BA (Hons) International Hospitality and Tourism Management
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7243
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Item Green Marketing Activities as An Effective Tool for Building Corporate Reputation in The Hotel Industry Within a Scottish Context(2021)Several studies in other countries have addressed the impact of green marketing on a hotel’s reputation, however no similar academic research has been undertaken on the Scottish hotel sector. The results of this study can make a significant contribution not only to building hotels’ reputation in Scotland, but also, in term of sustainability, represent the country internationally in a good light. The study aimed to investigate the influence of green marketing on customer behaviour in building corporate reputation in Scotland. To achieve the objectives and the desired results, a quantitative approach was adopted through an online survey with respondents having spent at least one night at a hotel in Scotland in the last five years. Multiple regression analysis assessed the strength of the relationship between green marketing activities and corporate reputation using a convenience sample of 202 respondents. Significant associations for corporate reputation were identified via three variables, including Eco-friendly Products and Services, Green Promotion and Green Image. These findings contributed to imply a new approach to green reputation which can be considered as a initial step to a better understanding of environmental activities in the field of green hotels. The results of this research might benefit marketers and based on the recommendations, offer to future students an opportunity to further develop the outcomes of this study.Item An exploration of hospitality workers’ perceptions of the correlation between employee motivation and turnover rates in the industry(2021)Purpose The turnover rates in the hospitality industry have been one of the highest among all industries, which can have a negative effect on company profit, employee stress levels and motivation. According to Robinson et al. (2014), high turnover rates further add additional costs for organizations, as recruitment and training can be an expensive process. Friebel (2017) states that many organizations have started implementing motivational techniques to attempt to minimize these rates. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of hospitality workers of employee motivation and how these motivational techniques can be used to reduce turnover rates in the hospitality industry. Methodology A quantitative online questionnaire was distributed among current and past hospitality workers, to understand what their perceptions on motivation are. Respondents were asked a number of questions regarding their experiences and views on motivation, as well as other factors that have been identified to have an effect on turnover rates by previous studies (Ricci and Milman 2002; DiPietro and Contly 2007; Acikgoz et al. 2016). Additionally, questions about previous reasons for leaving an employment were explored, along with reasons individuals have had to stay at their employment. Findings The findings of the study provided an insight on what motivational techniques hospitality workers have been offered within their workplace, alongside their opinions on what effects they had. The study also emphasizes the importance of managerial training and the environment that it might help create. The conclusions of the study could potentially help organization identify which motivational techniques would be best suited for them.Item An investigation into how switching to food and beverage takeaway and delivery strategies provided small restaurants in Edinburgh with the opportunity to sustain business and survive during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions(2021)This research investigates the impact of Covid-19 in catering businesses and how food takeaway and delivery strategy support small restaurant businesses to survive during the Covid-19 pandemic in Edinburgh. Quantitative research with sufficient open question options has given additional in-depth descriptive answers to answer the question of the research. In this research total of 45 valid participants has participated to respond to the online questionnaires whereas 22 were either manager or owner of small restaurants in Edinburgh and 23 respondents were food consumers. The analysis shows a strong co-relation between consumers, restaurants and delivery partners i.e., Deliveroo, JustEat, UberEats and local brands during the operation of the business. As a result of consumers preference on shifting to purchase outdoor service, the willingness of businesses to serve food and beverages to the society during pandemic and delivery partners working with the food business and consumers equally to make that service process successful proves that the takeaway and delivery strategy successful in making business survive during the pandemic. This research concludes that takeaway and delivery have immense support in leading to survival and it is still predicted that it will hold the biggest share amongst other popular food and beverage services strategies such as sit-in business; make-at-home-meal-kit, carry out, outdoor services and so on.Item How does a hotel’s physical environment impact on guest experience? The case of a luxury five star hotel’s services from an employees perspective in Edinburgh(2021)The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate whether the physical environment of a hotel is the most important factor for guest satisfaction, whilst also exploring these factors from the perspective of an employee who works within a luxury five star hotel. To achieve the aim of this research, a literature review will be presented along with the results of five semi-structured interviews. