TRAVEL SERVICES NC II

Name of Learner: __________________________ Grade Level: _____ Section:

__________
School: __________________________________ Date:
____________________________

Learning Activity Sheet No.3

DEVELOP AND UPDATE INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR LEARNERS:

Word of mouth or oral communication has been the most common source of
information. When a tourist comes back or a first time traveler pose a variety of questions
like where can you stay? Which airlines to fly with? What makes it better than the others?
etc. But here one must remember that the answers coming back are that of an individual’s
experiences. It is possible that this individual was not aware of the options available or in
other words had access to only limited information. Yet oral communication remains the
initial information-seeking channel. However, tourism services and operations involve
specialized skills. It is, therefore, imperative for a professional working in the tourism industry
to acquire up-to-date knowledge and information in as many diverse forms as is possible. It
is no doubt a sure ingredient of success in tourism industry.

This Unit, therefore, is intended to serve as guidelines for both the beginner as well
as a more experienced hand in tourism industry as to the possible sources of information
generation pertaining to tourism markets. The learner, with a little bit of practice, will surely
be able to grasp the technique of culling similar information from a score of other sources.
Specialized information is generated by individual participant in the industry. This Unit is,
therefore, designed to communicate to your generation sources of such specialized
information required for market planning and market research by these various components
of tourism industry.

IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION:

There may be ample illustrations to suggest that collecting and possessing information is
vital for a successful career in tourism. However, some of the priority areas can be listed as:

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 1. PLANNING

Planning is the backbone of tourism services and operations. Even when you
have to repeat the operations year after year, there has to be fresh input of planning
each year. In each case a sufficient information base becomes inevitability. Because,
if we plan well, we act well; if we act well we get the desired results.

2. MANAGING

Managing to satisfy the customer is the life of tourism industry. It is at this level
that a tour can make or break. “Admirable management” is the most common
accolades for making a tour memorable experience. Besides training, therefore, it is
the different kind of information input that tourism professionals require in managing
his/her tour as an important component. Some major areas under which information
is generally needed while managing tours are:
• tourist profiles,
• kinds of tour packages available,
• different modes of travel that can be arranged,
• types of accommodation,
• knowledge of the destination area, and
• kinds of ancillary services that can be procured

It is desirable that a variety of information on these subjects is collected by you to

be a professional. A successful management of the tours hinges, rather heavily, on
the availability of this information.

3. PROMOTION

Promotion is what facilitates the selling of tours. The central objective of all
promotional efforts is to inform, generate interest and involve. Here again, interest
and involvement may be generated by providing the tourist with interesting, attractive
and useful information as much as to convert need in to a purchase.

Some of the more common and often repeated methods of promotion are:

 Presentation – introductory in nature and essentially aimed at providing

information.

 Publicity – a more vigorous promotion and exercise, with the help of detailed
information, and
 Advertising – is a tool providing specialized information with promotional mix.

4. FUTURE ORIENTATION

Future orientation is possible. How do we manage our future is an important

consideration? Specially for getting the desired results at present, future orientation
becomes an integral part of development and expansion of your operations.
Analyzing forecasts about tourist movements, emerging trends, nature of competition
etc. all depend on information.

By knowing your past, you can predict the developments in future. With the
help of scientifically and technically generated information your organization finds it
easy to adopt even an over ambitious plan. The promotional efforts may be
innovated, product mix can be restructured, the tourist guides and hotel personnel
can be properly trained; provided that the requirements are known that too well in
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 advance, i.e., through information generation.

5. IMAGE PROJECTION

The magnitude of image problem influences the intensity of success. It is

difficult for any organization to exist if the image problem continues. The projection of
a fair image thus becomes the integral part of our marketing strategy. Since in
tourism purchasing decision of buyer works on impulses, i.e., if anything wrong with
the image of the destination comes to the knowledge of the buyer this negative
image will gain ground as fast as fire spreads in the forest. Information generated,
with the support of graphic presentation of development trends, makes it is easy to
convince the target users of services about the standard and quality of facilities and
services at the destination. Besides, as a result of quality of information generated
communicative abilities are improved which simplifies the task of advertiser in
composing the sensitive organs to produce a positive image. Since this is the
process of influencing the impulse using the tourist services which become easier
when we succeed in persuading them. You also need information about the methods
used by your competitors in tourism markets for image projection.

