Tour Operations Sector Of The Travel Industry

The aim of this assignment is to investigate the tour operations sector of the travel and tourism industry, including the different types of operator, their products and services, the scale of the sector and how it has

been affected by trends and developments. Learners will explore the stages involved in developing a package holiday and develop skills associated with determining a selling price for a holiday and the distribution methods used by tour operators to sell holidays.

The travel industry predicts a continuing move away from packages towards independent travel coupled with Britain’s slow exit from the recession; tour operator bookings show that the desire to take holidays in 2010 is stronger than ever, as compared to December 2008 to March 2009. (Aito 2010) The demand for cheap deals are no longer the driving factor in tour operator bookings, consumers are now more concerned about customer service, and this is jumping ahead of price. Spain remains Britain’s favourite holiday destination. It is familiar to many, and easy to reach from across the UK on no-frills airlines. The Canaries Island for example is a bright spot for tour operators with a lot of new-build accommodation over the past decade and more all-inclusive than in other areas. The big two are increasingly branding major resort hotels for particular client types. The Gran Melia Palacio de Isora in Tenerife will be part of Thomson’s flagship Sensatori resorts brand from May, offering luxury for adults with an emphasis on spa treatments. First Choice is adding a new Holiday Village in Lanzarote at the Flamingo Beach hotel, offering families all-inclusive holidays in apartment-style accommodation.

Specification of Assessment

This assignment is in two parts

Task 1 – Covers Learning Outcome 1 and Learning Outcome 4 (LO1 and LO4)

Task 2 – Covers Learning Outcome 2 and Learning Outcome 3 (LO2 and LO3)

TASK 1 – You are required to write a report on Tour Operations in the 21st Century showing how the Industry has developed, the size, scale and complexities of tour operations today and to examine the implications of current trends and decision making on the industry. Within this task you are expected to address LO1 and LO4. (P1, P2, P9 and P10) Please read requirements 1 and 4 for this task.

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TASK 2 – – Within the Tour Operating Industry, you are required to develop and distribute a tour operator package, explain the stages of the product development, draw up timescales, prepare a package costing, evaluate and recommend distribution. Within this task you are expected to address LO2 and LO3. ( P3, P4, P5, P6, P7 and P8) Please read requirements 2 and 3 for this task.

Requirement 1 -Investigate the tour operations sector of the travel and tourism industry

Describe the tour operations sector of the travel and tourism industry Pass – P1

1.2 Explain the effects of current and recent trends and developments on the tour operations Sector of the travel and tourism industry Pass – P2

Desmonstrate creative thinking for tour operations’ current, recent trends and future developments discussed in Q.1.2 Distinction D3

Requirement 2 – Explore the stages involved in developing packages

2.1 Describe the stages and timescales involved in developing the holiday package Pass – P3

2.2 Explain the suitability of different methods of contracting for different components of the

Package holiday and different types of tour operator Pass – P4

Determine a selling price for a package holiday from given information Pass P5

Identify and apply strategies in developing a package holiday to a particular destination as discussed in Q.3.1 Merit – M1

Present and communicate appropriate findings as required in Question 3.3 Merit – M3

Requirement 3 – Review the role of Brochures & Methods of Distribution used to sell Package Holidays

Explain the planning decisions taken for a specified brochure Pass – P6

Explain the suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour

operator Pass – P7

3.3 Explain the suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different

Types of tour operator Pass – P8

Use critical reflection and Evaluate the different types of tour operations and different methods of

Distribution used to sell holidays and justify conclusions as discussed in Question 4.3 Distinction – D1

Requirement 4- Examine strategic and tactical decision making for tour operators

4.1 Explain the strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator Pass – P9

4.2 Explain the tactical decisions that could be taken by a specified tour operator in different

Situations Pass – P10

Apply methods and techniques used by different types of tour operators to make strategic decisions discussed in Question 2.1. Merit – M2

4.4 How to take responsibility for managing and organising activities to explicate the deliberate decision that could be taken by a specified tour operator in different situations discussed in Question 2.2 Distinction – D2

Plagiarism and Collusion

Any act of plagiarism and collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the regulations. In this context the definition and scope of plagiarism are presented below:

“Using the work of others without acknowledging source of information or inspiration. Even if the words are changed or sentences are put in different order, the result is still plagiarism”. (Cortell 2003)

Extension and Late Submission

Collusion describes as the submission of work produced in collaboration for an assignment based on the assessment of individual work. When one person shares his/her work with others who submit part of all of it as their own work.

If you need an extension for a valid reason, you must request one using a coursework extension request form available from the college. Please note that the lecturers do not have the authority to extend the coursework deadlines and therefore do not ask them to award a coursework extension.

The completed form must be accompanied by evidence such as a medical certificate in the event of you being sick.

