Degree theses from the bachelor’s degree programme in Tourism - University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons

Abstract: To remain successful in the highly competitive and dynamic event industry implementation of new trends and future scenarios have to be sought. An example is hybrid events, which are considered as the most innovative trend in live-marketing and connect social media and events. It is predicted that in the future social media will be an integral part of any successful event. Also, the House of Switzerland (HoS) faces a tough competition due to a very large range of cultural, culinary and tourist entertainment events in the pre-phase and during the Olympic Games. For the first time, the HoS has included social media sites and pre-events in its promotion concept before Olympic Games. Data has been collected on the one hand by conducting a survey among the HoS fans and partners and on the other hand by analyzing log files of the HoS Facebook page and the Twitter channel HoS@London2012. Based on these findings recommendations on the optimization of promotional efforts have been made to raise awareness of the HoS in the pre-phase of the Olympic Games.

Abstract: Wandr is a start-up tourism app that combines the whole customer travel journey within one app. As many digital platforms, which are based in a two-sided market, the creation of the user base is difficult but crucial to be successful. In order to increase their user base, a profound digital marketing strategy is needed. This Bachelor Thesis provides recommendations to improve their user base through digital marketing strategies by defining existing digital marketing strategies and user benefits of tourism apps, as well as analyzing their success factors and pain points. The assessment is based on gained knowledge through a literature review and conducted interviews with experts from the fields of digital marketing, app marketing, and digital tourism solutions. The results of the collected inputs are implemented in the recommendations for the digital marketing strategy of Wandr.

Abstract: Zuhinterst im Glarnerland befindet sich das grösste Pumpspeicherkraftwerk der Schweiz – «Linthal 2015». Nach siebenjähriger Bauzeit stellt sich die Frage, wie dieses gigantische Werk neben der Hauptnutzung, der Stromproduktion, noch genutzt werden kann? Die im Auftrag von Braunwald-Klausenpass Tourismus erarbeitete Bachelorarbeit verwendet diese Ausgangslage, mit dem Ziel das Gebiet Linth-Limmern optimal touristisch zu nutzen und am Markt zu positionieren, sowie das Zusammenspiel der verschiedenen Leistungsträger und der Destination zu definieren. Im theoretischen Teil dieser Arbeit wird auf die Destination und die Produktentwicklung im Tourismus eingegangen. Anschliessend wird eine Situationsanalyse des Linth-Limmern Gebiets vorgenommen und der Produktentwicklungsprozess angewendet. Mit Hilfe von Experteninterviews werden das Potential des Gebiets, Produkte und mögliche Kooperationen analysiert. Zum Schluss werden Schlüsse und Empfehlungen aus der Praxis und Theorie präsentiert.

Abstract: In recent years, China's tourism industry has developed rapidly. Mountain biking, however, hasn't yet become a tourist attraction. It is practised by few clubs and its enrolled members. To check out the potential and challenges of introducing mountain biking into the Chinese market, this bachelor thesis analyses the Swiss experience, its history and its current situation. Through literature reviews, qualitative interviews, and case studies of specific destinations, the different forms, target groups, and the preconditions for establishing attractive mountain biking offers are studied. Based on these findings, conclusions are drawn for the development of products and the management of destinations in a way suitable to future Chinese bikers.

Abstract: In this era of social media, user generated content (UGC) is getting important in people’s daily life. UGC has yet become a new type of word of mouth in tourism and affected nearly every aspect in the customer journey and behavior. This thesis try to seek out the influence of usage of UGC on customer behavior during the customer journey as an effective connection between Switzerland and China. The questionnaire interviews were also undertaken for collecting data. Moreover, the theoretical framework was adopted based on the customer decision making model to analyze the influence of social media on the intention and motivational factors of Chinese tourists. The findings show that UGC serves as a stimulus to arouse tourists’ desires, impulse and intention to travel to Swiss destinations. Based on the results of findings, the paper also discusses the marketing strategies for Swiss destinations and which is their most optimal promotion strategy on Chinese social media.

Abstract: This thesis explains the importance of taking advantage of Chinese tourism social media platforms, publishing optimized Swiss tourism information to Chinese tourists. How Chinese tourists to book and search for Swiss hotels and destinations as well as how the Swiss tourism industry, including hotels and Tourism companies, present themselves on Chinese social media platforms will be investigated. Besides, recommendations for optimized marketing will be utilized to attract more Chinese individual tourists. Difficulties and hindrances like the corona pandemic will finally also be dealt and steps for future development and improvement on Tourism social media marketing will be recommended. Thus, the whole thesis is expected to provide assistance to Swiss tourism to be valuable to the tourism industry.

