Literature Review 3 Reception And Use Of Policy Analysis In Decision Making: Fill & Download for Free

William Stanley JevonsJevons, one of the three men who pioneered the marginal revolution and banished forever the labour theory of value from economics, also had some interesting ideas about business cycles. He believed that there was a link between solar activity and the business cycle, and in spite of his eminence was ridiculed for this belief.That Sunspot Could Make You a KillingI proceed therefore with a degree of trepidation.There is no way to sugar coat what I am about to say, which will no doubt not mostly be received in an open-minded and empirically-oriented manner by most readers here: this is Quora, after all, where we like to think of ourselves as autonomous agents not shaped by natural forces.I have come to the conclusion after more than thirty years of pondering this question, reading many books and papers, and studying that the data that the answer is quite a lot, both on asset markets and on economic activity. Periods of higher solar activity (reflected also in the sunspot cycle) are associated with a stronger appetite for risk, more bullish equity markets, and stronger growth. (In some cycles this may show up more in commodity than equity prices).I will start by pointing to some of the behavioural finance literature that may give some context for the role of affect (like emotion but deeper) shapes asset pricing and economic growth.Page on columbia.eduVirtually all current theories of choice under risk or uncertainty are cognitive and consequentialist. They assume that people assess the desirability and likelihood of possible outcomes of choice alternatives and integrate this information through some type of expectation-based calculus to arrive at a decision. The authors propose an alternative theoretical perspective, the risk-as-feelings hypothesis, that highlights the role of affect experienced at the moment of decision making. Drawing on research from clinical, physiological, and other subfields of psychology, they show that emotional reactions to risky situations often diverge from cognitive assessments of those risks. When such divergence occurs, emotional reactions often drive behavior. The risk-as-feelings hypothesis is shown to explain a wide range of phenomena that have resisted interpretation in cognitive– consequentialist terms.Paper by Camerer, Loewenstein and Prelec in Journal of Economic Literature March 2005. http://people.hss.caltech.edu/~camerer/JELfinal.pdfPrimacy of AffectIn contrast to the intuitive view of human behavior as driven by deliberations about costs and benefits, it does not do a terrible injustice to the field of psychology to say that a growing consensus has developed around the view that affect is primary in the sense that it is “first on the scene” and plays a dominant role in behavior. Indeed, as we discuss below (section 3.4.2), the conscious brain often erroneously interprets behavior that emerges from automatic, affective, processes as the outcome of cognitive deliberations....3.4.2 Spurious Sense-MakingSense-making is an important form of interaction between quadrant I and the other quadrants. The brain’s powerful drive toward sense making leads us to strive to interpret our own behavior. Since quadrant I often does not have conscious access to activity in the other quadrants, it is perhaps not surprising that it tends to over-attribute behavior to itself—i.e., to deliberative decision processes. Even though much of the brain’s activity is “cognitively inaccessible,” we have the illusion that we are able to make sense of it, and we tend to make sense of it in terms of quadrant I processes....Quadrant I tends to explain behavior egocentrically—to attribute it to the types of deliberative processes that it is responsible for (see Richard Nisbett and Wilson 1977). A dramatic study demonstrating this phenomenon was conducted with a “split-brain” patient (who had an operation separating the connection between the two hemispheres of his brain). The patient’s right hemisphere could interpret language but not speak, and the left hemisphere could speak (LeDoux 1996). The patient’s right hemisphere was instructed to wave his hand (by showing the word “wave” on the left part of a visual screen, which only the right hemisphere processed). The left hemisphere saw the right hand waving but was unaware of the instructions that had been given to the right hemisphere (because the cross-hemisphere connections were severed). When the patient was asked why he waved, the left hemisphere (acting as spokesperson for the entire body) invariably came up with a plausible explanation, like “I saw somebody I knew and waved at them....Our main theme in this paper is that radical models should respect the fact that brain mechanisms combine controlled and automatic processes, operating using cognition and affect. The Platonic metaphor of reason as a charioteer, driving twin horses of passion and appetite, is on the right track—except reason has its hands full with headstrong passions and appetites.26 Of course, the challenge in radical-style theorizing is to develop models of how multiple mechanisms interact which are precise. Can this be done? The answer is Yes. Bernheim and Rangel (2004), Loewenstein and O’Donoghue (2004), and Jess Benhabib and Alberto Bisin (2002) have all proposed recent models with interacting mechanisms much like those in our Table 1. Furthermore, while interactions of multiple brain mechanisms might appear to be too radical a change from equilibrium with utility maximization, we think many familiar tools can be used to do radical neuroeconomics. Interactions of cognition and affect might resemble systems like supply and demand, or feedback loops which exhibit multiple equilibria. The interaction of controlled and automatic processes might be like an inventory policy or agency model in which a controller only steps in when an extreme state of the system (or unusual event) requires controlled processes to override automatic ones. The influence of affect on choices is a very general type of state-dependence (where the “state” is affective, and is influenced by external cues and also by internal deliberation and restraint). Instead of solving for equilibria in these interacting-mechanism models, solve for steady states or cyclic fluctuations. Instead of summarizing responses to changes by comparative