Travel Arrangements Research Articles

Group conflict and group harmony affect future female companion travel intentions: The mediating effect of female companion travel experience

When women travel together, the social identity of the members creates group harmony, but disagreements over travel arrangements create intragroup conflict. This study draws on the self-categorization theory to examine the impact of group conflict and group harmony on female companion travel experiences and future female companion travel intentions. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. Focus group meetings were performed to develop the scale to measure dictatorship as a source of creating group conflict during female companion travel. The results of the questionnaire survey indicated that group conflict and group harmony have an impact on female companion travel experiences, but only group conflict directly influences future female companion travel intentions, group harmony does not. Female companion travel experience mediates the effect of group conflict and group harmony on future female companion travel intentions. Recommendations for destinations and the tourism industry to improve female companion travel experiences are provided.

Challenges of patients with intrathecal baclofen pump therapy during COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Background: This study was carried out to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy. Methods: Patients who came for ITB refill during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and August 2020 were contacted, and a survey was conducted regarding challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data obtained from the chart review included demographics, diagnoses, pump information, baclofen dose, and COVID triage. Information was collected regarding travel arrangements, appointments, and problems related to ITB therapy or travel. The survey included 12 multiple-choice questions related to travel, appointment scheduling, and difficulties faced during the travel restrictions. Results: The study included 19 patients with ITB (mean age: 38.1±14.4) from outside Riyadh city who came for ITB refill during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the patients were males. Spinal cord injury with paraplegia was the most common diagnosis (52.6%). In total, 7 patients had either clinical (31.6%) or travel-related difficulties (15.8%). No patient had ITB withdrawal at the time of the clinic visit. Nearly half (47.4%) of the patients had to change their appointment for refill. The percentage of patients who used a car as a mode of travel pre-COVID was 42.1%, which increased to 78.9% during the pandemic. They traveled 747.4±356.6 km (7.4±3.7 h) to reach the hospital for refill. Patients needed 1–4 accompanied persons for assistance during travel, with the majority (68.4%) requiring 2 accompanied persons. Statistical analysis did not reveal any significant associations between clinical or travel difficulties and appointment changes. Conclusions: A pandemic or similar disaster can pose challenges to patients on ITB therapy living in areas with limited access to specialized care. In this study, none of the patients had serious complications or adverse outcomes; however, the main difficulties were attributed to travel. It is crucial to establish strategies at institutional, regional, or national levels to formulate guidelines for managing patients with ITB therapy during a pandemic.

Real-Time Bus Route and Timing Information System using IoT

This system suggests a user-friendly online interface for accessing real-time routes and schedules of the bus. The system provides the most recent information about bus locations, routes, and anticipated arrival times by utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT) and Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities. The technology continuously collects position data by installing GPS modules on buses and linking them to an IoT network. After that, the data is sent to a central server for processing and display. The web interface serves as the main point of contact for users, it displays the positions of buses in real-time on a map along with integrated route data. By seeing the real-time position and expected arrival time of approaching buses, passengers may easily plan their journeys by accessing the webpage from any device with an internet connection. In addition to reducing wait times, enhancing customer satisfaction levels, and facilitating better travel arrangements, this gives transportation authorities useful information for optimizing bus routes and schedules.

Obstacles to receiving postoperative radiation therapy following separation surgery for metastatic spine disease.