Abstract: By the end of 2018, China's population in the age group of 60 years above has reached 249 million-this development of an aging society will accelerate. But until now, the consumer market still focus on the young generation now. China has become a very important international tourism outbound market. Chinese tourists are Switzerland's 4th largest inbound segment. With the continuous development of the economy and society, the quality of life of Chinese seniors has improved significantly. Their interests for travel are also increasing. However, few related documents can be found and research on this topic is scarce. This thesis discusses how Chinese OTAs focus on Switzerland as a destination can optimize their products for seniors. Therefore, data is going to be collected through questionnaires and expert interviews in order to deeper understand the special demand of senior tourists. Finally, suggestions for better products of Chinese OTAs to serve their customers are made.

Abstract: Events are one of the fast-growing sectors in the tourism industry. This can also be seen in the city Chur. Chur has various local events of different forms and contents. One of the most important events for the city Chur is the ‘Schlagerparade’. It attracts yearly more than 20’000 visitors and the hotel and gastronomy industry gain record sales. This Individual Bachelor Thesis mainly consists of an introduction, a theoretical part, a methodical part and finally, of the results. The literature for events and their impacts is immense. Therefore, there are several methods to analyze effects evoked by an event. This Individual Bachelor Thesis uses the method of the Spatial Incidence Analysis. This analysis consists of analyzing tangible and intangible effects. The tangible effects are measured by analyzing the financial accounting of the association and by evaluating the expenditures of the visitors. Intangible effects are analyzed by interviews and articles in national print media. In summary, the Spatial Incidence Analysis shows the additional payment flows to the city Chur evoked by the event Schlagerparade 2008.

Abstract: DELUXETARGETS is a privately owned travel design company located in Teufen, AR. With its global offer and virtually global customer base, the company's leadership has developed a marked interest in Chinese outbound tourism, thus wishes to better understand what the current situation looks like for travelers from Mainland China, and how this potential may progress in the next decade. This bachelor thesis provides an detailed explanation of the underlying recent development and the current state of the outbound tourism landscape in China. This phase has been addressed by an in-depth literature review. The following phase has the scope to collect different opinions of market experts with a lot of experience in tourism for Chinese customers in the form of expert interviews. The learning from these segments result in suggestions for Western tourism suppliers on how to best prepare to attract and host a possibly increasing number of Chinese tourists.

Abstract: Providing the customer with positive experiences at each individual interaction with the company enhances the possibility of emotionally binding the customer to the enterprise. This individual bachelor thesis analyses the creation of an experience, it investigates what an experience actually is and what is needed to create one. To handle and monitor experiences the study applies principles of «customer experience management» and aspects of the more detailed, newly established management approach «touchpoint management». Using these means, two models are described and later deployed to analyse the outcome of the qualitative research conducted through interviews and observations for the Co-Advisory of this IBT, the hotel Kurhaus in Lenzerheide. The aim of this thesis is to present the hotel with information about the comparison of the perceptions guests have about the individual touchpoints and the corresponding perception/setting intentions of the management leading to recommendations for potential future touchpoint improvements.

Abstract: The Null Stern hotel has closed its doors in June 2010 one year after opening. Even though there is still a high demand, this prototype is now used as a museum. In order to spread the Null Stern – the only star is you spirit an appropriate replication strategy needs to be found. For this reason, researches about the method of social franchising were done since in recent years this term has been established as a new concept to expand social activities. It is about scaling-up a business concept to solve a certain social problem. However, the concept of the social franchise method is to maximise social impacts with limited resources. The paper discusses different topics in the literature review so as to draw connections to Null Stern – the only star is you. Firstly, the terms commercial and social franchising needed to be explained and specified. Further narrowed down topics were non-profit-organisations, sustainable development as well as the star classification of hotelleriesuisse. The results out of the expert interview with one of the founders deepened the knowledge about the pilot project and future actions. The main goal of the thesis is to identify whether the social franchise model is appropriate to replicate the philosophy of Null Stern – the only star is you.

Abstract: This bachelor thesis focuses on a comparison of the Swiss hotel industry in regard to their online distribution strategy. Secondary research was contributed to build a solid foundation over the topics of the Swiss hospitality market, online distribution strategy, price parity, and last but not least, the status quo of the industry. Furthermore, four expert interviews have been carried out. To gather quantitative data, one hundred hotels have been assessed with the purpose to gain practical insights into the Swiss hospitality market. This bachelor thesis shows the current situation regarding the online distribution strategies in the Swiss hotel industry. Identified differences are analyzed and discussed. Furthermore, the topic of price parity in regard to importance and success factors is presented. Other investigated aspects involve hotel websites and integrated web booking engines, online travel agencies, metasearch platforms, and Google Hotel Ads.

