1. travel and tourism

ITFT-CHANDIGARH TRAVEL AGENCY & TOUR OPERATIONS
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAVELING & TOURING
The word travel was developed from the word „travail‟ meaning hardship, trouble and
danger! A common definition of travel is 'To go from one place to another, as on a trip;
journey,' so it is no wonder that the origins of the word seem tough.
Significantly, too, the word “tour” in tourist was derived from the Hebrew term „Torah‟ which
means learning, studying, and searching. A tourist travels for enjoyment. The satisfaction,
sense of excitement and adventure he derives from his trip gives him pleasure. The most
common reasons to travel have always been: migration, pilgrimage and exploration. The
nature of these three has been a cause for much personal and cultural sacrifice, as in the
cases of Aboriginals, pilgrims to Mecca and Captain James Cook.
It is only within these last few hundred years that we have begun to think of travel
synonymously with the idea of vacation; in other words, an escape from our daily 'toil' and
'travails'. It is a recent phenomenon, which has had a change in outlook through the
introduction of the railways and later the introduction of the jet age.
India on the World Map
The Indian tourism industry has not had it so good since the early 1990s. With global
recession seeming to have waned decisively, Indian economy growing at around 7% per
annum and rise in disposable incomes of Indians, an increasing number of people are
going on holiday trips within the country and abroad resulting in spreading wings of the
tourism industry.
Despite the numerous problems, tourism industry was the second-largest foreign
exchange earner for the country during the year ended March 2003. India's tourist industry
is booming with a rush of foreign tourists and increased travel by Indians to domestic and
overseas destinations. Nearly three million foreign tourists visited India in 2003, a 15
percent increase over the previous year.
Tourists are visiting India from all over the world: Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and
Australia. The boom has come even as global tourism has dropped, due to the September
11 terrorist attacks in the United States, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome in East Asia, and the Iraq war.
At the same time, the number of Indians traveling abroad last year increased by 30
percent, to 4.5 million.
Tourism professionals cite several reasons for the buoyancy in the Indian industry. The
recent surge in the Indian economy has raised middle class incomes, prompting more
people to spend money on vacations abroad or at home.
At the same time, India's emergence as a global information technology hub and an
aggressive advertising campaign by the government are credited with changing India's
image from that of a land of snake-charmers, and sparking new interest among overseas
travelers. India has been extensively covered in special issues of international publications

such as National Geographic, Travel & Leisure, conde Nast Traveler, New York Times and
Vogue. The Lonely Planet, 2003 listed India as one of the five top "must-see" destinations
for global leisure travelers. Conde Nast Traveler, UK‟s Annual Reader‟s Travel Awards
2003 ranked India amongst the top 10 tourist destinations. Another award of great
achievement by Conde Nast was awarded to Ananda-In the Himalayas, India‟s only
lifestyle destination spa, which has been voted as the first runner up in the category for the
Best Overseas Lifestyle Destination Spa.
Travel enhances boundaries, opens up the mind, clears prejudices. Tourism provides
employment benefits in backward areas, and helps make better roads, water, power and
communication available to more people, raising standards of living.
Travel helps to preserve environment and re-discover facets of an imperiled culture.
Tourism enhances the benefits of recycling the past. Travel can even help to preserve
history and historical sites, monuments and buildings. Tourism assists, in its wake, the
handicrafts sector, transportation, adds dining facilities, promotes greater inter-cultural
tolerance. All wonderful reasons to travel, whether on leisure or business. For every time
you travel, you help create more economic opportunities, for tourism offers more jobs per
rupee (Indian Currency) invested than even agriculture. Following pages guides you
through a warren of packages, helps select destinations or activity-filled holiday choices,
and even recommends business and conference travel options. We would love to have
your views on what you would like to know more about in future through our regular
upgradation features.
TRAVEL AND TOURISM – AN INTRODUCTION
Tourism which makes millions of people move from their homes in search of a holiday,
began as a mere coincidence. In 1841, Thomas Cook, organised a trip by a train for 57 0
members of his society for a distance of 22 miles. He was the first agent to buy tickets in
bulk to sell them to other people. The experiment was successful and everybody was
pleased at the ease of travel arrangements. This trip was organized on a no profit basis,
but it gave him new ideas.
In 1845, Thomas Cook set up a full time excursion agency to organize excursions. The
railway company gave him a 5 % commission on the sale of tickets. He also started
operating package tours which included transport, hotel accommodation, sightseeing,
guide services and meals at the other end of the journey.
He invented the system of traveler‟s cheque and hotel vouchers which eliminated the need
for payment in cash. Tourists prepaid the cost of the trip and in return got the hotel,
including meals. The travelers took Cook‟s traveler‟s cheques at that time called
CIRCULAR NOTES to their holiday destinations. They were honoured at many
establishments e.g. hotels and transport systems and could also be encashed at various
Thomas Cook offices opened up at many offices in Europe or banks in the local currency.

