This thesis investigates the motivational factors and the types of human-equine interactions and associated experiences which are encountered as a leisure and tourist activity. Despite the growing interest in human-animal relations very few accounts have actually explored horses especially within the realm of leisure and tourism. This research contextualizes the relations between humans and horses as well as the experiences encountered through such interactions and coexistence as a result of leisure and tourism engagement. My elaboration with this theme engages in a variety of theories and debates surrounding human-animal geographies. The findings of this research can be viewed through a post humanist lens revealing the hybrid geographies associated with human-equine relations. This study recognizes the existence of intimate relations between humans and horses where human-equine relations have changed in the post modem western world as a result of political, economic, environmental and societal changes. There is an increasing demand for humans and horse to interact as a result of leisure and tourism processes where humans and horses have become mutually dependent upon one another both physically and emotionally. Horses are considered valuable companions and are associated as family members despite living outdoors and their unique cultural differences. A comprehensive literature review of human-animal research is presented which outlines the historical context of human-animal relations and how these have changed over time. Drawing upon ethnographic accounts of humans-equine interactions, participant observations and interviews were held with eleven horse owners, five non-horse owners and five instructors (four of which owned horses) giving a total of twenty one participants. Topics discussed within the interviews were themed around human-equine motivations, experiences, interactions, relationships and the benefits associated with human-equine interactions. Furthermore, participant diaries were recorded by myself as well as fifteen other participants over an eight lesson/week period and themes associated with the diaries related to human-equine experiences, emotions, interactions as well as skills developed through riding. The sample were taken from participants who engaged in riding lessons or were livery customers of a riding school based within County Durham as well as with private horse owners or riders within the wider North East of England region. Findings revealed that humans and horses play influential roles in each others lives as a result of leisure and tourism activities.

No description available.

This study aims to investigate how and why hospitality organisations position racial others in their workplace. There is an existing belief in the literature that job positioning/job roles are influenced by such factors as social identities and the intersectionality of diversity categories. These approaches tend to focus on addressing the 'difference' and 'disadvantages' of racial others, where the other denotes a person of a different background, race or ethnicity to a self-contained social group, and who is embraced in discourses of inclusion and recognition . Hospitality organisations are represented by a multicultural workforce composed mostly of ethnic minorities/racial others and other minorities at the lower levels of the organisational structure. These workers are seen to have differences that can be useful for providing business benefits. In this sense, it can be argued that hospitality organisations' practices of diversity management are influenced by their need to meet customer needs and gain economic benefits. For this research, case studies, including semi-structured interviews with managers and employees, were undertaken to explore how hospitality managers and employees conceptualise and understand workplace diversity practices towards racial others, in order to examine the implications of assimilating or integrating racial others, and to see how these practices influence the coping strategies of minorities in the workplace. In addition, corporate web documents were used to collect data from the case studies, focusing on assessing the organisations' rationales for approaching diversity and equality and exploring the discursive practices of diversity. The evidence showed that the discourse of diversity was more rhetorical than practical, because ethnic and other minorities were seen as important elements of the workforce to meet customer needs. In addition, these employees were essentialised as ideal workers who were hard-working and reliable. The category of race was also linked with other diversity categories, such as gender, when considering the positioning or experiences of minorities in the workplace. Furthermore, there were differences between the ways that diversity was promoted in UK-based companies and those based in the US.

This research furthers understanding of UK tour operator approaches to sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). Although the wider tour operating industry is only just beginning to demonstrate some responsibility and Interest in addressing business impacts, it is an increasingly important feature of the global business agenda. It is therefore important that an understanding is gained of how sustainability can be addressed in a way which meets both commercial imperatives and societal interests.

No description available.

Emphasis on building and managing brand equity, as a primary driver of a hospitality firm's success, is of increasing interest. Building a brand with strong equity provides a number of potential benefits to a firm: greater brand loyalty, larger profit margins, effective marketing communication focus, and opportunities for brand-extensions. Although the issue of brand equity has emerged as one of the most important aspects of branding, little empirical evidence ists as to how to create brand equity and the nature of its antecedents and consequences. jcially in the hospitality industry. Therefore, the thrust of this research is to develop and test a research model of the antecedents and consequences of brand equity in the hospitality industry - in particular, for the hotel and restaurant sectors.

