourists.

Malaysia has been organising programme of events that have attracted tourist to visit the country. Examples of such events are:

– Le Tour De Langkawi

– Petronas Malaysian F! Grandprix

– Malaysian Water Festival

– Labuan International Sea Challenge

– Dragon Boat Festival

– Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon

– Sarawak Regatta

3.1.1 Le Tour de Langkawi

This is a sports tourism highlight in Malaysia. It was first held in 1996, and have been successfully organized annually. Le Tour De Langkawi is all about cycling, competing among the best cyclist from other part of the world. It is said that the Le Tour De Langkawi is equivalent to the prestigious status of several major races in Europe.

The race attracts many international journalists leading to reports and images published world wide. Travel features are also written illustrating the beautiful country and what it has to offer the tourist. The race is named after the original starting point of the race, Langkawi in Kedah, but has since shifted away, sometimes avoiding it altogether. Nowadays, the Tour de Langkawi kicks off at the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur or at the administrative capital of Putrajaya.

3.1.2 Malaysia Water Festival

Attractive events at the festival are dragon boat race, boat race as well as kayak and raft competitions. There are also family-oriented programmes such as beach sepak takraw, beach football, beach volleyball and sand castle building.

This festival is to further promote Langkawi as a tourism destination and Pulau Chenang as a tourist spot,” he told reporters here.

3.2 Development and Enhancement of Historical Places.

Historic buildings and historical areas can be developed and promoted as tourism products to attract foreign as well as domestic tourist and directly will generate revenue from foreign exchange. Historic buildings being restored and converted into museums, art galleries, restaurants and tourist centres are common phenomena in many European countries. In Malaysia, examples of heritage cities include Georgetown, Malacca, Kota Bharu, Taiping, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching.

Many tourists visit heritage cities to encounter and experience their architecture, historic sites and local cultures. Conservation activities help develops the preservation of such historic characters and traditional flavours for the benefit of tourism. Moreover, the conservation of heritage cities could bring economic returns to many sectors including travel agents, tour operators and owners of historic premises.

3.3 Attractions of Islands, Beaches and Shopping Destinations.

Many of Malaysian islands are famous worldwide. More than one island has been called a tropical paradise. Pulau Perhentian (Terengganu), which consists of two islands – Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil – have beautiful coral gardens within its waters. Pulau Langkawi, which is famous for the Mahsuri legend, is also a duty-free shopping haven. This paradise also offers several attractions besides its beaches. There’s Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells), Tasik Dayang Bunting (Lake Of the Pregnant Maiden), wildlife sanctuary Pulau Singa Besar and Pulau Payar Marine Park, to name a few.

As far as shopping destinations are concerned Kuala Lumpur (KL), which is also known as the “Garden City of Lights”, has much to offer the traveller. Shopping havens can be found in Chinatown, Little India, Central Market, local bazaars and the many luxurious shopping malls.

The Zoological Society of London known as ZSL was founded by Stamford Raffles in 1826 and in 1828 it was opened to member of London Zoological Society for the study of animals, Zoo was on open to public until 1947 to get aid funding.

In 1926 there were major expansions to Zoo to accommodate new animals and to keep large animals into natural environment. As Zoo continues to progress and in 1931 it was world’s first open zoological park. In 60s Institute of Zoology was established.

London Zoo has been known as national history and contribution to the zoological world. Despite the low visitor turn up and today it’s a home of wonderful animals of more then 650 species and 130 animals are used breeding purposes. Not only that it’s also recognized world’s first reptile hose in late 40s and in 1852 worlds first aquarium.

Decimus Burton was the first architecture designer of the zoo who was also the designer of Marble Arch London and Colosseum Theater.

Q1: Identify and describe one of the problems that currently exist and explain how it is potentially harming the company.

Problems in London Zoo

London Zoo since it’s opened in 1828 has played vital role in the country scientific and entertainment activity of the society. London Zoo had grown rapidly from early start and continues expending but it ran into multiple problems in 1960s and 1970s due to various reasons.

One of the major problems which can be easily identified is the lack of strategy operation plan for London Zoo. Operation strategy involved keeping the routine operations in place despite the number of visitor to the Zoo. Marketing plan had work out in the past but it all goes into drain, if end of the day customers feel lost and are not entertained or managed well. Customer dissatisfaction can potentially lead to customer not returning to Zoo and as well as it can create bad impression which can harm new or returning visitors.