Obtaining timely postoperative radiotherapy (RT) following separation surgery is critical to avoid local recurrence of disease yet can be a challenge due to scheduling conflicts, insurance denials, and travel arrangements. In patients undergoing metastatic spine surgery for spinal cord compression, the authors sought to: 1) report the rate of postoperative RT, 2) describe reasons for patients not receiving postoperative RT, and 3) investigate factors that may predict whether a patient receives postoperative RT. A single-center retrospective case series was undertaken of all patients who underwent metastatic spine surgery for extradural disease between January 2010 and January 2021. Inclusion criteria were patients with intermediate or radioresistant tumors with evidence of spinal cord compression who underwent surgery. The primary outcome was the occurrence of RT within 3 months following surgery. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed controlling for age, BMI, race, total number of decompressed levels, tumor size, other organ metastasis, and preoperative RT or chemotherapy to predict patients receiving postoperative RT. Of 239 patients undergoing spine surgery for metastatic disease, 113 (47.3%) received postoperative RT while 126 (52.7%) did not. In the postoperative RT group, 24 (21.2%) received stereotactic body radiation therapy while 89 (78.8%) received conventional external-beam radiation therapy. The most common reasons for patients not receiving postoperative RT included death or transfer to hospice (31.0%), RT not being recommended by radiation oncology (30.2%), and loss to follow-up (23.8%). On critical review with the radiation oncology department, the authors estimated that 101 of 126 (80.2%) patients who did not receive postoperative RT were potential candidates for postoperative RT. Patients who received postoperative RT had more documented inpatient (48.7% vs 32.5%, p < 0.001) and outpatient (100.0% vs 65.1%, p < 0.001) radiation oncology consultations than those who did not. Additionally, patients who received postoperative RT had a higher rate of postoperative chemotherapy (53.1% vs 25.4%, p < 0.001), while patients who did not receive postoperative RT had a higher rate of preoperative RT (7.1% vs 31.0%, p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis confirmed that patients who received preoperative RT had lower odds of undergoing postoperative RT (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.06-0.34; p < 0.001), and patients who underwent postoperative chemotherapy had higher odds of undergoing postoperative RT (OR 3.83, 95% CI 2.05-7.17; p < 0.001). In the current study reflecting real-world care of patients with metastatic spine disease after undergoing separation surgery, 47% of patients did not receive postoperative RT, and 80% of those patients were potential candidates for postoperative RT. Radiation oncology consultation and postoperative chemotherapy were significantly associated with receiving postoperative RT, whereas preoperative RT was significantly associated with not receiving postoperative RT. The lack of timely postoperative RT highlights a potential gap in metastatic spine tumor care and underscores the necessity for prompt radiation oncology consultation and effective planning.

Intercity Travel Solution: Web Application

Amidst the rise of urbanization and environmental consciousness, our research paper presents a pioneering solution to modern transportation challenges. Unlike traditional ride-sharing platforms, our innovative approach focuses on routes as the fundamental units of collaborative travel. Users create route profiles, facilitating the sharing and offering of rides with like-minded commuters along chosen routes. This unique system fosters dynamic networks and promotes community engagement, while prioritizing environmental responsibility. Our platform features route discovery, collaborative travel arrangements, dynamic pricing, and route communities. By prioritizing routes over profiles, we revolutionize the carpooling experience, creating a vibrant ecosystem for users to connect, share, and positively impact their daily commutes. This paper explores the transformative potential of our route-centric model in reshaping urban mobility landscapes, offering a sustainable alternative for transportation needs. Top of Form Keywords— Urban Mobility, Sustainable Transportation, Route-Centric Approach, Ride-Sharing, Community Engagement, Environmental Responsibility, Dynamic Networks, Collaborative Travel, Route Discovery, Dynamic Pricing, Community-Centered Solutions, Transportation Innovation, Social Cohesion, Environmental Stewardship, Mobility Justice.

Effectiveness, perceptions and environmental benefits of remote consultation for adults referred with recurrent tonsillitis.

We evaluate remote consultation for adult patients referred with recurrent sore throat, measuring the effectiveness of the consultation, satisfaction and environmental impact. Eligible patients were invited to telephone clinics, undertaking a satisfaction survey after consultation, focusing on perceived convenience, satisfaction, cost and travel arrangements (used to calculate potential environmental benefit). Provider opinion was also captured. Forty-eight of 60 patients attended, with 38 (63%) eligible for inclusion. Thirty-six of these 38 patients (95%) had a definitive outcome of tonsillectomy (27/38) or discharge (9/38). Thirty-three of the 38 patients (87%) responded to the survey and reported high satisfaction in all arms of questioning (mean Likert ranking = 4.7/5). A mean of 3.76 hours of missed work and 5.17kg carbon dioxide emission equivalents were saved per patient. Provider responses were positive towards ongoing remote consultation use. Telephone consultation for adult patients considered for tonsillectomy is convenient to patients in terms of cost and time, reduces environmental harm and is associated with high patient and provider satisfaction.

