Tour Agency Operations and Management

This assignment delves into the critical operations and management practices within the tourism agency industry. It highlights the vital role agencies play in enhancing traveler experiences through quality service provision while emphasizing compliance with government rules and regulations for foreign tourists. The document further examines potential operational disruptions like transport incidents or natural calamities, stressing the need for effective management strategies to mitigate these challenges.

Resort Operations
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1: Functions of resort operation management..........................................................................1
1.2: Structure of resort offices of different types of tour operators............................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1: Effective quality system and procedure affect legal and conflict situations........................4
2.2: Impact of quality systems and procedures implemented.....................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1: Incidents that affect the operations of a resort.....................................................................5
3.2: Procedures to be implemented by tour operator to deal with different incidents................6
3.3: Procedures to be implemented by tour operator link with guidelines of trade associations
and government bodies...............................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Tour operation management industry is one the growing industry due to having
maximum number of customers who are looking for attractive packages of services for which
details pertaining to destinations, events, transportations medium and other aspects. They
influences the decision-making behaviour of tourist regarding choosing of desired destination by
offering them wide available services with an attractive packages. The present assignment is
based on Audley Travel which is UK-based travel company whose headquartered is in London,
Boston (Overview of Audley travel, 2018). It is engaged in packaging and selling of holidays to
the the tropical Islands such as Jamaica, Sri Lanka etc. The project includes the functions of
resort operation management along with the structure of resort offices of different types of tour
operators. The project also discusses the effective quality system and procedures affecting algal
and conflict situations. In addition with this, analyses of incidents affecting the operations of a
resort and procedures to deal with different incidents are briefly discussed under this report.
TASK 1
1.1: Functions of resort operation management
There are so many resorts which have tie up with Audley Travels and specially deals
Jamaica and Sri- Lanka and tropical Islands in order to efficiently work their tour services. There
are some of the resorts in portfolio in Audley which offers their services in Sri- Lanka and
Jamaica. These are: Kanky Rivers Edge Nature Resort, Santani Resorts and Spa and Green View
Holiday Resorts, Beaches Negril Resorts & Spa, Grand Palladium Jamaica Resorts and Spa
which linked up to the Audley Travels. There are so many set of responsibilities’ &
accountabilities such as handling consumer and suppliers, handling legal activities which
specially handles by the operation managers. The main role of operation managers is to emerge
an agreement with suppliers and consumers of the organization. Tour operators provides the
transportation services not only from the one destination but also from destination to hotel.
Consumers service parameter will cover before and after visit service support, services on site
and increasing consumer satisfaction via consumer survey. Room allocation is being established
into consumer needs and customization in done.
For handling an appropriate communication, this is mandatory that the tour operators are
required to have command over diverse languages henceforth, they could easily deal with the
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consumers and suppliers which belongs from diverse countries. Reservations is needed in order
to know the know the convenience date so that the consumers’ availability can be checked. Tour
operators provides services to the consumers after keeping in mind their comforts. For instance,
if any person is rich and ready to spend money as per the comfort then operator manager would
have to provide services as per his or her comfort. This is the responsibility of the tour operator
managers for managing the good co-ordination with resorts henceforth, the consumer satisfaction
could be increased by offering an effective service to them.
Resort operation functions will cover health and safety legislations, agreements and local
rules and regulations which are related to certain destinations which are visited by the
consumers. There is a responsibilities of tour operators to know about the health and safety
related rules and regulations which are only applicable to the resorts operations. These rules and
regulations are: health and safety at work 1974, contract provision of service, local laws, profit
margins and data protection etc. Audley Travels is accountable for ensuring health and safety at
workplace along with their own security at the time of working with the organization. Accident
recovery process must be known by the employees for handling any kind of emergency situation.
Resort manager is required to investigate the procedure for health and safety and in this
case, suppliers’ health and safety process are not satisfactory then they must fix their issues.
Employment contract will require to fix with the permanent employees while terms and
conditions must be negotiated. Formal agreement made between tour operator and resort
manager for blocking the rooms for the tourists. Local laws and currency prices likewise requires
to be adopted by tour operators at the time of developing tour operator services for tourists.
