External and Competitive Environment for tourism Industry Essay

External and Competitive Environment for tourism Industry - Essay Example Tourism Industry Total receipts from tourism are 9% of the world GDP and the tourist industry employs 2.8% of the total world population (Quick Facts, 2010). The Tenerife economy is greatly reliant on the tourism industry. The service sector of the economy contributes 79.4% to the GDP where hostelry comprises of 14.29% of the total of the tourism industry of the Canary Islands (Economic Sector, 2005). It is approximated that 10 million tourists visit the Canary Islands which includes 5 million tourists every year in Tenerife alone (Osborne). It was once viewed that more tourists meant more money in the industry but now a new concept have revealed (Osborne). The Tenerife Industry is focusing more upon quality of the services provided rather than increasing their sales (Osborne). This is mainly due to the realization that tourists enjoy quality vacation and are ready to pay higher amounts to stay in â€Å"good quality† four and five star hotels (Osborne). The volcanic eruption i n Iceland in 2010 carved a caricature of the Tourism Industry in Europe. Initially, the volcano eruption rose excitement among the tourists and they went on to Iceland to have a look at the natural catastrophic eruption. However, later the danger aggravated and not only the tourism industry of Iceland but of the whole Europe was messed up. ... nge and Europe might not experience summer which would then result in the loss of tourism revenues from countries like Switzerland, France and Italy (Gupta, 2010). Thus, the tourism industry all over the Europe seems to face the trickle down effects of the volcanic eruption in the region. Objectives The video demonstrated a situation of the tourism industry in Tenerife and the effects after the volcanic eruption. The tourist Nigel experienced the whole situation in a hotel and came up to the conclusion that he liked the hotel whereas, he was unsatisfied with the services if Ryan Airways through which he was flying. This was utterly due to the different behavior adopted by both the organizations. The hotel was hospitable and accommodating whereas, he faced the opposite reaction from the Airways and was in a complete dismal. Thus, the focus of the report is to investigate the reasons for the two distinguished reactions of the organizations that were going through the same natural circu mstances. Both the organizations are an integral part of the tourism industry, yet they resulted in different attitudes. Therefore, further analysis would seek to clarify. Spain PEST Analysis Since the Canary Islands are a province of Spain the PEST analysis would enhance the analysis. Political Analysis Spain has a mixed capitalist economy and ranks as the 12th largest in the world. The political conditions are somewhat stable and hence, the economy has been successful until 2007 when the effects of recession began to be felt in 2007 (World Factbook, 2010). Economic Analysis Real GDP growth decreased in 2007 in the wake of recession by 3.9% and later in 2010 by 0.2%. Per capita income also saw a declining trend and the public debt increased from 53.2% of GDP in 2009 to 63.4% in 2010 (World

History in the 21st Century Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History in the 21st Century - Term Paper Example The different approaches applied when studying the subject create uniqueness throughout the different historical eras. This essay will therefore investigate various historical approaches in the 20th century. The essay will also investigate the implication of the different approaches in history to scholars. Similar to ancient and medieval history, the twentieth history had its unique approach and method. Marxism is a historical approach of the twentieth century that was introduced by Marx. Through his philosophy, Marx had many followers who believed that that the existence of any society is determined by relationship between individuals and not the personal characteristic of each member of the society. Marxism historical approach was introduced at the height of conflict between capitalism and communism. According to Marx, capitalism was unsustainable and it would soon be overtaken by communism. Marxist considered the economy to be a key player in the determination of events or differe nt approaches taken by life. Introducing the notion of economy was an appropriate step that the Marxist took to study the subject. This is because the economy is a major determinant of social life and societies. The economic condition of a given community determines the different approaches towards life that the communities take for their own interest. The need to maintain economic stability also determines the different measurers that are taken by a community to protect its interest. Although communism might be a better economic approach, it is unsustainable and hence the predictions made by the Marxist are not realistic. Economic sustainability is realized from sustainable economic principles. Such economy is more likely to be realized from a capitalist economy than from a communist economy. This indicates that the predictions made by the Marxists are unrealistic and unreliable in the long-term. The new social history is the most recent branch of history. In this technique, histor ians apply cultural approaches to study political history of a given society. Culture is the overall collection of a community’s way of life and beliefs. Communities preserve their culture by passing it from generation to generation. The culture of a given society therefore defines a form of investment that a society makes over a long duration. Culture is therefore as good basis that historians can rely on to determined or investigate the political history of a certain community. The approach taken by the new social history to study the political history of a society is an appropriate approach since it utilizes the culture of a society1. Multiculturalism is more of an ideology than a historical approach. Scholars, who apply this approach in their investigations, consider the existence of cultural institutions. The institutionalization of different communities is the classification of different communities based on their common interests. Historians who study the society throu gh multiculturalists approach study the subject by analyzing the different classes of the society such as businesses, cities, nations and institutions. People have a tendency of forming groups that contain people with a common interest. The different groups or societies determine people way of life and their different approach towards life. Although this approach enables history scholars to study the general characteristic of a community, it does not give specific or detailed information about a community. The ap

