Author: Andre Coleman

An investigation and analysis of visitor centres and their use with regard to interpretation.

Visitor centres are an important component of attractions or sites. Indeed, their purpose is manifold, ranging from information referencing to travel advisement. Architectural design is also a distinguishing visitor centre feature. Designs range from the traditional to the nuance. Discussed here is a comparative visitor centre analysis based on three general themes: i) General Purposes, ii) Design and iii) Information: A How to Guide.

General Purposes

The primary role of a visitor centre is to convey information regarding a specific or grouped set of attractions within a defined geographical area to a continual visitor stream. In this sense, visitor centres are designed to act as reference guides both through directions and information sourcing to those interested in a particular site or attraction (England 2005, Florence 2006, Petrilli 2004). An analysis of visitor centres both within the UK and around the world reveals that information is presented in myriad fashion based on general site theme.

Several secondary roles are also associated with visitor centres. For example, visitor centres may act as a shelter and hospitality (however limited) provider (Wright 2004^[1]). These roles may be especially prevalent among outdoor and/or geographically remote centres relative to more urban-set counterparts. Another secondary visitor function may involve travel advisement (Rompf et al. 2005). For example, visitor centres of specific towns or cities may offer services such as road-maps sales, hotel and restaurant directories and weather advisories. These functions exist to minimize the time and financial effort expended by an individual who possesses specific queries regarding personal travel plans. It is important to note that regardless of specific function performed by a given visitor centre, each serves to provide primary informative or logistical services with time and cost-efficiency to individuals.

Design

There are several elements that contribute to visitor centre design effectiveness. These elements include primary structural design, accessibility and invasiveness.

It should be noted that within certain categories there are several variations. For example, primary structural designs may consist of simple, traditional enclosures or complex, nuance architecture. Evaluation of design effectiveness is based not on preconceived notions simply of what is good vs. what is bad, but rather overall appropriateness relative to primary mission of the visitor centre.

Discussed below are examples of high vs. poor quality visitor centres. Under each heading, primary examples are listed and discussed. Each example is discussed relative to the main criteria within the design realm (i.e. structural effectiveness, accessibility and invasiveness) that characterizes a visitor centre.

High Quality Designs
Sydney Visitor Centres, Sydney, Australia

Structural designs of the Sydney visitor centres are large and open (see visitor centre, The Rocks, right). The Sydney Visitor Centres are situated in the downtown precinct. Accessibility is excellent given proximity to commercial, entertainment and transportation hubs (i.e. Circular Quay). Also, the centers are well marked to the public. For example, the visitor centre situated in The Rocks (see right) is marked with a large yellow pillar denoting the information symbol. The degree of invasiveness is minimal because the centres exist within already developed commercial areas.

Poor Quality Designs
Stonehenge Visitor Centre, England

The Stonehenge Visitor Centre designs are sound in structure, but poor in accessibility and invasiveness. For example, early renditions of the visitors centre reflect its use as a modern facility wherein visitors can become engaged in Stonehenge’s historical significance. However, a new visitor centre demands motor-based transportation between the centre and Stonehenge monument itself (BBC Online). Critics assert the environmental damage sustained with building of new road infrastructure to facilitate such transfers (BBC Online). Also, the centre is placed such that traffic is bottlenecked along a major interstate motorway (BBC Online).

Information: A How to Guide

Information presented within a visitor centre is critical to the user’s overall experience and satisfaction. There are three primary elements of information presentation that act not in mutual exclusivity, but in coordination to provide a comprehensive learning experience for a given individual. The first element is information accuracy. Information must be presented with high accuracy to must lucidly inform individuals of what and why a certain site bears historical, cultural or economic significance. The second element is presentation style. Critical to this element is a balance between detail and restrain. Information is most effectively presented if it enables satisfaction among users of a variety of ages, intelligence and general interest levels. The final element involves integration. This refers to the ability to present various different information pieces (i.e. historical accounts, vegetation descriptions^[2], maps etc) in context of the site’s general theme or purpose. For example, the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, US, hosts an exhibit entitled “The World Ahead” (CDC 2003). The exhibit incorporates several presentations dealing with real, modern risks and threats to global health such as bioterrorism and infectious disease (CDC 2003). Information integration is highly effective as the exhibit exists on the premises of one of the most advanced health laboratories in the world.

Discussed below are two examples of visitor centres that convey information with high effectiveness. Each example is discussed relative to main criteria within the information realm (i.e. information accuracy, presentation style and integration) that characterizes a visitor centre. As well, visitor centres are examined based on inclusion of essential issues – who, what, where, when, why and how – related to a specific site.

Sydney Visitor Centres, Information Services

Consider this example that uses a template for information services offered by the Sydney Visitor Centres Online. The following is an exert taken from Sydney Visitor Centres Online website (Information Services, http://www.sydneyvisitorcentre.com/content/dyncontent.cfm?pg=100360) that explains the range of services available within or facilitated by each of its two downtown visitor centres:

“Sydney Visitor Centres offer a comprehensive information service, which includes:

Conveniently located centres at The Rocks (9.30am- 5.30pm) and Darling Harbour (9.30am- 5.30pm) open every day of the year except Christmas Day and Good Friday
Expert Visitor Services Advisers many of whom are multi-lingual
Free information brochures and tourist guides < purchase for available are ? explore to areas regional major including Australia and surrounds, its Sydney, of maps range extensive>
A real-time Booking Service for accommodation, day tours, cruises and other activities in and around Sydney
Exclusive souvenirs and gifts, postcards, phone cards, travel cards, tickets and passes for purchase” (Information Services, Sydney Visitors Centres 2006)

Consider this outline of information services in the context of satisfying the essential criteria behind any marketing piece – answering the Who, What, Where, Why, When and How regarding the visitor centres and their services. First, the ‘who’ is clearly outlined in the heading, avoiding confusion among individuals as to who to consult vis-a-vis Sydney attractions and sites. The ‘what’ is explained in terms of each service offered by the visitor centres (i.e. service advisers, booking services, amenities such as phone cards, tickets etc).

Heritage and Leisure, Cork, Ireland

Information and links distributed through the Heritage and Leisure Department of Cork City council highlights the city’s most famous attractions. For example, links are provided to the Cork Museum, Blarney Castle and Cobh Heritage Centre, each of which possesses a unique significance to Irish culture and history (Cork City Council 2006). The Cobh Centre is particularly well advertised and explained as a sea-farers port, in past for Irish emigrants and in present for cruise liners (Cork City Council 2006). This centre also satisfies the essential information criteria regarding the subject of the site – ‘who’ (Cobh Heritage Centre), ‘what’ (past port for Irish emigrants), ‘where’ (Irish southeastern coast), ‘why’ (drought), ‘when’ (mid 19^th to mid 20^th century) and ‘how’ (via ship).

Conclusions

Visitor centres are most effective when blended into respective surroundings and when information is most aptly presented and explained based on site theme. Planners and contractors should heed such fundamental criteria such that future visitor centres accentuate, not dominate specific sites.

References

BBC Online Version. ‘Visitor Centre “Will Never Happen”’. Undated, Anonymous. Accessed online at , April 17, 2006

CDC Hopes to Draw Crowds of Tourists to New Visitors Center. Anonymous. 2003. Physicians Financial News. 21(13): 25

Cork City Council, Ireland. 2006. Heritage and Leisure. Accessed online at http://www.corkcorp.ie/strategiccorkguide/our_city/heritage_and_leisure.shtml, April 16, 2006

England J. 2005. Historic Wood Used in Nature Preserve. Rocky Mountain Construction. 86(16): 42

Florence B. 2006. ‘Quill Lakes Prepares for Hordes of Spring Visitors’. Star–Phoenix, 10 April, p. A3

Information Services, Sydney Visitors Centres. 2006. Accessed online at , April 17, 2006

Petrilli PE. 2004. River of Life. Consulting-Specifying Engineer. 36(4): 48

Rompf P., DiPietro RB and P. Ricci. 2005. Locals’ Involvement in Travelers’ Informational Search and Venue Decision Strategies While at Destination. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. 18(3): 11

Sydney Visitors Centres (SVC). 2006. Sydney Visitors Centres. Accessed online at , April 17, 2006

Wright G. 2004. Capitol Visitor Centre Project Nears Halfway Mark. 2004. Building Design & Construction. 45(6): 7

Euro Disney and other Disney are subsidiaries to Walt Disney Company. This is a case study based on Euro Disney to critically analyse and answer question of the Not So Wonderful World of EuroDisney- Things are Better Now at Paris Disneyland. EuroDisney first year of operation was faced with several factors in which hindered their financial growth and success in the first year of operation.

The case study will analyse and answer several questions relating to the Not so Wonderful world of EuroDisney. The questions are broken down in to five which are: 1) Why was Euro Disney performing poorly during its first year of operation? Recommend and propose strategies and suggestions to improve the situation? 2) To what degree do you consider that these factors were a) foreseeable and b) controllable by either Euro Disney or the parent company Disney? Evaluate the cross-cultural marketing skills of Disney! 3) Do you think the new theme park would have encountered the same problems if a location in Spain had been selected? 4) If you were the business development manager, what would be the major consideration you would go through before selecting a location for the next Disneyworld? 5) From your discussion select a location you think will be the next Disneyland site.

By the end of the analysis, a clear understanding it to be derive on what lead to the not so wonderful world of EuroDisney, and shading light on mistakes made by the parent company.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Euro Disney and other Disney company in various countries making it a network of international family entertainment network in all house hold around the world with four business diversification which are media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. Disneyland, Disney world and all places Disney have been known as the happiest place on earth, the goal of Walt Disney is opening Disneyland was not to just be a theme park, but to be a theme park that the entire family could enjoy. Although the Walt Disney Company was founded in 1938, it was not until 1952 that the theme park, Disneyland, was opened to the public. When Walt Disney opened an amusement park in the middle of Southern California orange groves in 1955, he changed the way that Americans, and the world, viewed such entertainment. Once the domain of carnival hucksters, amusement parks underwent a significant makeover at the hands of the head of the Disney Studios

Walter Elias Disney is a pioneer, innovator and possessor of one of the most fertile imaginations in the world. He was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion. Disney is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created a number of the world’s most famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, a character for which Disney himself was the original voice. He received fifty-nine Academy Award nominations and won twenty-six Oscars, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He also won seven Emmy Awards. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, Japan, France, and China.

In April 1992, The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies opened a new park for European visitors. It was located by the river Marne some 20 miles east of Paris and was designed to be the biggest and most lavish theme park that Walt Disney Company had built as compared to other sister companies (Cateora, & Graham, p.615). Nevertheless, the development of big theme park in Paris instead arise Euro Disney’s start up problems because the management has done some mistakes on project plan. They could not arrange a proper plan. Since the management not able to purposely consider certain outcomes, there was a something wrong in planning Euro Disney. The Disney management also did not have ample assumption about the European market as well as they did for their parent mark.

CHAPTER 2
2.0 CASE STUDY
The not-So-Wonderful World of Euro Disney – Things Are Better Now at Paris Disneyland.
2.1 The questions of case study have to be answered:

Question 1

Why was Euro Disney performing poorly during its first year of operation? Recommend and propose strategies and suggestions to improve the situation?

Question 2

To what degree do you consider that these factors were a) foreseeable and b) controllable by either Euro Disney or the parent company Disney?

Question 3

Evaluate the cross-cultural marketing skills of Disney!

Question 4

Do you think the new theme park would have encountered the same problems if a location in Spain had been selected? Discuss!

Question 5

If you were the business development manager, what would be the major consideration you would go through before selecting a location for the next Disneyworld? From your discussion select a location you think will be the next Disneyland site.

CHAPTER 3
3.0 ANSWERS TO CASE STUDY
3.1 Question 1
Factors that contributed to Euro Disney’s poor performance during its first year of operation.

Euro Disney’s factors of poor performance marketing mistakes were present throughout the whole inception of Euro Disney. Euro Disney were faced with several affecting factors which contributed to the failure or poor performance of the company, the factors came along with location, price, and lack of research in exchange rate, as well as the style of the theme park all played roles in the lack of success experienced by Euro Disney. The factors that played into the unsuccessful first year could have been foreseen and somewhat easily by Euro Disney or the parent company, the same goes for their being able to control them. Hostility among the French had risen even as the plans were being set as it was stated earlier, that they did not want American imperialism invading their country and culture. Cateora & Graham, p.614 reports, “Paris theatre director Mnouchhkin” descried Euro Disney as a “cultural Chernobyl.” In fall 1989, during a visit to Paris, French columnist pelted Michael Eisner with eggs. The joke going around at the time was, “for Euro Disney to adapt properly to France, all seven of snow white’s dwarfs should be named Grumpy …”

Location

Many factors contributed to Euro Disney’ poor performance during the first year of operation and many of these factors could have been alleviated if the proper factors would have been looked at previously. The first problem was the demographics and subsidies, and because the French government made Disney an offer it could not refuse, they located Euro Disney 20miles outside of Paris, a location that was thought to be very convenient. It played a negative role in the success in the success for Disney. How many people go to Paris to get glimpses of American theme parks? Most of the tourist going to Paris would spend time travelling the city and its wonders. About 17 million lives less than two hour drive from Paris and another 310 million can fly there at the same tie or less. The French government offered the company more than $1billion in various incentives; all in the expectation that project would create 30,000 French jobs. “The land came at rock bottom prices, cheap loans were made available, and a dedicated high speed TGV and suburban railway link was also offered by the French. France gave Disney an offer they could not refuse, overlooking the over value franc, bad weather, French people not being known for their hospitality and occasional anti-American demonstration by angry farmers because French agricultural subsidies had been cut, Paris was still chosen to be home of Euro Disney. The climate in Paris was also unsuitable and off-season attendance was way below expectation. Many landmarks events were competition to Euro Disney’s opening year, such event was the one held in Spain. “Spain held the world fair in Seville and Barcelona was home to the 1992 Olympics which took tourists to area other than Paris.” All in all, 1992 was not looking good for Euro Disney in terms of success.

Foreign uncontrollable and Exchange rate.

In Paris in regards to economic forces, legal forces, competition, and culture can be held accountable for Euro Disney misfortune. In opening in the summer of 1992, Europe was entering into recession and this caused income from catering, merchandise, including souvenirs and foods, hotels to be way below that was expected. High interest rates also caused many currencies to devaluate against Franc leading to more financial difficulties for Euro Disney. In negotiation with France, lawyers were used excessively. The rigid legal approach was offensive to the French, who, like most Europeans consider depending on lawyers to reach a conclusion to be last resort. Despite the foreign market uncontrollable hindering the park from the beginning, when Euro Disney opened in the summer of 1992 many marketing and operational errors factored into the parks unsuccessful opening.

Advertisement made by Euro Disney

Another controllable factor was the advert made by Euro Disney, which factored the poor the poor performing by the Euro Disney in Paris. Euro Disney advertising had emphasised Disney image as an alluring bit of American rather than an explaining to potential customers what they can actually do for the park. France (2004) reports, “every surface that could possibly have an advert placed on it clothing, buses, taxis, myriad walls and billboards, even the snow you sky on now hawks something.” According to Wikipedia encyclopaedia, ?Advertising is the promotion of goods and services, companies and ideas, usually performed by an identified sponsor. Company are bombarding us with thousand of advert with only one intention, to persuade us to buy their product. Euro Disney’s image marketing did not explain to Europeans that the theme park was or what attractions it had to offer the European consumer. The company advertising focused on the size of the park and the glamour behind it that this poor marketing strategy hurt over all business. No one in France cared that Euro Disney had cost over $4 billion and that its 4,800 acres include five separate recreation areas, six hotels with room for 5,200 people in all, an entertainment centre, a 27 hole golf course and a wooded campground. The marketing strategy in America was used in France and it backfired when the French visitors stayed away from the park. Yes advertising bombards us everywhere, but it is not without control and regulation by the government, businesses, and citizens. This opens one of the major issues in advertising, “the question of law and ethics.” The sensitivity perceived by the French in relation to the advert was that, it did not tell them what the citizens will benefit from the EuroDisney, and also the French were not happy with how the Americans use their own advertising style.

Poor Management operation

The management of Euro Disney had difficulties due to cultural and lack of understanding of the French culture. Operational errors that easily could have been avoided accounted for more troubles than were expected in the Euro Disney. In regards to employees, alcohol, admission and hotel prices, and breakfast in the hotel, staffing problems, and regulations regarding pets, many problems cause the Euro Disney misfortune in the first year. The employees dressed code enforced on employees prohibited facial hair and limited the use of makeup and jewellery. The lack of understanding by the parent country in regards to the dress culture of the French affected customer patronage. The French did not think dress standards like that existed outside the west military academy. Also the ban on alcohol caused astonishment in a country where glass of wine is normally given for launch and it is necessary as a fork for eating. However banning the alcohol in this theme park could have ever been a consideration is unbelievable and since it was a major issue, this policy of not serving alcohol in the park was also a hindering factor at Euro Disney. Another factor that leads to poor operation was the price system. Prices involve around Euro Disney were also the cause of it not performing well and not generating profit. “consultant who studied the park say that its high admission price 30 percent more that Disney Orlando makes visitors keen to take as many rides as possible, so they spend less time shopping for Mickey Mouse ears and such”. Prices at the Disney hotel were high compared to other hotels in Paris, the hotels in Paris ranges from $180 to $380 in the Paris metropolis.