In 1878, Thomas Cook brought the first group of rich British tourists to India by the P&O
Steamship Company. The group landed in Bombay, traveled to Agra by train to see the Taj
Mahal and also visited the Kashmir Valley.
While Thomas Cook was the first travel agent and tour operator in the world, several
others followed him. They opened up their offices in major cities of Europe and America.
Across the Atlantic, the American Express Company is perhaps the world‟s largest travel
company offering diversified services in banking and travel activities to almost every part of
the world. The American Express pioneered the Credit Card System. A credit card
entitles the holder to buy anything (up to a given limit) against the card without having to
pay cash. Credit cards are issued after scrutiny of the due worthiness of the applicant.
Today, traveler‟s cheques and credit cards are used worldwide in the transaction of money
International Credit Cards like American Express, Visa, Diner‟s Club, Master Card are
accepted by all major banks as well as major establishments like hotels, airlines and
shopping complexes.
The advent of air travel changed the travel scene. In the 1930‟s, PANAM, an American
Airline approached Cooks to open a travel counter in their travel office in exchange of a
commission on the sale of their tickets. This is how Airlines discovered travel agents as
their marketing agents. Now over 90% of international travel and 60% of domestic travel
tickets are sold and issued by travel agents all over the world.
World War II disrupted holiday travel and it was only after the war ended in 1945 that travel
and tourism was restarted for fun and pleasure.
The cost of air travel was very high in the initial stages but with the introduction of larger
aircrafts and economic class in the aircraft costs have considerably come down. Travel by
air became more economical and less time consuming than travel by sea. Railways and
road transport networks began to spread and better services were introduced in these
sectors.
CASE STUDY: THOMAS COOK AND THE INVENT OF ORGANSED TRAVEL
"In Our World Nothing's Foreign"
"Cook has made travel simple, easy and a pleasure. He will sell you a ticket to any place
on the globe. Cook is your banker everywhere. His clerks will answer all the questions you
ask, and do it courteously.
In 1841 Cook had the idea of arranging an eleven-mile rail excursion from Leicester to a
Temperance Society meeting in Loughborough on the newly extended Midland Railway for
570 people. This turned out to be Thomas Cook's first successful excursion.
Rail travel was still relatively new and Cook was the first person to organize the first group
round fare. It costed one shilling. This included the cost of rail ticket and food on the
journey. The venture was a great success and Cook decided to start his own business
running rail excursions.
Thomas Cook not only brought excursions into the real of reality, he also bought travel for
common, ordinary citizens into scope. Until that first excursion in 1841, most travellers for

pleasure were the wealthy and the aristocracy who travelled independently: less privileged
people travelled only through necessity.
For a later trip he organized to Liverpool, he went there personally before the trip and
checked hotel accommodation and restaurants to ensure that his 350 excursionists had
the best possible service. He wrote A Handbook of the Trip to Liverpool in which he gave
every detail of the excursion. It was probably the first guidebook of its kind.
Many trips followed thereafter but one of his greatest achievements was to arrange a trip
for over 165,000 people to attend the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park. Cook and his son
paraded though the streets of Sheffield, Leeds, Derby and Bradford with a band, making
speeches about the trip. They had also set up clubs so working men could pay in small
sums a week toward the total cost which included accommodation at the Ranclagh Club-
bed and a hearty Victorian breakfast- for two shillings, the fare of which was five shillings.
Through their direct selling methods, he was able to take 165,000 people to the Exhibition.
The Great Exhibition of 1851 brought him an excellent opportunity but he did NOT make
any money. He did however make his name by persuading a great many people to visit the
Exhibition with Cooks.
Cook was quick to see the possibilities for travel which the newly invented railways
presented, and he reacted speedily when the S S Great Britain ran aground in Dundrum
Bay by organizing an excursion to view the stranded ship in 1847.
Over the years he took tourists to such varied places as: the Paris Exhibition, A Grand
Circular Tour of Antwerp, Brussels, Waterloo, Cologne, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Baden
Baden and Paris. In 1863 he lead a tour to Paris and Switzerland, and in 1864 to Italy. In
that year Cook claimed that he had one million clients and the business was stable enough
for him to settle clients' bills, but he was not actually running inclusive tours yet.
In 1865, Cook finally crossed the Atlantic. During the American Civil War, Cook watched
the North American continent, which was then virgin territory untrampled by the feet of
British tourists. That year the very first group of European tourists set foot in America. They
visited among other places, New York, Washington, Niagara, Chicago, The Mammouth
Caves of Kentucky and the rather gruesome deserted battlefields of Virginia. The party
travelled 10,500 miles in nine weeks. By 1872 Thomas Cook & Son was able to offer a
212 day Round the World Tour for an affordable 200 guineas (a form of currency). The
journey included a steamship across the Atlantic, a stagecoach from the east to the west
coast of America, a paddle steamer to Japan, and an overland journey across China and
India.
During the early famous tours to Egypt, the Nile Tours, there were no hotels so the group
travelled as a vast caravan, accompanied by 65 horses, 87 pack mules, tents, beds and
field kitchens to prepare Victorian breakfasts of boiled eggs, followed by chicken and
cutlets, and dinners of seven courses including wild boar and mutton.
Cook's tours not only attracted the likes of the British Royal Family, The Kaiser, the Czar,
European aristocrats, politicians, bishops & archibishops but were also affordable to the
middle classes.