1.2: Structure of resort offices of different types of tour operators
In travel and tourist agencies, there are number of operators exist who are engaged in
providing multiple number of services to the tourists. These tour operators are briefly described
as under:
Operators in tourism sectors: Some large agencies put their efforts in merging holidays
packages in order to offer extra benefits to the tourists desired to visit at different nations.
Audley Travel renders multiple number of holidays packages according to the budget and
preferences of the customers. They can combine the packages containing additionally benefits to
the customers after collecting feedbacks and suggestions from their regular or loyal customers
using social media as a platform (Bowdin and et. al., 2012).
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Wholesaler tour operator: They work as a mediator between customers and suppliers in
the market. It ensures the availability of services to the customers through communicating with
suppliers in advance. Audley Travel bas its own hotel and retail which makes easy for them to
provide valuable services to the customers according to their needs and preferences.
Special tour operator: It refers to a tour operator which are dealing in niche market of the
social club. They mainly focuses on managing and providing extra activities for entertainment
and fun purposes. Such type of operators are not relay on cost or price and targeting only small
group of people of visitors. Audley Travel has appoint some special operators in order provide
friendly and conform environment to their customers in their trip which maximises their
satisfaction level due to which the company can easily achieve their trust and loyalty for future
period of time.
Machine operators: These are the operators which are responsible to provide basic need
products such as food and accommodation to the tourist while travelling. Audley Travel is a big
industry having its own manufacturing department due to which it makes easy for them to fulfil
all the basic requirements to their customers at their travelling period. Every customer desire to
taste famous food dish from the particular place so the company should focus on helping them in
tasting all food and related facilities (Chen and Mersereau, 2015).
Forklift operator: It is the operator which makes travelling of customers more secure and
safe through providing insurance, licences, medical aids and healthy products. They are mainly
focuses on minimising the risk factor and ensure them about their safety and security during trip.
Resorts and hotels are the services provider such as accommodation, transportation,
medical facilities, foods etc. Indian ocean and Caribbean is the determined as the most preferable
locations where the tourist desired to visit. These two areas are covered by the water due to
which it is easily attract the customers who like the seas and oceans. The resorts offer different
package system to their customers and allow them to decide according to the needs and
preferences. Resorts and hotels spends huge amount of money to attract maximum number of
customers due to bring themselves ahead in the competitions with their rivals.
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TASK 2
2.1: Effective quality system and procedure affect legal and conflict situations
Tropical islands such as Sri-Lanka and Caribbean are more preferred by visitors for
travelling purposes. They are the place which an easily attracts all age groups of people due to
which the resort operation management play an important role in providing attractive tour
packages. They always tried to implement high and effective quality system to attract maximum
number of customers towards tour agencies. For this, Audley Travel should implement an
effective quality system procedure to manage issues and conflicts which can adversely affect the
growth of the business. It requires to follow effective quality system such as legal
responsibilities. Safety, audits and checks, written agreement obligations dealing with suppliers.
They should try to avoid legal interference on the firm which can hinder their service in market.
Caribbean is also become the most popular and famous place which attracts most of the
people across worldwide. Audley Travel is operated its agencies worldwide through offering
better tourism services to their customers. They successfully expands its business through
focusing on maximising the satisfaction level of customers by giving them trip insurance and
safety procedure to the customers to ensure about their health and safety. A quality system is
helpful in minimising the legal issues which can causes problems in regulation of work in an
organisation. They maintain some kind of contracts as per safety basis (Evans, Stonehouse, and
Campbell, 2012).
Audley Travel prepare a contract which contains all information regarding trip and its
services which need to be signed by every tourists and if tourist reject to sign then the company
is not responsible for any incidents happened during trip.
2.2: Impact of quality systems and procedures implemented
Quality systems and procedures implemented by Audley Travel has resulted and
impacted on their operations of resorts which are discussed as under:
 Resorts are having close coordination with the tour operators so as to implement the
health & safety guidelines.
 Resort managers have been appointed the duty to deal with the implementation of the
health and security enactment in the resort and monitoring is straightforwardly taken care
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of by the director of the resorts which demonstrates high significance of health and safety
legislations in the organisational context.
 Resort management need to guarantee health and safety legislations through periodic
audits and checks (Kotas, 2014).
 Incidents occurring in the resort should be appropriately revealed through created
documentation.