Staffing problem

One of the major factors in the customer relationship in the international marketing, even at the domestic market is the customer- staff relationship. At Euro Disney, there were staffing approach problems too. The company had tried using the same team work model it did use either in America or Japan, which did not work in France. Within the first nine weeks of Euro Disney’s operation, roughly 1,000 employees, 10 percent of the employee left. People were leaving because they felt they were not being understood and they were not being treated in an appropriate manner that was satisfactory to them. The company actually taught that Monday would be a les busy day, while Friday a hectic busy time, but the reverse was the case, Monday turned out to be very busy at the Euro Disney.

Unforeseen issues

Factors that really could not be seen by managers included the approach to European recession, the Golf war in 1991, and increased interest rates. External factors that affected business were also the devaluation of the Franc currency in the international market, which lead to competitors to draw the attention of customers to the various sites. These competitors were the world’s fare in Seville and the 199 Olympics, which was held in Barcelona. (Cateora, & Graham, p.615)

Ethnocentrism

The managers of Disney and Euro Disney used their way of doing business, their cultural belief and ethics, and what they know and are used to in order to try and get another country to do the same. Cateora & Graham describes in more detail, “A brainstorming, kick the door down attitude seemed to reign amongst the U.S. decision makers.” The authors referred to one former manager’s comment, “We were arrogant, it was like, we were building the Taj Mahal and people will come on our terms.” Ethnocentrism is usually referred to as “tunnel vision. This view says that one certain ethnic group beliefs about morals is the right one and better than any group. The French saw the American managers as bullies, arrogant, and workaholics. A search for the topic, “Business culture Vs French” (n.d) refers to Laura Hampton, French ministry of Education as she explains the views that the French have about American business and culture:

“The French have a love or hate relationship with the U.S. We are deeply admired for many things (entertainment industry, our political system, our optimism as a people) but they are also very critical of the role the U.S has played in globalisation which they see threatening their own identity, culture, and language… (Regarding management practices) the French are less direct about theory expectation and you have to pay closer attention to the subtle cues given to you.,

Disregarding the French culture of being the world’s biggest consumers of wine, the management of Disney still hung on their “we know best” conviction. Male employees had to keep well groomed as the American managers wanted in this way. Their insensitivity to the French culture led to a very bad start even though they did relent in some areas such as allowing females employees to wear brightly coloured nails polish and allowing kennels for the quest pets. The French would never dream of leaving their pets when going on vacation. (Cateora & Graham, p 615)

CONCLUSION: the major factor that contributed to their poor performance, during their first year of operation can be narrowed down to marketing surveysm, which lead to ethnocentrism and self reference criterion.

3.1.2 RECOMMENDATION, PROPOSE STRATEGY AND SUGGESTION TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION AT EURO DISNEY.

There are several means in which the controllable factors could be avoided in other to present Euro Disney the success it needed at the first year of business. This means are suggest and proposed as follows:

The deliverance of advertising to the customers, not on the physical composition of just the area alone, but on the resources and service that a customer will get from patronising the resort. Advertising should be careful controlled. Society needs to make sure that people are not taken in by misleading advertisement. There is a set of principles that all advertisers must follow (Roman & Mss, 2003, p.200):

Tell the truth, show the truth- the product should look exactly the same way as the consumers will purchase it

Make the general impression truthful- “Advertising is judged not by what it says, but what consumer’s thinks it says”. (p.201)

Ban “weasels” and dangling companions- All sentences must be clear.

Substantiate product claims- must provide evidenced that the claim is true.

Back testimonials with research.

It is crucial that cross cultural communication, cooperative decision-making and collaborative problem solving be implemented in multinational corporation management like Disney. It is important that the management of a multinational corporation work together to overcome boundaries and differences and to be able to communicate, and collaborate in order to effectively work together, communicate, make decision, and solve problems as a single entity as globalisation does simple that. This brings the world together. The EuroDisney could use the help of the Disney in Turkey in other to be able to handle the cultural difference in French. By understanding the French culture, EuroDisney will be able to bring polices that will be accepted by the French customers. The French cherish their culture that it is important for EuroDisney to able to adapt the culture and avoid cultural self criterion, rather try to understand the culture of the French.

Make use of their number one asset which is human resource in order to apply the best approaches and method and focus on both macro and micro economics of the global business. The management from the head quarters branch(in this case, management from the United State) cannot do this alone but will achieve success if he learns from those in the various parts of the world and learns from those who are experts in the various locations and cultures in which they live and work. They will next, approaches communication, sales, customers services, find solutions, developing innovative tactics, and so on. The best way in managing a diverse sales team is to incorporate the sales management from each area and empowering them and learning from them, this system will help the Euro Disney to overcome the cultural differences and policies that are not suitable for the French workers.

Generally as management, it is important to have a general knowledge of domestic activities and policies, and to understand the various cultures and operations of the sales force outside of the United States. This can only be accomplish by using human resource from which are familiar with the culture of French, company, and cultures, how business is handled in different parts of the world, varying company policies and operations (although the company is an entity, policies and routines vary slightly, if not extremely, in order to accommodate the differences), language and cultural differences, various sales methods, training, customer service, account management, follow up procedures, key account management, and so on. Can only be handled by working with the various sales teams and using their expertise.

CONCLUSION: The above mentioned proposed recommendation will tackle the poor performance at Euro Disney. The first recommendation should be the market research and survey, which will tackle the staffing problem, cultural issues and drafting and delivering of effective promotion,

3.2 Question 2
3.2.1 The factors that could have been foreseeable and controlled by Euro Disney or the parent company.

Taking a look at the above mentioned factors that lead to the poor performance of Euro Disney in their first year of operation, some of the factors were possibly foreseeable, while some were not foreseeable and uncontrollable. A company reputation and size of Disney is allowed no room for mistakes. The stakes involved are billions of dollars. Complementary businesses like that of the hotel industry are reliant upon the success on the success of this team park in Paris. Generous funds received from the government and private institutions would have to be made well of. Disney should be able to foreseen the unforeseen.

When Euro Disney was established the consideration taking into account is the geographical area and culture as well. However Disney established the Euro Disney based on the nature or American thinking, they expected the Europeans to act as Americans and thrive over newly designed theme park. They forgot that they were producing a massive theme park bigger than any other theme park in Europe for the American mentality. They could have calculated the exchange rate, and did not calculate the European culture. They could have foreseen the problems mentioned in the above poor performance factors listed.

Factors such as those mentioned above are not categorized as the unforeseen; rather they are being classified as the expected factors, which Euro Disney or the parent company Disney should have detected. Economics, politics, culture complemented and associated with in depth analysis of the 4P’s follow the basic principles of marketing. Disney should have foreseen the changing economic scene in France with the forthcoming European recession in 1991. The relationship with the French government should have been handled with greater care and delicacy, because of the size of the investment involved and ultimately, the number of jobs dependant on the success of the Euro Disney. Looking at culture, the parent company can force itself on another people, looking at the cultural profile of the French, which in this case was the European continent. Disney promoted its product, the theme park similar to that of Tokyo Disneyland in Japan believing Europeans wanted their piece of Americana. In international marketing, the needs and wants of the consumer are being indentified, the package presented by Disney to their customer meet neither their needs nor wants. Disney true success lies in adapting to the surrounding culture of the French and Europe as a whole, being marketing oriented in finding success in customer satisfaction. Disney failed in both aspects. Culture is wide and change occurs when resistance slowly yields to acceptance, so the basis of resistance becomes unimportant or forgotten, which means that on the part of the European community, we are certain to see compromise, but over a period of time. Disney too has to reconcile with the environment it has settled in. we read in the case that Disney does ultimately mend it ways. Making room for continuous change is the best way to go about its business.

CONCLUSION: most of the factors that lead to the poor performance of EuroDisney in their first year of operation were foreseeable which are the staffing problem, advert problem, and cultural differences and so on, where some factors were not, such as the economic recession at that time in Europe.

3.3 Question 3
The cross-cultural marketing skills of Disney

The problem was that in the beginning, cross cultural marketing skills were not used and employed. Taking for example, Disney executives were told that French did not take breakfast in the morning, which lead to downsize but surprisingly, the French do eat breakfast.

Cross cultural marketing would have let the managers know that the Europeans were more energetic and covered more of the Euro Disney theme park and rides than those in the western hemisphere. Therefore, instead of the normally three days stay at the Disney American theme park, the stays were normally shortened to two days stay. The European vacation customs were not being examined so the theme park did not see profits and success as hoped. Americans take short breaks but they take the more often. However, Europeans take one month for holiday. The American managers thought that the Europeans would change their one month tradition and adopt the Americans shorter yet more frequent time off but did not happen. The French schedule remains the same and they would close the office and factory during the entire month of August, which was contrary to what the American do. These factors should have been considered. Cross cultural marketing would have been extremely useful but the parent company executives were being quite ethnocentric and it cost a great price. (ibid, p.615) needed to say, their cultural marketing skills were unsatisfactory, in fact, nonexistent. Had they had any skills of this sort, the beginning would have been a success and not such a failure at the start.

Therefore, we can say that the skills of Euro Disney cross cultural marketing skill was poor, they did not have skills of cross cultural marketing skills which is the main key in dealings in international trade like Euro Disney. They put an American theme park in the middle of Europe with American mentality, American food, and this did not heed to the cultural values of the Europeans. However, the new CEO in 1993, the park understood their problem and made the changes. They then started their new marketing plan, which included skills of cross cultural values, understanding. They started to include French and European favourites like Zoro and Mary Poppins. They advertising campaign include famous European characters with the magic kingdom. Within a year, they took off deals boosted.

CONCLUSION: after the recognition of the problem facing Euro Disney which was the cross cultural marketing skill, which was bad. After some time park understood the pending problem and provided a solution, which was the use of French in their advertising campaign and so on.

3.4 Question 4
3.4.1 New theme park in Spain

Spain is a country that accept and receive foreign cultures compared to France, the southerners receive foreign culture with greater warmth compared to the central and east Europeans, in which if Euro Disney would have launched in Spain, Disney would have met less criticism. But we should bear in mind that, Euro Disney is actually built to serve the entire Europe as a whole not just Spain. Therefore, criticism will likely come from other part of Europe, even if Spain receives Americans with warmth.

Cultural profile is formed as the bases of international marketing relationship, how a product is being marketed in the international market, in a foreign country is based on the cultural variable present in the country. In other for Disney success in marketing the theme park internationally, it will force them never over emphasise the importance of understanding the culture of a foreign culture. A theme park in any part in Europe generally, Spain not excluded will face a varying percentage of regal restraints, political risk, culture conflict, and economic disruption as well.

Therefore, if Disney places a theme park in Spain, it is believed that the cultural difference will lay a huge role in its success, as suggested earlier. Disney would have to adapt to the customers culture and the culture of Spain generally, and incorporate them into the development, implementation, and operation of a new theme park. The workaholic habits of the Americans is opposite of not just Spain’s focus of life and family first, but generally Europe as a continent. In the United States, people focus more on themselves and individuality is the focus not group (Hofstede cultural dimension).

CONCLUSION: international marketing is the function associated with culture, what one is able to do in marketing to a particular foreign product is shaped by the cultural variables of the country. A theme park is Spain as in another part of Europe would face a varying proportion of, legal restraints, political risk, culture conflict, and economic disruption.

3.5 Question 5
3.5.1 The major considerations for the next Disneyworld

The consideration for the next Disneyworld should be in Dubai. Dubai should be considers as the next Disneyworld location priority. Dubai (UAE) is the major commercial business hub of the Arab world. Business horizons expand from the west coast of the United States to the eastern Philippine archipelago. Business communities around Europe have created a stronghold here as a gateway to most of Northern Africa, the Middle East and to a limited extent the Asian Subcontinent. Dubai seems to be a good strategic location for the Next Disney world to be established. Dubai is seen as the portal not only to the minority communities from Europe, Asia and America’s but specifically to the Muslim world of over one billion. Then underlying opportunities are immense. The parent company Disney is already a recognise figure in households of the respective location UAE. The relaxed social and cultural atmosphere Dubai possesses over Muslim states should not pose a threat to the continuity of business at Disney in Dubai, which will be called Disney Arabia.

Dubai reports a GDP (gross domestic product) per head of US$15,000 to $18,000, one of the highest figures in Asia. The trade balance remains a surplus with over US$500 million. The infrastructure boasts access to telecommunication facilities and transport by land, air and water as state of the art. The diverse ethnic communities level communication barriers between the Arabs and expatriates. All in all, Dubai posses the qualities and the right backdrop to promote the new “Disney Arabia” to a wider scope of people, both the conservative and the more liberal, foreign and local. Thus, lunching the new Disney subsidiary is obviously not an overnight or one day project, meticulous planning will be needed in defining the eight P’s as pertinent to the Arab world.

CONCLUSION: it is important to learn from the mistakes that were made when EuroDisnay was started. Having offices and managers from the country will be detrimental. Incorporating Dubai culture and examining the tourist activities, practices and trends will be crucial to the making of breaking of a Disney in Dubai.

CHAPTER 4
4.0 CONCLUSION

Euro Disney faces poor performance during their first year of operation, which makes it important to learn from mistakes that were made when Euro Disney was started. Having offices and managers from the country will be detrimental. Incorporating the culture and examining the tourist activities, practices, and trends will be crucial to making or breaking of a Disney new project and existing one as well. The Disney Paris in recent

It is considered to be the most important aspect of the hospitality industry, to demonstrate high levels of quality service. The hospitality industry emanates from the principle that the customer needs to be treated with priority, and should see incomparable value in the service delivered. Customers will be willing to spend their last dollar on services that surpass their expectations. On the contrary, dissatisfaction with service rendered will have customers look elsewhere for value offerings from the competition.

Some hospitality Industries may provide the best service, but if these industries are not efficient and innovative with services offered, they may lose an important customer and several other referrals. These industries have to be cognizant that if their customers are not satisfied, they may lose the opportunity to break even and to keep their doors open. Understanding that customers are the wind that keeps the company above ground, they have to keep learning how to constantly innovate to meet high expectations and provide good service. The customer should be the center of your universe and the services provided should be designed around your customer.

Quality in the hospitality industry also involves consistent delivery of products and improved guest services according to expected standards. They are various tools that measure and improve quality service, as well as mechanisms for quality recognition in the hospitality industry. One such mechanism is the systematic method of Quality assurance which refers to any planned and activity directed towards providing consumers with goods and service of appropriate quality, along with the confidence that they meet customer requirements.

The hospitality industry thrives on convenience. If your customer service is missing this essential ingredient, your business won’t last long unless you bring about changes that demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction. Hospitality industries were built to offer the basics of convenience to customers. Today, as the industry is expanding and the competition is growing, hotel conglomerates are getting innovative and thinking of means to achieve the highest standards in convenience offerings. Customers are now making their decision on which Hotel they stay base on remarks made about the accommodation from previous quest. So it is essential that these industries ensure that they maintain high level of customer satisfaction to grow customer visit/stay.

Unlike the Hospitality Industry, some services and goods manufacturers will never meet with customers face to face. They often will only ensure that the product gets to the customer and satisfy their needs. However the Hospitality Industry cannot offer this same method of services. The industry can never survive unless customers get and feel of what they are buying into. These industries are service oriented, but retail industry speaks to good for resale. Retail companies have their nest of challenges too, they have to figure out where they are going to manufacture it, how to get the product to the market who wants to sell it, and once its in the market how to promote it. Even with all the challenges faced by the retail industries the hospitality industries face greater difficulties as they have to use the same service being constantly innovative in keeping the demand for such product lucrative. Hence one can assume that the hospitality industries require far more attention to maintain its relevance

COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM

PROS:-

Community-based tourism is an alternative tourism product being developed in Jamaica and to some -extent, in the Caribbean region. The intent behind this cultural up-close opportunity is to meet the varying needs of the local and overseas vacationers seeking a “natural” experience. Traditional tourists in search of sun, sand and sea still remain the largest segment of the tourism market. There is, however, a growing market for an alternative tourism product that is heritage-, cultural- or nature-based in a rural setting. This presents an opportunity for Jamaica to position itself to offer a wide array of tourism products. Community tourism is not a brand of tourism, but rather a type of ownership and management arrangement. One set of alternative tourism products focuses on Jamaica’s history, culture and nature-based attractions in rural communities outside the main resort areas. This method of tourism is one or a combination of tourism products offered at a community level to domestic or international visitors. In the Jamaican context, community-based tourism usually refers to visitor interaction with local people in rural areas.

This based tourism has the potential to significantly boost employment. Community tourism is about new levels of relationships between the host country (Jamaica) and the visitors. What is a appealing to the visitor is found among the varied natural attractions, local resources and talents, and indigenous attributes of the Jamaican communities. Community based tourism enables tourists to discover local habitats and wildlife, and celebrates and respects traditional cultures, rituals and wisdom. The community will be aware of the commercial and social value placed on their natural and cultural heritage through tourism, and this will foster community based conservation of these resources.

Community-based tourism affords travelers with rare opportunities to experience local communities first hand. It’s distinctive in that it provides an alternative to development that’s not sustainable, giving rural and poor communities an additional source of income in supporting community-based tourism; you can immerse yourself in the day-to-day lives of local and indigenous people while helping them to preserve their environment and cultural heritage. The residents earn income as land managers, entrepreneurs, service and produce providers, and employees. At least part of the tourist income is set aside for projects which provide benefits to the community as a whole. Tourists will spend time near areas that are rich in culture and biodiversity, and, at the same time, will get to know the locals at the grassroots level.

