Unit 9 Tourist Destination Solution Assignment

Introduction

According to AlSayyad (2013), hospitality is defined as giving service to other people and demonstrating the consistent quality and excellence. Hospitality can further bedefined as providing profitable value of a price level while explaining about own unique points related to distinction. Hospitality is required to be a ‘place’ where mass can show their uniqueness and henceforth can make an extension of their personal style as well as personality. It can be said that the industry of hospitality belongs to a large company groups which has their own existence in the industry of ‘tour and travels’, and thereafter makes provision of everything that will be providing all desirable as well as necessary services and goods to its customers.

The industry is actually composed of five elements. These are:

• Lodgings with tourism that encompasses motels, hotels, cruise ship or camps
• Services on transportation such as airplanes, ship and trains
• Beverage and food operations
• Retail stores working with souvenir, gifts shops for arts and crafts
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Task 1

P1.1   Analyse the effects of current and recent trends and developments on the tour operators industry.

The philosophy with which ‘Golden Tours’ walks with the tourism and hospitality industry follows that managers will be counselling all their associates, accordingly providing them resources and enable them in thinking about themselves also. According to performers of the ‘Golden Tours’, ‘perform everything that will be attracting them’ is the sole chant towards success.
While walking to the success path of the ‘Tour Operation Management’ what the company have discovered is a Tour operators’ position in the chain of distribution that has been mentioned below:

Golden Tours and their observation to the current trends of tourism and hospitality:
Globalization: In today’s world people prefer to tour freely all across the world. A survey report exhibited that in the year 2000, the international tourist arrival was 674 million which dramatically increased to 797 million within a matter of five years and reached to 940 million in 2010 (Ayeh et al. 2013, p.133).

Security and Safety: The primary concern of safety and security for ‘Golden Tours’ has increased a lot because of the sudden terrorist attacks occurring worldwide along with the robberies, kidnapping and assaults of tourists. Thus the company have taken every kind of measures in terms safety and security alongwith critical disaster plans taken to fight back against each of the threats. Infact it has been found that the international airports are also implementing several security measures with an upgraded awareness by making investment of billions and millions of dollars.

Diversity: The hospitality and the tourism industry are included among the industries which show a lot of diversities in terms of guest groups and population of employees. Infact the tour operator will typically be combining components of tour and travel for creating a packaged holiday (Dickinson et al. 2014, p.88). They will be advertising as well as producing brochures for the purpose of promoting their itineraries and holidays as well. Importantly the personnel would be required to recognize as well as appreciate the diversity of cultures so as to make an enhancement of the interaction nature with tourist destinations depending on their religion, culture, colour, ages, genders and sexual orientations.

Service: With the alteration and modification of the global market consumption and competition, the expansion of the service sector has also experienced a severe change where quality have become the sole reason toponderin terms of retaining and attracting quality customers. For every customers, service remains at the top of their priority list alongwith the right kind of dealing and tour management.

Technology: Technology comes as one of the primary force of driving alteration that will be presenting opportunities in order to obtain a better integration and efficiency in terms of an improved service of guest. Nowadays, technology has become one of the main aspects for tourism business where development of the strategic resources gets considered as a mean of tool for making an increase in the competitiveness. Effectively utilizing information technology can enhance significant improvement into the operational functionalities.

Price-Value: Value and Price remains the two significant factors for the travellers of today’s world. Customers have changed their perception in terms of tourism industry with time. Guests have become more resistant towards paying more instead they are now preferring in paying less with getting more and thus the tourism industry is needed to be patient and tolerant enough to carry out with this objectives.

Demographic Modifications: The population is increasing globally and several retirees are earning good in terms of traveling as well as utilizing services of hospitality. Infact it has been surveyed that the volume of population is getting decreased with the increasing of migration. Also gender, age, household and educational changes have changed dramatically nowadays. Demographic alterations can have its maximum affect over the term ‘tourism’. Its impact is high on direct demand of tourism industry (Standing et al.2014, p.83).

