CHAPTER 5-TRAVEL AND TOURISMBetter By The Bunch: The Tour Industry Today

OBJECTIVES:oDescribe the many kinds of tours that existoExplain why tour manager jobs are in such demandoDetermine what motivates people to take a touroExplain how tours are priced and sold

TERMS:oAdventure touroAll-inclusive touroDay touroDeadheadingoEcotourismoFly-drive touroIncentive tour

oMystery touroSplit itineraryoTouroTour manageroTour operatoroTransfer service oTrip director

TOURSoTour: any preplanned package to one or more places, which includes two or more travel components (flights, lodging, attractions)oTour: can be highly structured or loosely organized

KINDS OF TOURSoEscorted Tour: structured tour with a travel professional that oversees everythingoTour Manager: the professional in charge of all details of the escorted tour, may also be called the tour leader, tour director, escort, conductor or tour guide

KINDS OF TOURSoMotorcoach tour: Escorted tour with main mode of transportation is a motorcoachoMotorcoach: the preferred mode of transportation for escorted tours, “bus” designed for touring, may cost as much as $500,000

KINDS OF TOURSoIntermodal tours: combines different types of transportation into one package; may include bus, train, airplane, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.

KINDS OF TOURSoHosted tour: similar to escorted tour, however, guide only meets with travelers and does not travel with themoIndependent tour: for travelers that want their own itinerary, but get discounts for a package that includes overnight accommodations plus one or more other travel components, you get to a destination, then do what you want ( this type of tour out sells other tours 4 to 1 in the U.S. and Canada)oFly-drive tour: must have air transportation and rental car

KINDS OF TOURSoDay tour: lasts fewer than 24 hours, usually a city touroSite tour: conducted at a specific building, attraction or limited area, may be a walking tour or a vehicle tour

KINDS OF TOURSoAdventure tour: features physical activity such as hiking, diving, white-water rafting, safaris, etc)oSustainable tours: also known as ecotourism, where you “leave no trace” of a human being thereoIncentive trip: business with pleasure, usually a company’s way of rewarding an employee

TOUR FACTS:oU.S. and Canada spend $11 Billion a year on toursoTours packages are purchased from tour companies, packagers, brokers or wholesalersoTravel agents like to sell tours because they make commissions from suppliers

WHY PEOPLE TAKE TOURS…oTime and Money: tours often give you a better deal for your money-you get more with the packageoQuest for Knowledge: you “learn” as you travel, often the most important benefit of a touroCamaraderie: you meet people and become friends, share the experiencesoGroups: you go with a group when you foresee problems such as language, customs, safety issues

TOUR PRICEoAll-inclusive tour: offers most of its features for one price, traveler usually pays for most everything before they gooCost: depends on where, when and how long the trip is

HOW TOURS ARE SOLD…oPublic or per-capital tours: sold to the general public and groupsoCustomized or charter tours: tailored to a specific group, for a specific priceoInbound operator: company that concentrates on tours in a particular city, area or countryoOutbound operator: company that takes groups from a particular city or country to another country

Careers in the Tour IndustryoSenior executives, directors, and managersoClerical supportoReservationistsoTour conductorsoTour guides

oDistrict sales managersoHuman resource officersoTour plannersoDriversoTechnological support

WEB SITESoAmerican Association of Museums (AAM) http://www.aam-us.orgoAmerican Bus Association: (ABA) http://www.buses.orgoNational Tour Association (NTA) http://www.ntaonline.comoU.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA) http://www.ustoa.com

TOURING WITH THE INTERNEToBrendan Worldwide Vacations: http://www.brendantours.comoCollette Vacations: http://www.collettevacations.comoContiki Holidays: http://www.contiki.comoTauk World Discovery: http://www.tauck.comoTravcoa: http://www.travcoa.com