Business Commons^™

Enhancing Road Scholar Cuba Programs Through Group Leader Training, Desiree N. Shrode

Capstone Collection

In response to the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the United States imposed several embargos and restrictions against Cuba. The stipulations of these embargos have included prohibitions on not only the importation and trade of cigars, rum, and coffee, but also travel between the U.S. and Cuba. However, in 2011, President Barack Obama decided to ease these travel restrictions for educational travel that is not related in pursuant to an academic degree, also known as a People-to-People license. Due to Obama’s change in policy, many organizations have been sponsoring travel to Cuba on these People-to-People licenses, granted by the Office of …

Women Empowerment And Community Development Through Ecotourism, Katherine S. Barry

Capstone Collection

Eco-tourism is generically and broadly considered to be a trendy topic for the privileged traveler to obtain an “authentic cultural experience”. This paper aims to disprove common misperceptions and present failures the system has created. Eco-tourism is an over-exploited and under-utilized tool in the field of sustainable development. Many resorts and “cultural” tours dominant, while local people suffer economically, social and environmentally. However, in the far-reaches of the Kakamega rainforest, there is group that is filling the environmental, social and economic gap in the field of sustainable tourism. They are the Isecheno Women’s Conservation Group, empowering and educating women to …

Medical Tourism: Trends And Opportunities, Krista Wendt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Medical tourism involves travel for the purpose of receiving medical, dental, or surgical care (Medical Tourism Association), and represents a rapidly growing niche market within the healthcare, tourism, and hospitality industries. Medical travelers are motivated to seek care outside of their area of residence by many factors, including more advanced technology, quicker access, higher quality of care, or lower costs for care in the destination locality (Ehrbeck, Guevara, & Mango, 2008). Multiple factors contribute to the growth of the medical tourism industry and suggest a continuing trend toward growth in the future. This nascent industry represents a significant market opportunity …

Capturing The Chinese Outbound Tourism Market: Lessons For Las Vegas Casino Operators, Wilson Wan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

China has become a fast rising economic power and its GDP is expected to overtake America's in about 6 years (How to get a date, 2011). As a result of the increase in wealth, the Chinese middle class has been expanding rapidly and now has access to more resources than ever before. With a higher disposable income, the Chinese now have an increased desire, and capability, to travel the world. In preparation for the increase in outbound Chinese travelers, it would be wise for tourist destinations to be prepared to attract this market and thus capture a part of this …

Sustainable Tourism Marketing Strategies At Unesco World Heritage Sites, Fouad A. Sadiki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Designation as a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site has a significant impact on the tourism development and sustainability of a site, city, region or country. World Heritage sites bring a certain level of prestige and international recognition, but they also have an impact on the local communities as they impact day to day life and rituals of the residents. Several paradigms exist in evaluating the success of a UNESCO World Heritage site. This paper specifically examines how marketing strategies bolster sustainable tourism efforts.

Luxury As Culture: A Leader’S Guide To Luxury Service, Aldo Contreras Alba

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The luxury guest is a sophisticated world traveler, loaded with high expectations, hungry for the next must-see hot spot for business or leisure. As such, international hotel companies are on a quest to find unforgettable locations worldwide in order to provide their loyal followers an unrivaled experience, and stay one-step ahead of the competition. Orchestrated of high-end tangible comforts, beautiful structures, and elegantly appointed décor, the luxury segment may be defined by the words “Five-Star” and “Five-Diamond” – as these are the global synonyms to luxury that creates the ultimate upgrade to travel and leisure. However, the most commonly known …

The Shifting Of The Las Vegas Tourism Industry: A Historical Perspective On Management And Resort Revenues, Eden Mccallister

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Las Vegas has been internationally recognized as the entertainment capital of the world. Whether it is top dollar luxury, world class fine dining, or vibrant night life that one seeks, Las Vegas certainly has something for everyone. The latter half of the 20th century has shown the city unprecedented arenas of success, but with intense global competition on the rise, it is clear that Las Vegas is no longer the only major player in the game. The turn of the 21st century has brought a new wave of economic challenges, and though Las Vegas has adapted over the years with …

Implementing A State Lottery In Nevada, Benjamin K. Boulton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of implementing a state lottery in Nevada and to present the benefits of a state lottery for both the Nevada hospitality industry and the Nevada economy. It will compare and contrast the arguments for and the arguments against a lottery by executing a content analysis of existing research literature as well as other relevant publications. It will also examine the history of lotteries, the states that border Nevada and have lotteries and the legislative history of lottery proposals in Nevada.