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach. The sample for the interviews were with employees who worked across various departments within a five star, luxury hotel in Edinburgh. The participants were all above the age of 28 and included a mixture of both men and women. After analysing the findings of the interviews, it was clear that there were themes that could be identified which included: customer service, social media feedback and technology along with the theme of the physical environment. All of the themes identified have a strong correlation to guest satisfaction. The research and data collection process was limited by the current Covid 19 pandemic therefore a smaller sample size was chosen. However, the smaller sample still allowed the research to find arguments that could help determine which factors had the most impact on guest satisfaction. The analysis of the findings concluded a strong argument for customer service being an important element regarding guest satisfaction, along with the physical environment. Conclusions were then made after the analysis of the results and following this, recommendations for the future were suggested. By conducting a qualitative study which received responses from employees who work within the industry, the study provides the industry with in-depth answers for potential changes that could benefit hospitality employees. If there were to be future qualitative research studies regarding this topic, a larger sample size could allow researchers to gain further information regarding the current situations and problems employees face in the industry. Also, this could show the industry managers whether multiple hotels all have similar results providing the study gained responses from various businesses.Item An investigation into the development of slow tourism approaches in Catalonia’s rural areas(2021)Tourism is one the most important activities in the Catalan economy. However, the expansion of tourism without sustainable planning leads to social and environmental consequences. Catalonia’s rural areas, as many others in Europe are having high amounts of visitors, which indicate the need for sustainable approaches towards positive future development. Slow tourism is considered a promising approach, although with limited research on its implementation in rural areas as most studies focus on the slow food and slow city movements. Therefore, this research project investigates the suitability and opportunities for the development of slow tourism in Catalonia’s rural areas. Following a review of relevant literature, theories and concepts, a quantitative approach is adopted through the online distribution of a multilingual survey, which provides 129 validated responses, involving both potential local and international tourists to Catalonia. Findings confirm a high tourism demand for Catalonia’s rural areas with a general tendency to satisfy higher needs such as seeking authentic experiences and learning from other cultures, especially amongst Millennials. Moreover, even though most of the participants were not familiar with slow tourism, the majority of tourists would support its higher costs, but findings suggest that excessive pricing may be deterrent to some tourists. Slow tourism experiences were considered a source of educational knowledge, which indicates the suitability for promotion between marketers and local entrepreneurs, with diversification opportunities beyond nature-based, agriculture and gastronomy experiences. Nevertheless, a major preference for high emission means of transport is found to be one of the main challenges of this approach, which should be addressed. This research indicates that Catalonia is a suitable rural region to develop slow tourism and it is recommended that the local authorities adopt a slow tourism philosophy. Further research could investigate if travel experience acquired by tourists has an influence on supporting the cost of sustainability. Finally, the replication of the study with actual tourists is recommended as access was restricted.Item A Critical Evaluation of Perceptions of Bias within the Scottish Central Belt Hospitality Sector Workforce(2021)The aim of this research is to critically evaluate perceptions of bias within the Scottish central belt in the hospitality sector workforce. The study investigates the perceptions of five main biases: gender, age, race, sexual orientation and appearance, that are carried through as themes from the literature review and primary research undertaken. The study also helps to gain an understanding of the impact bias has on the overall job satisfaction of employees within the industry. The aim and objectives for the research will be fulfilled through evaluation of the current literature and an online questionnaire. A quantitative research approach was adopted for the primary study through the use of an online questionnaire. The target population for the research is formed of hospitality employees located within the central belt of Scotland and a non-probability sampling technique was used through convenience and snowball sampling. A total of 97 respondents participated in the primary research. There was a lack of diversity within the respondents, however there was still some variation regarding