Large Tour Operators Research Articles

ТЕОРЕТИКО-МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ ОСНОВЫ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНОСТИ ПРОИЗВОДИТЕЛЕЙ ТУРИСТИЧЕСКИХ УСЛУГ НА ПРИМЕРЕ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАТАРСТАН

The scientific article reveals the methodological aspects of assessing the competitiveness of tourism service providers on the example of the Republic of Tatarstan. An assessment of the five largest tour operators in the region was made.

MAIN TRENDS OF MARKETING INNOVATIONS DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TOUR OPERATING

The article examines the role of the tourism industry in the world economy, reveals the specifics of the innovation process in tourism. The classification of innovations in tourism according to the object of their application is given. The main directions of using innovative marketing technologies in the field of tourism services are considered: release of new types of tourism product, change in the organization of production and consumption, identification and use of new markets, as well as the use of new equipment and technology. Factors that accelerate the introduction of marketing innovations are studied. Based on the analysis of world experience, several models of regulation of innovative tour operating activities in the EU have been identified. The first direction of formation of the model of the innovations development in tourism is the activity of stimulating innovations in the public and private sectors of tourism with the aim of their transition to a qualitatively new model of touring (similar model is used in Greece, Italy and Portugal). The second direction is defined as the internationalization and opening of new markets (a similar model of stimulating innovative development is typical of Spain, Romania and partly Norway). The third one includes support for entrepreneurship in the field of tourism, stimulation of entrepreneurial initiatives, opening a new tourism business (A similar model of stimulating innovation in tourism is typical of many countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand). The fourth direction is the promotion of the country, its tourism product, including educational and cultural ones (A similar model is typical of Bulgaria, Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Thailand). The role of introduction and active development of e-business and marketing technologies is defined, especially in modern conditions. The necessity of development of the newest directions of the Internet marketing in the field of tourism, including mobile, Internet branding and geomarketing, is proved. The role of innovative marketing technologies as one of the central elements of modern development of activity of tourist firms, the necessity of application of computer technologies and non-standard ways of giving of the information during carrying out modern technical maintenance, are justified. The first group of such technological solutions consists of management technologies, including property management system (PMS), aimed at optimization of basic technological operations. The modern hotels and chains are trying to present themselves not only in global distribution system (GDS), which has become a powerful advertising tool, but also in alternative distribution system (ADS), which is primarily needed by hotels focused on the business segment. Global distribution system (GDS) is also closely integrated into well-known booking systems such as Booking.com, HRS, Agoda, Travelocity, Expedia etc. The next group is for food and beverages inventory management technology (F&B). The group of marketing technologies includes search engine optimization measures (SEO and PPC), which allow to raise the hotel site in search engine rankings, E-mail Marketing as a means of maintaining constant communication with the client, marketing activities in social media (Social Media Optimization), creation of virtual hotels or illusions of visiting a hotel (Second Life and Virtual Hotels Conclusion), branding, etc. The last group of technologies are service ones, i.e. technologies for improving hotel products and services. Innovative technologies are developing in the direction of ensuring sustainable development (greening of hotel services and activities), inclusion in traditional technological operations of innovative components: electronic concierge terminals, access to hotel services via mobile devices, maximizing Internet access, etc. Based on the analysis of the activities of large tour operators, regional differences have been identified in Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Spain, Austria, Norway and France. It is proved that marketing innovations in tourism have a qualitative novelty, which affects the promising areas of tourism development, improvement of existing tourism products, improving the image and competitiveness of the tourism industry. Based on the study, it is generalized that the role of marketing innovations in international tourism has been growing every year, and it has become especially relevant in the conditions of the COVID-19 crisis. For travel companies, the effect of marketing innovation can be expressed in the qualitatively new changes in the tourism industry, improving the efficiency of tourism infrastructure, management of sustainable operation and development of tourism in the country and the formation, positioning and consumption of tourism services, improving the image and competitiveness of travel companies.

