Category: Tourism

Outline three of the common criticisms of codes of conduct as tools for visitor management

The first criticism of the codes of conduct is that they are inexact and too general. Usually, the way people behave in another social setting (tourist destination) is not directly irresponsible but is more ignorant towards the local culture. People are unaware of the influence they have on the population, and the codes do not clearly outline in what ways the two cultures interact. People, who arrive in the new setting, do not have a particular want to negatively influence society, so it difficult to understand by what criteria the code of conduct is organized.

The second criticism is that people who think up the codes are localities and do not have any particular data that specifically sets out the interaction and its negative sides. As the people who are directly involved in the interaction, tourists, do not participate in the creation of the codes, the very little real-life impact is made. Those who set the codes are unaware of the true environment and specific guidelines. It is proposed that the codes must be organized according to specific cases and not to a general moral code applicable to all situations.

The third criticism is that because of the general nature, no one knows the reaction of the localities, effects, and changes or how the population plays a role in communication with tourists and what influences it exhibits. The code makers themselves do not know the social specifics of the tourists visiting, and it has been offered that tourists must participate in the creation of these codes of conduct. It has been suggested that the local governments and organizations must become closely involved in the study and research of their local specifics, as well as the social norms of other societies.

In what ways did the Ngadha case study identify that tourist behavior could be influenced by codes of conduct?

Since the study was made directly within the village and was later compared to the codes of conduct, there were many similarities found. The fact that it was specific and sited unwanted behavior made tourists more aware of the actions they must avoid. The fact that it specifically outlined the exact behaviors about that particular location and traditions made tourists more knowledgeable. The majority of tourists have shown to be unfamiliar with the information contained within the codes of conduct, but some were not new. It proves that people will read and learn how to behave in a foreign setting if they are presented with the opportunity.

The limitations that were exhibited with the distribution of codes and the minimal amount of pamphlets showed that people are unaware due to lack of information and not the want to ignore the local culture. Also, people were advised to have a tour guide who can familiarize tourists with the culture and help adjust communication and general interaction. It’s led to a more valuable and rich experience, and this is an important aspect of the trip that tourists look for.

The participation and inclusion of tourists in the creation of the codes of conduct play one of the significant roles, as people can share their experiences and expectations of the local society and culture. The manipulation and adjustment of certain criteria within the code established a better response from tourists, so they felt inclined to learn more and behave respectfully. Tourists are willing to learn, they only need better resources and opportunities to familiarize themselves with specifics.

I had often yearned to pay a visit to any one of the renowned cities in the world. Endowed with the spirit of adventure to explore the world, I kept looking forward to the day when the real opportunity would strike. Being a geography student, I had learnt much to do with history, demography, economic activities, and infrastructural developments of some world class cities.

When our Geography lecturer announced that we would have an academic trip by the end of the semester, I was extremely excited. The destination of our academic journey would land us in New York City. This was just incredible! I spent the remaining three weeks before the trip preparing myself in readiness for the journey. This was also going to be my first time to take a flight.

A day before the onset of the journey, I revisited the geographical details of the New York City. From my shorthand notes, I found out that the state of New York covers 141,300 square kilometers being one of the largest in United States of America. As a city, it has the highest population according to latest statistics. It acts as the administrative centre of New York State. As a progressed city, it has a global influence on commerce and socio-cultural aspects. It is usually named as New York City to avoid confusing it with the state of New York.

My first finding was that New York City is located in the north eastern part of United States of America. It is strategically positioned on the coastal stretch bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, the city has been subdivided into smaller units to ease administrative work. Of great interest was the fact that the city has the highest population among all the cities in United States. A remarkable man made feature next to New York City is Brooklyn Bridge. It is none of the most fascinating pathways in New York. It has a historical backing in the sense that is the first steel suspension bridge ever erected in the world. After here, we headed straight to the outstanding Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. This construction left us dumb founded being the greatest gothic church worldwide but still undergoing expansion. Thereafter, a visit to Chinatown revealed to us one of the magnificent Asian community’s establishments in United States.

The Times Square located in Broadway along the 42^nd and 50^th streets was another captivating sight. The flashing neon lights in the city symbolized the centre of theatric works. There were also several entertainment joints alongside shops and street artists.

Similar to the first day, we all set off to accomplish the remaining task as stipulated in the questionnaires. Our first destination was the World Trade Centre comprising of two tall and elegant twin towers. They are also the tallest twin skyscrapers in the world. Unfortunately, the tower was a victim of terrorist attack which claimed over two thousand five hundred lives. Eventually, we paid a visit to American Museum of Natural history located at Central park west. The curator was a young black American gentleman probably in his mid thirties. His vocal lyrical voice kept us awake and attentive throughout the weather guide session.

Meanwhile, I came to learn that this museum is most famous for its hosting of the remarkable dinosaur halls. There are also tens of millions of remains housed in this museum. There was so much to learn and share.

Just before we wound up the day, we visited the Statue of Liberty, the most outstanding symbolic representation of this city and the entire of America

This was a day to reckon with. On our way back to the hotel facility, we took uncountable photos at least to have the memory of the trip carried forward. We were to take our return flight that evening. The two days were too short and seemed like a drop in the ocean. However, this was a journey that significantly changed my perception to nature, as I ended up loving the subject more.

