Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Tour and Travel 3
Tour and Travel 3
Tour and Travel 3
MANAGEMENT
FRIDAY 9:30am-11/3-4:30pm
Introduction
In the tourism industry, a travel agency (middleman) and tour operator (or the so
called whole seller travel agencies of the industry) play a vital role in giving services
to visitors or guests.
Accordingly, a TOUR OPERATOR, is defined, as an entity which may either be a
single proprietorship, partnership, or corporation regularly engaged in the business
of extending to individuals or groups, such as services pertaining to arrangements
and bookings for transportation and or accommodation, handling and or conduct of
inbound tours whether or not for a fee, commission, or any form of compensation.
Based on this definition, the following are some
key points about a tour operator:
1. It is an entity which may either be a single prorietorship, partnership, or corporation
regularly engaged in the business. A travel agency and tour operator may be owned by a
private individual or a group of persons, forming either partnership or corporation
according to the governing laws of Philippine commerce.
2. The services of a tour operator is extended to individuals or groups. They are the
different classes of tourists according to their numbers or their interests. However, such
numbers are usually single in nature, double, triple or group of individuals.
3. The services offered pertain to arrangements and bookings for transportation and or
accommodation. These are in partnership or with contract with different tour suppliers
hotel, resort or any transportation companies for land, air, sea transfers and cruises. All
these tour suppliers, which are usually accredited by the Department of Tourism.
Based on this definition, the following are some
key points about a tour operator:
4. It handles and or conduct inbound tours. However, in reality, tour operators can
also handle other tours like outbound tours.
5. Tour operators are earning for a fee, commission, or any for of compensation. In
giving services to the guests, the tour operators are given by other tourism suppliers
through commission.
How to Establish a Travel Agency
6. After all the documents are released, proceed to the municipal or city office where the office of the travel agency will operate to process the necessary
permits.
7. There will be inspection by the officer to the travel agency office to check if the latter passes their requirement or standard facilities.
8. Next to process are the papers or licenses from the Social Secuity System (SSS) for the safeguard of the company employees and the insurance of
the company’s official receipt by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
9. For the accreditation, a travel agency of tour operator is advised to be accredited by the Department of Tourism to be able to transact business to more
markets.
10. For those travel agencies who want to assist guests for their documentations with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Bureau of Immigration
(BOI), the owner may file first a bond with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), before applying permits with the former offices.
A. For assisting guests in securing their passports and authentications of papers, they have to apply with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
B. For assisting guests with visa or extension of stay in the Philippines, they have to apply with the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID).
NOTE: Before a travel agency may be allowed to transact business with a government office, it should apply certain requirements with the Government
Service Insurance System (GSIS).
11. There are tourism-related organizations of tourism suppliers. They are open for membership to better their services in the industry. The Philippine
Travel Agencies Association or PTAA and Philippine Tour Operators Association or PHILTOA are the two leading industry organization in the country.
They allow travel agencies to be their members only after proper submission of their requirements, including the business permits and accreditations
from the Department of Tourism.
Important Details in Opening a Travel Agency
VISION:
1.
2.
3.
What is the main purpose of travel agency?
• Business travel agencies, also known as travel management companies, provide travel-related services
with discounts and perks, which can be adjusted to meet the company’s travel policy and duty of care for
business travellers.
Below is a space provided to draw your location map and highlight that nearby
businesses that may be a possible market.
THE TRAVEL AGENCY LOGO
The company logo symbolizes that whole organization and business just
like the company name. It should reflect the entire travel agency. It
should be well defined and well-illustrated.
The fonts to be used are readable and may include your business tag
line. The icons must be well define and even the colors used must have
meaning.
OTHER AFFILIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS
Travel industry is a dynamic and changing industry. It continously
adapts to the needs of the travelling clients. This fact enables tour
operators and industry suppliers to convene and meet to answer the
demands of their clienteles.
The industry organizations are formed according to the vision and
mission that they are incorporated, but generally to improve travel
products and services among their members. They usually conduct
regular meetings to study, know and improve travel services of their
associate companies. They regularly held meetings, seminars and
conventions to disseminate updated information that could help both
travel suppliers, travel agencies and allied companies.
The following are the well-known tourism suppliers organizations.
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
The International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Phil Tour Operators Association Inc. (PHILTOA)
Phil Travel Agencies Association (PTAA)
ACTIVITY - Search the Internet about the Tourism
expositions of the following Industry keyplayers
Department of Tourism
ACTIVITY
Based from your company mision-vision, draw in the space below the details of your
logo with the company name. Make sure that it is unique and there is no look alike of
it nor similar in details.
BASIC TRAVEL AGENCY SERVICES
NOTE: That it is important to know the distinction between domestic and inbound tours
and travels. The tourism suppliers usually offer promotional tour packages to local
tourists and balikbayan. They also provide special contracted rates for certain foriegn
nationals.