CONS:-

Whilst many will argue that community-based tourism will strengthen the local structures of the communities they are others that will say that it has seen some negative impact of the same or no impact at all. In many cases, tourism does not benefit local people as too much money is spent on imported goods or with foreign tour operators and only urban areas see some economic benefits, Money generated by tourism does not always benefit the local community, as some of it leaks out to huge international companies, such as hotel chains.

When tourism sectors aren’t properly monitored, its impacts can be grave. Trending from land and housing taking over for tourism infrastructure, eroding social and cultural norms, whilst encourage begging and prostitution. Successful community-based tourism relies on establishing a basic infrastructure, such as roads, visitor centers and hotels. The cost of this usually falls on the government, and is funded by tax revenues. Jobs created by tourism are often seasonal and poorly paid, yet tourism can push up local property prices and the cost of goods and services.

Destinations dependent on tourism can be adversely affected by events such as terrorism, natural disasters and economic recession. Visitor behavior can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of the host community. For example, crowding and congestion, drugs and alcohol problems, prostitution and increased crime levels can occur. Tourism can even infringe on human rights, with locals being displaced from their land to make way for new hotels or barred from beaches. Interaction with tourists can also lead to an erosion of traditional cultures and values. Tourism poses a threat to a region’s natural and cultural resources, such as water supply, beaches, coral reefs and heritage sites, through overuse. It also causes increased pollution through traffic emissions, littering, increased sewage production and noise.

Communities are encouraged to weigh the cost of these project and development to ensure that the introductions and implementations of these community oriented tourism, will bring about more benefits in the development of its social, environmental and economical framework.

Factors that attract tourist to the Caribbean:-

The Caribbean region attracts tourist seeking a family or exotic romantic getaway, or a sunny break from the harsh cold winters of their countries. Offering year-round sunny, warm weather with cool breezes, tropical beaches, cultural carnivals, peace and tranquility and delicious food; its perfect vacation location, especially for Canadians, Europeans and Americans.

Ease of Access

For most people living in the northern hemisphere, the Caribbean is the quickest getaway destination where they can be on a beach with a colorful drink in one to four hours. The Bahamas, for instance, has islands that are barely 50 miles away from Florida. This has made the Caribbean a favorite of many travelers and contributes to tourist growth. Airlines continue to create more flights such as the JetBlue route from both Boston and New York to the Turks and Caicos. And for those who prefer not to fly, there are several cruise ship options. These include the Royal Caribbean Cruises that visit the Bahamas, St. Thomas and the Disney Cruise Lines, which are tailored for families.

Cost

As noted above, there are many options for getting to the Caribbean. as a result, reaching the region is equally affordable, especially when compared with other destinations in Europe, Asia and even parts of Latin America. You can find an affordable ticket for a quick trip during off season when there are fewer tourists. And for large islands with airports that are hubs for air carriers, like the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, cheap tickets are available almost year round. And upon arriving, visitors can enjoy themselves without going broke. Save, for sure, if they choose to shop at prime luxury stores, this affordability is an essential factor in the region’s tourism growth.

The mild and tropical climate along with the long and extensive soft sand beaches, the palm trees aligning the beaches and the sweet aroma of the tropical flowers and fruits in the air, has rendered much to the Tourism in Caribbean. The lush green environment, the charming sunrise and sunset views, the turquoise lagoon, the warm waters of the ocean and spectacular views of the sea, all combine together to make the Caribbean countries perfect spots for an unforgettable holiday retreat.

While in the Caribbean tourist also shop. They shop for various products including garments, beachwear, shoes, accessories, souvenirs, gifts and handicrafts. The small shops along the beaches are ideal places to shop for the local artistic goods at reasonable prices.

Accommodations

The Caribbean has a variety of accommodations from high-end luxury resorts to bed and breakfasts and everything in between. These options mean that visitors of all economic levels can come to the region. But in addition to the accommodations is the affordable cost. Resorts and hotels continue to present competitively priced accommodations that attract visitors.

Reputation

The Caribbean has been visited by tourists since the 1800s, and tales of its beauty and relaxing environment precede it. In fact, the Royal Victorian Hotel was built in the Bahamas during the American Civil War, one of the first such establishments in the region. This continuing good reputation makes it easy for tourists to visit for the first time or return for a repeat vacation. Also, the region is known for being safe, alleviating concern from families and single visitors.

Events and Conferences

Events and Conferences are also major reason people travel. The Caribbean is the perfect destination for conferences and event planners. Its natural beauty and climate is just amazing.

Questionnaires

What is it that you do exactly?

What do you enjoy most about your job?

What are the roles and responsibilities of a hotel manager?

What job specific tasks did you performed in your previous hotel?

What is your area of skill?

What are some of your weak points?

What qualifications, skills and abilities do you have?

Can you tell state some of the different sectors in the hotel industry?

Answers
What is it that you do exactly?

I am responsible for the entire operation at the Spanish court hotel, making sure that all our guests are happy and want to come back and also recommend our hotel to their family, friends and colleagues. It’s fun to work closely with all the different Heads of Department towards the same goal of offering excellent guest services.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

To be fortunate to do what I am passionate about. I love all the various aspects of the capital city hotel. It’s the contact with the guests at the lobby, welcoming them to our executive lounge, inviting people for a thrilling wine and dinner in one of our amazing restaurants, as well as Working with colleagues and associates. Am swollen with pride of what I do, and of the hotel I work for.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a hotel manager?

A hotel manager has to perform large number of important roles and responsibilities. He or she must ensure that the hotel is been managed properly and is required to prepare a yearly reports and submit them to the hotel owner. They even set hotel service standards as well as choose extra services or amenities to make the hotel more appealing to travelers.

What job specific tasks did you performed in your previous hotel?

The job specific tasks which I performed include training newly recruited assistants, creating and delivering the payroll records, managing records of employees, motivating employees and managing different programs and seminars to increase efficiency of workers. I even handled and coordinated the food and beverage operations for a period of time.

What is your area of skill?

I have specialization in financial and strategic planning, profit and loss management, hotel administration, accounts maintenance, marketing, housekeeping, food and beverage management, catering and maintenance.

What are some of your weak points?

This is a nice question which gives you an excellent opportunity to put an optimistic turn on something negative. You have to shape your negatives into positives. Like in weakness you can say that I am way too focused towards my work and I think I should make time for myself. It is very important to be prepared for an interview. During the course of an interview, you may be asked a variety of questions. Just one bad answer can stand out and cost you the job. So be prepare and practice well before interview.

What qualifications, skills and abilities do you have?

I have plenty experience in this field, possess good knowledge in all phases, departments and shifts of hotel operations. I have supreme guest relation skills especially in creating special touches and resolving guest problems and concerns. I have strong computer skills and I can easily operate hotel systems. I have worked successfully in team as well as individual work environment.

Can you state some of the different sectors in hotel industry?

Sectors in hotel industry are housekeeping, accounting, maintenance, public relations, security, sales, food and beverages, and front office.

Housekeeping – this sector is responsible for the spreading of beds and making sure the rooms is kept up to standard for our guest.

Accounting – maintain the general and subsidiary ledgers; process and record all revenues and prepare general purpose financial statements.

Maintenance – This department is responsible for the condition of engineering facilities that contribute to the comfort of guest and increase the efficiency of staff.

Public relation- responsible for managing the flow of information between our hotel and the public.

Security – to protect the guests and staffs of the hotel, including all of our assets.

Sales- The sales department is the channel of how well our services are introduced to the marketplace.

Food and Beverages – this Department is responsible for maintaining high quality food and service, food costing, managing restaurants, bars, etc.

Front office – Members of the front-office staff welcome the guests, help with their luggage, and assist in registering, provide them with their room keys and mails, answer questions about the activities in the hotel and surrounding area.

The research paper consist of two chapters, chapter one contains the report has chapter two contains the conclusion, my references, the appendix and the recommendation. There is a surface look on why quality service is important in the hospitally industry as oppose to service quality in other businesses. Included also are in-depth explanations for the importance of service quality. The topic of community based tourism soon approaches; I have listed advantages and disadvantages, of CBT, after which a clear definition as given for all the pros and con listed. It is said that Jamaica attracts tourist because of the three S, sand sun and sea these are not the only factors that were named other factors ere also included, each of these factors has a small summary explaining each factor clearly.

Discuss the importance of delivering quality services in the hospitality industry and identify differences (if any) between delivery in the hospitality industry and service delivery in other businesses

Quality in the tourism and hospitality industry involves consistent delivery of products and services as indicated by expected standards. Delivering quality service is one of the many threats that the hospitality managers will be facing in the upcoming years as it is an important condition for success in the emanate acutely rival hospitality industry. (theories, 2006) There is no issue more challenging for hoteliers than achieving consistency and quality across all factors of the guest experience and getting employees to continually meet and exceed customer expectations. (Larkin, 2009) Under-promise and over-deliver should be the mantra for every successful hotelier, who should be conscientious and ardent about customer needs. If you satisfy a customer’s needs, you are building the foundation to establish a relationship based on trust and loyalty. All these factors collectively contribute to customer loyalty and retention which are integral for success in this industry. Always be open to suggestions. Understand what your customers expect from you. Place a suggestion box in your hotel reception, cafe, and air travel or tourism office so you can gather feedback from your customers. Further, don’t just gather customer recommendations, act upon them to show that you really care and want their business. It is essential to understand the importance of customer service in hospitality to make a positive difference to the business by listening and learning. You may provide the best service, but if you are not fast enough you may lose an important customer and several other referrals. Always remember if do not give your customer what he or she is looking for; he will knock on other doors until someone else will. Employees need to learn how to innovate to meet high expectations and provide good service’. The customer should be your main concern and services designed around them. The hospitality industry prospers on accessibility. If your customer service is missing this essential ingredients, your business will not survive for a; long period unless you bring about changes that show your dedication to customer satisfaction. The industry is expanding and so is the competition. The necessity of customer service in hospitality stems from the dictum that the customer needs to be treated with priority and that he should see value in what is given. If a customer believes he got value for his money he will keep coming back if customers are dissatisfied with the service offered they will seek out other organizations .hotels and restaurants provide millions of jobs for persons worldwide. High quality customer service requires that employees interact with guests in a cordial manner, their duties must be performed with a smile, when a guest is satisfied with service he or she has received the company earns revenue, new clientele and positive recommendations. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2018 the number of jobs in the customer service field will increase by 18 percent. This reflects an increasing importance for quality customer service which also affects industry growth .lf visitors are given extra perks such as a free pass to the hotel spa; they are likely to visit again with the intention of paying. Part of a hotel or restaurants star rating is customer service. A unique aspect of any service industry, to which tourism belongs, is the service delivery system. This term covers those aspects of the operation which take place at the time that a customer or client comes to the service point and requests a specific service. The delivery system is designed to provide the customer with the required variety of services and with the minimum delay. A common feature of delivery systems is the customer line or queue. A key aspect of any system is to control the length of queues.

There is not much of a difference between service delivery in the hospitality industry and that of service delivery in other businesses; the main fact that must be noted is that the hospitality industry is dependent on service delivery while other businesses not in the hospitality sector are not. It is not new and it has become more of a necessity than choice if organizations want to have a competitive edge in the industry they need to introduce quality based practices.

.

PROS

Community Based tourism enables tourists to discover local habitats and wildlife and celebrate and respects traditional cultures, rituals and wisdom. The community will be aware of the commercial and social value placed on their natural and cultural heritage through tourism and this will foster community based conservation of resources.

Community Based Tourism affords travelers with rare opportunities to experience local communities firsthand. its distinctive in that it provides an alternative to development that’s not sustainable, giving rural and poor communities an additional source of income

Residents earn income as land managers, entrepreneur service and produce providers and employees. At least part of the tourist income is set aside for products hich provide benefits to the community as a whole.

Many productive experiences in developing countries prove that tourism can become a leading sector for the people who conserve natural resources and live on it.

Provide land ownership by the local population

Promotes productive sustainable practices within its tourism offering

CONS

.Lost Benefits-as the cost to fund community based tourism escalates it outweighs the benefits

Poor Management, Marketing and Entrepreneur skill

Lack of community involvement and participation

Reliance on donor funding

In balance in board Representation

Community Tourism is tourism in which local residents (often rural, poor and economically marginalized) invite tourist to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodation. Community based tourism takes environmental, social and cultural sustainability into account, it is managed and owned by the community with the purpose of enabling visitors to increase their awareness and learn about the community and local ways of life, this type of tourism provides alternative economic opportunities, which are essential in rural areas, it has the potential to create jobs and generate entrepreneurial opportunities fo people from a variety of backgrounds, skills and experience. (Harris, 2003). Community based development empowers people to be more aware of the value of their community assets, their cultural heritage, cuisine and lifestyle, it mobilizes them to convert them into income generating projects while offering a more diverse and worthwhile experience to visitors. Every citizen is a potential business partner to be trained in small business management, environmental awareness, product development and marketing, this type of people centered tourism promotes a sense of “ownership” which augurs well for the industry’s sustainability. Community based Tourism is not only a development tool for building tourism but for the entire country. (technology, 2005)

FACTORS THAT ATTRACT TOURIST TO JAMAICA

BEACHES- the most popular beaches are found along the North Coast which stretches 150 miles from Negril to Port Antonio. Popular beaches include Cornwall Beach, Doctors Cove beach in Montego bay, seven mile beach in negril, treasure beach on the south coast, just to rname a few. The seven mile beach has golden sand that is ideal for families but have some nude beach patches.

ENTERTAINMENT- sum fest the world’s premier reggae show draws up to 15,000 fans each night and seeing artists performing in the land where reggae was born. Little ocho seafood festival

LUXURIOUS RESORTS- these include sunset beach resort and spa located in montego bay, sunset Jamaica grande resorts and spa in ocho Rios and sunset at the palms in Negril, all these resorts are budget friendly and family oriented

CLIMATE- the island is blessed with a tropical marine climate, it is blessed with northeasterly trade winds that keep you from sweltering no matter what time of year

ACCESSIBILITY- The central location of Jamaica allows easy access by air and sea to tourists from the north and south.It is not surprising that the Caribbean attracts approximately50% of the international cruise liners to its shores.

The Exchange Rate- the foreign exchange rates of caribbeam countries provided added incentives for tourist

SANITATION AND HEALTH-a healthy and well kept environment influences tourist to come to destination Jamaica

HERITAGE

– a rich historical past has left a legacy of forts, plantation houses, sugar mills and artifacts which reflect the way of life of past generation

ENVIRONMENTAL-the evergreen rain forest with a wide mix of flora and fauna,provide a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere for hiking, bird watching and picnics

CONCLUSION

Mother Nature has blessed Jamaica with a magnificent waterfalls and natural wonders, the forts of the pass are both museum and entertainment pieces. In conclusion of this research the researcher realized that quality service delivery is more important and even more necessary than service quality in any other form of business. Jamaica has a number of tourism products in place which are used to satisfy basic wants and needs of a tourist, these include all facilities and amenities either man made or natural. Community based tourism as stated in the research is basically where local residents invite tourist to visit there community with provision of overnight accommodations. There are disadvantages and advantages found in community based tourism but the good outweighs the bad, with proper management of the CBT, it will continue to strive for years to come. Jamaica is the Caribbean’s premier vacation retreat; it offers much diversity for so little. Destination Jamaica has been blessed with scenic beauty which we are determined to preserve and protect.

RECOMMENDATION

Implementation of Management teams who will do special research focusing on culture, awareness of benefits

APPENDIX

Hospitality is the relationship between guest and host, or the act or practice of being hospitable. Specifically, this includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, resorts, membership clubs, conventions, attractions, special events, and other services for travelers and tourists. Hotel, motels, inns, or such businesses that provides transitional or short-term lodging, with or without food. The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry.Hospitality also means providing services and welcoming strangers without expecting anything in return. Here if you see and redefine the words Hospital and Hospitality it will give you the same answer. In Hospital a Doctor takes care of a Stranger who comes to him without knowing who is in front of him with his physical problem and expects that he will be taken care properly without any doubt.

The patient expects that the right type of treatment is given from the time he comes to the Hospital till he is discharged. Same is with Hospitality. When a strangers walks in who is your Guest he expects a proper welcome with a smile and he is taken care with Proper accommodation, Food and Beverage till he checks out. The stay must be memorable and he should feel fit and fine with the services provided.

Question 1

1.1Define the term Hospitality Industry and give examples, advantages, and disadvantages of their use in the hospitality industry?

The hospitality industry is a huge and famous industry in this world, and there are multiple areas in this industry. This industry is specialized by training. This gigantic sector includes tourism and tour, traditional hospitality industry such as resorts and hotels, motel and a range of other hospitality services. ( Johnston, 2010). Because of this industry is famous so there is several advantages in this industry. But if we look deep through this industry also got some disadvantages also.

The advantage of hospitality industry is that, they afford to provide the full service to their customers. For example, many hotels or resorts are around-the-clock, provide 24-hour operations and staffs are required to work varied shifts and extended hours for their customer satisfaction. Its means they provide the services for their clients all the time. Without bothering the time of the clients ask for the service. For example if any of the clients need foods or any other service at midnight means they can provide all the service to them without any further adore.

