TOUR OPERATORS.
Many of us use tour operators whether we're booking a trip in the UK or oversea's. People may get confused with the services tour operators provide in comparison to travel agents, however they provide two completely different services. Unlike Travel Agents, who sell the holidays, Tour Operators put them together, dealing with the airlines, hotels, accommodation providers and transport services. In the UK there are approximately 900 tour operator office members of ABTA - The Travel Association, this shows that Tour operators indeed play a huge role in the travel industry.
In the travel and tourism industry there are 4 different tour operators such as:
Mass Market Tour Operator: A mass market tour operator is a huge company such as Thomson. Thomson set up package holidays at the best prices for their customers, this could be a week in Malia or two week in Cuba. They are part of the private sector which means their aim is to make profit but keep their customers happy too.
Specialist Tour Operator: A specialist tour operator is set up so customers can tailor make their holidays and travel to special destinations like the Maldives or the Caribbean. An example of a specialist tour operator could be KUONI.
Domestic Tour Operator: Domestic tour operators specialize in holidays around the UK, this is good as some people don't like to travel abroad but would rather stay in their own country. The domestic tour operator makes sure their customer gets the best deals and days out.
Incoming Tour Operator: An incoming tour operator deals with people coming into the UK and provides services so that the tourists can enjoy all the day trips that the UK has to offer. An example of an Incoming tour operator could be Evan Evans and Titan tours.
In the travel and tourism industry there are 4 different tour operators such as:
Mass Market Tour Operator: A mass market tour operator is a huge company such as Thomson. Thomson set up package holidays at the best prices for their customers, this could be a week in Malia or two week in Cuba. They are part of the private sector which means their aim is to make profit but keep their customers happy too.
Specialist Tour Operator: A specialist tour operator is set up so customers can tailor make their holidays and travel to special destinations like the Maldives or the Caribbean. An example of a specialist tour operator could be KUONI.
Domestic Tour Operator: Domestic tour operators specialize in holidays around the UK, this is good as some people don't like to travel abroad but would rather stay in their own country. The domestic tour operator makes sure their customer gets the best deals and days out.
Incoming Tour Operator: An incoming tour operator deals with people coming into the UK and provides services so that the tourists can enjoy all the day trips that the UK has to offer. An example of an Incoming tour operator could be Evan Evans and Titan tours.
Thomson.
Thomson is a Mass market tour operator and it is part of the private sector. Thomson was formed in 1965 and it's aim was to make going abroad on holiday easier for all. Fast forward 40 years and they are still going strong, with the best holidays for the best prices. They have got more staff based around the world than any other travel company, and a huge collection of holidays to choose from. So whether you’re after a cruise or a 5-star hotel, they can help you find a break that’s right for you. Thomson have many different types of holidays to choose from like a Family holiday, a Cruise, a Beach holiday or perhaps a Couples holiday. They provide different types of board basis:
Another example of a mass market tour operator would be Thomas Cook, the other leading holiday company in the UK and it provides exactly the same services that Thomson do, a wide range of package holidays suitable for the customers needs and at the best prices.
Thomson is a Mass market tour operator and it is part of the private sector. Thomson was formed in 1965 and it's aim was to make going abroad on holiday easier for all. Fast forward 40 years and they are still going strong, with the best holidays for the best prices. They have got more staff based around the world than any other travel company, and a huge collection of holidays to choose from. So whether you’re after a cruise or a 5-star hotel, they can help you find a break that’s right for you. Thomson have many different types of holidays to choose from like a Family holiday, a Cruise, a Beach holiday or perhaps a Couples holiday. They provide different types of board basis:
- Full board which provides bed and breakfast and a meal at both lunchtime and in the evening.
- Half board which means breakfast and evening meal is included in the price you have paid for your accommodation.
- Self Catering means that no meals are included in the cost of your holiday package, but you will be provided with catering facilities in your accommodation to cook light meals.
- Room Only which is what it says really, just a room.
- All inclusive is a board basis which is becoming more popular nowadays, you get food and drink included in your holiday package at anytime of the day but it usually stops at around midnight.
Another example of a mass market tour operator would be Thomas Cook, the other leading holiday company in the UK and it provides exactly the same services that Thomson do, a wide range of package holidays suitable for the customers needs and at the best prices.
Specialist Tour Operator.
Specialist tour operators tailor make holidays to special destinations to suit you. An example of one could be Kuoni, When Alfred Kuoni launched his travel agency over 100 years ago, he was a total visionary. An adventurer and explorer, he was seeking out new places and new experiences and he wanted all his fellow travelers to see and experience the same as he did and this is what Kuoni try to do to this day. They provide a sense of adventure and are determined to open up new experiences for their customers wherever in the world that may be, they also provide luxury holidays and usually at luxurious destinations. Kuoni has led the UK long-haul holiday market and has consistently been this country’s most successful specialist tour operator. Currently, Kuoni offer the widest range of product more than any other UK tour operator, with a huge choice of holidays from tailor-made itineraries to escorted tours throughout the world, with particular specialism in the Far East, Indian Ocean and Africa.
Here are some of the different stages of the development of Kuoni:
Specialist tour operators tailor make holidays to special destinations to suit you. An example of one could be Kuoni, When Alfred Kuoni launched his travel agency over 100 years ago, he was a total visionary. An adventurer and explorer, he was seeking out new places and new experiences and he wanted all his fellow travelers to see and experience the same as he did and this is what Kuoni try to do to this day. They provide a sense of adventure and are determined to open up new experiences for their customers wherever in the world that may be, they also provide luxury holidays and usually at luxurious destinations. Kuoni has led the UK long-haul holiday market and has consistently been this country’s most successful specialist tour operator. Currently, Kuoni offer the widest range of product more than any other UK tour operator, with a huge choice of holidays from tailor-made itineraries to escorted tours throughout the world, with particular specialism in the Far East, Indian Ocean and Africa.