age, gender, sexual orientation and race, allowing for comparative analysis between the demographic groups. The results gathered from the primary research were compared against existing research from the literature review in order to deductively test theory. The key results from the primary research were displayed in a variety of visual graphs in order to demonstrate the results and allow for cross tabulation. It was found that the primary research complimented the literature regarding bias of gender, age, race, appearance and sexual orientation as main themes within the hospitality industry. However, it was noted that age bias had a large impact on younger generations, an area that is lacking in research. Additionally, both primary and secondary research extracted a correlation between bias and job dissatisfaction. The study was concluded by outlining the achievement of the aim and objectives of the research, followed by practical recommendations for the hospitality industry to increase awareness of bias and increase diversity within the workforce by addressing the benefits to the employees and the business. Additionally, theoretical recommendations for future research suggest adopting a mixed methods approach to reduce research limitations, as well as a recommendation for future research regarding the psychological perception of bias amongst younger generations, in order to explore in depth, the age bias results.Item An investigation into consumer behaviour towards disposable coffee cups purchased through Hospitality establishments(2021)Due to consumers’ affection for on-the-go consumption disposable coffee cups have become an essential part of modern life. The implications of the pandemic forced the industry into a special position, where there is a need to drive sustainable practices in order to regain economic momentum. There has been growing consumer awareness about the negative environmental effects of disposable coffee cups, hence the aim of this dissertation is to investigate consumer behaviour towards disposable coffee cups purchased through hospitality businesses. A quantitative research approach was used to obtain a holistic overview of the topic. A questionnaire was issued online, and it received 94 responses regarding cup use and ways of disposal. Questions were based on established key themes and they were mostly close ended. However, they involved open-ended questions, which enabled participants to further specify their views on few different issues. Descriptive analysis was utilised to interpret primary data and a deductive approach was applied at each layer of data collection. Findings revealed that disposable coffee cup purchasing is impulsive and that consumers purchased them as they are the easiest option. Statistics indicated that younger generations used more disposable coffee cups, while the older generations gravitated towards reusable cups. The researcher recommends that the best measure to reduce the environmental impact of disposable coffee cups is to gradually eliminate them completely. By ensuring cooperation between the government, non-government organisations such as Zero Waste Scotland and other hospitality businesses, they should strive to offer better alternatives such as bio paper cups. Further, more regulations regarding disposable cup manufacturers are needed as they often use misleading recycling labels on their cups, which results in inappropriately disposal within consumers.Item An investigation into cycling tourism and its potential in the UK domestic tourism market(2021)This dissertation aims to investigate the potential of cycling tourism in the UK domestic market. In recent years, cycling tourism has experienced a growing popularity and has become a valuable market that contributes to the UK economy. Promoting cycling tourism at any level is more critical now than ever, especially to recover the tourism industry so strongly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Fostering cycling tourism does not only have an impact in monetary terms, but its unique characteristics also boost individuals well-being. Cycling reduces stress and anxiety, especially in the present situation characterised by lockdowns and restriction in social gatherings. Moreover, it enhances the liveability and layout of cities and towns while improving UK destinations images. In order to investigate the potential role of cycling tourism in the UK, a quantitative approach was chosen with primary data collection. The participants in this research were recruited from Facebook group pages among cycling and camping communities. Data were collected over three days in January 2021, with a total of 175 completed surveys. Findings revealed that cycling tourists' motivational factors are associated with the sense of adventure that travelling by bicycle provides. During the analysis process, the urgent need to invest in cycling infrastructures has been strongly observed. The use of bicycles instead then public transports was another significant aspect to consider. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed economic sectors such as tourism, and it has also impacted the way people travel. The present research carries some limitations, mainly concerning the limited time available and the non-homogeneous distribution, whereas not all UK countries were balanced represented.Item The Unfiltered Truth: Does Instagram Hold Power Over Youth Travel Habits?