Developments in the European inclusive travel business

This article emphasizes the importance of transport to the tourism industry and in particular the part played by air transport in international travel. Air travel accounts for 60%–70% of all international journeys to and from the UK. The inclusive tours (IT) sector - largely developed in the UK and FR Germany - represents an increasing proportion of UK airline passengers. Larger aircraft are being brought into use by UK airlines to cope with increasing demand. The increasing tendency to long-haul travel favours the scheduled airlines but charter services can cater for small traffic flows and thus benefit new destinations.     

The influence of low-fare airlines on vacation choices of students: Results of a stated portfolio choice experiment

This paper reports the results of a portfolio model of vacation choices of students. The portfolio model concerns the combined choice of destination type, transport mode, duration, accommodation, and travel party for vacations. In addition to usual transport modes such as airline, train, bus and car, a distinction was made between low-fare airlines, as these may be especially appealing to students, and regular airlines. Stated choice data were used to estimate the model. The attributes of the transport modes were systematically varied in the experiment, while respondents were faced with free options for the other choice facets. Estimation results indicated that the developed model of portfolio choice performs satisfactory. In substantive terms, it seems that transport mode predominantly influences the portfolio choices. The attributes that are significant tend to amplify the specific role of transport modes in general and low-fare airlines in particular.     

Validating the international tourist role scale

This study was designed to validate the international tourist role scale and the three dimensions it revealed. The purpose of this attitudinal scale was to measure the tourist role typology. United States adult outbound tourists flying with 11 major airlines returned useful questionnaires. This study validated the role scale as a reliable one that properly identified three conceptual dimensions of international tourist typology and successfully provided measures of tourists’ novelty-seeking preferences on the three dimensions. The study demonstrated, however, that the scale would measure the novelty-seeking preferences of international tourists more effectively if it were supplemented by other measures.     

Globalisation,airline alliances and tourism: A strategic perspective

The forces driving globalisation have impelled the majority of international airlines to enter into strategic alliance arrangements. Strategic alliances have enabled airlines to work around structural problems of the industry, particularly foreign ownership restrictions, national regulatory constraints and constraints on building up networks. The history of alliances, to date, shows them to be changing and unstable. Alliances will probably continue to be a feature of the international airline industry, but the forms and membership of alliances may well change further in the future. Further deregulation and liberalisation of the industry could mean that alliances become less important in the future, if deregulation allows mergers and acquisitions of airlines across national borders. Two scenarios of possible futures are presented, with an assessment of their impacts on tourism, as an aid to strategic analysis.     

The changing economics of international air transport

The airline industry is currently undergoing the worst financial crisis of its history, and many features of this pose new kinds of challenge for both airlines and governments. The author examines, first, the basic changes which have taken place recently in the international airline industry; second, considers the implications of these changes; and third, specifies the actions that need to be taken to surmount the present crisis.     

Investigating the effects of job demands and job resources on cabin crew safety behaviors

Cabin crews are crucial to the cabin safety performance of airlines, and may enhance air travel safety and alleviate passenger concerns. Within the limited literature devoted to cabin crew related research, this study aims to examine the causal relationships among “job demands”, “job resources” and cabin crew safety behaviors. Data from a survey of 339 flight attendants working for Taiwanese international airlines were analyzed using structural equation modeling. A variety of fit indices confirmed the overall model fit, and all the paths in the model were statistically significant. Framed in the context of the job demands-resources model, the results reveal negative causality between “job demands” and “cabin crew safety behaviors”, whereas “job resources” are positively related to “upward safety communication”, “in-role” and “extra-role” safety behaviors. The implications of the results for practitioners and future research are discussed.     

Trends in the technology and economics of air transport

The past half-century of developments in air transport are assessed and the current state of air technology and the economics of air transport assessed, particularly the trends since the 1973 ‘oil crisis’. The role of government in the industry in viewed as critical for its future health.     

Reshaping gender in airline employment

Air transport and tourism are interdependent systems wherein representations of gender are shaped by organisational cultures. Although airlines have progressed their gender balance, cabin crew work remains archetypically feminine. Taking a feminist poststructuralist approach, this paper uses thematic document analysis to examine how gendered discourses are constituted within airline organisational narratives through text, gestures and symbolic signs. Findings reveal that while airlines work to increase gender equality in employment practices, their efforts predominantly focus on the cockpit, neglecting roles beyond the flight deck. The paper recommends airlines broaden their gender equity focus to all roles and provides a basis for reshaping airlines' gender policies and practices.     