Besides that, this industry also provides other services such as tour and tourism beside provide only the accommodation service. Mostly the resort department will provide this as their service. It is because mostly the resorts will located at beach site waterfall site. So the people those who are go there can enjoy the beach site by staying there for 2 days or more than 2 days. In this situation, the industry helps their client to enjoy the nature by staying at beach site. The resorts also sometimes will build at jungle site. Those who is interest for stay in jungle for get any deferent experience they can go there and stay there and at the same time can enjoy the jungle life.

The hospitality industry is famous for accommodation sector. They provide this sector with multiple categories. For example five star hotel, four star hotels, and three star hotels and so on. So those who are afford to pay the high fee they will choose their standard level hotel such as five star or four star hotels and those who are not afford to pay more fees only for the accommodations for a short period time will choose the lower level hotels. So its shows that this industry provide hotels for all the people according to their living standard.

Then glamour myth also a advantage of the hospitality industry. Is means the hotel industry offers you the chance to meet rich, famous and interesting people. So we can meet them at the place where go for rest but at the same time it brings benefit to us. Can get meet any famous person or any important person who are in the same carrier with us. For example, if I’m a business person I can get to meet any other business person who is carry on the same business with me, so I can develop my business very well and famous.

At the same time they can include scientists attending in-house conferences, foreign tourists, local business people and ordinary everyday citizens. Although you might be able to tell your friends that Hollywood’s hottest stars are staying in your hotel, you’ll probably have to stretch the truth a little to say that you actually talked with them. Celebrities might chat with you like an old friend, out of politeness, only when ordering room service, or not at all. Some may be jovial and even invite you for a drink, while others will treat you with the cool and fun.

Furthermore the hospitality industry provides the standard living for their client. They provide services with the standard level such as the rooms that they provide the foods that they provide. They provide the rooms with full furniture and all the equipment. So the client will happily can enjoy all the service of them. So they will satisfy with their service and may be the loyal to the particular hospitality industry. With the advantages of hotel Industry come the disadvantages too. The disadvantage of this industry is long and odd hours. This means that if the client or customer of that particular hotel doesn’t like early starts or late finishes, then the hotel industry may not be help them. They may make late to help the client purposely.

Besides that, pressure, high standards and deadlines also a disadvantages of the hospitality industry. Working for demanding clients and management is not the downside of working in hotels – for it is what the industry is all about – but you may find that the pressure of guest and management expectations are more stressful than you ever imagined. Pressure and deadlines are intrinsic elements of the industry and the best hotel workers thrive on conquering the challenges and obstacles placed in the way of personal and company objectives.

Culture problem also consider as a disadvantage of this industry. Most of the hospitality industry provides their service with the western style but it not suitable for all the clients of them. For example we can take the Malay religion, they cannot eat all the food especially pork at all and they can eat only ‘halal’ food so they face some problems. Then also must prepare with at least a special hall for their praying. Because Malays must at the correct time and must carry on the prayer at the special venue which is called as ‘surau’ if there don’t have mosque.

So some of the hotel or hospitality management sometimes never provides or forget to prepare all this things to them. Besides Malays, in our country the Indian are sometimes will carry on the vegetarian. So the hotels must prepare the vegetarian foods for them. But they never provide this sometimes. So the clients need to go out site of the hotel for find the foods for them. This shows that the hospitality industry never give important for their clients.

As the conclusion, the hospitality industry provides the good service for their client with their variety service. But still this industry needs to improve their service to archive the target of their industry. if they improve all this the customers will get happy and will enjoy with service.

Question 2

2.1: Find out the factors that affecting travel and tourism. Explain in detail?

Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outsides their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes. The word staying suggests that tourists stay at least one night. However must acknowledge that day visitors make a huge contribution to the tourist industry and some regions and organizations choose to include day visitors in statistics. It is acknowledged by the World Tourism Organization that tourism is the fastest growing economic sector, bringing foreign exchange earnings to countries and creating jobs. Jobs are not only created directly in tourism but in related industries, for example in construction. Much tourism development occurs in developing countries, bringing economic opportunities local communities. There are several factors that affecting travel and tourism industry which influence the industry.

The first factors that affect this industry are technological factor. Nowadays the technology develops very well. So also develop in travel and tourism. The growth of e-commerce and new transportation affect the travel and tourism industry. Nowadays the travel system develops well for example the buses that use nowadays is full of air-condition service, with video and audio system. Travel and tourism has always been an industry that has made extensive use of new technology equipment. Central reservation system (CRS), the use of computers in travel agencies and sophisticated databases for marketing purposes are now ordinary. Increase in competition within the industry will force organizations to use new technology to the full. New developments in transportation make extensive use of new technology, for example the Channel Tunnel, the advances in aircraft design and opening up new long-hall destinations. Then more develop bus is super VIP bus. This is consisting of all the service to the passengers. So the passengers can enjoy the traveling period.

Furthermore, another factor is, the technology develops until the passengers or the customers can get the information of the travel and tourism industry in internet. The particular agency will update all the information in web so the customers can check easily all the information about their tour and can easily contact to the particular agency. This makes the agency famous among the people because all over the world can access their information and can consider to the particular agency. At the same time also help the customers to get all their information in detail and faster too.

Cultural and environmental factors also affect the travel and tourism industry. In the 1980s saw the emergence in Britain of a greater environmental awareness and a society that was beginning to take its health and fitness seriously. These factors are likely to remain important influences on travel and tourism developments in the future with so-called ‘green issues’ high on the agenda. The political aspect also affects this industry. The security concerns over travel have had a serious impact on the travel and tourism industry. Which are leading to increased business failures in certain situation if the government never invent in this industry. The government must provides all the services to help the industry such as prepare a good road for travel and railway tracks for the rails travel so the travel and tourism industry can easily can safely travel.

Then the choice of destination also affects this industry. Most of the customer likes to travel for a famous and enjoyable place. So they must bring out the travel and tourism to a famous popular place, which got a high demand among the people. Then choose of place should be according to the age group. If want to carry on a travel and tourism, must be a place where got a lots of fun and entertainment but if want to carry on for veterans means place should be suitable for them. So they can enjoy the travel with fullest and the affect also will be the positive type. Other than age group category there got other group category also, such as leisure customers, business customers, independent travelers, package holidaymakers. So the travel and tourism must be carrying on according to deferent types customers.

Besides that, the rule and regulation also will affect the travel and tourism industry. The travel that’s going to carry should be following the all the rules and regulations that the government stated and the particular place stated. So it will never affect the customers of them. For example, if the tourism place stated that cannot brings camera or video inside means they should tell earlier to their customer so they may follow the rules and will not affect the agency also. If not the agency may affected because did not follow the rules and regulation. While the customers’ also wont respect to the agency. At the end the customers won’t support for the particular industry.

The travel and tourism that going to carry on also should be suitable for the season. Because the customers are always like to travel to different destination in a different season. So should carry on the correct travel and tourism event at the correct season. If not it will affect alt the industry. The customer may not will support the agency because they are not giving what they want and they won’t satisfy with them at all. At last the food and beverage also will affect the industry, even is not a big issue and important in a travel and tourism industry. The foods that they provide to the customers should be good foods which is not expired or spoiled. If not the customer may get anger with their service and will get disappointment with their service. So if a travel and tourism industry wants to be success means, they should consider all the element of the travel and tourism. And must prepare earlier for everything with full of good service for their customer’s satisfaction.

Conclusion

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbpXEn1MNc3WlR1eNL_Y7lEYmix5zdVH5pPapH0B3n3gHJT1lhAs the conclusion, we have learnt about the meaning of hospitality and the stages of hospitality industry development from traditional to advanced stage and learnt that hospitality management means how to cater for people in a friendly and cheerful manner to enable the guest appreciate in services. Besides that, we have learnt about the meaning and the importance of housekeeping Department in hotel, motel, guest how we have learn about the interdepartmental co-operations among various departments of the hotel and the importance of hotel industry in our society. Furthermore, we also learnt the meaning and types of non-commercial hospitality management and the type of organization that is available. Lastly we have learnt and understood the meaning of the layout in hospitality industry and the necessary and important factors to consider when plan to establish this industry.

Bibliography

Website address

Anon., 2011. Hospitality industry Profs from the American. [Online] Available at:< http://lists.nextmark.com/market;jsessionid=BB3F819354646B9A37718ECCB0E2526C?page=order/online/datacard&id=260943> [Accessed on 25 February 2011]
Fareeha.,nd. Disadvantage of hotel industry.[Online] Available at:<.http://www.maybenow.com/disadvantage-of-hotel-industry-q23973921> [Accessed on 17 February 2011]
Johnston, A., 2010. Definition of hospitality industry. [Online] Available at: [Accessed on 13 March 2011]

Anon.,nd. The travel and tourism industry.[Online] Available at:< http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/FEAndVocational/TravelAndTourism/ALevel/ASGCETravelAndTourism/Samples/Sampleunit/ASTTDoubleEdexcelUnit1.pdf> [Accessed on 15 March 2011

Shlotta., 2009. Factors affecting travel and tourism industry. [Online] Available at:< http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/39975. html> [Accessed on 25 February 2011]

Chapter 2Literature Review
2.1 Introduction

The purpose for this work is to review the literature on factors that affect the demand for air transportation and, ascertain what the airline companies did to their management in their effort to stick to the changes in the desire for air transportation. To promote the demand for air transportation, airlines implemented different advertising and marketing strategies. With the development of technology, airlines have taken marketing to digital era; promotion and online sales are among the strategies of marketing that are being used by airlines globally.

2.2 Markets
2.2.1 Definition of a Market

Armstrong & Kotler (2009) and Quester, McGuiggan, Perreault & McCarthy 2007) definitions of marketing always come from people as advertising and selling. Though, they afterward show that advertising and selling are only basics of marketing.

The first certified definition of marketing was accepted in 1935 and was presented by the National Association of Marketing Teachers as “aˆ¦those business activities involved in the flow of goods and services from production to consumption” (Gunlach 2007, p. 243). In 2007, the new certified definition of marketing was given by the American Marketing Association. “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, client, partners, and society at large” (Keefe 2008, p. 29). These different definitions confirms how the idea of marketing has modified over the years from the concepts of transaction like distribution, promotion and pricing to the concepts of relationship such as the significance of commitment, risk and trust (Baines, Fill & Page 2008).

2.2.2 The Airline Marketing Environment

The airline business in terms of the ability to make profit according to different business experts (i.e. Belobaba, Odoni, and Barnhart 2009; Doganis 2006) was explained as being recurring and fundamentally unstable. Doganis (2006) portrays the business as also being consistently battered by developments and restraints both externally and internally. Over the last forty years, the airline business has gone through a five to six years of satisfactory gains which was shortly followed by two to four years of diminishing gains (Doganis 2006). The net profits of the world airlines as commented by Belobaba, Odoni, and Barnhart (2009) have been recurring and very variable over the past three decades after the 1978 deregulation Act. In Figure 1, sources of data from the Air Transport Association (ATA) have also shown the recurring nature of the business in which the amplitude of the reoccurrence is seen to be getting bigger and bigger over the past thirty years.

According to Doganis (2006), the airline business in the new millennium has had to cope not only with many unfavorable external shocks but also with changing and possibly shaking internal developments. Much research has examined the airline business during and after deregulation. According to Doganis (2006), the business has been reshaped in several ways; some of which are the distribution and selling online, transfer of state owned carriers and new low cost no add-ons carries are just some of the vital developments that have been putting impacts on the airline industry at the time of falling air fees.

Competition from carriers with low cost and the decreased readiness in travelers for business to pay for a higher fee charged by full fee airlines continues to play a part in a major way to the poor financial functioning of airlines with full fare. The performance of poor finance still remains as one of the greatest challenges faced by today by the airline industry (Belobaba, Odoni, and Barnhart 2009). Other outside factors such as Iraq war in 2003 and the SARS outbreak have also influenced many airlines not in the United States. Routes that leads to and passes through the Middle East took the biggest blow, affecting many different airlines round the world while airlines in East Asia such as Cathay Pacific, Thai airways and Singapore airlines saw the levels of their traffic collapse over 50% and finally took many months to get back (Doganis 2006).

The universal airline business today comprises of over 2000 airlines managing more than 23,000 business aircraft, providing service to more than 3700 airports (ATAG 2008). The world’s airlines in 2007 transported more than 2.2 billion passengers in 29 million scheduled flights (IATA 2008). The need for air travel is very much connected to the economic climate of the world. When the economy slows down, the increase in demand for air traffic and that of air freight also slows down (Doganis 2006). The major stimulant for air travel is the growth of the economy. On the average, 5-6% of yearly growth in air travel has been fed by an average of 2-3% yearly growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) worldwide (Belobaba, Odoni, and Barnhart 2009).

Though the growth in air traffic is connected with the performance of the world’s economy, the airline business on its own is a major force in the economy, with respects to the way it operates and its impact in industries that are related such as tourism and manufacturing of aircraft (Belobaba, Odoni, and Barnhart 2009). For instance, airlines in Singapore in 2009 transported to and from New Zealand, 470,000 passengers and the tourism in New Zealand have grabbed the opportunity to advance its tourism. Tourism New Zealand had in recent times entered into an agreement with airlines in Singapore to jointly grow and advance tourism to New Zealand under the service of airline in Singapore (Tourism New Zealand 2009). This has clearly confirmed how the operation in one airline can affect the business in another sector such as the tourism business. Taking a cursory look at the future of airline business, Doganis alleged that the long term view for air transport seemed good, proposing that the long term predictions for the growth in air traffic making reference to the world’s GDP, would be around 5% over the first 20 years of the present millennium. Doganis (2006) also drew conclusions that the factors that affects the performance of airlines’ finance may vary between markets or different regions. Consequently, the airlines’ performance in a specific region may fail to match to the global economy (Doganis 2006).

In combination with the assumption of Doganis (2006), Belobaba, Odoni and Barnhart (2009), also concurred that based on history, the yearly growth in air transportation has been almost two times the yearly growth in Gross Domestic Product. In spite of the positive predictions in yearly traffic growth, Belobaba, Odoni, and Barnhart (2009) also claimed that after 30 years of deregulation and following liberalization of many other markets round the globe, the business remains delicate.

2.2.4 Marketing process

The planning process of marketing which includes all features of managing marketing consists of the analysis of marketing, strategy development and the application of the market mix (Dibb 2002; Rankin 2009) is broadly embraced by industries from all different type of business and is extensively discussed in business publications, journal articles and marketing texts. The reassessment of planning theory and practice for marketing have seen a huge number of studies such as Greenley and Bayus (1994), Peter and Donnelly (2004), Ardley (2006), McDonald (2007), Armstrong and Kotler (2009). The planning for marketing was found not as direct as the strict literature suggests. Greenley and Bayus (1994) reviewed on the decision making of marketing planning between industries. The result indicated that by making use of a multifaceted approach, industries were made to understand the process of marketing planning

The objectives of marketing can be achieved by using strategies for marketing which are largely concerned with the marketing mix (McDonald 2006). According to Peter and Donnelly (2004) the marketing process included calculated plan, marketing plan, implementation and control and marketing information system and marketing research. Marketing was also stated by Armstrong and Kotler (2009), as the process by which companies create values for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return. This process as stated above involves understanding the customer needs and wants and the marketplace, the design of the market strategy driven by the customer, the making of an incorporated marketing program that offers superior value, enabling customer relationships and lastly, capturing values from customers.

Ardley (2006) conducted an examination on a narratological approach to the planning of marketing and found out that the narratives used by the marketing managers in the examination were intensely convinced by the constructing of meaning and act in the setting of an organization. The study done by Dibb (2002) also showed that the efficiency of the process is not certain depending on how industries enact the process thus the planning for marketing must be dependent on a clearly organized and well presented process.

2.2.5 Marketing Strategies and Practices for Airlines

Though the products and services in the airline business are varied with various structures of market, sectioning markets by class flow is not longer a suitable indicator for recognizing varied customer segments (Teichert, Shehu and von Wartburg 2007). Also, the level of air service in these different products is rather the same between airlines (Doganis 2002). Airlines distinguish products and services from other airlines in competition, according to Doganis (2002), by being the first to release new types of aircraft, put in more on ground services and in-flight catering, increase rate of service and most essentially by price competition. Hanlon (2007) specified that by doing a marketing campaign, a number of passengers can be increased without any price changes. This section of the literature will consider some of the marketing strategies and practices of airline which includes online sales and promotion, advertising, cost cutting, management of brand and recurrent flyer programs used by airlines so as to get new passengers and keep the ones that are already their customers.

2.2.5.1 Market segmentation and strategies

In the airline business, the decisions that customers make are usually based on flight schedule, price of ticket and conditions, the quality of service, the socioeconomic characteristics of travelers and the purpose of the trip. As market and the buying behavior of customers change, it is essential to access the nature of the behavior of the customer in the future (Teichert, Shehu & von Wartburg 2008). As part of the strategies of the airline business, airlines are first of all needed to section the market so as to permit efficient marketing to be used. Subdivision of the market has been reviewed by many researchers (for example Chin 2002; Palmer & Miller 2004; Teichert, Shehu &von Wartburg 2008; Claussen & O’ Higgins 2010). There is a wide accord among the investigators that subdivision is a basic component of the strategy of marketing. Subdivision has been observed to contribute in understanding customers, adaptation of the product mix, distribution of resources, in addition to the development and assessment of new products and market approaches (Palmer & Miller 2004).