Outcomes

Assessment criteria for pass

To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to:

1 Investigate the tour operations sector of the travel and tourism industry

1.1 Describe the tour operations sector of the travel and tourism industry

1.2 Explain the effects of current and recent trends and developments on the tour operations Sector of the travel and tourism industry

2 Explore the stages involved in developing packages

2.1 Describe the stages and timescales involved in developing the holiday package

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

2.3 Determine a selling price for a package holiday from given information

3 Review the role of brochures and methods of distribution used to sell package holidays

3.1 Explain the planning decisions taken for a specified brochure

3.2 Explain the planning decisions taken for a specified brochure

3.3 Explain the suitability of different methods of distribution used to sell a holiday for different

Types of tour operator

4 Examine strategic and tactical decision making for tour operators

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

4.2 Explain the tactical decisions that could be taken by a specified tour operator in different situations

Note: All outcomes must be met for a pass

Merit Descriptor

Distinction Descriptor

M1: Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions.

D1: Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions.

M2: Select/design and apply appropriate methods/ techniques.

D2: Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities.

M3: Present and communicate appropriate findings.

D3: Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking.

Achievement of a Pass grade

A pass grade is achieved by meeting all the requirements defined in the assessment criteria for each individual unit.

Achievement of a merit or distinction grade

All the assessment criteria and merit grade descriptors need to be completed within a unit to achieve a merit grade.

All the assessment criteria merit and distinction grade descriptors must be completed within a unit to achieve a distinction grade.

Suggested Support Materials

Books

Holloway J C – The Business of Tourism (Longman, 1999)

Bull A – The Economics of Travel and Tourism (Longman, 1998)

Laws E – Managing Packaged Tourism (International Thomson Business Press, 1997)

Middleton, Victor T C and Clarke J – Marketing in Travel and Tourism, Third edition

(Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001)

Yale P – The Business of Tour Operations (Longman, 2000)

Further reading

ABTA/AITO Code of Conduct

ABTA Handbook

ABTA Information Bureau Holiday Statistics

CAA document number 221, 384

International Passenger Survey

Package Travel Regulations

Travel Trade Gazette

Travel Weekly

Websites

Websites

www.abtanet.com Association of British Travel Agents

www.aito.co.uk Association of Independent Tour Operators

www.caa.co.uk Civil Aviation Authority

www.firstchoiceplc.co.uk First Choice Holidays

www.fto.co.uk Federation of Tour Operators

www.mytravelgroup.com My Travel Group

www.thomascook.com Thomas Cook

www.tui.com TUI

ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK SHEET

GUILDHALL COLLEGE

Programme: BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Travel & Tourism Management

Unit Number and Title: Unit 15 Tour Operations Management

Unit Level: H1

Assignment Ref Number: 15.1.1 Tour Operations Management

Module Tutor: Margaret Amankwah

Email: msmargam4@googlemail.com

Date Set: 22/March/2010

Learner Name: …………………………………………………………………. Learner ID:………………………………………

Information/feedback on assessment and grading criteria

Assessment Criteria (Pass-P)

Achieved

Evidence

Feedback Remarks

P1Describe the tour operations sector of the travel and

tourism industry

Yes/No

P2 explain the effects of current and recent trends and

developments on the tour operations sector of the

travel and tourism industry

Yes/No

P3 Describe the stages and timescales involved in developing the holiday package

Yes/No

P4 explain the suitability of different methods of

contracting for different components of the package

holiday and different types of tour operator

Yes/No

P5 determine a selling price for a package holiday from

given information

Yes/No

P6 explain the planning decisions taken for a specified

brochure

Yes/No

P7 explain the suitability of alternatives to a traditional

brochure for different types of tour operator

Yes/No

P8 Explain the suitability of different methods of

distribution used to sell a holiday for different types

of tour operator

Yes/No

P9 Explain the strategic decisions made by different

types of tour operator

Yes/No

P10 explain the tactical decisions that could be taken by

a specified tour operator in different situations

Yes/No

Grading criteria (Merit-M; Destination-D)

Achieved

Evidence

Feedback Remarks

M1 Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions.

Yes/No

M2 Select/design and apply appropriate methods /techniques.

Yes/No

M3 Present and communicate appropriate findings

Yes/No

D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions.

Yes/No

D2 Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities.

Yes/No

D3 Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking.

Yes/No

Assessor’s general comments:

Assessor’s Signature ………………………………………………………………Date ………………………………………………….

Print Name: ……………………………………………………………………..Resubmission Date…………………………………..

Learner’s comments:

Signature ………………………………………………………………………… Date …………………………………………………

Print Name: ……………………………………………………………………

Feedback of this coursework will normally be given to students four weeks after the submission of an assignment.