(2021)Aim: The aim of this study was to identify whether the social media platform ‘Instagram’ has an influence on young consumers during the decision-making process of making travel plans or choosing a destination. Background: A review of the surrounding literature of this topic revealed that the rate of social media and technological advancements within the past decade have been vast environment (Kaplan and Haenlein 2010; Abdullatif 2017; Dhingra and Mudgal 2019). Consumers are increasingly turning to social media platforms for the tools to do information searches for their next travel or holiday rather than utilising the traditional methods of travel booking such as tourism operators and travel brochures. However interestingly, Swarbrooke and Horner (2007) find that consumers are still reliant on friends and family recommendations due to the trustworthiness of the source. The literature also provided insight to destination management organisations and found their presence online to promote their destination is not being used to its full potential as an advertisement method to consumers (Benedek 2018). What is still uncertain is how much of an influence does Instagram have on consumer’s decision to travel to a specific destination, and if so, which factors and aspects are important to view. Methodology: To obtain insight into consumer attitudes, motivations and patterns formed, an online survey was implemented using a quantitative approach. The online survey was published on the author’s personal Instagram account, administered using non-probability quota sampling as the criteria for the participants consisted of: being within the 18-28 age bracket; having an active Instagram account; and lastly, to live in the location of Scotland. Findings: The findings established that participants heavily relied on Instagram for visual content throughout the decision-making process in relation to destination pictures, activity ideas and restaurants. However, participants showed a high preference for family and friend’s recommendations over influencer and celebrity content on Instagram. It was further found that consumers admit Instagram has a large influence on their travel planning and destination choice, yet utilised multiple sources amidst the information search such as E- word of mouth site ‘TripAdvisor’ for real life traveller’s experiences. Conclusions and Recommendation: The three following research aims were accomplished throughout this dissertation: ●The exploration of factors and visual aspects that are important to a consumer when travel planning and making a destination choice. ●To provide a deeper understanding of Instagram as a potential marketing place for travel related consumers. ●To identify the perceptions of 18–28 year-olds that inspire consumers to travel due to what they view online. For future research, the author provided a theoretical recommendation to avoid large demographic differences by publishing the online survey through a different channel. The researcher’s personal Instagram account had a majority of female followers, thus the large number of female participants. The researcher also recommended the study be investigated through a qualitative approach through interviews, allowing more depth into consumer decision making processes when booking travel plans. The practical recommendation provided from the researcher is to enhance the destination management organisation’s social media marketing strategies to take full advantage of the marketing opportunity Instagram presents for destinations and the tourism industry to flourish in a younger generation, where technology has a big influence on everyday purchase decisions.Item The impact of Instagram on independent restaurants in Scotland; an investigation into how 18-30-year-olds use the platform and its influence on their choice(2021)This research looks into the impact of Instagram on consumer choice and decision making when visiting independent restaurants in Scotland. It was identified through the review of literature that there is an increase in consumer-generated content and online influencers on Social Media. This is increasing social media’s impact on decision making but also blurring the lines for consumers on the reliability and quality of content. Although vast, the existing literature does not address specifically how the increasing use of Instagram in 18-30-year-olds is influencing the way in which they source recommendations. Nor the impact of these recommendations on their decisions to visit an independent restaurant in Scotland. Through the use of an online survey, 159 responses were collected and analysed through Microsoft Excel to provide charts and statistics which were the basis of the results in this study. It was found that 18-30-year-olds are more likely to use Instagram than TripAdvisor when sourcing e-WOM. On Instagram respondents were influenced mostly by people they already follow such as friends, family and food influencers, as respondents have already deemed these sources as credible. Influential factors within Instagram e-WOM content were identified as the presentation of the food, level of information provided, quality of the photos and the openness of the recommendation provider. This study faced limitations within the use of open-ended questions and lack of male respondents. Therefore, recommendations made for further studies on this topic, are to use mixed methods to provide more in-depth analysis and more generalisable results. In addition, to further develop the understanding of consumers negative and positive associations with Instagram and TripAdvisor a further study addressing the differentiation in motivations of posting reviews on Instagram and TripAdvisor is recommended.