Judging from personal experiences as well as academic literature, I can single out several important tendencies in the hospitality and spa industries. First of all, both of them quickly responded to the process of globalization. Several examples can prove this argument. For instance, in the majority of modern hotels, a visitor can easily converse with employees in several languages. As a rule, the knowledge of the English language is one of the job requirements. In my opinion, it is particularly helpful to foreign customers. Secondly, these organizations began to rely on information technologies. A tourist, who tries to find a spa or a hotel in a certain area, can easily do it via Internet (D’Angelo 2009, p.53). Moreover, he or she can make a reservation via the website of this organization. Overall, these examples indicate the hospitality industry can adopt the practices of non-service companies. These strategies enable spa resorts and hotels to target global customers. They are often described in academic literature, and I experienced them in person.

Additionally, it seems to me that many hospitality organizations try to create extra value for customers. This is one of the reasons why the number of SPA hotels increases throughout the world. After reviewing the websites of several internationally-known hotels, I can say that these institutions offer a variety of services, for example, custom dietary plans, massage, fitness training, various forms of therapy, and so forth. This is why such scholars as Michael O’Fallon and Denney Rutherford believe that the very understanding of the term spa has changed recently (2010, p. 43). I think that this diversity of services is one of the indispensable conditions for the sustainability of modern hotels and spa resorts.

Furthermore, I can say that many hotels have now turned into international brands. I can mention such global hotel chains as Hilton Hotels, Crowne Plazza, Aida Hotels, and so forth. The names of these companies are familiar to tourists from various countries. These organizations have several distinguishing features such as cross border training and global delivery of services (Barrows& Powers 2008). Again, many of the hotels provide spa services to customers. Again, this example shows that hotels attempt to create extra value for their clients. Furthermore, I can say that many reputable hotels, as well as spas, ensure that their guests have access to the Internet. In part, these policies are a response to the social changes and increasing reliance of people on communication technologies (Benckendorff, Moscardo & Pendergast 2010, p. 45). Thus, these organizations have to meet much higher performance standards to remain competitive.

Overall, I can say that the hospitality industry is affected by many social, economic, and environmental factors. Those companies, which can adjust to these changes, are much more likely to become successful. I can distinguish several trends, namely, the increasing emphasis on extra value creation, better utilization of online technologies, more attention to communication skills of the employees, and the development of global brands. These tendencies appear to be most important to me, and they apply to both the hospitality and spa industries. Certainly, this discussion can be opinionated, and but the arguments advanced in this paper are supported by academic literature.

References

Barrows, C.W., & Powers, T., 2008. Introduction to the Hospitality Industry. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Benckendorff, P., Moscardo, G., & Pendergast, D, 2010. Tourism and generation Y. London: CABI.

D’Angelo, J., 2009. Spa Business Strategies: A Plan for Success. NY: Cengage Learning.

O’Fallon, M., & Rutherford, D., 2010. Hotel Management and Operations. London: John Wiley and Sons.

I learned quite a lot while attending the class of business and economics. In this paper, I intend to talk about what I learned about the hotel and restaurant businesses. The knowledge that I gained has helped me to view the hospitality industry differently.

I now know that branding involves associating a product or service with status, price, product, and service quality. In the hotel business, the term flag refers to the hotel’s brand, its graphic logo, and its position in the market. The best hotel flag of 2011 was Best Western. In the hotel business, there are those who own the property, those who own the brand, and those who manage the property. The owner retains limited control by contracting a company to run a hotel.

Such a company is known as a management contractor. In this set up, the owner does not have much control over the running of the hotel. A different arrangement is the franchise type of business. In a franchise, a successful business (franchisor) enters into a contract with another business (franchisee). The franchisee uses the franchisors’ trade name and guidance at a fee. A good example of a franchisor is Marriot international hotels.

I also learned that in the hotel business, there are three key performance indicators. The first key performance indicator is the percentage of available rooms sold during a certain period of time. The second indicator is the average daily rate which is a measure of the average rate paid for rooms in use during a certain period of time. Revenue per available room is a measure of revenue made for every room available. The average daily rate is usually higher than the revenue per available room. The goal of a hotel is to minimize the difference between these two.

A number of business case studies have been conducted in the hotel industry. In the upscale casual segment, the Cheesecake factory emerges as the leader. The cheesecake factory (TCF) model restaurant was founded in 1950 in Detroit. In 1972, they opened a bakery in Los Angeles and in 1978, a restaurant in Beverly Hills. The company then went public in 1992 and became the first restaurant chain to reach one billion dollars in revenue. The TCF restaurant concept is based on certain key factors:-menu items, price points, décor, location, service and selling points. Their menu is extensive and contains unique items.

In addition, their décor is elaborate and they serve large portions. One interesting fact that I learned is that the restaurant business makes more money by selling large portions at a slightly higher cost. Another way that the restaurant business increases its revenue is by advertising on their printed menus. TCF follows the Thumb Print concept where their restaurants are similar but not identical. This enhances the customers’ experience and keeps them coming back.

