Tour Operation Management: A Comprehensive Guide to Designing and Selling Holiday Packages

Tour Operation Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................2
1.1 Analyse the effects of current and recent trends and developments on the tour operator’s. .2
industry........................................................................................................................................2
LO2..................................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Assess the stages and timescales involved in developing holidays.......................................3
2.2 Evaluate the suitability of different methods of contracting for different components of the
holiday and different types of tour operator [M1].......................................................................6
2.3 Calculate the selling price of a holiday from given information below................................8
LO3..................................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Evaluate the planning decisions taken for the design selected brochure..........................9
3.2 Assess the suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour
operators and recommend the most appropriate for your tour package....................................11
3.3 Evaluate the suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for
different types of tour operator and recommend the most appropriate for your tour package.. 13
M2 select /design and apply appropriate methods/techniques..................................................15
LO4................................................................................................................................................16
4.1 Evaluate the strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator [M3].................16
4.2 Compare the tactical decisions that could be taken by a selected tour operator in different
situations....................................................................................................................................18
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................20
References......................................................................................................................................21

LIST OF FIGURE
Figure 1: Steps involved in development of holidays.....................................................................3
Figure 2: Gantt chart........................................................................................................................5
Figure 3: Methods of Contracting....................................................................................................6
Figure 4: Brochure Designing.........................................................................................................9
Figure 5: Alternatives to traditional methods................................................................................11
Figure 6: Online Boucher of Trailfinders......................................................................................12
Figure 7: Distribution methods used by tour operators.................................................................13
Figure 8: Tactical Decisions..........................................................................................................18

LIST OF TABLE
Table 1: Strategic Decisions made by tour operator......................................................................16
Table 2: Tactical Decisions...........................................................................................................18

Introduction
Tour operation Management can be defined as the study of managing and controlling of all the
activities involved in designing of holiday package. The report will focus on analysing the
current trend in tour operators industry. It will focus on assessing the stages in developing
holidays, evaluation of contracting methods as well as calculation of selling price of package.
The report will review the brochures and methods of distribution for selling of holidays. Last
task of the report will help in understanding the strategic and tactical decisions made by tour
operators. It will explain all the tasks by considering Trailfinders which is a travel organization
in UK and operates its travel centres in UK and Ireland.

LO1
1.1 Analyse the effects of current and recent trends and developments on the tour operator’s
industry.Effects of current and recent trends and developments on the tour operator’s industry
Trailfinders owns 3 travel centres in Ireland and 29 in
UK and is one of the popular travel organizations. It
provides customised travel services to its customers
majorly in Australia, South America, New Zealand,
Africa and Asia. Being the leading organization with
high level of customer satisfaction services, still it is
highly influenced by the current trends which are
explained as:
Technological Adoption: Travel and tourism is
growing at a rapid rate with the adoption of
technology. Utilisation of internet facilitates
customers to book travel packages online by
comparing several available options for prices
and facilities included in the package. Online
booking services seek the attention of customers
and also facilitate them to make cancellation of
their bookings in case of emergency.
Demands of customers: Tour operators have high
focus on providing customer satisfaction and therefore,
it provides customised products and services as per the
demand of tourists. High trend of flexibility among
tour operators is observed so that they can serve
customers in the most efficient manner. They offer tour
packages with wide range of features. Marketing: The major source of making
customers aware about its product and services is
marketing. Trailfinders have high focus on
adopting advanced marketing technique to
expand the demand and reach of its products and
services. The most common observed trend in
the tour operator’s industry is to offer discount
and other beneficial offers to attract customers.
There is high support of government in
promoting the travel industry by appointing
ambassadors.
Customer satisfaction: The effectiveness of tour
operator’s industry is measured in terms of customer
satisfaction. Demand of products and retention of
customers are the two major factors that influence the
customer satisfaction. Trailfinders for its growth in
competitive industry has high focus on improving its
products and services to provide high level of
customer satisfaction services.