Tour Operations Management Report: LCB Tours Strategic Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of tour operations management, focusing on the practices of LCB Tours. It delves into the various stages involved in creating holiday packages, including research, design, and implementation of brochures, as well as the suitability of alternative methods. The report examines different distribution methods employed by tour operators, comparing strategic and tactical decisions, such as segmentation, pricing, and promotion strategies. It also analyzes the tactical decisions made by tour operators, ensuring smooth and flexible operations. The report aims to provide insights into the tour operator industry, covering its products, services, and the impact of current trends and developments, ultimately enhancing decision-making skills in the field of tourism.

TOUR OPERATIONS
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Covered in Leaflet.......................................................................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................1
Covered in ppt.............................................................................................................................1
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................1
3.1 Planning decision taken for design of a selected brochure...................................................1
3.2 Suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour operator.......3
3.3 Suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of
tour operators..............................................................................................................................3
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................4
4.1 Strategic decisions made by different types of tour operators..............................................4
4.2 Compare tactical decisions that could be taken by selected two tour operators...................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
In the travel and tourism industry, there are different operations and functions
continuously develop that assists to meet with desired level of outcomes in the country. With this
regard, several activities and tasks continuously develop that assists to the organisation to focus
on goals and objectives that can be accomplish desired level of results and attain more significant
advantages (Mingers and Leydesdorff, 2015).
With this consideration, present study based on LCB which is one of the largest
industries and provides different kinds of products and services with innovative quality.
Furthermore, they are focus on the different activities and increase innovative results at
workplace.
In order to focus on the present study and analysis report, it covers recent trend and
development program in tour operation management. There are different kinds of holidays also
undertaken that planned by business to attain goals and objectives. Moreover, different methods
of contracting also undertaken in the present report that helps to analysis desired results at
workplace. At last, analysis and evaluation of traditional and non-traditional methods has been
undertaken to conduct present study.
TASK 1
Covered in Leaflet
TASK 2
Covered in ppt
TASK 3
3.1 Planning decision taken for design of a selected brochure
In order to accomplish goals and objectives in the planning decision, it can be stated that
following steps will be consider in stages for development of holiday:
 Research, strategy and feasibility with cost: It is the first step in which all information
available that is relevant for the project. As a result, it is also collected with background
information, existence of brand performances, legal issues, etc. In order to conduct
research, it can be stated that LCB need to deal as per client expectations that are
constantly understood through asking questions with deliver brochure to them.
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Furthermore, it also ascertained to focus on the desired level of results that can be
accomplish easily at workplace (Lin and Tseng, 2016).
 Design concept and format: After acceptance and agreement of the initial process, it can
be stated that next step include preliminary design ideas. In this consideration, it can be
stated that time is also useful and development of creative process that taken over the
period of time. Various consideration also undertaken to determine significant role with
including colour combination, technology, etc. the concept also turn out with most
suitable techniques that assists to assessed further developed plan. Effective client and
customer feedback in this process assists to take positive results with particular concept
that undertaken in the results (Sigala, 2014).
 Detailed design development with target market and budget: With the help of selected
concept, it can be stated that further consideration also successfully building with
relevant details. Hence, it is also suitable technique that further develop with created logo
and assembled of colours. There are several variations also included in this so that
various pages of the website also ensure that design must be taken with photo-shop and
sample pages. In LCB, this stage consider detailed specification of the design that
fostering needs of product development and planning for final costing (Kang, Shin and
Lee, 2014).
 Implementing with printing: Once program has been approved, the chosen business need
to implement their process with decide factors. These all consideration initially associated
with finished work and produced creation of the print ready brochure at workplace.
Professional programmer also consider design that is effectively ascertained into HTML
code for website. Therefore, it is easily implemented to the best aspect of website
development (Van der Wagen and White, 2018).
 Supervision of production: It is the last stage in which quality control is most important
perspectives. This is because, there are several clients required important perspectives
with quality assurance. Therefore, they can easily communicate effective supervision of
the produced work which is necessary (Li and Hunter, 2015). With the help of design and
website information, it can be stated that it is the best aspect to choose website
information that is suggested and applications of Search Engine Optimisation is also
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important for implement accurate design at workplace. It is the successful aspect for the
organisation development.
3.2 Suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour operator
In order to design the brochure, it can be stated that concept for this have been challenged
and there are several kinds of suitable alternatives that cropped by LCB. The chosen company
also determine successful launching of website so that accommodating activities also develop in
the different areas of country (Tirasattayapitak, Chaiyasain and Beeton, 2015). This helped the
company to reduce the printing costs and considerable reduction in wastage of material to
accomplish benefits in the environment. Furthermore, website also allow customers to take
accessibility to all the LCB brochure and speciality brand on any internet that enable devices
such as computer, mobile, tablet, etc. The chosen company also implement successful website
that is flexible in sense and its size and functionality is proportionate to the device that being
success from the outcomes. This assists in ease of access from every device and one can easily
access the brochure at home on the sofa while going to work, etc. (Dubey, Sonwaney and Ali,
2015).
The Travel Network have their magazine named insight which contain the latest news
and information about Travel Trust Association, independent travel experts, etc. They tend to
include pertinent and significant brochure in this kind of magazines with the latest information
and data about industry which is successful develop operations and functions in different areas.
For the present tour package, the best alternative consider website of the chosen business which
designed website for brochure more convincing and easier that assists to develop more search for
information of brochure (Van der Wagen and Goonetilleke, 2015). Flexible compatibility of the
website to proportionately adjust as accordance to the device access that make very potent and
efficient. This is the primary and main reason due to which alternative of traditional brochure can
be produce.