Conventionally, the airline market is sectioned into economy and business passengers; nevertheless, the research by Teichert, Shehu & von Wartburg (2008) showed that depending on flight class as the criterion for subdivision may result in ineffective offerings and marketing guidelines. The researchers suggested the leisure and business market with the new subdivision of effectiveness, comfort and price-oriented offerings for future market success of airlines. On the other hand, the leisure and business market can also be divided into different sections with various features and demands. Claussen & O’ Higgins (2010) sectioned the business market based on its position and the level of revenue. Nevertheless, the leisure markets have been sectioned into service oriented customers, flexibility and price.

As there is an increase in distance and travel time, the frequency of flight might reduce and the number of airlines that provide straightforward flights drop. This is because these airlines tend to make more profit from short distance trip especially from those passengers on vacation. Therefore, the buying behavior of customers could be influenced by these factors. Market sectioning plays an essential part when constructing the strategies of marketing as failure to properly section customers may result in misinterpretation of the customer’s behavior and lastly inefficient strategies of marketing.

Advertising

One of the communication methods of marketing used by airlines is advertising. Shaw (2007) has studied what advertising can and cannot do for airlines. The research found that the advertising can be used to upgrade the brand values and image of the airline but cannot be used to brain wash the customers if the service delivered is below standard as the customers will tell the difference between what is being advertised and their experience. In addition, rather than being a tool for marketing, advertising has also been used as a form of communication in organizational crisis. Research by Cowden and Sellnow (2002) looked into the use of advertising as part of the image restoration strategies of Northwest Airlines related to the 1998 pilots’ strike. Squalli (2009) researched the relationship between the expenditure of airline advertising and the safety perception of customers and found that airlines do not increase advertising in relation to accidents but increase it to portray the aspect of safety and discount promotions in different seasons.

Gilbert, Child and Bennett (2001) examined various strategies of advertising specifically of low cost carriers in Europe. The research found that most of the low cost carriers follow a means to success that is learnt from the United States low cost carriers which believe that it is necessary to create the awareness of customers in the chosen market. Examples of media used by these carriers for advertising include magazines, radio, poster sites and newspapers. Advertising plays an essential role in airline business. Many businesses and airlines have already used advertising to boost their image and brand and create the awareness of the products to the customer which in turn encourages more customers. In some cases, advertising is also used as a part of the crisis communication tool of industries.

Online Sales and Promotions

Businesses are making use of the immense growth in the internet to unequivocally sell their products. The internet is seen by airlines as an area of great potential growth especially when airlines started to give discount for online bookings. Gilbert, Child and Bennett (2001) found that many low cost carriers gave discount for booking online because the online service is easy to access, provides a cheap cost of operating and is an exceptional means of advertising and distribution. The behavior of the customer and benefits of using the internet as a channel to buy flight tickets have been reviewed by many investigators (for example Brunger & Perelli 2008; Kolsaker, Lee-Kelley & Pui Ching 2004; Sonal & Preeta 2005; Toh & Raven 2003). Sonal & Preeta (2005) found that exclusive features of the internet have encouraged the progress of electronic trade and increased occurrence of net-based sales promotion. The features include interactive medium, global access, effectiveness of cost, and possibility of customization. Sonal & Preeta (2005) also found that the existence o the internet also increases the efficiency of other communication tools.

Brunger & Perelli (2008) examined the effect of the internet on the fees of airline based on the viewpoint of customers. The study showed that internet extent of search and improved personal control while lower fees are a side effect of wider and more detailed search. Toh & Raven (2003) studied the importance of using strategies of Integrated Internet Marketing (IIM) by airlines. The research found out that using the strategies of IIM have increased suitability for customer, gave lower price, and reduced unfairness that customer might experience when using travel agents. Though the web is used as a substitute to promote and allocate the products, research by Kolsaker, Lee-Kelley &Pui Ching (2004) observed that risks which include the privacy concern, security and poor customer services have been found to be associated with the willingness of customer to purchase ticket through the internet. On the other hand, the research also stated that suitability which includes site usability, time savings and information provision can encourage the willingness of customers. It can be observed that the internet is largely used by airlines and is becoming an essential and efficient communication tool in marketing. The features of the internet provide a substitute option of searching for information and online buying. Internet reductions have captivated the attention of customers especially for those who follow the low cost carriers who used internet as allocation channel and to lessen their cost of operation which can in turn raise the demand of passengers especially those that are price elastic.

Pricing

The biased pricing and distribution of price have already been studied by many researchers such as Chi & Koo (2009), Hanlon (2007), and Martin & Koo (2009). The factors that influence the variations of everyday air fees have been studied by Martin & Koo (2009). The research revealed that the price distribution was affected by demand in the market and pressure on competition developed from the presence of low cost carriers; however, the legacy airlines seem to use a more insistent high-low strategy of pricing in reaction to the presence of low cost carriers. Chi & Koo (2009) also carried out a research on the pricing behavior of airlines in the United States airline business. The research observed that in the same market condition, the pricing techniques among these United States airline differed.

According to Hanlon (2007), the legacy airlines have occupied high market shares and might bring in a price cuts so as to destabilize their counterparts. These practices were used seriously by legacy airlines particularly after the 1978 deregulation. The air transport market competition has gone up while the real air fees have dropped as observed by Chi & Koo (2009). Airlines have offered reductions in their fees in order to get more customers in some market. Shaw (2007) has studied some of the practices of airline on the reduction in air fees. The study showed that the reduction in air fees normally come with limit such as the conditions for minimum and maximum stay, special fees, tour package and standby ticket. In the market of these days after the development of low cost carriers, the need for air travel has considerably increased. Reacting to the changes in the buying behavior of customers, some airlines with full fees have developed new strategies for pricing such as reduction ticket with boundaries together with higher quality of service so as to be in competition with low cost carriers.

2.3 Airline Customers

Today, airlines are more and more involved in the extremely competitive business. This part examines airline customers in various markets such as; leisure and business so as to make sure airlines have an accurate target market.

2.3.1 Business customers

Many airlines have taken those travelers who go for business as being at the peak of their marketing efforts since the benefits received per distance traveled by a passenger had generally been quite bigger than those gotten from those who travel for leisure (Shaw 2007). Airlines normally provide greater frequencies for flight for passengers that take the business route since these passengers have been observed to place higher value on their time (Dresner 2006). Claussen and O’ Higgins (2010) also suggest that on some business trips where the demand for business class flights reached the greatest point such as the London to New York route, airline companies offered premium flight to this business market by eliminating the first class and less profitable economy class cabins.

For that reason, aiming right customers in the business market is essential specifically during falling periods which many establishments have a demoting policy in order to economize money specifically using the First Class and Business Class. As shown by Shaw (2007), airlines will have to aim at those who made the decisions about the corporate travel policy of the company or even managerial secretaries by showing the advantages of paying to travel in the best cabins of the aircraft. In spite of the fact that airlines mainly section their customers into economy and business passengers and align the strategy of their product with suppleness in business market and price for passengers embarking for leisure trips, a study by Teichert, Shehu & von Wartburg (2007) claimed that in the well spirited and intelligibility market, separation of airline passenger markets into leisure and business class did not adequately take the preference extensiveness among customers and could lead to a misinterpretation of the preferences of the customer. Passengers that travel for business are observed to become very appealing to airlines because the carrier will make a huge income from this market if they can set up and sustain loyalty of these passengers. Getting acquainted with the need of customers and their buying behavior is vital to effective marketing (Peter and Donnelly 2004).

2.3.2 Leisure Customers

As low cost carriers have come into the business and increase their market share, the proportion between business travelers and leisure travelers as travelers that travel on leisure accounts for a larger percentage of total traffic (Dresner 2006). These fluctuations in the market have led to tougher competition in the airline business. Dresner (2006) and Shaw (2007) claimed that the increase in the business of leisure passengers was influenced by the increase in the number of carriers with low cost, infrastructural development of air transportation and increase in non-refundable income. Some investigators (Dresner 2006; Njegovan 2006; Papatheodorou & Lei 2006) showed that leisure passengers were normally considered as highly flexible in price and time rich than business passengers. That is to say, charging reduced prices on routes for vacation could maximize the revenues of airline.

According to Shaw (2007), the income earned per distance covered by a passenger on leisure trip is lower than that of a passenger on business trip; on the contrary, these passengers do not need regular service and normally travel during the peak periods in different seasons. This earned income allows airlines to use comparatively large aircraft which can carry more load so as to reduce the difference between available and income per cost of distance traveled by passenger. Nonetheless, Njegovan (2006) claimed that the need for air transportation was reasonably not elastic as regards air fees; nevertheless, the need was rather sensitive to the fluctuations in the total expenditure of the customer.

Doganis (2002) also supported the above claim that when forecasting the need for air services, the need for all other types of expenses that passengers would experience must also be forecasted. In addition, Dresner (2006) observed that the percentage of passengers that embark on business and leisure trips did not cause airlines to make considerable modification to their operations while Doganis (2002) argued that mixing passengers that travel for leisure and business purposes has significant effects on marketing and pricing strategies. By comprehending the need of the leisure market, airlines will have the ability to create the business plan in line with the market demand. However, the airlines must make sure that air travel will be chosen and the vacation is booked within one of the routes of the airline rather than that of a competitor.

2.4 Demands for Air Travel

This section seek to identify the different factors that affects the demand for air travel and the strategies airlines have embraced to encourage the demand for air travel. The demand for air travel occurs from different factors. Current developments towards international air services liberalization has permitted many low cost operations to spread into many new markets, resulting in falling air fees (Doganis 2006). In addition to the depreciating air fees, an increase in personal income has led to an increase in demand for leisure tours. According to Chin (2002), liberalization of trade, natural growth of population, globalization and accelerated economic growth has had a positive impact on the demand for business travel. In combination, Doganis (2006) also made a remark that the growth in demand for air traffic and for air freight seems to be closely related to the economic climate of the world.

On the other hand, Chin (2002) noted that the demand for air services depends on the volume of air traffic on the particular route. The factors that affects demand on particular route is again linked to the comparative attractiveness of the destination of the traveler, the exchange rate of the currency, comparative cost of holidays, extent of migration as well as the price of goods. Again, Chin (2002) specified that the nature of commercial and industrial activities surrounding the environs of the airport has also played a part on the influences of volume in business traffic. Most especially the pattern and growth of demand of any route are affected by the demographic and economic feature of the market at both ends of the route (Chin 2002).

In spite of all the different factors stated above, many airlines have agreed to use the Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) to encourage the demand for air travel. FFPs are intended to achieve a high degree of brand reliability specifically among business travelers and at the same time to draw primary demand (Brancatelli 1986). According to Lederman (2007), the improvements to an airline’s FFP are also related with the increase in its demand on routes in which the airline is specifically dominant on.

2.4.1 Loyalty Programs

Loyalty plans form part of an overall marketing strategy for airlines and can be more advantageous than other forms of marketing. Hanlon (2007) provided three types of the loyalty plans which are the Frequent Flyer Programs (FFP), Travel Agency Commission Overrides (TACOs) and corporate discount. On the other hand, the FFP deals with passengers while the other two focus mainly on travel agents and industries individually. Generally, the FFPs were explained by many authors (for example Chin 2002; Hanlon 2007; Long, McMellon, Clark & Schiffman 2006) as the most popular and successful marketing strategy created by airlines so that the loyalty of travelers are induced and captured.

The FFPs give incentives to the passenger for repeat patronage of the services of a specific airline or airlines through associations by offering upgrades and free travel to the passenger. According to Chin (2002), FFPs are majorly designed to achieve a high degree of brand loyalty specifically among passengers who travel for business. The FFPs are also made to get the attention of primary demand, efficiently dissuade the competition of new carrier, and give airlines direct and effective tools to communicate with their customers. In addition, FFPs are made to protect market share, erosion of profit and revenues as a result of the FFPs of their competitors. Long, McMellon, Clark & Schiffman (2006) also contributes by saying that the frequency marketing program rather than FFPs in airline business is also broadly used by many types of business such as credit cards, hotels, car rentals, and telephone companies.

Despite the fact that the FFPs are usually used by airlines to capture the loyalty of customers, a study done by Whyte (2003) claimed that the repeat purchase behavior of some customers create a negative impression of loyalty as they do not want to waste the points they have gained and repurchase the services to get enough points for a free flight. The efficiency of FFPs used in many airlines as a marketing tool has been researched by some researchers (e.g. Chin 2002; Long, McMellon, Clark & Schiffman 2006). Passengers that travel for business seem to be more interested in the FFPs while passengers on leisure trip are more interested with the real benefits and onboard treatment (Long, McMellon, Clark & Schiffman 2006). Chin (2002) found that the network coverage of airline, duration and distance of flight, features of an individual FFPs and the market share of airlines could affect the efficiency of FFPs.

In terms of demand, study on the effect of international FFPs on local airline demand by Lederman (2007) indicated that improvements to an airline’s FFPs have the greatest influence on demand and fees particularly on routes that set out from an airline’s most heavily occupied airports. The study done by Chin (2002) also showed that the FFPs are more efficient in increasing the demand within the group of FFPs member rather than among the non-FFPs members. It can be seen that the FFPs are seriously used by airlines to make bigger their market and build the brand loyalty. Passengers on business trip seem to be more concerned with the FFPs not only through the frequent flyer miles but also from access to benefits gained from airline’s partners, priority seating and airline’s lounge. From the total results, the FFPs are one of the most efficient instruments for marketing used by airlines and have been found to increase the passengers demand.

2.4.2 Industry Supply

When there is a demand, a supply must also be available to cater for the needs of the demand. The airline industry supply side factor includes factors such as frequency of service, availability of seat, time of departure and arrival and number of in-transit stops influences the distribution of demand between competing carriers and play a major role in affecting the specific demand of airline (Chin 2002). Increasing the frequency of departures on a specific route can enhance the suitability of air travel for passengers. By doing so not only does the high motivation of demand in air travel is satisfied, the airlines were also able to benefit from higher traffic and incomes associated with this increased frequency (Belobaba, Odoni & Barnhart 2009).

According to Doganis (2006), since restraints in the growth of traffic can be caused by the insufficiency of the aviation infrastructure in several parts of the world, the sustained growth of traffic at around 5% a year will put the existing infrastructure on pressure. The infrastructure insufficiency will eventually limit the supply side of the airline industry as insufficient infrastructure such as runways slots can possibly affect the number of flights departing and arriving from the airport thus, affecting the supply output of the airlines.

2.5 Conclusion

The findings from this review suggest that getting to know the customer behavior is a vital point to success of airline business. Airlines need to understand the need of customers in various markets and provide the right product for the customers. However, the behavior of customer may also change with the effect of the economy. Thus airlines need to have a working plan in order to support the change of travel pattern

TERM OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Service providers such as restaurants, hotels, motels, inns are classified under the umbrella of the hospitality industry. The hospitality word come from a French word “hospice” meaning to provide care for travelers from distant countries to feel at home in the county they are visiting. Hospitality industry is growing by day and it span all over the world.

1.2) Advantages

Our country Malaysia will gain a lot of advantages from the hospitality industry as this industry will create job opportunities for the country and increases the revenue of the country through tourism. Taking for example the high level or the 4/5 stars hotel like Golden Sand Hotel, having to hire enough man power or part time workers to cater for the increase of tourist. Workers need will be at the Front Desk department and the Housekeeping Department. This not only benefits permanent staff but also those students who need extra income to finance their studies.

The hospitality industry is not the only industry which will profit when the numbers for tourist from other countries increases. Every industry players in the country also wants to gain some profit such as when tourist visit a country for a day or more they would have to search for a suitable place to stay. Looking for accommodation one has to assess the purpose of their visit and Traders Hotel is the best choice for business visits. If the tourist visiting a country to relax themselves, then budget hotels and above would be a better choice.

Food and Beverage Industry is the second industry which will benefit to earn a large amount of profit. Travellers visiting a country will travel around to find food when hungry. Malaysia food or our local cuisine will be their choice and with this income will be generated for the Food and Beverage Industry. In case any local wishing to operate a restaurant out station, tourist will have to the opportunity to try it and their food will be easily be accepted,

Tourist from countries like Gengland, Germany and Japan were impressed to see our beautiful beaches and our historical buildings. The tallest tower in Kuala Lumpur, the Twin Tower will be a great surprise to them as their country does not have such tall tower or structure. They will also tell their friend at home of the magnificence things that Malaysia has offered. Malaysia will create a name for herself when tourist visits Malaysia. With this the hospitality and tourism industry will bloom when the satisfied tourist return to visit. Malaysia “Visit Malaysia Year” promotion will be permitted to put up posters advertisement on the public transport.

Business and trade opportunities will flourish with visitors visiting Malaysia via the Hospitality Industry. They will be captivated by some of the resources that Malaysia can offer such as rubber and tin ore and in return the economy of Malaysia will improve. Science and Technology in countries like America, China and Japan are more advanced than Malaysia who is still slightly behind will gain better knowledge by learning from these advanced countries.

The professional and cons of everything. The benefits of the Hospitality Industry are that it will make Malaysia shine but at the same time it will also bring in some disadvantages to our country.

1.3) Disadvantages

The increase in crime rate is what we see as the most disadvantages that our country will face. It must be forgotten that al tourist from other countries that apply visa to visit our country comes with good intention. There may be some criminal from other countries coming to Malaysia to escape from the law of their own country. They might commit crimes in our country such as murder, robbery and other things associated with crime.