In these competitive era of entertainment; customer satisfaction is consider a key to success, which London Zoo has failed to provide effectively over the period of time. London Zoo has failed to delight its customer by not providing quality of service for customer processing which involved managing parking areas, queues, information desk, customer handling and information processing. Fail to achieve can lead to customer unhappiness, can create chaos and seriously damage the Zoo image.

Other problem can be related to Society attitude and behaviour towards the animals, today people are well more aware of animal warfare, rights and conservation. There have been questions and debate concerning “what is the role of a Zoo in society”, “should animal be kept in captivity or used for human entertainment”. People have become much more educated and are questioning the role of Zoo in the society.

Attracting number of visitors and applying capacity management operation to keep them organise have been crucial problems of London Zoo for long time. It has harmed company potentially as it has lead to various problems which included cut down in development projects; number of large animals has been move to sister Zoo to cut down the cost, services quality has affected due to lack of funds. This may lead to people not returning to Zoo for next 3 to 6 years unless there has been major development or new attraction in Zoo to drag them back to Zoo.

Q2. Describe the evidence that support your claim that problem exists.

Problems Evidence

The major problems of London Zoo as identified previously have come to know from various sources. The source has been various reviews, feedbacks and various studies have been conducted on London Zoo to identify these problems.

From past experience of the Zoo we have seen the whole operations crashed when more then expected visitor’s attendance. Management announce save my Zoo campaign after it failed to meet the expenses. Campaign attracted 18000 visitors in a day which lead to complete chaos in Zoo; there were queues everywhere, restaurants run out of food, parking problems and visitors found them self lost.

There have been continues decline in number of visitors since 60s and 70s. Number of visitors have be fluctuating because of various reasons, There has been continues increment in number of leisure and attraction places in London only, there are around 130 major attractions in London. There have been numerous communications and travel invention has made easy to travel and trip around world which has made number of domestic visitor to decline.

As stated in case there has been no major development for last 30 years, but in last couple of years Zoo has done some development work to improve the visitor attendance level.

There have been animal welfare, rights, law and ethics awareness as it never been previously. Britain Govt created animal welfare advisory committee in 1967 which later became Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1979. It recommends animal freedoms and rights. There are 5 major freedoms which are promoted under this council which have been given in appendix. There have been debates in society in first half 20th century but its get intensified in 1980s to protect the ethics of animals. Due to continue awareness and debate in society has made people to think about the existence of the Zoo in society and their interest towards the Zoo.

Customer Quality satisfaction has been the main issue in zoo. As it’s mentioned in case study, as Zoological society restructured is organisational departments to improve the operations and quality of service. After reviewing various unbiased reviews, the quality of service has been poor in London Zoo and as customer feedback shows there has been lack in operation management.

There have been number of issues with visitors which includes poor operations and Planning, Empty Cages, Low Food Quality, Queues Everywhere, Lack of Seating, Baby facility.

Few customer reviews have been attached in appendix with references.

Q3. Carry out a critical literature review to identify what is considered to be “Best-Practice” in the area of Operations Management related to the problem.

Literature Review and Best-Practice
Introduction

London is one of the major tourist attraction for visitors around the world, every year approximately 150m number of tourism day trips are made to London (source: The Countryside Commission website) and estimated total attendance 50m to London attractions during 2006 (Source: Visit London website). As a result of large number of visitors; attraction increases competition and importance to continuously improve the service quality to attract large chuck of visitors coming from domestically and internationally.

Literature Review

As previously discussed London Zoo has number of problems from which one of the major problem is to address the issue of service quality and customer satisfaction. There are various academic studies has been conducted to address the issues related to customer satisfaction, service quality and behavioural intent.

Different model present different method of measuring the service quality some author describe as gap between customer expectation and perception, alternate author believe assessing the perceive quality by customer is a component to measure quality.

A literature overview of different models can be found in Cauchick Miguel and Salomi (2004) presented in table 1 below.

Table 1 – Proposed models for measuring service quality

(adapted from Cauchick Miguel and Salomi, 2004).

As it can be concluded from the diagram there is no best practice to be adapted to measure the quality service. SERVQUAL has been centre of debate for most researchers but there have been critics of its accuracy, validity and implication on all kind of service industry.

