Meaning of service delivery

In order to get a better understanding of service delivery, one needs to separate

the two words first. According to oxforddictionary.com, service is “The action of
helping or doing work for someone” or “A system supplying a public need such as
transport, communications, or utilities such as electricity and water.” In all the
two scenarios, a need is being catered for. Delivery, on the other hand is defined
as “the supply or provision of something”. One can therefore define service
delivery as the act of providing or supplying a need for someone, who may be a
customer or client.

Service delivery in tourism

Service delivery in tourism would then refer to the supply of the needs of tourists
from the time they are preparing to leave their country of abode through to when
they land at their destination up to the time they depart back to their base. All
these are to make the experience of the tourist a memorable one so as to
encourage another visit or multiple visits.

SOME SERVICES PROVIDED TO TOURISTS

Tour guides

According to the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations, a tourist guide is

“A person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the
cultural and natural heritage of an area which person normally possesses an area-
specific qualification usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate
authority”. A tour guide is to the tourist what the football commentator is to a
person watching a football match on a television. The tour guide only carries the
tourist along physically. The tour guide is the one with the information about the
place that is visited. He or she has the facts and figures in addition to any other
relevant information to answer any question that might be asked by the tourists.

Ticket retailers

Ticket retailing is another service provided in the tourist industry. This is a big
business which entails receiving tickets from service providers at a discount and
selling to the people who need it. It could be a ticket to Disney World, a ticket for
a tour package, airline ticket etc.

Cooks

These are professionals that are very relevant to the tourism industry. Tourists
are visitors away from their own kitchens and are therefore unable to cook their
own foods. They have to, most of the time; eat at restaurants or other joints
where food is sold. The cooks are employed to provide their services to
restaurants which ultimately serve tourists.

Waiters

A waiter is a very important factor in the tourism industry. He or she waits on

tables, especially in restaurants. One of the functions of a waiter is to take orders
from a customer and deliver the exact order to the customer. The waiter or
waitress, if it is a she, can also recommend food to the customer. Waiters are a
main source of help to tourists, especially when they are visiting a country or a
restaurant for the first time.
Photographers

A photographer can be described as a professional who takes pictures of

individuals, groups and interesting places. A tourist may want to take memories of
a place visited back home. This is where the services of a photographer comes in.
With smartphones in vogue today, many people take their own pictures when
they travel and are therefore able to capture great moments of their visit.
However, professional photographers are still important service providers to
tourists because they can add their professional skills to the final product.

Cultural dancers

One important element in tourism is the exhibition of the culture of the host
country. Drumming and dancing forms part of the culture of the people. In order
to showcase dance forms to tourists, dancers are needed. Folk groups are hired to
perform to tourists at special events. Cultural dancers therefore offer their
services to organizers of cultural performances and ultimately to tourists.

Drivers

Drivers also provide important services to tourists. Most tourists would not travel
to destinations with their cars. They would depend on drivers to carry them from
one place to another. In many cases, there are tour buses that carry tourists
around the city and showing them places of interest. Taxi drivers are crucial to the
tourists. They know almost every nook and cranny of the towns and cities they
operate in so they are able to take the tourists around.

Game guards
Game reserves are popular destinations for tourists. It affords them the
opportunity to view, at close range, the habitat and behaviour of animals. The
game guards, whose duty it is to patrol the game reserves and to monitor the
animals, also help to take the tourists on a guided tour of the reserves and to
offer protection against attacks from some of the wild animals.

Reservation officers

One of the functions of a reservation officer is to help a tourist or visitor to book

for a stay in a hotel or facility. If there is any problem with a reservation that has
already been done, the reservation officer is duty bound to call the customer and
inform him or her about the change. Reservation Officers therefore provide
services in the tourist sector and are therefore very important to the business of
tourism.

SAMPLE QUESTION(S)

1. a. Explain term service delivery in tourism.

b. Highlight six services that are provided to tourists.