The inclusive tour, in which everything is paid for in advance was also a creation of Cook,
as well as the Circular Note, the forerunner of the traveller cheque which he created in
1873.
Thomas Cook Worldwide : the whole world of travel rolled into one!
Today, Thomas Cook and Son is known as the Thomas Cook AG Group. It operates
under this brand in its most important markets as one of the world‟s leading travel groups
with a market-oriented portfolio of tour operators, travel agencies, charter airlines, hotels
and service agents. The foundation for an integrated travel group was laid in 1998 by the
two shareholders Deutsche Lufthansa AG (50%) and KarstadtQuelle AG (50%). The
acquisition of the French travel company Havas Voyages in July 2000 and the take over of
the British travel group Thomas Cook Holdings Ltd in April 2003 has led to the creation of
one of the world‟s leading travel groups. It is the second-largest leisure group in Europe
and the third-largest in the world.
Annual revenues of eight billion euro, in excess of 14 million customers, 30 tour operator
brands, about 3,600 travel agencies selling group products worldwide, a portfolio of 73,000
controlled hotel beds, a fleet of 85 aircraft and a workforce numbering some 28,000,
The company is represented in the sales markets of Germany, Great Britain, Ireland,
France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, India and
Canada.
SEGMENTS AND VENDORS OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY:
An industry segment is made up of vendors or suppliers who offer the same type of
products. The major segments, which exist within the travel industry, are given below:
Sales
Tour
Operator
Airlines
Holiday
Destination
Agencies
Hotel
s

Tourism product:
India – a tourist destination for all reasons
The vast sub continent of India offers such a diversity of experiences that international
travellers are drawn to it again and again. As a destination India receives perhaps amongst
the highest number of repeat travellers in the world. We are offering some useful tips
regarding travel to India
India is probably the only country that offers various categories of tourism. These include
history tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism (ayurveda and other forms of Indian
medications), spiritual tourism, beach tourism (India has the longest coastline in the East)
etc.
Explore India - choose the locales of your choice, and see what each state has to offer.
Lose yourself in the wonder that is India. Meander through lands steeped in chivalry and
pageantry that begin before recorded history. Explore modern cities that have grown
organically from the roots of a multi-hued past. Make a pilgrimage to holy shrines that echo
with tales of antiquity. Frolic on a vast array of golden beaches that dot an enviable
coastline, washed by two seas and an ocean. Sport with adventure in style. Let the jungle
lure you to a fascinating world at a diverse array of wildlife sanctuaries and national
parks....... this is the wonder that is India.
INDIA'S ANCIENT AND DIVERSE CULTURE, sweeping back at least 5000 years, with
successive waves of migration absorbed into the fabric of Indian life, has enriched it time
and again to make a multi-cultural nation with a rich diversity of languages, customs,
cuisines, religions, literature and arts. Within this kaleidoscope of immense variety there is
a thread of continuity that has determined Indian civilisation and social structure.
India. The very word conjures up images of saints, kamasutra, women wearing bright
clothes, and ostentatious jewellery, perhaps a lot of poverty, some jungles, some wildlife
and lots of spirituality. Of course there is so much more to India than just this. There has to
be, for it attracts people from all walks of life and different parts of the world to come and
savour its charms.
Every nation has a history unique to itself and the history of India is truly unique. Two
hundred years of slavery have left an indelible impact on the socio-economic and cultural
character of the country. As much as the original inhabitants of the subcontinent were
diverse in their way of life, the foreigners contributed no less in this diversity. The historical
character is therefore a myriad of civilizations that came to India, settled, ruled a few years
and then went back, ranging from Portuguese and British to the Afghans closer home. The
remnants of all these cultures is still alive and kicking in India

India can be a favourite tourist destination with the entire historical and natural
extravaganza it has to offer. The world famous Taj Mahal tops the list. In fact there are
several monuments that are mute testimony of their glorious past. While most monuments
in the north are reminiscent of the Mughal and British architectures apart from those built
by the indigenous rulers, the architecture in a few western coasts has also the Portuguese
effect.
The gardens and palaces in the southern part of the subcontinent are contributions of
the nawabs and other dynasties like the cholas and chalukyas. Some of the monuments
have turned to ruins while others have been revamped and given a new lease on life in the
form of luxury hotels, while some others are preserved and maintained for their
architectural, cultural and historical values.
Nature has given India mixed blessings. It has absolutely pristine mountains you can visit.
The superb Himalayas provide you with trekking, climbing, and camping pleasures.
Beautiful valleys, gushing glaciers, snow capped peaks, clear and serene rivers to raging
torrents, forests of oak, pines and conifers, orchards and religious places these entirely dot
the various trekking routes. Just be sure to check out the routes with the appropriate
authorities in advance for a safe journey. These mountains are supposed to be the abode
of gods and they are the places where, since times immemorial, saints and sages have
gone in search of nirvana. They have an alluring quality and a beauty so emphatic it fails to
leave you untouched.
But these towering mountains are not the only attractions. In fact there are several
beaches, backwaters, rivers, forests, reserved wildlife sanctuaries, and islands which are
worth visiting. The place most famous for its beaches is Goa and truly some of its beaches
are spectacular. The usual souvenirs available in beach towns are available aplenty here
also. In fact, the whole of southern part of India has a coast along the Arabian sea, Indian
ocean and bay of Bengal and thus beaches abound here. Some of the finer beaches are in
Kerela. The islands off the southern coast like Lakshdweep and the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands are also a tourists paradise but a visit to these places requires advance planning.
In fact, during the holiday season bookings including air or ship and hotel reservations
have to be made six to seven months in advance.
The geographical diversity of India is the reason why there is a rich spread of varied
flora or fauna all over the subcontinent. While some of the species of these are commonly
seen all over but there are others that are characteristic to a particular region. India is
home to several exotic animals ranging from the Asiatic lion to the one-horned rhinos.
Similarly beautiful orchids abound in the Himalyan region and the northeastern part of
country where orchid fairs are also held.
Then there is the Indian spirituality that brings people from all over the world in search of
mental peace and God. There are many gods and goddesses that are worshipped in India
and there are countless religious festivals that are an intrinsic part of Indian culture. All
these are not necessarily Hindu. In fact, a host of religions thrive in India ranging from
Hinduism to Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and several others. Over the
past few years India has also been taken over by the acquisitive culture and
westernisation. But the traditional values still remain. There are several things that are
difficult to change. These include the dress and food of the common man. The sari, which