statics, study impulse-response functions.NBER: Do Mood Swings Drive Business Cycles and is it Rational?Paul Beaudry, Deokwoo Nam, Jian Wang (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas)January 20, 2012This paper provides new evidence in support of the idea that bouts of optimism and pessimism drive much of US business cycles. In particular, we begin by using sign-restriction based identification schemes to isolate innovations in optimism or pessimism and we document the extent to which such episodes explain macroeconomic fluctuations. We then examine the link between these identified mood shocks and subsequent developments in fundamentals using alternative identification schemes (i.e., variants of the maximum forecast error variance approach). We find that there is a very close link between the two, suggesting that agents’ feelings of optimism and pessimism are at least partially rational as total factor productivity (TFP) is observed to rise 8-10 quarters after an initial bout of optimism. While this later finding is consistent with some previous findings in the news shock literature, we cannot rule out that such episodes reflect self-fulfilling beliefs. Overall, we argue that mood swings account for over 50% of business cycle fluctuations in hours and output.Let's start gently.Terrestrial weather is famous for its lack of relevance for market pricing amongst people who haven't looked at the data, and cannot see a 'mechanism' for why it should matter. But that is not the view of the neuroeconomics and behavioural finance literature - see for example:Hirshleifer and ShumwayPsychological evidence and casual intuition predict that sunny weather is associated with upbeat mood. This paper examines the relationship between morning sunshine in the city of a country's leading stock exchange and daily market index returns across 26 countries from 1982 to 1997. Sunshine is strongly significantly correlated with stock returns. After controlling for sunshine, rain and snow are unrelated to returns. Substantial use of weatherbased strategies was optimal for a trader with very low transactions costs. However, because these strategies involve frequent trades, fairly modest costs eliminate the gains.These findings are difficult to reconcile with fully rational price setting.Page on feaa.ucv.roIf modern finance relies on two key assumptions: rational people and a ‘fair price’ being determined by financial markets, behavioural finance examines the psychology underlying investors’ decisions to explain irrational behavior. Recent literature in behavioural finance investigated the effects of weather conditions on the emotional state of investors. This study investigated the hypothesis that the weather causes changes in Australian stock market returns. But contrary to previous research, this study found that the weather effect of humidity causes significant changes in Australian stock returns. Australia experiences high humidity throughout the year. High humidity could significantly affect physical and mental capacity and, consequently, could have an effect on financial trading activities and investment decision-making processes. Moreover, humidity is an important metric in weather forecasting. Weather has always played an important role in the economy and could significantly impact on business activities. The S&P/ASX 200 All Australian Index is a broad market index that includes Australian domicile companies as well as companies that depend on weather for their business. On one hand, the capital market could respond to new weather-related information and could incorporate this information in the stock valuation process. Alternatively, stock prices could be affected by the mental or physical changes in investors, caused by weather conditions. Does weather-related information have a effect on stock prices? The answer is yes, it does. However, how weather–related information actually impacts on stock prices is a question for future research.Next, we'll look at a Fed study exploring a different kind of weather, and the relationship between geomagnetic storms and equity returns globally. They also answer the question of why stocks tend to wobble in April and October.Page on frbatlanta.orgExplaining movements in daily stock prices is one of the most difficult tasks in modern finance. This paper contributes to the existing literature by documenting the impact of geomagnetic storms on daily stock market returns. A large body of psychological research has shown that geomagnetic storms have a profound effect on people’s moods, and, in turn, people’s moods have been found to be related to human behavior, judgments and decisions about risk. An important finding of this literature is that people often attribute their feelings and emotions to the wrong source, leading to incorrect judgments. Specifically, people affected by geomagnetic storms may be more inclined to sell stocks on stormy days because they incorrectly attribute their bad mood to negative economic prospects rather than bad environmental conditions. Misattribution of mood and pessimistic choices can translate into a relatively higher demand for riskless assets, causing the price of risky assets to fall or to rise less quickly than otherwise. The authors find strong empirical support in favor of a geomagnetic-storm effect in stock returns after controlling for market seasonals and other environmental and behavioral factors. Unusually high levels of geomagnetic activity have a negative, statistically and economically significant effect on the following week’s stock returns for all U.S. stock market indices. Finally, this paper provides evidence of substantially higher returns around the world during periods of quiet geomagnetic activity.Very interesting, but what have geomagnetic storms to do with solar activity? Well, the relationship is well-established in the literature.From the Fed paper:And in fact, there is also a scientific literature on the influence of solar activity on the human organism - a stronger tradition in former Soviet countries than in the West. For example:NIH paper: Sunspot dynamics are reflected in human physiology and pathophysiology.Astrobiology. 