Tour Operations Management Report - LCB Tours Assignment

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of tour operations management, focusing on the UK-bound tour operator TUI. It examines the effects of current trends, such as advancements in technology and the impact of Brexit, on the industry. The report assesses the stages and timescales involved in developing holidays, evaluating different methods of contracting for holiday components and calculating selling prices. It further evaluates planning decisions for brochure design, comparing traditional brochures with alternatives like e-brochures, internet advertising, social media, and travel fairs. Additionally, the report assesses the suitability of various distribution methods, including direct distribution, two-level distributions, government websites, online travel agencies, and review sites. Finally, the report evaluates strategic decisions made by different types of tour operators and compares tactical judgments applicable in various situations. The report is structured to fulfill the requirements of the assignment, including analysis of trends, stages of holiday creation, brochure planning, distribution methods and strategic decision making.

Tour operation
management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Analysing the effects of current and recent trends and development on the tour operator
industry........................................................................................................................................1
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Assessing the stages and timescale involved in developing holidays...................................3
2.2 Evaluating the suitability of different methods of contracting for different components of
the holiday. .................................................................................................................................4
2.3 Calculating the selling price of a holiday from give information.........................................4
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................4
3.1 Evaluating the planning decisions taken for the design of a selected brochure....................4
3.2 Assessing the suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour
operator.......................................................................................................................................5
3.3 Suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of
tour operators..............................................................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Evaluating the strategic decision made by different types of tour operator. ........................8
4.2 Comparing the tactical judgements that company could apply in different situations.........9
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Very promisingly they work tightly with the tour firms and assist locally in booking the
hotels, voucher of the places and monuments and also deliver the stimulation among the best of
the experience, also provide the best of the local deals and promote the destination. There are
more than hundreds of touring partners and firms that operate as an UK bound travel expert
providing the millions of visitors a great deal over UK based tour attractions, theme parts,
exhibitions, events and many more. Present study will be based on TUI which helps to explain
different types of tour operators and suitability of different methods of contracting for different
components. Present report also introducing so many types of method of distribution of tour
packages.
TASK 1
1.1 Analysing the effects of current and recent trends and development on the tour operator
industry.
Inbound Tour Operators:
A type of this
operator is generally focusing
on the local demographic
area and promotes the places
of interests (Baggio and
Klobas, 2017). With
combining of the OTA’s and
other tour firms they highly
promote and advertise to get
good number of booking in
coming peak months and
increase the reach of the
destination among a good
number of people.
Outbound Operators:
UK bound tour operators:
They are core business
teams that only work for
making the travel experience
remember able and making up
a good market sell with the
best of destinations. Operator
work as a group and they are
multi-lingual to communicate
and provide the traveller a
great reason to make a deal.
Specialist tour operators:
With increasing
number of tourism and
travellers, people believe on
most of the responsible and
Recent current trends in
travel and tourism
Advancement in
Technology:
Internet and
technology moving hand in
hand changed the way people
exploring and planning the
trips worldwide. Promotions
are one of the hot topics in
making the business across
the country and to get the
best of deals. Everything
comes on palm with mobile
technology getting known
about the places and
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Such operators
manage and work cross
countries and specialized to
create packages for
international travellers.
Providing the best of choices
for an international
destination and get guided
tour for a whole new tour
experience (Chandiok and
Sharma, 2017). For a
traveller moving one country
to another is assist with the
operators having all the
travel knowledge stuff that
are looked for.
Domestic Operators:
The people situated
physically into the
demographic region involves
in providing the domestic
operators on tour packages
and planning. It includes
serving with local
accommodation, pack places,
transports, food, logistics and
many to add.
experts in making choices and
the first that comes in mind is
a specialized advice (Bowie,
Buttle and Mariussen, 2016).
They are the best negotiator in
dealing with the hotel and
activity prices and get the
deals done lower than 10-15%
in direct bookings.
activities. Making online
reservation and contacting
directly with the person
remotely to get clarity over
the trip’s cross countries.
