Strategic Evaluation and SWOT for Adventure Travel Agency

Information Technology Planning
COMP- 1647 Page 1
Coursework Title : Strategic Evaluation Document for Amazing Destinations
COMP 1647 : Information Technology Planning
Due Date : 5th
November 2015
Centre : KMD (Yangon, Myanmar)

COMP- 1647 Page 2
Acknowledgement
First of all, I like to acknowledge the responsible persons from University of
Greenwich who provide this coursework for students. I would like to thank to all the authors and
researchers who researched about Information Technology Planning, Data Duplication,
Outsourcing and In-house Development for IT. Moreover, I would like to present my
appreciation for our lecturer, Mrs. Moe Sandar Aung, for her great and expert lectures and
guidelines. Last but not least, I would like to thank to responsible teachers and staffs from our
centre, KMD for providing such a good learning environment.

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgement .....................................................................................................................2
1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................5
1.1 Background ......................................................................................................................5
1.2 Issues in the Organisation ..................................................................................................5
1.3 The Way Forward..............................................................................................................6
2. Strategic Evaluation..............................................................................................................7
2.1 SWOT Analysis.................................................................................................................7
2.1.1 Strengths.........................................................................................................................7
2.1.2 Weaknesses.....................................................................................................................8
2.1.3 Opportunities ..................................................................................................................8
2.1.4 Threats............................................................................................................................9
3. Impact of IS.........................................................................................................................10
3.1 Identifying New Systems .................................................................................................10
3.1.1 Why Amazing Destinations needs New Systems? .................................................10
3.1.2 Descriptions for the Systems.................................................................................10
3.1.3 Expected Reports from the Systems and Recipients of the Reports........................11
3.2 Data Duplication Problems ..............................................................................................13
3.2.1 Areas with Data Duplication Problems..................................................................13
3.2.2 How would the two systems solve data duplication problems?..............................14
3.2.3 Information Sharing Between the Two Systems ....................................................14
3.3 Biggest Organisational Changes.......................................................................................15
3.3.1 Identifying Biggest Organisational Changes for New Business Model ..................15
3.3.2 Possible Impacts of the Two Systems....................................................................16
3.3.3 Suggestions to Become Smooth Organisational Changes ......................................17
3.4 Argument for Outsourced and In-house Development for the Two Systems.....................18
3.4.1 Argument for Outsourced Development................................................................18
3.4.2 How would the IT Department be outsourced?......................................................18

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3.4.3 Argument for In-house Development ....................................................................19
3.4.4 Ensuring that IT department is fit for purpose .......................................................19
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................20
References................................................................................................................................21

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1. Introduction
According to the scenario, Amazing Destinations is a travel agency that
specialises in adventure holidays. After operating 12 years, the company is considered to be one
of the top travel agencies for the adventure journeys. 40% of its clients have explored adventure
trips for 6 or more times with Amazing Destinations. The company has built a successful
customer loyalty. This is because the company receives the feedbacks of the clients at the end of
holidays. These feedbacks are extremely useful in building customer loyalty.
1.1 Background
Recently, competitions in travel industries have increased significantly.
Therefore, Amazing Destinations decided to reduce inessential cost. Significant revamp to the IT
systems might be one of the solutions in reducing cost.
Amazing Destinations has to cooperate with airlines, railways, hotels and
restaurants in order to provide a holiday. Currently, all these co-operations are being done
manually. In addition, the IT department of the company has no experience in developing new
systems. Therefore, the strategic level management of the company might have many concerns.
There is no company website and all the bookings are made over the telephone. Moreover, most
of the staffs are considered to be technophobes.
Throughout this report, we would identify the two new IT systems that the
company might need to develop, data duplication problems, the organisational changes due to
the development of the new systems and argument for outsourcing of the IT department.
1.2 Issues in the Organisation
The increased competitions between travel agencies would be one of the issues
for the company. Amazing Destinations has to deal with airlines, railways and the hotels faster
than before because of these competitions. But all these dealing processes are being done
manually. The limited use of IT is also one of the huge issues that hindering the organisation.
Additionally, many people are concerned about to travel some adventurous
destinations. Amazing Destinations currently has poor marketing strategies and this could be a
hindering issue. Moreover, while exploring new destinations, some country specialists are not
willing to venture more challenging places. And this could impact the organisation.
The IT department of the company has no experience in developing new
information systems. Currently, Amazing Destinations has no website presence. All the