This study strives to explore the phenomenon of emerging market penetration by travel service firms, and examine how these firms’ strategies may vary in different institutional circumstances.Driven by structural and demographic changes in both affluent and new world economic powers, the development of world tourism is expected to continue in the coming decades. In particular, emerging economies have shown a substantial proliferation of tourist-generating ability. On a global scale, it is noticeable that travel service firms have been highly active in exploring markets in emerging economies. The world’s fastest developing travel service market, China provides an excellent context to study how firms cope in a rapidly changing institutional environment. The literature review shows that the importance of this subject is not properly justified. Against this background, addressing the emerging market penetration issue for travel service firms is deemed to be theoretically significant and of actual value to businesses. This study is the first to explore the use of social networks as emerging markets penetration strategies by travel service firms. After thoroughly evaluating the prevalence and effectiveness of various international business theories in explaining the use of networks in emerging economies, the synthesis of institutional theory and resource based view was considered to be the sound theoretical choice. The empirical work is carried out by adopting a theoretical sampling approach, with interview and case study used as the main research methods. This approach is suitable in capturing a holistic picture of the phenomenon, as well as comprehensively illuminating the institutional environment of the target market and the use of social networks as market penetration mechanisms. The author examines the impacts of political, legal, social-cultural as well as industrial institutions on travel service firms’ emerging market strategies, and presents two key findings. First of all, the results of research suggest that social networks, including both business to government (B2G) and business to business (B2B) relationships are (when used as travel service firms’ emerging market penetration strategies) strongly institutional oriented. Secondly, it is discovered that the travel service firms attempting to penetrate into emerging economies are of a heterogeneous nature. Therefore, the exploitation of the institutional oriented network approach is not confined to a single form. Cross-sector, large scale tour operators, ethnic SME tour operators and regional tour operators receiving preferential treatment from the Chinese government, each type has its own manifestation of the institutional oriented networks. Based on the key findings, this study introduces a dynamic emerging market penetration framework incorporating the most influential institutional forces. The study fills a gap in the current international tourism research, and enhances understanding towards travel and tourism markets in emerging economies. It is hoped that this study will also serve as a stimulus for further discussion on other emerging tourism markets. The framework developed from this research will provide strategic implications for travel service companies aimed at emerging markets, and be applicable in other service sectors with similar characteristics.

ABSTRACT This research is a phenomenological study of ethnic entrepreneurship in the hospitality catering sector based on self-definition of ethnic entrepreneurs. Most research in both the fields of EE and hospitality entrepreneurship is formed on a foundation of taken-for-granted, unquestioned assumptions; with a positivist stance towards entrepreneurship and small business; and often utilising functionalist research philosophies and methodologies based on positivist, quantitative approaches, with little reflection by researchers (Blackburn and Kovalainen, 2009). This study has questioned these dominant approaches by aiming to develop a phenomenological understanding of ethnic entrepreneurship in the hospitality catering sector as a socially constructed phenomenon. This is done through an in- depth investigation of ethnic entrepreneurs' lived experiences and their' self- definitions of their business and its meanings, implications, and role in shapingtheir personai and social worlds. Within a phenomenologicalperspective, thisresearchhas used a 'qualitative methodology to gain in-depth data' on the phenomenon.Ttgives voice 'to' a maiginalized population, namely Iranian owner-managers of" micro catering businesses. It aims to emancipate the worldviews of the respondents towards EE to explore some of the hidden dimensions of the EE phenomenon. This approach results in findings that critically challenge the dominant EE research, which has mostly examined the phenomenon from a positive ideological perspective and has been mainly concerned with economic and management concepts such as the causal relationships that lead to formation of entrepreneurship for ethnic minorities: Through unraveling of the meanings and values of ethnic entrepreneurs associated with EE, it is found that EE in hospitality could have a destructive effect on the social, familial, and personal lives of ethnic entrepreneurs in addition to the well- known constructive economic roles that are widely acknowledged in previous research. The study shows that in order to gain a more exhaustive and holistic knowledge of the phenomenon, its roles, and its implications, it is vital to examine it within its lV contexts and from the perspectives of the people who have living experience of the phenomenon. The findings show that EE should be considered as a heterogeneous social phenomenon that is context specific and sector specific. This research contributes to knowledge by focusing on marginalized themes, subjects, and methodologies. The focus on the self-definitions of the entrepreneurs studied and giving them a voice leads to a more in-depth and emancipatory understanding of the phenomenon. The specific epistemological and methodological perspectives employed help to uncover some of the ignored, concealed, and silenced aspects of the EE phenomenon and its different social implications. Consequently, the research opens potential avenues for more informed policy making and a more harmonic and just society.

Tourist satisfaction represents the 'outcome' from the destination experience. It also represents a significant 'input' into the future decision-making of both tourists, in terms of repeat visitation and recommendation, and management, for example in terms of resource allocation. However, the measurement of tourist satisfaction at destination level needs further consideration, particularly in terms of the contribution of destination attributes.

No description available.