Abstract: Chinese tourism industry has a great and continuous potential for growth. However, with the rise of digitalization like e-tourism, many traditional travel agencies have been seriously impacted by OTAs (Online Traditional Agencies) in recent years. Furthermore, majority of traditional travel agencies still use the marketing strategy which is tried and tested but has not change much in the last year, therefore it would be hard to meet the customer's changing demands. Based on the comparison between traditional travel agencies and OTAs, this Bachelor Thesis analyzes the used marketing strategies with the 4Ps theory and through a qualitative research method (semi-structure interview), and seeks a new effective marketing strategy. Additionally, it provides recommendations to improve the actual marketing implementations from the traditional travel agency perspective.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to choose Sri Lanka as a destination for health tourism, which provides special local treatment to the tourists. Through understand this special medical system to analysis the potential of this tourism attraction toward the health tourism. Through compare with other competitive countries to developing a further market strategy. The first part of work is giving a general introduction about Sri Lanka and use different methods to analysis the health tourism market in this destination( PEST and the Gap analysis etc.) Through those analysis to evaluate the current market status of Sri Lanka health tourism. Part two is according the analysis result to set up a developing target. Then create a market developing strategy by using different instrument and channels. Through it to closing the gap between the current market status and the developing target.

Abstract: The tourism industry is in constant movement. To stay competitive it is essential that managers know and adopt future trends in order to fulfil the customers’ requirements. This bachelor thesis aims to develop a tourism concept for Appenzellerland in 2020. The thesis is based on three pillars, namely a literature review, analyses about the current situation and interviews with experts. Firstly, current and future trends are specified by a literature review. It includes a look at change of values in society, driving forces in different environments and specific outlooks of some trend researchers. Secondly, the current situation in Appenzellerland is analysed by means of an As-Is-Analysis and by consideration of existing development plans. To achieve an overview beyond Appenzellerland the analyses are enlarged to a competitor analysis which includes a benchmark and best-practice examples. Finally, the thesis includes an evaluation of several expert interviews. According to the results of all investigations, the concept points out possible improvements in order to guide Appenzellerland toward an outstanding tourism destination in the year 2020.

Abstract: Indian tourists visiting Switzerland is increasing every year with the growing number of Indian international travellers. This is a consequence of rapid rise in the disposable income of the emerging Indian middle class and upper middle class families. Hence, India is a new touristic target market for Switzerland and the potential of Indian tourists for Switzerland destination is huge, Swiss hospitality should be prepared to host Indian guests. For that reason, it is important for Swiss hoteliers to know upper middle class Indian expectations in order to provide services according to their expectations. Therefore, this Bachelor Thesis is designed to find out the expectations of upper middle class Indian tourists from the Swiss hospitality industry. The main aim of this thesis is to discover the hotel services which will satisfy upper middle class Indian guests to plan services for future hotel project.

Abstract: Immer mehr Veranstaltungen und Events konkurrieren sich um wenige finanzstarke Sponsoren. Einer Konkurrenz, der auch der FC St.Gallen ausgesetzt ist. Entsprechend wichtig für den Traditionsverein ist es, Sponsoren langfristig an sich zu binden. Das Ziel dieser Bachelorarbeit ist es herauszufinden, welche Kundenbindungsmassnahmen im Sportsponsoring für eine langfristige Partnerschaft zwischen Sponsor und Gesponserten nötig sind. Dies geschieht anhand von Recherchen in der Literatur, einer Ist-Analyse des Vereins, sowie einer praxisbezogenen Befragung der aktuellen FC St.Gallen-Sponsoren. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse fliessen anschliessend in die Ausarbeitung von Handlungsempfehlungen zuhanden der FC St.Gallen Event AG.

Abstract: Many visitors of the Abbey of St. Gallen are solely interested in taking pictures of and selfies in the library and then move on to the next touristic attraction. In order to raise the visitors’ interest in the museum’s historically highly valuable content, this bachelor thesis attempts to reflect on the possible effects of gamification. Furthermore, it develops a game with the intention to bring together visitors and to engage them into in-depth discussions on historical and philosophical topics in a playful way. Is it possible to combine games, education, and interactive exchange within the frame of a historical museum? Then semi-structured interviews with experts and visitors were conducted to get their opinions and suggestions about this product.

Abstract: This thesis states that Starbucks grew from a small start up to a multinational billion-dollar empire. It has become an immensely successful business not only because it has a backup from shareholders' only but also because management pays close attention to the various segment of the business. Although there are some signs of weaknesses, the effects of these weaknesses will not be prominent until much later. It presents an overview of the marketing plan employed by the Starbucks Corporation. It includes an introduction to Starbucks and its aim to be the producer of great coffee and great coffee shops. Following on from this, the paper shows how this company markets itself in order to achieve these objectives.

Abstract: Meetings play a crucial role in every business. People need to discuss certain things or just spend some time together to enhance teamwork. Nowadays, modern technology supports the communication between employees. Nevertheless, managers are aware of the fact that nothing is more effective than face-to-face communication. This highlights the market potential of offering a meeting and convention venue. In addition, meeting and conventions show a different seasonality than vacations. This fact makes it interesting for hotels because it is one option to fill their rooms during low season. Therefore, it is a possibility to increase the occupancy rate and the revenue of the Lofthotel. During the assessment of the Lofthotel and its existing products, the lack of an offering that includes the seminar component as well as a social program was discovered. This Bachelor Thesis provides event samples that fill this described gap. As a consequence, the developed event samples comprise meeting session as well as various activities that enhance the teamwork of the participants and provide a memorable experience. All in all, these proposals state a possibility of increasing the revenue of the Lofthotel in Murg.