Can MNCs promote more inclusive tourism? Apollo tour operator's sustainability work

ABSTRACTOutbound tour operators are key actors in international mass tourism. However, their contribution to more sustainable and inclusive forms of tourism has been critically questioned. Drawing from new institutional theories in organization studies, and informed by the case of one of the largest Scandinavian tour operators, we examine the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability work in large tour operators and the challenges faced in being more inclusive. On the basis of in-depth interviews with corporate officers, document analysis and media reports, we show how top-down coercive and normative pressures, coming from the parent company and the host society shape the ability of the daughter corporation to elaborate a more inclusive agenda. However, daughter companies do not merely comply with these institutional pressures and policy is also developed from the ‘bottom-up’. We show how the tour operator's sustainability work is also the result of organizational responses including buffering, bargaining, negotiating and influencing the parent organization. By creating intra and inter-sectoral learning and collaborative industry platforms, MNCs not only exchange and diffuse more inclusive practices among the industry, but also anticipate future normative pressures such as legislation and brand risk. Daughter organizations help shape their institutional arrangements through internal collaborative platforms and by incorporating local events and societal concerns into the multinational CSR policy, especially when flexible policy frameworks operate, and the corporate CSR agenda and organizational field are under formation. However, risks do exist, in the absence of institutional pressures, of perpetuating a superficial adoption of more inclusive practices in the mass tourism industry.

MARKETING RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT IN TOUR OPERATING

The article analyzes the competitive environment in the tour and conducts its marketing research. It is characterized competitors of the tourist operator as the other active active subjects of the tourist market, focused on the segment of consumers, in the qualitative and efficient satisfaction of the needs of which the tourist operator has the greatest opportunity. In the modern market of services (which is an integral part of the tourist market), the fact that the tour is a typical service, that is, a commodity that requires its buyer not only cash (any service has a market price), but also part of his free time (any service, including organized trips, is lengthy in time). The competitive struggle in the tourist markets and the competitive environment of the tourist operator at the initial stage of the tour design are analyzed, which is reduced to determining the degree of coverage of the competitors by the segments whose needs the tour operator has the greatest prospects. Evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the competitive offers and find out exactly what dominated the tours organized by rivals, and whether the author of the tour-project has the ability to successfully conduct a competitive struggle. It is characterized tour operators who can quite well consider their competitors as libraries, educational institutions, gyms, Internet services, etc., since they deprive potential travelers, first of all, of free time, which they could spend on the trip. Enterprises are not tourist services that negatively affect the ability of consumers to make tours (the availability of necessary funds and free time) and thus hinder the work of the tour operator, can be called indirect competitors. The way to fight indirect competitors is to promote the tourist lifestyle, which is carried out by many large tour operators along with promotional campaigns of their tours. Key words: marketing research, marketing analysis, competitive environment, tour turning.

�COME TO OUR TOWNSHIP TO OVERCOME POVERTY�: ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SOUTH AFRICAN TOWNSHIP TOURISM, A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY

ABSTRACT This study empirically analyzes the issues and challenges of local entrepreneurship in the industry of South African township tourism in Cape Town. Economic, political and social issues have been identified in this industry, harming entrepreneurship activities in this sector, but also all the stakeholders, namely the communities. Indeed, this is a highly competitive saturated market dominated by large tour operators leaving little room for small local companies. Moreover, entrepreneurs, who are internal to townships, often have few financial and material resources to run their business with efficiency, in addition to gaps in entrepreneurship skills. Benefit sharing is also challenged with a disputed contribution from the companies to the communities. Finally, the climate in this sector remains uncertain and complex with very limited support from the government and persistent disparities between black, white and colored entrepreneurs. All of these problems led us to question about the point of view of local entrepreneurs, often missing in the literature review. The aim of this study is to understand how the tourism chain is organized and how the business model is adapted to this thorny context. The study used qualitative research through semi-structured individual interviews from 11 entrepreneurs running their business in townships in Cape Town city. This research is particular because it makes a distinction, among the respondents, between internal status (if they come from the township) and external status (if they don't come from the township) in the township. The goal was to know if the results would reveal similarities or differences between the two status. The research focused on 5 external entrepreneurs, living out of townships, and 6 internal entrepreneurs living inside the townships. The study population is characterized by small firms mostly managed by men, the majority being mature men with a higher education level than the country's general average. This sample selected by reasoned choice is subject to the principles of replication and saturation. The questionnaires were analyzed using a classification method with a typological analysis. The results show that both internal and external entrepreneurs in townships have quite the same motivations and challenges as each other, and even similar as those faced by entrepreneurs in developed countries. These incentives include the desire to work for oneself, seizing an opportunity, low financial and administrative constraints to enter the market, and the desire to make the township known. The mentioned difficulties are the constant need for funding, the intense competition, the insufficient level of skills to run a business, and the lack of support from the South African government. However, a distinction is observed between the two status in the way of contributing to the communities. Whereas the contribution is more economic for the external entrepreneurs through job creation, the contribution is both economic and social for the internal entrepreneurs through training, education, mentoring and donation. These results have enabled to identify new research avenues and implications for both internal and external entrepreneurs to improve the local entrepreneurship situation in South African township tourism. Keywords Township Tourism, Entrepreneurship, Poverty Reduction, Emerging Countries, Case Study