After taking this course, my pattern of thought has changed. When I choose a hotel to stay in, I consider all the factors mentioned above and I am able to make an informed decision. Once there, I list in my mind what makes it a good hotel and note which areas could be improved. I no longer look at hotels and restaurant as a customer would. I look at these businesses like an entrepreneur would. I believe that this course has charted the path that I need to take in the world of business.

The hotel industry course has helped me go over my past doubts about being successful in the hotel business. Having learned the different aspects of the hotel industry like the importance of gaming, food, and services in the industry, I have gained confidence in the business. The course has made students have a different point of view of the current hotel industry. Additionally, it has opened a door to successful career development in the hotel industry for many students who are capable of applying the acquired skills in the profession, and real business setting.

Gaming is a critical aspect of the hotel industry especially in the current century where most workers, families, and businesspersons who want a break from their daily tight schedules, use hotels as a way of relaxation. Gaming has been a center stage in the boosting of workers’ mental acuity. It has also played a role in healthy social lives. Due to increasingly declining household sizes, families have had a better part of their income as discretion income.

This extra income is often diverted to recreation facilities and leisure, breaking the home setting monotony. Ecotourists are another group of hotel customers who enormously benefit from the incorporation of gaming in the industry. They get the opportunity to enjoy different cultures and site seeing. Food is a basic need in any setting where accommodation is provided. The hotel industry is not any different.

Through this course, it was brought to the attention of learners that hotels entertain different categories of customers. This means different types of food ranging from drinks, for those in need of refreshments, complete meals for those staying at the hotels, and guest reception meals in case of those holding functions at the hotel. The quality of the food served at any given hotel is enough marketing. This is because customers demand high-quality food in terms of cleanliness, taste, level of cooking, cleanliness of those who serve it, and reliability of the hotel, that is, you get any type of food you want, whenever you want it.

The course discussed a wide variety of services offered by the hotel industry. These have been very vital to hotel customers, to carry on their activities with ease. Accommodation, catering, tourism services, restaurants, meetings and events planning, massage, and gymnastic are among the services offered. Accommodation service has greatly benefited customers who are traveling in new places away from their homes. These include families on recreation trips away from their residential places, workers on official missions far from their normal working locations, and international tourists in a foreign country.

While these customers reside in the hotel, they are offered great meals by the hotel’s catering service. This saves them the trouble of looking for food in a foreign environment. Most hotels have their facilities for taking tourists around on their daily business for the entire time agreed. With the modern advancements, most events and meetings are held in hotels, making the industry step up in its service delivery to the extent of planning for its customer’s such activities.

I enjoyed this class for it opened my eyes to the kind of career I am pursuing and assured me of my chances of making a better and successful professional in the hotel industry.

Nulato village cum city is unforgettable. It lies somewhere between Yukon and St, Michael along the Bering Sea, which is about one thousand miles on the northern side of Yukon. Dawson is seventy miles north of Yukon. Nulato lies nine hundred miles north of Dawson (London, 2008). The sun rays penetrated from amongst the branches of trees around a nearby fence. This kept alive the hope of a beautiful day ahead. This was not normal for me.

I have grown up in an environment that sees the sun rarely. However, warm days and nights transposed the environment’s irony. From whence came the warmth, only myths best explained the system. Hills surround this city. This is a sure reason for wind-breaking and warmth within the city. High was the attitudes of the hills the hid the sun from reaching the base of the city. From the hilltop, the view of the saltwater lake, five hundred miles down south (London, 2008). It was extremely beautiful. I saw it for the first time in my life.

People from across the Indian Greek nation used to live in round-shaped shanties. These are the structures they referred to as houses. One could easily see through the walls of these houses. They were not transparent, however. On the contrary, the old worn-out walls were of logs some fifty years back. Ants had taken their fair share of the logs. I tried to renovate my shanty but in vain. Marked by very short doors, one window, mud floor, and no ceiling made it colder than weather forecasting news. The snow was all over the place. Bodies numbed, that needed thick socks, warm moccasins, and some gloves to warm the hands (London 2008).

The rainy season is here again. Heavy rains fall in Nulato between September and November. Jack came running from the rain. The moist breath he exhaled was the only sign of warmth. His hair was wet and white from the falling frost deposits. His Frosted cheeks seemed painful, but that was all. It was not a serious one. A dozen shuffles of ice-covered Jack’s trails as he came by to my house. It was evident that in the past week, no man had come up or down that silent path to my house. This was Jack’s first time, too, to be in my place (London, 2008).

I wondered how possible it was to keep the firewood dry, whereas even firewood was frozen. Nevertheless, when he gave me the firewood, I got the real experience: dry firewood, but wet soaked by ice. The experience of soaked firewood in the fireplace was a wow one. There was no alternative to the use of firewood. I could not light the fire on my own. Jack was there to lend a hand. He removed his gloves. His fingers numbed in a quarter of a minute and could not light a matchstick. After some struggle, he managed. Firewood was wet. My eyes started itching, and tears down the cheeks. Squeezing my eyes roughly with a wet towel could not help me either. Perpetual tears would flow like a river that flows from the top of the hills down to irrigate the fields.

It was until then, and only then, for the first time in my life, that my eyes opened to the reality of the world. Hanging icebergs would be unable to contain the pressure. In addition, when daytime came, they could melt. Mid-day always found the sun in the south. Sunshine would show for a quarter a day. I always heard that the hills circle the village, but now I could see that for myself.