AREAS FOR INFORMATION GENERATION

By now you must have realized that information generation is an essential activity for
successful operations of any activity or component of tourism industry. If you look at Table 1,
it would be clear that here the main purpose is to understand the nature and structure of
markets both domestic and international, so that tourist’s needs and services are fairly
matched at the destination sites. The task of choosing the right target markets is also
simplified as the destinations, attractions and facilities can be rightly matched.

Table 1. Areas for Information Generation

On Tourists The information regarding options and attitudes and travel behavior
and motivations. The important information covers image of
destinations, products, competitor’s offering, prices, quality and
services, promotional and selling activities, channel and experience of
tour operators. Regarding travel behavior and motivation, the
information one related to motivation for travel, location
accommodation, mode of transport, frequency of visits, services at
hotels, actual relations to prices, destination and products.

On Markets Regarding characteristics and trends, size, major segments, locations,

details of demography, market-share and developments. Trends by
market segments, type of product, methods of distribution, role of tour
operators, travel agents, national transport organization and tourist
information centers. Effects of centralized and computerized
reservation systems, effects of direct selling or selling via clubs,
universities, etc. Counters in departmental stores and supermarkets,
effects of sales of holiday homes, apartments, hotels, etc.

On Competition Competitors strategies, policies, products, prices, promotion, sales

contribution.

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On Markets Economic Stability – types of consumers, their behavior, income
patterns, purchasing power, geographical markets, motivators
employment levels.

Socio-ethical Population – life style, education, age patterns, socio-

ethical attitudes, standards, behavior, cultural background, urban or
rural family size, spending habits, social institutions, travel and holiday
tendencies.

Political and Legal – Political attitudes, Government involvement in

tourism, laws, regulations, controls, taxation, foreign exchange rates,
etc.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The tourism related information is being largely generated by governments, both at

center and at state levels. The Department of Tourism has a Statistical and Implementation
Division to collect, compute, administer and manage the information collected. This
information generated is used by the Department in planning, production and development
of tourism goods and services both at national and international level. The information
generated by Department of Tourism broadly focuses upon:

i) Destination Information,
ii) Booklets on availability of hotels, restaurants and other services both primary and
ancillary available at destination.
iii) Tourist guides and maps showing sites and their accessibility.
iv) Procedural formalities for international tourists, permits for entry in restricted
areas, etc.
v) Specially developed tourism products like heritage properties,
vi) Tourist profiles and other related data, etc.

Department of Tourism provides this information free of cost. This enables you to select
and pick up information material of your interest and use the relevant information. In fact, for
most of the countries such information is available on their websites.

The tourism industry is a multi-segment industry in which different categories of users

come to then attraction. If the information is well generated and managed the marketing
activities can be managed well. Spotting the opportunity, however, is a difficult task but
sources of information generation is instituted properly, removes complexities and the
marketer can succeed in reaching to the right target users.

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 Table 2. Key Sources of Information in Tourism

Users Current, potential from current markets and those to be developed.

Industry Airlines, tour operators, travel agents, hotels and other accommodation units,
tourist transporters, etc. at home and overseas.

Competition At home and overseas

Trade Association At home and overseas and travel trade and those of hotels, carriers, etc.

Official Statistics Government Sources: Department of Tourism, State Tourism Departments,

Airlines, Railways, WTO, WTTC, etc.

Publications Trade and Government specialist’s media: Travel magazines for leisure and
business travelers.

