Thomas Cook PLC Tour Operations Management Report Analysis

This report analyzes tour operations management, focusing on the British global travel firm Thomas Cook plc. It examines the effects of current trends like globalization and safety concerns on tour operators, highlighting the importance of innovation and customer focus. The report delves into holida...Read More

Tour Operations
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Effect of current trends for development on tour operators..................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................2
2.1 Stages and timescales which are used for holiday panning..................................................2
2.2 Different methods of contracting for different components of hotels...................................3
2.3 Calculation of selling price of holiday..................................................................................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Planning decision for designing of brochure........................................................................5
3.2 Alternative suitability to traditional brochure.......................................................................5
3.3 Suitability of ways of distribution used for selling of holiday..............................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
4.1 Making of strategic decisions from types of tour operator...................................................7
4.2 Tactical decisions are to be taken in different solution.........................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Tour operation basically deals with combining tour and travel components to create a
package holiday. Their job is to carry out promotions using brochures for their products, holiday
plans and itineraries (Brunner & Stolletz, 2014). Tour operation management plays an important
role in travel and tourism by arrangement of packet holidays for tourists who want an affordable
plan for themselves. They are the best to satisfy ever changing needs and expectation of
travellers. This report is based on Thomas Cook plc is a British global travel firm which is listed
on London Stock Exchange market. This group has number of tour operators and also airlines in
UK and many other countries. Main purpose of this report is to determine the effect of current
trends and development strategies on tour operations. There is an evaluation of different actions
of catching by different components of holidays. This report consist of a numerical calculating
selling price of holiday. There is also a brochure which is used for describing types of tour
operations. Various strategic decisions are made while planning types of operator.
TASK 1
1.1 Consequence of current trends for development on tour operators.
For tour operations to work well now days manager are continuously counselling their
associate and provide them with resources and help them to innovate their thinking for
themselves. For actual success of this company its hospitality operations should focus more on
guest, emphasize high- touch scheme instead of high technical scheme. They are responsible to
encourage changes as well as innovations. The latest trend which is actually seen in tour
operation management is
Globalization: This is an effect which has great impact on many factors one of them is
travel and tourism. In today's time most of the people like to travel freely around the world.
There are so many international tourists that arrives from different places and probably it has
been increased and relatively increasing with time. There is lot of expenditure spent on global
tourism.
Safety and Security: Industrial concern for security has basically increased that too
greatly because of several attacks from terrorists also due to tourist kidnapping, robberies and
assaults. There is requirement of safety for all types of cordial reception and tourism operations
which is critical and disastrous plan that should be planned before hand of any threat which is
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about to occur. The first priority of any tour management system is to ensure personal safety.
One of the measure for ensuring security in travel and tourism is by safe guarding the airports
internationally as well as nationally. That is why most of the airline business companies have
upgraded their safety measures by investment of lot of money in that. Also there are some plans
in order to surpass necessitate of air line industry through technology advancement. Some kind
of security plan like property's safety should include certain human activity and procedures to
prevent incidents. Hospitality and tourism should present a unique method for understanding
new cultural experience for both worker and tourists.
TASK 2
2.1 Stages and timescales which are used for holiday panning.
Stages and timescales are basically used in development of holidays. In olden times
people has been travelling for various purpose like war, religious spots and trading (Chand,
2011). Then when it came to third generation ancient Greeks has travelled to visit sites of their
God and Parthenon in Athens. During Roman Empire, citizens of Rome travelled freely to those
countries, their armies and using their own monetary system and they do not have to worry about
border restrictions. Those who could spend to travel to different countries to conquer them and
also to visit their friends and relatives.
In middle Ages people there is very rare chance that they travel apart from going on
pilgrimage and very rare chance of going out for any holiday or something like that. Journey
holidays vary from assorted phase, timescales and mixture of services. These need to combine
some services like transport, accommodation and meals. Tours seems to be long and short in
duration and distance and there needs to be different types of package of one or two days or
overnight. Also there are times when people can afford a wagon. There is also a sprung coach
which is introduced but it is very expensive so it is only affordable by very rich people.
In seventeenth century, expensive young men choose to travel across Europe on Grand
tour. There is been payment of large amount of capital of Europe as part of their education. Some
other improvement method in travelling tourism is taking of 'a cure' by wealthy people who have
visited spa towns and taking water which is actually reputed to provide a cure and range of
ailments. Which fundamentally lead to evolution in road system of UK and to increase in
movement of people and vehicles (Drozdowski, Mokwa & Pawlak, 2012).