I can never forget the wavy horizons. Even though the sun sets earlier than in other villages, the place was always beautiful. A glimpse at the rays revived the hopes and promises of a better tomorrow. Cold it was for real. Clear sky at night was like a dream that never could be true, the moonlight was only on television and books in this land, but calmness and cool breeze tend to forge the scenery of a coastal region. The whole place was very bright. However, it mattered no more. The smoke from the fire had healed my blindness. I could not feel any cold any more. I unzipped the jacket I was wearing and unbuttoned my shirt. This took about fifteen seconds (London, 2008).

In conclusion, there was no reason at all to forget the place that taught me so much. If it was not for the love and caring Jack, I am sure I would still be a blind, helpless man. Those old houses, rainwater frost, and ice finds a way into every part that it wishes, healed my blindness. I could not thank him enough. The cultural and traditional diversity of people shapes them. Just like a river, trying to block it from flowing to its destination bears no fruits. Destination motivates the river. That spirit makes the place and people special to me.

Reference

London, J. (2008). To build a fire. Mankato, Minn: Creative Education.

Executive Summary

The paper discusses the training needs and development required in Maritime Palms which is a four-star hotel located in Auckland. The hotel attracts both international and domestic clients. It provides the best services so far within the region amongst them being air-conditioned guest rooms. Despite these, the hotel is experiencing some problems which include working with two inexperienced staff whose performances are below expectations. Also, the hotel needs to change from the Fidelio program to the Quantum program for information recording and storage. There is a discussion on the specific training, the employees to be trained (Andrew, Bob, and Carla) and finally suggested solutions.

Introduction

Maritime Palms hotel is located on the coast of Auckland. It is a four-star hotel that offers high-quality services to guests. Due to its location near the seashore, it provides beautiful and relaxing scenery of the sea. The hotel is easily accessible by road from the major cities and only a distance of thirty minutes travel from the airport. The hotel offers air-conditioned rooms which are well equipped with television sets and telephone amongst other things that make guests comfortable.

Maritime Palm offers conference and leisure facilities like a swimming pool, full-service restaurant, and sufficient parking space for cars. The hotel receives visitors from every walk of life all over the world. The hotel records a high occupancy rate of between 80- 90 %, during week days. Despite all these luxury and good things it offers, the hotel has recorded a low turn-up of visitors in the recent past. This issue has been traced to the poor management and personnel organization of the hotel (Leigh et al, 2000).

Personnel Involved

Andrew

Andrew is 36 years old, has worked in the hotel for around three years. He had worked nowhere before he joined Maritime. Andrew holds a degree in Hotel and Management and also a certificate in human resource management. He is currently working full-time as the supervisor of the front door.

Bob

Twenty-six years of age holds a diploma in customer care and computer software application. Worked as an apprentice in one of the hotels within Aukland and is considered to be an extremely conscientious worker keen to progress to a higher position. He has worked with Maritime for one year serving full-time at the customer care desk.

Carla

She is the only lady in the front-door department within Maritime, twenty-four years of age, and married with two children. Has a degree in Hotel and Hospitality and has no work experience before this. She is only one month old in Maritime and serves full-time at the reception desk.

Specific problem

There is a performance problem on the side of the employees; Bob and Carla are not performing to the expectations of the hotel. They sometimes error when taking records; they cannot communicate fluently in some languages making conversations between them and some visitors difficult. The hotel has a problem with the program they use in making reservations. The currently used program Fidelio does not offer constant information updates. The system does not match the current technological changes and induces high risks to the hotel since sometimes it can easily be defrauded from any place in the world. They, therefore, plan to shift to the Quantum program, the problem is that no employee knows how to operate the program calling for urgent training. The program will cost the hotel a lot of money since its installation process is so much involving.

Training Induction

The training needs were identified by examining how the employees carried out their day to day tasks. The opinion of the employees was also used especially, Andrew, after discovering that something was not right with the level of performance. The hotel’s goals and objectives about their present and future position were also examined, including the financial performance of the organization. The human resource development need of the employees was identified through observing how they applied certain skills like typing and data entry. Andrew as the supervisor was used to closely examine the employees he worked with.

The employees will be exposed to forum presentations to determine their proficiency in language use. Each employee will be monitored through the hotel’s computerized system to identify their areas of weaknesses, hence subjected to appropriate training. Each will be required to have a copy of the company’s rules and regulations. The employees need to be made aware that any right thing they do at the first attempt reduces the costs used. They will be trained on the use of a quantum program, correct data entry methods, and needs to take appropriate actions (Anderson, 1994).

The organization will use one of the learning institutions for training purposes. Each employee will be allocated sufficient time for training depending on the resources available. After the induction both practical and written tests will be given to individuals before being fully accepted. The qualifying pass mark on both is set at 80%. In this case study, those that need training are employees in the front office department. Bob and Carla fail to deliver the required performance as they seem to have neither adequate induction nor proper training activity after joining the workforce (Goldstein, 1993; Holton et al, 2000).