Understanding the Benefit of Purchasing Ancillary Air Travel Services Via Mobile Phones

Recently, United States (US) airlines engaged in a systematic offering of different types of services, called ancillary services, which are designed to improve the experiences of travelers while increasing airlines’ revenues. Given their strong personalized character and the unique characteristics of mobile commerce, ancillary services are believed to be well suited for mobile commerce in air travel. Drawing upon several theoretical streams, this study developed and validated empirically a structural model founded on constructs contributing to the formation of perceptions of value (monetary and information disclosure) and of the benefit of using mobile phones for purchasing air travel ancillary services. The model explained approximately 65% of the variability in perceived benefit of using mobile phones for purchasing ancillary services in air travel. It revealed that perceived monetary value is the strongest predictor of perceived benefit of using mobile phones to purchase air travel ancillary services.     

Partnerships in International Travel and Tourism Marketing: A Systems-Oriented Approach Between Australia,New Zealand,Germany and the United Kingdom

Abstract

Little empirical research has been conducted about international partnerships between travel and tourism organisations, airlines and their intermediaries such as wholesalers and travel agents. Nevertheless, these partnerships are important because tourism is becoming more international and most destinations have to compete at a global level. Moreover, both producers and intermediaries are increasingly using information technology to increase their knowledge and relationship with customers. Thus this research set out to develop and empirically confirm a systemic model of these partnerships and four related research objectives. The methodology involved multiple case studies based on in-depth interviews with key players in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Germany. The first outcome is a confirmation of the systemic model. In addition, the findings show the reasons for engaging in partnerships and the scope for further partnerships among the industry players. As well, the findings show that while ‘disintermediation’ may occur because of the advancement of communication technology, the linkages between travel and tourism organisations, airlines and intermediaries are still significant. Our framework can assist public and private travel and tourism organisations to mutually develop and manage marketing strategies and tactics for overseas markets.     

Airport Niche Marketing

Abstract

Airport marketing is a relatively new strategy employed by airports to try to attract business. A number of different strategies are employed by airports in an attempt to lure airlines to serve their airport. This paper concentrates on the particular strategy taken by Sanford, Florida in attracting international service and the resulting growth this particular strategy afforded the airport and the community it serves. By examining enplanement numbers between 1995-2001 and comparing the growth at Sanford International Airport with that of nearby Orlando International Airport allows for analysis of the marketing strategy. Four shared markets in the United Kingdom are analyzed to discover market-by-market effects of this strategy. What is found is that the airport specialized niche is attracting international charter carriers, especially those from the British Isles.     

国外大众旅游对海滨环境影响的研究进展

海滨旅游自19世纪开始兴起,兴起之初仅限于旅游地所在国家范围内,而从1950年到21世纪初,滚装渡船与廉价航空运输的引入,导致国际海滨旅游以指数化的方式增长.海滨旅游的发展促进了旅游地的经济发展与社会进步,同时也对旅游地的海滨环境造成了严重的,甚至是不可逆的影响.在广泛查阅相关文献的基础上,本文从6个方面对大众旅游对海滨环境的影响进行了述评:旅游的自我毁灭理论、基础设施的修建导致生境破碎化、游轮引致严重的生态损害、踩踏降低潮间带生物多样性、海滩清洁降低沙质海岸生物多样性和生态旅游的负面影响.     

Towards Using Knowledge Discovery Techniques in Database Marketing for the Tourism Industry

SUMMARY

Given the trend that international corporations are utilizing various information systems for their daily activities, information on sales transactions together with corresponding customer profile is usually available in airlines and international hotel chains. This allows segments of customers to be drawn according to selected relevant demographic variables. This is referred to as Database Marketing, a new trend in marketing that makes use of information available in a company's database. The extracted information is also useful in planning marketing strategies, launching new products/services and defining market segmentation.

As databases in large corporations nowadays are getting large, sparser, more free-formatted and more dynamic, traditional statistical techniques may not be capable of extracting the encapsulated knowledge inside the databases. A new technical stream, data mining has been developed in Computer Science to deal with the complex task of extracting and managing any potential knowledge embedded inside databases. This paper introduces the common techniques in data mining, including decision tree classifiers, regression analysis, induction programming logic, and probabilistic rules. Suggestions are offered about how these techniques can be used in order to improve the engineering behind Database Marketing, which can help to promote niche markets in tourism. By utilizing its know-how in Database Marketing, a company can sharpen its competitiveness and build entry barriers for others.     