Greening an Anthropology Field Course Programme: Assessing the Comparative Importance of Net Zero Agendas and Covid-19

Carbon emissions from academic air travel (AAT) are of concern to all in higher education, but the focus to date has primarily been on research (e.g. flying to professional conferences) rather than teaching and learning. This article describes the development and delivery of Durham University's undergraduate field course programme in anthropology before, during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. While the University provided helpful leverage towards greening the programme's travel arrangements, continuing restrictions on long-distance international air travel post-pandemic and reducing the length of field courses proved more effective drivers towards Net Zero than concerns about carbon emissions.

Keeping two balls in the air: The bleisure travel experience

This study examines bleisure travel across pre-trip, during, and post-trip phases. After interviewing 23 bleisure travelers, the study found that in the pre-travel phase, bleisure travelers had more complex planning and needed more coordination. Therefore, they were well-organized, futuristic, and competent in travel arrangements. During the travel, they sought ‘educational experiences’, ‘short-squeezed leisure plans’, ‘family and kids-oriented activities’, and preferred ‘not trying one-time events’. They used strategies such as ‘flexibility in travel arrangement’, ‘clarification of travel companions’, ‘mixing business and leisure activity’, and ‘remote work’ to balance the two travel purposes. Finally, in the post-trip phase, bleisure travelers described feeling ‘physically tired but mentally rejuvenated’ with a sense of being ‘free of the guilt’ of their absence from home.

A Tourist-Based Framework for Developing Digital Marketing for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Tourism Sector in Saudi Arabia

Social media has become an essential tool for travel planning, with tourists increasingly using it to research destinations, book accommodation, and make travel arrangements. However, little is known about how tourists use social media for travel planning and what factors influence their intentions to use social media for this purpose. This thesis aims to understand tourists’ intentions to use social media for travel planning. Specifically, it investigates the factors influencing tourists’ intentions to use social media for planning travel to Saudi Arabia. It develops a machine learning (ML) classification model to assist Saudi tourism SMEs in creating effective digital marketing strategies for social media platforms. A survey was conducted with 573 tourists interested in visiting Saudi Arabia, using the Design Science Research (DSR) approach. The findings support the tourist-based theoretical framework, showing that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), satisfaction (SAT), marketing-generated content (MGC), and user-generated content (UGC) significantly impact tourists’ intentions to use social media for travel planning. Tourists’ characteristics and visit characteristics influenced their intentions to use MGC but not UGC. The tourist-based ML classification model, developed using the LinearSVC algorithm, achieved an accuracy of 99% when evaluated using the K-Fold Cross-Validation (KF-CV) technique. The findings of this study have several implications for Saudi tourism SMEs. First, the results suggest that SMEs should focus on developing social media content that is perceived as useful, easy to use, and satisfying. Second, the findings suggest that SMEs should focus on using MGC in their social media marketing campaigns. Third, the results suggest that SMEs should tailor their social media marketing campaigns to the characteristics of their target tourists. This study contributes to the literature on tourism marketing and social media by providing a better understanding of how tourists use social media for travel planning. Saudi tourism SMEs can use the findings of this study to develop more effective digital marketing strategies for social media platforms.

Intercity Travel Solution: Web Application

In an era of shared mobility and environmental consciousness, our carpooling app reimagines the way individuals connect and commute. Unlike traditional ride sharing platforms, our app focuses on routes as the building blocks of collaborative travel. Users create route profiles, enabling them to find, offer, and share rides with fellow travelers along their chosen routes. This unique approach fosters a dynamic network of like-minded commuters, fostering a sense of community and environmental responsibility. With features such as route discovery, collaborative travel arrangements, dynamic pricing, and route communities, our app offers a novel and sustainable solution to transportation needs. By prioritizing routes over profiles, we revolutionize the carpooling experience, creating a vibrant ecosystem for users to connect, share, and make a positive impact on their daily commutes. Keywords— Carpooling, Collaborative Travel, Route-based, Ride-sharing, Environmental Impact, Dynamic Pricing, Community Building, Sustainable Mobility, Transportation Innovation, Route Discovery, User-Centric, Environmental Responsibility, Ride Network, Route Communities, Shared Mobility.

