PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Tourism is Scotland’s largest indigenous sector that provides a strong regional balance of employment. The sector primality consists of SMEs. The development of a skilled workforce is vital to delivering sustainable tourism growth and the importance of strengthening the sector capacity to facilitate effective competition for business in the international tourism marketplace, given the macro-economic challenges, i.e., COVID-19. Technology is an enabler and catalyst of innovation and change, a disruptor of tourism, and a tool to build tourism resilience in crisis. Even before the pandemic, digital technology was woven into every fabric of travel and tourism involving every facet of the travel process, every stakeholder, and every industry subdomain. COVID-19 has further enhanced the role of technology in the recovery and re-imagination of tourism.
While digital technology is considered a key part of post-pandemic recovery and future tourism growth, SMEs are lagging in their digital transformation. Many cannot clearly identify their needs and, if they can, often lack the capabilities or financial resources to effectively use digital technologies. The digital skills gap between large enterprises and SMEs is mirrored in a widening productivity divide. Simultaneously, digital technologies and data, became an important source of economic and social value especially due to COVID-19. However, the digital skills gap is increasing, and every third working person lacks basic digital skills. Research indicates the importance of investments in skills, organisational change, process innovation, new systems and business models enabling SMEs to catch up. This issue is especially evident among the smallest firms where resource and skills constraints are significant barriers.
STFs are one of the most important SMEs subcategories, particularly in their contribution to economic growth outside tourism hotspots, sustaining rural communities through employment and facilitating a more regional spread of visitors, thus contributing to more sustainable tourism. STFs are considered by policymakers as the economic lifeblood of the sector and, simultaneously, but paradoxically, as the laggards that prevent innovation and growth. This is despite the potential of digital in its various forms positive impact on small business performance, competitiveness, and growth.
The tourism industry and SMEs has been extremely hit hard by COVID-19; thus, the economic impact has led to calls for transformative, innovative research approaches due to the scale of disruption. This project seeks to reveal how STFs “really” use marketing technology, and how this is articulated within the economies of destinations, including the major impacts, behaviours and experiences of tourism stakeholders – tourism demand, supply and DMOs and policy makers. Calls for research on digital technologies adoption in different sectors of tourism industry and in different national contexts have also emerged. Thus, the research seeks to give a new interpretation of more established research areas and to facilitate new ways of seeing and understanding as it will combine areas of initiation (small business growth and failure) with limited research (ICTs) to uncover new insights through an international comparative.
Academic qualifications
A first degree (at least a 2.1) ideally in Marketing, Tourism, or related subjects, with a good fundamental knowledge of qualitative research approaches, the UK or Irish tourism industry, digital marketing and technology.
English language requirement
IELTS score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 6.0 in each of the four components). Other, equivalent qualifications will be accepted. Full details of the University’s policy are available online.
Essential attributes:
• Experience of fundamental independent academic research projects at undergraduate and / or postgraduate level
• Competent in qualitative research methods
• Knowledge of the UK and / or Irish tourism sector
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Strong motivation, with evidence of independent research skills relevant to the project
• Good time management
Desirable attributes:
Practical experience in the Scottish or Irish tourism sector
Practical experience in digital marketing
Experience of working with key stakeholders / partners, e.g., industry, community, civic
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