There has been intense use of SERVQUAL model in different service industry like banking, fast-food restaurant, call centre and other various industries despite huge criticism of the model. As oppose to SERVQUAL other model was developed as a result of criticism, SERVPERF is comparatively less used in industries like hotels, public services, cell phones services and various other. SERVPERF critics believed it’s only applicable in developed countries.

SERVPERF Model

One of the strong critics SERVQUAL model were Cronin and Taylor (1992) and they developed their own new model based on the original model, they argued that quality service can be measured based performance only. SERVPERF model is single item scale and developed based on performance satisfaction as oppose to performance and expectation in SERVQUAL.

SERVQUAL Model

The SERVQUAL model is a technique that can be used to measure a gap and perform analysis of an organization between customer “expectation for the service and their perceptions of the providers”. It can also be used internally to perform the gab analysis of the employees and employers.

It was initially based on 10 aspects if measuring the service quality of an organisation and later refined by author to five dimensions which are reliability, assurances, tangibles, empathy and responsiveness.

SERVQUAL requires conduction a detailed survey or questioner to analysis the gaps between what was expected by the customer and what currently offered by the organisation. It involves relevant important of each question and measurement of perceived service and measurement of quality service provided.

Conclusion

From the brief literature review we can conclude that best practice can be SERVQUAL Model as its widely used in for service quality measurement model. SERVERF can be useful but it’s not as intensely studied and reviewed by researches and practitioners.

SERVQUAL Gap Model Diagram illustrated

Available at: http://www.gccrm.com/eng/content_details.jsp?contentid=2068&subjectid=101 [Accessed 8 November 2009]

Q4. From the conclusions drawn from your literature review and your findings within the case study create a proposal for the changes you would like to see introduced to solve the selected problem.

Finding and Change Proposal

A conclusion can be drowned from research, evidence and literature review that Zoo has number of problems which can be addresses by following these steps.

Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction

Development Work

Animal Captivity and welfare Issues

Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction

As previously found the customer satisfaction and quality of service score was low. Furthermore the finding of review of different customer at various review sites shows that London Zoo operations have poor performance which includes poor operations and planning, empty cages, low quality food and queues everywhere. This shows there is a gap between customer perception and service provided.

As suggested from literature review that customer satisfaction and perception can be achieved and that can be used to improve the services. After gathering the results from SERVQUAL model, these issues should be addressed operation management tools.

Development Works

There has been greater decline towards the visitors attendance due to lack of attraction and facility provided by London Zoo. The new development like “African Bird Safari” in 2005, In 2006 “Meet the Monkeys” opening and walkthroughs “Into Africa” “Butterfly Paradise” and “Gorilla Kingdom” and “Clore Rainforest Lookout” in the year 2007 by the London Zoo were encouraging and right steps towards creating more attractions, But as analysis shows its only mange to increase visitors at smaller scale and reviews shows customer were not satisfy with the new Gorilla Kingdom as their expectation were much higher then the what the got.

There should be continue development in providing support facilities like baby facility, seating facility, parking, extra counters to reduce queues and journey planner for Zoo to walk through the Zoo to give complete and entertaining day out in Zoo.

Animal Captivity and welfare Issues

One of the major concerns by animal rights and welfare society were to address the issues related to animal facility and welfare in society. London Zoo management should work towards the captivity and happiness of animals. London Zoo should work to provide natural environment for animals so there happiness are confirmed with the entertaining of the visitors.

Animal breading and preservation research work should be launched by zoological society and should raise awareness about the work been done but zoological society, so in this way instead of become party against all the animal rights and welfare organisation ZSL can actually work with hand to hand to address these issues and develop a positive society attitude.

Conclusion

The above mentioned points can clearly address the basic and major problems currently faced by London Zoo. It can certainly create positive and healthy attraction and attitude of the society and which can lead to new visitors and as long as returning visitors as well.

Q5. Additional task: If you were appointed as a Management Consultant of London Zoo and you were requested to conduct a competitive analysis of your park versus those offered in: 1) Bristol zoo and 2) Chester zoo in order to improve your competitive edge and attract more customers; which operations mange tools/models would you use to do so and why? After so doing, what set of reasonable improvements would you suggest to the London Zoo director.

Competitive Analysis

To evaluate the strength of competition is the key to gain competitive edge on your competitors. The competitive environment provides opportunity to analysis the own organization and competitor as well, to achieve this edge various tools and models are available which are widely used in different industry sectors.