Security and Trust in Online Booking Systems: A Comparative Analysis Of Tour and Travel Websites

The Tour and Travel sector have undergone a transformative shift with the proliferation of online reservation platforms, redefining how individuals plan and secure their travel arrangements. This study critically examines the pivotal aspects of security and trust within the digital landscape of tour and travel websites, aiming to provide a comprehensive comparative analysis.In our increasingly digitised age, the security of sensitive financial and personal data is of utmost importance. Our investigation begins with a thorough analysis of the security precautions taken by a wide-ranging sample of tour and travel websites. The effectiveness of user authentication, data protection protections, and conformance with industry standards are some of the key areas under evaluation. This analysis reveals considerable discrepancies in how these security protocols are applied, potentially exposing weaknesses in particular systems. The foundation of the internet booking procedure is trust, as well. This study evaluates a variety of elements, such as user reviews, website design, pricing transparency, and timeliness of customer support, when evaluating trust-building strategies. The study draws attention to the varying approaches taken by various websites to build trust, which has a big impact on how confident customers are in the booking process. This research explores the practical repercussions of security breaches and trust deficiencies, combining real-world case studies and user input, in addition to security and trust evaluation. These results highlight how these elements have a significant influence on consumer behaviour and brand reputation. This comparison analysis highlights the critical requirement for uniform and strong security safeguards across all online booking systems, to sum up. At the same time, it highlights how crucial it is to create trust-enhancing strategies like open pricing and attentive customer care. This research is a useful resource for industry stakeholders, regulatory agencies, and consumers in an era where digital travel planning and booking predominates, enabling informed decision-making and supporting a safe and reliable online booking environment. Additionally, a key element affecting customer choices during the online booking process is trust. This study considers factors including user reviews, website design, pricing transparency, and customer service responsiveness to gauge trustworthiness. It becomes clear that different websites employ quite different trust-building techniques, which has an effect on users' faith in the reservation process.

Travelling overseas for proton beam therapy: Aretrospective interview study.

Travelling for cancer treatment comes with unique challenges, particularly for a young patient and his or her family. The aims of this study were to (1) gain an understanding of the experiences of families and patients who travelled overseas (OS) from Australia for proton beam therapy (PBT) and (2) identify the supportive care needs patients and their families require when living away from home, while having PBT. This was a retrospective, qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, conducted with participants aged under 25 years and their families who travelled OS for PBT between 2017 and 2020. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel Software, where key themes were identified and coded based on their responses. A total of 17 participants were included in interviews from seven Australian families who travelled to America or Europe for PBT. The majority of participants reported a lack of coordination with travel and treatment arrangements prior to arrival OS. Families who stayed in hotel accommodation while OS reported greater feelings of isolation compared with those who stayed in share house-style accommodation. The acuity of cancer diagnosis played a significant part in patient experience, with those patients requiring the greatest amount of supportive care and availability of service provision at stand-alone centres reporting a lack of appropriate care provision. This study has identified services, accommodation provisions and care coordination requirements that are largely missing from the travel and treatment experience in patients travelling OS for PBT. Future use of consumer-led working groups or committees in creating models of care for families travelling for PBT treatment could be advantageous, with many families willing to share their experiences and provide support to others who are travelling for PBT.