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2.2 Various method acting of contracting for different components of hotels.
To make travel experience special by underpin everything that they do which keeps our
focal point on providing unrivalled choice then professionalism and confidence on which our
customer and stakeholder can rely on and even in future. This business can be grouped into three
sector that comprise of many best loved and market leading travel brands which is worldwide.
Tour operations management provide hotel accommodation which will transfers, excursion and
tours. Meeting and event are part of corporate world of clients and customer worldwide. Also
this company are specialist for adventure, sports marine and education. These sectors can be
divided into many division:
Adventure: As this company seems to be a leading brand in market in context of
adventure and experience travel. It operates as a strategic partnership between Thomas Cook
Travels adventure travel business and local intrepid Travel to make largest adventure travel
business. There are offerings of uncommonly planned travel bundle for schools and universities
additionally including instructive visits, understudy outings and enterprise and movement
occasions. This division likewise incorporates our dialect training brands.
 Marine: This involves world's driving and marine amusement brands including The
Mooring and Sunsail. This organization is situated crosswise over UK and significant
Canadian urban areas concentrated on experience travel and escorted visits.
 Sports: This division is building a main position in sports visit advertise for both the
classifications of individuals the onlooker and corporate customers. An occasion can have
a genuine effect to any most loved goal. It essentially ensures indigenous habitat
convention and culture. Above all it make individuals to visit such a large number of
awesome spots and for genrations that are yet to come (Filby, Stockin and Scarpaci,
2015).
2.3 Calculation of selling price of holiday.
Cost specification Cost on Euro/Pounds
Cost of room 84 euro for two sitter
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One person cost 42 euro
Breakfast cost 11.5 euros per person
Total 53.5 euros
Total number of students 46
Total cost for 46 students 2862.25
Exchange rate €1.15 per £1
Rate according to exchange rate 2488.91
Days of tour 7
Total amount for 7 days 17422.39
Rent for bus 50 seater 10800 pounds
Guide charges 1200 pounds
Total 12000 pounds
Cost of whole tour including fare charges 29422.39 pounds
Profit margin of company 7355.5975 pounds
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Total cost including profit company 36777.99 pounds
Cost per student £799.52
TASK 3
3.1 Planning decision for designing of brochure.
In order to make the strategy to be effective and useful one must make sure that content
of these material needs to be relevant and effective. As any one who would like to open or
operate a travel establishment then some of the points that need to be mentioned in brochure are:
Including pictures of attractions and scenic spots. Business aspects act like mediator
which are basically selling holidays in today's world. This is one of the best manner of getting
appropriate deals. Always try to include great shots of popular methods of attracting tourists.
Besides these photos there is also need to forget some kind of description of these beautiful areas
and indicate list of reasons to why should people visit to them.
Use colour schemes to enhance the image. There can be many instances when we like
to highlight the object just to bring some more attention to it. To make the image stand out there
is a lot of requirement of background colour that can complement the image with different
colours like blue green. It would look very bad if we tend to use black and grey.
Insertion of description to make it easy to read. This technique is utilized to draw in
the peruser to witness attractions for close and individual utilization of articulations that would
mean an invitation to take action. This may incorporate words that essentially advance to detects.
Some of them incorporate words like taste, attempt witness and numerous other. It is imperative
for any content to be lucid with the goal that's the reason the text style ought to be of quite
recently the correct size (Potgieter, de Jager and van Heerden, 2010).
Addition of useful details: Basically a brochure is been used by tourists to help them to
facilitate them with some kind of information. This is useful for the tourists to provide them to
know some familiarities with the destination they are visiting. Basically any one should covers
information on few of their basic requirements. For example, there can be list of names of hotel
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that would be very near one to attractions. A good travel brochure appeals to a tourist that would
like to try and experience with whatever the destination has to offer.
3.2 Alternative suitability to traditional brochure.
From the time this bundled occasion was imagined, these occasion handouts are thought
to be most imperative component of showcasing blend of any occasion administrator. No other
factor has been customarily been more vital than leaflet regarding making the client get some
data and afterward inducing them to purchase the item. Fundamentally occasion administrators
spend some huge sums on generation and dissemination of pamphlets. Yet, for the most part the
cost viability of these leaflets is been addressed.