Non-fiction and Style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Non-fiction and Style - Essay Example In addition, he argues that it is not immoral to refuse to obey unjust laws. Finally, he indicates that the levels of frustration among the black community are reaching such proportions that something must be done now, while peaceful means are still possible, before this frustration reaches its boiling point and explodes into violence before he criticizes the church leaders for failing to recognize this and helping him to channel this energy more positively. He makes these points by arguing for morality and appealing to human ‘goodness’. One of the first points King makes in his letter is that the white people have not heard or perhaps even noticed the desperate no-win situation in which the black people were placed following the Emancipation Proclamation. Now that they were free, they had to support themselves, but the segregation laws that had been enacted in the intervening years effectively prevented black people from escaping the extreme poverty in which they found themselves. By staging nonviolent protests, King realized that he could finally force the nation’s attention on the situation in the South. â€Å"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.† If the rest of the nation realized the escalating situation in the South, they would pressure their politicians to take some action on the unconstitutional laws that had been devised and repeal those laws that continued se gregation. This argument is also a plea to the politicians to uphold their moral principles as he reminds them that â€Å"past promises have been broken by the politicians and merchants of Birmingham and now is the time to fulfill the natural right of all people to be treated equal.† Answering the contention by the other ministers that

History in the 21st Century Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History in the 21st Century - Term Paper Example The different approaches applied when studying the subject create uniqueness throughout the different historical eras. This essay will therefore investigate various historical approaches in the 20th century. The essay will also investigate the implication of the different approaches in history to scholars. Similar to ancient and medieval history, the twentieth history had its unique approach and method. Marxism is a historical approach of the twentieth century that was introduced by Marx. Through his philosophy, Marx had many followers who believed that that the existence of any society is determined by relationship between individuals and not the personal characteristic of each member of the society. Marxism historical approach was introduced at the height of conflict between capitalism and communism. According to Marx, capitalism was unsustainable and it would soon be overtaken by communism. Marxist considered the economy to be a key player in the determination of events or differe nt approaches taken by life. Introducing the notion of economy was an appropriate step that the Marxist took to study the subject. This is because the economy is a major determinant of social life and societies. The economic condition of a given community determines the different approaches towards life that the communities take for their own interest. The need to maintain economic stability also determines the different measurers that are taken by a community to protect its interest. Although communism might be a better economic approach, it is unsustainable and hence the predictions made by the Marxist are not realistic. Economic sustainability is realized from sustainable economic principles. Such economy is more likely to be realized from a capitalist economy than from a communist economy. This indicates that the predictions made by the Marxists are unrealistic and unreliable in the long-term. The new social history is the most recent branch of history. In this technique, histor ians apply cultural approaches to study political history of a given society. Culture is the overall collection of a community’s way of life and beliefs. Communities preserve their culture by passing it from generation to generation. The culture of a given society therefore defines a form of investment that a society makes over a long duration. Culture is therefore as good basis that historians can rely on to determined or investigate the political history of a certain community. The approach taken by the new social history to study the political history of a society is an appropriate approach since it utilizes the culture of a society1. Multiculturalism is more of an ideology than a historical approach. Scholars, who apply this approach in their investigations, consider the existence of cultural institutions. The institutionalization of different communities is the classification of different communities based on their common interests. Historians who study the society throu gh multiculturalists approach study the subject by analyzing the different classes of the society such as businesses, cities, nations and institutions. People have a tendency of forming groups that contain people with a common interest. The different groups or societies determine people way of life and their different approach towards life. Although this approach enables history scholars to study the general characteristic of a community, it does not give specific or detailed information about a community. The ap

