~ dge IGC, ~ vel andTour;,

· --=-~- · - · ! . customer interaction with hotels a nd 0th er types of service

• 1
.
providers. Many hotels m ake use o f new technology
. .
• J to streamline their operating procedures wi thm and
r
.
between vanous departments an d these have resulted in
' improvements to both customer service and profitability.
. fions an d ,
There are a range of technological app1ica
depending on the nature of the particular department,
it is common to see the following aspects used by
most providers:

• A website allows online booking and acts as a marketing tool.

• Databases aid direct marketing, and
• Finance systems help to streamline payments, accounts and
stock control.

Such applications increase efficiency in both front and back of house

situations and allow organisations to become more competitive. This
benefits customers as well as the staff. A majority of customers like
the ease and convenience of using the Internet for booking travel
arrangements. In particular, they like the instant reservation/payment
confirmation and the 24/7 availability of the service. The adoption
of new technology has had great benefits for both producers and
consumers.
To maximise operational benefits, staff will have to be trained in all
aspects of the systems being used, and therefore many organisations
will provide professional development opportunities for their various
employees. OPERA is the MICROS property management system used
in many large hotel chains such as Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and the
InterContinental Hotels Group. It is the successor to the popular Fidelio
PMS (Property Management System). Opera can essentially be the
only management software a hotel needs, as it can handle reservations,
customer profiles, housekeeping management, maintenance logs,
cashiering, accounts, agent commissions and other items such as mini-
. bar systems or guest pay per view TV. Arrivals and in-house guests
are served using the front desk features of the property management
software. This technology handles individual guests, groups, and walk-
ins, and has features for room blocking, managing guest messages and
wakeup calls, and creating and following up on inter-department memos.

Follow basic procedures when handling

7 customer ·enquiries, reservations and payments
Customer satisfaction is affected by customer expectations about the
7 service they ~ill receive. If the customer service they receive is d ifferent
,.. lJ
 ,
"~ki
. ng _P_ .....,
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2. Your dotaHa
-----'--"---_____:__::==: I
from what.they expected, there is always a
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Tuesday, May 17, 201 1 BooldOP ooncldorw
1
I
p anger that customer satisfaction will be lower
FriOay Mlly 20, 2011
S nights - , room - 2 persons i - than expected. Therefore, many organisations
THB 20079 {discount IOcluded)
- ~ ~ -- - - - - . \ try to deliver the same customer service,
L vou,ctolall• " time after time, so that the service customers
receive matches their expectations and gives
= Club&if•wtthCfty
them customer satisfaction. Customer service
..,,_ • Buffet tweakfast
w..cn'tctwve ya,.xcredit card. Voor Ctlldit catd Is ooty requ1red to guarantee your IN en«
t>oc>ldog. cw,1 Wg
rocedures are the routines and detailed steps an
()wditcardtype
c,sdtcaO-
organisation uses to deliver its customer service.

-
Some organisations have formal procedures in
C,wd hOldtlt'soamt
~ date

., l!W filial stap we need a few moni delalls and YoU ca,, confirm your reservation writing and use those to train their staff and to
monitor service.