There are different methods and techniques available to conduct a competitive analysis of different organization in similar industry. Popular models include

Porter’s Five Competitive Forces

SWOT Analysis

Competitive Benchmarking

Porter’s Five Competitive Forces

Michael Porter model provides the framework to gain competitive edge by analysing the industry context in which firm operates. The competitive model is identifying the 5 basic competitive forces:

Entry of competitors

Threat of substitutes

Bargaining Power of buyers

Bargaining Power of suppliers

Rivalry among the existing players

Critics believe that this model is to analysis individual business strategies and extra care is required to not to underestimate current organization strength and weakness.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis is used to analyze the competitor and identify their strengths, weaknesses; opportunities and threats which help determine the target market, competitive edge, customer services and forecasting.

Strengths

This is use to identify the strength, potential strategy, marketing strength, customer services and positive tangible, intangibles.

Weaknesses

Weaknesses involve evaluating the culture, organization structure, operation efficiency, operation capacity, market share and position on experience curve.

Opportunities

An opportunity is consider as a chance to introduce new product or service. Opportunity can arise due to external factors and can increase the chance of high return.

Threats

Similar to opportunity these may lead to potential threat, it can be social changes, customer, competitor, new technology, economic or political and regularity changes.

Benchmarking

Benchmarking is a process to identify performance of organizational processes and activity are best-practice. The objective of benchmarking is to evaluate business unit, division, and organisation performance as compared to similar industry.

There are 5 types of benchmarking

Internal Benchmarking

Competitive Benchmarking

Functional Benchmarking

Generic Benchmarking

Collaborative Benchmarking

In this scenario competitive analysis should be performed using “performance or Competitive Benchmarking”.

Competitive Benchmarking

Competitive Benchmarking is used to identify and compare the company performance with a competitor. Comparison can be all dimension of a business it can range from finance, product and services, technology, development and personal polices.

To increase Zoo competitiveness, it helps to understand how your operations and business processes compare to that your competitors. It allows to examination of current processes and weaknesses which help to change and improve with experience and practice. While conduction benchmarking it should be clearly define and data information shared. Wrong comparison and less information may lead to meaningless comparison.

Process of benchmarking can be elaborate using following diagram.

Benchmarking process [online]

Available at www.pcimag.com [Accessed 17 November 2009]

Improvement Recommendations

Would like to suggest following recommendations:

Strengthen the competitive edge and try to come over weakness identified while doing competitive analysis.

Improve Quality of service and customer satisfaction

Provide support facilities like baby facility, seating areas and information desk

Improve daily operation task effectively

Increase the big animals which can increase the competitive edge

Provide animals with closer to nature living facilities

Take measures to cater the animal happiness and welfare issues.

Appendix

Customer Reviews

London Zoo, not great!

“On a 3 day trip to London and unfortunately was part of a day I felt could have been spent somewhere else! It is one of the worst Zoo’s I have ever been to! Most of the cages were empty and to be honest I have been to much better zoos!!” by gooseuk7 [online]

Available at: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d187553-r48182591-London_Zoo-London_England.html [Accessed 9 November 2009]

London Zoo – An expensive waste of time

“Costly admission prices to a zoo with few interesting animals and many sections and stalls empty.

The admission prices are already expensive at ?13 per adult, ?10 per child, but then the ticket sellers force you to pay an extra ?1.50 ‘optional donation’. It’s hard to stand up to them to avoid this ‘donation’. Car parking is expensive at ?9.

There were no elephants. This has been the case for a while, and has been mentioned by other reviewers, but seems a shocking omission.

– There were no gorillas – the whole section is boarded off and under development.

– The bugs area was also under development.

– There are none of the exotic animals like pandas any more.

– Many of the animals that were present stayed out of view.

– The food was pricey like the admission (but this is normal for such places).”by yood [online]

Available at: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/theme-parks-zoos-national/london-zoo/1034722/ [Accessed 8 November 2009]

Disappointing

“I’ve been many times and this time was the most disappointing.

Too many areas seemed to be in the middle of refurbishment.

Night zone was too dark – couldn’t see anything.

I like meerkats, but they seemed to be everywhere.

The outback was dismal showing a lack of ideas.

As I’ve said I’ve been before and those visits were much better, I would still go again in the hope that things improve.

To be honest – Chester zoo is better.” By munslowl [Online]

Available at: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d187553-r36778432-London_Zoo-London_England.html [Accessed 8 November 2009]