Tour Operations Management Report: Trends and Strategies

This report provides an overview of tour operations management, analyzing current trends and developments in the industry, with a specific focus on Trailfinders Ltd. The report examines changing trends in travel, destination marketing, and technology's impact on tour operations. It details the stages and timescales involved in holiday development, including market research, scheduling, forecasting, contracting, negotiation, and pricing. The report also explores the suitability of different contracting methods and distribution strategies for various tour operators. Furthermore, it discusses planning decisions for brochure design, alternatives to traditional brochures, and strategic and tactical decisions made by tour operators in different situations. The report concludes with an analysis of selling prices and provides a comprehensive understanding of the key elements in managing tour operations.

TOUR OPERATIONS
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Current and recent trends and developments on the tour operators industry...................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Stages and timescales involved in developing holidays...................................................4
2.2 Suitability of different methods of contracting for different components of holiday and
different types of tour operator...............................................................................................5
2.3 Selling price of a holiday..................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Planning decisions taken for the design of a selected brochure:......................................7
3.2 Suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour operator. .8
3.3 Suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of
tour operator...........................................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
4.1 Strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator.........................................10
4.2 Tactical decisions that could be taken by a selected tour operator in different situations11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
The Tour operations management is the management which is organizing and maintain
tours process in tourism industry (Hoyos, Morales and Akhavan-Tabatabaei, 2015). In the tour
operations management, organizations prepare and plans various changes in tour services and
plans according travellers needs and wants. The report will outline about Trailfinders Ltd.
Various operations in tour industry.
TASK 1
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1.1 Current and recent trends and developments on the tour operators industry
Changing trends in travel and
tourism industry impact tourism
business in different ways.
Current trends are attracting
customers in many ways due to
which tours operations are liable
to make changes in tourism
services and plan (Redjem and
Marcon, 2016). Dynmaic
changes of tourism world are
affecting planning of
Trailfinders Ltd. Which are as
follows:
 Destination marketing
Now days many tour operators
adopts destination marketing.
For destination marketing,
adverting plays an important
role where tour operators
focuses on, pamphlets, leaflets
etc. to market their services. In
the Modern world, destination
marketing helps customers to
 Flexible booking
options
Due to advantages in
technology, tourist can book
their tickets easily through
online. Now days, visitors
book their tickets easily with
the help of internet and many
tourist companies provide
online booking services all
those flexible booking services
helps customers make easy trip
and also have facilities that
visitors enjoying their holiday
in tours.
In accordance to technology
use in tour operators industry
many tour industry provide
many types of online
services like online booking,
choosing destination, which
helps people to find online
places for tours and holiday
and several industries define
their tours details in their
won websites and customers
can easily find details on
those websites. (Flores-
Garza and et.al., 2017).
 On the other hand,
Trailfinders has used

choose online destination
through advertising. In
accordance to destination
marketing, Trailfinders also
adopts this strategy to attract
customers easily through online.
Like company advertise on
social media and attract
travellers by sharing details
about destination place which
helps in gaining attention of
customers (Kerzner and
Kerzner, 2017). This marketing
mainly attracts more consumer
accordion to normal advertising.
In other hand Trailfinders
provide their consumers too
many destinations for spending
holiday.
In other hand some time this
facility also affect tour
operators because people are
independently booking tickets
through internet and that
effects going to tour agencies
people. On other hand,
Trailfinders Also adopts the
online booking
facility.Technology- Now
days', technology plays crucial
role in tourism industry.
Technology has mainly
increased tourism growth.
many technology
products which is
influencing their
business. For
example Firm
provide online
booking service
which help to
consumers to
booking easily their
tickets for tour. In
accordance
Trailfinders also
provide diffident
kinds of destination
choosing service with
the help of
customers are trying
to choosing their
destination where
they going for
holiday.Aviation
facility- in this trends
Trailfinders as to
provide air
transportation service
which is only for
tourist who are
having firm services
in tour industry.
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TASK 2
2.1 Stages and timescales involved in developing holidays
Various types of stages involved in developing holidays which is maintained quality
service for consumers. Trailfinder adopts many developments holidays which are help to provide
consumers to quality packages and different types of services. The managers at Trailfinder create
luxury and educational tour for adult students. In addition, tour is held in summer holiday august
2019. Moreover, the total 42 students who are participates in summer holiday (sahin, and Matta.,
2015). Manager of company to organize various stages which help to maintained development in
holiday. Those steps are-
 Market Research- In this stage, the manager has to research about market and also
identifies test and preference of customers. This stage is the most important for planning
vacation tours. In Trailfinder, planning of tour and vacation is the best part to identify
customers requirement according to market research. The manager must ensure about the
market research about vacations which is organized in Brussels and Brugge, Belgium.
