published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

by Lo Wai On. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-98). / Abstract / Acknowledgements / Table of Contents / List of Tables / List of Figures / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Overview --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Transportation Arrangement Problem --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Site Planning Problem --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Organisation of the Thesis --- p.4 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Overview --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2 --- Transportation Arrangement --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- A* algorithm --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- A*V algorithm --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Knowledge-based approach --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- ANESTA's approach --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3 --- Site Planning --- p.14 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- CICERO'S approach --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- ANESTA's approach --- p.17 / Chapter 2.4 --- Summary --- p.19 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Transportation Arrangement --- p.20 / Chapter 3.1 --- Overview --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2 --- Problem Description --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Shortest path problem --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Existing solution algorithms --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Preference consideration --- p.22 / Chapter 3.3 --- Zoning --- p.22 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Grid-type zoning --- p.23 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Density-type zoning --- p.23 / Chapter 3.4 --- Solution Methodology --- p.24 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Data representation in the system --- p.24 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Heuristic algorithm --- p.26 / Chapter 3.5 --- Illustrative Examples --- p.34 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Example 1 - Direct Connection --- p.34 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Example 2 - Three-node Path --- p.35 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Example 3 - Four-node Path --- p.37 / Chapter 3.6 --- Computation Results --- p.38 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Zoning vs. No-zoning --- p.39 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Grid-type zoning vs. Density-type zoning --- p.40 / Chapter 3.6.3 --- Comparison between the new heuristic and the other algorithms --- p.42 / Chapter 3.7 --- Summary --- p.43 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Site Planning --- p.45 / Chapter 4.1 --- Overview --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2 --- Problem Description --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Preference constraint --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Accessibility constraint --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Time constraint --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Problems with the ANESTA's approach --- p.47 / Chapter 4.3 --- Solution Methodology --- p.49 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Preference handling --- p.50 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Time window constraints --- p.51 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Connectivity constraint --- p.57 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Fitness constraint --- p.57 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Travelling distance constraint --- p.58 / Chapter 4.3.6 --- Heuristic algorithm --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3.7 --- Flexibility consideration --- p.63 / Chapter 4.4 --- An Illustrative Example --- p.66 / Chapter 4.5 --- Computation Results --- p.74 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Comparison of the solution quality with and without the second phase heuristic --- p.74 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Investigation of the effect with the circular boundary --- p.76 / Chapter 4.5.3 --- Comparison with ANESTA --- p.77 / Chapter 4.6 --- Summary --- p.86 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusions --- p.88 / Appendix A --- p.91 / References --- p.96

A combination of technical innovations, system cost reductions, and post-1970's tourism industry restructuring has led to the development and diffusion of a variety of sophisticated computer reservation systems, or CRSs. Questions remain as to the extent to which tourism suppliers and destinations have achieved CRS links. In this case study of two urban destinations, Montreal and Toronto, tourism supplier relationships with CRS technology are examined. Drawing on results from the accommodation and attraction sectors of each city, the varying degrees of CRS adoption and impact are illustrated. CRS adoption by firms is shown to be constrained by a variety of management market, and tourism product-oriented barriers. Strategies employed by tourism suppliers to counter and overcome these barriers are identified. Following a review of tourism and information technology policies within Canada, some regulatory initiatives that may assist in facilitating successful technology adoption and use among the various components of the urban tourism product are proposed. The constantly evolving 'technological' channels and networks of tourism marketing and distribution are shown to be important influences on tourism destination policy. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

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There is a growing body of literature which discusses the importance of systems of innovation (SOI) to modern economies. Systems which are innovative are characterised by organisations and institutions which identify weaknesses in current technologies, pursue new ideas through research and development, develop and produce technological innovations, and apply or distribute these for the collective benefit of the system. The literature suggests a number of structures which contribute to fostering systems of innovation. Efficiency in the production and exchange of knowledge is one of these.Tourism has been described as an economic system and recent public policy has recognised the importance of the production and exchange of knowledge for innovation in tourism. The distribution (or presentation) of secondary information resources (also referred to as “commodities”) has received particular attention from policy makers. The totality of information resources which is presented to information marketplaces at a point in time can be described as the information stock. Past commentary on the stock of tourism information in Australia indicates that inefficiencies may exist in the presentation and exchange of these resources in the marketplace.This research proposes a model of the marketplace for the exchange of tourism information commodities, the Tourism Information Commodity Marketplace (TICM). The model is applied to testing and identifying weakness in current production and exchange processes in Australia. In the research, the stock which is presented to the market is located, identified, catalogued and tested against the model to identify whether there are marketplace inefficiencies in the form of leakages. Leakages are the costs which tourism firms and organisations face as they try to address information needs by procuring and applying secondary information commodities.The research shows that a proportion of the presented stock can be moved efficiently from suppliers to consumers and is capable of meeting information needs of consumers at a point in time. However, a range of presentation and demand-side issues are identified which reduce the potential for knowledge-based innovation in tourism systems. These relate to language, access, availability, reliability, validity and coverage aspects which are associated with the stock and demand-side characteristics.The implications of this research for policy makers and suppliers of tourism information commodities are that dissemination weaknesses, in particular, must be addressed for the contribution of secondary information resources to innovation in tourism to be fully realised. For informatics researchers, the TICM is a valuable and adaptable tool for depicting and assessing marketplace dynamics where information is the commodity for exchange. It augments the understanding of the innovative potential of tourism stocks for systems of innovation as well as identifying potential barriers.

