Guide to Becoming a Travel Professional
The idea of a tour conjures up images of exotic places, sightseeing, and being pampered. In reality, a tour can be as simple as a day trip to Atlantic City, a month-long around-the-world tour by private jet, and everything in between. Fortunately, there are different types of tours to meet the variety of client needs and desires.
One of the most important tasks for the travel counselor is assisting clients in selecting the appropriate tour. Not all tours are created equally and the tour industry is not a "one-size-fits-all" business. The client's destination, budget, comfort level, and previous travel experience can affect the type of tour that is most appropriate for him.
Independent tours are the least structured tours available and participants are basically on their own. In fact, participants may not even realize that they are on a tour. Travel counselors and travelers alike refer to an independent tour as a package because no actual touring is involved.
Clients interested in an independent tour decide on the destination and the appropriate brochures offer a variety of departure dates, lengths of stay, and a choice of hotels. Prices are listed for each hotel and length of stay; the departure date may affect the price. It is not uncommon for a tour brochure to show higher prices for departures on the weekend, days near a holiday, during high season, or during special events (e.g., Mardi Gras, Indianapolis 500).
Independent tour participants are completely free to do what they want. Travelers who want to relax on the beach for a week, shop at all the local establishments, or spend hours in the museums and galleries prefer independent tours because there is no set schedule. Many clients traveling to destinations in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean select independent tours instead of the other two types.
Hosted tours have minimal structure and offer the services of a host. The host is an employee of the tour company who is available during certain times, usually in an area of the hotel lobby. The host can assist with dinner reservations, theatre tickets, rental cars, and offer suggestions about sightseeing, shopping, and dining. The duties of a tour host are much like the duties of a hotel concierge.
Hosted tours include the same features as an independent tour but may also include some basic sightseeing. The host may go along during the sightseeing or a local guide may perform this duty. A tour guide lives in the destination area and joins the group only for a short period of time. Usually, the included sightseeing provides an overview of the area or city and generally lasts only a few hours. Famous sites are pointed out along the way and an inside visit to a popular attraction may be included.
Travelers who want the freedom to explore but realize that a tour representative would be helpful prefer hosted tours. Destinations in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and major European cities are popular choices for hosted tours.
Escorted tours are the most structured and a tour company employee, called an escort, is with the group throughout the trip. Travelers selecting escorted tours usually do so because they appreciate the fact that the escort is always present and all sightseeing has been previously arranged. In fact, almost all details of the trip have been prearranged and the participants have nothing to worry about or plan on their own.
Escorted tours are usually very regimented and it is common for the day to begin with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and conclude with dinner and a show at 9:00 p.m. Participants do not have to attend each planned activity, but there is no refund if they choose to skip an activity. Of course, if tour members want to spend an extra hour shopping and the group is moving on to another city, flexibility is not an option.
Sightseeing on escorted tours is very comprehensive and includes many of the most popular sites and attractions. Participants are usually taken to the attraction entrance and admission has already been paid. Even though the escort stays with the group, local tour guides may join the group for short periods of time. Local guides are experts on particular sites and enjoy sharing their knowledge and answering questions.
Travelers to most international destinations may prefer an escorted tour, simply for the peace of mind. Escorted tours are offered throughout the United States as well and may include visits to several states. Ground transportation on escorted tours is usually by motorcoach and in some destinations, ferries, trains, cruise ships, and other modes of transportation are used.
Another type of tour is the special interest tour. These tours focus on a particular topic, activity, or type of client. A special interest tour can be independent, hosted, or escorted, but most of them tend to be hosted or escorted.
Sometimes a traveler wants a tour that includes sites or activities that are not part of a packaged tour. For example, a client wants to visit all of the national parks in Utah or all of the pyramids in Egypt. Packaged tours may include some of these sites, but not all. Situations like this require that the travel counselor create a customized tour, known as a foreign independent tour (FIT). The letters FIT stand for foreign independent tour but are used to identify domestic customized tours as well.
Each component of an FIT is arranged separately by the travel counselor. Making these arrangements is time consuming and requires a good deal of expertise. The travel counselor must know, or know how to find out, which companies to contact for each component. Because of the expertise needed for FITs, some travel agencies have one or more counselors who specialize in FITs.
FITs are more expensive than packaged tours because each component is purchased individually instead of in bulk. Travelers who purchase FITs are not necessarily concerned with obtaining the lowest price; rather, they are interested in including exactly what they want. Most travelers who purchase FITs understand the work involved and are willing to pay for the added service and customization.
Which components are included depends on the type of tour purchased. An independent tour may include only transportation and accommodations. A hosted tour may include transportation, accommodations, and transfers. Escorted tours and FITs usually include all five components.