Customer's requirements correctly interpreted upon

receipt of an enquiry
All travel and tourism organisations will attempt to meet the various
» eeds of the customefs. Most suppliers of goods and services will try
to match availability with customer requirements. For example, when
hotel reservations are being made, there should be an easy and efficient
booking service that includes the following:
• Prospective clients are told clearly what is included in the prices
7 quoted for accommodation, meals and refreshments, including
service charges, taxes and other surcharges.
• Other information which may have an impact on the guests' stay,
such as smoking policy, refurbishment work in progress, planned
.functions/events etc., should also be provided.
• Where operational policy dictates that certain facilities need to
be pre-booked (spa treatments, dinner etc.) these should also be
mentioned at the time of booking.
• Advance warning should be given if the restaurant is to be closed
or likely to become fully booked soon.
• Full details of the hotel's cancellation policy should be provided if
there is one. This especially includes information about charging
credit cards for cancellation or changes to the booking.
• Information about deposits if required should also be mentioned,
including details of how the deposit is taken and whether or not
it is refundable on cancellation.
• Clear explanation of charges for additional services or available
facilities including cancellation terms should be made available.
• Information about ~ny unacceptable types of payment, example
credit cards etc. need to be clearly stated.
• Information and full details about any fees charged for the
acceptance of credit cards should also be provided.
 IG~ el andTouri
- ,
Simple reservation file prepa
red following set. p
tion requ.red
rocedures
'
s:
. use of diary
includmg . i or further ac . the
le operates m
We have already learned about h O w the guest eye .
de the reservation
context of a hotel. Once a boo ki ng has beenkma (such ' as Opera ) ,
department is equipped wit . h a so ftware pac aget al reservations o ffi ce.
which is interfaced and connec t e d with the cen r
t matically generate
. d tment can au o
Moreover, the reservation epar c st deposits and handle
. d e requests ior gue
letters of confirmation, pro uc They can also generate
. . . £or a11 types of guests.
pre-registration activities d nue forecast
daily expected arrival lists, an d occup ancy an .reve cords can be
lists. On the day of the arnv. al , vanous
. reservat10n re t nt
transferred to the individual hotel's front office depar me .
- - - - - _ _ _H_o _
TE-L N A~;,-H; TELINE --- Simple receipt issued and payments
I PIN: POOOO()
E~t oooooo Fax 11111111 . Bo, 2486-001000 NBI. recorded
GUE;ST BILL / INVOICE
VAT, 0000000 Unt1·1 the 1960s, nearly all travel and tourism
; GuEsTNAME:
I ROOM No:
485
cHARLS 1Nvo1cENo:
GROUP NAME:
143560-3
TIGER
organisations operated using manual_ t 1
I
I i ACCOUNT No:
ACCOUNT NAME:
84732
sYSTEMs DATE PRINTED, 16/10/2011 12,1 2,03 PM business systems. This was compara ive y
1

Bil Ra, No, BILL TYPE, BILL DATE, Bill TIME, COM!AENTs ~• Any> , BILL AMOUNT: labour intensive as all forms, procedures
i
/j 3476
3478 BEVE HIRE
HALL 12/11/2011 09:19:09AM
09:19:10 AM issued 1~:~gg and different kinds of calculations were
j
3481
00
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FOOD 1211112011
12/11/2011 09:19:1sAM
09:19:27 AM 1.~oo
OOO OO rl done manually. During the 1980s, we saw a
,i 3492
3493 BEVE
BEVE 1211112011
12/11/2011 °:_~
09 :_ 2 0 2 :~
8
s :ooo
700 00
00 • technological revolution that still continues.
f; . 11

Nowadays, most organisations operate a,f =Y

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l 12112,201 1 41201 ..,. •-
25 000 00
-:

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· ,l !I can be automatically generated at fixed

'- ~ --------- ---------

TOTAL BILL..: 'i".!....,~ , I points.