There is a growing body of literature which discusses the importance of systems of innovation (SOI) to modern economies. Systems which are innovative are characterised by organisations and institutions which identify weaknesses in current technologies, pursue new ideas through research and development, develop and produce technological innovations, and apply or distribute these for the collective benefit of the system. The literature suggests a number of structures which contribute to fostering systems of innovation. Efficiency in the production and exchange of knowledge is one of these.Tourism has been described as an economic system and recent public policy has recognised the importance of the production and exchange of knowledge for innovation in tourism. The distribution (or presentation) of secondary information resources (also referred to as “commodities”) has received particular attention from policy makers. The totality of information resources which is presented to information marketplaces at a point in time can be described as the information stock. Past commentary on the stock of tourism information in Australia indicates that inefficiencies may exist in the presentation and exchange of these resources in the marketplace.This research proposes a model of the marketplace for the exchange of tourism information commodities, the Tourism Information Commodity Marketplace (TICM). The model is applied to testing and identifying weakness in current production and exchange processes in Australia. In the research, the stock which is presented to the market is located, identified, catalogued and tested against the model to identify whether there are marketplace inefficiencies in the form of leakages. Leakages are the costs which tourism firms and organisations face as they try to address information needs by procuring and applying secondary information commodities.The research shows that a proportion of the presented stock can be moved efficiently from suppliers to consumers and is capable of meeting information needs of consumers at a point in time. However, a range of presentation and demand-side issues are identified which reduce the potential for knowledge-based innovation in tourism systems. These relate to language, access, availability, reliability, validity and coverage aspects which are associated with the stock and demand-side characteristics.The implications of this research for policy makers and suppliers of tourism information commodities are that dissemination weaknesses, in particular, must be addressed for the contribution of secondary information resources to innovation in tourism to be fully realised. For informatics researchers, the TICM is a valuable and adaptable tool for depicting and assessing marketplace dynamics where information is the commodity for exchange. It augments the understanding of the innovative potential of tourism stocks for systems of innovation as well as identifying potential barriers.