As indicated by the measurement it has been assessed that short of what one on each ten
handouts which is utilized each opportunity to really incite a booking. A huge number of
handouts are gathered from travel operators and they sent their photographs just to wind up in the
container or being reused. It is not extremely hard to comprehend why this leaflet is essential.
The key part which is played by these leaflet in occasion is purchasing of the procedure
(Potgieter, Jager and Heerden 2010). As per the current research on client capacity for paper
leaflet affirms the qualities of medium. Client can have a positive perspectives on capacity of the
leaflet to: * Advertise the "products" and positioning(price+target showcase) of each occasion
organization * Indicating general value levels and what is conceivable inside a specific value
mark (in spite of the fact that customers would locate the most travel handout befuddled as far as
working out genuine occasion cost) * Tempt the buyer to consider new goal and help them to
wipe out a few goals from the potential rundown. A short rundown resorts inside a specific
nation that would permit simple correlation of lodgings with both inside one leaflet and
crosswise over number of pamphlets regardless of the possibility that there can be marginally
shallow way.
There can be same research which is featured seen weaknesses with paper leaflet as
indicated by purchaser point of view. If at any point the client remarked that the handout does
not come clean in general. A few handouts are recently too enormous including an excessive
number of goal that may not be needed. There might be cost and travel data that may not be
available on that page. Customers may despise genuine areas and a different cost can
supplements.
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3.3 Suitability of ways of distribution used for selling of holiday.
From the meaning of an appropriated channel, it can be reasoned that a conveyance
channel frames a connection between a maker and a customer. Therefore essentially there can be
five circulation channels which are accessible for a visit administrator. These are email, web,
phone, retail and ordinary mail. All these conveyed channel can be utilized for either roundabout
or direct offering. Without a retailer situated between the maker and client. Utilization of various
appropriation channel is same for some businesses (Slumkoski, 2010).
After the ascent of web that has induced numerous different organizations to audit their
channel techniques and incorporation to help and solidarities the web offer. ICT and
fundamentally the web can possibly supplement as opposed to working together business
existing channels. These directs is utilized as a part of market systems to have a shared
supporting figure which is extremely basic for new development that is web. This may not be
that much vital and utilized as a business work yet rather than this business supporting data of
source is likewise required.
This organization which is a multi channel retailing energizes practical development and
edge extension requires a firmly coordinated approach over all channels that incorporate physical
stores, lists and so on as a powerful industry this has been viewed as a huge dominant part of
travelers in a main wellspring of market (Prideaux, Wei, and Ruys, 2004). Customary advertising
strategies are being tested as innovation has replaced mass showcasing degree and as yet
empowering tourism to give and create customized and guide correspondence to purchasers.
There is seen a blast in intuitive data by sharing message on online coordinated effort on
web and enhancing the internet showcasing blend. Presently a days person to person
communication locales, for example, Facebook and LinkedIn are building up the commercial
center to another level with expanding amount of tourism and travel items being advanced
through these systems.
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TASK 4
4.1 Making of strategic decisions from types of tour operator.
Making of strategic decisions
From- XYZ
Date- 2nd August, 2017
In normal strategies to be considered the most basic and specific characteristics which it
involves are those methodologies that may be defined as long term direction and scope of this
organisation to achieve some kind of competitive advantage through configuration of resources
within a changing environment basically required for accomplishment of wish of stakeholders
aspirations and expectations.
Thomas Cook: This company is made up of a portfolio of brands with diverse culture
and international colleagues. There is one set of vision and values that are bidden together. All
these are united together to deliver goals. The primary vision is 'Making travel experiences
special'. Their believe in business is to do a clear sense of purpose. Values support is the vision.
TUI travel: They are embedded into how things need to be properly organised in TUI
travel and are supposed to be fundamental to way in which we operate and help the people in
defining the way to be related to the customers, shareholders and many other people who are
connected to us in some ways or the other. Their major aim is to provide the guest with
everything which can help them to make their holiday perfect. By putting the package together
by combining all the services and items in the resort. Inspite of being the biggest and
independent operator in UK there is a major public owned tout operator which uses flexibility
to respond to the customer's need as they arise with situation. In order to integrate a sustainable
way of thinking this tourism business which should take the responsibility of promoting travel
and lead them to find a way of sustaining its future scope.
4.2 Tactical decisions are to be taken in different solution.
Tactical decisions
From- XYZ
Date- 2nd August, 2017
Tactical decisions making is a method which basically talks about establishment of key
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initiatives to achieve the whole strategy. There is usually the determination of an
implementation plan which process from day to day working method. These company's method
which will actually help to realize the ultimate goal of the people demand. Moreover these
tactical decisions are medium types of team which may support some kind of strategic
decisions.