Use reference sources to obtain information

There is a wide range of organisations which provide information f9i;
anyone who wants to travel to virtually any destination in the world. ·
Travel organisations can be categorized in terms of whether they are
primarily marketing or non marketing. Marketing organisations include
tour operators, tourist boards and the overseas marketing departments
of the destinations themselves. While any information about a
destination can be of use to a particular individual, it is always worth
remembering that the primary objective of marketing and promotion
departments is to_ attrac_t to~rists who are able to spend money on their
product or in their destmation.
The amount of information that is currently available about most
destinations for most travellers usually far exceeds what · . d
1s require .
For most individuals, the problem is where to start Most l
,.- - - - - ·· _ · peop e
planning a leisure trip will visit a local travel agency. Here they will
find a wide range of brochures which are often arranged according
to the type of holiday. There may be a section on cruises, sections
arranged by country, types of packages such as villas and self-catering
breaks etc., and special interests such as skiing, coach tours and a host
of others. There will also be brochures produced by transport providers
such as ferry companies or airlines giving details not only of their
transport services, but also of their particular range of inclusive tours.
British travel agents distribute between six and ten brochures per
person booking a holiday. ,
\
However, the main purpose of these printed brochures is to create
awareness amongst the readers which will then lead to a positive
decision of buying one of the featured holiday products. Travellers
wanting to know more about particular destinations have a number
of options. Travel agency staff should have immediate access to a
selection of guides and manuals such as the OAG Flight Guide,
the OAG Cruise and Ferry Guide, OAG Gazetteers, OAG Holiday
Guides and the OAG Guide to International Travel. They would be
able to refer to these to answer specific questions about particular
destinations. Travel employees cannot be expected to know the answer
to every question, but they should know where to look in order to
obtain appropriate information. For example, the OAG Gazetteers
contain independent reviews of resorts and accommodation in six
volumes covering the following: ;,.,.

• Mediterranean Hotels;
• Mediterranean Apartments;
• European Cities;
• Long Haul;
• North America;
• Ski, Lakes and Mountains.

Internet research of holiday destinations is now commonplace and

millions of people frequently investigate aspects of thek domestic and
overseas travel in this way. Many people have access at work, home or
via a third party, and most travel and tourism organisations maintain a
website for information storage and to service the increasing trend of
on-line bookings. The amount of data available is extremely large and
information about most destinations in the world can be found at the
click of a mouse. However, some sites are more useful than others and
surfing the net can easily become a very time consuming process. It is for
this reason that face to face contact with a travel advisor remains popular
with the members of the travelling public.
 IG
clvel andTouri

Timetables, travel brochures and tariffs used to obtain

accurate information
Many travel and tourism professionals will have to demonstrate.
the ability to use a selection of brochures and timetables to obtam
information when dealing with clients' requests. To illustrate the
main tasks involved, consider the following activity.

ARABIAN NIGHTS TRADING buys various types of merchandise from suppliers in the Middle East and sells them from
its shop in the Arab Street shopping district of Singapore. Mr Mirza Bin Mejren is co-owner of the business together
with his partner, Mr Hamad Al-Sayegh who lives in Dubai.The company is growing and there are plans to expand the
Singapore operation.
You work as Mr Mirza Bin Mejren's Personal Assistant. One of your main duties is to make all business meeting
arrangements.
Mr Bin Mejren has an important business presentation to make at a meeting on 8th October this year. He has
asked you to attend to the following matters.
• The booking of a return business class flight from Dubai to Singapore for Mr Al-Sayegh to arrive on 7th
October and return on 12th October.
• Finding a business class hotel that is near both Arab Street and a Mosque and reserve a room for 5 nights.
Reserving a meeting room in the hotel to be used for the presentation on 8th October and arranging the hire
of appropriate audio-visual equipments.
• Arranging appropriate airport transfers for Mr Al-Sayegh. .\
You are requi red to surf the Internet for information on Dubai flights to Singapore, business hotels and
transportation.

Itinerary drawn up to meet customer's requirements

An itin_e rary refers to a detailed plan for a journey, giving details of dates
and timings, methods of travel, accommodation etc.
To help illustrate what this·involves, you should attempt to complete
the following itinerary based on your research for the above scenario.
Your itinerary should include full
details of all travel and accommodation
Itinerary for Mr Hamad Al-Sayegh arrangements specified by Mr Mirza
Dates: Bin Mejren. You may use the mentioned
Time Details template or any other suitable format.
Having selected the venue for the
business meeting and made travel
arrangements for Mr Al-Sayegh, write
a memo to your boss, Mr Mirza Bin
Mejren, justifying your choice of flight,
hotel and transfers.
 t:'
r. ' ~ ki~g