Task 2

2.1 Assess the stages and timescales involved in developing holidays

During the ancient period, people used to travel all across the world for either trading, making religious pilgrimage or for war. History speaks that during the third century, Greek inhabitants used to make travelling for visiting all the sites which had God and paid visit to temples with travelling to Parthenon in Athens. In the Roman Era, Romans used to travel freely to the countries which they have conquered. All their travelling was with their currency and at that time they did not have to be worried about border crossing restrictions. It has been found that the Romans used to make their own long straight roads where their armies can have a quick march and can transport their goods well. In the countries where they have conquered once, they made an establishment of trade and henceforth started carving their leisure facilities which included spas (Huang et al. 2013,p.495). The Romans,who were rich enough to afford travelling, started making decision their way to countries where their relatives and friends used to live.
During the Middle Age hardly people used to travel here and there other than going to their pilgrimage. Infact instead of having any holidays, they used to celebrate ‘holy’ days. Onthese particular days they used to celebrate religiously. If history records are seen then it can beseen that many of the UK fairs had traces of being celebrated during this period. Commonly they make a combination of things like accommodation, transport and meals.  What is more important is that most of the transport which was practiced then was mostly on horseback or by foot whereas some people could even afford a wagon for the same.
During the early period of seventeenth century, young men used to travel all across Europe where they started spending even more than a year visiting the capital city of Europe for educational purpose. The other development that arose during this period was traveling for ‘a cure’ where people started traveling to the spas in order to get healing of a wide range of ailments. Obviously these spa provider resorts started gaining popularity which led to further development of the transport systems along with road.
The holiday packages and the diversity that is available today offermultiplicity and are vast. Such ensures the requirements of all customers. Further they experienced more sub sections where it got specified in terms of being some particular tour type. The available tour types are:
Tours meant for Special Interest: This first type gets designed with an interest on a particular area which may include:

• Wine and food
• Agricultural or cultural
• Art

Regional or City Tours: Normally these will be lasting for a single or maximum for couple of days. It will be following a fixed itinerary with primary focus on some fixed place which can be of historic, religious or refreshment valued place.

Full Escorted Tours: For the solo travellers this remains as one of the most fruitful ideas.

Group Tours: A group tour will also be following a particular place with an itinerary that is pre-fixed. Such takes place with a fixed number of people in a group.

The paper makes a review about some of the approaches which has been discussed and predicted about the future of the scale and nature of tourism.

2.2 Evaluate the suitability of different methods of contracting for different components of the holiday and different types of tour operator

For ‘Golden Tours’ what they believes is ‘making all the experiences of traveling special’ and henceforth keeps a focus on provisioning all the unrivalled professionalism, choice and confidence as well of the customers. Infact the company also takes care that even the stakeholders can rely on their business strategies even in their near future. They continue a business where the main concentration is making a group of three sectors which will comprise of:

• Mainstream
• Destination and Accommodation
• Activity and Specialist

Golden Tours make provision of the following:

• Accommodation
• Tours and Excursions
• Transfers
• Events and Meetings
• Services on Cruise Handling to some of the finest travel agents, tour operators, worldwide customers and corporate clients

The sectors which the company widely covers in terms of giving the best service in tour and tourism encompasses:

Adventure: The company conducts some of the most adventurous tour for its customers giving an assurance regarding finding the best enjoyment in the complete tour ensuring safety for the same.

Education: For the universities and schools specially designed educational tours get engaged which will be making inclusion of educational visits, student ski trips, activity and adventure trips.

Marine: It comprises of some of the most classy experience with the world class marine and yacht creation brands.

Sport: The company has gained a lot of experience in terms of offering some of the world popular sports tours conducting for both the corporate clients as well as for the worldwide spectators.

The different tour operators are mentioned below:

Domestic: They primarily focus on the residents of a country who will only be traveling only within their own country.

Inbound: It comprises of the activities hosted by some country operator where countrymen of other country will be visiting the country of the operator.

Outbound: It is just the vice versa concept of the above mentioned where the operator of a country will be arranging tour to some different country where he will be visiting with his tour party.

2.3 Calculate the selling price of a holiday from given information below.

Task 3

3.1 Evaluate the planning decisions taken for the design of a selected brochure

For ‘Golden Tours’ they are planning to establish themselves with some more implementation plan in order to make their agency all the more interesting as well as popular for its customers and visitors (Thakran and Verma 2013, p.240).
The foremost thing which needed to be understood first is market as well as making a promotion of the variously offered services in front of the tourists. The most simplest way to attain such would be through the printed hand outs consisting of marketing collaterals. Additionally the company would be concentrating on analysis and information like the total number of brochures which are needed to be printed including the total number of pages such will be consisting. Also this brochure will comprise of facts like the package types which now visitors will be getting as an additional benefit from Golden Tours.

In order to make the brochure looking attractive, the necessary steps that need to be attained are discussed below:

• Inclusion of pictures that need to be attracting and should be consisting of scenic spots
• Making use of colours which would be enhancing the image
• Insertion of descriptions which can easily be read
• Adding other details that would have enough relevance with the actual information such as mentioning the tourist needs like listing the hotel names and the nearest places for sightseeing

3.2 Assess the suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour operators and recommend the most appropriate for your tour package.