Maintaining The Profitability Of Gaming’S Premium Players, Maxwell J.H. Olson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: This paper does not seek to condemn the use of incentives for high-end casino players. Rather, it is intended to illuminate common policies and practices that might require more measurement and consideration prior to being distributed. This paper also explores and examines existing literature and findings regarding the profitability of high-end casino players and offers guidelines for evaluating profitability.

Statement of Objective: This paper targets existing policies and practices in the contemporary Las Vegas casino gaming business, separately examining the profitability of each incentive program or common practice. As a consolidated examination of such practices, this paper can serve …

Discovery Of Timbuktu: Geopolitical Rivalries And Myths, Katherine Van Meter

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the exploration and discovery of Timbuktu primarily focusing on the travels and narrative of René Caillié the first European to publish his successful journey to Timbucku in 1828. Timbuktu since the thirteenth century had become a romantic mystery for Europeans and stimulated massive interest in its discovery by major geographical Societies. Through a mixture of primary and secondary sources I am able to analyze the geopolitical rivalries and myths surrounding Timbuktu that would instigate the travels of twenty-five English, fourteen Frenchmen, two Americans and one German which the majority of resulted in death. Examining Caillié’s published narrative …

A Comparison Of Profiles And Expenditures Between Volunteer And Leisure Tourists For The New Orleans Metropolitan Statistical Area, Ksenia Kirillova

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research compared the expenditure patterns, profiles, and trip characteristics of volunteer and leisure tourists in New Orleans. Survey research methods were used to obtain a sample of voluntourists that was compared to a leisure tourist sample obtained from secondary data. Visitors’ expenditures across six types of spending, demographics, and travel information were collected. Data analysis included eight t-tests that revealed that voluntourists’ spending was lower in five out of six categories, total daily expenditures, and total trip spending. Voluntourists spent more on local transportation but preferred cheaper accommodations and dining, seldom gambled, shopped little at the destination, and rarely …

A Comparative Analysis Of College Student Spring Break Destinations An Empirical Study Of Tourism Destination Attributes, Tricia Tang

HIM 1990-2015

The tourism industry has become one of the fastest growing sectors in the world's economy, contributing 9.1% of world GDP and more than 260 million jobs worldwide (World Travel & Tourism Council, 2011). The U.S college student market has emerged as major segment within this sector, generating approximately $15 billion on annual domestic and international travel. Among the various travel patterns of college students, they are most highly motivated for spring break travel, with more than two million students traveling per season (Bai et al., 2004; Borgerding, 2001; Reynolds, 2004). This research, through surveying college students majoring in hospitality and …

Predicting Expenditure Patterns Based On Motivations To Travel For Active Sport Tourists, Chris Brown

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The present study continued the line of research into general tourism motivations and expenditures by further expanding the scope into active sport tourists traveling to participate in a specific sport. In completing this research, a broad range of travel, expenditure, and motivational factors were considered. In addition, multiple regression was utilized to answer the proposed research question in an attempt to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of active sport tourists' motivations for travel and their subsequent expenditures.

From Fandom To Tourism: An Examination Of Self-~Expansion Theory, So Jung Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In recent years, pop-culture tourism, in which individuals travel to destinations made famous through pop-culture or relative media themes, has come into the spotlight. The new market segment induced by pop-culture has created a specialized but dedicated consumer, called a "fan." This study examined the impact of pop-stars on a destination from the perspective of fans. Specifically, the research investigated whether fans at different degrees of fandom had different travel attitudes and behaviors with regard to motivation, satisfaction, attachment, and loyalty in the destination context by applying self-expansion theory. In particular, Korean pop-star's fans were chosen as the study example …

Fifa 2014 World Cup: Brazil’S Unending Headache: An Economic Investment That Challenges The Country’S Future, Bruna Almeida Lopes Barreto

Honors Capstone Projects - All

Brazil is soccer. The game is so deeply ingrained in daily life - in Brazilian identity and self-esteem- that they define each other. Soccer is so profoundly intertwined with Brazilian culture that familiarity with the sport begins early, producing a bottomless pool of talent. Year after year, soccer stars seem to roll out of Brazil like cars off a factory assembly line; it’s a natural talent that grows in almost every Brazilian child. Soccer means passion to Brazilians; it is the symbol of their nationality, as they have proven to be very the best at it.