Use of computerised information systems and relevant

technology to .obtain information
The travel marketplace is a global arena where millions of buyers (travel
agents and the public) and sellers (hotels, airlines, car rental companies,
etc.) work together to exchange travel services. Among the 'shelves' on
which buyers search for travel services are world's global distribution
systems and the Internet distribution systems. These systems have
become electronic supermarkets linking buyers to sellers and allowing
reservations to be made quickly and easily. Nowadays, more travel is
sold over the Internet than any other consumer product outlet. The
Internet is a perfect medium for selling travel and tourism destinations
as it brings a vast network of suppliers and a widely dispersed customer
pool together into a centralised market place.
Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) are used globally within the
travel industry to book a range of travel products such as flights, hotels, car
hire etc. These are also known as Global Distribution Systems (GDS).

These are:
Worldspan is a provider of travel technology and content and a part of the Travelport GDS busjpess.
It offers worldwide electronic' distribution_of travel inform;itiqn, _internet prpduc;.ts _aµd connee.tiyity, .
and e-commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel service providers and corporatiP,t;is: Its primary
system is commonly known as a Global Distribution System (GDS), which is used by travel-agents and
travel related websites to book airline ticl<ets, hotel rooms, rental cars, tour packages and as§ociat~ ,
, '
products. Worldspan. also hosts IT services and product
.
solutions for major airlines.
Sabre is a global distribution system owned by Sabre Holdings group, a global travel technol0gy ' t •
company serving airlines, hotels, travel retailers including online and offline travel agents, travel buyers
such as corporations and travellers, and car, rail, cruise and tour operators. The company is organised
into four business units: Travelocity/lastminute.com (online.travel ag~ncy), Sabre Travel Network
(global distribution system providing travel information to agencies, corporations and travelers), Sabre
Airline Solutions ,provides airline technology such _as reservatio~ systems and revenue management)
.
and Sabre Ho&pitality Solutions (provides technology solutions to hotels).
.

Galileo is a c~mputer :r:eservations system owned by Travelpor~. It has a 26.4% of worldwide C_RS .,
airline- booking~-. !n addition to airline reservations, the Galileo CRS is also used to book train travel,
cruises, car re~tal, arid hotel rooms. The Galileo system was moved from Denver, Colorado, to the
Wod~span datacentre in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 28, 2008, following the 2007 merger of
Travelport a,no_Worldspan (although they now share the same datacenter, they continue to be run as
separate ,.syst~s ).

Learning a CRS/GDS is invaluable when striving for a career in the

travel industry. If you have completed the previous scenario-based exercise,
you will have had a glimpse into the world of the travel professional.
 lc.ge IGC~ vel and Tou ris

Exchange rate lists devised and used

If you have travelled abroad, it is likely that you will have had to change
money into the local currency at a bank or bureau de change. Fig. 3 .6
shows a receipt from such a transaction.
Exchange rates vary on a daily basis
Sharaf Exchanae ...,_ .. ,a.,sl . . - 11 '.J--'-":. 1
and Fig. 3.7 shows how selected currencies
11,,-. lillf lLIAl<KA,LnlltL M" ,01>0~ ,.,-
were trading against the$ (US Dollar) in
Foreign Currency Purcbue / Sales Receipt
: 09BTFCl50045 04/0IIO'l
early April, 2010. Travel plans are majorly
: CASH OX HAXD °""
P1yln Ccy /\ ED
influenced by costs at the chosen destination
: AAA~ WALK JN CUSTOMER Mode Cash
Type Carnacy FC Amou•t Amounr in A.ED

GBP 100.00 6. 1200000 6 1?.00 and to illustrate this look back at the
itinerary that you have prepared. What was
the cost of your chosen flight? What was the
cost of the accommodation and transport?
I
Use an updated currency exchange list to
convert all costs into US Dollars.

