Analysis of Resort Operations Management for Thomas Cook Group Plc

This report provides an executive summary and detailed analysis of the resort operations management of Thomas Cook Group Plc, a British global travel and tourism company. The report delves into various aspects of resort operations, including the analysis of functions, such as effective communication, health and safety legislation, transportation services, coordination, handling tour operators, and customer service. It also examines the structure of resort offices, differentiating between various types of tour operators and resorts, including inclusive resorts with self-catering, bed and breakfast, half-board, and full-board arrangements. Furthermore, the report explores the impact of effective quality systems and procedures on legal and conflict situations, detailing the implementation of such systems within Thomas Cook. The report also evaluates activities affecting resort operations and procedures that tour operators can implement to address these situations, including procedures related to trade associations and government bodies. The analysis emphasizes the importance of quality, customer service, and legal compliance in maintaining a successful business operation in the competitive travel and tourism industry.

Resort Operation
Management

Executive Summary
Thomas Cook Group Plc. is a British Global Company deals in travel and tourism. The
company was formed on 19 June 2007 with the merger of Thomas Cook AG and MyTravel
Group Plc. The company's operations goes in various countries and continents like Sri-Lanka
and Jamaica. The company has extend their operations in Caribbean and Indian Ocean as well to
attract the customers and establish themselves on world map. The company was established in
year 1841 with a view to help people in implementing a concept which will simplify the way
they travel.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1.1: Analysis of functions of Resort Operations.......................................................................1
P1.2: Analysis of Structure of Resort Offices of Different types of tour operator ....................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2.1: Effective Quality System and Procedures effect on legal and conflict situations ............3
P2.2: Implementation of Effective Quality System ...................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P3.1 Activities that can affect the operations of a resort ............................................................6
P3.2: Evaluation of the procedures that can be implemented by tour operator in order to deal
with the situation better...............................................................................................................7
P3.3: Procedures that can be implemented in link with trade associations and government
bodies..........................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Operation Management is a process of establishing business practices in such a way that
it makes the operations of company more efficient. It helps in implementing a system related to
material and labour as to effectively improve them so that company can maximise its profits. It
helps in production and redesigning a system in business operations (Agrawal and Chatterjee,
2015). In Travel and Tourism Industry, it is very crucial for organisations to see that they
minimise the cost of their operations at each step such that they are able to maximise their profit
without reducing the level of quality service provided by them. In order to understand the role
performed by operation management in travel and tourism industry, Thomas Cook Group has
been selected. Thomas Cook Group Plc. is a British Global Company deals in travel and tourism.
The company was formed on 19 June 2007.
TASK 1
P1.1: Analysis of functions of Resort Operations
Thomas Cook Group Plc is a travel and tourism company. It has operations all over the
world. Thomas Cook helps the customers choosing a right package according to their need and
budget when they need to travel abroad. To do that, they have plenty of tie-ups with various
resorts all over the world from a seven star hotel to three. It helps them in providing with the
needs of customers according to budget set up by them. Some of the major hotels in the portfolio
of Thomas Group Plc are Marlin Waterloo, 88 Studios Kensington, The Tower Hotel, The
William Wale Hotel, The Williamsburg Hotel, Maison Breguet, Hotel De Vigny, Victoria Palace
Hotel, and thousands of more hotel such that it provides customers with hundreds of choices
(Ajak and Topal, 2015).