On the other hand, visiting tourist from other countries visiting Malaysia, they will stay in hotels and this in return bring in profits to the lodging Industry. This is good for our country. With the increase in arrival of tourist there might not be enough rooms to cater especially during the peak season. Three or four stars hotel normally does not have a lot of rooms unlike the five star hotels, so the question is where are these travelers going to stay?

These day, frequent raids have been conducted on night sport, entertainment outlets, bars and small shady hotel to wipe out foreigners who enter the country on tourist visa as many have exploited their visa by working illegally in the country especially in the night entertainment industry. This has caused a lot of home to break as the men would visit these places frequently, thus divorce rate might increase by 40%.

Another factor to be looked into is the policy of the government caught between the two sectors. They might be caught in between upgrading the airport or to build new factories. At times the choice made may not be correct. If upgrading the airport is their choice than the Hospitality and Tourism Industry will flourish and on the other hand they might ignore the development or manufacturing industry. At such the country’s growth will not be in balance.

Culture change and beliefs will be another factory that Malaysia needs to address due to the arrival of tourist whereby they will bring in such cultures and beliefs that may not benefit our country. One example is the dressing whereby our youngsters were influence to start wearing western dressing which is short and revealing. Due to all these our conservative nature, old tradition will phase off and soon forgotten.

In conclusion, Hospitality Industry needs to be upgraded so as to generate enough income for the country’s development. On the other hand our government needs to put in more effort to preserve the tradition of our country.

2.0) QUESTION 2

Find out the factors that affecting travel and tourism. Explain in detail.

2.1) FACTORS THAT AFFECTING TRAVEL AND TOURISM

It is the dream of every country to be listed as the first country one would like to visit for holidays or business. The popularity and so is the economy will be increased when having tourist from other countries. Hoping to draw in more tourists most countries are frequently into ways to develop or improve or upgrade their tourist spots. To further attract tourist promotions and advertisement have to be done often. There are several factors that can have negative effect on the Travel and Tourism Industry which cannot be avoided such as below.

Weather Conditions

One factor that can deter a tourist from visiting a country is weather which human do not have the capability to combat it since it is the product of nature. If a country encounters extreme bad weather such as a blizzard, heat wave or heavy snow fall off no tourist will want to make that visit. During certain times of the year some countries experience heavy rainfall resulting in floods and that will hamper the tourist to make visits as it will be very inconvenient to do shopping or sightseeing.

Natural Disasters

Earthquakes or tsunamis are act of god and cannot be controlled by human. During any earthquake occurrence loss of lives, serious damaged to properties and infrastructure will be badly damaged. Taking for example the recent earthquake that hit Japan. All tourists had their booking for the holidays either have their booking cancelled and some opted for change to a safer destination.

Disease Outbreaks or Plagues

A human brain works better compared to that of animals and that allows us to think logically. In case where there is an outbreak of disease and plague in a country, tourist will avoid making visits to that country. To persuade a tourist to visit a country down with such disaster is not easy especially those who do not want to take any chance of falling ill. No tourist would like to take chances or put their family in danger by going to such affected places no matter how much the visit means to them or for whatever reasons as some disease like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) would be fatal.

Countries at War

No tourist of sound mind would like to visit a war-torn country. People visiting this war-torn country are mostly journalist sent to cover news of the war and also some who would like to see the suffering of the people of that country. During such period the government of that country is more concern about winning the war and not attracting tourist. In short that very country will no longer have places of attraction or scenic beauty which is safe for tourist from other country to admire or enjoy as lives will be lost daily due to the unrest. Who would like to be caught in the crossfire of the two opposing forces in the country?

Economy

In times of economic recession people will be more careful in the way their money is spent. Saving money will be their main agenda and the money they will spend will be concentrated on food instead of other shopping. Even though there is a need to have a break they will go to a places nearer to home where they do not have to pay accommodation charges or other charges which were increased to cushion the inflation by staying in hotels for a day or two. Tourist will also be discouraged to travel until such time when the recession is over.

Season

The kind of holidays and the climate suitable is the decision tourist takes in consideration when planning their holidays. Some tourists prefer to visit countries during winter to enjoy the snow and also winter sports. Older people prefer to go to countries to enjoy the sunshine because most of the older people dislike cold and freezing places. Family with children will definitely look towards holidays in places where they can share the fun with their children in theme parks like Sunway Lagoon and etc.

Insufficient Promotions or Advertisements

Tourist will not take chances to visit places that they are not well informed about the people, country and sceneries. They might not be able to visualize if the country they are visiting lives up to their expectation.

In conclusion, a country well maintained free from diseases, minimal crime rate, good economy and free from war is the most preferred destination a tourist would look forward to.

Many factors play a big role in determining community participation in ecotourism planning initiatives. In addition community participation differ in their needs,

2.8.1 Social benefits

The theoretical roots of social benefits of community participation in eco-tourism are date back to the social exchange theory. The social exchange theory assumes that social relations involve exchange of resources among groups seeking mutual benefits from exchange relationships. The central idea of social exchange theory is that the exchange of social and material resources is a fundamental determinant of human interaction. Research on residents’ reactions to tourism development based on the theoretical constructs of the Social Exchange Theory has examined the relationship between and among the perception of the benefits, costs, impacts, and support for tourism (Gursoy et. al.2002, Lindberg & Johnson 1997, Jurowski et al. 1997).

The present study is focusing on two social benefits of community participation named by awareness of changing way of life and satisfaction level of promoting local traditional and culture.

As a study by Hunter and Green, (1995) defined Interaction between cultures and hosting visitors may lead to a decline in the local culture, therefore, it may lead to the neglect of the local population of their heritage and tradition of tourists, especially young people. This concept is recognized as a ‘demonstration’ where ‘the local population to modify their behavior and aspirations and by following the example of tourists. Therefore Shaw and Williams (1994), emphasized the social benefits that influence a positive impact on society, particularly those who seek to improve education and standard of living or to seek equality between the genders, demonstration effect and usually occurs among young people the host population. The consequence of this effect is the conflicts within the community among young people “modern” and the elder “traditional. According to Ceballos-Lascurain (1996), tourism may offer employment to host residents, presenting women and youths the opportunity to earn a wage, which before was not possible, this may also cause conflict within homes, where the incomes of women or the youths may empower them, allowing them to challenge their traditional roles at home and in society. The challenging of traditional roles will also lead to changes in the culture. Concealed pre-existing divisions between communities members may be enhanced as certain individuals may benefit from tourism while others could be excluded from participating. As tourism develops there may be many economic potentials, where the first to capitalize may be quick to dominate the market. This may erupt in issues of fairness, jealousy and resentment within the community. However, in recent years social and cultural aspects have become increasingly important in the sustainable tourism debate, especially in the context of developing countries where poverty is a widespread problem (Strasdas, 2005). Garrod (2003) identified Social aspect to the ability of the local community to determine the social impacts of ecotourism development. Social empowerment will result in ecotourism making a contribution to the social cohesion and integrity of the local community, rather than detracting from it. it is most likely to be found in those communities where part of the net returns from ecotourism are recycled back into the local community in the form of investment in local infrastructure of the founding of social projects. According to Pongponrat & Pongquan (2007) that social relations and interactions within the community became stronger among various stakeholders involved in this fair. In addition, visitors learned local traditions and culture which will help the community to solicit their support on local cultural promotion and preservation in future. Even though the idea of ecotourism already contains social and cultural compatibility as well as the generation of benefits to local people as important elements, the focus is more on nature conservation.

Awareness of changing way of life

Tanya , Piyaphan and Suwipa ( 2009) conducted a study to investigate the need and readiness of community in managing community-based ecotourism; and to gather and assemble local knowledge to develop guideline for community-based ecotourism management The Hmong and Karen stakeholders from 14 villages of Mae Wang and Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai Province, within responsible area of the Mae Hae Royal Project Development Station, were involved in this study Northern Thailand, the authors investigate relationship between awareness of changing way of life& level of community participation the authors fund the result of Attraction of culture and way of life satisfied, In addition, visitors learned local traditions and culture which will help the community to solicit their support on local cultural promotion and preservation in future.

A study conducted by Assefa and Olav (2005) to examine the local people’s participation in the management and development of ecotourism projects in the Adwa district, Northern Ethiopia, the authors investigate the relationship between awareness of impacts of tourism on local life & level of community participation, the authors found a negative relationship, arguing that people are more aware of the negative effects on their life and their culture of tourism more than what is on the natural environment. Ceballos-Lascurain (1996), believed that the challenging of traditional roles will also lead to changes in the culture. Therefore, Hunter and Green, (1995) refers Interaction between cultures and hosting visitors may lead to a decline in the local culture, therefore, it may lead to the neglect of the local population of their heritage and tradition of tourists, especially young people.

Satisfaction level of promoting local traditional and culture

Tanya Promburom, et.al 2009 conducted a study to investigate the need and readiness of community in managing community-based ecotourism; and to gather and assemble local knowledge to develop guideline for community-based ecotourism management The Hmong and Karen stakeholders from 14 villages of Mae Wang and Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai Province, within responsible area of the Mae Hae Royal Project Development Station, were involved in this study Northern Thailand the authors investigate the relationship between promote their culture and level of community participation the authors fund the result high percentage of the village leaders and villagers had positive attitude toward tourism because it could promote their culture. (2009) recent study found that the level of participation is high, namely the relationship is significantly related between level of community participation and preservation of culture, and this study conducted by Hasnol, to interpret and develop the indicators for success of local community participation and ecotourism sites in Sabah, the author investigated the relationship between level of community participation and preservation of culture. Pongponrat and Pongquan, (2007), conducted a study to explores various aspects of community participation in local tourism development planning on Samui Island in the south of Thailand and identifies factors associated with intensity of participation of local people in the planning process organized by the Nathon community on Samui Island, the authors investigate the relationship between satisfaction level of promoting local traditional and culture – among all factors- & level of community participation in all phases, the authors found relationship between this factor & implementation phase to be associates with the intensity of people’s participation in this stage. According to Piyaphan and Suwipa (2009), visitors learned local traditions and culture which will help the community to solicit their support on local cultural promotion and preservation in future.

Economic benefits

The social exchange theory is widely used for theorizing the economic benefits of community participation in eco-tourism. The social exchange theory argues that tourism development comes with economic benefits (Claiborne, 2010).

The present study is focusing on three benefits of community participation on eco-tourism named by household income, creating employment opportunities, and creating investment input.

Wang and Tong (2009) emphasizes that the economic Aspects of vulnerability in improving the standard of living of the local population, and income from eco-tourism should not be used only to protect the ecological environment but also benefit the local population. Aref and Ma’arof (2008) defined that the community participation in tourism development is necessary if they are to provide equitable distribution of benefits of local economic. Therefore the concept of community participation is regarded as a tool to assist in ecotourism and local economic development in rural communities (Sebola and Fourie, 2006). Brandon (1993) highlights the fact that many ecotourism projects have adopted the generation of economic benefits for the local community as one of their major aims. However, it is significant that only a handful of such projects have opened up the decision making process by which the scale and distribution of these economic benefits are determined to local people.

According to Brandon (1993), ecotourism projects that generate a lot of economic benefits to the community, however, these projects have opened the process of decision-making and distribution of these economic benefits to the local population. Brandon (1993) refers the linkage between economic benefits and conservation can be made more direct. One way of doing this is to ensure that any access fees that are changed are channelled directly into efforts concerned with the management of ecotourism activity and the conservation of its resource base. A good example where this already takes place is in the management of whale shark tourism in the Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia (Davis and Tisedell, 1998). Whale shark tourism began in the 1980s and, while the initial volume of visits was relatively small, the industry grew so rapidly that by the mid-1990s deep concerns were being expressed about the adverse impacts of tourism on the whale shark population. In a study by Garrod (2002) involving the use of the Delphi technique to gather expert opinion on how ecotourism might best be defined, the principle that locals should benefit in economic terms from ecotourism was included in over 81 per cent of the final selection of definitions. In contrast, the principle that local people should participate in the decision-making processes through which the scale and distribution of those economic benefits are determined was included in only 27 per cent of the final selection of definitions. Butler (1999) refers that, tourism is an industry generating rapid growth of capital flows to the destination location. Diversified economies are more vulnerable to the integration of tourism in their economy, compared to the least developed (single or double-export) economies, where the effects can be severe and unexpected. Key issues relevant to the local economy and employment, and the quantity of local goods and services used to run the tourism. Lea, (1988) emphasizes that the employment provided to local communities are less skilled and lower wage earning jobs, such as cleaners, bartenders, waiters, and transport operators, cooks and this impacts negatively on society and the local population feel they are not benefiting from tourism. Lockhart and Drakakis-Smith (1997) are often imported from outside the community, such as managers and workers in two languages. Tour operators usually import skilled labour because they do not have to invest in the training of the local population. Moreover, employment in the tourism industry, seasonal, and therefore may not be secure income.

As a study by Fennell (1999) emphasized import that substitute labour and/or goods cause leakage in economic benefits to the host economy. Mowforth and Munt (1998) considered that the real estate market in the destination location is a driving force for the growth of the tourism industry and as a tool to enable investors to Earth has lifted the market value of land by purchase from the local population and development. The local population profit from the sale of land in the beginning, but in the long term, they recognize the sovereignty of the new owners of the land and therefore the new owners of the land access to energy in the development process. Archer and Cooper (1998) believe investment in tourism infrastructure that could benefit the community through improvements in telecommunications networks, roads and ports. This may allow for other economic opportunities for the local area.

Household income

Hoque and Itohara. (2008), conducted a study to know the present status of rural women’s participation and decision making role in economic activities in Bangladesh, the author found relationship between household income – among others- and level of participation in decision making phase, contribution of women’s personal income on their role in family decision making they are being capable to contribute in household income which is improving their status in the family even some cases they are playing active role in taking decision regarding some family issues. Thus it is proved that due to participation in EAs women in the rural areas are contributing in household income that has also improved their role in family decision making than before. Ye Zhang (2010) conducted a study to investigate the preferences of residents in the Midwestern United States on how they would like to be involved in tourism planning and development, and the personal factors that influenced their preferences, the author fund people who preferred spontaneous participation had higher household income than those who preferred induced participation. Robert S. Pomeroya, Enrique G. Oracionb, Richard B. Pollnacc, Demberge A. Caballes 2005 conducted a study to examines factors influencing the sustainability of ICM projects in the Philippines, specifically, the study focused on two locations in the country, Bais Bay area of Negros Oriental Province and Mabini-Tingloy (known as Anilao), the author investigate relationship between household income and level of community participation this relationship positive relate. Tanya Promburom, Piyaphan Klunklin and Suwipa Champawalaya 2009 conducted a study to investigate the need and readiness of community in managing community-based ecotourism; and to gather and assemble local knowledge to develop guideline for community-based ecotourism management The Hmong and Karen stakeholders from 14 villages of Mae Wang and Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai Province, within responsible area of the Mae Hae Royal Project Development Station, were involved in this study Northern Thailand the authors investigate the relationship between promote their culture &level of community participation the authors fund the result high percentage of the village leaders and villagers had positive attitude toward tourism because it could generate additional income, promote their culture, and improve infrastructure. Pongponrat. K. Pongquan.S, (2007), conducted a study to explores various aspects of community participation in local tourism development planning on Samui Island in the south of Thailand and identifies factors associated with intensity of participation of local people in the planning process organized by the Nathon community on Samui Island, the authors found relationship between household income – among others- and level of local community participation in all phases and specifically in decision making and implementation phases, this mean that local people who had relatively better- off income tended to participant intensively, this implies that these people had more time to be involved in planning activities than those in the low income category, who are busy earning their living and contributed less time in planning and implementation activities. Brandon (1993) believed that the ecotourism projects have adopted the generation of economic benefits for the local community as one of their major aims. However, it is significant that only a handful of such projects have opened up the decision making process by which the scale and distribution of these economic benefits are determined to local people.

Creating employment opportunities

Robert S. Pomeroya, Enrique G. Oracionb, Richard B. Pollnacc, Demberge A. Caballes 2005 conducted a study to examine factors influencing the sustainability of ICM projects in the Philippines specifically, the study focused on two locations in the country, Bais Bay area of Negros Oriental Province and Mabini-Tingloy (known as Anilao), the authors investigate relationship between the employment opportunities and level of community participation the authors fund this relationship positive relate. Liu Tao, Xu Fuying, 2005 conducted a study to summarize the community participation model of rural tourism, and then analyzes the benefit appeals and the contradictories of main stakeholders of community participation in rural tourism from the following five aspects: government, community collective agency, community resident, rural tourism enterprises and rural tourists in China, the authors argued local government hopes creating more employment opportunities, driving the development of related industries, promoting the current new rural construction, and enhancing the popularity of the destination and so on through the development of rural tourism. Assefa T. & Olav Oyhus A. 2005, conducted a study to examine the local people’s participation in the management and development of ecotourism projects in the Adwa district, Northern Ethiopia, the authors investigate the relationship between employment opportunities level of community participation the authors fund the relationship positive relate, argued that the majority of the population can be sober beneficiaries of job opportunities and get a direct benefit and that members of society must be sober-the direct beneficiaries. Denman, (2001) conducted a study to identify some general principles, and highlight some practical considerations for community-based ecotourism, the author investigated the relationship between creating employment opportunities and level of community participation, the author found that variable increase from degree of community participation. Lea, (1988) emphasizes that the employment provided to local communities are less skilled and lower wage earning jobs, such as cleaners, bartenders, waiters, and transport operators, cooks and this impacts negatively on society and the local population feel they are not benefiting from tourism.