Mobile and internet
technology is the best trip
advisor to look for the
current operators and firms to
make reservations including
the activities.
The effect of Brexit on
Tourism for industry:
Brexit introduced to plan
up the thing in different
manner, they engage with
local authorities to make
network with the local area
and improves the visibility
and services with prosperity.
Tourism is highly affected
with these major roles in
accommodation and other
services like food and
beverages. The Government
ensures to have a good
definite set investment with
art and culture premises for
point of interest as well as
make it economically strong
(Elliot and Litvin, 2016).
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TASK 2
COVERED in PPT
TASK 3
3.1 Evaluating the planning decisions taken for the design of a selected brochure
Cost Effective –Being digital is the vast advantage for distribution and reducing the
papers, also makes it eco-friendly.
Deciding the format: it is the another component of planning brochure in which TUI
decide the format or style of brochure under which file has been conducted in proper manner.
Take market and budget : this planning process helps to determining the design and
quality.
Determining print specifications: in this planning tool TUI decides to take decisions by
identifying the budget, target market style or font.
3.2 Assessing the suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour
operator
E- brochures: With the present time and world there are many ways for cost savings
with several streamlining marketing activities. The primarily case is to focus and do business and
taking power of E-brochures and educate the profile customers. Many benefits of E-brochures
are categories as below such as:
Growth in digital Market – With availability of point and one click these are good for
enabling real time information with huge audience at a time (Paquin and et.al., 2016).
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Being flexible – This is an environment change and adaptive and prompt in changes with
the trend without reprinting (Paquin and et.al., 2016). E-documents and brochures are best way
to increase the growth of selling with targeted audience
Internet: Web advertising or online marketing uses internet to deliver promotional
marketing messages and information to customers. End users seek online advertising information
with hassle free browsing and making deals (Mowforth and Munt, 2015). Including email
marketing, search engine marketing, web banners and mobile advertising.
It is effective, easy, flexible, simple measurable and low-cost manner. Furthermost, real
time information that updates the tour and banner properties. Listed are the most-prompt ways to
accomplish Internet advertising and gain visibility over the market with positives sales such as
Search engines, pop-ups implemented in actions, Viral Marketing.
Social Media: Online adverting and social media advertising are one of the trending and
hot topics for information spreading and business generating. It is and optimized and great way
to reach out to specific audience (Paquin and et.al., 2016). Point specify the demographics that
searches the most and choose target age group and filter interest to include travel info and more.
Whereas social blogs and vlogs build brands, Populating and making an information blog and
vlogs that contains the promotion by talking about the places of interest and taking out the best
sight of information.
As a tour and activity operator there is a lot more to do. On that profile for social media
account and update every once in a while (Paquin and et.al., 2016). Monitoring on regular basis
and with top tips of marketing the most popular info’s. Marketing the activity across county
channels like Fb, Twitter, Instagram to take on the target opportunities and promote the tour
packages. As the best of best images will inspire the target audience and generate the great
business idea to give special deals to the customers that books and take tour booking on a special
social media channel.
Radio/TV Advertising: Advertising on local cable stations are affordable and point off
with the right information that broadcasts and can deliver huge number of customers than any
other ad campaign. Including advertising representatives from TV connection and Radio Stations
establish the target market (Goffi, Masiero and Pencarelli, 2018). Popular activities such as
virtual reality elements on TV for tour packages, Radio shows that are viral on-air, hash tags that
appear in the side bars of the TV shows.
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Travel Fairs: Travel fairs primarily focuses on the modelling and demoing the guidelines
to general public. With Powerful marketing one-to-one tool, it reaches on the goal and
opportunity to grab in the travel fair to grasp sell. Creating the brand awareness that is diverse
range of audience. Being involved in trade shows or exhibition an provide exposure and
opportunities to branch out business to business tour tracings’ with creating the baseline. The
purchasing process at live fairs is on the basic pillars of before show, during show and after the
show from giveaway to engage to enhance (Guo, Barnes and Jia, 2017).