 Statistics for the occurrences should be overseen by resort managers with the end goal to
report the same to higher authorities.
 Appropriate investigations should be completed for the occurrences and improvisation is
being done as such as to ensure such incident don't happen in future.
 Resorts highlight the health and safety regulation and lawful consistence as one of the
key factor with the end goal to tie up with the tour operators.
TASK 3
3.1: Incidents that affect the operations of a resort
Incidents can be happened at anytime at any place which can either affect negatively or
positively on the business operations of a resort. It may either causes issues and conflicts among
the customers and tourist operators due to lack of services promised by tour operators earlier
which can affect their sustainability and profitability as well in the market. To prevent future
incidents which are contingent in nature, tour operators should ready with their backup plans so
that the tourist can experience their travelling in effective and efficient manner. Incidents many
be related with medical problem, political incidents, accommodation and transportation incidents
etc. It can be further understood under the below:
Natural incidents: It is related with factor on which there is no control of humans as it
can occurred automatically such as earth quacks, tornado, stoma etc. It can adversely affect the
operations of resorts who are providing services near to the area of seas and oceans. It restrict
tourists to visit at such places due to concerning about their safety and security which indirectly
makes negative impact on the sales revenue of tour operators (OsinAike, 2016).
Transport incidents: It is related to the incidents which can be happened at the time of
execution of trip as transportation facilities facilitate customers to visit at their desired
destinations. Some incidents related with transportation includes hijacks, crashes, accidents etc.
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which can affect the environment of the resort. To prevent such incidental issues, Audley Travel
should use safety tools and trained experts in order to ensure their customers about their safety
and security.
Medical problems: It refers to an incident related with medical issues which can be faced
by tourist at the time of travelling. Such issues may related with unhealthy food, change weather,
pollutions, heredity etc. that may cause food poisoning, cholera and typhoid and malaria. Due to
this, the tourist may show less interest to visits at such places where they can feel unsafe and
unhealthy. This will make bad impact on the operations of the resort.
Political issues: It is related with the fluctuations in government rules and policies which
brings difficulties among tourist operators to send their customer at their nations for travelling
purposes. For this, Audley Travel need to understand the government laws and work before
planning the trip to their customers. It affect the pre-determined plans and operations of tourist
agencies which can increases their expenses as well to re-designed the trip according to the new
policies and laws of government (Özer, 2011).
Accommodation issues: It includes the basic needs which every customers expect from
their tour operators. Before deciding the destinations, the customers ensures about receiving
basic needs during travelling. For this, resorts are liable to arrange and manage better living
facility to their customers. At the peak seasons, the availability of rooms are more difficult which
can cause issues and conflicts among tour operator and customers. This can affect the
environment of the resort in adverse manner.
3.2: Procedures to be implemented by tour operator to deal with different incidents
Tour operators can successfully achieve growth and revenue only if they are capable to
deal with different incidents which can affect the travelling decisions of people. Therefore,
Audley Travel is required to implement various ways in order to deal with incidents related with
passenger and other operational incidents. It builds their strong image which makes easy for
them to attract maximum number of customers and achieve their loyalty for future period of
time. Audley Travel is required to implement the following process to deal with different kinds
of incidents which are listed as under:
Identifying the area where the incident occurs: In the first step, Audley Travel should
identify the areas or field where the chances of occurring incidents are more. For this, experts
and professional should be hired who carefully analysing the contingent situations that can cause
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issues or incidents. For example, identifying weather related conditions which causes medical
issues (Ransley and Ingram, 2012).
Developing the information related to it: The next step is to collect information about
the incidents happened earlier through using various sources such as internet sites. This will able
them to find out the accurate reasons of occurrence, what are the main problems that happened
mostly during trip etc. For example, Sri Lanka has facing may weather climatic changes from
last few years according to the internet sources which causes medical issues towards tourists
therefore it will help Audley Travel to plan a corrective action before taking their customers to
Sri Lanka.
Ascertaining the solutions for that incident: After identifying the possibilities of
incidents, the management of Audley Travel should develop possible solutions with help of
taking advices and suggestions from experts and professionals so that they can successful
provide tourism services to their customers without any hindrances. For example, appoint
doctors who visit with customers and taking care of their health during trip (Santos-Vijande,
López-Sánchez and Trespalacios, 2012).
