Analysis of Tour Operations Management for LCB Tours Report

This report, prepared for LCB Tours, delves into the intricacies of tour operations management within the hospitality sector. It begins by outlining the evolution and significance of tour operations in the 21st century, emphasizing the role of package holidays in industrial and economic development. The report then explores the planning decisions involved in brochure design, comparing the cost, design, format, and target market strategies of Costsaver and Trafalgar. It evaluates the suitability of modern alternatives to traditional brochures, such as e-brochures, mobile applications, outdoor media, and press advertising. The report further examines various methods of distribution used to sell holidays, including direct distribution, online travel agencies, visitor information centers, review sites, and two-level distribution. Strategic decisions made by tour operators, such as pricing, surcharge policies, branding, and distribution choices, are evaluated. Finally, the report compares tactical decisions in different situations, including tactical responses, pricing, and marketing strategies, concluding with the impact of technology and distribution channels on the tour and travel industry.

Tour Operation
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK1.............................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................3
3.1 The planning decisions taken for the design of a selected brochure:....................................3
3.2 Suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure...............................................................4
3.3 Suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of
tour operator:...............................................................................................................................5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
4.1 Evaluate the strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator. ..........................6
4.2 Compare the tactical decisions in different situations:.........................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
The business of tour and travellers has undergone with the necessary changes in the last
two decades. In past decades there was no organised agencies for visiting the places for the
travellers. But after the evolution of the tour operations in the 21st century that provide the
package holidays that are very important for industrial as well as economic development. On the
other hand it helps to searching out the new places and amazing experiences to the clients. In this
report the choosen organisation is LCB who is the leading organisation in the tour and tourism
sector. The report discuss about the recent trends in the tour industry and types and importance
of the tour operator’s. Further it explains the research plan while developing the tour packages
and the methods use during the formation of the tour plan. Moreover it calculate the cost that
incurs while offer the product.
TASK1
(Covered in Leaflet)
TASK 2
(Covered in PPT)
TASK 3
3.1 The planning decisions taken for the design of a selected brochure:
Brochure is the potential source of information that contain in flyer, pamphlet or in
leaflet. It majorly use for advertising for introducing the company and at the time of new product
or service launch. Brochure is the versatile tool for marketing of the product and
services(Buckley, R., 2014). It takes less cost in comparison to other advertising tools and
provide the whole information to the consumers.
Cost : Cost is the important part before deciding the source of advertising. The two
leading firms of UK costsaver and Trafalgar design the broacher for advertising. Both the

organisation evaluate the cost of every aspect such as distribution, printing and sourcing and
after the packaging. The Costsaver spends the a huge ratio on the promotions.
Design: The design of the brochure is the important tool for attracting the consumers.
The organisation costsaver choose for advertising brochure is in the 3D format that are enchanted
for the clients and attach the images also. On the other hand Trafalgar chooses the brochure in
2D because it has less budget but it also attracts the consumers attention.
Format: The format of the brochure is crucial to give information else it not relevant for
the customers. The brochure of the Costsaver is attractive and well designed on the other hand
the brochure of the Trafalgar is more informative.
Target market and Budget: Before deciding the advertising mode the target market and
budget decision-making is very necessary(Chand, M. and Katou, A. A., 2012.). The costsaver
attracts the royal customers and high profile group on the other hand Trafalgar pay attention on
the economic class clients.
3.2 Suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure
The modern brochure is techno oriented and full with innovations. on the other hand the
traditional brochure are not effective in today's world because the masses connected with the
different sources such as social media, internet,press and outdoor media. Through the traditional
brochure the access to the large people is not possible. But the modern brochure helps to
advertise to the different networks and feedback is also very easy in that source. so day by day
the relevance of the traditional brochure reduces.
The alternative of the Traditional Brochure:
E Brochure: E brochure is the source of advertise the about the company,goods and
services. It is look like a printed media on the websites. E brochures become popular day by day
due to the technology revolution.
Android application: An android application is the software application which runs on
the phones and tablets(Chand, M.O.H.I.N.D.E.R. and Dahiya, A., 2014.). In today's world
advertising is accessible due to the android applications on which consumer easily access to the
services and enquire about everything on the cellphones.
Outdoor media: Outdoor media is very potential in today's changing environment it
important because provides services who are far from the houses. Outdoor advertising colour,