3.3 Suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of
tour operators.
Direct Distribution:
One of the simplest and face-to-face selling systems that involves distribution channel
differing producer to consumer. Employing a direct channel of distribution to connect consumer
with the product produces clear understanding and requirements with the deemed needs.
Most importantly, this has low overhead and gives product potential reach with the help of
internet customers are available 24 hours (Mowforth and Munt, 2015). The major impact by this
the increase the direct customer contacts. When we use direct distribution, it eliminates the
expense of using the middleman with not even the commissions. There is just direct contact with
the holiday trip seeker, and holidays can become a better experience for the customer.
Two Level Distributions:
While selling over the two-level distribution it involves produces to end customers via
retailers and becomes a process that intermediates and organizes the deal with bi-directional
means of communication complaining the benefits of both the sellers (Patel, 2017).
Government Website:
Selling and distribution of services on local government websites can be legal and
authorized proving the relevant schemes and best of the deals that primarily focuses on the
people believing the integrity and accomplishment with the government (Paquin and et.al.,
2016). The public interest for these local government portals.
Online Travel Agencies:
It functions in booking capabilities and planning sources with a portal that provides
search options for the best of deals and holidays in single touch to go options.
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Weather looking out a great deal on hotels and flights everything populated with the means of
these platforms as it behaves to be a third-party agent (Paquin and et.al., 2016). The customer or
end user is issued a voucher which can be used as a discount on activity voucher. Mainly act as
an agent and charge a percentage premium or a standard amount fee. However, some companies
pay travel agencies a fix percentage to sell the holiday packages. Major tour companies can
manage towork like this as they sell thousand trips at cheaper rate resulting into the profits for
both the parties end to end (Elliot and Litvin, 2016).
An OTA agent is supposed to offer impartial travel advice to the customer as well as
coordinating travel details the customers in booking travel. OTA’s also receives large number of
bonuses, benefits and other incentives on travel and tourism related companies as stimulates for
travel agents to promote tours and packages (Goffi, Masiero and Pencarelli, 2018).
Review Sites:
Review sites generally sustain and keep by advertising and allowing businesses to pay for
updating the listings which profits the ratings and raters. With the growing popularity of affiliate
programs on internet such rating and reviews are highly influencing for people over making
choices into deals and their behavior. They are open to share identity and information about
themselves that can be redirected to the audience searching for the tour and holiday packages.
Worthwhile these reviews are not committed to be valid or documented over a distinct proof.
Concierge Services:
With constantly changing business environment this results to be an add-on to the tour
and product marketing as now companies and organizations have moved ahead and capitalized
over the concierge like on boosting up services to tickets, recommendations, etc (Goffi, Masiero
and Pencarelli, 2018).
They help team maintain the good relations with customer-to-customer handling grievances by
maintaining personal travelling services while some produce to be a lifestyle manager. The
organizations are proficient in providing services excel in all time travel luxury experience.
Social network websites:
This platform allows us to create public profile and interact with other users around the
world. Basically, by maintain a virtual community to boost up the distribution of the holiday
packages and making air in the market with brand campaigning. A profile or organisation
website portal that people talk and share among the audience helps in connecting the community
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people together and finding up the activities for the business growth and to maintain the users
who are in search for the great deals and packages all together on one click (Guo, Barnes and Jia,
2017). There are more than a hundred social network websites available in the market these days
that rapidly increasing the market trend with the engagement of the fastest growing community
users and on the same side helping them to sell packages and distribute their services.
TASK 4
4.1 Evaluating the strategic decision made by different types of tour operator.
Inbound Tour Operators: There are small management companies that operated as
inbound guiders know to be mobile inbound operators and they point on a particular place of
interest and promote it with knowing and sharing the place and encourage the tourism. These
types of tour operators taken decision making in terms of making pricing strategies (Paquin and
et.al., 2016).
UK bound tour operators: Traveller is provided with the ground handling experience
and service including full support and service with the teams. These types of tour operators make
sure about the distribution decision making approach.