is the quintessence of feminism, continues to enthral and mystify even as the western gear
is finding base. The culture vibrant in its various hues includes dances in colourful dresses.
While most classical dances have a religious orientation, the folk dances are earthier with
their lilting tunes and local charm. The same applies to music both vocal and instrumental.
The handicrafts of India are world famous and there is a wide assortment available. Every
state, every tribe, every village has something unique and beautiful to offer.
Of course with all its magic a visit to India can still be an infuriating experience especially if
you expect everything to happen in clockwork precision. Keeping an open mind and a
flexible attitude will help you go a long way in exploring the magic of India
TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES:
Various other businesses, though not part of the tourism industry directly, have close ties
to the travel industry. The most important of them are food and beverage outlets, travel
insurance, adventure and sports operators and other miscellaneous industries.
FOOD & BEVERAGE OUTLETS:
Millions of people are served each year by family restaurants, fast food outlets etc. Many
food and beverage outlets depend on tourism, especially in major tourist destinations.
Travel agents are often asked to recommend restaurants in the area, but they would get
commissions only in the case of recommending food joints as part of package.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES
FOOD & BEVERAGE
OUTLETS
E.G. CLASSICAL
RESTUARANTS,
SPECIALITY
RESTUARANTS, FAST
FOOD OUTLETS ETC
TRAVEL
INSURANCE:
PERSONAL
INSURANCE,
PERSONAL
ACCIDENT POLICIES,
MEDICAL
INSURANCE,
PROPERTY AND
LUGGAGE
INSURANCE
SPORTS &
ADVENTURE
ORGANISERS:
BOAT CHARTERS,
RIVER CRUISES,
SCUBA DIVING, RIVER
RAFTING OPERATORS
MISCELLANEOUS
SERVICES:
GIFT & BARBER SHOPS,
FLIGHT CATERERS,
BANKING SERVICES,
RECREATIONAL SERVICES
E.G. GOLF COURSES,
HANDICRAFTS AND
SOUVENIERS

Travel Insurance is basically to protect travelers against monitory losses resulting from a
wide range of travel related problems.
SPORTS AND ADVENTURE OPERATORS:
These providers may sell their services directly to the public or they may pay commission
to tour operators for recommending their facilities to tourists. These recreation service
providers give full advise on the use and provide equipment for the same.
MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES:
These providers offer such services, which the tourist may need when he is at the
destination. These include the groceries, photography, and souvenirs and handicrafts that
would sell when the tourist comes to the destination.
TRAVEL AGENT
A travel agency is a store where individuals or families go to buy travel packages.
Travel agencies have been organized basically since the start of commercial aviation.
Some travel agency companies operate with a chain of stores, such as Carlton Wagonlit;
others are one store operations. Travel agencies do not sell airline tickets only; their
services vary, and many of them sell more cruise ship packages than airline tickets. Most
travel agencies also arrange car rental deals for their customers, and many concentrate on
arranging charter or group trips to different destinations. For this, they deal with regular
airlines, but many times, they also hire charter airlines. Many travel agencies work
exclusively for a small group of airlines, cruise and car hire companies, and often, the
logos of the companies they work with are displayed on the windows of the agency's
office. Furthermore, in the early era of model airplanes, airlines would have large plane
models of their companies made and shipped to the travel agencies; these plane models
are also available to the general public, but they are among the highest prized airline
collectibles. Travel agencies also deal with train and hotel companies, this to try to fit an
ideal schedule onto the requirements of each specific customer.
http://wiki.tatet.com/Travel_agency.html
Thanks to the information revolution, two things are likely to happen to those who
use the services of travel agents. Their numbers are increasing rapidly and so will
their expectations. The flood of information pouring in through the electric media
and internet has shrunk the world and opened it up. People are being exposed to
more and more destinations, more and more frequently. This coupled with easier
access and more disposable income, is rapidly dispelling thr fear of travel, moving
travel away from a once-insecure and occasional activity and into a familiar and
virtually yearly event. But while increasing numbers of people are being motivated
to travel, they sit across a table from someone who can advise them.

The role of the travel agent is vital to the success of the tourism industry as it is the travel
agent who is responsible for identifying the traveller‟s expectations and ensuring that the
destination visited will have the services required at the standard desired by the traveler.
With ever increasing frequency in trips being taken and the options available for a holiday,
a traveler depends on travel agents for advise on how to spend his money. Clients often
have a precise idea of the places they want to visit, but are generally unaware of all the
existing possibilities regarding means of transport, type of accommodation, climatic
conditions, distances involved, time factors, local security standards and the necessary
formalities for travel to a destination.
A travel agent has to “ Sell Destinations” and it is therefore necessary for them to have a
thorough knowledge of geography & a general awareness about the destinations.
TYPES OF TRAVEL AGENCIES
Travel agents can be divided under two major categories:
1 (a) WHOLESALERS (b) RETAILERS
Wholesalers develop package tours and sell them directly to the traveler or through retail
travel agents. Retailers get a percentage commission for every package sold from the
Wholesaler. The retailers do not need to make any ground arrangements for the
customers since that is the responsibility of the wholesaler who is in direct contact with the
service providers.
2 (a) SPECIALIZED TRAVEL AGENTS (b) GENERAL TRAVEL AGENTS
A general travel agent deals with almost all types of travel and offers a variety of travel
services. A specialized travel agency deals specifically in one form of travel service e.g.
providing services only to business travelers or organizing trips only for conferences,
meetings, etc, cruise travel, or handling incentive travel market.
ADVANTAGES OF USING A TRAVEL AGENT’S SERVICES
Customers buying from a travel agency would normally pay the same price as they would
to the direct supplier e.g. the same air fare, tariff in the hotel or for a sightseeing tour.
However, he does benefit by using these services since he can:
Save time and effort
Can get more personalized services as well as individual advice relating to the
specific needs of his holiday.
Can be offered a variety of payment schemes
Can choose from a wide range of suppliers of services since a travel agent generally
has a stock of many products of a service.

