The Experts below are selected from a list of 6828 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Xavier Font - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • sustainability in the Tour Operator ground agent supply chain
    Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2019
    Co-Authors: P Richards, Xavier Font
    Abstract:

    This research aims to identify, and critically understand, the key opportunities for and barriers against Tour Operators and their ground handlers sourcing and selling more sustainable Tourism products. The study is framed in literature of organisational culture and buyer-seller collaborations both downstream (sustainable supply chain management) and upstream (business to business marketing). Semi-structured interviews help to identify the Tour Operators’ barriers, opportunities and key decision making criteria. The findings suggest that a supportive organisational culture is a prerequisite to success for companies that wish to scale up the volume of sustainable products they source and sell. Sustainability only sells when it contributes to an organisation’s ability to meet its requirement of quality of service, especially in relation to suitability of the products to its target markets and reinforcing professional and trustworthy relationships. For services that are keenly priced, and/or that have tight health and safety regulations, buyers and sellers often lack the motivation to consider sustainability requirements unless they are clearly valued and marketed. Business to business marketing requires suppliers to understand the relative importance of sustainability to each of their buyers and, in response, to develop appropriate arguments to explain the importance of sustainability within their buyers’ organisational needs.

  • barriers to Tour Operator sustainable supply chain management
    Tourism recreation research, 2011
    Co-Authors: Joanne Baddeley, Xavier Font
    Abstract:

    Tour Operators requesting their contracted overseas accommodations providers to apply, measure and report their sustainability actions are facing a number of barriers when trying to ensure the effective implementation of environmental sustainability criteria in particular. This article reviews how sustainability systems are being challenged by organizational habit and perceptions rather than analytical decision-making with respect to the relationship between health and safety, quality and sustainability. Environmental indicators are identified as the most conflictive; the key findings demonstrate that most challenges require a change in human behaviour rather than a technical solution. The data suggests that Tour Operators need to develop sustainability auditing tools that consider the impacts upon health, safety and quality within the accommodations. The Travelife sustainability auditing system provides a useful case study to demonstrate the necessary requirement for a complementary approach when conducting accommodations audits.

  • A Sustainable Supply Chain Management Framework for Tour Operators
    Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2008
    Co-Authors: Karen Schwartz, Richard Tapper, Xavier Font
    Abstract:

    This paper presents a framework for Tour Operators to use in the implementation of supply chain management processes to improve sustainability performance. This is critical for a sector that historically has treated impacts as externalities and suppliers as commodities, and in which recent sustainability actions have been informal or ecosavings led. This framework is part of the outcome from the EU-funded ‘Travelife’ programme, which is a joint initiative from European Tour Operator associations and sustainability standard-setting stakeholders. The framework has been designed as a series of industry-relevant steps: engaging the business and setting policies, integrating sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) into the business, assessing suppliers, setting priorities for actions and evaluating progress. The discussion here considers current Tour Operator approaches to sustainability, how the framework may be implemented by specialist and mass-market Operators and the challenges faced if these early steps are to lead to widespread, full implementation of SSCM initiatives.

Trawex Api Integration - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Adriana Budeanu - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • facilitating transitions to sustainable Tourism the role of the Tour Operator
    (2007), 2007
    Co-Authors: Adriana Budeanu
    Abstract:

    Tourism has become a leading industry in the world and continues to grow rapidly, contributing essentially to economic growth and employment in many countries. Tourism as it looks today poses serious threats to the environment and considerable social and cultural challenges. The problem addressed by this research lies in the weakness of current concepts and practices in pursuit of sustainable Tourism to provide lucrative solutions for the impacts created by mass Tourism. Taking a systemic approach to problem solving, this thesis aims to bring an in-depth understanding of the complex reality that underlies the dynamic transitions in systems of sustainable Tourism. Consequently, the research is focused on the role of key powerful actors, as agents of change, with the overall purpose of clarifying the conditions that trigger and shape their capability to influence a systemic transition. The approach is global in its scope and considers the system as a whole capable to change under the interactions of different elements within the internal and external contexts. Identifying key challenges and opportunities, the research concludes with the suggestion that Tour Operators may find prosperous directions of development in the field of innovation and sustainable service development.

  • impacts and responsibilities for sustainable Tourism a Tour Operator s perspective
    Journal of Cleaner Production, 2005
    Co-Authors: Adriana Budeanu
    Abstract:

    Tourism is currently responsible for the largest, annual human migration in history. This great movement of people has significant positive and negative consequences on nature, societies, cultures and economies. Desired worldwide for its economic benefits, Tourism is anticipated to double during the next 20 years, and the multiple consequences of such rapid growth,,call for a preventative approach at all strategic and professional levels, in order to avoid negative impacts. Considering mass Tourism as a reality of our contemporary life that cannot be neglected by current efforts to endorse sustainable Tourism, this paper draws attention to one of its key players-the Tour Operators-advancing the proposition that they play significant roles in affecting changes in behaviors and attitudes towards more responsible forms of Tourism. Aiming to facilitate a constructive debate on the matter, the article presents a few of the most important arguments that underscore the potential that Tour Operators' have in promoting sustainable Tourism.