2011 Mar;11(2):93-103. doi: 10.1089/ast.2010.0574. Epub 2011 Mar 10.Sunspot dynamics are reflected in human physiology and pathophysiology.Hrushesky WJ1, Sothern RB, Du-Quiton J, Quiton DF, Rietveld W, Boon ME.Author informationAbstractPeriodic episodes of increased sunspot activity (solar electromagnetic storms) occur with 10-11 and 5-6 year periodicities and may be associated with measurable biological events. We investigated whether this sunspot periodicity characterized the incidence of Pap smear-determined cervical epithelial histopathologies and human physiologic functions. From January 1983 through December 2003, monthly averages were obtained for solar flux and sunspot numbers; six infectious, premalignant and malignant changes in the cervical epithelium from 1,182,421 consecutive, serially independent, screening Pap smears (59°9″N, 4°29″E); and six human physiologic functions of a healthy man (oral temperature, pulse, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respiration, and peak expiratory flow), which were measured ∼5 times daily during ∼34,500 self-measurement sessions (44°56″N, 93°8″W). After determining that sunspot numbers and solar flux, which were not annually rhythmic, occurred with a prominent 10-year and a less-prominent 5.75-year periodicity during this 21-year study span, each biological data set was analyzed with the same curve-fitting procedures. All six annually rhythmic Pap smear-detected infectious, premalignant and malignant cervical epithelial pathologies showed strong 10-year and weaker 5.75-year cycles, as did all six self-measured, annually rhythmic, physiologic functions. The phases (maxima) for the six histopathologic findings and five of six physiologic measurements were very near, or within, the first two quarters following the 10-year solar maxima. These findings add to the growing evidence that solar magnetic storm periodicities are mirrored by cyclic phase-locked rhythms of similar period length or lengths in human physiology and pathophysiology.Jevons work was subsequently revisited by Garcia-Mata and Shaffner and the work published in 1934 in the Quarterly Journal of Economics:Perhaps poor old Jevons was on to something after all, even if the effect was not exactly via agricultural prices. Nonetheless, two Israeli scientists reviewed Herschel's thesis and confirmed that there does seem to be a link between solar activity and food prices - it's just that in the modern world this is unlikely to be a driver of economic cycles themselves under plausible assumptions.Solar Physics 2004: Pustilnik (Israel Cosmic Ray Center, Tel Aviv University and Israel Space Agency) and Din (Sea of Galilee Astrophysical Observatory)Abstract. In this study we continue to search for possible manifestations of space weather influence on prices of agricultural products and consumables. We note that the connection between solar activity and prices is based on the causal chain that includes several nonlinear transition elements. These nonlinear elements are characterized by threshold sensitivity to external parameters and lead to very inhomogeneous local sensitivity of the price to space weather conditions. It is noted that “soft type” models are the most adequate for description of this class of connections. Two main observational effects suitable for testing causal connections of this type of sensitivity are considered: burst-like price reactions on changes in solar activity and price asymmetry for selected phases of the sunspot cycle. The connection, discovered earlier for wheat prices of Medieval England, is examined in this work on the basis of another 700-year data set of consumable prices in England. Using the same technique as in the previous part of our work (Pustilnik and Yom Din, 2004) we show that statistical parameters of the interval distributions for price bursts of consumable basket and for sunspot minimum states are similar to one another, as was reported earlier for wheat price bursts. Possible sources of these consistencies between three different multiyear samples are discussed. For a search of possible manifestations of the ‘space weather - wheat market’ connection in modern time, we analyze dynamics of wheat prices in the U.S.A. in the twentieth century. We show that the wheat prices revealed a maximum/minimum price asymmetry consistent with the phases of the sunspot cycle. We discuss possible explanations of this observed asymmetry, unexpected under conditions of globalization of the modern wheat market.Let's move on to the work that followed Garcia-Matta and Shaffner:1875-1935 - US manufacturing production yoy vs sunspot areas:Page on gorbanev.comUsing the AP index of geomagnetic storms (related to solar activity) to predict US GNP in a simple model:Geomagnetic activity versus inflation:As far as the link between solar activity and economic activity/asset and commodity prices: more recent academic work does tend to support this idea, although you will be better off if you start by looking at the data itself rather than allow yourself to be influenced by preconceptions (the rate of change of solar activity may be helpful).The idea is also not without its adherents in the financial community, but for obvious reasons, people don't tend to talk about it. My friend, who was the chief economist in Australia for a big US investment bank did send out a daily comment exploring this idea, for example. And you might be surprised at the rather intellectually serious people running very significant pools of capital who are receptive to such ideas but unwilling to talk about things publicly.What I say above is based on personal conversations with people running money elsewhere. In terms of public comments, the following was mildly intriguing:Simons at Renaissance Cracks Code, Doubling Assets (Update1)For his part, Simons says he once explored whether sunspot activity affects the markets. He doesn't say what he found.For the academic work, see for example:SOLAR ACTIVITY AND ECONOMIC RECESSIONS:THE CASE OF THE USCees J. PrinsABSTRACTThe probability of a recession taking place depends on many variables. When the interest rate spread between 10 years government bonds and 3 months Treasury Bills is negative a recession is imminent. Also stock prices can give valuable information with predicting power. Solar activity as measured by the number of sunspots also adds to the explanation of the probability of a recession. In the 3 models that are estimated for 6 time periods the number of sunspots is always very significant. The sun has direct and indirect influences on the economy. To the first category belong damages to electronic networks. The