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Unit 07 Investigating Travel Agency Operations
Unit 07 Investigating Travel Agency Operations
operations (LEVEL 2)
Learning outcomes
By completing this unit candidates will develop an understanding of the types of travel agents, their
roles and the products and services provided. Candidates will also develop an understanding of
the process used to book a holiday and stages involved prior to overseas travel.
Candidates will produce evidence to meet the unit assessment objectives in order to show that
they understand:
Candidates will also develop their practical skills in choosing and presenting an appropriate holiday
for a specific customer type.
Assessment objectives
Process:
customer enquiry
recording customer information, eg holiday details, names,
dates, special requirements, budget, preferred destination(s)
holiday search, eg Viewdata or Internet
completion of booking form, eg compliance with contract terms
payment of deposit(s)
issue invoice for balance
payment of balance
issue tickets
Assessment objectives
Cost:
basic price
supplement(s), eg regional departure, balcony, sea view
Appropriate holiday:
meets customer needs
includes holiday details
includes extra services
within budget
Customer types:
families
couples
singles
different age groups (eg 18-30, grey market)
special needs
adventure seeking
Stages:
booking process, eg deposit, final payment, arrival of tickets
passport, visa, vaccination requirements
buying currency
flight check-in times, checking-in procedures to include passport
control and security measures
arrival at destination, transfers, arrival at accommodation,
checking-in
welcome party
role of holiday representative
departure procedure to include: checking out of accommodation,
transfer, flight check-in
arrival back in the UK
Assessment
This unit is centre assessed and externally moderated.
In order to achieve this unit candidates must produce a portfolio of evidence showing that they
have met all of the assessment objectives.
Portfolios of work must be produced independently. They will need to be made available, together
with witness statements and any other supporting documentation, to the OCR Visiting Moderator
when required.
Centres must confirm to OCR that the evidence produced by candidates is authentic. An OCR
Centre Authentication Form is provided in the Centre Handbook and includes a declaration for
assessors to sign. It is a requirement of the QCA Common Criteria for all Qualifications that proof
of authentication is received.
For Assessment Objective 1 candidates are expected to investigate the different types of travel
agents. Some candidates will have used the various services of travel agents and may have had
work experience in them. This experience will be a useful starting point for discussion. Tutors
should ensure that candidates understand that major tour operators own the multiples and that
independents are under threat. Tutors should encourage candidates to consider how the role of
travel agents is changing as they face competition from Internet bookings.
Assessment Objective 2 focuses on the role of travel agents and the products and services they
offer. This may be taught in conjunction with Assessment Objective 1 so that candidates are
aware of the differences in offering between the different types of travel agents. Candidates should
notice that multiple travel agents give more emphasis to their parent company products, eg
Thomson selling TUI products.
The process for booking a holiday (Assessment Objective 3) in a travel agency differs from that
online or by telephone. Candidates could discuss the differences whilst understanding that the
same essential information must always be present.
Assessment Objective 4 could be a practical assessment carried out as a role-play. In this case a
witness statement from the assessor would be needed. Candidates could choose their own
customer types or tutors could allocate them. Candidates should be encouraged to develop their
customer description so that there are very specific holiday needs. A range of appropriate
resources should be provided for candidates to research including brochures, travel guides and the
Internet. Candidates could work in pairs, in turn playing the customer and the travel agent.
The chart for Assessment Objective 5 could be based around the holiday for Assessment
Objective 4. The tutor should encourage candidates to talk through the process from booking a
holiday to returning home before beginning their charts. This could be done as one large group or
in smaller groups. Candidates could do their own research into different flight check in times and
vaccination requirements, etc. For higher grades charts need to be annotated.
Candidates may provide portfolio evidence for all of the assessment objectives in this unit using a
range of presentation techniques. This may include assessor testimony/witness statements
logbooks, diaries, the use of video, audio and presentation software, posters/charts, written work.
Where video and/or audio evidence is provided this must be supported by assessor
testimony/witness statements. Where candidates demonstrate competence, centres should record
skills demonstrated on appropriate recording documentation.
The unit contains opportunities for developing the Key Skill, and possibly for generating
portfolio evidence, if teaching and learning is focused on that aim.
Key Skill
reference
Key Skill
reference
Key Skill
reference
N2.1
ICT2.1
C2.2a
N2.2a
ICT2.2
C2.2b
N2.2b
ICT2.3
C2.3
N2.2c
C2.1
N2.2d
N2.3
Unit
number
Title
2.17
2.22
2.01L
Resources
This section provides suggestions of suitable resources. The list is neither prescriptive nor
exhaustive, and candidates should be encouraged to gather information from a variety of sources.
Some suggested resources are intended for Tutor use. The resources in this section were current
at the time of production.
Books
Hayward, P. (2000)
Holloway, C. (2001)
Horner, P (1996)
Lavery, P. (2004)
McAlphine, M. (2004)
Vranic, J. (2000)
Journals/Magazines/Newspapers
Travel Trade Gazette
Travel Weekly
Other useful resources include tour operators holiday brochures.
Websites
Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). URL:http://www.abta.com/
The Association of British Travel Agents is the UK's Premier Trade Association for Tour Operators
and Travel Agents.
Grading
Assessment
Objective
Pass
Merit
Distinction
AO1
Describe and give examples
of the different types of travel
agents
AO2
Describe the role of travel
agents
AO3
Chart the process used to
book a package holiday,
including the information
recorded at each stage
AO4
Choose, cost and present an
appropriate holiday for one
specific customer type
AO5
Chart all stages of the holiday
experience from booking to
arrival back in the UK