Ever since there was the commencement of the packaged holidays, brochures received a separate importance where these considered as one of the most important elements that is actually a marketing mix for any tour operators. No factors have put such an effect over the marketing tool in comparison to the invention of brochures. Accordingly all the operators managing holidays of visitors spend a lot of money for making a well attractive brochure. But increasingly its cost-effectiveness is getting questioned. It has been found that almost one on ten locusassignments.have got used for prompt booking. Infact from the travel agents, visitors like to collect brochures but later these only find place in trash or bin.

Traditional Strength: In every way it has put its trace of significance. This term of ‘brochure’ has been very important in the purchase process of holidays. Infact from a recent research made on customer attitude towards the paper brochure have confirmed commendable strength over this used media (Hudson and Thal, 2013, p.158). Consumers gave a positive feedback in terms of positivity that a brochure spreads. It has largely exhibited abilities such as:

• Advertisement of positioning and ‘wares’ of every companies offering holiday packages
• Making an indication about the general price levels and the manifold possibilities available within a particular price band
• Tempting consumer for considering new places in their tour destination list
• Helping in making a short list of the resorts available in some particular country

In requirement of Savings: For the tour operators, brochure publishing remains one of the biggest spending. Infact an analysis show that vertically integrated companies practicing tour and travel produces:

• Almost about 150 publications each year
• Per edition consisting of around 800 pages
• Each publication consisting of 1 and 5 editions

Now the primary focus comes to ‘e-brochure’ staying in the internet era. Increasingly it is getting much hype. The concept function with an intention of providing information in digital format where every consumers as well as travel agents are needed to make promotion of relevant holidays with an aim of cost saving. Alike to paper brochure, e-brochure is also encompassing the same content but in comparison to the former, the latter comes with much a lower cost.

3.3 Evaluate the suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different types of tour operator and recommend the most appropriate for your tour package.

A distribution channel forms the primary link between a consumer and an operator. Thus it can be said that there exists altogether five channels of distribution for the tour operator. Such has been shown below.

All of these channels can be used either for direct or for indirect selling which means that either there would be a retailer present or may not be present between the customer and producer. The utilization of the multiple channel distribution remains common for almost every industry. Specifically the upsurge of internet has found several companies to make a review of their strategies on channel and hence integrate the support unities. The channels that get practiced in marketing strategies consist of a mutual role for supporting where internet, for example, does not have any role to play as a mean of sales player.
Methods of traditional marketing are getting challenged since technology is making a replacement of the mass marketing. Technology is enabling the providers of tourism to make a development of the direct and personalized communication towards their consumers. The recent flourish of the information sharing has become more collaborative along with an addition of interactivity of online collaboration.LinkedIn and Facebook are the two social sites which have nowadays become market places for showcasing products of tour and travels.

Task 4

4.1 Evaluate the strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator

Generally strategic, in terms of an organization, is defined as ‘the longest term of direction’. Better to say, strategic gets defined as the lengthiest term of scope and direction for any organization in order to find success and receive advantages for becoming competitive. Such can be attained with the resource configuration inside an environment which is needed to be changing so as to fulfil the expectations of stakeholders.

Golden Tours:

Announcing their inception during 1984, the Golden Tours stands as the ‘Expert’ of London proffering quality tours all around the city as well as day trips to locations of United Kingdoms that includes places like Bath and Stonehenge. Offering an experience of over 30 years in keeping themselves at a position where no other words can express their excellence other than using the term ‘classy’, they are proud in maintaining a partnership with ‘Gray Line Association’, the internationally preferred and renowned partners of ‘Studio Tour’.

Strategic Decision of Golden Tours:  

The tour operator ‘Golden Tour’ offers much a secured and a safe website, remains immensely passionate about caring customers and till date is carrying altogether 10 million of traveller from almost 100 countries all across the world. Their travelling of places is worth of money, encompasses guides who are experienced in terms of their profession and henceforth guarantees a much luxurious trip.
Thus about Golden Tours it can be said that it is ‘one stop solution’ for everything you are looking for in terms of your tour and travels.

Thomas Cook:

It is one of the best known names all across the world in the tour operating industry, because of the dedicated and inspiration squad of operators. Way back during 1841, they began their journey holding the finger of its founder, Thomas Cook, with their single day rail excursion. From then onwards the company did not had to look back.
During 1845, Thomas Cook made his very first commercial tour where he arranged a trip to Liverpool. Since it was one of his ambitious projects therefore Cook was soo much engrossed within the project that success itself came up to him. Infact in terms of strategy he planned for a handbook where he put his heart and soul to make an investigation about the place so that no person faces any kind of problem while in their dream trip.
Thomas was very much passionate to expand his business at Britain but his determination was towards establishing it at Europe too. Now, his business is in such a position, that the tour and travel company has become World’s one of the leading groups where their sales reached to a number of £9 billion with almost about 20 million of satisfied customers.