Implementing the plan: After collecting advices and suggestion fro experts, the
management of Audley Travel should decide to implement them after analysing its effectiveness
and future outcomes. For example, appointing doctors who are responsible to take care of their
customers during their travelling time. This will build loyalty and goodwill of Audley Travel in
competitive market.
Reviewing the whole procedure: After implementing plans, the management should
review whether it can be helpful to minimise incidents and maximise travelling experiences of
their customers. If any deviations are found then it will enable company to take make some
relevant changes in their plans so that no incidents can disturbed the customers while travelling.
3.3: Procedures to be implemented by tour operator link with guidelines of trade associations and
government bodies
Tour operators should required to implement procedures complying with the guidelines
of the trade associations and government bodies. Foreign and common wealth officer play an
important role in minimising incidents such as introducing emergency telephone number that
will be helpful in case of emergencies. This will ensures foreign tourists about their health and
safety which maximises their behaviour ot travelling to such nation. At the time of emergency
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foreign leading officers provides suggestions about the trip and if the situations are not in control
then the tour can be cancelled whereas if the situations is in favour then trip can be continued
effectively (Tavitiyaman, Qiu Zhang and Qu, 2012).
The government officers are so professionally trained and educated that they have an
ability to take corrective action at the time of crisis take place. Such officers are more capable to
tackle the situations in an appropriate manner. If the persons are in problem then counselling
sessions are provided by the government in order to bring out optimum solutions, Resorts are
trying to cope up with such situations with the help of taking support from the government.
Government officers are also more supportive in terms of providing support system to the
resorts operation management. High specialists give budgetary services to the resorts. Foreign
officers offer help to them who are move to unequivocal spots. The resort management system
give an instructional meeting to the worker or staff of each office so that if any issue and issue
emerge that can easily be dealt with by the resort. For accomplishing the destinations and
objectives the management need to confront the issues. This issues demolished the working state
of the firm and it will extremely troublesome for them to get higher position in the focused
market. To give best office and management to the resort part and the guests the social control
officers are selected and they do manages in linkage the resort and exchange affiliation and
government (Wu and Pagell, 2011)..
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above project report that travel and tourist agencies play
an important role in maximising the travelling experiences of visitors through offering them
quality tourist services. For this, tour operators need to comply with the government rules and
regulations related to the foreign tourists and accordingly make further plans and arrangements.
There are different incidents as well which can affect the operations of tour agencies such as
transport incidents, natural calamities etc. thus it is very important for them to deal with such
incidents in more effective and efficient manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bowdin, G., and et. al., 2012. Events management. Routledge.
Chen, L. and Mersereau, A. J., 2015. Analytics for operational visibility in the retail store: The
cases of censored demand and inventory record inaccuracy. In Retail Supply Chain
Management (pp. 79-112). Springer, Boston, MA.
Evans, N., Stonehouse, G. and Campbell, D., 2012. Strategic management for travel and
tourism. Taylor & Francis.
Kotas, R., 2014. Management accounting for hotels and restaurants. Routledge.
OsinAike, A., 2016. Business Operations Management. Operations Management in the Travel
Industry. p.45.
Özer, Ö., 2011. Inventory management: information, coordination, and rationality. In Planning
Production and Inventories in the Extended Enterprise (pp. 321-365). Springer, Boston,
MA.
Ransley, J. and Ingram, H., 2012. Developing hospitality properties and facilities. Routledge.
Santos-Vijande, M.L., López-Sánchez, J.Á. and Trespalacios, J.A., 2012. How organizational
learning affects a firm's flexibility, competitive strategy, and performance. Journal of
Business Research. 65(8). pp.1079-1089.
Tavitiyaman, P., Qiu Zhang, H. and Qu, H., 2012. The effect of competitive strategies and
organizational structure on hotel performance. International Journal of Contemporary
Hospitality Management. 24(1). pp.140-159.
Wu, Z. and Pagell, M., 2011. Balancing priorities: Decision-making in sustainable supply chain
management. Journal of operations management. 29(6). pp.577-590.
Online
Overview of Audley travel. 2018. [Online]. Available through:<https://www.audleytravel.com/>.
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