Deep spatial-temporal travel time prediction model based on trajectory feature

Research on travel time prediction shows its importance in the rational planning of travel arrangements and traffic congestion mitigation. The scale of taxi and online ride-hailing users is huge, and accurate travel time prediction is convenient for passengers to reasonably arrange travel planning. Unlike highways and buses, the trajectory of taxis is complex. At the same time, the travel time prediction of the taxi is affected by many factors. Existing models lack effective trajectory feature. They have low accuracy in predicting travel time in urban areas. This will affect the travel arrangement of passengers. In this paper, we propose a trajectory feature learning method based on the image processing method and time series prediction. Traffic congestion is quantified as the congestion value, and a variety of external factors are considered. The experimental results show that this model has advantages over some classical models in predicting travel time.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EU PACKAGE TRAVEL DIRECTIVE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the EU Package Travel Directive during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, the paper depicts the legal regime under Council Directive 90/314/EEC of 13 June 1990 on package travel, package holidays and package tours as well as Directive (EU) 2015/2302 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on package travel and linked travel arrangements. The comparison of both EU Package Travel Directives shows both some similarities and differences from the perspective of travellers’ rights. Furthermore, the paper offers justification of the actions taken by the EU Member States in the face of COVID-19 pandemic, using the EU report on the application of the 2015 Package Travel Directive. Finally, the paper exhibits case law relating to tourism that evolved as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The reported cases are pending before the Court of Justice of the European Union, which means that all EU Member States are still waiting for the final judgement. The author supports the views presented by Advocate General Laila Medina and strongly believes that the protection of tourists will be continued.

Impact of anxiety and tourists' habits on their intention to vacation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Treatment effect analysis

This research aims to examine how tourists' anxiety, fear, and travel habits influenced their travel intentions to Switzerland after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the relaxation of containment measures. This study uses the endogenous treatment effect method to analyze the impact of travel habits and fear on travel intentions, surveying 1042 travelers from Western Europe, India, the United States, and Switzerland and applying the two-stage least squares (2SLS) technique. The findings indicate that non-anxious tourists visiting rural areas and usually on short to medium-duration vacations were highly willing to travel. Anxious tourists who had previously traveled to ski resorts also expressed willingness to travel after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, non-anxious tourists typically making individual travel arrangements had greater intent to travel. This analysis suggests that positive past travel experiences increase the desire to travel despite negative factors like health risks and social distancing constraints, and the primary motivation for travel is to engage in outdoor activities as a response to confinement These results are important for travel agencies as they can leverage them to target and encourage tourists with appropriate offers and targeted promotional campaigns.

Future of Conferences

In this first piece of our new series, our contributors address issues around an important element of our academic infrastructure, namely conferences. We are all too familiar with the frustrations that emerge from outdated conference formats, the real-time manifestations of hierarchies, the lack of time and space for discussion in the official programs, the pricey and environmentally excessive travel and accommodation arrangements, and the overwhelmingly long days and exasperating parallel sessions. Although the pandemic presented us with a chance to rethink many of our business-as-usual practices, the disappointment of returning to post-COVID conferences that do not reflect any of these discussions and visions for the post-lockdown future is palpable. Returning to our manifesto mission, contemplating approaches for creating places for inclusivity, accessibility, kindness and safe spaces for debate, we have asked four colleagues to share their experiences at academic and non-academic conferences as a means to reinvigorate these discussions and (potentially) renew our interest in making positive and sustainable changes in how to network and we share our research.

IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY IN THE INNOVATIVE COMPANY UBER