Environment benefits

Similarly to social and economic benefits, the social exchange theory can be used to theorize the environmental benefits of community participation in tourism such as increasing conservation of local environment and increasing management skills in resources utilization.

The theory provides the basis for recognizing people`s need to engage in an interaction process where they seek something of value, be it material, social, or psychological. The present study is focusing on two benefits of community participation on eco-tourism named by increasing conservation of local environment and increasing management skills in resources utilization.

The study by Hunter and Green, (1995) to determine the impacts of tourism on the environment, they reported that these impacts are negative and may not always be clear, since it takes a lot of time before it appears. However the consumption of resources, built environment, land use, behavior of tourists and amount of tourism will affect the host destination’s environment (Swarbrooke, 1999).

According to Hunter and Green (1996), environmental degradation may occur in the form of:

Overexploitation of natural resources

Biodiversity loss

Disruption of species breeding habits

Soil erosion & land reclamation

Soil contamination from waste disposal

Coastal and ground water pollution from waste, sewage and oil disposal.

Consumption of tourists will increase demand on local natural resources, which in many cases has led to environmental degradation. As the demand for wood for cooking, heating increased in parallel with the increasing number of hikers in mountainous areas. Thus, this demand has led to further deforestation and soil erosion to be so negative impact on the environment and society (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996). Miller (1999) noted that land reclamation is often a result of the pressures on coastal areas affects the local environment and population, leading to negatively impact the environment and local residents, particularly mangrove forests are typical targets due to their shallow waters. In addition to they are also the nursery ground for a wide range of marine life and prevent coastal erosion. In addition to local people reported a very high degree of benefit regarding increased management skill in resource utilisation relating to environmental aspects; all other aspects relating to social, and economic benefits were rated at a high level. Likewise, local people were satisfied with the community participation in local tourism development in various social, economic, and environmental aspects (Pongponrat & Pongquan, 2007). People reported a very high degree of benefit regarding increased management skill in resource utilisation relating to environmental aspects; all other aspects relating to social, economic and environment benefits were rated at a high level.

Knowledge and understanding of the principles and objectives of a participation approach are key factors associated with the intensity of people’s participation leading local people to participate in group meetings, identifying problems and needs and plan for their group’s activities (Pantong 1996). In other studies, age, length of membership, favourable attitude towards the group, income, and perceived benefits obtained from the group were found substantially associated with the intensity of their participation (Sirisongkram et al. 1999 and Pattarnarakha 2003). In addition, the willingness to participate in a development activity is another factor to be considered as this will be greater when the people could see immediate benefits to be obtained from a project in which they are going to participate (Gurung 1981:34). Likewise, local people were satisfied with the community participation in local tourism development in various social, economic, and environmental aspects.

Setty (1994) and Garrod (2003) identified certain factors inhibiting people’s participation.

Those factors comprise self-interest, encouragement provided by local leaders, knowledge and skills, availability of time, resource and materials, interest in welfare of community, costs-benefits of participation, quick results, gender, age, pattern of local internal communication and influence of culture and religion.

Garrod (2003) found Social aspect refers to the ability of the local community to determine the social impacts of ecotourism development. Social empowerment will result in ecotourism making a contribution to the social cohesion and integrity of the local community, rather than detracting from it. it is most likely to be found in those communities where part of the net returns from ecotourism are recycled back into the local community in the form of investment in local infrastructure of the founding of social projects. Garrod (2003) Economic aspect refers to the local community’s ability to make and take opportunities for economic development through the development of ecotourism. It may also refer to the local community’s access to the productive resources that are being targeted by ecotourism. A community that is economically empowered is one where incomes are being enhanced and lasting employment is generated, where the economic benefits of ecotourism development are shared equitably among the community as a whole, and where the local community retains access rights to community’s resources base.

Conservation of the environment

Hassnol (2009) conducted a study to interpret and develop the indicators for success of local community participation and ecotourism sites in Sabah, the author investigated the relationship between level of community participation & conservation of the environment the author found that the level of participation is high, namely the relationship is significantly related. Denman (2001) conducted a study to identify some general principles, and highlight some practical considerations for community-based ecotourism the author investigate the relationship between level of community participation and conservation , the author found that conservation enabling the community to influence activity and earn income from tourism namely that relationship significantly relate. Himoonde (2007) conducted a study to examine what local benefits accrue to the community and the level at which they participate in ecotourism, the author investigate the relationship between conservation of environment and level of community participation, and found the relationship high and significant.

Degree of benefits gained in the increase of management skills in resources utilization

Pongponrat. K. Pongquan.S, (2007), conducted a study to explores various aspects of community participation in local tourism development planning on Samui Island in the south of Thailand and identifies factors associated with intensity of participation of local people in the planning process organized by the Nathon community on Samui Island, the authors investigate the relationship between degree of benefits gained in the increase of management skills in resources utilization – among all factors- and level of community participation in all phases the authors found relationship between this factor & decision making and implementation to be associates with intensity of community participation in this phases and decision making phase in particular Researcher in this factor need to know the response of society to participate in the planning of eco-tourism in a country such as Yemen is one of the third world countries. Abdullah (2008) conducted a study to investigates the problems that affected natural resources and local community involvement in management to mitigate such problem in Bangladesh, the author investigate the relationship between management skills resources utilization and level of community participation the findings show relationship significant relate. Sebola (2005) conducted a study to investigate the ecotourism potential of the Maleboho Nature Reserve, and the manner in which such potential may be utilised to benefit the local communities around the nature reserve, the author investigate relationship between management skills and level of community participation, the findings show that relationship significant relate.

2.9 Hypotheses development
2.9.1 Social benefits

There are several studies provide empirical evidence of the positive relationship between social benefits and level of community participation in ecotourism (see for example, Shaw and Williams (1994), Strasdas (2005) and Pongponrat & Pongquan, (2007)

In recent years social and cultural aspects have become increasingly important in the sustainable tourism debate, especially in the context of developing countries where poverty is a widespread problem. Hence, that social relations and interactions within the community became stronger among various stakeholders involved in this fair. In addition, visitors learned local traditions and culture which will help the community to solicit their support on local cultural promotion and preservation in future.

2.9.1.1 Awareness of changing way of life

Theoretically, Michael (2009) argued that tourism development contributes positively towards poverty alleviation and improvement of services, employment and training projects and increase awareness of the changing way of life, which increases in participation by the community. Piyaphan and Suwipa (2009) Believed to change the way of life to attract culture in addition to teaching visitors local traditions and culture which helps the community to get support for the promotion of local culture and maintain in the future and that encourages community participation in tourism. Schulenkorf (2008) argued that there are positive effects of change the way of life and this leads to improvement of general living conditions in communities and increase the quality of life of the people. However, the way of life, are ideally suited to become tourism products because they encompass the features that make a community unique and are experiential in nature (McKercher and Ho 2006).

Piyaphan and Suwipa (2009), McKercher and Ho (2006), Schulenkorf (2008). all provide empirical support of the positive relationship between employment opportunities and level of community participation in ecotourism.

Thus, it is interesting to reexamine the relationship between Awareness of changing way of life and level of community participation in ecotourism in Yemen context that differ significantly in its economic, social, and environmental conditions from the countries in which this relationship was tested. This may help improve our understanding of the impact of this factor on level of community participation in ecotourism.

Therefore, based on the above argument, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H1: there is a positive relationship between Awareness of changing way of life and level of community participation in ecotourism in Yemen.

2.9.1.2 Promoting local traditional and culture

Theoretically, Promburom, et.al 2009 argued that promote culture and traditional the village leaders and villagers had positive attitude toward tourism because it could promote their culture. Piyaphan and Suwipa ( 2009), believed visitors learned local traditions and culture which will help the community to solicit their support on local cultural promotion and preservation in future.

Promburom, et al, (2009), Hassnol (2009), Pongponrat. K. Pongquan.S, (2007), all provide empirical support of the positive relationship between promoting local traditional and culture and level of community participation in ecotourism.

Thus, it is interesting to reexamine the relationship between Promoting local traditional and culture and level of community participation in ecotourism in Yemen context that differ significantly in its economic, social, and environmental conditions from the countries in which this relationship was tested. This may help improve our understanding of the impact of this factor on level of community participation in ecotourism.

Therefore, based on the above argument, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H2: there is a positive relationship between Promoting local traditional and culture and level of community participation in ecotourism in Yemen.

2.9.2 Economic benefits

Brandon (1993), Butler (1999), Sebola and Fourie, (2006), Wang and Tong (2009), all provide empirical support of the positive relationship between economic benefits and level of community participation in ecotourism. It is argued that economic benefits;

To get different benefits to improving the standard of living of the local population. Moreover, that many ecotourism projects have adopted the generation of economic benefits for the local community as one of their major aims. In addition ecotourism projects that generate a lot of economic benefits to the community, however, these projects have opened the process of decision-making and distribution of these economic benefits to the local population. As well as tou

CLASSICAL TIMES TO 1800 AD

EGYPT:Evidence of pleasure tourism are to be found on early pyramids and graffiti found date to 1244BC.The urge to leave behind something to posterity is not of modern origin.

ANCIENT GREECE:The Olympic Games at Olympia had tens of thousands of visitors and can be considered as an example of the oldest tourist resort.

AD 100-500:THE ROMAN EMPIRE:A superb network of roads with proper foundations and drainage covers the empire.International travel becomes more efficient and more effective.

AD 1100-1300:PILGRIMAGES:Visits to holy places of veneration.The word holiday is derived from holy days.Pilgrims consist of all social groups but are mainly middle-class.Some 300,000 visitors flock to Rome in the year 1300.

AD 1550-1800:SPA TOURISM:The term originating from the Latin Salus Per Aqua meaning health through water.In Europe there are many old towns where natural springs offer palliative care for those who believe.In the UK famous spas are Bath,Tunbridge Wells,Epsom.Bath becomes a fashionable watering place with invalid accommodation,theatres and entertainment being attached to the pools and pump rooms.

The period of 1600-1800 heralds a democratisation of tourism.The Grand Tour enables a young gentleman to prepare for prospective placements furthering a career.It develops into sightseeing rather than education with the professional middle class now engaging in such pursuits visiting Turin,Verona,Venice,the Rhone Valley,Austria,Switzerland and Germany.The Grand Tour like all tourist movements was the product of a particular social and cultural environment.

THE BIRTH OF THE SEASIDE RESORT: A certain Dr Richard Russell wrote a tract entitled Concerning the Use of Sea Water which gained popularity in knowledgeable circles and to the realisation that minerals to be found in the spa water with relaxing and balming effects could be found in seawater also.Seaside resorts appeared everywhere along the coast with Blackpool,Brighton and Southend becoming prominent.Facilities were supplied providing entertainment,food,accommodation.Some benefited from the inauguration of a steamship service operating at the beginning of the eighteenth century with the provision of piers still surviving in the present. Rapid extension of the railway network in the nineteenth century resulted in growth of seaside resorts;their distance from dense urban conurbations having been dramatically reduced.The Fleetwood line gave birth to Blackpool.The railway companies even promoted the favoured few.Cleethorpes arose with the Great Central;Morecombe by the Midland Railway.

The HOLIDAY CAMP appeared in the 30s and rapidly mushroomed after the WWII with Butlins and Pontins showing the way,only to wane in popularity with the emergence of the package tour.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY: Car ownership assumed increasing importance after the World War as it provided for personal freedom through time flexibility.There was an increase in the amount of trips around the country and to the coast.An indication of this urge for personal freedom provided by the car is to be seen by the figures for ownership.These amounted to 2 million in 1950 to 11 million in 1970 and more than 20 million for 2000.This rate of progress inevitably affected public transport figures.Rail journeys fell from 48% of total journeys in 1950 to barely 9% in 1990.

The really significant progress has been with the aircraft industry.Rapid technological advance in aircraft design as a result of war provided climate for application to the commercial sector.Holiday travel by air became a reality for the first time because of the proliferation of surplus aircraft available and the emergence of able entrepreneurs such as the likes of Harold Bamberg and Freddie Laker.Britain was foremost for the jet age with the arrival of the Comet.However tragic misfortune occurred because of metal fatigue and the model was withdrawn;only with the arrival of the Boeing 707 in 1958 did it become feasible to accommodate the needs of mass tourism.The 1960s witnessed a demand surge for scheduled and charter flights.Multipart provision developed with accommodation and couriers offering what is called the package tour.

TIME OF THE ENTREPRENEUR AND PACKAGE HOLIDAYS

The huge surplus of transport aircraft that became available featured a very useful and resilient aircraft the Douglas Dakota together with experienced pilots to fly them.These were commandeered and utilitised for innovative charter flights into Europe;Ostend,Paris and other destinations becoming very popular.It was the time for the entrepreneur.Vladimir Raitz pioneered the way in 1950 with his newly fledged company of Horizon.A two-week holiday was organised for an all-inclusive cost of ?32. The following years witnessed rapid progress. Palma(1952),Lourdes(1953), Costa Brava(1954), Sardinina(1954), Minorca(1955), Porto(1956), Costa Blanca(1957), Costa del Sol(1959). Parallel to such developments as this was a steady rise in domestic living standards which with low unit costs provided by the carriers sustained international development for travel.

The devaluation of the Spanish peseta at the end of the fifties highlighted this country as a particularly attractive proposition.It had a very low cost of living index.Spain with the Balearic Islands became a focus of destination peaking around the 1980s.British tour operations were constantly searching and the Algarve in Portugal was also included together with the Greek Islands,Morocco,Turkey,Tunisia and more recently Croatia. Long-haul destinations involving flights across time zones such as the USA,India,the Far East and Australia have become more popular supported by the inevitable advancement of aircraft technology and the provision of reasonable prices.British tourists are favouring such destinations as Florida,the Caribbean,Hong Kong and South Africa.

ELECTRONIC BOOKING SYSTEMS:

The Travel and Tourism industry has of necessity always responded to any technological advancement.The computer has become indispensable with commonplace infrastructure within industry consisting of extensive databases and sophisticated layered central reservation systems(CRS).Advancements in transportation such as the Channel Tunnel and recent aircraft design have been accompanied by applied tailor-made seamless computer systems.Various booking systems are able to deliver instantaneous access on behalf of the customer into banks of relevant data.Global computer reservation systems such as Galileo,Worldspan,Sabre and Amadeus facilitate information transfer for tourist destinations,transport,railways,ships,aircraft.

Rapid developments in technology infrastructure of transport systems with the arrival of the jumbo jets and low-cost airflights have now enabled a variety of choices to become available.

SOME FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS:

Parallel to such developments are marked improvements for standards of living.People are living to a greater age and now have more time for leisure and are becoming more discerning as to what they now require for a satisfying away-break.In recent years second holidays have appeared because of more discretionary income-income available after other household costs have been met-becoming available.A popular combination consists of a package to an all-inclusive resort and a seasonal variation such as a ski resort,weekend breaks or visits to other cities.

There will be more leisure time available with a consequent demand for shorter time span holidays.The population will contain a far larger proportion of senior citizens who will have a greater concern over matters of personal health thereby promoting a demand for medical tourism and spa destinations.The youth market will probably seek more adventure themes and customized holiday programmes may well affect the packaged format.Transport and accommodation prices might rise significantly because of Government action through taxes concerning greenhouse gas emissions.Borders will dissolve via the internet enabling customers to locate cheap products.Internet predominance will be the driving force for travel and tourism distribution methods.Marketing will be directed towards the experiental prompting the question of what is there to do when I arrive.The development of new airports will give rise to new destinations but for shorter trips the railway will become prominent.

The airship has always figured in futuristic considerations and it is quite possible that hotels of the skies will appear.Solar-powered patterned on dirigibles.Under the sea is another voyeuristic domain,the Hydropolis being constructed in Dubai and expected to be operational in 2009 is a forerunner of such splendid enterprise and endeavour.On the surface it is likely the cruise ship will develop a stage further becoming literally a floating city.And in areas where a resort is unacceptable for various reasons,including the political it is likely that the floating pod will appear able to be constructed literally anywhere on planet’s surface.

THE FRAMEWORK OF THE INDUSTRY is usually acknowledged to consist of at least six categories.They comprise firstly in any order of ATTRACTIONS-these being of nature or constructed by Man.The Lake District and the beach at Blackpool are good examples.Any theme park for the family and others such as the London Eye.TRANSPORT is vital for the prospective tourist to be able to reach any chosen destination with at least two options of assisted transportation being necessary to do so.High standards of information are assumed and expected in our times.

Extensive modernisation has been applied to the railway network and there are now a number of private companies actively competing with each other.Eurostar,GNER and Virgin for example.There has been some decline for train journeys but the industry seems to be holding its own and there are reported to be some 5 million passengers a year conveyed by Eurostar alone.A very decent and economical mode of transport is the coach network exemplified by National Express and Eurolines who have more than 12 million passengers a year visiting over 1200 destinations.

At least three quarters of the ever popular package tour makes use of the airways.Time scheduling is a prominent feature of modern times and so it is with the airways who either supply the business person or are used for arrivals at no set time by the charter firms/airlines.

Sea ferries have maintained a high level of preference and suitability for passengers to Ireland and France.The P&O is still viable and very much so with cruises becoming more and more popular for the Mediterranean.

Another virtal category for the holiday is of course ACCOMODATION.Again in modern times overall standards have had to improve.There is a variety available for any traveller of whatever category.Self-catering villas are becoming very popular and there are other forms such as the Travel Inn,B&B’s,caravans and camp-sites.