Abstract: Andermatt is an alpine destination located in central Switzerland which has undergone a transformation and upswing during the past years. Due to natural conditions Andermatt as a mountain destination is dependent on seasons. MICE tourism would offer a chance for the destination to make itself more independent from natural conditions and to position itself as an all-year round destination. This thesis will give a deeper insight into the MICE industry and provide recommendations for the Andermatt Holiday Region on how to position as a MICE destination. Interviews with experts from the MICE segment in Switzerland were held in order to determine possibilities and potential threats the MICE industry might bring Andermatt. Further, ideas and measures for Andermatt were developed, supplemented by recommendations of the author.

Abstract: The Seminar- and Wellnesshotel Stoos is a four-star superior hotel and is located in the carfree village called Stoos, in the canton of Schwyz. It aims to differentiate itself from its competitors. Even though the hotel already offers standard and special packages according to the season, new packages should be implemented. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to develop new packages, not only for already existing target groups, but also to attract new guests. The literature review includes information about innovation and product development, creativity techniques, consumer behaviour, current and future wellness and tourism trends. In addition to the literature review, a survey in the form of a questionnaire is done among the hotel guests. Based on the literature review and the results of the survey, ideas for new packages are developed. The new packages and further recommendations for the hotel are presented in the end.

Abstract: Creating customer experiences is no longer limited to theme parks. In the last few years, different companies from other industries implemented aspects of customer experience. It has been shown, that experience elements play an important role concerning customer satisfaction and help to differentiate strongly from competitors. However, only a few examples of customer experience approaches can be found in the airline industry. Therefore, the subject of the diploma paper wants to close this gap and to show possible approaches towards these business efforts. The aim of this diploma paper is the creation of a customer experience concept for Helvetic Airways. In order to reach this goal, theories, models and examples concerning customer experience management are shown and evaluated. Moreover, the airline industry is described and analysed. Finally, a specific concept for Helvetic Airways is presented. The concept shows specific ideas, approaches and limitations to implement customer experience management in the airline business of Helvetic Airways.

Abstract: Airport passenger leakage has always been a topic of interest for the aviation industry as knowledge about leakage of a certain airport not only is very valuable but also because it gives a lot of insight into how air passengers take decisions. The aim of this individual bachelor thesis is to analyse the passenger leakage which is occurring at Zurich airport, mainly to the airports in Basel and Milano. It describes why passenger leakage exists in the first place by discussing the theories of consumer behaviour, bounded rationality and customer value which then are brought together to form a new model. Further on, the specific characteristics of Zurich airport are looked at and then integrated into the model. Additionally to the literature research, expert interviews have been conducted as well as an online survey among the general population of Central Switzerland. Finally, based on the results of the research, recommendations are formed to counteract the leakage at Zurich airport.

Abstract: Weiterhin steigt die Zahl von Menschen mit Behinderungen und von daher sind die Anforderungen an einen barrierefreien Tourismus ebenfalls gestiegen. Diese Bachelor Arbeit zeigt zum einen auf, welche Barrieren es gibt für Menschen mit Behinderungen wenn sie verreisen wollen. Zum anderen betrachtet sie die Problematik bei Reisen für Menschen mit geistigen Behinderungen. Ferner wird erforscht, welche Bildungseffekte für Menschen mit geistigen Behinderungen auf Reisen entstehen können. Da die Literatur dieses Phänomen noch nicht ausführlich erforscht hat wird versucht an Hand von Reisen der Bruderhaus Diakonie dies zu untersuchen und so diese Lücke in dieser Forschungsarbeit zu schliessen. Dafür wurden Interviews mit Menschen mit geistigen Behinderungen durchgeführt welche schon auf mindestens einer Inklusionsreise nach Tansania dabei waren, analysiert und interpretiert. Zusätzlich wird durchleuchtet welche Auswirkungen Tourismus auf eine Region in einem Entwicklungsland wie Tansania haben kann.

Abstract: Over the last couple of years, the ongoing globalization led to the opening and emergence of new markets. Due to the huge number of products and services, customers have to handle an enormous mass of information. As a service provider, it is important to stand out from the crowd. This can only be achieved through a clear communication strategy which combines several instruments to ensure an effective communication. The purpose of the thesis is to investigate the factors that influence the accommodation sector regarding their way of communication. Moreover, this study will identify common characteristics, needs and problems that are associated with special hotel company structures. With the foundation of the Matterhorn Valley Hotels AG, the involved partner hotels took on a pioneering task in the Swiss hotel industry and this spirit of innovation is intended to be kept up. The thesis ties in with existing communication and completes it with the aim to build up a specific and professional communication concept.