indirect effects are the influences on human emotions and in the end also to the economy.JEL: C1, C2, E1, E3, E32, N1, O4.KEYWORDS: Cycles, Economic Indicators, Growth, Macro economic model, Probabilities. INTRODUCTIONIt is a well-known fact that recessions have both economic and non-economic causes. A few 100 years ago bad harvests, epidemics and wars were among the most frequent non-economic causes. There is growing evidence today that solar activity also plays an important part. The sun influences human emotions in different ways for instance human risk taking appetite. More direct consequences of solar activity are the damages to electricity and telecommunication networks caused by solar storms. These tend to gain significance, as the world gets more and more dependent on telecommunication. This article looks in particular also into the chances of a recession caused by solar activity. Since recessions cannot be explained by solar activity alone other factors have also to be taken into consideration. This implies a big demand for data. Data availability in the US for longer periods is well developed. Hence the aim of this article is to develop models that determine the chances of a recession in the past and present of the US. Relevant monthly data are available from around 1870, which will be the starting point of the analysis.Correlations for number of sunspots, unemployment rate, and suicide mortality in Japan.Correlations for number of sunspots, unemployment rate, and suicide mortality in Japan.Otsu A1, Chinami M, Morgenthale S, Kaneko Y, Fujita D, Shirakawa T.Author informationAbstractWe studied the correlations among sunspot numbers, business cycles, and suicide mortalitites. Based on data from Japan between 1971 and 2001, a significant negative correlation between sunspot numbers and unemployment rate was found, R= -.17. The correlation between suicide mortality and unemployment rate was positive for males (R=.46) and negative for females (R =-.69). Both are statistically significant. The hypothesis that variation of sun activity may affect the economy and the unemployment rate and hence increase the male suicide mortality is raised.Here is a paper by a personal researcher:Sunspots, unemployment, and recessions, or Can the solar activity cycle shape the business cycle?AbstractOver the last 77 years (from 1935), all 7 cyclical maximums of the solar activity overlapped closely with the US recessions, thus predicting (or triggering?) 8 out of 13 recessions officially identified by NBER (including one “double-deep” recession). Over the last 64 years (from 1948), all 6 maximums of the solar activity were preceded by minimums of the US unemployment rate, and the spikes in the unemployment rate followed with lags of 2-3 years. On the world scale, over the last 44 years (for which the data is available), all 4 maximums of the solar activity overlapped with minimums of the unemployment rate in the G7 countries, followed by its spikes within 2-3 years. From 1965, when consistent recession dating is available for all G7 countries, nearly 3/5 of the recessions started in the 3 years around and after the sunspot maximums. Was it a mere coincidence or a part of a broader pattern? This paper explores the correlation between the solar activity cycles (as measured by the number of sunspots on the sun surface) and the timing of recessions in the US and other economies. It finds out that the probability of recessions in G7 countries greatly increased around and after the solar maximums, suggesting that they can cause deterioration in business conditions and trigger recessions.More vivid work by a blogger is at the end of this note. But one interesting observation is that of course this putative relationship has implications for the next few years if we are entering a grand solar minimum. Not necessarily that growth will be weak, but that speculative juices may soften gradually over the course of each cycle for the next several decades It may be no coincidence that the most frenzied speculative peak in my lifetime was approaching solar maximum in 2000.On the Verge of a Grand Solar Minimum: A Second Maunder Minimum?(Solar Physics, Apr 2015: Zachilas and Gkana)We analyze the yearly mean sunspot-number data covering the period 1700 to 2012. We show that the yearly sunspot number is a low-dimensional deterministic chaotic system. We perform future predictions trying to forecast the solar activity during the next five years (2013 – 2017). We provide evidence that the yearly sunspot-number data can be used for long-term predictions. To test and prove that our model is able to predict the Maunder Minimum period (1645 – 1715), we perform long-term post-facto predictions comparing them with the observed sunspot-number values. We also perform long-term future predictions trying to forecast the solar activity up to 2102. Our predictions indicate that the present Cycle 24 is expected to be a low-peak cycle. We conclude that the level of solar activity is likely to be reduced significantly during the next 90 years, somewhat resembling the Maunder Minimum period.I do not mean to endorse the author of this chart (and I don't agree with his solar cycle 24 view), but I don't have my own work to hand right now, and this gets the gist of the idea across quite nicely (which is not to say that it constitutes more than a stimulus to the imagination):So in conclusion: significant enough that you might want to set aside your preconceptions, reread the neuroeconomics literature, read the (former) Soviet research on the influence of space weather on the human organism, and then start to look at the data on solar activity, economics, and markets and then decide for yourself.But in all sincerity, part of me hopes that you won't, because by the time this idea is mainstream it will stop working.