Now, Brazil finally has …

The Marketing Plan Of The Cotai Strip, Pui Shan Wong

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 2003, when most the current Cotai Strip was still a piece of reclaimed land, Sheldon Adelson started a visionary development on this piece of land: the Asian Las Vegas - the Cotai Strip under the corporate Sands China Limited. Its first property, the Venetian Macau was opened in August 2007 followed with a Four Seasons hotel in 2008 with a great success. The forthcoming project is the Sands Cotai Central which includes a 1,200-rooms Holiday Inn Macau, a 600-rooms Conrad Macau and a 4,000-rooms Sheraton Macao with an additional complex of casino, meeting facilities, and shopping mall.

Marketing these …

A Green Marketing Guideline For The Cruise Industry In North America, Xi Guo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this professional paper is to develop a guideline of green marketing strategies for cruise managers in North America.

Statement of objectives: This paper will develop a customer relationship model according to the literature review of customer behavior and customer relationships in the hospitality industry. Meanwhile, the characteristics of green customers and the most popular green practices in the hotel and restaurant industry, and current sustainable achievements in the cruise industry will be investigated respectively. The green marketing guideline will be explored basing on the customer relationship model and the investigations of green customers and green practices …

Identify Possible Critical Provider Gap(S) In The Package Tours Sold By Travel Agencies In Singapore, Chih Wee Siow

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Package tours are beginning to wane in its popularity and relevancy in today’s sophisticated travel market. This is beginning to show in Singapore as well. The needs and wants of customers are not as well met as compared to the past. If a travel agent wishes to stay profitable in this market segment, it is necessary for the operator to take a good thorough look at its tour packaging value chain. From the nature of the product itself to the end execution of the product, the travel agent needs to review its relevancy and ability to meet customers’ needs. The …

Marketing Analysis For Bonk Knob Shoals Located In Van Buren County, Tennessee, Lillian Lee Ehrmann

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide Alfred Crabtree, owner of Bonk Knob Shoals, with a marketing plan. Bonk Knob Shoals will be an upscale campsite nearby Spencer, TN in Van Buren County.

Statement of Objective: Bonk Knob Shoals is currently under development and the owner wants to gain insight to LOHAS tourists, so he can create a suitable business plan to attract people in that niche market. Marketing is a huge component of the business plan because Crabtree believes a significant amount of resources will be needed to increase tourism awareness of the upscale campsite, …

Training Program For New Chinese Casino Players, Yanlei Xu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Las Vegas offers unique experience to visitors through nonstop entertainment. New data collected primarily from office of travel and tourism industries (OTTI), international tourism administration under U.S.Department of Commerce (OTTI, 2011) suggested the international visitors now contributes more to Las Vegas’s bottom than ever before. Based on a report from Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority (LVCVA, 2011), visitation from China increased by 38% in 2010, and OTTI data projected Chinese visitors to the US would increase by 219 % by 2015. With the new loosen policy on foreign tourist Visas, more foreign tourists would boost the whole tourism industry …

Comparing Service Qualities/Gaps Between Hospitality Industry And Timeshare Industry, Yan Zhu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

After the Great Recession of 2008, both the hospitality and the timeshare industries were influenced dramatically. Consumers became more sensitive to the price of services rendered, and to service quality when choosing hotels and investing in timeshares. Thus, service quality became the vital factor contributing to success in the highly competitive hospitality industry. This paper will compare service qualities and gaps between the hospitality industry and the timeshare industry. The purpose of this study is to find the key service gaps in the both industries and service quality dimensions.

Objective of Study: This paper will identify each aspect of service …

Developing A Marketing Plan For Hertz China, Isabel Tan Ai Wei

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this professional-paper is to develop a marketing plan for Hertz China. Hertz China is a car rental company which focused on business to business and business to customer market and only short-term rentals, of less than one year's duration. This marketing plan will thus exclude long-term or leasing arrangements and considers only cars, and excludes commercial vehicles such as vans and trucks. The marketing plan will focus on analyzing the potential consumers, product mix, price, and local competitors for such a business.

Why China? A Study Of Why Foreign Hotel Companies Are Rushing To Develop New Luxury Hotels In China, Sean Hardingham

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this professional paper is to identify why China is currently the number one recipient of foreign investment from foreign multinational luxury hotel companies.