Abstract: «Chameleon» is a new bar and business concept that we plan to introduce to the city of Chur (it is also perhaps the first of it's kind in the country!). The name itself is a good hint as to the nature of the business. This bar aims to employ the outsourcing model that is becoming so popular today, and use it to bring a fresh, dynamic and cultural edge to the beverage service business. Chur is the oldest city in Switzerland and features not only a well-established foreign resident and student population but also has a large number of educational organizations and young people in the age bracket of 18-40 years. We plan to use the talents of these foreign and local residents to offer varying cultural themes at the Chameleon, e.g. a Latin week, Chinese week, Indian week, etc. with the bar being let out to a group that can come up with the best operational proposal for the bar. We provide the bar as a whole, with furniture, fixtures and equipment to the group running the bar at a fixed cost per day. The group brings in any thematic materials, costumes and decorations required, as well as the inventory and snacks to be sold in the bar. All profits made by the group (after appropriate legal and inventory plus labour deductions) can be retained and distributed by members as proposed in the application. The owners will concentrate their energies and capital on marketing the concept as well as themes offered by the bar and earn a fixed salary from the business. This business plan takes you through the whole setup, marketing, financial and other crucial details required to put the concept to the acid test. The Chameleon concept promises to be a successful one, not only financially but also in terms developing entrepreneurs in the area with minimal hassles, regardless of their background, color, race or credit rating!

Abstract: The Generation Y is coming. As the Baby Boomers retire and the young professionals known as the Generation Y enter the working environment, many companies are facing problems, which is caused by this generational shift. It is said that this generation differs widely from their predecessors. Therefore, the young professionals will bring in a new style and perspective to the workforce, forcing organizations to adapt. This bachelor thesis explores the challenge of attracting, leading, and retaining the Generation Y while meeting their needs and expectations in order to make a company a place where young people want to stay. The main goal of the thesis is to develop a concept for travelwindow AG, an online travel agency located in Zurich. The research paper consists of a literature review that provides basic knowledge in order to put the empirical part into context, which comprises a survey with 170 students, in-depth interviews with the company heads of three different firms, and lastly a survey conducted with the workforce of travelwindow itself. Finally, recommendations for travelwindow are deduced from the findings.

Abstract: A process which meets the needs of present tourist and host communities whilst protecting and enhancing needs in the future. This is the meaning of sustainable tourism and gains importance not only in individual branches but also for a destination. The tourism organization St. Gallen-Bodensee embraces this in two different ways. One is a Charta from the association «Schweizer Tourismus Verband» (STV) and the other is the city of St. Gallen with their performance agreement. Both of them require a sustainable development strategy. Yet the implementation of a sustainable strategy requires a set of criteria whose fulfilment guarantee sustainability. In this thesis the goal is to develop these criteria and their evaluation with regard to social sustainability. The work is structured in three main parts. Firstly, central aspects of sustainability are defined, the structure of St. Gallen-Bodensee described and the literature of indicators elaborated. Secondly, semi-structured interviews were held with stakeholders who are operating in one of the actions fields of SGBT. Based on the findings of literature research and interviews, recommendations for ST. Gallen-Bodensee Tourism are revealed.

Abstract: Alpine Tourism is crucial for the tourism sector of Switzerland and Austria. Cable Car Companies play the role of a lead industry in alpine destinations. Nowadays the Cable Car branch is in a consolidation phase. The increased competition and the critical financial situation combined with snow scarcity results in urgency for Cable Car Companies to operate efficiently. The management quality has become more important for Cable Cars in the last few years. The aim of the thesis is to figure out how accepted Quality Management is in the Cable Car Branch in Austria and Switzerland. The thesis consists of three parts. In the first part all the relevant theory is going to be described in order to create a basic understanding of the topic. The second part consists of quantitative research. The aim of the quantitative research is to show how many Cable Car Companies in Switzerland and Austria work with a Quality Management System. The final part of the thesis is the qualitative research. With the help of expert interviews, barriers, benefits and the actual situation of Quality Management in the Cable Car industry are analysed.

Abstract: Loyal customers are very crucial for a company, because it is much less costly and more profitable to keep existing customers instead of attracting new ones. Customer loyalty programs provide an opportunity to establish long-lasting relationships in order to collect valuable data and learn from the knowledge of loyal customers about a specific product, brand or company. At the same time, the company gives the clients something back for their loyalty and stimulates them for further purchases. For this reason, Bicycle Holidays Max Hürzeler is looking for introducing a suitable customer loyalty program in order to reward their very loyal customers and to create new communication opportunities. To establish a successful customer loyalty program, it is important to consider customers’ needs and expectations towards such a program. Therefore, a survey on Majorca with current returning customers was conducted. The first part of the paper is dedicated to existing literature about customer loyalty and customer loyalty programs. This is followed by an empirical part as well as analysis of the results and consequently, several proposals for the implementation of a customer loyalty program for Bicycle Holidays Max Hürzeler are given.

Abstract: The SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun manages various restaurants in the ski area, including the Mati and the two restaurants on the Gurschen. In these specific restaurants, efficiency plays a major role in generating a high turnover, which is why a digital solution for service is being sought. This bachelor thesis analyses the theoretical basics of a digitisation in alpine restaurants and discuss different possibilities for digital service processes. The assessment is based on interviews with experts and a survey, which will result in a detailed guide for implementation, and also includes crucial inputs from the interviews in the form of recommendations. In addition, a formula is developed, which enables the company to control the success of the digitisation.