3.3 Suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of
tour operators
In today's time day and age, several methods of distribution for the purpose of selling
holiday exists. It can be analysed with reference to the chosen company that is LCB and TUI
travel industry. LCB adopted Omni channel distribution method that enable more choices to
customers and examine to reach customer as well. Objective also build to take successful results
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in the business that assists to accomplish and build existent strength by the development of single
customer gateway. Hence, it deliver consistent customer experience with effective range of
products and services. Main objective is to become that is leading tourist operator comprising a
platform to sell.
On the other hand, TUI travel using direct distribution channel that assists to determine
key strategy that is successfully adopted to attain more desired level of results at workplace.
Increasing direct distribution of holidays cuts down distribution costs so that it also reduce
dependency on the third party distributors and aim to consolidate customer relationship aspect. In
2014, distribution also improved by 68% which is one of the major reason to drive and impact on
online channels that can be successful develop to gain more desired results at workplace
(Molina-Azorín, Tarí and Pertusa-Ortega, 2015). From the both, package of LCB is the best
which shows simply and inclined towards Internet Distribution Channel. They are also
understood traffic of the system that can be directed to sell different holidays packages to the
people to use internet and availing traditional method.
TASK 4
4.1 Strategic decisions made by different types of tour operators
In the strategic decision, there are different activities and tasks has been accomplish to
focus on goals and objectives. Therefore, following elements can be included in it:
Segmentation targeting and positioning: It helps to create segmentation, identification of
the target consumers in efficient way so that positioning of products and services develop and
provided by tour operator in a particular way to attract significant strength of consumers. For
example, LCB is one of the largest tour operator who make market segmentation that based on
different aspect such as geography, demography, psychographic, etc. Hence, information can be
gather in relation with lifestyle of individual (Holland and Leslie, 2018).
Tour packages seasonal scenario: There is high preference of the consumers in respect of
travelling in different seasons. Therefore, it can be majorly depending on the festive season that
assists to develop more significant advantages at workplace. With this regard, there is difference
between packages on the basis of price so that consumer rate turnover focused by the enterprise.
Strategy for competitive pricing: This kind of pricing strategy helps in providing
competitive advantages for different tour operators. As a result, focusing on tour package price
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also successfully develop for offering towards several consumers (Bamford, Moxham and Dehe,
2015). For example, LCB follow competitive pricing strategy through they are able to
communicate different pricing as per competitor position.
Strategy for innovative promotion: With the help of adopting exclusive and innovative
techniques, it can be stated that promotion or advertisement associated with significant to attract
huge number of individuals. Promotional strategies also innovative that assists to handle the
competition in a successful manner (Espino-Rodríguez and Gil-Padilla, 2015). Specialised tour
operator is also implementing exclusive strategy. Hence, the organisation using print media, etc.
Strategy for discounting price: This is considered as major scenario for new attraction of
customers. In this context, tour operators offer several kinds of products and services for offering
discounting for the consumers regarding which contract related to fixed price that adopted by
them. This helps to take competitive advantages in respect to tour operators and assists to make
sure that consumers are satisfied (Florio, Hartl and Minner, 2018).
4.2 Compare tactical decisions that could be taken by selected tour operators
Tactical decisions assist to ensure smooth and flexible operations in the business which
helps to focus on the avoiding prospects that create confusion for day to day organisational
matters (Van der Wagen and White, 2018). Certain tactical decisions that prepared by tour
operators to take consideration for negotiation with service providers, making several
arrangements in respect of transportation. It assists to maintain healthy relationship with
stakeholders to inform them in respect to the organisational behaviour. One of the important
tactical decisions also undertaken by the tour operator that ensure coordination also efficient and
deriving anticipated outcomes (Hoyos, Morales and Akhavan-Tabatabaei, 2015). Significantly, it
also creates impact on the services. Proper research also conducting that assists to gain insight
information in respect to the price ates for different services that are provided recently.
For instance, certain tactical decisions must be taken by LCB to focus on ensure
coordination among different people. In respect to take services, it can be stated that optimum
utilisation of resources also carried for service processing that is associated with allowance of
use of services that are related with high speed of internet (Robinson, Fallon and Crotts, 2016).
For providing instant and optimum services in front of consumer, the chosen organisation using
different distribution channel which assists to gets significant pricing reduced effectively.
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CONCLUSION
Present study focused on tour operation management that consider travel and tourism
functioning which involves different types of stages that are required for creation of successful
tour packages. With this regard, stages and time scale successfully build with involvement of
holidays packages that are assessed and evaluation of the suitability of various methods
explained that taken by LCB. Furthermore, it summarised about strategic decisions that are made
by the different types of tour operators and comparison also undertaken that assists to focus on
the different circumstances. As a result, it helps to analysis strategies that will be successfully
ascertained at workplace.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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relationship. International Journal of Business Innovation and Research. 9(1). pp.1-14.
Espino-Rodríguez, T.F. and Gil-Padilla, A.M., 2015. The structural and infrastructural decisions
of operations management in the hotel sector and their impact on organizational
performance. Tourism and Hospitality Research. 15(1). pp.3-18.
Florio, A., Hartl, R.F. and Minner, S., 2018. Optimal a Priori Tour and Restocking Policies for
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Kang, I., Shin, M.M. and Lee, J., 2014. Service evaluation model for medical tour service.
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Li, Y. and Hunter, C., 2015. Community involvement for sustainable heritage tourism: a
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Mingers, J. and Leydesdorff, L., 2015. Identifying research fields within business and
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Society. 66(8). pp.1370-1384.
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Molina-Azorín, J.F., Tarí, J.J. and Pertusa-Ortega, E.M., 2015. The effects of quality and
environmental management on competitive advantage: A mixed methods study in the
hotel industry. Tourism Management. 50. pp.41-54.
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