texture and grab the interest of the consumers. This is important source of advertising because it
grab the huge attention of the outsiders.
Press(newspaper,magazines): press encompasses the printed media such as newspapers,
magazines and trade journals(Dhiman, M. C., 2012.). It captures the huge market base by the
advertising and grab the different market share according to the scope of the media. Print media
is comparatively consume less cost from other sources of press and print media
Radio/ TV advertising: Radio and TV advertising are the most effective source of
advertising. It continually search the ways to reach the large consumer base and innovate new
advertising sources.
3.3 Suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of
tour operator:
There are different methods of distribution for advertising and market the tour packages:
Direct Distribution- Direct distribution is the network where tour operators directly contact with
their interested clients by the advertising and it is most suitable for the local region(Filby, N. E.,
Stockin, K. A. and Scarpaci, C., 2015.). In local region the capture the target market is very easy
and accessible. So this is mostly adopted by the local operators to increase the revenue of the
consumers.
Online travel agencies:- Online travel agencies work for the mediators and the ready
made consumers by reaching directly to the consumers through the websites. The online travel
agencies is well known due to the large consumer base connect from it and the feedback is also
very easy through it.
Visitor information centre:- It is the centres which collect the data regarding the tour
and interested clients and then directly connect from them and customers can also visit
them(Holland, J. and Leslie, D., 2017. ). This is most appropriate for the inbound tour operators
because they deal with the local consumers than the internation consumers.
Review sites:- Review sites is the websites which provide the services to posted about
the company,people, product and services and the clients can judge by these reviews about the
product. it helps them to take the purchasing decisions easily .
Two level distribution:- In the two level distribution channel the intermediaries work
between the chains between the producer and the consumer(KhairatP0F, G. and Maher, A.,

2012). In this the clients passes through the complete chain and then ultimate supplier of the tour
package provide the services to the consumer. This is also called the distribution through the
whole seller and retailers.
Through social networking websites: social networking websites play the important
role in the advertising (Shyju, P.J. and Lama, R., 2015.). Networking sites is the cheap source of
advertising and mostly people engage in the networking sites and monitoring of the activities of
the people is also very easy in the social networking sites. It reaches to the all demographies and
all age group people and know their interest area of the potential consumers.
TASK 4
4.1 Evaluate the strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator.
Strategic decision-making is the process connected with the ability of making decision
that are effective for the organisation on long term gaols. It also help an organisation to remain
updated in the market scenario. Icb has adopted some of the strategies in decision making they
are determined below:
Pricing strategies: This strategy is ascertain with the actual cost of holidays and tours
packages by implementing proper designing and planning of the package. Icb also offer various
festival offers, discounts, brochures etc. to their customers.
Surcharge policy: It is an amount paid at time of insurance, because of some event or
occurrence accidentally. This strategy is adopted by Icb in their holiday packages as it increase
the peak time in the tourism industry.
Image positioning or Branding: Image positioning and branding is very essential for a
particular organisation to survive in the market scenario. Lcb has great sustainability in the
tourism industry with good brand image. Further, it also influences the customer to attracts
towards them.
Distribution decision: Distribution decision is other important part for generating
revenue for an organisation. Icb, has effective distribution channels in UK that attracts more
customer and it help them to increase the sales as well as revenue. They are adapted with both
direct and indirect selling and makes sales over it.

4.2 Compare the tactical decisions in different situations:
Sometimes it become necessary for the tour operators to come up with certain tactical
decision in processing the holiday packages for their customer. This decision are based on
implementation of planning in tours. The tactical decision taken by Icb tours are mention below:
Tactical response: Icb operators have to take decision in accordance with the changes
taking places in the tour plans. Both in the internal and external environment of an organisation.
Further, they develop certain strategies so that can take decision immediately on the changes in
the environment of business.
Tactical Pricing: Sometimes change in price of tours and holiday packages lead to
change in economic policy and competitors take the advancements of it. Icb has adopted
surcharge policy to remain and give competitive advantages to their competitors and sustain in
tourism industry.
Tactical marketing: It refers to advertising strategies that are adopted by Icb to attract
customer towards them. Such as online marketing, booking done online, advertising in social
media, brochures , newspapers, magazine etc.
CONCLUSION
As per the above research the tour and travels industry rises day by day through the
technology advancements and different objects help to advertise and reach at the potential
consumer base and distribution channels helps to reach the potential consumers. And brochure is
the effective way to advertise the product and services. So it concluded that tour and travels
opens the door for different sectors and provide opportunities to the whole world.

REFERENCES
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