Statement of Objective: An exploratory study will be conducted in support of the purpose. With such a lack of available information relating specifically to luxury hotel development in China; published data on the current economic, cultural, and tourism environment in China will be used to support conclusions made in regard to luxury hotel development by multinational hotel companies.

Justification: Deng Xiaoping’s introduction of the Open Door Policy in 1978 opened the door to …

The Relationship Between Live Music And Enjoyment Of Wine, Janey Helene Cowan

Agribusiness

This study was performed in order to determine the relationship between enjoyment of music in a live setting and enjoyment of wine consumed while at the concert. Surveys were collected from 113 respondents throughout the summer of 2011 at San Luis Obispo’s “Concerts in the Plaza.” J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines was the wine sponsor throughout the summer concert series, which represented a wide variety of musical genres. Overall, 80% of the sample was women, 69% drank white wine, and 93% had tried J. Lohr wines before the event. With regard to wine opinion, 57% of the sample maintained the …

The Effects Of Corporate Social Responsibility On Service Recovery Evaluations In Casual Dining Restaurants., Heidi Albus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on service recovery in terms of customer satisfaction, repeat patronage, word of mouth, and consumer trust in casual dining restaurants. More specifically, this study proposed that CSR will have a halo effect on negative service recovery incidents and mitigate the adverse effects of the poor recovery. An experimental study consisting of a 3x2 between subjects factorial design was used. Three CSR conditions (positive, negative, and no CSR) were matched with two service recovery conditions (positive or negative). Four hundred and eighteen subjects were recruited by a reputed marketing research firm. …

International Worker Cultural Adaptation: A Qualitative Study, Luis Romero Valenzuela

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

International workers are a vulnerable population within the hospitality industry. Their challenges, and needs have an impact on productivity, loyalty and satisfaction of international workers towards the organizations that employ them. The social and cultural impacts of labor migration are felt in their new environment by both domestic and immigrant populations. It is important to understand international workers’ acculturation process in order to provide them with tools necessary to succeed; it is also important to create responsible practices that translate into positive migration outcomes for both domestic and foreign populations. This study collected data on the motivations, processes, challenges, and …

How Does Jay-Customer Affect Employee Job Stress And Job Satisfaction?, Gawon Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Guest-contact employees interact with various types of customers, and they are often exposed to stressful conditions caused by the deviant, or jay-customers. The purpose of this study is to examine how jay-customer behaviors (customer incivility and customer aggression) affect employees’ job stress, and consequently, job satisfaction. Surveys of 210 participants, currently working as guest-contact employees in the hospitality industry, were analyzed for the study. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses show a positive relationship between the experience of customer incivility and employees’ job stress. Additionally, the results indicate a full mediation effect of employees’ job stress on the relationship …

Nutritionally Focused Drive-Thru Menus And The Impact On Consumer Preferences: A Study Of The Restaurant Industry, Meschelle M. Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than one-third of the U.S. citizens (over 70 million people) and 16% of children are classified as obese and are at risk of many diseases including heart disease. Research indicates that 65% of Americans over the age of twenty years old are considered overweight. To address this public health issue, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has proposed new nutritional guidelines for restaurant menus. Thus, the current study investigated the preferences of quick service restaurant (QSR) industry consumers with reference to the newly proposed U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations. This study includes development and redesigning of drive thru …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Pga's Professional Gold Management (Pgm) Program, David Lane Smiley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the relationships between knowledge, skills, ability, self-efficacy, and experiential learning and performance expectations and satisfaction. The purpose of this study was threefold. First, the study attempted to understand the motivators for student motivation to recommend the program. Second, the study looked at the contribution of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for retention and positive word-of-mouth. Further, the research evaluated the relationship of the curriculum in influencing the student’s performance and satisfaction. The study sample consisted of 676 undergraduate students attending one of six PGA Professional Golf management programs in the spring of 2011. The survey instrument was …

Golf Tourism In Ireland: An Inbound Perspective, Brian Murphy

Theses

The fact that Ireland has some of the finest natural golf courses in the world is not a new phenomenon, with renowned courses such as Waterville, Ballybunion and Royal Country Down regularly appearing in the list of top ten best golf courses in the world. The sheer ruggedness and natural beauty of many of Ireland’s links golf courses have for many years attracted golfing enthusiasts to our shores. The experience of playing these magnificent courses is only surpassed by the warmth and hospitality which is shared by the local people. Ireland has a reputation for welcoming visiting tourists with open …