There are various operations that these resorts fulfil in order to attract more and more
customers through many tour and travel companies like Thomas Cook. They need to make sure
that customers are well verse with the packages available in order to meet the needs of customers
as well as organisation. The various functions performed by Resorts Operation Management are: Effective Communication: The very first function that these resorts will need to perform
is to communicate. It is very essential key to success for any organisation as it will help
them in building an effective relationship with that of customers. Only through
communication, an organisation can inform customers about the prices as well as
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facilities provided. The role of Thomas Cook employees is very important as they are
people who help the customers in communicating necessary details to customers. Health & Safety Legislation: Thomas Cook needs to be aware of various health and
safety laws in order to make the stay of their customers safe. There are various laws
pertaining in this industry like, provision of safety, local law of the countries, health and
safety at work, contract act, data protection act, etc. It is very important for organisation
to do so as it helps the customers in entrusting the company and they also feel that
customers are important for the company. It will help them in choosing the services of
Thomas Cook Group yet again (Behrangrad, 2015). Transportation Services: It not only includes ways of travelling from home country to
destination, but, from destination to hotel and various other places where customer needs
to go. Thomas Cook needs to ensure that it provide facilities to customers which limit
their load and optimise their satisfaction through efficient services. Coordination: It is very crucial for resorts to coordinate with various tour and travel
operators as they are the people who will bought customers to the resort. Handling Tour Operators: Resorts need to have a cordial relationship with various tour
operators in order to attract more and more customers towards company (Bélanger and et.
al., 2016).
 Customer Service Function: Resorts need to establish a customer service function
through which they would be able to better understand the needs of customers and help in
fulfilling them.
These are the various functions performed by Resorts that are having a tie-up with Thomas
Cook Group in order to better understand the resort operations managed by them.
P1.2: Analysis of Structure of Resort Offices of Different types of tour operator
Resort can be termed as a place which provide accommodations, food facilities, efficient
services and many other facilities at the same place. These services are imparted in order to make
the stay of customers happy and pleasant. The number of activities differ according to the budget
as well as scale of operations of specific resort. Thomas Cook needs to have an effective
relationship with all sort of resorts as they are targeting all income group and customers, thus,
providing efficient results.
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There are different structure of resorts varies according to the expenses. One such resort
is inclusive resorts. It includes all the facilities like, full board, half board, bed and breakfast,
catering, food, stay, basically everything. It provides customers with all types of facilities and
customize the packages accordingly (Calomiris, Flandreau and Laeven, 2016). To continue with
inclusive resorts, it divided themselves in many more sub parts, that is, In self catering
arrangement, Bed and Breakfast arrangement, Half board Structure and Full Board structure.
Self Catering Resort are the low cost resort which provides customers with the same
facilities as of multi function resort. It suggest that resorts are made available for the customers
according to their needs, but, catering facilities like, food and everything is made arranged by
themselves. It is done so that they can arrange their own food according to their needs. It helps in
limiting the cost of customers as they can save their funds on food and use it for other purposes.
In Bed and Breakfast type of arrangement when the bookings are made by operator for
customers. It also include cost of stay as well as complimentary breakfast. It limits the efforts
that would be needed to make by the customers as with the help of this they can just start with
the expeditions.
Half Board Structure include cost of accommodation, breakfast as well as dinner. The
cost showcased to customer includes all these three costs. This type of arrangement is most
suitable for the aged customers as they are the people who does not like to waste their time and
just wants to visit the city, come to hotel, have their dinner and sleep.
Full Board Structure includes cost of accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner. It
covers all these costs of customers. These types of structure are suitable for the people who look
for comfort rather than visiting a new place. They use vacations for relax and thus spend most of
their time in resort.
These are some structures of resorts suitable and used by the customers according to their
need and budget (Davies, 2016).
TASK 2
P2.1: Effective Quality System and Procedures effect on legal and conflict situations
Quality is the key of consistency to effectively manage and setting standards of
performance for the organisation. It is very important for a company to establish a system that
will help them in maintaining the quality in order to attract customers and establish long term
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bonds. As the thing crucial for customer is quality and if it is served than customers pay back by
loyalty.
In resort, Effective Quality System plays a huge role in establishing a channel that will
not only help the firm in realising an effective way to establish quality as well as help in
maintaining that quality as well (Heldman, 2018). Here, the customers wants effective and
efficient quality services and if received, then, they pay back company by more visits, referrals
and loyalty.
Thomas Cook have tie-ups with multiple resorts all over country and that is why, they
value and give lots of importance to effective quality system. There are various elements which
covers the aspects of Effective Quality System in Resort Operations like, health and safety,
contractual obligations, legal responsibilities, audits and checks and many more services that
needs to be followed by Resorts in order to sustain a good position in the market.