P Richards - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • sustainability in the Tour Operator ground agent supply chain
    Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2019
    Co-Authors: P Richards, Xavier Font
    Abstract:

    This research aims to identify, and critically understand, the key opportunities for and barriers against Tour Operators and their ground handlers sourcing and selling more sustainable Tourism products. The study is framed in literature of organisational culture and buyer-seller collaborations both downstream (sustainable supply chain management) and upstream (business to business marketing). Semi-structured interviews help to identify the Tour Operators’ barriers, opportunities and key decision making criteria. The findings suggest that a supportive organisational culture is a prerequisite to success for companies that wish to scale up the volume of sustainable products they source and sell. Sustainability only sells when it contributes to an organisation’s ability to meet its requirement of quality of service, especially in relation to suitability of the products to its target markets and reinforcing professional and trustworthy relationships. For services that are keenly priced, and/or that have tight health and safety regulations, buyers and sellers often lack the motivation to consider sustainability requirements unless they are clearly valued and marketed. Business to business marketing requires suppliers to understand the relative importance of sustainability to each of their buyers and, in response, to develop appropriate arguments to explain the importance of sustainability within their buyers’ organisational needs.

D. Gilbert - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • a method for the assessment of relative brand strength a uk Tour Operator example
    Service Industries Journal, 2003
    Co-Authors: D. Gilbert, James Hewlett
    Abstract:

    This study provides a method of uncovering the brand strengths and weaknesses of major Tour Operators in the UK. It provides an approach that provides a weighted assessment of attributes which is a culmination of the weighting of all measures from a two stage research model. The study provides a method that can be applied elsewhere but specifically identified AirTours as having the lowest score for brand attributes and image, a result that may well be associated to their previous rejection of branding in favour of maintaining low prices to customers. From the core values identified, it became evident that most Operators' worst score was for efficiency. Perhaps the most predictable of the findings was that the Virgin brand was most familiar to younger respondents. Age was a major variable in terms of the ranking of the attributes. Over 55s ranked accommodation, efficiency, reliability and reputation higher than any other age category. Such consistency indicates that the more senior age group has greater expectations of the services offered by the Tour Operators, or else require a better service in order to be satisfied. A gap in the market was identified for a brand to promote itself as part of the emotional holiday experience in addition to performing the basic Operator functions. Such market positioning would also present opportunities for brand differentiation. In conclusion this study has implications for other brand assessment exercises and therefore offers a model of approach for other sectors.

  • Tour Operators and destination sustainability.
    Tourism Management, 1997
    Co-Authors: Sandra Carey, Y. Gountas, D. Gilbert
    Abstract:

    Abstract The objective of this study is to examine the Tour Operators' influence on the long term sustainability of destinations. The Tour Operators' activities are considered in detail in order to verify the hypothesis that the Tour Operator is one of the major influences for the nature of Tourism demand. It is suggested that they are also instrumental in determining market trends and may affect the demand levels for the destinations. To verify the degree of influence by the mass and specialist Tour Operator, of varying sizes, their marketing strategies and operational tactics need to be examined critically in order to determine their hypothetical level of influencing the sustainability of a Tourism destination. Tourism destinations in a long term successful sustainable Tourism industry depend on the maintenance and sustenance of the ‘right’ level of demand. The Tourism supply is mutually affected by demand characteristics. Sustainable Tourism is dependent on the effective co-operation of all the stakeholders in the industry, for example, suppliers, intermediaries, public sector and consumers. This article reviews the trends of the UK Tour Operators; it examines the literature on sustainable Tourism, reports the field research findings and discusses the relationship and effects of Tour Operators upon the sustainability of Tourism destinations.

  • Tour Operators and destination sustainability
    Tourism Management, 1997
    Co-Authors: Sandra Carey, Y. Gountas, D. Gilbert
    Abstract:

    The objective of this study is to examine the Tour Operators' influence on the long term sustainability of destinations. The Tour Operators' activities are considered in detail in order to verify the hypothesis that the Tour Operator is one of the major influences for the nature of Tourism demand. It is suggested that they are also instrumental in determining market trends and may affect the demand levels for the destinations. To verify the degree of influence by the mass and specialist Tour Operator, of varying sizes, their marketing strategies and operational tactics need to be examined critically in order to determine their hypothetical level of influencing the sustainability of a Tourism destination. Tourism destinations in a long term successful sustainable Tourism industry depend on the maintenance and sustenance of the 'right' level of demand. The Tourism supply is mutually affected by demand characteristics. Sustainable Tourism is dependent on the effective co-operation of all the stakeholders in the industry, for example, suppliers, intermediaries, public sector and consumers. This article reviews the trends of the UK Tour Operators; it examines the literature on sustainable Tourism, reports the field research findings and discusses the relationship and effects of Tour Operators upon the sustainability of Tourism destinations. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.