It is the TOUR OPERATOR who puts together a miscellany of necessaries that comprise the package tour.It is he who deals with and negotiates contracts for supplying the accommodation and transport to the destination.Bulk purchasing provides low unit and overhead costs enabling provision for the prospective tourist who is able to receive the prepared brochure of what has been put together in the package.

On the present scene there are essentially four major tour operators.First Choice,Thomson,Thomas Cook and My Travel and these together form what is known as TUI.They have formed themselves via a phenomenon known as vertical integration that functions at more than one level within what is known as the holiday chain.They are examples of mass market suppliers.The industry has been transformed as a result of repeated integration resulting in a market for specialised clientele;the singles market,gourmet cookery vacations for example who are being catered by small niche companies who are still able to survive despite the Big Four.

INTEGRATION AND ITS IMPACT

Vertical integration has an organisation taking over another at a different level of the buying chain.

Tui Travel buys Travelmood

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Russell Parsons

Tui Travel has acquired Travelmood for an undisclosed sum in a bid to strengthen its long-haul portfolio.

This latest acquisition follows the ?85.2 million Tui Travel has spent on 10 acquisitions between since last September.

There can be advantages to such happenings as it enables the organisation control over pricing with excellent communication at all levels of the distribution chain.

What is called Horizontal integration is less common and this as the name implies concerns an organisation buying another on the same level of the chain.British Airways was bought out of its acquisition of Go by EasyJet with power branding being a resultant so that all logos were owned by EasyJet.EasyJet had more market space available for self-promtion.Horizontal integration can reduce effective competition.Stenna Sealink and P&O argued such a case for a prospect of immediate service improvement.

There is a much more larger share of the market to be had by tour operators as compared to travel agents with the rate of commission available to the tour agent being controlled by the tour operator.

Horizontal and Vertical integration has reduced competition within the industry that has been accompanied with ever present public demand.The Big Four and large companies should be able to weather storms but the smaller concerns will have their backs to the wall in harder times that may be with us for some time.

Tour operators have a much larger market share than travel agents.Thus upon integration with a tour operator the agent sells and promotes the services of the operator.The rate of commission is in the control of the tour operator.

The independent travel agents are seriously affected by integration.The tour operators and airlines will sell their products over the internet directly. As a result niche markets are developing to meet the needs of the customers in the high street who prefer personal attention in such matters

The airlines have also been affected by integration.British Airways tried to merge with American Airlines but IATA said no,because such a pairing would dominate totally transatlantic flights.

Horizontal and vertical integration has significantly reduced competition within the industry.The demand from the public has set a pattern.Smaller companies are not going to be able to cope.A large organisation can absorb failure impact if the arrangement does not work but for a smaller company such failure would spell ruin.

TRAVEL AGENTS do their job of selling the brochures.This is the link between tour operators and the public.They usually cater for specialist holidays.There are multiple travel agents with agencies all around the UK.The most famous are Going Places,Thomson and Lunn Poly.There are miniples consisting of about twenty to thirty shops.Independent travel agents are small and family owned.Very popular are Call Centres where the customer can book a holiday by phone.

TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT situated all over the country ensure that prospective visitors learn of their location and all it has to offer by extensive advertising and promotion work with availability for advice and information including the capability to undertake research.Blue Badge guides have very intensive and specific training to provide tours of their respective regions for visitors.A chain of distribution therefore comes into existence by which a product eg a package holiday is distributed from the principal/producer to the tourist/consumer.This occurs very often via the tour operators and travel agents(wholesalers and retailers).

There are services related to the Travel and Tourism industry provided by public,private and voluntary.Public sector services are accountable to elected bodies.Most are non-profit making.Local authorities support tourism information centres.Visit Britain is an example of the Public Sector.Its objectives are to promote Britain as a tourist destination to overseas customers and to encourage domestic customers to take more frequent and longer holidays within the country; to provide advice and support for broader government objectives;for other tourist boards to partner them in building a tourism industry within the country;and for its staff ,to achieve goals by utilising resources more efficiently,through openness,accessibility,professionalism,accountability and responsiveness.

PUBLIC PRIVATE AND VOLUNTARY SECTORS

The private sector consists of a multitude of commercial companies whose aim is naturally to generate profit in services and products provided for their customers.Household names include Thomas Cook,Rank and Granada.These contribute significantly to the wealth of the UK.

Voluntary sector organisations consist essentially of volunteer staff.Their status is of a charity operating on a non-profit basis. They may have rate and VAT relief on any investments,deposits or covenants.If registered as charities they have to satisfy certain conditions.Objectives may be charitable,with purposes beneficial on behalf of the communities they serve.

LIEPER’S TOURIST SYSTEM

Without the Tourist would be no tourist industry so what is of special interest to which there are many unanswered questions is the phenomena of mass flows of tourists as to their origins and other related matters of interest.A systems approach is favoured,and that of Leiper’s system lends itself to clear thought heuristic In Leiper’s basic tourism system there are three defined geographical regions/entities.They consist of the Traveller generating regions.The Tourist destination regions and the Transit route regions The travel and tourism industry concerns itself with free flow circulation and the activities of the tourist within the three defined regions. The generating region is where there is preparation for the journey with consequent arrival at a destination.The generating region pushes motivation towards travel.Here they make their booking and check out.Destination is where the tourist actually becomes a tourist;it is where the tourism activity occurs.Here managers effect their strategies.Geographically the pull factor is variable, dependent upon the actual location.Demand is created here.The transit region encompasses all places visited along the way to the actual destination.It should be self evident that one part of such a system cannot function without the others.

Europe,Australasia and Indonesia,Philippines with Brunei are the push regions for Singapore for example.Many tourists within the variety of flows visiting the country will use it as a stop over location.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Sharpley,R.(1999) Tourism,Tourists and Society.ELM Publications.

Page,S.(2003) Tourism Management:Managing for Change.Butterworth-Heinemann

Bray R and V.Raitz(2001 Flight to the Sun: The Story of the Holiday Revolution. Thomson Learning

Cooper,C.et al(2005) Tourism:Principles and practice.FT Prentice Hall

Pakistan appeared as a modern nation on 14 August 1947. There are four provinces and all four are gifted with heritage and culture. It is one of fertile and unique collections of majestic and rugged mountains, lush fields, deserts, rivers, lakes, seashores and landscapes enriched with friendly and hospitable people thus making it a heavenly destination for tourists with different tastes. Pakistan is known in the world of tourism because of the mountainous regions of the north, the Hindukush, Karakoram and the Great Himalaya who form the densest concentration of high peaks in the world. Kalam (Swat valley) in Pakistan is known as the Switzerland of Asia. The Hunza and Chitral valleys in Pakistan were the home to a small pre-Islamic animist Kalasha community who claim descent from the army of Alexander the Great (Mapsofworld.com). The historical and archaeological sites of Ghandhara and Indus Valley civilizations, Mohenjo-Daro, Taxila and the Mughal Empire are the examples of oldest civilizations in Pakistan. This multicultural nature of the country also contributes to the tourism industry in the way that it offers various traditions, customs and festivals for the tourists to explore and enjoy.

Problem statement:

According to the above paragraph, Pakistan seems to be a perfect place for tourists to be visited but still the tourist’s arrival is decreasing day by day if we take into consideration the years from 1995 till 2008.

Aims and Objectives:

The aim of my thesis is to find out the positive and negative factors which are affecting the Pakistan tourism industry and also the cause of tourists declining ratio. Find out the role of the government towards the development of this industry and suggest some strategies that can improve this sector and also discover the hidden potential of tourism industry. Another motivation behind this research is to examine and compare the economic effect of tourism in terms of money and job generation in our country as compared to the neighboring countries.

Research Questions:

The research questions are:

What are the factors affecting tourism industry in Pakistan?

How much potential Pakistan has got in tourism industry?

How tourism industry created revenue and job for the country?

What will be the strategies to develop the tourism industry in Pakistan?

What the government should do to develop the tourism industry in Pakistan?

Literature review and theoretical background:

In this chapter, I will discuss some of the available literature and compare it with my research work giving a broader picture of the unique nature of the work and its practical usefulness.

Literature review:

Kakar et al. 2007, in their research thesis provided a relation between tourism and employment in Pakistan. The purpose of this research was to determine the rate of employment generated in different occupations from the tourism sector. The survey was carried out by personal visit to the hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, travel agents, car hire firms, tour operators and airline offices. They designed a questionnaire for this purpose. The survey was restricted in the sense that it was carried out in only two cities of Pakistan i.e. Swat and Abbottabad and secondly it was carried out in hotels and restaurants. No attempt was made to determine the total impact of tourism on different employment sectors like taxis, guides, entertainment, travel agencies etc. furthermore the statistical data provided on the number of hotels, number of beds and the number of people employed is limited in the sense that there is no proper information about the time/date/year in which the data was recorded.

Baloch (2007) in his research of managing tourism in Pakistan deals with the issue of diagnosing the cause of crawling nature of Pakistan’s tourism growth and suggest ways to develop this industry through natural, historical and cultural resources. The research was carried in Chitral valley only. The methodology used was recording the views of tourists, locals, hoteliers and data collection from Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and Ministry of Tourism. The research is restricted in the sense that the deteriorating condition of this industry is explained only for 2006 and there is no proper statistical data provided for Chitral valley. The data was collected from the concerned departments and there is no proper findings obtained from the tourists and hoteliers.

Although some of the studies found and discussed above are related to the tourism industry in Pakistan but there is hardly any research that focuses mainly on positive and negative factors effecting Pakistan tourism industry on a whole and compare this industry to its neighboring countries. I’ll focus on factors effecting tourism, its impact on employment and the revenue earned for the whole country. The research will include statistical data for last fourteen years which will help in comparing the performance of this sector with other countries also.

Theoretical Background:

There are many positive and negative factors which are affecting Pakistan tourism industry. These are as follows:

Positive factors:

The tourists usually travel to see different places and things other like climate, nature, cultures, people, customs, arts, cuisines, languages, unique festivals, old historical buildings and sites etc. the reason why Pakistan has a great potential in tourism industry is that it posses every single thing that could meet the demand of visitors. Following are the types of tourism in Pakistan:

Diaspora Tourism:

According to Clarke (2003) the term Diaspora refers to a person who is from one country but originates from another and identifies with the country of origin. The term Diaspora can be approached from two different directions, as a typological tool and as a social condition. When the term is used typologically it refers to a group of people who have moved from one place to another and who still identify with their homeland. The homeland is just a metaphor, it may not even exist but it still carries significance for the individual. Clarke (2003) argues that Diaspora is people who have relocated for any of five different reasons; victim, labor, trade, imperial and culture. All of these reasons are in some way forced upon the individual, which is the central idea behind this type of approach to the Diasporas’ phenomena. For example, the British who immigrated involuntarily to the different colonies were imperial Diasporas. The typological approach to the Diasporas’ issue is that it disregards the differences within the different groups. So it is more accurate to describe Diaspora as a condition. “The condition of being from one place but of another and identify with sentiments towards a homeland” (Clarke, 2003)

According to Ali Eteraz (2008), more than 7 million Pakistani people are living outside from Pakistan. Pakistan has got a large number of Pakistani Diaspora which can contribute a positive role in the economy of Pakistan. Apart from Diaspora, visiting friends and family tourism is also very important. Many of these Pakistani Diasporas have friends and families living in Pakistan, and they continue to visit these friends and families playing more positive role in the development of Pakistani tourism.

Domestic Tourism:

According to Richter (1989), many countries of the world take domestic tourism as a “poor cousin” and didn’t pay much attention but according to Boniface and Cooper domestic tourism make up 80% of the world tourism flow. In Pakistan, there are many worthwhile places which not only attract international tourists but also domestic tourists.

Heritage Tourism:

Pakistan is a home to the most spectacular ancient cities of the world including the Indus and Gandhara civilization. Taxila, Moenjodaro and Harrppa, museums, Mughal heritage and the silk route, Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore Fort (UNIC, 2011).

Lahore Fort K Ali

Figure 2: Lahore Fort (Source: http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/lahore_fort)

Religious/ Spiritual or Pilgrimage Tourism:

Pakistan is also famous for its shrines and temples. Each year not only Muslims from different countries come to visit the holy shrines but also the Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhist visit Pakistan for pilgrimage (UNIC, 2011).

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vuyNCoZLd4w/Sr9cYGLGnzI/AAAAAAAAAtc/3ZQU4lOhpp8/s400/shrine-abdullah-shah-ghazi.jpg

Figure 3: Shrines of Pakistan (Source: http://pak-istan.blogspot.com/2009/09/shrines-of-pakistan.html)

Cultural Tourism:

Besides archaeological sites and architecture masterpieces of Mughal emperors and British antecedents, Pakistani cuisine and festivals are yet another interesting part of rich Pakistani culture. The food streets in Pakistan are becoming a major source of attraction for tourists as they can enjoy the local Pakistani food as well as the colorful streets and people shopping in the streets at the same time. Famous food streets in Pakistan are Food Street Gawalmandi and Anarkali in Lahore, Melody and blue area Food Street in Islamabad, Burns Road in Karachi, and Ghantar Ghar in Peshawar. Festivals tend to provide celebration, joy, mental and physical refreshment to not only local people but also the tourists who come with the aim to explore and enjoy different cultures and festivals. Some of the famous cultural ceremonies and festivals of Pakistan include Lok virsa mela, Horse and cattle shows, Basant or kite flying, Festivals of lamps, Northern areas festivals including the famous Kalash festivals and Silk route festivals etc (UNIC, 2011).

Food Street, Lahore –

Figure 4: Food Street Lahore (Source: http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/country/26292.php)

Adventure or ECO Tourism:

ECO or adventure tourism is the most significant part of the tourism industry as Pakistan is blessed with worlds most beautiful and renowned mountains, lakes valleys, glaciers and passes. Tourists not only enjoy the site viewing but also perform activities like skiing, hiking, surfing, camping and cruising. Mountaineering and trekking are the most exciting activities that tourists enjoy. World 2nd largest mountain K2 and Switzerland of Asia known as Swat valley is also located in Pakistan. Silk route is also included among Pakistan attractions as it is an ancient route connecting east and the west. Pakistan is also home to 31 natural and manmade lakes and reservoirs. The helicopter or train safari is also very famous among tourists as they travel to see the most spectacular views of landscapes and mines across the country. The helicopter safari is the latest means of travelling as it takes the tourists high in the sky so they can enjoy the highest peaks in the north and deserts in the south (UNIC, 2011).

click here to enlarge

Figure 5: Ayubia (Source: http://www.offthemap.ca/diaster.php)

Wild Life Tourism:

There are about 14 national parks which give a beautiful glimpse of the rich Flora and Fauna of Pakistan. And there are 2 safari parks with various types of animals like tigers, lions, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, pythons, birds, deer’s etc (UNIC, 2011).

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_POvZp_cG6SE/S55MVLBkT_I/AAAAAAAABYw/4wlNU1_pjL4/s320/CIMG2056.JPG

Figure 6: Kund Wild Life Park (Source: http://kiranpalwasha.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html)

Sports Tourism:

Pakistan is popular as a tourist sports destination. Himalayan range which is the world’s highest mountain range in the world demands for professional trekking along with general trekking. Other types of sports tourism include white water rafting, wild boar hunting in deep forests, shandur polo games, mountain biking, golf, ice climbing, rock climbing, snowboarding, skiing, caving and pot holding etc. rich people and prince come from middle east for deer hunting in Pakistan.

All the above mentioned factors contribute positively to Pakistan tourism industry but along with these, there are also negative factors which are affecting Pakistan tourism industry and have resulted in the loss of tourists’ arrival in Pakistan.

Negative Factors:

The negative factors effecting Pakistan tourism industry are the views and opinions of domestic and international tourists obtained via questionnaire and interview. According to the tourists, the biggest problem they are facing while travelling is security issues which include the current insurgency in Pakistan. Even the domestic tourists don’t feel like travelling in their own country. Second issue of tourists decline is negative image of Pakistan portrayed by media to the outside world. Lack of infrastructure, ineffective promotional policies, inadequate tourist’s services and facilities, lack of initiatives by concerned government departments, inadequate knowledge and training of personnel in tourism sector, law and order situation especially in the high tourists attraction areas, inadequate infrastructure facilities, lack of incentives in the tourist sector, failure to show and project the positive image of the country via media to the outside world, low allocation of annual tourist budget, lack of development and facilities in the mountain regions, lack of understanding to the tourist needs, the overtaking and change of governments and administration within the country (army rule) and high inflation rate are the key points which have altogether made tourism an unsuccessful industry in Pakistan. The tourism Ministry is not playing sufficient role and tourist faces difficulties in getting timely visa and other information’s. The tourism authorities must focus on this sector as tourism is the only sector, which can contribute substantially in the poverty alleviation and improving the living standards of the local community.

Factors Effecting Tourism

Positive Factors Negative Factors

Security problems for the tourists

Less marketing and publicity on international level

Weak travel and tourism framework

Low allocation of annual tourist budget

High inflation rate

Overtaking and change of governments

Lack of initiative by concerned government departments

Presence of tourist attractions

Mountains

Valleys

Lakes

Historical places

Rich culture

Rich food

Salt mines

Spring festivals

5 stars hotel chains

Restaurants

Handicrafts

Museums

Business environment

Factors effecting tourism

Figure 8: Factors effecting tourism