Here are some of the different stages of the development of Kuoni:
- 1965 - Kuoni purchases Challis and Benson in London’s Bond Street.
- 1980 - Kuoni installs computerized reservations system revolutionizing the speed and flexibility of tailor-making holidays.
- 1987 - Kuoni operates the first commercial Round the World charters by Concorde. Introduction of first ever charter to the Maldives.
- 1999 - Kuoni launches www.kuoni.co.uk, becoming the first long-haul UK tour operator to offer on-line booking of holidays.
- 2007 - Kuoni is voted ‘Best Longhaul Tour Operator’ for the 25th year and the Daily Mail’s ‘Favourite Longhaul Tour Operator’ at the Travel Weekly Globes. Kuoni acquires luxury villa specialist CV Travel and launches World Class Europe
- 2012 - Kuoni launches new website.
Sustainable tourism: is attempting to make as low an impact on the environment and local culture as possible, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves.
What do Thomson do to encourage Sustainable Tourism?
The impact that the modern lifestyle has on the environment is a factor that is concerning Thomson. This is making them more aware and leading to them making greener choices – such as improving factors like using ecological cleaning products, reducing the amount of water they use, saving energy and recycling their waste.
Thomson have made sure its hotels’ environmental performance are more environmentally friendly and have provided the elite hotels with a new Eco-quality mark for the first time, in the form of Green Medals. Thomson’s Green Medals recognize hotels that have achieved high standards against over 100 criteria for the environment and staff well being, such as whether the hotel has power saving key fobs that turn off all the lights when the holidaymaker leaves the room, the use of alternative energy sources such as solar power, the reuse of grey water for the garden areas, using local products to save transportation fuels that would be needed to bring the products into certain countries and they are thinking carefully about who they employ to help the areas economy. For example a policy to employ local staff this includes providing training for local staff to enable them to achieve higher positions and they also provide staff benefits.
Does Tourism Benefit Less Economically Developed Countries? (LEDC'S)
Yes, foreign currency spent by tourists can be used to improve local education, health and other services. Also tourism creates jobs for local people and opportunities for them to learn skills within the travel industry. The local infrastructure will be improved for the tourists but this will also benefit the locals too as water and sanitation facilities, roads, public transport, and airports will all be improved making life that little bit easier for the tourists. However, sometimes tourism can have a negative effect on LEDC'S, the profits made in the countries may go to the foreign companies, like tour operators and hotel chains rather than going to the local community. If tourism isn't sustainable then pollution and damage will occur within the countries wildlife habitats and jobs may not even be given to local tourists, the holiday companies may bring skilled workers over with them leaving even more locals without jobs. All in all tourism tends to benefit LEDC'S but sometimes this may vary.
Does Tourism help with the countries Gross Domestic Profit? (GDP)
The Travel & Tourism industry in the UK is nearly five times the size of automotive manufacturing, Travel & Tourism’s total contribution to GDP in the UK was £101 billion in 2011, or 6.7% of total GDP. With 2.3 million direct & indirect jobs in the UK, Travel & Tourism directly supports nearly as many jobs as the financial service sector in the UK. Researches have said that the GDP that the Travel and Tourism sector provides will grow by 4.1% over the next ten years, a faster growth rate than the total economy.
What do Thomson do to encourage Sustainable Tourism?
The impact that the modern lifestyle has on the environment is a factor that is concerning Thomson. This is making them more aware and leading to them making greener choices – such as improving factors like using ecological cleaning products, reducing the amount of water they use, saving energy and recycling their waste.
Thomson have made sure its hotels’ environmental performance are more environmentally friendly and have provided the elite hotels with a new Eco-quality mark for the first time, in the form of Green Medals. Thomson’s Green Medals recognize hotels that have achieved high standards against over 100 criteria for the environment and staff well being, such as whether the hotel has power saving key fobs that turn off all the lights when the holidaymaker leaves the room, the use of alternative energy sources such as solar power, the reuse of grey water for the garden areas, using local products to save transportation fuels that would be needed to bring the products into certain countries and they are thinking carefully about who they employ to help the areas economy. For example a policy to employ local staff this includes providing training for local staff to enable them to achieve higher positions and they also provide staff benefits.
Does Tourism Benefit Less Economically Developed Countries? (LEDC'S)
Yes, foreign currency spent by tourists can be used to improve local education, health and other services. Also tourism creates jobs for local people and opportunities for them to learn skills within the travel industry. The local infrastructure will be improved for the tourists but this will also benefit the locals too as water and sanitation facilities, roads, public transport, and airports will all be improved making life that little bit easier for the tourists. However, sometimes tourism can have a negative effect on LEDC'S, the profits made in the countries may go to the foreign companies, like tour operators and hotel chains rather than going to the local community. If tourism isn't sustainable then pollution and damage will occur within the countries wildlife habitats and jobs may not even be given to local tourists, the holiday companies may bring skilled workers over with them leaving even more locals without jobs. All in all tourism tends to benefit LEDC'S but sometimes this may vary.
Does Tourism help with the countries Gross Domestic Profit? (GDP)
The Travel & Tourism industry in the UK is nearly five times the size of automotive manufacturing, Travel & Tourism’s total contribution to GDP in the UK was £101 billion in 2011, or 6.7% of total GDP. With 2.3 million direct & indirect jobs in the UK, Travel & Tourism directly supports nearly as many jobs as the financial service sector in the UK. Researches have said that the GDP that the Travel and Tourism sector provides will grow by 4.1% over the next ten years, a faster growth rate than the total economy.