For some suppliers, they have a certain travel market (may be single or group tourists,
or may be domestic, inbound or outbound guests), that they are focused on servicing,
the reason they are providing separate contracted rates among other nationals.
BASIC TRAVEL AGENCY SERVICES
3. International Tours - these are tours for those going out of the
Philippines.
Travel companies may also offer other tourism related services like the
following:
1. Hotel/Resort/Airline Reservations - This involves booking and
reservations of guests to tourism suppliers. It is recommended that said
tourism suppliers hotels, resorts, airlines, etc. should be accredited by
the Department of Tourism.
BASIC TRAVEL AGENCY SERVICES
2. Documentations
A. Passport Assistance - may include the assistance of getting the appearance
date for the guests, prepare their need documentations like NSO Birth
Certificate/Marriage Certificare (if applicable) and assist the guests on their
appearance date with the DFA Officer.
B. Visa Assistance - may include assistance to guests who want to apply for visa
to foriegn lands. For foreigners, it may also refer to assistance for their Philippine
visa or extensions.
C. Authentications Assistance - includes assistance to authenticate the public
documents of guests for travel purposes. the travel agency’s documentation
officer processes it in the government office concerned. Example of these
documents to authenticate are NSo birth certificate/marriage certificate, school
records to be authenticated by DFA.
THE EMPLOYEES
3. Skills - Most work in the travel agency need skills, especially in doing multi
tasking jobs. The employee may assist guests while talking to a tour supplier. In
some matters, a tour coordinator is an all round person in assisting guests while
on tour.
4. Other requirements:
A. Age is one consideration - As long as the employee is of legal age, and
employable, age is not a problem.
B. Sex - In some travel agency, they are considering if they need men or women.
However, men are most likely hired in field works while women are hired for
office work.
C. Attitude towards word and co-employees is one of the criteria of travel agency
owners or managers - This will guarantee on how the applicant employee can
contribute to the growth of the company. Employers are always looking for
someone who is hardworking, goal driven, and knows how to relate with co-
employees.
There are also positions to fill-in. For an established organization, the
following are the positions that require high expectations from its
employees.
1. Businessmen - possible clients, found especially in commercial districts. They usually travel
because of commerce or business and is said to have the budget given by their company.
2. Students - individuals who travel in group to have certain exposure on their given field.
3. Walk-ins - individuals who would inquire about certain travel details and might purchase a travel
service.
4. Backpackers - individuals who usually walk-in, inquiring for cheaper and the most affordable tour
services available.
5. Honeymooners - they travel with their partners to celebrate love.
ACTIVITY
Based on the different kinds of guests, think of those clients who would get your services as a
travel agent. You may also get an idea based from your travel agency location. Write at least
five market that may be present on your given location. (Justify why)
ACTIVITY
A travel agency’s basic skill is to know and practice the phonetic alphabets. It is one of
the skills that a travel agency staff uses every day. It is used to spell out words and other
details to the tour suppliers.
Write down five names that you know and spell it using the codes corresponding the
letters. Make sure that you spell it out clearly and correctly in the shortest period of time.
Phonetic Alphabets
A Alpha N Nancy/November
B Bravo O Oscar
C Charlie P Papa
D Delta Q Quebec
E Echo R Romeo
F Foxtrot S Sierra
G Golf T Tango
H Hotel U Uniform
I India V Victor
J Jack/Juliet W Whiskey
K Kilo X X-ray
L Lima Y Yankee
M Mama Z Zulu/Zebra
TRAVEL AGENCY COMPOSITION AND
MANAGEMENT
President/Owner/
Manager
Local Tours/Inbound Outbound Tours Division Chief Accountant Marketing Sales Division
Tours Division Supervisor Supervisor
Supervisor
International Airlines
ACTIVITY
• NOTE: For airline reservations, it is suggested to provide an airline booking card per guest to properly monitor the
booking and the reservations officer should be knowledgeable of the airline code and the city codes.
HOW TO DO THE RESERVATIONS
B. By Phone/Electronic Mail
1. Greet the guest.
2. Get the information from the guest, using the reservation form.
3. Ask the guests if he/she has other preferences or options.
4. Call the tour suppliers concerned for availability.
5. Should there be an availability, advice the supplier that you will fax or email a reservation form. If not available, ask for
the next available seat, accommodation or services or any options.
6. Take note of the reservations or booking reference of the tour supplier as well as the option date and time on when to
pay or finalize the reservations or booking.
7. Call back the guest the status of the reservations. The guest either may finalize it, reschedule or change the
requirement according to guest preference.
8. If it is for finalization, prepare the sale slips for the transactions. Indicate all details accordingly and do the costing.
HOW TO DO THE RESERVATIONS
9. Ask the guest for the payment. It may either be by bank to bank or by personal delivery. In some instances, guests
have a credit line with the travel agency or tour operator, as may be permitted by the travel manager concerned.
10. Endorse the payment and the sales slip to the cashier and accounting for proper verification and issuance of receipt
and verification.