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bookings are made over the telephone only. These are the issues that can greatly impact the
organisation.
1.3 The Way Forward
In order to compete with other travel agencies, Amazing Destinations needs to
focus to develop new information systems. Co-operation with third party companies such as
airlines and hotels should not be done manually. Moreover, the company should have a website
that provides booking services for package tours so that many potential customers would
choose Amazing Destinations as their agency.
In addition, Amazing Destinations needs to improve its marketing strategies.
Exploring new adventure destinations could be one of the solutions to attract more customers.
In order to maintain customer loyalty, customer service staff would need to be trained by the
country specialists more frequently.
The skills of the IT department should also be discussed to be improved.
Currently, two employees in IT department have no experience in developing new systems. The
Executive Committee needs to focus whether the IT department should be outsourced or in-
house.

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2. Strategic Evaluation
2.1 SWOT Analysis
2.1.1 Strengths
1. Successful Customer Loyalty
Amazing Destinations has built successful customer loyalty. According to the
scenario, 40% of its customers have been on 6 or more journeys with Amazing Destinations.
This is because the company focuses on the customers’ feedbacks. The feedbacks help in
targeting the customers with the type of destination that they want.
2. Experienced Travel Agency (Brand Recognition)
` The company has experience of 12 years in travel industry. It is considered to be
one of the top adventure tour companies by public. So, we could say that Amazing Destinations
has successfully built their brand among other competitors.
3. Skilful Country Specialists
According to the scenario, most of the country specialists love to explore new
places and most of them can train customer services staff about holiday destinations.
2.1.2 Weaknesses
1. Limited Use of IT
The use of IT is limited in Amazing Destinations. Co-operations with airlines and
hotels are being done manually. The information of the customers are kept in hand written ledger
and this could lead to be data duplications. According to the case study, there is no website
dedicated to the company.

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2. Weaknesses of IT Department
Another weakness is deal with IT department. IT department of the company has
no experience in developing new systems for 8 years. The skill of the employees in the IT
department is concerned by the management.
3. Weaknesses of Some Employees
Most of the country specialists love to explore new destinations but there are
some of them who do not want to venture into more challenging places. The company is
considered to be required more experienced employees in every department.
2.1.3 Opportunities
1. Improvements in Worldwide Communication
In recent years, internet and other networks have been improved around the
world. Travellers can keep in touch from remote areas. Therefore, there is an opportunities that
many people could choose travel to more remote parts of the world.
2. New Marketing Strategies
Amazing Destinations is planning to improve its marketing strategies. For
example, a new television programme where the winners of this programme will be awarded a
luxury adventure holiday. This kind of new marketing strategies could be opportunities to attract
people to be interested in luxury adventure holidays.
3. Expanding New Adventure Destinations
By expanding new luxury adventure destinations, more travellers are expected to
travel with Amazing Destinations.

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2.1.4 Threats
1. Increased Competitors
Increased competitors in luxury adventure holiday market means that it is difficult
to achieve the target revenue for Amazing Destinations.
2. Changes in Employees for New IT Systems
Emotional impacts could emerge between employees by developing new IT
systems. The company should find some way of supporting its employees how to accept these
technological changes.
3. Security Issues in Remote Destinations
Some of the remote destinations are notoriously troublesome. The political and
religion crisis are happening in many parts of the world. The security issues in these areas should
be aware by the agency. Otherwise, the reputation of the company would be harmed.