Can compare prices of all products in the market to ensure better value for his
money.
All travel arrangements can be made and completed under one roof.
TOUR OPERATOR
Thomas Cook has been considered as the father of Tour operations. With the growth of
mass tourism in the past 25 years, there is an increased need for the development and
purchase of an Inclusive Tour. The idea of buying a complete package of travel facilities,
accommodation as well as some auxiliary services e.g. entertainment, sightseeing etc has
led to the ease of travel.
A tour operator designs and organises, handles and sells tours. He puts together the
different tourist products demanded by the expected tourist and gives a sells it as a single
finished product to the consumer. The consumer gets all the facilities at one cost without
having to pay for the individual items of the package to the different suppliers.
A tour operator may be a specialized dealer in tours or exist as a department in a travel
agency. Some large tour operators include COX & KINGS, THOMAS COOK & CO.,
KUONI TRAVELS, RAJ TRAVELS etc.
A tour operator may also design a package to fit a specific group of travelers or a group of
travelers requiring a Special Interest Tours e.g. Mountain Tours, Adventure Tours, Cultural
Tours etc.
COMPONENTS OF A PACKAGE TOUR
What is to be included in a package tour largely depends upon various factors: from
generating country, target Market, destination, and from the various service providers.
However, some of the services are always a part of the package tour. A standard package
tour has two major components:
 Travel arrangements: Travel to the destination, at the destination and back would
include arrangements by air, road and rail or by sea (cruises). At the destination,
would be provided through car hire services, boat services and local transport / taxi
services are arranged.
 Ground Arrangements: At the destination, the tourist would require
accommodation & meal arrangements, excursions and sightseeing trips, tour guides,
and escorts.
Travel agents at the destination sometimes make ground arrangements on behalf
of the arranging tour operator. They are called Ground Operators. These travel
agencies arrange the accommodation, transfers, and sightseeing and excursions for the
tourists being referred to them by the tour operator.
The advantage of taking up the services of a ground operator are:

The ground operator is well aware of the ground realities of the destination, and
incase of unexpected conditions in the itinerary, it is easier to mould and modify the
package arrangements.
The local resident operators give a better and more hospitable service to the guests.
A tour operator may not be able to get as much discount from the service providers in
the area as compared to the ground operator.
Payments and credit dealing are better handled from the destination.
TYPES OF PACKAGE TOURS:
A tour operator deals with a variety of tour packages catering to the diverse needs of
tourists such as holiday package tours, adventure, architecture, cultural, business and
conference, incentive tours, health and ayurvedic packages religious packages, adventure,
cruise, special interest and education tours. The types of package tours may be prepared
before hand (pre-prepared tours) OR may be adjusted to the requirements of the tourist
(Tailor Made).
INDEPENDENT TOURS:
Independent tours are prepared / formulated for those tourists who wish to travel
independently. The components may be altered according to the requirements of the
tourist and give the freedom to plan the activities according to their own choice.
ESCORTED TOURS:
An escorted tour includes the services of a well educated and trained tour manager .
Basically, these tours are recommended to those tourists visiting a destination for the first
time and wish to be guided through the trip OR a group of tourists traveling together. The
escort‟s duties are to provide comprehensive information and assistance to the tourists at
the origin, enroute and the destination place. In case of services of a ground operator
handling the tour, the escort joins the tourist as soon as they reach the destination.
INCENTIVE TOURS:
This is a motivational programme or a fully paid holiday which is given to the employees by
their employers as a reward. These tours are given to those employees to increase output,
improve image of the company and earn a long term loyalty of the employees. These tours
are arranged according to the budget allowance given to the employee.
SPECIAL INTEREST TOURS:
These tours are arranged keeping in mind the special requirements of the tourist group
wishing to travel. Educational tours, Business and conference tours, adventure and
wildlife safaris etc are specially organized for the tourists traveling.
The different types of Special Interest Packages are:

ARRANGING A TOUR
The process of arranging a tour is divided into three parts:
Tour planning :
Market research and understanding the needs of the target market
Research of the tour destination(s), survey the facilities available and select the best
to be included in the package.
Designing the itinerary for the packages keeping in mind the destinations and
excursions to be visited, travel and visiting time, suitability to the tourist, and target
market etc.
Costing the package: Negotiations are held with the tourist producers e.g. hotels,
transport services, excursion arrangements and guides to get the best prices for the
package.
Appoint a handling agency (ground tour operator) for the package handling.
Launch and sale of the package: This includes the way in which the final product is
marketed and delivered to the final tourist. This may be through designing and
distribution of brochures, creating reservation systems e.g. through the internet,
GSA‟s and retail travel agencies, and delivery of the product.
Tour arrangements
Offer the options of the available itineraries and packages according to his sphere of
interest, time duration available, mode of transport, accommodation and meal service
preferred.
Finalise the package according to the options given by the tourist. In case of tailor
made packages, flexibility of the itinerary allows moulding according to the tourist, but
in case of pre-designed packages the tourist has to settle for the next back option to
his requirements. This package should suit the tourist in terms of budget as well.
After the confirmation of package, a down payment of 10% approximately is made so
that the tour operator can start the formal booking and confirmation process.
Send a requirement to the service providers i.e. airlines, hotels, car rentals,
sightseeing attractions for tickets and confirmed reservations. This may also be done
through the ground operators at the destination.
On payment of the package cost, the tourist is given vouchers of his confirmed
booking as well as itinerary for the trip. He is also given a detail about the destination,
cultural, climate and time differences and his documentation e.g. visa, foreign
exchange endorsements, insurance documents.
Before the trip commences, the fares and tariffs due are to be paid to the different
service providers. This ensures the final confirmation of the itinerary.
Send a copy of the itinerary to the ground operator, tour guide/escort and the
accommodation sector if they provide any kind of extra services e.g. in resorts.

Tour Handling:
This includes passenger handling from the time that the journey starts to the time that
they come back to the origin. In case of escorted tours, the escort meets the guests
at the destination before which the tour operator handles the guest departure.
When the guests reach the destination, the ground operator must be there to receive
them. He would handle the tour according to the itinerary given to him by the tour
operator.
In escorted tours, the escort accompanies guests on all excursions, for shopping,
sightseeing, imparting information, giving advice and ready for all unexpected
situations but still giving enough time to the guests for their enjoyment. At the end of
the trip, the escort drops the guests at the airport/ railway station.
A letter is generally sent to the guests to get a feed back of the trip. Photographs may
also be exchanged. This gesture creates better and longer relations with the guests.
COSTING A TOUR
Once a tour is designed and the itinerary finalized, quotations from the service providers
are taken and put together with handling charges. This is the complete cost of the tour
package.
In case of tailor made packages the costing of the package is done according to the
services demanded by the tourist. For this, the individual cost of the services is taken, the
discounts available to the tour operator on each service are applied and the final cost is
taken.
Costing of a package is done on a COST SHEET.
POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE COMPLETING A COST SHEET
ACCOMODATION:
Room type: In a group of tourists, the rooms are distributed according to the preferences
given; twin sharing, double bed room or single bedroom or an additional bed allowance on
an extra charge.
Meal Plan: Along with the accommodation, meals are to be provided. This would be priced
according to the number of meals included in the tariff. All additional meals would be on
the guest.
All other services e.g. laundry, gym & beauty care are to be paid by the guest.
TRANSPORT / TRANSFER:
Mode of transport : Cost of the transport preference e.g. air travel, rail, coach or car hire
for personal use.
Classes in the mode of transport : There are different fares for different classes in the
mode of transport e.g. First class, Economy class, A.C. or Non A. C. etc.
Number of trips: In case of return journey the fare varies from the single trip fare or
circular trip fares.
Transfers: A transfer is a trip within the destination especially from the airport to the hotel/
attraction and back.
A transfer is costed in terms of distance travelled within the destination, or fixed trip
transfers where the cost is calculated in terms of the excursion trips made to various
destinations.

ATTRACTIONS:
The entry fee to an attraction is generally included as part of the cost of the package. In
case of museums, theaters, adventure sports and matches, safaris, cruise trips, river
cruises, which are an important part of the itinerary, these bookings and reservations, may
be made before hand. In all other cases, the tourist would be paying for the entry fees to
these attractions personally.
Some attractions may even require special equipment e.g adventure sports like scuba
diving, mountaineering, paragliding and parasailing etc. The tour operator arranges the
required equipment and the cost incurred is included in the tour cost.
In case the services of a guide are taken, these are also added to the total cost.
PERMITS & ENTRY FEES:
The permits to enter restricted / protected areas and tickets to enter various attractions
must be arranged and confirmed for the trip.
TOUR OPERATOR SERVICES & HANDLING SERVICES:
To complete the cost sheet, the tour operator should include the cost of his services. This
would include the expenses of the tour operator in the correspondence with the tourist,
service providers, and the time spent in arranging the tourist, the expense of the tour
manager / escort while on the trip, and the additional expenses of unexpected conditions
and maintenance of security conditions.
The cost of the package is finally stated keeping an allowance of rise in tariff, fares, etc
that would affect the tour cost. E.g. In India, tariffs are revised every October so a package
booked in the earlier part of the year for the end of the year, is costed on an additional
10%.
ITINERARY DESIGNING
An itinerary is a written plan describing the plan of the trip day wise or on an hourly basis.
It is designed to identify the origin, destination and all the en-route stopping points along
with the transportation, accommodation and other services on the trip. The trips organized
are of different types;
One Way Trip – Is a journey to a destination without return to the boarding point.
Round / Return Trip – Journey to a destination and back to the boarding point.
Round the World Trips – Journey including more than one major stop between the
start and end of journey.
Tour companies generally prepare multiple itineraries for the same trip to cater to the
needs of tour planners, tour managers, tour escorts etc.
TOURIST ITINERARY: A tourist‟s itinerary is a basic outline of the trip that a tourist is
planning. A tourist itinerary is the starting point of the itinerary designing process. While
planning an itinerary, the purpose of travel, choice of destination, budget, accommodation,
transportation and legal requirements etc have to be kept in mind. The emphasis is
basically on the requirements and arrangements of the tourist in terms of his

