Effectiveness of Social Media in obtaining tour patrons for the travel agency

En' Real Expert Travel Inc.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree

Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management under the College of Tourism and
Hospitality Management Department

of

LYCEUM OF ALABANG
Lyceum Bldg., Km. 30 National Road,

Brgy. Tunasan, Muntinlupa City, Philippines, 1773

Presented to the Panelist of Oral Defense

Submitted to:

Professor Eva Bhady

Submitted by:

Donceras, Airaf Maverick Y.

Medrano, Kenneth P.

Martinez, Lance Louise

Pangandian, Jeighven

Lucido, Kenneth Paul

January 2018
Chapter 1. The problem and it’s background

Introduction

Travel agencies participate in a generally competitive market and must focus on

developing methods of reaching customers that appeal to a new generation and utilize the
advantages of mass media. Social networking, websites, text messaging, and online
advertisements are amongst the most recent forms of brand building used by the travel agency
En' Real Expert Travel Inc. to appeal to their consumer markets. En' Real Expert Travel
Inc. was established on Oct. 13, 2014 through a brain storming of business minded and
visionary entrepreneurs who used to encounter the difficulty of traveling. It is their responsibility
to be available to their customers, and potential customers, in a place where these customers
expect to find their information. With the continuous improvement of social media, most travel
agencies are already using it as their primary source in gaining patrons for the tour packages
that they offer. However, while many organizations are quickly becoming part of the growing
social media market, it is not very clear how useful this market really is for smaller businesses.
For example, Cebu Pacific can reach across the country, opening their arms to all travelers
through Facebook and Twitter, even if the message is creative or utilitarian, but a smaller
business like En' Real Expert Travel Inc. may be challenged as to what point this same tool
would serve for themselves – does social media provide assistance in attracting tour patrons?
Social Media could help in expanding a market of a certain business but it is still uncertain how
effectively does it affect a travel agency like En' Real Expert Travel Inc. in improving the
services that they are already offering. Smaller organizations are geographically confined and
evidence based research in social media is rarely relevant to their conditions and situations.
Travel agencies would need 24/7 access to their consumers even when they do not have a 24/7
staff. Social media provides a huge opportunity for travel agencies to expand their market but at
the same time, it could also provide some challenges in their productivity. In this research we
will gauge the effectiveness of Social Media in obtaining tour patrons for the travel agency En'
Real Expert Travel Inc.
 Factors affecting CTHM Students of Lyceum of Alabang in their restaurant choice

Lyceum of Alabang Students’ perception on the impacts of social media on their choice of eating place
 Factors affecting CTHM Students of Lyceum of Alabang in their restaurant preferences

Introduction

The growing demand for convenience has led to the expansion of the Philippine food service
industry in the form of fast-food restaurants and casual dining restaurants. Full-service restaurants are
also growing, especially in fashionable shopping or dining areas in Metro Manila. Competition in this
segment is keen, with restaurant operators always interested in new and exciting menu ideas to attract
customers.

Lou-Ann Navalta, a Shopper Insights leader of one of the leading global information &
measurement company in the Philippines, Nielsen , explained that some of the reasons why Filipinos are
resorting more to dining out rather than eating at home, is because of the environment of modern-day
Filipinos: fast-paced and time-strapped. According to her, restaurants are appealing because they cater
to their needs for convenience, quick preparation, and ready-to-eat meal options.

In an article published in the business news sector of Manila Bulletin in 2017 by Bernardo M.
Villegas, it is estimated that Food Consumed Outside Home now exceeds P500 billion annually,
according to the data from the Family Income and Expenditures Survey (FIES) of the National Statistics
Office. Out of the budget for food of the typical middle-income household, some 20 percent goes to
food consumed outside the home. Consumption of food either at home or outside the home will be the
first to be benefited by the contemplated tax reform of the Duterte Government to reduce the income
tax rate for those in the 200,000 to P1 million range, the expanding middle class. They are expected to
spend the increase in their disposable income on eating out. This refers not only to restaurants, cafés,
canteens and the like. It also includes street stalls/kiosks that are in high demand in business districts
with heavy foot traffic.

The industry in which the restaurant and fast food firms operate has increasing consumer
demand for every improving product. The growth is proven by the rapid expansion of food outlets in key
areas in Metro Manila. However, even if the market is getting larger, more consumers are still becoming
more price conscious and are exhibiting brand loyalty. With a wide range of restaurants and fast food
establishments to choose from, pricing schemes and marketing strategies determine market shares.

In line with this, the researchers will determine which factor greatly affects the restaurant
preferences of our focus group, which are the students of CTHM department.

Background of the Study

The CTHM department holds the most number of students enrolled in Lyceum of Alabang. They
are mainly composed of Hotel and Restaurant Management and Tourism Students. These individuals are
from different cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds and most of whom have definite and
conflicting restaurant preferences. As such, they have different characteristics; hence, they tend to use
different criteria in selecting restaurants. A deeper understanding of the CTHM students of Lyceum of
Alabang’s selection criteria will provide restaurateurs with valuable information and insights which will
enable them to attract and retain these students as their customers. Consequently, there is a need to
understand the factors affecting their choice and their relative importance that influences these
students’ decision so that restaurateurs can supply their offerings and develop strategies accordingly.

Lyceum of Alabang is situated at Km. 30 National Road, Tunasan, Muntinlupa City. Inside and
outside the school, students have plenty of choices when it comes to the place where they could eat.
Inside the school, there is a canteen and other food stalls that are available for the students to eat into.
Outside the school, there is a mini food park adjacent to it and a nearby mall (SM Muntinlupa) that has
restaurants such as the North Park, Bon Chon, Classic Savory and Giligan's island restaurant and bar and
fast food chains such as Jollibee, Mcdonald’s, Chowking and KFC where students usually spend their
meal time.

Most of the CTHM students of Lyceum of Alabang have already taken the subjects related to the
food and beverage industry so they have an idea on how important their food choices will be for their
health and for their future career in the industry.

In line with this, the researchers will try to determine whether the factors that affects these
students’ decision in choosing a restaurant is affected by their knowledge on how the food and
beverage industry works.