STRATEGIC MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

STRATEGIC MARKETING - Essay Example however, it seems that the company’s competitor’s have an upper hand in the market share mainly due to the fact that they have strong marketing strategies. To be at par with, or even at a better position than their competitors, the company needs to reevaluate their marketing strategy. Making use of strategic marketing practices such as strategic thinking will enable the organization to find out what their customers expect form them. Strategic Thinking BT has put in place a marketing plan for its technological products to the mass market. Although the products are doing quite well in the market place, there is room for improvement. Incorporating strategic thinking into the company’s marketing strategy will go a long way in improving the company’s competitive advantage. Strategic thinking can be defined as the process of thinking about transformations and how to prepare for them (Parvinen, Tikkanen, 2007). Strategic thinking will definitely help the company determine and understand the direction of the business and how to create a niche in the competitive marketplace. How can it help my company do a better job of ‘Marketing’? Strategic thinking will help the company be aware of industry changes that may affect its standing on the market and hence, its profitability (Alsem, 2006). The concept of strategic thinking in strategic marketing is very likely to increase the company’s profitability. Before placing products in the market, the company needs to know about the market operates. For instance, information regarding the consumers, pricing and competitors is very important in making a proper marketing plan. At BT Tech, the current marketing strategy can be greatly improved through the incorporation of strategic thinking in the whole marketing process. Strategic thinking will help the marketing team in the organization to know and understand the needs and expectations of the target market (Alsem, 2006). Successful mar keting is not possible without the consideration of how to reach the consumers. Strategic thinking will help the marketing team to not only identify the target market, but also understand their wants, how they reason and even how and where to reach them (West, Ford and Ibrahim, 2010). Knowing the target market well enough is essential if the company wants to reach them before their competitors do. Identifying and selecting a market niche is only the first step in marketing. The managers also need to strategically think about the best way of marketing the company’s products to its target market (Drummond, Ensor and Ashford, 2008). In this respect, the kind of products the company makes should be well designed to fit the needs and preferences of the market. There is no need of making a perfect strategic marketing plan when the product does not meet the needs of the customers (Parvinen, Tikkanen, 2007). Strategic thinking will therefore enable the company to produce products tha t will be well received in the market. In other words, the company will be able to produce and distribute products which will help it get ahead of the competition. Strategic thinking is also important when formulating promotional details for a specific product. In any marketing mix, promotion is a very important step as it is used to introduce products and their benefits to the audience (Drummond, Ensor

Motherhood no longer fitting in the schedule Essay Example for Free

Motherhood no longer fitting in the schedule Essay The younger generation of women are more highly educated than ever before and will continue to postpone child bearing until they are certain they have established a stable career and lifestyle. Another cause of this delay is the difficulty of balancing home life with work life. For too many Australians the choice to have children weighs heavily. When many people check their savings account, it is quite rational for them to delay or decide against having children. Unfortunately, increasing numbers of women put off having children and wait for a better time that simply never comes. The average age at which Australian women have their first child is now 29. This is because women come closest to equality with men when they do not have family responsibilities. As more and more women postpone having children, pursue education and improve their employment prospects, those who have their children young, and who have a lower socioeconomic background, tend to fall behind both socially and economically. So many women find themselves stuck. Having a career makes it harder to have children, but having children makes it increasingly necessary to have a career for support. Therefore it is not always women deciding not to have children, but it seems as though the decision has already been made. If women are provided with opportunities equivalent to men but these opportunities are severely limited by having children then women almost have no choice but to restrict the number of children they have. However this is not always the case. There are a small percentage of women who choose not to ever have children. These women want the benefits of stability in community life and financial independence, but at the same time are unwilling to pay the cost of giving up any degree of personal freedom. It may seem selfish, but who wouldnt? A modern womans desire for a successful career is simply a case of choosing luxury apartments and designer shoes over changing nappies. For many women, children do not quite fit in the image of the cosmopolitan lifestyle they wish to lead. They would prefer freedom, fun, independence, time and money rather than responsibility, restrictions, stress, worry, financial struggles and chaos. Ok, maybe in reality it isnt that black and white. Love is the only main advantage of having children but who can guarantee that that will always be the case? Is an uncertain love really worth it? For me, I dont know if Ill ever feel the joy of holding my own baby in my arms. Im sure most women had a similar opinion at one stage. For many women who decide not to ever have children, motherhood is viewed as a burden rather than an experience of personal fulfillment. Another significant factor of the reduction of the birth rate is the breakdown of long term relationships. Most women still want children in marriage, but with divorce rates so high and children being put off until later in life, relationships often end before the kids come along. No matter how happily married, statistically speaking, a woman still faces a greater than 40% chance of ending up a single parent. Many women who would like to have children may possibly not have yet found a suitable partner, further delaying childbirth. Now Australia must face the issue of increasing the birth rate once again. Demographers now realise that the accelerating trend in fertility decline is not a temporary phase but an indication of a long-term change. Most Australian women do want children but find it too difficult to balance family life and work. Conservatives will ask women to give up work to satisfy their notion of what is an ideal life. In my opinion, Australias birth rate is not about telling women to go back in to the kitchen. Promoting a better balance between work and family life, with some flexibility for all employees can be achieved without compromising productivity. The population debate in Australia must start by focusing on the family. A good family policy, particularly a better balance between the demands of work and child bearing responsibilities, will ultimately provide the start of a better future.