As a student majoring in tourism, you will be required to study the basics of tourism, hospitality and event management. In addition to this, you will also study the issues surrounding tourism such as medical, financial, cultural, geographical and many other issues. This will help you understand the dynamics of the industry. These courses will prepare you for the professional world, as to how you should manage all these aspects along with handling related issues.What will help you even more as a tourism student is your final year dissertation project. However, choosing the right dissertation topic is key. You will have to make sure that you pick a dissertation topic that identifies a literature gap, helps contribute to your field, and is exploratory enough to conduct a complete dissertation.We understand that choosing the right dissertation topic can be a bit overwhelming for you. Therefore, we provide you with a comprehensive list of tourism dissertation topics. These topics are recent, relevant and exploratory enough for you to conduct a study. We can even customize topics according to your need. So, go through our list of dissertation topics and choose the one that interests you.Tourism and Hospitality Dissertation Topics for 2019Topic 1: Factors Impacting Destination Selection for Medical Tourism?Research Aim: Medical tourism is a growing trend. An increasing number of people travel to another country, seeking medical treatment which is expensive or unavailable in their own. There are various factors that impact the destination selection process for medical treatment purposes. This destination can be local or international. With limited evidence present on these factors that impact destination selection for medical tourism, there is a need for a comprehensive study which explores this factors in detail. Thus, the main aim of this study will be study the factors that impact destination selection process for medical purposes.Topic 2: Impact of low cost airline services on boosting international tourism in Europe: A case study of RyanairResearch Aim: With increasing fare of air travelling the demand for low-cost airline services is on rise. Ryanair is one of the leading low-cost airline service based in the UK. Many regular travellers are attracted by its low priced air tickets. In view of this, the main aim of this research will be to explore whether low cost airlines have a positive impact on increasing international tourism in Europe or not. This research will be conducted based on quantitative data which will be collected from a sample of Ryanair international tourism travellersTopic 3: Eco-friendly practices and its effect on hotel selection decision: A case study of UK hospitality industryResearch Aim: There are various technologies and practices available today which can be used to achieve eco-friendliness, such as; internet of things, automation technology, and sustainable building construction. The eco-friendly practices include; water and energy conservation, renewable energy use, waste recycling and management, healthy environment, clean air and ventilation. Solar panels and automated systems are installed by many hotels in the UK which generate renewable energy and complete automation for lights and water. It is worth evaluating how such eco-friendly practices are affecting hotel selection decision of guests in the UK hospitality industry.Topic 4: How economic conditions of a country impacts its local tourism: Identifying the economic factors influencing tourism sectorResearch Aim: Economic factors have a great impact on tourism. When a country is economically strong, it spends on boosting tourism in the country which results in enhanced tourism. However, on the downside, tourism is adversely affected. Through this research, economic factors which tend to impact the local tourism of a country will be discussed and critically analyzed. Moreover, this research will also weigh the economic upsides and downsides of these factors with respect to the local tourism.Topic 5: Assessing the impact of social media platforms on tourism destination selectionResearch Aim: Social media plays a huge role in destination selection. the experiences and reviews that people share have a huge impact on tourism. This research will analyze the role of different social media platforms in terms of selection of tourism destinations. This research will also shed light on the rationale and factors based on which people rely on social media to select their tourism destination.Topic 6: Assessing the impact of government rules, regulations and policies on tourism development: Case study of developing countries.Research Aim: The tourism sector of any country is greatly looked after by governmental and regulatory bodies. This research will analyze the role which is played by such bodies in terms of policy making and regulation implementation. This research will take into context the developing countries because their tourism sector works differently from developed countries.Topic 7: Analyzing the impact of natural hazards on tourism industry of UK: Recommending effective measures to minimize riskResearch Aim: Increase in tourism tends to expose the host country towards natural hazards. There is a negative impact of such hazards on the tourism industry. UK is one of the countries where the tourism industry has experienced huge success. Thus, this research will be carried out to analyze the impact of such hazards on the efficiency of Tourism industry.Topic 8: Assessing the factors and preferences Impacting Tourists Decision to travel to a dark tourism siteResearch Aim: As a result of shift in preferences of tourists and an urge to explore and learn, dark tourism has gained immense popularity and success. This research will explore the factors and reasons based on which tourists choose dark places as their tourism destination.Topic 9: The Impact of Travel Bloggers and Vloggers on the Tourism IndustryResearch Aim: Travel bloggers and vloggers are an important part of the tourism industry now. These are the people who travel the world, document their experience through their writing or videos and influence people. Tourists, throughout the world, now depend on their views and choose their travel destination accordingly. This research will aim to explore how these influencers have changed the tourism industry completely.Educational Tourism Dissertation TopicsThis area of tourism has gained tremendous popularity among academicians and researchers in the recent times. It primarily takes into consideration technical competencies and new knowledge gained outside the classroom environment. Educational tourism brings to the light the idea of travelling to learn about the cultures of other nations. Exchange student programmes are perhaps the most commonly employed educational tourism strategy, allowing students to learn about the culture of the visited nation through work and travel. Possible area of research in this field of tourism for your dissertation can be any of