accommodation, sightseeing, and other services provided during the tour along with
relevant information regarding departure and arrival times and points, check in and check
out times and duration of stay at various destinations.
TOUR MANAGER’S ITINERARY: The tour manager is responsible for the designing of
the itinerary and in some cases even conducting it. He therefore has a comprehensive
itinerary having the minutest details relating to the tour. The tour arrangements, tour
formalities and contact persons at the destinations and attractions are included in the
itinerary. A larger column is generally kept for the suggestions and remarks regarding the
trip.
TOUR ESCORT’S ITINERARY: A tour escort is an important person in a tour company.
He is not only a sightseeing guide but his expertise and knowledge, skill and judgment
determine the final outcome of the tour.. He is generally a local expert who is fully aware of
the culture, history, language and attractions at a destination. A tour guide has a detailed
itinerary showing the step by step progress of the tour which includes time, location,
accommodation, sightseeing at the destination. This encourages the tour guide to prepare
himself better for the trip providing the best of knowledge and facilities to the tourist.
Other than these itineraries, a copy of the itinerary may be given to specific service
providers e.g. the coach providing transport, hotels organizing sightseeing, etc.
ITINERARY PLANNING
Itinerary planning is a creative exercise and is tailored entirely to meet the needs of groups
of individuals. Each set of travelers have their own specific requirements and care must to
ensure the following:
(i) Adequate time should be allowed for sightseeing / excursions at each attraction
and destination. Always ensure that the time taken while traveling does not
exceed the time spent at a destination. This can be done by reducing the
number of destinations to be visited if the time available is less or an optional
mode of transport can be chosen which would save upon time.
(ii) Other than the time allocated to the attractions at a destination, some time
should also be given to the client for his own recreation and exploration unless
the services of the guide are requested at all times.
(iii) The choice of hotels, meal plan and transport would depend on the paying
capacity, interests and the number of clients in the group.
(iv) Back tracking should be avoided. The itinerary program should also not be over
structured.
(v) Optional excursions should be offered during the period of the tour programme
as well as pre and post tour to increase the earnings and enhance the value of
the tour for the group members.
(vi) Since check-in and check-out timings in all hotels in India is generally 12:00
noon, hotel accommodation should be booked keeping in time the arrival and
departure timings of the clients especially in those cases where the timing of the
transport means is fixed and cannot be altered. E.g arrival by train at 0630
hours, a room will have to be booked on the previous date as well to ensure
vacancy of room at the time the guests arrive at the destination.

(vii) In case of groups visiting a restricted area, prior permissions are to be obtained
from the Ministry of Home affairs or the concerned Government Department to
ensure ease of travel at the time of tour.
(viii) Ensure that airline and train reservations are re-confirmed well in time.
(ix) Since all flight and train timings are subject to change without prior notice, re-
check the new timings and ensure that the revised timings do not affect the
sightseeing and schedule at the destination.
(x) While planning a tour programme, include any festivals or cultural events taking
place during this period. These attractions would add to the attraction of the tour
package.
(xi) Also bear in mind cultural, political, economic & social environmental factors
such as:
a. In case of a trip to New Delhi on 26 January, it may not be possible to include
an excursion of the Red Fort or India Gate in the morning.
b. Generally museums are closed on Mondays in India.
c. A trip to wildlife sanctuaries is only possible during a particular season. To
include this excursion in the tour, check out the appropriate times and dates.
d. Including a trip to a specific attraction at the time when the best view and
climatic conditions e.g sunset at the beach, trekking in the non-monsoon
months of summer season
(xii) Whenever a flight, hotel or resort is waitlisted due to prior booking, ensure
alternate reservation that would be similar or equivalent to the one originally
requested.
(xiii) Meal plan may or may not be included in the room tariff. This would depend on
the schedule of the client. The different meal plans are:
a. EP – EUROPEAN PLAN – Tarriff includes only room and services. All meals
taken are considered as an additional cost.
b. CP – CONTINENATAL PLAN – This tariff plan includes Room, Service and
Breakfast.
c. AP - AMERICAN PLAN - This tariff plan includes Room, Service and all three
meals.
d. MAP– MODIFIED AMERICAN PLAN - This tariff plan includes Room, Service
and two meals: Breakfast and an optional lunch or dinner.
(xiv) In case of a group traveling together i.e GIT, obtain a complete list of group
members and the preference for room allocation e.g. single, twin sharing or
double room accommodation. For domestic travel, the carrier requires the list of
the group members at least 30 days in advance.
(xv) Specify clearly the services included in the final cost of the tour and those which
are not included.
(xvi) Hotel room tariffs are generally revised with effect from 1st
October every year
and are valid upto 30th
September of the following year. For tour groups
operating beyond these dates, a margin of 15-20% is kept.
(xvii) In case of requirement of foreign language speaking local guides, advance
notice should be taken to ensure their services on time.
(xviii) Along with the itinerary, communication on the climate, rate of exchange of
currency, suitable clothing, cultural and ritual expectations of the destination,
necessities and required items to carry, health and environmental warnings
should be given to the tourists specifically in case of foreign tourists.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY
In the field of travel and tourism, communication plays a very vital role. Travel and tourism
being part of the service industry, the need for accurate and rapid information about a
destination is of paramount importance for the satisfaction of the consumer. In tourism,
especially in the fields of travel trade and hotel industry across the world, what is being
sold is primarily information about various destination and facilities required by the tourist
prior to departure, during his stay at the destination and his journey back to the origin.
Printed material – books, newspapers, and magazines was considered the cheapest, and
best form of communication. But electronics has now given us tools that can perform a
wide array of functions and reach many people in all parts of the world; literate and
illiterate.
Computers have revolutionized communications. This is a managerial tool capable of
processing large volumes of data rapidly. It is also capable of repeated programmed
instructions endlessly without an error and maintaining a vast database of stored
information for future use. Although computers were in use in some way or another since
the early sixties, they are today being extensively used in all branches of the tourism
industry.
The invention of Internet has added new dimensions to the utility of the computer in
marketing, selling and giving information about a product. Internet is the largest and fastest
growing network in the world and represents a new challenge to CRS. It offers a faster
source of information to those who may be unable to operate the CRS‟s. Websites on the
Internet offer a wide variety of airline tickets and packaged holidays at competitive prices
for reference and sale through Credit Card payments. sThis has forced the CRS
companies to launch their own websites on the internet e.g Sabre‟s Travelocity, Microsoft
Expedia etc.
The principle use of computers in the travel industry are :
Airlines
Hotels
Cargo
Travel Retailing
Railways
COMPUTERS IN AIRLINES:
Increase in number of travelers put a great pressure on air traffic handling and thus the
need for computerized passenger records was felt. IBM developed a CRS known as
Programmed Airline Reservation System (PARS). However, PARS was not developed for
one particular airline. American based Continental Airlines first used this programme in
1967. It later expanded and catered to the needs of many airlines domestically and
internationally. Outside USA, it was called International Programmed Airlines Reservation
System (IPARS).
As time passed, more functions were incorporated into the system to handle more
transactions and instructions.
Computers were initially used to keep track of number of seats available on a flight.
However, since each airline had its own system it was not possible to make itineraries of
multiple airlines on the same computer therefore requiring the use of tele-fax or telephone.