Rosewood London is a resort situated in High Holborn, Holborn, London. The resort
have secured good ratings in Thomas Cook because of the efficient services provided by them. It
is only possible because of the moral and legal responsibility fulfilled by them. They do regular
feedbacks and audits in order to ensure that all requisites of health and safety standards are met.
Rosewood London ensures Effective Quality Management through:
Hire Right Staff The very first step of this procedure includes that Rosewood London hire
the right staff in order to establish themselves in the market. As it is the
staff who represents the firm in the market and showcase values
implemented by Rosewood (Holweg and et. al., 2018).
Embrace the staff Rosewood London needs to assure that employees feel welcome as well
as attached to the organisation. No matter at what role an employee is
working they should feel that company is valuing their efforts. This way
employees will be satisfied and there would be less chance of any
conflict that can take place.
Profit Ratios A well paid employees are satisfied in the working environment.
Rosewood London ensures that the employees are well off in their life.
Doing that, company will able to fulfil their legal obligations as well and
it will reduce the conflicts between the firm as well.
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Oriented to
Solutions
In this industry, organisations do not shut down for even an hour, no
matter what is situation. So, in this regard, something can go wrong as an
employee will not be able to work for 24 hours in a day and 7 days in
week. In such a way, manager of Rosewood came out with a system such
that it will give employees their much needed break to work efficiently.
P2.2: Implementation of Effective Quality System
Thomas Cook Group Plc is a huge organisation and because of that it is necessary for
them to implement Effective Quality System in their operations so that they can provide
consistent quality to their customers in order to maintain a good reputation in the market as well
as sustain customer's trust (Johnes, 2015).
The role performed by Effective Quality System at Thomas Cook Group for resort
operations are:
 Coordination: Thomas Cook needs to have an effective channel of communication along
with resorts in order to implement better health and safety guidelines for the customers in
order to attract and sustain long term relationship.
 Checks and Audits: Thomas Cook can regularly or within some time can organise check
ups and audits in order to make sure that the resort is performing their duties diligently as
well as to see that health and safety litigations are fulfilled or not.
 Documentation: If any incident takes place in resort which can have any impact on the
workings of Thomas Cook or any resort related to health and safety litigation needs to be
recorded and documented such that no such thing is repeated again (Kim and Gil, 2015).
 Statistics of Incidents: These incidents that takes place needs to be reported and
communicated to top authority in order to see the statistics as at what rate these incidents
are repeated. These statistics are reported to Thomas cook so that they can make the
decision that whether they want to attach themselves with the resort or not.
 Regulations: Resorts needs to show Thomas Cook that they highlight health and safety
litigation in order to tie up with brand. Through this way, Thomas Cook as well can come
to know about the way resort works to make the decision about the tie up.
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 Training: Resorts needs to provide training to their employees in order to educate them
about the various health and safety measures they need to follow and showcase in their
activities to attract more customers(Lu and et. al., 2018).
 Unfair Practices: Unfair Contract Practices are very common practice performed by
many resorts which are direct misconduct to Health and safety compliance. In such a
way, Thomas Cook needs to assure that these activities does not take place at resorts with
which they have tied up themselves.
These are some of the practices that can be implemented by resorts for Effective Quality System
in order to tie up with Thomas Cook.
TASK 3
P3.1 Activities that can affect the operations of a resort
There are various range of activities that can take place in the operations of Resorts
which can hamper the growth of a specific resort or a whole industry. These activities can either
be natural or man made. Natural activities regards to any natural calamity that can take place
which can affect the environment as well as experience of tourists. The man made activities
regard to crashes, Hijacks, safety issues and unsuitable vehicles which can hamper the
experience of customers.