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3. Impact of IS
3.1 Identifying New Systems
In order to improve the chances of success, Amazing destinations must renovate
or develop new information systems. Currently, the upper level management would like to
develop two new information systems which are useful for the company. As a consultant, a
“Web Based Online Booking System (WBBS)” and “Package Tour Management
Information System (PTMIS)” are advised to develop as two new major systems.
3.1.1 Why Amazing Destinations needs New Systems?
Amazing Destinations furiously needs a web based online booking system. This is
because there is no website dedicated to the company currently. All the bookings are made
manually and over the telephone. Therefore, Amazing Destinations is losing potential customers.
By providing a website which accepts booking process, the agency would receive more
customers.
Besides, the agency also needs a package tour management information system,
which can manage in dealing with airlines, railways, hotels, restaurants, car rental and so on for a
particular destination. This system is very critical to be developed since the dealing processes
are currently carried out manually.
3.1.2 Descriptions for the Systems
Web Based Online Booking System (WBBS)
A website dedicated to Amazing Destinations in which customers can book
adventure package tours is needed to develop. By visiting the website, customers could
perceive adventure destinations and the information about adventurous places. It would be
a kind of marketing strategy for Amazing Destinations. And the package tour programs along
with costs would be also displayed.
Once a customer books for a package tour program, required data would be
asked to the customer and then store in a database. When the booking end date for that package
tour is reached, a respective staff will give the booking data which were made over the telephone
to IT department. After that, the IT staff will combine the booking data into the database and
make sure that there is no booking data duplication. After all, combined booking data are sent
to the respective country specialist by using the system itself.

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Moreover, the system would be developed in order to know automatically the
loyal customers by checking the database. The system could provide discount process for the
loyal customers if they book a package tour program.
Package Tour Management Information System (PTMIS)
Package Tour Management Information System is a system that could be applied
in dealing with third parties such as airlines, railways, hotels, car rental, restaurants and
visitor attractions. The contact information about third parties companies are needed to be
stored in the database of the system. The followings are the steps of processing of the system.
When the country specialist receives the combined booking data from WBBS, he
would check the number of customers who would take part in the package tour. After that, the
country specialist would make dealing process with the third parties using the system. For
example, if the number of booked customers is 20, the country specialist would make reservation
for 20 flight tickets, 20 train tickets and so on, by using the system.
After the country specialist had made all the dealing process, he would produce a
quotation which consists of the number of booked customers, descriptions about airlines,
railways, hotels, etc., and the estimated total cost for the package tour. The quotation could be
produced by using the system.
3.1.3 Expected Reports from the Systems and Recipients of the Reports
Expected reports from the WBBS would be booked customer information report,
customer loyalty report and report deal with number of customer comparison with previous
package tour.
Expected Report from WBBS Recipient Interested Information
Booked Customer Information Report Country Specialist
(tactical level)
Contact information of
customer (see above paragraph)
Customer Loyalty Report Marketing Dept.
(tactical level)
Is there loyal clientele in the
booking list?
Report deal with number of customer
comparison with previous package tour
Strategic Level Reach the targeted number?
How many Growth Rate?

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Expected reports from PTMIS would be quotation report for each package tour
program, and estimated revenue and cost report for each package tour.
Expected Report from PTMIS Recipient Interested Information
Quotation Report for Each Package
Tour Program
CEO and Strategic
Level
Names of dealt airline, railway,
hotels, restaurants, etc., and costs
Estimated Revenue and Cost Report
for Each Package Tour Program
Financial
Dept.(Tactical level)
and Strategic Level
Estimated Revenue and Costs.
How much net profit?

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3.2 Data Duplication Problems
3.2.1 Areas with Data Duplication Problems
According to the scenario, Amazing Destinations is suffering data duplication
problems in-
1. Keeping customer information
2. Recording booking information
3. Storing third party companies information
1. Duplication in keeping customer information
In order to target the customer with holidays that they want, Amazing
Destinations keep the customer information. But the customer information are kept in a hand
written ledger manually. Therefore, some of the customer information are kept more than one
time and data duplications are occurred.
2. Duplication in recording booking information
In current manual system, all the bookings are made over the telephone.
Therefore, in some cases, the information such as address and contact information of customer is
not complete enough. And, data duplications are also occurring in recording booking
information.
3. Duplication in storing third party companies information
Amazing Destinations deal with third party companies such as airlines, railways,
hotels, taxi and coach companies, restaurants, visitor attractions and a host of other suppliers to
provide a complete holiday package. Because of the manual processing, some information of the
third party companies are duplicated or are not up to date.