Performance Appraisal

According to the company records, those at the front-door are at times careless when handling dignitaries. Bob and Carla are generally slow when it comes to receipting transactions, sometimes they are overwhelmed with work since they work twenty-four hours. The shifts between the workers are not indicated, this leads to time conflict between the employees. Carla is a mother of two, not yet mastered the working system, hence makes it difficult to incorporate her in most of the night shifts (Desimone et al, 2002). Andrew needs to balance the human resource plan together with the hotel’s plan in the processes of analyzing the training needs to avoid conflict with the organization’s policies.

There is no time limit set for the delivery of the services; the timing allocated to each employee is just based on speculations. There is no definitive system that helps Andrew to monitor, plan, and review the performance level of Bob and Carla. The approach should be different since Carla has just joined Maritime (Grau-Gumbau et al, 2002).

Suggested Solutions

The hotel should use classroom training and on-the-job training. In the case of the new equipment, the hotel is to use technology based training. The training needs for the use of the quantum database is to be determined, the potential training providers are to be identified together with the likely training costs. The employees are to be trained based on the appropriate training level.

Bob and Carla will be subjected to basic training which will enable them to start identifying possible approaches on how to perform their work with minimum supervision (Boydell, 1976). They should be trained on how to make workable decisions when faced with tough choices. Andrew as the current supervisor should be subjected to an advanced training program that will enable him to train and manage the other employees, hence producing positive results. He should know how to design working procedures and policies for the company. The training provider that to be utilized in this case is one of the higher learning Institutions (Grau-Gumbau et al, 2000; Nadler and Wiggs, 1986).

The basic intermediate courses to be offered to Bob and Carla should take one year. The training development should be conducted by the trainers from the learning institutions and taken separately from delivery. A competitive method of procurement should be used for the hotel to realize the best balance of quality and cost. The total cost for the full training of the employees will be approximately $ 7800.

Table; showing the breakdown of the costs.

The training committee should include experts from the IT department to provide employees with sufficient information on the use of the quantum program. The training developer has to work closely with the committee of experts. Training will help in improving the upward mobility within the Hotel and assist employees to adjust to technological changes (Deutsch, 1979; Noe and Winkler, 2009; Cornwell Management Consultants, 2004).

Conclusion

The absence of the Training needs assessment and analysis leads to a lack of experts within a firm. The training process helps in empowering employees towards planning and strategizing for effective performance. Most of the companies have not taken into account the employment of qualified professionals to manage their resources and this has been the cause of most crises. The company should design clear policies and identify the right training and development methods for its employees. In the analysis, the performance appraisals should be given by the individual employees or their managers to ensure accuracy.

References

Anderson, G. (1994). A proactive model for training needs analysis. Journal of European Industrial Training, 18 (3): pp. 23-28.

Boydell, T. (1976). A Guide to the Identification of Training Needs, British Association for Commercial and Industrial Training, London.

Cornwell Management Consultants. (2004). Digital Preservation Coalition: Training Needs Analysis. Web.

Desimone, R.L., Werner, J.M. and Harris, D.M. (2002). Human Resource Development. (3rd ed) Orlando, Harcourt College Publishers

Deutsch, A. (1979). The Human Resource Revolution: Communicate or Litigate. McGraw-HillBook Co., St Louis, NY.

Goldstein, I.L. (1993). Training in Organizations: Needs Assessment, Development And Evaluation. 3rd ed., Monterey: Brooks/Cole.

Grau-Gumbau, R., Agut-Nieto, S., Llorens-Gumbau, S. Martinez-Martinez, N. (2002). Managerial training needs: A study of Spanish tourism organisations. Tourism & Hospitality Research, Feb2002, Vol. 3. No 3. P 234-244.

Holton, E., Bates, R. and Naquin, S. (2000). Large-scale Performance driven Training Needs Assessment: A Case Study. Public Personnel Management, Vol. 29 No. 2. Summer. pp 249– 268.

Leigh, D., Watkins, R., Platt, W.A. and Kaufman, R. (2000). Alternative models of needs assessment: Selecting the right one for your organization. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 11 (1): pp. 87-93

Nadler, L. and Wiggs. D.G. (1986). Managing Human Resource Development. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.

Noe, R. A. and Winkler C. (2009). Employee Training & Development 1st edition, McGraw Hill: Australia Pvt. Ltd

Value Network Analysis

Assumptions

An analysis of the value network of Jordan’s medical tourism industry involved the following assumptions.

1. Jordan’s marketplace is characterized by among others, the value network of its medical tourism industry.
2. Stakeholders are the most important components covered in the network
3. The network focused its emphasis on the medical industry
4. Secondary data that was obtained from presentations, websites among others, and interviews formed as the information source for creating the network
5. Reports were generated through Value network analysis software available at www.valuenetworkanalysis.com

Network Map

Jordan’s medical value network map is illustrated in detail below (See Figure 9).

Note: Appendix C provides basic input data for Value Network Analysis.

The three areas to which the roles are broadly classified include:

Consumers

Tourists in the medical industry

Service Providers

• Hospitals for medical tourists
• The health tourism agents

Enablers

• Privately working Associations
• The Government
• Legally accredited Firms
• Hotel services
• Airlines carriers and services
• Hospital catering for foreigners
• The Media

The purpose of the above classification is to ease and enhance later explanations as the project progresses towards its end. Requirements may cause an interchange of roles such as like in the case of a private association may take the roles of a service provider to tourists in the medical industry by supplying hospital information, registering complaints, with some of the roles briefly explained below.