the following:Educational tourism programmes and the impact of the popularity of visited nationsThis research will discuss the educational exchange programs in detail and will also assess the popularity of the nations that are visited as a result of educational tourism.Factors affecting the decision of British students to join international student exchange programmesEven though student exchange programs are popular throughout the world, there are certain countries where it is practiced the most. This research will study one such country, UK, with respect to the factors that impact the British students to join international exchange programs.Factors contributing towards the success of work & study programmes in the UKThis research will analyze the factors that contribute towards the success of study programs in UK i.e. which aspects impact the program more in a positive manner.To analyse the satisfaction of international students enrolled in student exchange programmes in the UKThis research will cover an important topic i.e. measure the satisfaction of international students enrolled in exchange programs in the UK.To investigate potential marketing and communication tools to promote “any country” as the best place to pursue higher educationThis research will investigate and conclude the most successful marketing and communication tools that are used to promote exchange programs in a particular country. The topic can be customized according to the country of your choosing.What are the factors influencing British students’ decision to join academic year exchange porgramme in Japan?Japan is one of the most popular destination when it comes to student exchange program. This research will assess the factors that influence a British student’s decision to go to Japan under this program.To examine the popularity of student exchange programmes offered by Chinese speaking countriesthis research will explore the reason of popularity of student exchange programs in countries where Chinese is the official language such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, China etc.To investigate the attitude and perception of British students toward summer campsSummer camps are extremely popular in the west. This research will explore the perceptions of British students towards summer camps and what motivates them to attend it.Factors affecting the decision of university students to pursue a Placement Programme in the USThis research will aim to understand the rationale of university students’ decisions to pursue a placement program in the US,To examine the satisfaction of university students returning from cultural exchange program in the USThis research will aim to understand the satisfaction of university students who are on their way back from exchange programs in the US.Medical Tourism Dissertation TopicsMedical tourism is a new area of study in the tourism industry. The gap in prices of medical facilities available in developing and developed countries is significant, which is propelling a large number of patients to travel to far destinations to benefit from economical medical services. Although there maybe insufficient secondary data to analyse this tourism sub-topic,, conducting a research in this area will prove to be interesting. You can choose your medical tourism dissertation topics from this list.Investigating the Reasons Why British Citizens Travel to Different Countries for their Dental ProceduresThis research will highlight the reasons as to why British citizens travel to different countries for dental treatmentsThe efficacy of marketing and communication tools employed by Thai plastic surgery and extreme makeover service providers – An investigation into the attitude and perception of British travellersA lot of British citizens travel to Thailand for cosmetic and plastic surgeries. This research will aim to understand the attitudes and perceptions of British travelers who opt for these surgeries. The research will also assess the marketing and communication tools employed by Thai medical service providers.To identify and discuss critical marketing strategies to promote a weight loss centre in the UKThis research will talk about the marketing strategies that are undertaken in the UK in order to promote weight loss.Measuring customer satisfaction of British lesbians after having sex reassignment at Yanhee International Hospital, BangkokThis research will measure the customer satisfaction of British lesbian after they have undergone gender reassignment at the Yanhee International Hospital in Bangkok.To examine the factors influencing the decisions of British women to buy body contour tour packages in East AsiaThis study will analyze the factors that influence the decision making of British women when burying body contour tour packages in East Asia.To investigate the extent to which Swiss weight control tour packages have influenced women in the UKThis research will focus on the decision making aspects that British women consider when purchasing weight control tour packages in Switzerland.How facial lifting package tours in East Asia are perceived by young British females?This study will analyze how young British females perceive facial lifting package tours in East Asia.To understand and discuss the factors affecting buying decisions to benefit from extreme makeover tour packages in Eastern EuropeThis research will talk about the factors and aspects that impact the buying decision of customers who purchase extreme makeover packages from the Eastern Europe.How attractive are the plastic surgery makeover services to female British customers – A qualitative studyThis research will understand and analyze the attractiveness of plastic surgery makeover services that influence British females to purchase it.How homosexual men choose medical tour packages for sex reassignmentThis study will talk about gender reassignment assignments which interests homosexual men and why purchase these packages.Tourism Management Dissertation TopicsTourism management is perhaps the most interesting and influential areas in the tourism industry. It mainly involves travelling for the purpose of leisure and recreation. People travelling to other countries and outside their usual environment with the intent of leisure can be classified as tourists. It should be noted that the phenomenon of tourism has grown tremendously in the recent years, thanks to the impact of