Strategic Decision of Thomas Cook:  

With almost about 27,000 employees working under the niche, the company continues with a motto of delivering personalized yet trusted holiday where cherishing every moment will be the only things that every travellers will be remembering of. They have made such possible with their high-touch and high-end strategies (Connell, 2013, p.5).

4.2 Compare the tactical decisions that could be taken by a selected tour operator in different situations

Taking tactical decision during period of necessity is the prime vision which has become key initiative for successfully achieving a better strategy (Sharpleyand Telfer, 2014). Generally both the companiesmake a determination of the everyday implementation of activities which will be helping them in realization of what they are in need of.

Golden Tours

They always respectall their clients and remember that their travellers are choosing them for getting the maximum leisure out of any tour. Their manforce shares a duty with which they maintain their trust and loyalty (Munar and Jacobsen, 2013, p.18). The employees believes that there no existence of mass market but individuals share a huge market. Also they remain committed towards the sustainable development alongwith putting a positive footmark within the society. According to them, leadership cannot be received instead it needs to be earned and hence it can never be granted. Their strategies of bringing success are by working together and make open communication between each other.
Golden Tours look for those opportunities that can have benefit for both the customers and their organization. They make prediction, translation as well as bring down products which are enough valuable to the market. Their tactical strategy includes in bringing down integrity with ideas of trending the leisure time market for an enhanced and better action.

Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook work with a motto where customers are treated as their guest. The staffs remain dedicated towards ensuring that each guest will be enjoying their best possible trip and henceforth always remains geared up to serve the best. Also the things that is more important for the company is about carbon emission, recycling as well as waste sustainable tourism for all their way of business (Blanke and Chiesa 2013).

OTAs (Online Travel Agents)

OTAs represent one of the fastest expanding distribution channels that have dramatically gained a significant share of market. The Online Travel Agents have gained their success in the market of ‘short-break travel’. Such a market has increased their experience with an extremely high growth in the past decade.
However, OTAs will be requiring in making investment in the dynamic and sophisticated ‘interfaces’ which are meant for their valuable customers if they are wishing to make a management of the more complex transactions. The Online Travel Agents can survive without any offline presence but the retail agencies will not be able in making any expansion of their trade without having the online presence (Hall and Page 2014).

Conclusion

Both in the tourism expenditure as well as tourist arrivals, an increase have been spotted globally. The trends which are having their maximum effect over this tourism and hospitality provision are the increased concern about the security and safety of guests and an enhanced diversity within the composition of the workforce. In the arena of ‘tourism lodging development’ the trend shows an increment in terms of hotels all across the world with the proper application of friendly policies applied to the environment.

Referencing

Books:

AlSayyad, N., 2013. Consuming tradition, manufacturing heritage: global norms and urban forms in the age of tourism. Routledge.
Ghimire, K.B., 2013. The native tourist: Mass tourism within developing countries. Routledge.
Goodall, B. and Ashworth, G. eds., 2013. Marketing in the Tourism Industry (RLE Tourism): The Promotion of Destination Regions. Routledge.
Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J., 2014. The geography of tourism and recreation: Environment, place and space. Routledge.
Sharpley, R. and Telfer, D.J. eds., 2014. Tourism and development: concepts and issues (Vol. 63). Channel View Publications.
Blanke, J. and Chiesa, T., 2013, May. The travel & tourism competitiveness report 2013. In The World Economic Forum.

Journals:

Ayeh, J.K., Au, N. and Law, R., 2013. Predicting the intention to use consumer-generated media for travel planning. Tourism Management, 35, pp.132-143.
Connell, J., 2013. Contemporary medical tourism: Conceptualisation, culture and commodification. Tourism Management, 34, pp.1-13.
Dickinson, J.E., Ghali, K., Cherrett, T., Speed, C., Davies, N. and Norgate, S., 2014. Tourism and the smartphone app: Capabilities, emerging practice and scope in the travel domain. Current Issues in Tourism, 17(1), pp.84-101.
Huang, Y.C., Backman, S.J., Backman, K.F. and Moore, D., 2013. Exploring user acceptance of 3D virtual worlds in travel and tourism marketing. Tourism Management, 36, pp.490-501.
Hudson, S. and Thal, K., 2013. The impact of social media on the consumer decision process: Implications for tourism marketing. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2), pp.156-160.
Leung, D., Law, R., Van Hoof, H. and Buhalis, D., 2013. Social media in tourism and hospitality: A literature review. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2), pp.3-22.