Specialist tour operators: Considering to be a good operator for a region as they are
available 24 hours for assisting in all the favourable as well as non-favourable situations ( Veal,
2017). These tour operators make sure about the positioning image
Outbound Operators: Highlighting to the particular region of the world they are best of
the planners and operated to magnetize and attract the traveller coming from a different region of
the world. Network among the people and regions is strong and satisfactory so that traveller
takes a good experience making choices over the activity that is planned accordingly.
Domestic Operators: Basically, to have a clear and trustworthy guide over a place they
are the valid reviewers and real eyes to get a guidance and reality of the place. Domestic tour
operators are generally taken decision making approach regarding customer portfolio for making
customer happy and satisfied.
4.2 Comparing the tactical judgements that company could apply in different situations.
Tactical Responses : Tactical responses happened due to high competition, price wars,
external factors, high tax rates etc (Goffi, Masiero and Pencarelli, 2018). In order to identify the
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best strategies and decision making approach TUI needs to make high customer profile portfolio.
Distribution strategies and attractive holiday tour packages.
Tactical Pricing : This is the another tactical judgement taken by TUI in which company
try to optimise best pricing policies for their customers or travellers. Pricing should be cost
effective or which helps to attract the different customers or clients (Guo, Barnes and Jia, 2017).
The main purpose of tactical pricing is to understand the business economics specially in the
situation of customers.
Tactical Marketing : Tactical marketing approach enhance the promoting the product or
services of the company. That helps to connect different clients directly with the company
enhancement (Guo, Barnes and Jia, 2017). Tactical judgement of marketing focuses on the
company goals and objectives which is helpful to attract national or international clients.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above section, it has been concluded that, There is big market out on tour
operations, marketing it with the right person including partnering with travel aggregators online
and sell the travel services resulting into exclusive partnership with other companies into the
same domain. It is the largest reach to the target persons as it is an operation for 24 hours 365
days a year. It has been discussed in the study that, Promoting the business at trade shows and
travel fairs are excellent way to communicate and servicing the offer with creation of big
network circle with other industry members and grow travel and tour operations. Along with
different types of tour operators.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baggio, R. and Klobas, J., 2017. Quantitative methods in tourism: A handbook. Channel view
publications.
Bowie, D., Buttle, F. and Mariussen, A., 2016. Hospitality marketing. Routledge.
Chandiok, S. and Sharma, P., 2017. Hospitality Marketing: Strategic Issues. In Strategic
Marketing Management and Tactics in the Service Industry (pp. 213-242). IGI Global.
Elliot, S. and Litvin, S. W., 2016. Comparing the Influence on Trip Planning Behaviour of Using
Selective “Place Appeal” Versus an “All Inclusive” Style in Destination Marketing.\
Evans, N., 2015. Strategic management for tourism, hospitality and events. Routledge.
Giaoutzi, M., 2017. Tourism and regional development: New pathways. Routledge.
Goffi, G., Masiero, L. and Pencarelli, T., 2018. Rethinking sustainability in the tour-operating
industry: Worldwide survey of current attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Cleaner
Production. 183. pp.172-182.
Guo, Y., Barnes, S. J. and Jia, Q., 2017. Mining meaning from online ratings and reviews:
Tourist satisfaction analysis using latent dirichlet allocation. Tourism Management. 59.
pp.467-483.
Kew, J. and Stredwick, J., 2016. Human resource management in a business context. Kogan
Page Publishers.
Mowforth, M. and Munt, I., 2015. Tourism and sustainability: Development, globalisation and
new tourism in the third world. Routledge.
Paquin, D. and et.al., 2016. A multiple timescales approach to assess urgency in adaptation to
climate change with an application to the tourism industry. Environmental Science &
Policy. 63. pp.143-150.
Patel, V. A., 2017. Development of Tourism Infrastructure in Maharashtra.
Veal, A. J., 2017. Research methods for leisure and tourism. Pearson UK.
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