globalisation. There are many countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Maldives and Fiji, whose largest source of income is tourism. In these countries, tourism generates huge revenues for the government and also provides employment opportunities for businessmen and working class.The suggestions below can help you to narrow your research for your tourism dissertation.How British tourists perceive Chinese world heritage tour – A qualitative studyThis research will focus on how Chinese heritage is perceived by British tourists and what compels them to visit China.Exploring the factors that make London the Most Preferred City for Christmas shoppingThis research will analyze and explore the various factors that promote London as one of the most attractive destinations for Christmas shopping.Investigating the Underlying Factors that British Citizens Consider when Choosing a Destination for their Winter HolidaysThis research will analyze the various factors that British citizens consider and evaluate when choosing a destination for their winter vacations.An analysis of factors affecting employees’ motivation in luxury hotels of DubaiThis research will study the factors that have an impact on employee motivation for those working in luxury and five star hotels in Dubai.How the tourism industry of Thailand responded to the TsunamiThis study will dive into the past and will study how the Thai tourism industry responded to Tsunami.Factors influencing British customers’ decision of purchasing Egypt tour packagesThis research will explore the factors that British citizens consider when planning their holiday to Egypt.Attitude and perception of British tourists toward Thailand as a winter holiday destinationThis study will research as to why British choose Thailand as their winter holiday destination.The increasing popularity of cruise travel in South Africa among British touristsThis research will consider reasons why South African cruise is extremely popular amongst British tourists.To investigate the efficacy of integrated marketing communication tools to restore the image of Amsterdam as the best tourist destination in EuropeThis research will explore the marketing and communication tools that are utilized in order to market Amsterdam as the best tourism destination in Europe.Factors influencing British customers’ decision to choose a particular destination during the summer/winder holidayThis research will talk about all the factors that influence British citizens to make a destination choice for their summer or winter holidays, This topic can be customized according to a country of your choosing.Hospitality Dissertation TopicsHospitality industry consists of casinos, resorts, restaurants, hotels, catering as well as other businesses that serve the tourists. At its core hospitality can be defined as the relationship between a guest and the hotel. Other aspects of hospitality include but are not limited to liberality, friendliness, warm welcome, entertainment, goodwill, and reception. Modern day business pride themselves on their acts of hospitality. Thus, it is an extremely interesting sub-topic to base your dissertation on. Some topics in this area of tourism are suggested below.Examining how popular travel agents such as eBrooker and Opodo are perceived by British touristsThis research will evaluate some of the best and most popular travel agents such as Opodo and eBookers and how they assist British tourists with their destination planning.I Identifying the factors that Influence leisure hotel buying decisions of British customersThis research will identify the factors that influence British customers’ decision to opt for luxury hotels.Identifying Features of a leisure hotel which attract British honeymoon couplesThis research will identify features of a luxury hotel that attract British couples looking for a honeymoon location.I Investigating hospitality practices of popular leisure hotels in DubaiThis study will investigate hospitality purchases of attractive luxury hotels in Dubai.What are the prime factors influencing restaurant selection decisions of young British couples?This research will explore the factors that influence British couples to select restaurants for their time out.Investigating and Reviewing strategies employed by restaurants and pubs in London to keep their employees motivatedThis research will study an important aspect of tourism industry i.e. how restaurants and pubs in UK keep their employees motivated.Exploring the relationship between culture and leisure hotel buying decisions in LondonThis research will investigate the relationship between how customers in London choose a luxury hotel based on their culture.Creating brand sales and recognition using integrated marketing communication toolsThis research will explore how brand sales and recognition is built using various marketing and communication tools.Understanding the relationship between customers’ buying decisions and leisure hotel hospitality features within the context of overseas holidaysThis research will explore the relationship between customers’ decision to choose a luxury hotel while visiting different countries.The impact of Hospitality Companies’ brand image on tourists’ buying decisionsThis research will first talk about different hospitality companies and how their brand image impacts tourists’ buying decision.Black Tourism Dissertation TopicsBlack tourism, also known as dark tourism and grief tourism involves travelling to historical sites/places that are associated with death, casualties and sufferings. Dark or black tourist sites such as battlefields, monuments, castles, Tsunami site, and Ground Zero are either man made or natural, and they are found commonly in Scotland, South Asia, China and Eastern Europe. Dark tourism may not be considered as a dissertation topic by many students, however, it is an interesting topic to explore. Possible research topics under this field of tourism are listed below:How local communities can benefit commercially and socially from tours to death/casualty sites – A qualitative studyThis research will explore the various benefits that local communities can experience from touring death or casualty sites.Attitude and perception of tourists towards Taj Mahal in IndiaTaj Mahal is considered dark tourism as it certain people consider it a mausoleum. This research will talk about the attitude and perceptions of