Till the seventies, airlines had to call the airline mother systems to confirm reservations of
their clients. To cater to this need the Centralised Reservation Systems (CRS) was
designed . This software shows availability of all or most of the airlines and handles the
control of space of tickets particularly when multiple classes and sectors are involved.
Today almost all airlines use computers for their entire reservation work and their
dependability is based on the coverage and networking of the system. Some of the major
advantages of the use of computers are passenger reservations, handling departure
procedures and cargo processes, fare quotations and constructions, ticket printing, crew
scheduling and management and yield optimization.
COMPUTERS IN AIR CARGO
Most of the airlines now use computers for cargo handling. Earlier 50% of the total
freighting costs reflected the cost of manual information processing. Computers have
helped to reduce overheads as they speed up the transmission of information relating to
consignments and also reduce the time the cargo spends on the ground. The pioneer in
Computerised Cargo is Alitalia, which introduced the PO-4 cargo System. Now almost
every airline has adopted a computerized reservation system for cargo handling.
SITA : “SOCIETE INTERNATIONAL DE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AERONAUTIQUES”
Automation is the key to achieving a higher level of productivity in any industry. SITA, set
up in 1949, is responsible for automations in airlines. It provides data Processing Services
and information-handling services for the airline industry. It ensures efficient
telecommunications, data processing and transmission to many terminals. It handles
passenger reservations, departure controls, baggage tracing, flight planning, baggage
handling and management services, fuel management, airline schedules and flight
availability databases.
COMPUTERS IN HOTELS:
A hotel‟s most crucial internal resource is information and with the use of computers,
information is more readily available in a more organised manner saving labour, and
ensuring overall profits.
Although computers were introduced very late in the hotel industry, the compactness,
versatility and reliability of information has led to the fast acceptance of computers in the
industry.
CRS in hotels was first used by Sheraton Group in USA. Now every chain has its own
reservation system. Hotel computer systems achieve better internal and external control
and manage reservations with more accuracy and speed.
Hotel systems have been divided into two major areas:
Front Office Applications: Include reservations, registration, guest accounting,
communication operations etc.
Back Office Applications: Financial management, inventory control systems
accounts, profit and loss accounts, credit card verifications, etc.
The hotel industry is today making extensive use of GDS (Global Distribution Systems).
This is a CRS, which enables a person to make bookings of a hotel room before he starts

his journey. Instant reservations, bookings and payments are beneficial to the guest as
well as the hotel.
The Property Management System (PMS) is used in the hotel for functions like occupancy
of hotel rooms, confirmation of guest booking & computerized check in, display history of
guest, likes and dislikes, automatic wake-up calls, electronic locks, fire and security
protection systems, teleconferencing, etc. The T.V. in the room can be used to place order
for meals for room service, preview bill before check out, and provide internet services to
clients. It assists in house keeping and room service as well.
On an overall, these systems help to ensure a delightful stay with little inconvenience for
the guest.
COMPUTERS IN TRAVEL RETAILING:
Profound changes over the years in travel services have made the use of computer
technology in retail travel a necessity. Airlines have developed and adopted sophisticated
computer systems. To provide more efficient services, the sales agents i.e. travel agents
and GSA‟s have also been equipped with terminals to receive necessary information and
complete procedures. Travel agents find schedules, make bookings for several hundreds
of airlines, determine fares, make reservations and get appropriate information on holiday
packages. The advantage of information on the computer is that this information is
automatically updated.
COMPUTERS IN RAILWAYS:
The railway system in Europe and some other countries like Germany, Belgium,
Switzerland has been used for reservations. The informaiton regarding availability of seats
is now given instantly. Railway systems now use computers for route planning, accounting,
inventory planning and control and a host of other functions.

1. travel and tourism

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (20)

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (13)

Ähnlich wie 1. travel and tourism

Ähnlich wie 1. travel and tourism (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

1. travel and tourism