--
~t1 Amount 612.00
You can now try an exercise based on
your own country and this will simulate
__._.~ ,
Pr~rtd B~· : h':I SIIOltF. "' : OtlOSN9 .t:09:00P.\I _ _ _ _ _ _ __

,...,..,...,,L.~-- ~•- ~ ·--•N·'"-',.,..,....,...,,._, the work done by travel consultants in

l M11aoac.o,.,a. ............ ~,..,... llN),o.it.i,.UlialdAlab~
TC.t714J5S.,_,_..,, . . .,,,01. &n11-Hd:t: nrf ~ •~ -'V,11 - •'l.nt Tl > l t• • ~--+''l'l l 1' HIW\ • ..""6

, 5-jld. . . . . . . . . ....., ......,."",.,,...,...,,.,...._.. your local area. Do you think that there
- - - may be a total price difference? Will some
Fig. 3.6 Sales receipt international travellers achieve a saving if
they purchase goods and services in one
currency rather than another?

Base Currency: Us Dollar, USO on Saturday, April 3, 2010

Currency
Utd, Arab Emir. Dirham
mlll1~i•Jll 1MM Units/1 USO
AED 0.2723 3.6733
Brunei Dollar BND 0.7282 1.4101
Swiss Franc CHF 0.9451
Plan a long haul trip to a destination of your choice 1.0583
Chinese Yuan Renminbi CNY 0.1451 6.83~
for two adults. Cyprus Pound CYP 1.3541 0.7386
Euro - E.U.R ...1.J541
• Identify flight availability from the internet; British Pound
Q.13a6
GBP 1.5245 0.6561
Select and confirm dates and times of travel; Hong Kong Dollar HKD 0.1287 7.7_676
Plan airport transfer from travellers' home Indian Ruppee INR 0.02229 45.0212
Japanese Yen _ JP,.Y 0.Qj062J
to arrive at check-in time; Lao Kip
94.1136
LAK 0.0001199 8539.47
Use internet, brochures or leaflets to Sri Lanka Rupee t K8 . 0.008789 113.925
Mauritius Rupee
identify hotel accommodation and costs at MUR 0.0341 31 .8257
Maldive Rufiyaa MVR 0.07924
the destination; 12.9707
New Zealand Dollar NZD 0.7068 1.4155
Plan airport transfers at the destination; Russian Rouble RUB 0.03421 29.248
Singapore Dollar - SGD 0.7155
Convert all costs into your local Vietnamese Dong
1.3979
VND - 5.341 e-05 19313.1
currency, using published exchange South African Rand ZAR 0.1381 7.2599
rates. Zl l!t _ _,_~ ZWD 0.002679 376.3
Produce an itinerary for the journey. Source: Currency Exchange Rates provided by OANDA C .
www.oanda.com orporation:

Fig. 3.7 Exchange rates

Mt lfJ
 ....
me ~ king proced

Explore the presentation and promotion of

tourist facilities
You will learn all about the marketing mix in unit 5 but the concept of
7 promotion, one of the '4 P's' that make up the marketing mix, need to
be considered here. Travel and tourism organisations provide a variety
of products and services for sale to the travelling public but potential
customers must be made aware that such items are readily available.
Hence, there ~ffecti~~-iresentatio~-a-~-~fpromotion
of such items. Different products and services are madeavillaole ___
through the chain of distribution in different ways and it is no surprise
to discover that they will be presented and promoted in different ways.
Within the framework of the marketing mix, the major objective is
achieving sales volume and revenue targets. Advertising, public relations
and sales promotion would be regarded as failures if the sales were below
the targets set. A sale is made when a customer undertakes to spend
money in exchange for a promise to deliver a product. That sounds
simple but in practise a sale is the end of a complex process involving
initial awareness of what is available, consideration of the options before
but not always leading to the final decision to purchase. This complex
system is particularly important with selling holiday~ as the product
is relatively high priced and there is a great deal of consumer choice
available in the market.
This is where front line employees come into their own because
they can very much help with the actual selling process. Qualities of an
-·--·-·· __ _ .. . _____ employee involved with the selling of a
I

l product or service include:

i
~ ~ ~-, !r .r. . .,_ enthusiasm, honesty, intelligence,
initiative and friendliness;
• knowledge of the industry and the
product;
good judgement;
• consistency.
i__......
i) Communicating effectively will be
' a major asset because it will help in
, terms of customer satisfaction. A
, well spoken person will attract the
attention of the customers and the use
of good grammar, vocabulary and tone
of voice all help to· reflect the degree of professionalism that is required
for the work.J

ilai: Ull
GC. vel and Tour
·nt of sale may or
Many potential customers who turn up at a pOI
. r.:ZTh f ourse a large number
may not purchase a good or serv1ce.fl.tl ere are o c .
. t buy a particular
of reasons why these prospective customers canno .
good. It may be too expensive for them, however many can afford it
but still do not buy because they are not sure of its advantages. They
maybe short of information. It is part of customer service to provide the
prospective customer with as much information as is required for that
person to make up his or her own mind regarding purchasi~ B!l!1g
knowledgeable about the product will also improve selling skills, as the
sales person w· be more confident. This image will be reflected to the
prospective customer who will become more aware of the knowledge
and will be more confident in buying the product. Knowledge and skill
in presentation can be improved with the appropriate training for staff
working in the front line.
It is important that to properly___present t~e
p ~_p.o.t~ustomers. The sales presentation should focus on
a central idea, which should be the unique perceived benefit that the
prospective customer gains from buying the product/service.fiherefore,
the presentation shmµd focus on 'matching' the benefits of the product
with the needs of the prospective customer .so that they will be entirely
satisfied that the product will meet their needs and requiremen~
Customers buy when they become satisfied that their decision will
either make/save them money or time; they also ~eed to be certain that
the new product/service will be reliable; therefore, the presentation must
be convincing in these areas.
In many cases, if the sales person conducts the sale properly, the
customer will close the deal. The manner in which a .sale is concluded
depends on the style of the customer and their motivation. No-nonsense
high-achievers are likely to decide very quickly and may be a little
irritated if you leave matters hanging after they've indicated they are
happy to proceed; cautious technical people will want every detail
covered and may need time to think; very friendly types may actually say
yes before they are ready, in which case the salesperson needs to ensure
that everything is suitably covered so that there are no complications or
complaints at a later stage.

Range of promotional methods and their use identified

Promotional techniques are used by travel and tourism organisations
to make prospective customers aware of products, to whet their
appetites and stimulate de~and; they also provide information to help
customers decide about which products they will actually purchase.
In the promotional process, the selection and the use of the tools is
crucial as nowadays the tourism industry is an extremely challenging
~, -
. ... I

,
.,;_ < •

. ,.
 IJ (. -~
r,J,<j,king pro
- --
m

marketplace.{Ihese methods are used to tell customers about, and

persuade them to buy, the services available. Promotional materials
/ should be well designed, appropriately worded and readily available to
the target customers. They can include advertisements, brochures and
l~aflets, posters and other point-of-sale items, merchandising materials,
videos and press release1Jin order to achieve maximum effect from
promotional efforts, there are a range of important factors to consider:

• What is the promotional campaign trying to achieve?

• Who is the target market?
• What promotional materials will be used?
• How will the success of the campaign be monitored and
evaluated?

Fig. 3.8 shows the staff working at a 5-star

international resort hotel's tour desk. This
is the customer service environment where
hotel guests can make purchases for a
variety of local tours and excursioi:is. The
photograph gives a clear indication that
a range of products are on display and
information about them is being made
available to the potential customers. Let us
now consider some of the ways in which
Source: JDS such products can be promoted.
Fig. 3.8 Staff working at a tour desk Brochures
7 The brochure is a very good source of basic information about particular
destinations, attractions and facilities. It is common to find the following
incluf.fed:

• A map is included in most brochures and it gives the location of

the destination relative to the point of entry, together with resort
attractions.
• A table of climate figures indicating what the weather condition~
will be like.
• Photographs showing aspects of the natural and built environment
that people are likely to be interested in.
• A description of the facilities to be found in selected types of
destination accommodation.
• Brief details of local places of interest and attractions.