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3.2.2 How would the two systems solve data duplication problems?
By using WBBS, the system would check a unique data of customer (for
example- passport number) before saving into the database, in order to avoid from data
duplications. There would be no more data duplication problems deal with customer information
since each passport number of customer is unique.
Moreover, data duplications in recording booking information could also be
avoided by using WBBS system. Some of the DBSM techniques could be applied to avoid the
data duplication. For example, by setting the package tour ID and the passport number of
customer as an aggregate primary key, a customer can book that package tour just only once for
a limited time.
Same with WBBS, data duplication problems in storing third party companies’
information would be solved by applying PTMIS system. The data of third party companies
would be unique and up to date.
3.2.3 Information Sharing Between the Two Systems
The output data from WBBS would be interesting information for the
PTMIS. This is because, the number of booked customer for a package tour program could be
known from WBBS system and that data is important for PTMIS system in dealing with third
party companies. For example, if the number of booked customers is 20, the country specialist
would make reservation for 20 flight tickets, 20 train tickets and so on, by using PTMIS system.
Moreover, the information of third party companies which are kept in the
PTMIS database would be displayed at WBBS website, so that customers could perceive the
information about third party companies on the website.
Because of the above reasons, we could say that the information from one system
would be helpful for the other system.

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3.3 Biggest Organisational Changes
3.3.1 Identifying Biggest Organisational Changes for New Business Model
The two new major systems suggested in the above sections would create the new
business model for Amazing Destinations. And, biggest organisational changes would be formed
by this new business model. Possible biggest organisational changes could be addressed into the
following-
1. Changes in Procedures
2. Changes in Policy
3. Changes in Structures
4. Changes in Attitude
1. Changes in Procedures
The biggest changes in procedure would be changing from manual systems to IT
systems. A lot of processes such as booking process and dealing with third parties would be
transformed into manual systems to IT systems.
Another transformation would be changes in storing data; hand written ledger
to virtual database. Hand written ledgers would not be required anymore because of the new IT
systems. Virtual database would be required instead.
Moreover, changes in reporting process could be occurred. Reports would be
new and standard format if the new systems are applied. And, the reports would be virtual.
2. Changes in Policy
Policy such as data protection policy of Amazing Destinations would be
changed. Since there are new IT systems, new data protection policy would be required to
substitute the old data protection policy for manual system.
Security policy of the company would also be needed to change. New security
policies in order to avoid from unauthorized access, hacking and phishing would be required.
Moreover, the outsourcing policy of Amazing Destinations is required to
transform. Currently, the company seems does not have outsourcing policy for development of

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IT systems. Since the IT department of the company has no experience, the management should
consider about outsourcing to develop the new system.
3. Changes in Structures
The structural changes in IT department would be occurred. Currently, the IT
department of the company has few numbers of staff who have no experience in building new IT
systems. Therefore, IT department of Amazing Destinations need to be reorganised or recruit
new experienced staff.
4. Changes in Attitude
Emotional changes could be appeared among the employees if new IT systems
were in use. According to the case study, some of the staff are considered themselves to be
technophobes and are more likely to quit from their jobs immediately.
Customers’ attitude upon Amazing Destinations could also be changed. Some
of the loyal clientele who are familiar with the ordinary manual systems would concern about the
performance of the new IT systems.
3.3.2 Possible Impacts of the Two Systems
By changing to the new IT systems, there would not be needed hand written
ledger and therefore, more spaces could be appeared for Amazing Destinations. It would be a
big achievement for the company since real estate rental prices are increasing.
On the other hand, security issues could impact the company because of the
new systems. Security issues such as unauthorized access, wrong authentication and hacking of
the systems would be faced.
Another biggest possible impact would be occurred deal with employees. Since
some of the employees are considered themselves to be technophobes and they are more
likely to quit from the company immediately.
Since IT department has no experience, the management of Amazing Destinations
argue that IT department should be outsourced. But, if IT department is outsourced, a lot of
impacts would harm the company.