An assessment of the potential for self-connectivity at European airports in holiday markets

In a context of intense airport and airline competition, a few European airports have recently started offering self-connection services to price-sensitive holiday passengers travelling with a combination of tickets where the airline/s involved do not handle the transfer themselves. This paper provides an exploratory analysis of the potential and implications of self-connectivity for European airports and airlines using a case study of air travel routes to holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. With the help of a forecasting model based on a zero-inflated Poisson regression, we identify the airports and airlines that have the highest potential to facilitate self-connections in the selected markets. The results also explore some implications of the widespread development of self-connection services in Europe.     

Indian air transport : Factors affecting airline costs and revenues

Despite high rates of growth and reasonably healthy financial results, Indian air transport is not without its economic problems. Surpluses earned on some services are used to cross-subsidize deficits incurred on others and this, in situations where there are some severe shortages in aircraft capacity, is effectively acting as a brake upon the long-term development of tourism. This article examines the economics of the Indian airline industry, identifying the main demand and cost factors affecting Its performance. It considers the possibilities for charters on international routes, and suggests ways in which the economic efficiency of domestic operations might be improved by reforming passenger tariffs.     

Database Marketing for Competitive Advantage in the Airline Industry

This paper examines the development and role of database marketing in the travel industry in general and in the airlines in particular. The airline industry has effectively merged its information with that from other travel services to better serve consumers and to increase marketing efficiency. Computer reservation systems, frequent programs, and yield management are integrated through database marketing to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.     

The role of intrinsic in-flight cues in relationship quality and behavioural intentions: segmentation in less mindful and mindful passengers

The current study quantifies the relationship between intrinsic in-flight cues, passenger satisfaction, affective commitment, trust, and behavioural intentions in passengers travelling in low-cost carriers and legacy airlines. As far as we know, this is the first attempt to employ a multi-group analysis to test (1) if passengers in low-cost carriers and legacy airlines, and also (2) if the group of mindful passengers and the group of less mindful ones, have significantly different perceptions about flights in Europe. A total of 304 cases of legacy airlines and low-cost carriers were used in data analysis. Overall, affective commitment and trust are mainly triggered by in-flight ambience and space/function. Satisfaction and affective commitment play a more important role in behavioural intentions. As expected, the findings do not reveal significant differences associated with the paths between low-cost carriers and legacy airlines in short-haul flights in Europe. Nevertheless, compared with less mindful passengers, mindful ones tend to be more critical about in-flight attributes and do not easily develop a committed relationship.     

Identifying mobility service needs for disabled air passengers

One outcome of air transportation deregulation policies worldwide is the growing number of passengers, including people with a disability. Because social equality is recognized as a worthwhile objective, providing an environment at both the airport terminal and on-board aircraft that eases travel for those with various impairments is an objective airlines and airport authorities increasingly view as important, and which they monitor. In order to understand the disabled traveler’s wants and needs, this paper applied importance-performance analysis (IPA) to examine the perception of, and satisfaction with, air transportation services. Data from a sample of 130 respondents with lower extremity function impairment is presented in this research. The results show the service needs are different across three levels of disability categorized as minor, moderate, and severe.     

‘It Does Not Harm the Environment!’ An Analysis of Industry Discourses on Tourism,Air Travel and the Environment

While a substantial part of the population in Europe seems well informed about the phenomenon of climate change, uncertainty seems to prevail in terms of its seriousness, its consequences for society and action that needs to be taken in order to prevent ‘dangerous interference with the climate system’. Many people seem to believe that there is no scientific consensus about climate change and that individual behavioural change is irrelevant in the face of uncertainty. Such a ‘psychology of denial’ seems particularly strong in the context of air travel, the fastest growing transport sector. This paper seeks to understand this phenomenon by analysing the discourses surrounding air travel. Four major industry discourses are identified: air travel is energy efficient and accounts only for marginal emissions of CO₂; air travel is economically and socially too important to be restricted; fuel use is constantly minimized and new technology will solve the problem, and air travel is treated unfairly in comparison to other means of transport. The validity of these claims is evaluated based on data and material presented in the scientific literature. Results show that there are substantial gaps between the discourses and the reality of aviation's environmental performance, which might partially explain the controversial understanding of air travel and its environmental consequences among the public.     

AIRPORT RUNWAY SLOTS: Limits to Growth

The United States–European Union market accounts for approximately 25% of all international tourist arrivals worldwide, and is arguably the busiest market in the world. This paper argues that landing slot policy and the manner in which airport capacity is allocated among airlines across the north Atlantic is likely to underpin the future geographic structure of the tourism industry. By analyzing the historical evolution of slot policy, this paper attempts to enhance the extant literature on how government authorities allocate scarce airport resources. The paper concludes by arguing that various slot reform proposals need to be adopted to make airports more “elastic” when managing origin-destination tourist flows.