Natural Activities Man Made Activities
Natural calamity Aviation Issues
Medical Incidents Political Issues
Transportation Incidents Terrorism Issues
Natural Activities: It refers to activities which occur out of the control of a human, but, have
potential to effect the operations of a resort. These activities are caused due to some natural
occurrence or incidence (Srinivasan, 2017). Some of them are:
 Natural Calamity: It refers to any earthquake, floods, hurricane whose occurrence can
damage the tourist environment of the country. For Example, Volcano Eruption in Bali,
Indonesia, hamper their growth and stopped the tourist from visiting the country, thus, no
guests for resorts.
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 Medical Incidents: It refers to any disease like Malaria, cholera or food poisoning
related problems out breaking the country such that people does not want to visit the
country. Thus, no tourists. Transportation Incidents: It refers to outbreak of several accidents or increment of
accidents showcasing the country in bad light can affect the operations of resort (Tucci
and Bonora, 2015).
Man-Made Activities: These are the activities which directly affects the tourism industry due to
the workings of a human beings only. Some of them are: Aviation Issues: It refers to flight delays or hijacks that cam ham,per the growth and
development of certain country as it will stop the tourists from visiting the country. If
there would be no tourists that will mean no income generation for resorts. Political Issues: If a country have certain political issues regarding tourism industry, it
will showcase the country in bad light. It will not only bad light the country all over the
world, but, will also showcase no income for the country.
 Terrorism Issues: If country is in a war zone with any country, then, it will showcase the
country in bad light. It will not only stop people to visit the country but also stop the
income for many resorts in country.
These are some of the activities that can affect the operations of a business.
P3.2: Evaluation of the procedures that can be implemented by tour operator in order to deal with
the situation better
For Thomas Cook, a tour operator performs lots of role and responsibilities such that it
not only help the company and employees, but, also deals with critical situations that can hamper
the growth and development of company. The first step here before the situation of crises arise is
to see that planning is done in advance. Tour operator ensures that there are enough resources
within an organisation to deal with the point of crises as it will help them in the time of need.
They can do it restricting some resources which will only be used at the time of need band before
that (Van der Wagen and Goonetilleke, 2015).
Other than that, Thomas Cook tour operator can assure that company have cordial
relation with the local authorities as it will help in facing the situation easily. Also, they can
provide the inside information to the company in order to be prepared before the problem arise.
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Also, Thomas Cook is well versed with these type of changes as they have already
created special incident team before hand who will take care of the resort at such time. They are
already communicated that at the time of cruises, there would be cut back in holidays so that
there could be additional services can be generated in order to provide customers with the
services.
These are some of the services that can be taken into account by Thomas Cook in order to
be prepared with any kind of crises that can hamper the growth and development of organisation.
P3.3: Procedures that can be implemented in link with trade associations and government bodies
There are various plans and procedures that can be implemented by tour operator of
Thomas Cook in respect to various trade associations and government bodies. It can be done
with the help of various links provided by government bodies, which are, all the officers in high
position of government organisation would know the duties they need to perform and will be
performing it effectively and efficiently. All the emergencies numbers would be communicated
to people so that they can report any extreme case they experienced. Government bodies will
suggest that whether is it okay to move and travel in the country or not. Also, finance officer will
intervene in order to provide finance to the people and financial help will not be provided to
people who are travelling against the rules of foreign officer (Yu, Xiong and Cao, 2015).
Also, Association of British Travel Agent (ABTA) will perform a huge role here as the
body will develop guidelines among the association that will be later communicated to people.
ABTA provides intensive training to their members which will come handy at the time of crises.
Duty Officers, Resort Team and ABTA team will work simultaneously in order to handle the
situation of crises effectively.
These are some of the government norms which will be performed by the government
bodies and tour operator of Thomas cook can take notes out of it in order to work effectively at
the time of crises.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that operation management plays a huge role in
every industry, irrespective to any functions. Similarly, Operation Management helps the resort
in developing a system which will not only help in better customer relation but also more profit
generation. From the context of this report it can be learned that tour and travel operators needs
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to have a close relationship with resorts as there work is not restricted to only provide better
packages to customers but also to ensure that customers have a pleasant stay and experience.
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