Abstract: At the time being, the global society is working on how to make aviation greener and quieter. To address this problem, many different solutions are being brought up, with one of them being the creation of hybrid planes. The aim of this thesis is to analyse the value drivers and the willingness to pay for hybrid planes in Switzerland in the private aviation market. However, at the moment there are no hybrid planes on the Swiss market, thus the proof-of-concept created by the company Smart Flyer will be used as an example. Smart Flyer is developing a four seater hybrid (electric-fuel) aircraft. The research questions are answered by conducting expert interviews with people from different fields in the aviation sector as well as a survey distributed to the members of the Motorflug Verband association in Switzerland.

Abstract: Heutzutage herrscht auf dem Markt der Budgethotellerie ein starker Konkurrenzkampf. Durch AirBnB oder privatebetriebene Pensionen haben die etablierten Hostels Marktanteile verloren. Auch das traditionelle Surfcamp hat Mühe, weiterhin Gäste anzuziehen und so, auf Dauer erfolgreich zu sein. Diese Arbeit hat zum Ziel, die Basis-, Leistungs- und Begeisterungsmerkmale von Surfcamps zu definieren. Zu diesem Zweck wurde ein theoretischer Bezugsrahmen erarbeitet, in welchem die drei Aspekte: der Surfer, der Backpacker und das Hostel miteinander in Beziehung gebracht wurden. In einem weiteren Schritt wurden Daten anhand verschiedener qualitativer und quantitativer Methoden erhoben, um allfällige Lücken in der Literatur zu schliessen. Basierend auf den analysierten Daten liessen sich einige der Basis-, Leistungs- und Begeisterungsmerkmale definieren, aus welchen spezifische Empfehlungen an Surfcampbetreiber abgeleitet werden konnten.

Abstract: Emerged with the development of the Internet, online reviews and ratings have become increasingly important for various industries, including the hospitality industry. It is the aim of this thesis to proof the rising importance of online reputation management (ORM) for hotels. Additionally, it is the ambition to clarify whether Swiss hotels tap the full potential yet. Using this as a basis, practical recommendations are provided. Therefore, this thesis firstly examines the theoretical background of reviews and ratings by investigating their evolution, the consumer-decision making process and introducing the topic of ORM. Secondly, it is looked at pricing strategies of hotels and the effects of ORM on lodging performance as detected by former studies. The literature review is complemented by a data analysis that compares and contrasts the performance of hotels in Bern and Arosa in this context. In addition to this, interviews with two industry experts were hold.

Abstract: Inszenierung wird heutzutage immer wichtiger. Die Möglichkeiten und Chancen für eine Unternehmung, die sich aus der Entwicklung der multimedialen Medien ergeben sind enorm. Das Ziel dieser Bachelorarbeit ist es die Wichtigkeit und Wirkung von medialen Inszenierungselementen am Point of Sale aufzuzeigen. Diese Auswirkung der multimedialen Medien soll am Beispiel einer Messe untersucht und analysiert werden. Mittels einer qualitativen Analyse durch Beobachtungen und Expertenbefragungen soll unter anderem folgende Hypothese verifiziert werden: «Eine gezielte Anwendung einer optimalen Kombination von multimedialen Medien und Inszenierungselementen im Bereich Bild und Ton führen zu einem finanziellen Erfolg der Unternehmung». Die ganze Arbeit nützt allen Unternehmen, die an einer Messe multimediale Medien nützen oder installieren. Vor allem ist die Arbeit an Unternehmen gerichtet im Luxusindustriebereich wie zum Beispiel der Baselworld.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the Ageing population, with emphasis on the aspects of tourism and travel. The aim of the paper is to discover whether hotels in Switzerland are ready for the demographic shifts or not and how do they perceive this segment in the future. Chapter one focuses on the demographic shifts in Switzerland taking place and how the population in Switzerland will transfer to more percentage of seniors in the future. Firstly the paper clarifies the changes in the old age i.e. the biological, social, economic and psychological changes. The second part of the chapter relates to the senior travel market and explains the factor demographic shifts, as a source of demand in travel market. The third part of the literature reflects the income and wealth distribution in Switzerland among various age groups. The literature also explains the new senior traveller of today where the changes in lifestyles, habits are discussed. Furthermore the literature analysis the characteristics of senior travellers, leisure patterns during the third age, internet usage among the baby boomers and seniors and their travel trends are also being discussed. The last chapter of the literature discusses the need of infrastructural design as body becomes frail and weak as the age increases.