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3.3.3 Suggestions to Become Smooth Organisational Changes
The management of Amazing Destinations has the responsibility to make the
employees feel as they are project co-owners and not being imposed person.
Psychologically, people tend to do the best for something they own.
Moreover, the senior management of Amazing Destinations need to express the
benefits that could be achieved by using new systems (such as no need to do paper work, no
more data duplications, etc.). This is a kind of persuasion to the employees.
Amazing Destinations needs to communicate with customers both written and
orally emphasizing that the company cares about their feelings. And the company requires
persuading the customers to be credible upon these changes by using marketing strategies
such as discounts, lucky draws and promotions.

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3.4 Argument for Outsourced and In-house Development for the Two Systems
3.4.1 Argument for Outsourced Development
IT department of Amazing Destinations should be outsourced because of some
reasons. Firstly, the two members of staff in the IT department have no experience in
developing new systems. The staffs are doing no more than support existing systems. Secondly,
Amazing Destinations is not an IT-oriented company. The business can operate very well
without IT department and it is considered to be the least respected department in Amazing
Destinations Organisation.
By outsourcing the IT department, Amazing Destinations might achieve many
benefits. The company will get advantage in falling costs like salaries for IT department staffs.
Quality of the new systems is guaranteed by the outsourced company. Moreover, the
management of Amazing Destinations can be able to focus only on the business rather than
focus on development of the new systems.
3.4.2 How would the IT Department be outsourced?
The management of Amazing Destinations has to consider in choosing single or
multiple outsourcers. After choosing outsourcing provider, Amazing Destinations has to make
contract with them. Service Level Agreement (SLA) for the two systems which includes detail
transactions of the systems, system maintenance policy and on-call service schedule must be
provided along with the contract. Facilitated workshops and meetings should be provided
during the development of the new systems.
Moreover, the outsourcing provider has to prove that members in outsourcing
team are technically trained and qualified. The responsibilities of the outsourcing company are
also required to define clearly. The management of Amazing Destinations should also involve
actively in communicating with outsourcing provider.

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3.4.3 Argument for In-house Development
Although we discussed that the IT department should be outsourced, there are
some drawbacks of outsourcing. First of all, Amazing Destinations will loss the complete
control of the systems since they were developed by the outsourcing provider. Moreover, the
confidential data of Amazing Destinations would also be needed to share with the outsourcing
provider. Therefore, the security of confidential data would be harmed. In addition,
outsourcing policy of Amazing Destinations will impact the emotions of employee in the other
departments thinking that they would be outsourced next time.
In some cases, outsourcing provider focuses solely on driving down the costs
and the quality of the systems would be compromised. Therefore, we argue that IT department of
Amazing Destinations should be kept in-house.
3.4.4 Ensuring that IT Department is fit for Purpose
Rather than outsourcing, we could train the staffs in the IT department to
improve development skills for information systems. Otherwise, we could recruit expert IT
employees to develop the new systems. By keeping IT department in-house, we could avoid the
some drawbacks described in the above.
If outsourcing is necessarily needed, Amazing Destinations can make modular
outsourcing. Modular outsourcing is a kind of outsourcing the portions of a system. By doing
modular outsourcing, Amazing Destinations can keep its IT department in-house.
As an analyst, I would prefer modular outsourcing for developing the new
systems. So that, Amazing Destinations can keep IT department in-house for system
maintenances. Developing new systems only would be outsourced.

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Conclusion
Amazing Destinations is a travel agency specialises in adventure holidays.
Throughout the report, we analysed the hindering issues and data duplication problems that the
company is currently faced. We advised the way forward and the two new IT systems that
Amazing Destinations furiously needs. Moreover, we also discussed about the biggest
organisational changes because of the new business model. And, we also suggested about the IT
department should be outsourced or in-house.

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References
Book References
Efraim Turban, (2008) Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective
Available from: www.pearsoned.co.uk
(Accessed Date: 15th
September 2015)
University of Greenwich, B.Sc (BIT) COMP 1647, Information Technology Planning
University of Ottawa, (2012) Data duplication: an imbalance problem?
Available from: www.site.uottawwa.ca
September 2015)
Website References
Management Information Systems
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_information_system
September 2015)
Information Technology Outsourcing
www.cio.com
September 2015)
Benefits Vs Risks of Outsourcing IT
www.smallbusiness.chron.com
September 2015)

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