The manager has to decide to go for this vacation place august 2019.
 Scheduling- After the market research, the manager has decided to set time for
customers. In this stage, manager must decide about time management of tour (Yan and
Ho, 2017). According to planning, scheduling manager help to understand about the
scheduling of place which they have to organize the vacation tour for students. . In
planning and scheduling, the manager of Trailfinders has to ensure each and every
activity of tour destination is in exact place.
 Forecasting- in this manager of Trail finder help to understand The overview of place
where they create tour for students. In other hand Under forecasting, manager tries to
understand the climate of particular destination which they might choose for vacation in
August 2019. The forecasting helps in identifying the current location and services which
they have to require in place. For example For casting is important before to visit on
place because it is necessary to understand about the place where the tour operators
organizing tour.
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 Contracting- In this stage, manager creates holiday to provide effective services. In this,
manager ensures students demands for vacation and also identify the exact requirements
of per students.. In other hand Manager provides services in tour place such as
restaurants, cab facility etc. to students .All those contracting on tour destination which
attract customers as well as fulfil their needs (Burgin and Hardiman, 2015).
 Negotiation- In this stage the tour operator decides the price of food, lunch, dinner, ticket
prices to manage the tour. It is important to negotiate the cost with provider to maintain
the budget.
 Pricing- To set all the prices and determine the profit. It is necessary to consider
government polices and competitive price of the competitors.
 Human Resource- In order to fix the plans in effectively tour operator needs human
resource management.
 Design- Designing stage includes all the detail of tour package. In this all requirements
are mentioned.
 Implementation- In this stage advance booking is done and collecting money from
clients. This is the final stage of tour company.
 Evaluation- It is the duty of tour operator to analyse and take feedback from clients and
implement for future plan.
Timescales of each stage:
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2.2 Suitability of different methods of contracting for different components of holiday and
different types of tour operator
Different type of contracting methods for different components of the holiday helps to
save their unnecessary cost for additional demands and get services according to their desire.
Those methods are help to manager at Trailfinder to provide the service according to the needs of
customers. According to methods of contracting, the manager must adopt many methods of
contracting which is helps in tour operators.
 Sales only contract- In this method the manager has been selected the service which they
actually used. In this contract, the manager selects packages as per his desires and tries to
sell packages. These types of contract the manager only provided seasonally. On other
hand, different methods are used by the customers as if they have knowledge to
understand the student’s needs as per requirements of tour operators. The manager of
Trailfinder help to understand this contract very easily because they have knowledge to
provide service which is according to the consumers' requirement as well as the manager
desire. In this, contracting the manager has to propose by Grand Casselbergh in Bruges of
92 euros per person for twin room with breakfast (Xu and Gursoy, 2015). This propose
for each student who are able to join the summer vacation august 2019. In accordance to
contracting in firm help to identify the student who pay for organization for these
educational tours. In this sales contracting various kinds of contracting includes in
vacations like transportation service, hotels, attractions places etc.
 Fixed contract- This method of contracting includes services based as per the
requirements of an organization that helps to maintain quality services which is according
to firm based. In this method, Trailfinder manager helps to understand quality services
which are according to organization conditions. In accordance to manager already
remain student to services and holiday are held on as per the requirement of company and
as well as the consumers. The manager ensures all kinds of services. This contracting
includes services such as catering, cab facility, room facility etc. that attract customers
and also insist them to visit again (Eriksson, LeBel and Lindroos, 2015). In this
contracting components which are helps to identify the various stages of firm like
transportation, online booking and also marketing destination all those components are
helps to understand the demands of consumers and organisation according fulfil them.
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2.3 Selling price of a holiday
Selling prices which firm provide to their good and consumers purchase product before
aware about the selling prices. Selling prices in tour operator industry defines exact prices of
product that they provide to customers. Trailfinder Ltd. provides different kinds of prices of
products like many kinds of tour packages which have different prices in firm. Trailfinder
provides various tours and have different prices as per requirements of customers. The firm has
to use selling prices which is help to understand customers to choose their destination places
according to pricing . Selling prices include customers to define the exact value of products, in
other hand the managers of Trailfinder decide each product prices as per the requirement of
customers (Spandre and et.al., 2016). The managers provide different kinds of services in their
firm which they have accepted extra prices like transportation and food etc.
In accordance with above calculation, it has been evaluated that that total cost for 42
students is £15955 approx.