Tourists in the medical industry: Financially underprivileged to access special medicine or elective surgery medical services in their country and aged 50 years plus, these tourists move out in search of cheaper but good quality healthcare elsewhere.

The health tourism agents (HTA): Carry value addition activities by interlinking other service providers such as the airline industry, insurance companies among others to create and add value to a medical tourism industry that meets the expectations of its customers. In addition to that, it is argued that the tourism industry lifts off the burden on hospitals that otherwise could not cope with the needs of these patients. Among the tourism agencies is Jordanhealthcare.com that provides medical services, packaged medical services in the areas of healthcare screening, and bypass cardiac graft. This company’s network covers countries such as the UK, Asian countries such as Japan, and goes as far as New Zealand and Australia to the Middle East to source medical tourists. Additionally, cosmetic surgery packages are provided by GorgeousGetaways HTA, a popularly known firm among Australian medical tourists.

Privately working Associations: Hospitals and the government are linked by these associations by focusing on the coordination of private hospitals’ activities tailored towards high-quality medical services. Information about the various medical services is available here and these are among the widely known private associations including Jordan are APHM and Jordanian Medical Association. Disease prevention, co-operation with the MoH, healthcare deliveries, and answers to queries by medical tourists are all under the representations so these associations.

Accreditation Firms: Concerns by medical tourists about the quality of medicinal services are catered for by various bodies including the accredited Joint Commission International (JCI), Healthcare (ISQua) a well-known firm, and the Jordan Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) in the line of those accredited and recognized firms.

Reasons for accreditation to JCI include:

• The fulfillment of outlined standards and requirements for patient care
• Measuring up to international standards for patient quality care and safety
• Standardized procedures for patient isolation in the event of a disease outbreak
• English as a standard language of communication and issuance of instruction for clarity
• Ensuring patient privacy and individual rights are kept

Despite the fear expressed on the strength of JCI standards compared to those of the joint Commission as reportedly argued in the American Medical Association “The JCI has accredited over 100 foreign facilities but given the significant differences between the JCI’s international and US standards, does that mean that the quality of care in those hospitals is truly comparable?” An argument refuted by this argument “In a field where experience is as important as technology, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center in Delhi and Faridabad, India performs nearly 15,000 heart operations every year and the death rate among patients during surgery is only 0.8 percent, less than half the rate of most hospitals in the U.S.”

The Government: Government components constitute the Ministry of Health with the role of developing and Ministry of Tourism that works to promote the industry in collaboration with privately working associations. Collaborating on that note, key hospitals that promote medical tourism are pinpointed. These hospitals are continuously scrutinized and evaluated for adherence to the standards and procedures required to meet the requirements and expectations of medical tourists. value addition was realized when stay on visas was extended for six months from the previous six days

Network Map Analysis

Resilience

Informal and formal knowledge are critical components required in their correct balance for a resilient network. A resilient network flexibly changes with changing conditions and can be evaluated on a ratio of Intangible/Tangible transactions indicator

The percentage of intangible and intangible transactions from the above charts are 43% and 57% respectively based on corresponding numbers of intangible and tangible transactions being 43 and 54 respectively, with a ratio of 1:32 as illustrated on the above charts (See Figure 11 and 12). The variations between the tangible and intangibles demonstrate the fact that this industry is still in its infancy. The industry lacks a clear communication framework, and breakdowns lead to frequent misreports and misunderstandings evident from the lack of active support from the government, APHM, and failure to provide published information on their activities. Complex relationships are characterized by more intangibles than tangibles, with roles specific tasks well defined. However, the lack of value chain activities in the upstream and downstream impedes promotional activities in attracting more medical tourists.

Knowledge exchange among roles is dominant, calling upon flexibility on collaborations and mutual trust, an essential component in this industry. A further indication of the social nature of the industry makes it deficient in formal and financial relationships.

Value Creation

Agents need to be active in value creation within the network where active participation is counterproductive of both tangible and intangible value. The decreases in resource availability and productivity are measurable on the degree to which the values of outputs have decreased. Efficient resource and asset utilization rely on a network’s utilization capacity pegged on its financial and non-financial viability.

The above pie-chart (See Figure 13) is evident that hospitals are the main source of transactions with an average rate of 9.50. However, it is worth noting that a lower value than 9.50 may fail to capture value for the medical tourist industry. Brand

Management – Perceived Value

Perception of product offerings is a critical component in managing a brand.

Value roles can be evaluated from the levels of perceptions held on services people from deliverables at the individual, network, and roles levels. The meaning of perceived Value may not be conveyed in spoken words, but are being created unconsciously or consciously. Perceived value is a component that is vital in evaluating tangible deliverables.

The above graphs (See Figure 14 and 15) illustrate the positiveness with which medical tourists accepts transactions compared to senders. A case in point is where a tourist can call in at a medical center that operates 24/7 to inquire about personal medical needs. The sender and the receivers are the patient and hospital respectively. Overtime pay for additional manpower and other infrastructure requirements are catered for. This illustrates the neutrality in financial terms of the sender’s perceived value while the receiver benefits by drawing on the medical assistance and care available. This example illustrates the reason for the positiveness or negativeness of perceived values.