11. Fax it to the tour supplier concerned and wait for their fax return, showing the required payment.
12. Prepare the payment by endorsing all issued sales slips, copy of receipt as well as the copy of the voucher to the
accounting department for proper process of payment.
13. Issue the voucher and deliver it to the guest through the company messenger or liaison officer.
14. Thank the guest for the service rendered.
15. Check with the accounting department the status of the payment. Usually, the accounting department shall make the
payment of the said bookings or reservations.
16. After the tour, contact the guest and ask for feedback.
After the tour date, the reservations officer may call back the guests about their experience or tour feedback. This will
further better services of the tour operations.
Summary of Reservations
Process
Getting of Information
Reservation Proper
Finalization of Booking
Feedback
Common Problems and Suggested Solutions in
Reservations
1. Lapse Option - If the reservations has been cancelled due to lapse option, try to revive the booking by calling the tour
supplier and request it its reinstatement. Take caution on the option date and time to finalize the booking and update the
guests for its status. Should there be no other reservations possible, give the guest a number of options.
2. Double booking - There are time that a guest or another agent is booking with the same tour supplier. Should be there
a double booking, inform the guest of the status and to which he/she wants to retain.
3. Guest complaints - In dealing with guest complaints, apologize and listen to the complaints. Investigate using the
paper transactions and other scenarios. Then take action on the complaints. If the agent is at fault, never scold the
reservations officer in front of the guest. Deal with the problem first. Give the guest extra or rebate from the tour service.
Should the fault lies on the tour supplier, write a letter of complaint and send it through fax or email. Should the tour
supplier not act on it., stop selling it by informing your other guests that you are not selling the property as of the
moment.
ACTIVITY - ROLE PLAY
Objective: To practice the students on how to do the entire practice of reservations and finalizations of booking.
A. Form a group of three members. One shall act as a reservations officer, the other is the guest and the other,
the tour supplier. Complete the reservations process using the forms: (SEARCH THE NET)
1. Reservations form/booking request
2. Booking/Purchase order
3. Sales slip
4. Receipt
5. Voucher
B. Take a video of the scenario and evaluate aftewards using the score sheet. Check the box corresponding to
the points of the trainee. Write your comments under the score sheet.
ACTIVITY - Reservations Score Sheet
Tasks to be Graded Very Good Good Satisfactory Needs
(4 points) (3 points) (2 points) Improvement
(1 point)
The trainee wears proper uniform and identification.
The trainee is able to answer the guest queries about the tour.
The trainee is able to inform the guest about the process and the fees
involved.
The trainee is able to assist the guest will full confidence.
2. In transferring calls
‘’Kindly hold your line (Maam/Sir), I will transfer your call’’.
3. In holding calls
‘’I am sorry (Maam/Sir) but (the name of the travel agent/line), is still busy and would you like me to put you on hold’’.
SALES AND MARKETING IN A TRAVEL
AGENCY
According to Oxford Dictionary ‘’Reservation means an arrangement whereby something, especially a seat or room, is
reserved for a particular person.
In a travel agency setting, sales and marketing is the division or department that determines the market and the appropriate
sales approach of the company.
1. Write contracted rate requests for the tour suppliers. Contracted rates are special contracts between the tour suppliers hotel,
airline, resorts and etc. which are usually valid every year and bears the rates of the said suppliers for accommodation,
transfers, meals, etc. (Sample Letter of Request for Contracted Sales)
2. Do call sales. Sales calls are some of the activities to search for possible clients or to meet the existing clients of the travel
agency. In this way, they will be more familiarize with the people whom they will deal with the company. The travel agency staff
may bring with them sales materials (like company brochures, fliers, and other new tour suppliers packages) and other
souveniers/token like ballpens, umbrellas, tumblers.
CONSOLIDATED ACTIVITIES:
ACTIVITY 1 - Travel Agency
ACTIVITY 2 -Create vision, mission, objectives, tagline
ACTIVITY 3 -Location map (with complete address and landmarks)
ACTIVITY 4 -Logo
ACTIVITY 5 - Search the Internet about the Tourism expositions (NAME ACTIVITY, DATE, VENUE
AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS DURING EVENT) ACTIVITIES 1-5 MIDTERM PERIOD
ACTIVITY 6 - Search the Internet for job openings in travel agencies and write down their work
qualifications (5)
ACTIVITY 7 - Think of those clients who would get your services as a travel agent.
ACTIVITY 8 - Write down five names that you know and spell it using the codes corresponding the
letters.(phonetic alphabets
ACTIVITY 9 - Search the net. Look for at least 3 domestic airlines and 10 international airline and list
down their routes or destination offering.
ACTIVITY 10 - Get sample airline booking card/ticket - Domestic
Get sample airline booking card/ticket - International
ACTIVITY 11 - Role Play - Reservations (ACTIVITIES 6-11 FINAL PERIOD)