tourists when visiting Taj Mahal.To investigate and identify the factors influencing tourists’ decisions to visit grief sites in the UKThis research will explore the factors that influence decisions of tourists to visit grief sites in UK.Is Mercat Tour in Scotland a grief tourism site for potential tourists?Mercat Tour in Scotland is considered a ghost site. This study will explore what makes this site a dark tourism destination.Developing a highly effective marketing strategy to promote London Dungeon among the touristsThis research will understand the various marketing strategies undertaken to promote London Dungeon amongst tourists.What are the primary factors influencing British tourists’ decision of choosing grief sites?This research will understand the various factors that influence British tourists’ decision of selecting a dark tourism site.Developing a marketing strategy to promote Beaumaris Prison in Wales as another black tourism site in BritainThis research will focus on developing a successful marketing strategy that will help promote Beaumaris Prison in Wale as a black tourism site in Britain.How manmade grief tourism sites are perceived by the British tourists?This research will find out how manmade dark tourism destinations are perceived by the British tourists.Comparing man made black tourism sites with the natural disaster grief sites from the perspective of touristsThis research will compare manmade and natural dark tourism destinations and will also include tourists’ perceptions.Do communities with Dark Tourism Destinations Benefit from Tourists Visiting these Sites?This research will explore whether or not local communities are impacted in any way when dark tourist sites in their community are visited or if tourism increases in their community.Sustainability and Tourism Dissertation TopicsDue to the ever growing environmental concerns among general public and policy makers, this area of tourism has attracted considerable attention of researchers, academicians and scholars in the tourism industry. At its core, this field of tourism primarily focuses on the way tourists can live harmoniously with the planet earth. Eco tourist sites or sustainable tourist sites are those that promote fauna and flora and cultural heritage. Another objective of eco-tourism is to provide social and economic opportunities to local communities. Some interesting topics, worth exploring, in this area are suggested below:Investigating the impact of internet on the growth of eco-tourism in the UKThis research will study the impact of internet on the rising eco-tourism trend in the UK.Factors affecting British customers’ decision of choosing an eco-tourism site.This research will study the reason why British tourists opt for an eco-tourism site as compared to traditional destinations.Establishing and Discussing strategies to promote Swansea as the best eco-tourist spot in the UKThis research will discuss the various ways through which Swansea can be promoted as the best eco-tourist spot in the UK.Analysing the role of price in the selection of eco-tourism destinationsThis research will understand the various factors that influence the tourists’ decision to choose a eco friendly site for their next holiday destination.Examining the use of integrated marketing communication tools to promote eco-tourism in Great BritainThis research will study and analyze the different ways through which integrated marketing communication tools should be used to promote eco-tourism in the UK.Comparing developing world eco-tourism sites against Western eco-tourism sitesThis study will compare developing eco-tourism sites and developed or Western eco-tourism sites. The study will conclude which sites are more preferred by tourists and what factors lead them to their decision.Does eco-tourism develop social and economic opportunities for local communities?This research will explore whether or not eco-tourism helps develop social and economic opportunities in the local communities. If it does, the study will explore those factors as well.Exploring the factors affecting the buying decisions of customers interested in eco-tourist sitesThis research will identify and discuss the various factors that affect the buying decision of customers who are interested in eco-tourist sites. These factors will then be explored in detail in this study.Analysing the potential of Edinburg as the next eco-tourism site in the UKThis main focus of this research will be Edinburg. The research will investigate in detail as to how this city can be turned into an eco-tourism site in the UK.Assessing the impact of grass root level education in promoting sustainable tourism in Europe – A review of the literatureThis research will discuss the impact of grass root level education to promote sustainable tourism in Europe. The study will be based on qualitative research method.How to Structure your Tourism DissertationTitle PageDeclarationAcknowledgmentsAbstract/Executive SummaryTable of ContentsIntroduction: This will be the introductory chapter of your dissertation, thus should contain all relevant and basic information of your topic. You should also include a background to your topic, main research question and aims and objectives of your research.Literature Review: This is the second chapter of your dissertation. This is based on previous studies; thus you should include past researches in your theory. Also, you should discuss all relevant topics and framework with respect to your dissertation topic.Methodology: This chapter will outline the method you have chosen for your dissertation. Explain in detail the method that you’ve undertaken and how it will help you effectively conduct your dissertation.Findings and Analysis: This is one of the main chapters of your dissertation. You will discuss your findings and present an analysis in this chapter. If you’ve conducted a quantitative research, you can include tables, graphs and charts in this chapter.Discussion: This is where you will relate your findings back to your research question, aims and objectives. Discuss the results in light of your dissertation topic.Conclusion and Recommendations: This is the last chapter of your dissertation. Not only should it conclude your dissertation topic, but should also present recommendations as to how you think the results could be improved and what should be done more to explore your chosen topic.ReferencesAppendices