Unit 14 Develop Holiday Package Tour Operations Assignment Brief

Introduction

This develop holiday package tour operations assignment consists of four tasks aimed at helping the learner to understand the tour operators industry, the stages involved in creating holidays, brochures and methods of distribution used to sell holidays, and strategic decision making.
Consider yourself working for a large UK based Tour Operator as a Package Tour Development Manager. Your previous experience as a public relations and promotion manager for a specialist tour operator and your current experience as an account manager for a number of resorts in three different holiday destinations, including in the Mediterranean would help with your new position as the Package Tour (Product) Development Manager.
You are assigned with the task of identifying and developing a new tour package for a new breed of customers interested in excursions visiting ancient heritage sites and wildlife parks along with a few days of beach holidays in a tropical destination. This requires you to choose an appropriate tropical destination and prepare an Itinerary. Plan and develop a holiday package with costing and pricing. You need to determine the dates of travel, number of nights and accommodation arrangement, excursions and attractions to visit, and flights and local transport arrangements.
Once the itinerary and package is ready to roll out within the next 9 months, you should prepare a brochure and leaflets for distribution via travel agents and other outlets, including company websites.
Hint: Identify a suitable tourist destination with sunny beaches and heritage as well as  wildlife attractions. Ideally you should be choosing a tropical destination in Asia, Africa or South America.
Although the tasks in this assignment are all based on the scenario provided above you need to support your discussion with relevant theories and concepts. Avoid  using cut and paste materials when writing and completing assignment.

Assignment Tasks

LO 1: Task 1

A. Examine the recent trends and developments in the tour operations industry with a brief analysis of the type of holidays taken, the emerging popular destination and the effects of current and recent trends and developments on the tour operators industry. (P1.1)
M 1: Explore the complex problems related to the recent trends and developments in the tour operating industry using effective approach to study and research (Task 1 A)

LO2: Task 2

Assess the stages and timescales in developing holiday packages and prepare an itinerary for a combined heritage, wildlife and beach holiday and develop a package in stages.
Evaluate the suitability of different methods of contracting the various components of the holiday for different types of tour operators when developing holidays. (P2.1; P2.2)
Carryout the cost of the components of the package and calculate the selling price of your holidays (P2.3)
M2 Synthesize and process complex information and data related to the stages involved in creating holidays using different combinations of attractions and timescales (Task 2A)
D1 Evaluate an alternative itinerary for the proposed package based on the timescale and cost, and justify the appropriateness of the selected package (Task 2A, 2B).

LO 3: Task 3

Design and plan a brochure and evaluate the process and planning decisions for the proposed brochure, as well as assess the suitability of alternative methods (non- traditional) of communication and promotion for different types of tour  operator. (P3.1; P3.2)
Analyse and Evaluate the non-traditional methods of distribution that can be used to sell holiday packages for different types of tour operator (P3.3)
M 3: Appropriate structure and approach is used to design holiday  brochure (Task 3A)
D 2: Substantial activities are planned, managed and organised in  designing and developing the brochure for presenting to the assessor (requires you to submit the brochure as an appendix along with the coursework assignment).

LO 4: Task 4

For this task, you need to consider yourself being promoted as a senior manager with a role of making strategic decisions.
You should be in a position to evaluate the various strategies employed by the tour  operators in the UK and set the agenda for future direction. This would involve the application of advanced technologies, including social media in marketing as well as understanding the economic reality of the country.
Hint: Start with evaluating the emerging trends in the tour operations sector, with an emphasis on the UK market. Research and collect relevant materials and data about the travel and tourism sector and the companies engaged in tour operations in the UK.
Using the findings from task 1 in assignment 1, analyse the emerging trends in the UK tour operations sector and evaluate how the various tour operators (competitors) responded to these trends (P4.1).
Briefly examine the differences between tactical and strategic decisions, identify and compare some of the tactical decisions that could have taken by your chosen tour operator in different situations.
D 3: Evaluate and discuss in depth strategic and tactical options for tour operators in critical situations (Task 4A)