For employees to be attracted to work in an industry, the sender and receiver’s perceived values need to be above neutral. Transactions carried out in this environment have a high likelihood of producing positive results. Both scenarios lead to a win-win atmosphere.

Asset Impact

The pie chart below shows the asset impact of all transactions.

Any business industry like the medical tourism industry is out to make money. However, it is evident from the chart (See Figure 16) the significant role played by human resources in running the industry in the provision of its services besides the financial gains it makes. Congenial relationships ought to exist between the agents, the hospital, the Government, airline carriers, and privately working associations for the industry to thrive on success. Human resources equipped with various skills make the industry a success. Database management experts are among the skilled human resource persons.

Reciprocity

Ties reciprocate between roles and participants with varying intensities. An analysis has yielded information that In Jordan’s medical tourism industry, 78.57% persist with a reciprocatory connection. This brings to light the taking nature of roles to each other. This clearly illustrates the healthy communication infrastructure that appears to be flattened instead of being hierarchical.

Structure and Value

This is a standard for evaluating value on a structural approach. Ties are clearly defined on the centrality indicator on their strengths. Roles that incorporate more ties have a closer connection and take critical structural positions. Optional pathways, therefore, exist for meeting their needs with reduced dependency on individuals. Roles with multiple options have easy access to more network resources though a role’s strong position in the network does not provide increased value to the network. However, value creation is identified on outgoing transaction gains from the network, while on the other hand, incoming transactions show gains to the network for a specific role. Calculations based on the centrality indicator can be achieved as follows:

Centrality in (Degrees º) is equivalent to gains in value a role makes from a network.

Centrality Out ((Degrees º) is equivalent to gains in value a role makes from a network.

The above pie chart illustrates gains made by medical tourists from the network, the most important goal of the medical tourism industry (See Figure 17), and reinforces the evidence about the three most important providers.

The above chart (See Figure 17 and 18), illustrates the fact that medical tourists are characterized by their value and co-producers of value.

Agility

The degree of separation determines the extent to which information spreads out in a network and is averaged at around 1.93 for the Jordanian Medical Industry.

Summary of Analysis

From the above discussion, VNA and JH play vital roles in the medical industry under the support of HTAs along with the Government and privately working associations with accredited firms to operate sustainably and avert any losses as summarized below.

• Research has shown that Jordan’s medical tourism industry is in its infancy.
• The industry structure is weak
• Calculated figures on perceived value indicate that the industry is thriving and vibrant and a good employer
• The receiver is advantaged with more benefits compared to losses
• Finance is a weak factor for measuring the major asset impact which is measured on business relationships

Medical tourists characterized as both prosumers with hospitals as major sources.

Introduction

With authorization as the tour coordinator for Covington International Travel, I have the legal right to plan vacation travel tours for the company and promote them.

It is a requirement that all reports are being submitted to the vice president for review and approval by the executive committee. Therefore, it is mandatory to submit this tour report I compiled for your review and further considerations.

In order to secure tour clients for the upcoming fall tour season in the Far East, it is important that the process of developing the tour plan is sped up for early completion.

The purpose of this study is to establish the interest in tours and the broad guidelines for specific travel to the Far East, in order to facilitate the development of a tour plan for the upcoming fall tour season.

The scope of the study shall be limited to gathering information about interest by former tour clients in spending a vacation in the Far East. Also, the vacation destinations will be limited to five pre-selected cities namely; Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Methods

The targeted participants of the questionnaire survey comprised mainly of former tour clients of Covington International Travel. The former clients were selected because they are the most likely to accept the offer since they have experienced our well-planned services some times before. The study was aimed at getting information on their interests in spending a vacation in the Far East during the upcoming fall tour season. The study was narrowed down to seven major Cities which are: Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo. A random sampling technique was used in identifying the Cities to be the tourist destinations for the upcoming fall tour season.

Random Sampling Technique

1. The destination area for the upcoming tour season was established as the Far East.
2. 21 potential cities were randomly selected from a map of the Far East.
3. Names of each selected city were written on small pieces of paper, put in one container, and mixed thoroughly.
4. Seven cities were to be selected from the container by equal chances.
5. The first paper was picked, outcome recorded, then returned into the container and thoroughly mixed again.
6. The second paper was picked, outcome recorded, then returned into the container and thoroughly mixed again.
7. This procedure was repeated up to the last (seven) paper picked and recorded.

Sampling Results and Procedures

From the sampling, seven cities were obtained which included; Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo.

After the sampling procedure was completed and all destination cities were identified, further secondary research was conducted to identify the best rates offered in each location in terms of flight costs, hotel rates, meals, and other necessities. Thereafter, the formal questionnaire survey to be sent to our former clients (target) was prepared. A number of alternatives were provided where the respondents were at will to select either one or more alternatives depending on their preferences.

Through the aid of a computer-generated random sampling procedure, a total of 600 former tour clients were selected for the questionnaire. Therefore, a total of 600 questionnaires were sent to each of the 600 selected respondents via mail: Each of the questionnaires was accompanied by a cover letter explaining the purpose of the survey and a pre-addressed, stamped envelop. A response rate of 50% was achieved with 300 respondents sending back their responses.