There is a growing body of literature which discusses the importance of systems of innovation (SOI) to modern economies. Systems which are innovative are characterised by organisations and institutions which identify weaknesses in current technologies, pursue new ideas through research and development, develop and produce technological innovations, and apply or distribute these for the collective benefit of the system. The literature suggests a number of structures which contribute to fostering systems of innovation. Efficiency in the production and exchange of knowledge is one of these.Tourism has been described as an economic system and recent public policy has recognised the importance of the production and exchange of knowledge for innovation in tourism. The distribution (or presentation) of secondary information resources (also referred to as “commodities”) has received particular attention from policy makers. The totality of information resources which is presented to information marketplaces at a point in time can be described as the information stock. Past commentary on the stock of tourism information in Australia indicates that inefficiencies may exist in the presentation and exchange of these resources in the marketplace.This research proposes a model of the marketplace for the exchange of tourism information commodities, the Tourism Information Commodity Marketplace (TICM). The model is applied to testing and identifying weakness in current production and exchange processes in Australia. In the research, the stock which is presented to the market is located, identified, catalogued and tested against the model to identify whether there are marketplace inefficiencies in the form of leakages. Leakages are the costs which tourism firms and organisations face as they try to address information needs by procuring and applying secondary information commodities.The research shows that a proportion of the presented stock can be moved efficiently from suppliers to consumers and is capable of meeting information needs of consumers at a point in time. However, a range of presentation and demand-side issues are identified which reduce the potential for knowledge-based innovation in tourism systems. These relate to language, access, availability, reliability, validity and coverage aspects which are associated with the stock and demand-side characteristics.The implications of this research for policy makers and suppliers of tourism information commodities are that dissemination weaknesses, in particular, must be addressed for the contribution of secondary information resources to innovation in tourism to be fully realised. For informatics researchers, the TICM is a valuable and adaptable tool for depicting and assessing marketplace dynamics where information is the commodity for exchange. It augments the understanding of the innovative potential of tourism stocks for systems of innovation as well as identifying potential barriers.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / Electronic commerce, popularly referred to as e-commerce, is the latest catchphrase surrounding the Internet and its many functions. In the past, the Internet was solely used for information seeking, but the 21st century has brought a new global economy to the fore – one that is conducted online. Tourism is seen as a driver of economic growth, contributing both to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of South Africa (SA) and creating jobs in the hospitality sector. E-commerce does not only provide a platform for business to be conducted online but also an opportunity for consumers to interact directly with industry. Many studies have been done previously about the perceived benefits of e-commerce in the retail sector, yet none in Cape Town and at five-star hotels in particular. It is well known that holidaymakers conduct an online search prior to booking accommodation; some of those potential guests in turn choose to finalise their bookings online. The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of e-commerce in five-star hotels in the Cape Town Metropole. The main objective of this study was to define what e-commerce is for five-star hotels in the Cape Town Metropole and determine if the hotels are using e-commerce as a booking method. Online questionnaires were used to gather primary data and a literature review was presented as secondary data. The findings of this study showed that all the hotels surveyed use online bookings and half of the respondents believe Online Travel Agents (OTAs) generate more revenue than traditional methods of room reservation. When asked to rank methods of room’s reservations, there was a slight difference between telephone bookings and e-commerce as number one. This could mean that while electronic methods are popular, they have not completely replaced traditional methods. The researcher recommends that five-star hotel managers train the rooms’ division staff to respond to negative reviews on social media, as this was one of the findings. The hotels should also learn how to effectively use their social media presence to increase room sales.

In today's fiercely competitive environment, not only in the tourism sector, we see a rise in the need to identify the weak and strong sides of the performance of the entire branch network of a travel agency, as well as of its components, the particular branches. This problem can be approached using the process of benchmarking. This method is currently widely used to compare the similarly behaving systems and processes in all areas of human activity. Data envelopment analysis models can be used as one of the methods of benchmarking. This thesis deals first with the theoretical description of the basic models of data envelopment analysis. It then moves on to concentrate on the description of the network-based models, which are then used in the practical part of the thesis. In this last part, it compares selected travel agency branches and identifies the deficiencies in particular areas of their performance.

by Yau Yin Fong, Yip Claudia. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-51). / ABSTRACT --- p.I / TABLE OF CONTENT --- p.II / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.IV / PREFACE --- p.V / Chapter CHAPTER I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER II --- HONG KONG'S TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY_ --- p.5 / Chapter II.a. --- Performance in 2000 --- p.5 / Chapter II.b. --- Plans in 2001 --- p.6 / Chapter CHAPTER III --- INTERNET MARKETING FOR TOURISM --- p.8 / Chapter III.a. --- Traditional Method of Tourism Promotion --- p.8 / Chapter III.b. --- Internet - The Most Important Mass Medium --- p.8 / Chapter III.c. --- The World Wide Web (WWW) --- p.9 / Chapter III.d. --- Advantage of WWW --- p.10 / Chapter III.e. --- HKTA's Web Site --- p.11 / Chapter III.f. --- Why Marketing Destinations Online is Important to the Tourism Industry --- p.12 / Chapter III.g. --- Extending the Usefulness of WWW --- p.14 / Chapter CHAPTER IV --- ITINERARY PLANNING MODEL --- p.16 / Chapter IV.a. --- Requirement for Itinerary Planning Model --- p.16 / Chapter IV.b. --- The Input Process --- p.19 / Chapter IV.c. --- Conversion of Hours to Numbers and Types of Travel Session --- p.22 / Chapter IV.d. --- How does the Matching Process Work --- p.27 / Chapter IV.e. --- A Matching Approach to Itinerary Planning --- p.33 / Chapter IV.f. --- Tourist as Variety Seeker --- p.39 / Chapter IV.g. --- A Buffet Approach to Itinerary Planning --- p.40 / Chapter IV.h. --- Extension - Web-mining --- p.433 / Chapter CHAPTER V --- CONCLUSION --- p.444 / APPENDIX --- p.466 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.499