Air charter leisure traffic and organised tourism in Poland: Are charters passé?

Abstract Data from a number of tourism and transport sources are used in this analysis, concentrating on Poland: the largest tour operators and areas in which air carriers are likely to have the greatest impact. The top 25 air charter carriers identified are examined closely in terms of connections, and the geographical characteristics of these links are highlighted. The research reveals substantial differences in models of air leisure traffic between Western Europe and Poland. These are of a quantitative, but also a qualitative nature, and reflect the disparate levels of affluence of societies, different mobility patterns, and various experiences, adventures and demands on the part of travellers. Overall, charter traffic in Poland is still seen to be flourishing, while that in Western Europe is in relative decline.

Factors Affecting the Partnership between Tour Operators and Travel Agents in Russia

An establishment of long-term partnerships with travel agencies is an important way of geographical expansion of large tour operators. Such a relationship is a strategic alternative for tour operators’ interaction with independent travel agents through market transactions. We have investigated the influence of certain characteristics of Russian tour operators working in the field of outbound tourism on their ability to develop a partnership model of geographical expansion. The results show that tour operators with a high brand reputation, having a high index of geographical concentration of its agent network are more likely to create partnerships with travel agencies, rather than other tour operators.

European Tour Operators' Market Power When Renting Hotel Rooms in Northern Norway

Market power studies tend to concentrate on seller power, but in several value chains buyer power is an equally important topic. An example is large tour operators' dealings with a fragmented accommodation industry at a tourist destination. The authors present a framework for testing for the degree of oligopsony power exerted by tour operators, where exchange rates play an important role in identifying the model. The empirical framework was applied to demand for hotel accommodation in Northern Norway. The results indicate that European tour operators have oligopsony power in relation to the regional hotel industry, with a markdown of over 24%.

Applicability of the theory of business decision making based on the example of Serbian cultural tourism

Tourism is a complex system that must, theoretically, be observed through interdisciplinary studies, because it is practically connected to many aspects of modern civilization. In tourism, as a system, tangible and intangible values are included that are being and have been created by the nature, but also by activity and knowledge of people. Tourism is happening everywhere, sometimes it spontaneously arises and disappears unexpectedly. Tourism as a business system and a process does not involve mainly large and complex systems of functioning. The tourism industry is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises, family businesses, constantly new and creative ideas. The biggest business systems are hotels and large tour operators. Therefore the destination of all levels occur - from the local destination to the world as a destination. Destinations are systems in which tourism is only a part of all events. The management of such a system is a complex, challenging and often unpredictable process. However, it seems that anybody can 'deal' in tourism, that tourism is easy to manage and to make the right business decisions. It often happens that tourism is not essentially managed by anyone, that it is left to itself, or to the individuals and small business units. In this paper, there is a research dilemma - whether the models of business decision-making are being applied in the cultural tourism of Serbia, by which means and with what results? The results of the work were obtained using analytical and synthetic methods of content analysis.