One of the most important tasks for the travel counselor is assisting clients in selecting the appropriate tour. Not all tours are created equally and the tour industry is not a "one-size-fits-all" business. The client's destination, budget, comfort level, and previous travel experience can affect the type of tour that is most appropriate for him.
TYPES OF TOURS
Clients interested in an independent tour decide on the destination and the appropriate brochures offer a variety of departure dates, lengths of stay, and a choice of hotels. Prices are listed for each hotel and length of stay; the departure date may affect the price. It is not uncommon for a tour brochure to show higher prices for departures on the weekend, days near a holiday, during high season, or during special events (e.g., Mardi Gras, Indianapolis 500).
Independent tour participants are completely free to do what they want. Travelers who want to relax on the beach for a week, shop at all the local establishments, or spend hours in the museums and galleries prefer independent tours because there is no set schedule. Many clients traveling to destinations in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean select independent tours instead of the other two types.
Hosted tours have minimal structure and offer the services of a host. The host is an employee of the tour company who is available during certain times, usually in an area of the hotel lobby. The host can assist with dinner reservations, theatre tickets, rental cars, and offer suggestions about sightseeing, shopping, and dining. The duties of a tour host are much like the duties of a hotel concierge.
Hosted tours include the same features as an independent tour but may also include some basic sightseeing. The host may go along during the sightseeing or a local guide may perform this duty. A tour guide lives in the destination area and joins the group only for a short period of time. Usually, the included sightseeing provides an overview of the area or city and generally lasts only a few hours. Famous sites are pointed out along the way and an inside visit to a popular attraction may be included.
Travelers who want the freedom to explore but realize that a tour representative would be helpful prefer hosted tours. Destinations in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and major European cities are popular choices for hosted tours.
Escorted tours are the most structured and a tour company employee, called an escort, is with the group throughout the trip. Travelers selecting escorted tours usually do so because they appreciate the fact that the escort is always present and all sightseeing has been previously arranged. In fact, almost all details of the trip have been prearranged and the participants have nothing to worry about or plan on their own.
Escorted tours are usually very regimented and it is common for the day to begin with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and conclude with dinner and a show at 9:00 p.m. Participants do not have to attend each planned activity, but there is no refund if they choose to skip an activity. Of course, if tour members want to spend an extra hour shopping and the group is moving on to another city, flexibility is not an option.
Sightseeing on escorted tours is very comprehensive and includes many of the most popular sites and attractions. Participants are usually taken to the attraction entrance and admission has already been paid. Even though the escort stays with the group, local tour guides may join the group for short periods of time. Local guides are experts on particular sites and enjoy sharing their knowledge and answering questions.
Special Interest Tours-Topics :
- literary, famous authors
- archaeology
- ecology
- history
- art
- music
- special event (e.g., Mardi Gras, motor racing, Olympics)
Special Interest Tours-Activities
- photography
- adventure (e.g., mountain biking, rock climbing, backpacking)
- sports (e.g., skiing, tennis, golf, scuba)
- shopping
Travelers to most international destinations may prefer an escorted tour, simply for the peace of mind. Escorted tours are offered throughout the United States as well and may include visits to several states. Ground transportation on escorted tours is usually by motorcoach and in some destinations, ferries, trains, cruise ships, and other modes of transportation are used.
Another type of tour is the special interest tour. These tours focus on a particular topic, activity, or type of client. A special interest tour can be independent, hosted, or escorted, but most of them tend to be hosted or escorted.
Sometimes a traveler wants a tour that includes sites or activities that are not part of a packaged tour. For example, a client wants to visit all of the national parks in Utah or all of the pyramids in Egypt. Packaged tours may include some of these sites, but not all. Situations like this require that the travel counselor create a customized tour, known as a foreign independent tour (FIT). The letters FIT stand for foreign independent tour but are used to identify domestic customized tours as well.
Each component of an FIT is arranged separately by the travel counselor. Making these arrangements is time consuming and requires a good deal of expertise. The travel counselor must know, or know how to find out, which companies to contact for each component. Because of the expertise needed for FITs, some travel agencies have one or more counselors who specialize in FITs.
FITs are more expensive than packaged tours because each component is purchased individually instead of in bulk. Travelers who purchase FITs are not necessarily concerned with obtaining the lowest price; rather, they are interested in including exactly what they want. Most travelers who purchase FITs understand the work involved and are willing to pay for the added service and customization.
When a client purchases a tour, regardless of whether it is independent, hosted, escorted, or an FIT, he is buying specific products and services, called components. Components include transportation (e.g., air, train, motorcoach, boat), transfers from the airport to the hotel with porterage (baggage handling), accommodations, meals, and sightseeing.
Which components are included depends on the type of tour purchased. An independent tour may include only transportation and accommodations. A hosted tour may include transportation, accommodations, and transfers. Escorted tours and FITs usually include all five components.
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