Today's market is characterized by the generally present trend of globalization, and consequently there are also other trends such as internationalization, digitalization, increasing uncertainty. The competitive race is extremely fierce, so much so that those who fail to meet the demands of consumers are quickly out of the game. The life cycle of products is getting shorter and shorter, which means that the distribution channels must also be shorter to reach the end consumers on time. Fewer and fewer people go to travel agencies to inquire about travel arrangements, and fewer people make decisions based on the prospectus viewed in the office. The situation is similar with the purchase of smart devices, home appliances, booking a ride, buying plane tickets, clothing, ordering food. Buyers will increasingly open websites or applications that have the same or similar offer (it is a digital offer of different competitors) to compare prices, benefits, and what that product entails and includes. Information is the number one resource on the demand side, but also on the supply side. Therefore, it is not surprising that companies that do not follow trends and do not implement innovations in their activities easily lose their position on the market in global business conditions. It is necessary to modernize all activities and processes in the company, including the marketing strategy. Before the emergence of digital marketing, marketing activities were quite expensive, so they were a feature of large successful companies that could afford them. On the other hand, digitalization has led to the modernization of activities in the company, and by simply using the Internet and various applications, company managers can achieve the same or even better results, but with less investments. Digital marketing campaigns are more favorable than traditional marketing, which allows companies to carry out marketing activities more than ever and increase their performance based on them. Another reason for implementing a digital marketing strategy in the business of a modern company is the growing number of Internet users. Almost 70% of the world's population uses the Internet every day, while in America that percentage is even higher. A huge number of people who use the Internet use social networks and different applications every day. This means that the number of people following a company's marketing campaigns is increasing day by day, and those campaigns are becoming cheaper considering the increasing number of people using social networks and the Internet. One of the companies that bases its business exclusively on the basics of digitization is Uber. Uber is a company that has been around for 14 years. It was created as a startup company, and today it is present in more than 70 countries of the world and has a huge number of users. The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of implementing a digital marketing strategy in the company's operations, but also to point out all the benefits of its implementation, referring to the business model of the company Uber.

Developing a COVID-19 Vaccination Program for Seafarers in Cork

Introduction:The pandemic brought to the fore the importance of maritime transport as an essential sector for the continued delivery of critical supplies and global trade in times of crisis. Timely vaccination of seafarers secures their health and enables the chain of infection to be broken with the international propagation of the virus via maritime traffic. As part of the COVID-19 vaccination program, the Health Service Executive in conjunction with the Port of Cork company developed a unique pathway for seafarers to access COVID-19 vaccinations once they arrived in Cork.Method:An Excel template was developed by HSE and Port of Cork that would capture key information for seafarers to avail of vaccinations. Once data was captured by the ship's Captain, it was sent to the shipping agent and reviewed by the HSE South Emergency Management Office. Once the data was validated it was sent to the vaccination center so that the seafarer's details could be entered onto the system. Once confirmed, travel arrangements were made from the vessel to the vaccination clinic ensuring a safe staffing level remained on the vessel.Results:A total of 84 seafarers registered for the seafarer's vaccination program. 70 of these seafarers received one or more doses in Cork City Hall Vaccination Centre with the remainder having received one dose in pharmacies in Cork City.Conclusion:This joint initiative developed by the HSE Emergency Management Office and the Port of Cork, the first seafarer's COVID-19 vaccination program in Ireland, ensured seafarers were allowed to avail of a COVID-19 vaccination when they arrived at the Port of Cork. This highlights the requirement for future vaccination programs to consider and incorporate the requirements of seafarers acknowledging the essential role they play in the global supply chain.

Planning Queen Elizabeth II’s Visit to Bondi Beach in 1954

Planning Queen Elizabeth II’s Visit to Bondi Beach in 1954

COVID-19 Tests and International Travel: How Long Will You Test Positive for SAR-CoV-2?

Abstract: Coronavirus diseases, from SARS to MERS and now COVID-19, have major implications for the aviation industry and international travels. Although many cities and countries are adopting ‘live with COVID’ strategies, various rules and regulations are still in place. Documents demonstrating COVID-19 vaccination or recovery from the disease have now become a basic requirement to enter many travel destinations, while some still require pre-entry and/or post-arrival testing of COVID-19. Recently, the author’s household became COVID-19 positive in late March 2022, as diagnosed by rapid antigen test (RAT), in Singapore whilst enroute to Hong Kong. This had an immediate knock-on impact on hotel quarantine and travel arrangements. Rapid antigen test (RAT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based tests have been used for quarantine, isolation and international travel purposes. The implications and issues of these tests are discussed. Ideally, a COVID-19 test that is fit for purpose should aim at identifying individuals who are infectious with risk of transmission only. Frequent surveillance with an effective RAT may be a more practical solution to normalize international travel without compromising public safety. Meanwhile, physicians have an important role in counselling anxious and often confused travelers before and during international travels. International travelers should be aware of the implications of these COVID-19 testing results, and plan, schedule and have travel insurance accordingly