Abstract: The evolvement of the Internet and changes in the behaviour of young customers from Generation Y have created new market conditions for traditional travel agencies in the Swiss market. The Internet savvy Millennials are able to organize and book their holidays completely independently. As a result of changing market conditions, the business for travel agencies has become more difficult in terms of customer acquisition and staying competitive. The goal of this Bachelor thesis in cooperation with Mosquito travel lounge, a local travel agent in Chur, is to create a strategic approach for traditional small and medium sized travel agencies to attract young travellers. Specific traits of Generation Y members and important travel trends are analysed. An analysis of the Swiss travel market, through expert interviews, shows how the agencies are adapting to those changing market conditions. As a result, travel agencies should be able to align their business towards the needs of young travellers.

Abstract: Die Mitarbeiterführung ist entscheidend, wenn es um den Geschäftserfolg und die Zufriedenheit der Mitarbeitenden geht. In Hinblick auf das Thema «Führung» lassen sich in der Unternehmenspraxis jedoch deutliche Differenzen feststellen. Ziel dieser individuellen Bachelorarbeit ist es, diese Unterschiede zwischen der Hotellerie und der Bankbranche zu identifizieren. Die Thesis basiert hierfür auf den zwei qualitativen Forschungsmethoden, Literaturanalyse und Experteninterviews. Um aussagekräftige Ergebnisse zu erhalten, wird die Mitarbeiterführung in fünf Hotels sowie in der Graubündner Kantonalbank untersucht, analysiert und verglichen. Aus den Befragungen resultierend, werden Verbesserungsansätze für beide Branchen erstellt. Aufgrund dessen kann die Führung gegenseitig optimiert werden.

Abstract: The Audi Snowboard Series is a national snowboard tour for up and coming talents in the Swiss snowboard scene. They have completed the second winter season and would possibly like to attract more sponsors. The aim of this Bachelor thesis is, to benchmark the tour with other tours and events, with a close focus on the areas of sponsorship and public relations as well as communication. Therefore, the literature of sponsorship and public relations is covered in a first step. In a second step, five separate case studies were conducted, examining the Audi Snowboard Series, the TTR World Snowboard Tour, the Nescafé Champs, the Coop Skicross Tour and the BMC Racing Cup. Finally, these case studies were compared to each other and general tendencies, differences and best practices were derived from the cross-comparison of the various cases. The best practices were reformulated into concrete and direct recommendations tailored for the Audi Snowboard Series.

Abstract: In times of airport privatization in India, Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) as the first to undergo this process, is supported with a knowledge transfer by Zurich Airport Ltd. Since BIAL’s start of operations in 2008, both shareholders aspire high Airport Service Quality (ASQ) which requires permanent improvement. The objective of this research is hence to identify the critical success factors of performance management that allows BIAL to improve its results in the quarterly conducted ASQ survey. Structurally, this Bachelor thesis consists of an introductory part and further an overview of the relevant science in the literature analysis, including the main cultural differences between Switzerland and India. Later on, a qualitative study in the form of 14 expert interviews, described in the research methodology part, was conducted. The chapter results consist of the data analysis and the success factors revealed through this analysis which contribute to well-functioning performance management. How those factors can be implemented under consideration of cross-cultural differences is presented in several specific recommendations that form the conclusion of this thesis.

Abstract: The Scuola Specializzata Superiore Alberghiera e del Turismo (SSSAT) and the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW) are both reputable Swiss educational institutes offering academic qualifications in tourism. After gaining their Swiss diploma, students of the SSSAT can further their academic and industry applied education by joining HTW in order to gain an internationally accredited B.Sc. degree. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to establish the existing situation as well as identify any potential opportunities concerning the current transfer system from SSSAT to HTW in order to highlight the mutual benefits of cooperation. The methodological concept and evaluation framework of this paper is based on critical analysis of the transfer system, expert interviews including a follow-up survey questionnaire which identify concrete options leading to more transparent and effective communication.

Abstract: In the knowledge based society of today, the effective and systematic usage of know how generates a competitive advantage. The principal of this diploma thesis, Michael Meier, suggested to examine how know how management (KM) can be applied efficiently at Chur Tourism in order to sustainably store the employees’ implicit know how. First, theoretical background information about know how and types of know how are given. Then the term KM, its functions and two different models are illustrated. The most important prerequisites culture, reward systems and technology are explained next. By means of internet research it was investigated whether the tourism industry already applies KM and a successful KM approach of Siemens is commented on. With focus on Chur Tourism, after a short introduction, in different phases the goals of KM are defined, the current state in terms of KM approaches is examined and weak points are detected. In the concept phase, different suitable tools for KM are presented and further recommendations and implications for Chur Tourism are given.

Abstract: Since before the end of the Cold War, terrorism acts have had major effects on tourism destinations. As a result, the shadowy, mobile, and unpredictable forces of terrorism are becoming an unfortunate part of the travel and tourism landscape. This paper provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of major terrorism events around the world during 1985-2004, classified by date, location, victims, weapons used, severity of damage, motive, effect on tourism demand, length of effect and safety measures. The analysis is followed by extensive researches on the internet and literature about the magnitude of the impact of these events on destinations and the tourism industry worldwide.