The Firm Internal records (Bills, invoices, quotations)

Others Relevant Publications by Universities, banks, International bodies

Private agencies have, over the years, acquired a greater share in tourism development
and promotion. Following are the sources of information from private sector

Travel Agency and Tour Operators

Tour operators are intended at basically packaging or managing a tour. The

promotional activities were, in the beginning ancillary in nature. However, of late, the tour
operators have become promoters and managers together. In the process of operating a
tour they generate information which would help and benefit their clients. The main
categories of such information are given below:

 Tourist Attractions: The Tour operators, just like the Department of Tourism issues
brochures on main tourist attractions in India. However, each one of them confines to
the area or interest on which he/she is doing business. The popularity of our
country’s major tourist attractions is the direct result of this kind of promotion.

 Boarding and Lodging: Accommodation and catering is the next main concern. You
will, therefore, find an equally large number of books/brochures, serving the purpose
of a hotel and restaurant guide, flooding the book mart. This is the most informative
source in the area, covering type of property, its location, services and above all at
what price.

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  Shopping: Tour operators also promote the local goods in the country in a big way.
You will thus find a large number of books describing the local textiles and crafts of
the Philippines.
Hotel Industry

There are many hotels in the country which sell package tours to both the domestic as well
as
international tourists. The information generated thus includes the following details of the
area:

 Historical attractions,
 Craft attractions,
 Cuisine,
 Room tariffs and services available, etc.

In many cases the information would appear to be just duplication of the one available in
the brochures issued by the Department of Tourism or by tour operators but they have
specific focus on features of hotel properties available in areas of tourist interest, e.g., closer
to airport, on railway station, road or facing the lake, etc. We, therefore, advice that for your
area, try to scan through the information available from the hotel industry and keep safely
the new, valuable information.

Private businesses also hire consultants or marketing research firms to generate

information about tourism markets.

MEDIA

As a source of information the print/other media generally serves the purpose of

addendum. The main categories of print media information of your interest would be:

 History,
 Geography and topography,
 Craft traditions,
 Accessibility and accommodation,
 Cuisine and catering,
 Shopping,
 Higher education opportunity, etc.

Most of these write ups are today done by reputed travelers/tourism experts and
should, therefore, be preserved by you. Advertisements are an important source of
information on tourism. They tell you about tariffs, off season discounts, tour packages,
types of accommodation, view resorts, airline schedules and fares and above all in present
scenario of ethical or unethical competition, competitive advantages like hidden costs, etc. of
each products over the others.

Specialized Publications

With the promotion of tourism as an important industry there have begun appearing
specialized
monographs on various aspects of tourism. These can be categorized as under:

 Travel and Tourism Definitions,

 Tourism Management,
 Tourism Guiding,
 Cultural Tourism,
 Wildlife Tourism Studies,
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  Island and Beach Tourism,
 Desert Safaris,
 Hill Resorts,
 Adventure Tourism,
 Convention Tourism, etc.

Some of these publications are a hotchpotch of information gathered from random

sources. They should be discarded. But the other books are a good source of information, as
is evident from the categories mentioned above, on specialized themes pertaining to the
tourism studies. You must select, from among several titles, the books you find as easy and
intelligible reading. This will update your knowledge and help you in evolving new skills
pertaining to your profession.

Non-Print Media

Today TV serials, sponsored

programs, films, commercials,
documentaries, prom optional films, etc.
are important sources of information on
tourism. With the help of video films and
CD ROMs one can show the tourists the
type of services available or one can
have a look at the quality and size of
rooms in a hotel before packaging them
in the tour and so on. In fact, non-print
media is fast picking up.

Internet as a source of information: The fact that internet is growing in usefulness

and importance is compounding. What started as a research project has rapidly become an
important information source for many people in both their personal and professional lives.
Some people now use internet many times each day in their work and then go home and
continue to use it for private communication and information generation for pleasure
purposes. At present there are hundreds of sites of travel companies providing information
on wide areas of tour operations, besides getting information of general nature you can also
book yourself an airline ticket or hotel room in any part of the world after going through the
details and dimensions of airlines and properties that you are going to use at destination.