A quantitative analysis was then conducted in analyzing the responses. The process involved the use of statistical and other mathematical techniques in quantifying the number of respondents with reference to particular destinations. Thereafter, the analysis was used in making general conclusions and recommendations. The following shows a sample table describing the research design approaches that were employed in the study (“Research Approach and Methods” 3):

Table 1.0: Research Design Approach

Findings

Out of 600 questionnaires sent to respondents, only 300 were sent back. Therefore, a response rate of 50% was realized. The received questionnaires are assumed as the usable data while the “no response” questionnaires are assumed as the rejected responses. Figure 1.0 below shows the response rates in a tabulated form.

Different responses were received with regards to the appropriate time during the fall tour season the respondents may be available for vacation. According to the responses received, 14% (40), 66% (196), and 20% (64) of the respondents claimed to be available for vacation during early fall, mid-fall, and late fall respectively. Figure 2.0 below, simplifies the results as appropriate.

Figure 3.0 below indicates the preference cities as selected by the respondents. The figures may slightly deviate from our response size because respondents were allowed to select more than one city as they wished. As such, the responses yielded the following results: Bangkok (18%), Hong Kong (17%), Manila (14%), Osaka (9%), Seoul (10%), Singapore (15%), and Tokyo (17%). As shown in figure 3.0, the most preferred city is Bangkok (18%), followed closely by Hong Kong and Tokyo (17%), while the least preferred city is Osaka and Seoul at 9% and 10% respectively.

Figure 4.0 below shows the willingness of responding to spend at certain limits during the forthcoming vacation. As shown in the figure most of the respondents lie within the $2,001 – $2,500.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the tour plan is expected to be successful since most of the essential data has been collected, analyzed and appropriate measures taken. In addition, the following is the expected schedule to be used for the departure time, cities to visit, and the price range.

Table 2.0: Proposed Schedule for Departure and.

Recommendations

Putting in mind that the global positioning of the Far East, planning should be done strategically in order to have appropriate landings. Therefore, it is my recommendation that all flights are followed as scheduled. As it may deem necessary, all flights should be scheduled for no later than 10.00 a.m. In order of preference, Bangkok should be given the first priority followed by Hong Kong and Tokyo because most of the tour clients are more willing to visit the cities.

Table 3.0: Proposed Schedule for Departure Price Range.

Works Cited

“Research Approach and Methods.” Oulu University Library. Herkules.oulu.fi, 2002. Web.

What are some of the aspects of a complex operating environment for tourism in rural Australia? Why is the notion of ‘place’ important for such discussions?

With the decline in forestry, most tourism is based on experiences directly linked to nature. Wildlife, nature retreats and adventure are the cornerstones of modern tourism. However, in Australia, traditional industries such as logging are deeply related to the socio-economic situation of rural areas. Planners of nature-based tourism must, therefore, find a way of giving the indigenous community a say on the management of tourism. This complicates the environment in which tourism operates in rural Australia.

The complexity of managing and planning tourism in Eden is brought about by a number of competing opinions. These notions must be resolved if nature-based tourism is to be developed in a sustainable manner. Policymakers have to reconcile traditions with modernity and economic growth with safeguarding the environment. An especially difficult issue is that Australia’s rural communities are heterogeneous in regard to land use. Consequently, various communities react to tourism in different ways. In view of that, promoters of nature- based tourism must find a way of allowing all indigenous community to have a say on the tourism planning process. This is the key ingredient to sustainable tourism development in any area.

Sociocultural and ecological factors make the notion of ‘place’ an important aspect of sustainable tourism. A physical space associated with a certain meaning is referred to as a ‘place’. Although tourism brings with it goodies to the local community, it is a destroyer of local culture, norms and economy. For instance, the South East Fiber Exports (SAFE) woodchip group, in the township of Eden, generates 83,000 full-time jobs. With this in mind, it is highly unlikely that residents will let go of their source of income. Accordingly, tourism must be developed in a way that puts economic, ecological and social-cultural issues into consideration. In other words, sustainable nature-based tourism is anchored on the careful reorganization of local community’s way of life.

How may the use of psychology-based research methods help us to understand the impact of tourism development on communities?

Psychology based research methods are a useful tool in understanding the impact of tourism development on communities. Psychological variables help a researcher in balancing local opinion with new development. In addition, ways through which affected communities are to cope with the conditions in which the development occurs are devised. Failure to acknowledge the assumptions embedded in the local population is one of the causes of poor perception of tourism programs. A given tourist destination is defined by the psychological picture residents have for it. Ignoring this insight is a recipe for chaos.

Psychological research deals with ways through which people can be instrumentally manipulated in the pursuit of certain goals. In other words, community members are carefully lured into adopting development projects. In this case, diplomacy is not an option, but a way of life. Tourism planners are, hence, urged to dwell mostly on the ecological conceptualization of a destination than the environmental impact assessment. Environmental impact assessment is economically-oriented. On the other hand, ecological conceptualization gives a holistic picture of a place. This is the best link between economic development and the social wellbeing of a group of people. Additionally, it is a form of social impact assessment. In this regard, the local community is given a chance to coexist with nature and accrue some of the benefits gained from exploiting it. What keeps nature-based tourism going is the perception that the locals are receiving something in exchange for their way of life.