The 'last minute' tourist arrangements trend in Serbia

Tourist agencies in Serbia try to follow trends regarding the arrangements' offer. One must admit that the buses owned by the transporters are modern and of a high quality, that there exist good, educated and experienced tourist guides. If one sees the choice of the arrangements, types of the stationary arrangements, accommodation facilities at the destinations and compares them with the same or similar offers that other worldwide tourist agencies have, one will note that the offer in Serbia is not inferior to the offer of the world-known tour-operators such as Dertour. However - many Serbian tourist agencies have the same partners on the destinations (Spain, France, Italy, Greece...) and the same accommmodation facilities (houses and hotels) as the large tour operators. In such a quality offer, in a turbulent market, with the tourists that have limited power of payment, tourist agencies in Serbia are forced to go 'below the price'. The term of lowering the prices in tourism is often called 'last minute', and can be present in any form of tourist arrangement. In Serbia it begins to emerge in the last decade, and, after the abolition of visas for traveling abroad, it became omnipresent in tourist offers of Serbian tour operators.

The Tourism Global Commodity Chain in Namibia: Industry Concentration and its Impacts on Transformation

Applying Global Commodity Chain (GCC) theory, this article uncovers governance patterns in the Namibian tourism industry. The sector, it is argued, is best characterized as a buyer-driven GCC, in which large tour operators and accommodation groups control most economic transactions, and in which local actors remain generic suppliers with limited power to capture a significant share of the value. In a context of rapid globalization and fierce competition, horizontal and vertical integration have further concentrated economic powers in the hands of larger groups (national or international). With such an ownership structure, previously disadvantaged Namibians lack economic leverage to be fully involved in the largely white-dominated tourism sector.

Environmental supply chain management in tourism: The case of large tour operators

Extensive tourism developments and signals of the negative effects on destinations have put sustainability at the core of the business agenda. However, the fragmented structure of the tourism sector remains a key challenge for achieving consensus and developing coherent sustainable tourism strategies. Although supply chain strategies seem logically suitable for the interconnected nature of the tourism industry, there is limited discussion in tourism research about their adoption. In order to advance the knowledge of how sustainable tourism can become more of common practice, this article explores the adoption of environmental supply chain management (ESCM) by eight large tour operators. The results of the investigations show that in the absence of regulatory pressures and cost saving benefits, the adoption of ESCM is triggered by public pressures and its implementation is limited by organizational factors and strategic myopia.

A Long-haul Destination:: Sustainability Reporting Among Tour Operators

Tour operators are the main players in the tourism industry and can use their market power to improve sustainability in the tourism sector. This study analyses the sustainability reporting of 42 internationally operating tour operators. It is concluded that in comparison to other industry sectors, tour operators perform weak at best. Considerable differences in reporting behaviour were detected within the sector. Large tour operators far better than medium-sized and small firms, and traditional tour operators better than their online competitors. Little difference was detected in reporting between UK, German and Dutch tour operators. © 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Distribution Channels in the Travel Industry: Using Mystery Shoppers to Understand the Influence of Travel Agency Recommendations

The objective of this study was to understand the factors that influence travel agency recommendations in the United Kingdom. This was achieved using a mixture of focus groups, interviews, and “mystery shoppers.” Exploration into the process of choosing a holiday showed that the brochure plays an important role for many consumers. However, for the travel agent the brochure is low priority, and even when the brochure is used the travel agent often has a considerable amount of influence on consumer decision making. Whether the agency is vertically integrated has considerable influence on the recommendation process. Based on analysis of the interviews and focus groups, a model was developed and tested using mystery shoppers. Results from investigating 156 travel agents across the United Kingdom indicate that the majority of travel agents owned by large tour operators will attempt to push the holidays of their parent company rather than give impartial advice to consumers. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Consequences of integration in UK tour operating

The 1990s have seen an upsurge in integration which has resulted in the largest tour operators having control of the largest multiple travel agents. In June 1993 the Office of Fair Trading decided to investigate vertical integration by the big three UK giants — Thomson, Airtours and Owners Abroad/Thomas Cook to establish whether or not there were grounds for referral to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission under the competition legislation. The result of the enquiry, although only expected to last three months was, at the time of writing, still awaited. A referral and proven case could mean the operators being forced to sell or limit their travel agency chains. This article looks at development of integration, the issues and problems raised and takes a view from the position of the interested parties.