Abstract: Environmental resources are core ingredients for the tourism industry and background elements for the production of tourism experience. Consequently, a region’s competitiveness is highly dependent on the protection of the ecological integrity of these features. Although the interdependency of tourism and environment is obvious, nature is still seen as a public commodity without any market price. This Bachelor thesis aims to find a way to make tourists contribute to the maintenance of the landscape. More specifically, an appropriate green tourism tax model for the region of Glarus is to be developed. The paper consists of three main parts: introductory part, theoretical part, and practical part. In the practical part, existing tourism taxation models with environmental aspects as well as alternative taxation models have been analyzed according to five assessment criteria. As a result, an ideal green tax model for canton Glarus has been conceptualized. In a final step, the model that was developed was discussed in a Focus Group Interview with the aim to adapt it professionally. In summary, the overall aim of this thesis was to assess existing green tourism tax models giving best practice for an ideal model for canton Glarus.

Abstract: The share of female mountain bikers in Switzerland has been constantly growing in the last few years. This phenomenon is proven to be more than just a trend. Instead, insights into a modern woman’s societal status and her leisure behaviour reveal, that this sport fits well into her idea of how to spend the free time; combining diverse factors such as “fun”, “being in nature” and “having a break from everyday life”. As a result, the future for alpine regions that promote mountain biking seems to be promising and will hopefully help balancing their critical summer/winter income ratios. Nevertheless, to achieve this, it is crucial to know the target market, what their needs and expectations are and how to meet those. For that reason, guidelines are elaborated for the destination Flims in order to attract the female mountain bikers in the long term.

Abstract: Nachwuchsathleten sehen sich in Bezug auf Individualsponsoringmöglichkeiten und der beruflichen Weiterbildung parallel zum Sport mit grossen Herausforderungen konfrontiert. Ein alternativer Sponsoringansatz, der sowohl das Individualsponsoring eines Nachwuchssportlers als auch dessen berufliche Förderung kombiniert, kann diesen beiden Schwierigkeiten Abhilfe verschaffen. Zeitgleich bietet dieser Sponsoringansatz privatwirtschaftlichen Unternehmen eine alternative und interessante Form der Kommunikation. Diese Bachelor Thesis zeigt auf, ob und unter welchen Rahmenbedingungen Unternehmen und Nachwuchsathleten bereit sind, an dieser neuartigen Form des Individualsponsorings zu partizipieren sowie welche Motivationen dahinter stehen. Die Beurteilung des Potentials dieser Sponsoringvariante basiert auf Erkenntnissen aus Interviews mit Sponsoringexperten, Nachwuchsathleten und Sportfachexperten in unterschiedlichen Tätigkeitsgebieten.

Abstract: A steady growth of Indian inbound market to Swiss destinations attracts the attention of many tourism providers recently. Yet, there was a widely held assumption that Indian tourist behaviour, results certain reservations among Swiss suppliers, holds back from executing effective performance. It has, in fact, constructed an urgent need for identifying the rational courses of this phenomenon and developing mutual understandings. A significant level of cultural disparity between both nations is understood to be causing these misunderstandings. Indian national culture, deeply rooted in its majority religion Hinduism, establishes a very different worldview than of Swiss culture. Both cultures provided with its’ own national codes for their behaviours. This research presents a profound knowledge of cultural morals behind Indians behaviour. Understanding these behaviours from cultural point of view allows tourism industries to make the most of it. Accordingly, Swiss tourism providers have to be aware of the major value of these morals and be sensitive to the cultural differences. However, for a certain extent, Indian tourists also need to be educated for the better outcome.

Abstract: Wine Tours Switzerland is one of the main service providers for wine activities in Grisons. In recent years, wine tourism has become one of the most promising segments in tourism. In many countries, wine tourism has already been successfully implemented and attracts numerous visitors to the wine-growing regions. However, in Switzerland wine tourism has not reached its full potential. This bachelor thesis explores new trends, evaluates innovative ideas, concepts, and collaborations to enhance experience-oriented wine tourism offers in Switzerland and contribute to regional development. It gives an insight into the demand and supply side. The supply side is represented by expert interviews with winemakers, destination organisations, and tour operators. The demand side is represented by different personas that have been created and interviewed. The results of these analyses including literature research are then used to identify trends and make recommendations for further development.

Abstract: In a permanent growing and diverse industry such as tourism, it is necessary for tour operators to enter new markets in order to stay competitive. Volunteer tourism is a growing niche market, which more and more travel businesses are getting involved in. This relatively new form of travelling describes the phenomenon of combining traveling with the wish to volunteer abroad and help the less fortunate. However, this form of travelling has become highly controversial and subject to rising criticism.Especially the quality and the missing benefits on the side of the local population have often been criticized by environmental and development organizations. This bachelor thesis aims to contribute to the current discussion about volunteer tourism and puts particular focus on ethical considerations, potential impacts, and the meaningfulness of quality standards. The overall goal is to identify essential quality factors in order to make the volunteer products more responsible and sustainable.