Introduction to Travel and Tourism Sector
In travel and tourism sector, role of tour management is crucial. Tour operators have a liability to arrange package tours and provide new product to the visitors. They attract customers towards popular destinations by offering them number of innovation tourism products. To provide good service to customers, tour operators are looking for destinations where it can provide holiday experiences to customers. Tourists have become more responsible for offering better holiday experiences therefore they emerging trends of tourism. Using emerging trends in hospitality organization can attract more customers. The report aims to plain different categories of tour packages and their effectiveness for organizations. Various stages of creating holiday packages have been explained. It also focuses on using effective promotional and distribution strategies. Both modern and traditional method has been explained in the report. Finally, it explains various strategic and tactical decisions that can help tour operators.
Task 1
Recent trends and development in tour operation sector
Roles of tour operators are changing radically from earlier years. Thomas Cook was the first corporation that entered in the travel and tourism sector. The company was started its business by providing package trip by rail in year 1840. In recent years, companies are trying to provide services by combining various elements of tourism together. Thus, it helps the people in getting package holidays for better experience. This kind of package comprises some elements which are offered for sale, such as transportation, food, accommodation and other tourist services. Consumer can get better services by utilizing these types of attractive and suitable plan and it will make their journey happy. Generally, these tour packages are divided into two parts, one using classical charter flights and another using scheduled flight. On the other side, the types of tour packages can be further divided on the basis of mode of travel and mode of accommodation. Mode of travel can be explained as the medium of travelling from one location to another and it comprises limited facilities such as flying, driving and railway, etc. On the other hand mode of accommodation is the better package that other and it comprises foods and sightseeing also. People can use these plans according to budget and requirements because accommodation package needs high amount of money.
In addition to this, tour packages can be classified into two parts such as international and domestic packages. Packages are also depended on the length of holidays, distance and locations decided by the clients. National or domestic tourism can be defined as the plan of journey within the national boundary. On the other side international packages includes journey out of the nation. Packages are depended on the consumer's perception and requirements. There are ranges of firms which provide services needed by the clients. In this kind of condition, tour operators play very crucial role of developer in tourism industry, which is accountable for framing holiday packages. They purchase the entire needed element for client and put them together as package. This can comprise two weeks stay at Mediterranean resort with full board and transfer, consists of flight, accommodation, meals and airport transfers. Normally, they arrange travel to these sites in combinations and provide holiday at low prices with high services. The company is trying to provide best packages with affordable price.
The tourism sector of the UK is the fastest growing industry of the world in providing package tours to leisure tourists. Mass tourism is the major strength of this sector because people come here to see old universities, heritages etc. This area has given a platform of development to the cultural tourism and development of rural areas. Furthermore, comprises holiday packages including all destinations like beaches, heritage and wild life centuries, due to which tourism government is focusing of infrastructural facilities so that more and more tourists can be attracted towards tourist destinations. However, technical development in the tourism industry has become vital for the development of tour sector business. The tour operators now have their websites from where they attract the tourist while giving them a combinations and holiday at low prices with high services. There can be seen more trend in nice products, hence, tour operators are focusing on such markets to gain huge income and profits. Proper segmentation and targeting of market play a crucial role in the development of tour business, nonetheless, companies have to keep eye on recent technical and other developments in the destination areas.
Task 2
Tour plan, of the association can be explained as below...
Cuba
Consumers can visit in Cuba during January to May months because during this time period, the place is warm and un-crowded.
Chile
The ideal time to visit this place is March to April because it is summer time to boost outdoor fund.
Brazil
Visitors can visit in Brazil during time period of December to March in order to see all the places because in this time frame both foreign and domestic travelers visit. Reason to travel with Cox & Kings
It is the most classical company of this sector and it performing this business from last 255 years. Thus, the association is the most popular and experience and specialist in this field. They can provide best and suitable package to travelers. The organization is always ready to help the consumers at each stage of their tour. Package attractions are as follows...
DAY 1 Arrive in Havana – Here, Your Local Host will be available with suggested activities during your free time.
DAY 2 Playas de Este – This is a peaceful beach. Just 18 km far from small resort of Bacuranao.
DAY 3 Old Havana – This is a historical place of Cuba and contains original core of Havana city.
DAY 4 Chile – You will visit to San Cristobal Hill.
DAY 5 Torres del paine national park – This is a national park surrounded by mountains, glaciers, lakes and rivers.
DAY 6 Los pinguinos natural monument – This Island has largest penguin colonies of south Chile.
DAY 7 Brazil – Fly to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and local host will welcome you.
DAY 8 Rio de Janeiro - Here, your Local Host will suggest an optional Jeep tour to the rainforest in the middle of the city, Tijuca National Park and its bird sanctuary.
DAY 9 Christ the redeemer – At last day of tour, you will visit Christ the redeemer. The Jesus Christ statue was constructed between 1922 and 1931.
Task 3
Non-traditional modes of communication and promotion
Free online classified is the best and suitable non traditional method of communication and promotions. It includes social media site, online advertisement etc which improve connectivity of Cox and King.
Guest blogging is also good option that exposes blogger and company to more people than normal way. Good relationship with people can be managed easily with this. Meet up groups help individual person in maintaining relationship of similar interest and execute meetings.
- Benefits of non-traditional (Modern) methods in branding
- Reliability and efficiency is the major benefit of this method.
- It helps in maintaining relation in best way for long time period.
- Consumer loyalty can be developed easily by using it.
- Convenience can be enhanced and both the parties can contact each other in easier way.
- Cost of advertising can be reduced by using this method of communication.
