https://hdl.handle.net/2072/482425 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:23:16 GMT 2026-04-06T00:23:16Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4229 Business plan: implementing and operating a new exclusive ecological hotel in Arbúcies (Girona). Peusaterra Eco & Rural Hotel Stanton Bevilacqua, Paola; Riva Rodríguez, Isabel Tourism is a multidimensional phenomenon and has become one of the most important business sectors all over the world, presenting a particular relevance for the economic development of a country. In recent years, the interest in sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives has increase dramatically due to the growing concern to protect the tourism sector and society as a whole, from the negative use of natural resources and severe on the economy, society and environment, caused by the development of mass tourism in third world countries. The aim of this research paper consists on a business plan for the creation of a 100% ecological and rural hotel with private deluxe cabins by renting and rehabilitating a previously established “masia” with extensive land located within the Catalonian natural environment, in the village of Arbúcies, Girona. The objective of this project is based on the local preservation and regional identity, the sustainable use of natural resources and the valuation of its local products, thus enhancing the eco and rural tourism in the region of Girona. Peusaterra Eco & Rural Hotel will seek to provide its customers with exclusive, unique, and creative experiences, accompanied by incredibly rich natural atmosphere and practices that are in favor of health as well as the use of the location’s ecosystems under a high degree of economic, social and environmental responsibility above recreation Tutor: Fede Prats Sat, 01 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4229 2018-12-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4209 Sharing economy in Barcelona: legal issues for nautical tourism Fargas Saltor, Maria The research aims to investigate the current state of the sharing economy in Barcelona, to analyse Barcelona as a tourism destination and study the legal issues of the sharing economy in nautical tourism under Barcelona regulations. This research analyses through qualitative methods, literature review and two different types of interviews, the concepts and development of the sharing economy, the tourism industry and the nautical sector in Barcelona, to be able to study the relation between those concepts and investigate the legal issues of the sharing economy. Companies with the sharing economy model are rapidly expanding, especially in the tourism industry. Those companies connect individuals that offer their products or services through platforms to make profitable their under-used assets with other individuals that are interested in buying or renting those products or services. Moreover, since the 1992 Olympic games, Barcelona is a powerful touristic city and an international hub for innovation that is experiencing the growth of the sharing economy model in every corner. Barcelona is also a coastal city that counts with a Mediterranean climate and sea, from where residents and travellers can experience the city in a different way, and one of the reasons why there are so many international companies set up in the city. Nautical tourism demand is growing gradually in Barcelona, but it is not aligned with the offer that nautical companies have. In addition, maintaining a boat is very expensive for boat owners and the average of use of their boat is 26 times per year. This research analyses the constant growth of sharing economy platforms and of tourism activity in Barcelona, collecting secondary data and primary data, from in-depth interview to professionals of the sector. In addition, the research has investigated the legal issues of applying the sharing economy model in nautical tourism. Tutora: Esther Binkhorst Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4209 2018-03-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4240 Dark Tourism Attractiveness Scan Model: Towards a More Effective Development of a Destination Zaccaria, Alessia; Romano Romero, Paula Death has always fascinated humans, perhaps because the fear of not being able to avoid it is as great as the desire to know what comes next. Driven by an innate awareness of one's deadly nature, people have always visited sites impregnated with suffering, pain, violence, and atrocity such as the Auschwitz Genocide Camp or the Ground Zero. Although the act of travelling to these destinations has always existed, its literature remains scarce with a small number of academics dedicated to its study. Firstly, Rojek developed the concept of Black Spots, then Seaton coined the term Thanatourism and finally, Lennon & Foley labelled it as we know it today, Dark Tourism. Afterwards, Stone further explored the industry with the identification of the Seven Dark Suppliers and the subsequent development of a Dark Tourism Spectrum Framework to determine the intensity of darkness arising from each attraction. However, there is still a gap in the literature concerning not only the thorough knowledge of this new form of tourism but also the lack of an effective methodology capable of detecting Dark Tourism destinations as well as to identify potential dark tourist products. Indeed, this thesis aims to fill this academic void through a deepening of theories and definitions regarding this new phenomenon so to allow a greater understanding of its origin, evolution and current state as well as through the creation of a Dark Tourism Attractiveness Scan Model availed not only of a theoretical but also an empirical basis since it is used in a geographically defined area, the province of Tarragona, to determine both its positioning as a successful tourism destination and the identification of tourist products potentially connected to the Dark Tourism. Finally, the ultimate aim is to provide the tourism industry with a possible methodology capable of determining new business potentialities in tourist destinations not yet developed or offering new possibilities to already mature tourist destinations. Tutor: Xavier Puertas Wed, 01 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4240 2019-05-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4188 Engagement of casual labor to Hotel Arts' standards and culture Spaargaren, Rosa In the context of hospitality organizations, brand attributes origins in service delivery and other intangibles within the organization (Lashley, 1995). Engaged and committed employees who understand and accept brand attributes can become brand evangelists and deliver on the brand promise in a consistent and a better manner across global hospitality portfolios. Employee engagement has become a widely used and popular term. This construct is a relatively new notion in the literature, but it has been heavily promoted by HR consulting companies that offer advice on how to create and leverage it. The general consensus is that the fundamental concept of engagement may explain behavior at work, but inconsistent interpretations still exist. According to Gibbons (2006:5) “employee engagement is a heightened emotional and intellectual connection that an employee has for his/her job, organization, manager, or co-workers that in turn influences him/her to apply additional discretionary effort to his/her work”. Hotel Arts is also affected by employee turnover. The problem is encountered in the banqueting department of the hotel. Hotel Arts organizes a lot of banqueting events, both offside and in the hotel, for which it regularly needs so-called casual or external labor. These employees work at an event for one time, maybe twice. As a consequence, the hotel reaches the problem of very high turnover in this department. The issue that arises is how this external labor could adapt more to the hotel’s standards and culture in order to get more engaged with the company’s service values and thereby reducing the level of turnover. Within the framework of this Master Thesis a qualitative research has been chosen. The goal of the interviews is to discover the different views on the current situation regarding the engagement of the ETT to the hotel’s culture, in order to determine which aspects of the work and the engagement of the ETT can be improved through policy measures. I decided to develop three different measures, based on selection and recruitment, training, and the improvement of the workplace. I found it essential to research about the main causes of these three problems encountered, and to provide a strategy that could bring a solution to each of them. " Tutora: Daniela Freund de Klumbis Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/4188 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z