Thomas Cook has always try to find ways of respects of customers and never tries to
forget any kind of demands which they choose to spend for themselves. There are customers
who wish to spend their leisure time with the company surrounding and its environment. Then it
become the duty of organisation to maintain their loyalty and trust. This can be done by
anticipating customer's desired and try to fulfil whatever they wish to. There is a believe that
there is no such thing like as mass market in the huge market of individuals. Company is
committed to sustainable development and it does not make any positive impact on the society.
There is some kind of commitment which is required for sustainable development to be
improved. It should never be taken as granted.
Dexe
Tactical decisions making is a method which basically talks about establishment of key
initiatives to achieve the whole strategy. There is usually the determination of an implementation
plan which process from day to day working method. These company's method which will
actually help to realize the ultimate goal of the people demand. Moreover these tactical decisions
are medium types of team which may support some kind of strategic decisions.
Thomas Cook has always try to find ways of respects of customers and never tries to
forget any kind of demands which they choose to spend for themselves. There are customers who
wish to spend their leisure time with the company surrounding and its environment. Then it
become the duty of organisation to maintain their loyalty and trust. This can be done by
anticipating customer's desired and try to fulfil whatever they wish to. There is a believe that
there is no such thing like as mass market in the huge market of individuals. Company is
committed to sustainable development and it does not make any positive impact on the society.
There is some kind of commitment which is required for sustainable development to be
improved. It should never be taken as granted.
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CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been analysed that effects of current and recent trends of
developments influence tour operations and there is stage and timescales involves in developing
holidays. Different contracts of various components of holidays are discussed in this tour
operations report. From the given details selling price can be calculated for a holiday planning.
There is making of a brochure in this report which consist of decision planning and also there is
alternative method for traditionally making the brochure. There are various types of strategic
decisions which are made by different types of tour operator and also in this report there is
description of tactical decisions that can be selected in tour operator in different scenarios. After
all these methods there has been a conclusion drawn that tour operation management is very
important part of a country's revenue and should be properly managed under all the points as
mentioned above and thus the state will grow high through the economic barriers.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Applegate, D.L., Bixby, R.E., Chvátal, V., Cook, W., Espinoza, D.G., Goycoolea, M. &
Helsgaun, K. 2009, "Certification of an optimal TSP tour through 85,900 cities",
Operations Research Letters, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 11-15.
Brunner, J.O. & Stolletz, R. 2014, "Stabilized branch and price with dynamic parameter updating
for discontinuous tour scheduling", Computers & Operations Research, vol. 44, pp.
137-145.
Chand, M. 2011, "Strategic Alliance Practices in Indian Tour operation Industry: an Exploratory
Study", International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Systems, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 30.
Drozdowski, M., Kowalski, D., Mizgajski, J., Mokwa, D. & Pawlak, G. 2012, "Mind the gap: A
study of Tube tour", Computers & Operations Research, vol. 39, no. 11, pp. 2705-2714.
Filby, N.E., Stockin, K.A. & Scarpaci, C. 2015, "Social science as a vehicle to improve dolphin-
swim tour operation compliance?", Marine Policy, vol. 51, pp. 40-47.
Potgieter, M., J W de Jager & C H van Heerden 2010, "Type of tour operations versus type of
information systems: South African survey", African Journal of Business Management,
vol. 4, no. 13, pp. 2634.
Prideaux, B., Wei, S. & Ruys, H. 2004, "Tour coach operations in the Australian seniors
market", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 65.
Slumkoski, C. 2010, "". A fair show and a square deal": New Brunswick and the renegotiation of
Canadian federalism, 1938-1951/<<. Un tour de force et une operation honnete>>: le
Nouveau-Brunswick et la renegociation du federalisme canadien de 1938 a 1951",
Journal of New Brunswick Studies/Revue detudes sur le Nouveau-Brunswick
(JNBS/RENB), , no. 1, pp. 124.
Tricoire, F., Graf, A. & Gutjahr, W.J. 2012;2011;, "The bi-objective stochastic covering tour
problem", Computers & Operations Research, vol. 39, no. 7, pp. 1582-1592.
Online
Tour Operation Managements. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.academia.edu/6522120/Tour_Operation_Management/>. [Accessed on 2nd
August 2017].
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