TASK 3
3.1 Planning decisions taken for the design of a selected brochure:
In the decision making design is the most important part for that system that helps
management to aware people for service provided by the organizations. The marketing
department team at try to define many kinds of packages which attract customers in the
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organisation. The brochures of Trailfinder based on current market trends and that trends are
help to make competitive advantages in market. The brochures of Trailfinder is based on actual
service which is provided organizational with the photographs that attract the clients. In this
process clients decided to come with desire services and also accept the need of firm ( Vrellas
and Tsiotras, 2015). The brochures of Trailfinder developed by proper planing There are
several activities which defines implementation of brochures on company-
 Finding issues that affect decisions-In this, management must try to identify issues that
can affect the over planning for brochure. It also identifies issues which is affects the
organizational functionality and cost of the designing and implementation and other kind
of issues which is affects the company practicality. Marketing team of Trailfinder finds
many issues related to its working. In this, the firm has to decide main things which is an
occurred current task and that was and easily adopted by consumers at any different
places.
 Budget and target market- In this, the marketing department team of Trailfinder
identifies budget and target market based on consumers needs and also on the
requirements of consumers; it is also helped to understand all over process which is
contains the cost of the brochure and explained the other expenses that affects the
organizations(Deresky, 2017). The marketing department also identifies potential
customers in targeted markets and also identify the latest technology products which are
impact on firm activity.
 Format of the brochure- In this, the marketing team of Trailfinder tries to identify the
brochure format which is simple, multicolour; single colour etc. in other hand this
process is attract prospectors more easily and also adopts those brochures tailored. The
brochure also includes content name and also given the colours of brochure which
attracts the customers most, it also includes the features of brochure and prices of the
packages. Marketing department of tour operators also identifies different types of tour
operator has been design brochure planning in . Like Thomas Cook also have a brochure
this will help to identify their firm services and products.Followings steps are taken to
design brochure-
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Budget for brochure design- This is the first step for designing any brochure which include the
fare estimate that shows all expenses will occur.
Objective- This includes the motive for designing the brochure. It shows why brochure is
designed.
Target Customers- In these customers are targeted for which the brochure is designed. By this
no issues will raise while promotion.
Collecting locus assignment- This is the important part for any brochure because brochure must
be attractive. In this graphics, language are selected for designing and contents should be clear
and easily understandable., this is completely related to designing process of brochure.
Formatting- Effective formatting can made brochure more attractive. In this step font colour,
style and brochure colour is included.
Quality of paper- The quality paper of brochure is important. The management decided the
quality of paper so that it does not affect the printing content.
Draft- This draft content consist services, operator name, details etc. This draft containing
information of tour package.
Timing- This is last step which defines how much time will take for completing the brochure
and introduced in market.
 While deciding the format for brochure, a tour operator of Trailfinder must use the best
quality of paper such that its thickness should be high and the font size of a brochure
must be in a readable form. But the font size of destination point should be large so that it
will attract customers in wide range.
 Brochure must contain necessary information so that when a reader read it it will help
them to collect as much information as needed. In addition to this, the brochure printing
style must be attractive and sober so that peoples will easily attract.
 The colour chosen for the brochure selection should be not so dark and while launching it
into market, the tour operator should follow all legal implication so that it will not creates
any hurdle.
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3.2 Suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour operator
Different kinds of brochure are plays in important role in firm and that gives compete
description of the packages to the consumers and retain them with the Trailfinder. The marketing
department team of Trailfinder attract customers, retain them and also identify the services which
are given by organizations. different kinds of brochure firm can be includes like Email
brochure, E- brochure , video brochure Following kinds of brochure which is alternatively
available for the different kinds of tour operators websites .
 Email brochure- Here Trailfinder marketing team provides their services through E-mail
to provide the best details about their company.. This helps to aware customers to
different kinds of services which is provide by organization. (Maylor, Blackmon and
Huemann, 2016). This service also identifies the different kinds of staff related service
through online. The best part is in the email brochure the all kinds of informations are
come in the messages like pictures, details and form quality etc.
 E-brochure- This is another method of providing services and also aware customers
about organizational services. The marketing department team of Trailfinder makes
brochure to organization products this will help to make retention of customers in firm
also identify the different kinds of service in the firm. The quality of firm to identify the
approaches of organizations and also identify the methods which is under the brochure
service and selling the services. The E- brochures are easily available on company’s
website and customers are easily get attracted. The E-brochure is less complicated
because it is in website and many people do not understand how to see the brochure in
the website (Sahin and Matta, 2015). On other hand, Trailfinder help to understand
different kind of e-brochure which is easily understood by people in firm. E- brochure is
useful for people to know the tour operators work.
 Video brochure- In this brochure helps the customers to easily get the information
through video also attract easily customers to different prices. The main thing in brochure
organizational can post their video and define the latest quality product to the customers.
In this video brochure helps to attract new customers and also attract different types of
customers which is easily understood by customers. In other and the marketing
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