Online network
Social interaction between clients and company can be made easily with the help of online network. Company can use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook and they can also use website for creating network of client. By using it they can share pictures, experience, videos, information related to location of tour.
Guest blogging
It is also very good and suitable option for the business and by using this they can improve interaction between consumers. Client can also ask anything regarding packages at any time. It is most cheapest way of communication that can be used by the organization.
Ways of tour promotion
- By investing in Google ad wards, company can promote its website and tours packages by using proper keywords. It will improve visitors of the association and demand of the company will also improve.
- Facebook ad is also another way of promoting business of Cox and Kings. It is the most famous social site where company can find out many clients and hence, they can easily promote their packages. Association can submit articles on website about their business package or on other topic related to tourism and travel sector. Brand image of the business can be improved easily with this kind of action.
Task 4
Non-traditional methods of distribution to sell holidays package
There are ranges of nontraditional methods of distribution to sell holiday packages and Cox and Kings can adopt these techniques easily. Followings are the key of them...
- Online classified is effective way of distributing holiday packages. Through this they can attract more new people by promoting holiday packages.
- Guest blogger is also another effective way of sharing information and content regarding company. With the help of it association can publish some interesting facts and figures regarding company and its packages.
- Print media is also best way of promotion and advertising because it covers almost every people of the world. Company can attract more people by using this way of communication.
- Forum marketing is also best way of connecting with potential resellers. There are thousands of forum regarding this and company can utilize this for distribution of packages and improving sales. This is the best and important source of media that includes news papers, journals, articles etc and company can easily cover large number of people with the help of this option.
Task 5
Emerging trends and responses of different tour operators
In task 1, number of trends has been analyzed such as social media, active adventures, shopping tourism and tour packages. The present task aims to identify the initiative taken by compititors of Cox & Kings towards such emerging trends.
Social media
There are two major competitors of Cox & Kings such as Ace Tours Worldwide Ltd. and International Travel House Ltd. Both the rivals have adopted various social media trends that have helped them in increasing sales and profitability. Using these techniques the companies are making real time connections to their clients and customers. In addition to that business entities are using 3G mobile apps and online marketing tools so that customers can be attracted towards business. These initiatives enable them to identifying the need and wants of people and accessing their traveling requirements so that a quality and better product can be offered. The information of competitor’s product can be accessed by visiting their pages.
Active adventures
Adventures tourism is also an emerging trend in the industry it has been seen that luxury travelers are finding new ways to stay active on tours therefore they are focusing on active adventures. In past years, growth of adventure travel has been seen. This kind of tourism focuses on western culture and sporty & physical activity. More and more young customers can be attracted towards such travelers Ace Tours Worldwide Ltd. and International Travel House Ltd have offered tour packages with adventure activities. In addition to that many companies are looking for effective packages with sports activities. In such packages they are offering activities like, tracking on tour, beach volleyball, etc.
Shopping tourism
Most of tourist aims to spend more on shopping as they visit many places and markets. In a recent study, it has been shown that one-third of tourist expenditure goes purchasing new and unique things. Shopping destination has become a center of attraction for tourist as they prefer to go to the places where they can have proper market to shop. Both the major competitors of Cox & Kings have included various places in their destination packages in order to attract customers. These destinations include Brazil, Russia, India and China where plenty of unique and tradition things to shop. Further the competitors are taking clients to bordering shopping malls and places.
Tour Packages
In today’s competitive world customers are looking for attractive tour packages. They are more focused towards saving cost and reducing time. The organizations are focusing towards organizing or combining of different tourism elements and are offering total tourism products. They are developing the tour packages to provide better experience to customers. Various elements such as transportation, food, and accommodation and refreshment activities are being included in the products. There are various packages and new opportunities are there for the companies for expanding business through offering tour packages. In addition to these packages are making the lives of customer easy as it reduces time and cost.
Task 6
Difference between tactical and strategic decisions
There are number of differences between tactical and strategic decisions on the basis of time duration and organizational effectiveness. The actions that are taken by management in short term for conducting effectual operations is known as tactical decisions. Time duration of these decisions are very short as they are taken to get the job done or to achieve particular objectives. The major aim of taking these kind of decisions it to use the resources effectively while accomplishing the task so that organizational goals can be supported. In order to achieve the goals it is important to use resource in an effective manner. These decisions can be modified and changes as per conditions therefore they are considered more flexible. There are number of methods that are used to take tactical decisions such as experience, pre-plans, and team work. These are also cost efficient and consume less time to make a decision over problem.
Strategic decisions are more complicated than tactical decisions. To take such decisions managers require information of SWOT, cost-benefit, outside advice analysis. There are taken in order to make goals of company and these decisions relates to the vision and mission of the organization. These are important for all management level but are taken by top level management. The aim of such decision is to organize all the resource that is required to achieve organizational goals. Individuals work together to achieve the goals that are set with the help of strategic decisions. The organization requires long time to talk these decision and such decisions made long time impact of organizational performance. These are not dynamic and cannot be change. There are number of decisions that are to be used to make such decision as experience, research, analysis, thinking and communication. It aims to design clear organization goal and mapping strategies as per organizational objectives. That relates to the key performance of company and help in managing market condition. These conditions include competitors, customers and economic changes.
Tactical decisions taken by Cox & Kings
In order to strengthen the middle level management various tactical decision are to be made by Cox & Kings. In order to use effective decision the organization has made various traditional methods. In present scenario, company is using traditional methods as they are conducting meeting to take decisions. Online tactics can be used to promote the services of tour