The internet is replacing many other entities the way it is used. People now turn to
internet in the way they turn to libraries, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines,
catalogues, brochures, travel agents, maps with weather conditions at different times,
governmental pamphlets or even physical locations for advises. Inbound and outbound data,
new trends, etc. can also be found on websites

LEARNING COMPETENCY:
The Learners should:

 Identify and access key sources of information on the industry

 Access, apply and share industry information
TLE_HETS9-12DUIK-IF-J-2

DIRECTION:

It was indeed very vital as a tourism student to know the importance and sources of
information for it is one of the core to be a successful tourism professional someday. Now
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that you have been equipped with the in depth knowledge in identifying the key sources of
information in the industry, let us do the following exercise.

You can write your answer temporarily on a separate paper and rewrite it in this
activity sheet later to avoid too much erasures.

EXERCISES AND ACTIVITIES:

I. Direction: Look for 20 words listed below encircling the words in the word
puzzle. Write them down in the spaces provided and define them shortly.

Information Research Competition

Planning Internet Managing
Advertising Market Tariff
Planning Department of Tourism Newspaper
Print Media Travel Agency Publications

A G A V I G N I N N A L P L A C A I J L
D J W L N Y T A N G I B T E K R A M I I
V A R E F E A L O C A T I O N T Y A F F
E I P R I N T M E D I A C R E T O N U E
R O A E N A A S C H E D D R Y T U A P T
T E P S I L R F R E N S I H T E J G U I
I F E E T A I L A T E N R E T N I I B M
S J R A Y S F A E Y F F J A R H G N L E
I K T R A I F P T O J I E S A F B G I G
N A R C N M E O R J L N F F V B N A C R
G D A H T B E M U O B I B H E O M E A E
H S I R O A A N E L M S M L L R E R T P
L L A S K T P P N E S O A W A T S T I A
S A T E I I P O C R M M T E G L A Y O P
C C C O M P E T I T I O N I E A S I N S
V A N A A M L E C G C O E F N S R U S W
J R I P S O S N H L E N E V C G J P K E
A E O T K N O T K N K T N M Y G K W L N
C S V R A G N S L M R V H K L D A K E F
E M S I R U O T F O T N E M T R A P E D

II. Direction. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. This has been the most common source of information.

a. Internet b. Word of Mouth c. Print Media d. DOT
2. What is the backbone of tourism services and operations?
a. Planning b. Managing c. Promotion d. Future
Orientation
3. What is the life of the tourism industry?
a. Planning b. Managing c. Promotion d. Future
Orientation
4. This is one of the most promising trend in sourcing information.
a. Internet b. Word of Mouth c. Print Media d. DOT
5. Which of the following does not belong to the Industry sources of information?
a. Airlines b. Market c. Travel Agency d. Hotels
6. Where are tourism information are largely generated?
a. Internet b. Travel Agency c. DOT d. Print media
7. Which of the following is an example of printed media?
a. Websites b. Brochures c. Word of mouth d. TV Ad
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 8. Which area of promotion does execute vigorous promoting and exercise, with the
help of detailed information?
a. Presenting b. Publicity c. Advertising d. Sharing
9. This introductory in nature and essentially aimed at providing information.
a. Presenting b. Publicity c. Advertising d. Sharing
10. As a source of information the __________ generally serves the purpose of
addendum
a. Internet b. Travel Agency c. DOT d. Print media

III. Direction. In a short bond paper, write an informative essay in any of the
following topics. Then after writing the essay. Identify the sources of information
used in writing your essay.

Topics:
1. The Tourism Industry during the Covid Situation
2. Samar’s Tandaya Trail 2
3. The Tales of the San Juanico Bridge
4. The importance of Information in the Tourism Industry

GUIDE QUESTIONS: Please answer the following:

1. Discuss the importance of information for a tourist service provider/ tourism

professional.
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________________________________________________________________
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_____________________

2. What are the various sources of information?

________________________________________________________________
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RUBRIC FOR SCORING

REFLECTION:

 What have you learned?

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____________

 How important is sourcing information to you as a student in tourism?

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REFERENCES FOR LEARNERS

http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/11450/1/Unit-2.pdf

ANSWER KEY

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

1. b
2. a
3. b
4. a
5. b
6. c
7. b
8. b
9. a
10. D

Prepared by:

MAURELLE VAN A. ABAIGAR

Senior High School Teacher II

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