Importance of Mental Toughness in Sport

Importance of Mental Toughness in Sport Mental Toughness: What is the Real Difference Between Winning and Losing? When it comes to being successful, you can never find a substitute for hard work. In the corporate world, you need to learn the ropes of the business and spend countless hours on reading books and attending seminars on self-improvement. In sports, you have to train consistently in order to reach your full potential. But what if during an important business meeting, you suddenly had a mental block and anxiety followed? As a result, you forgot to mention an important point and because of it, the business deal fell apart. Same thing can happen in a Jiu-jitsu practice session where a sudden lapse in judgment could lead to a reversal, and in a matter of seconds, you were the one tapping out. How come we can be so prepared in doing something and then lose just like that? UFC 117: Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen Sonnen dominated the first four rounds of this championship match by using his wrestling skill. In round 5, Sonnen went for another takedown. Almost two minutes is left, and the audience is in awe. A new champion will be crowned, the long-time reigning champion will be defeated, the one considered as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) will lose— the unthinkable will happen! Sonnen is on the guard again and continued with the ground and pound to add more damage to his opponent. Silva threw a few punches from the bottom and Sonnen lifted his left arm to block. In the process, Silva quickly positioned his leg behind Sonnen’s neck and a leg triangle was in place. Silva secured the hold and one of the greatest comeback fights in sports happened†¦.Sonnen tapped out! He was only 1 minute and 50 seconds from being a champion. A lot of professional fights end up this way; one lapse in judgment can make or break a career. Some fighters learned from it but some of them never recovered. Concentration makes you apply everything that you have learned in training. Success starts in the mind but unfortunately, not everyone can sustain that concentration during a fight. When two combatants face off, you can take advantage of your skills and concentrate on executing it. However, if both fighters have a similar skill set and conditioning, the only deciding factor here is how mentally tough they are. Who will break first? Who will make the first mistake? That’s when you need to be mentally tough more than physically tough. Relaxation and Concentration Mental toughness encompasses not just fighting sport but all competitive sports and other areas in our everyday life, including our job. Several competitors can be so good in practice but underachieves in the actual competition when the pressure of the game starts to mount up. Lebron James was called â€Å"Lechoke† before, and it only stopped when he won an NBA championship not just once but twice. Now, people in the media and fans think that he can surpass Michael Jordan and be the GOAT in basketball. Concentration is the ability to have that laser-like focus on what’s important and to let go of all distractions. However, in order to concentrate, you should be relaxed. Relaxation is defined as the state of being calm despite pressure. Take note that relaxation and concentration are interacting mental skills—they work hand in hand. You cannot be mentally tough if you don’t have both. Float like a butterfly (be relaxed) and sting like a bee (concentrate and hit the target). That’s how Muhammad Ali became the GOAT in boxing! Keep in mind that being relaxed means that you are excited in a good way. If you are totally relaxed, you will fall flat during the competition. You need to be pumped up and ready for action. Like physical conditioning and learning skills, being relaxed also takes practice—the more time you invest in it, the more it will develop. During boxing, if you are relaxed, you can see the incoming punches and you will be able to dodge them easier. If you are nervous and under pressure, you are more likely to close your eyes as the opponent’s gloves hit towards your face. If you are too anxious, your body will tighten up and you won’t be able to execute all of the skills that you have learned during practice. That is the reason why fighters have their entrance music as they walk their way towards the ring or the octagon—it makes them feel relaxed. Another way to relax is to embrace and accept nervousness. It’s very normal and once you accept the reality, then you will be calmer. Pre-competition rituals such as mumbling repeated words and doing rhythmic movements that could take the fighter’s focus away from distractions are also of great help. When it comes to defense, breathing plays a very important role. You can be the best striker but without oxygen, you will be like a race car without a fuel. Thus, deep, slow breathing is needed before and during the competition. Throwing combination punches and kicks or going for a reversal during a jiu-jitsu match requires a lot of air in your oxygen tank. If you don’t breathe properly, you won’t be able to recover and soon, your legs will feel heavy, your arms will start falling, and it’s your turn to get punched in the face. Laser-Like Concentration A laser pen doesn’t dance all over the place when you focus it on an object; it will stay there as long as you allow it to. Concentration is all about focusing on the present situation. Recalling failures in the past or worrying about the future will not help. Do what you need to do at that very moment. Before you drink water, you don’t try to determine where it came from or think whether you will sweat it out or urinate afterwards. Be honest. You just drink it, right? Likewise, when you are competing, you can only control the present. So, focus on what needs to be done right now and focus on it like a laser! Don’t Drift Away Losing your focus can happen during a match but it’s up to you if you want to drift away or return to focus. A bad call from the referee, trash talk, boos from the crowd, intimidation by your opponent and a lot of other stuff like these can break your concentration. However, remember to compete the way you have been trained. A secured submission can slip by if one of the basic jiu-jitsu techniques is not well-executed. A sure win can turn to a loss, so the focus should be within YOU – you may drift away but return as quickly as you can. Conclusion All your hard work will become futile if you are not mentally tough. Remember that a sharp mind can cut deeper! So, the pain, the struggle, the exhaustion, the thought of giving up— all of these will take your game or career to the next level!