It needs to be remembered that the main purpose of these printed

brochures is to create awareness amongst the readers which will then lead
to a positive decision of buying one of the featured holiday products.
 _.. _._&
__ ge IGC"l_avel and Touris ?tr:f:111
';>Promotional leaflets .
These are essentially mini-brochures acting as
adverts for a particular product or service. They are
carefully designed to attract the eye and provide
To help you understand that a wide range of travel basic details about what is on offer. Key factual
and tourism organisations use leaflets as a means information usually provided for the benefit of the
of promotion, visit your local Tourist Information potential customers includes prices, timings and
Centre (TIC) and obtain a sample of the leaflets
contact details.
that are currently on display.
This will allow you to identify some of the main Advertisements
types of provider present in the local area. Place Most travel and tourism businesses use a variety
these into suitable categories, such as:
of media, rather than a single source, to get
• Visitor attractions
their message out to the public. The advertising
• Tours
components used, such as brochures, newspapers,
• Activities
direct mail, and radio etc. should work together
• Entertainment
• Restaurants for broad coverage of the target markets previously
Do the leaflets produced by particular types identified~me media reach certain markets
of provider have any similarities? Which do better than others, and different target markets will
you think are the most useful and why? use different media to get their informatio~ey also
use these media at different times. Thus, no one medium
can reach everyone at the same time.~r most organisations
their budgetary restrictions will limit their choice of advertising
to publications rather than on television or radi~ The choice of
publications in which to advertise is vast. In addition to local and
national press, there are also special interest magazines and tourist
board guides.
Advertising usually has either tactical or strategic objectives.
Strategic advertising is concerned with creating awareness of markets,
7 and of products, of developing an organisation's identity and image.
Strategic advertising takes a more long term view. Tactical advertising
is aimed at specific market segments and persuading them to go to a
particular place or buy a certain service, sometimes at a particular
time or season. Tactical adverti~ing takes a more short to medium
term view.

Internet
The key to achieving the benefits of Internet promotion is having a well
designed and well _maintained website that i~ attractive, informative,
7 interactive
--~ anclqmck.Jo download. Well-designed tourism websites
incorporate information that is as accurate and detailed as a brochure,
often with timetables, photos and graphs and such sites essentially
operate as a 'Virtual Tourist Office'. Effective sites are updated regularly
 with information regarding the tourism products and services, such as
entertainment available etc.
The cost of setting up a website can vary depending on how elaborate
and functional the site is. Website features that appear to yield the most
positive returns for national destinations includei - -
--- - - - - -- - -- - - -- - - - -
• search facilities,
• special offers and packages advertised on the website,
• enquires page,
• samples of the particular culture of the county,
• subscription capabilities for regular email newsletters,
• information in different languages,
• virtual brochure rack,
• itineraries that include directions, photographs and dining
suggestioAs,
• online packages of activity, sightseeing and cultural interest.

It is especially important to properly profile the site with the main

search engines (i.e. to ensure that the site a~ars highin.Jh~
of search results). In addition, all members of the tourism industry
should be encouraged to promote the website and become linked
to it. Local attractions that have internet sites can be especially
targeted for the establishment of such links. Site profile is also
increased in many cases by linking with relevant local, national and
international sites.

Window display and other in-house promotional methods

? Window displays should not be underestimated as a way to promote
tourist destinations. In the aftermath of the Asian tsunami in 2005, the
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launched a sustained programme
of marketing and promotional activities. In an attempt to promote the
resumption of travel to Phuket, Krabi and other destinations along
the Andaman coast, the Stockholm office of the Tourism Authority
of Thailand worked in partnership with TUI Nordic, a key player
in Scandinavian charter operations. The result was the creation of
prominent destination marketing window displays, promoting travel
destinations around Thailand, in some 250 Scandinavian travel agency
throughout Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Retail travel
agencies are a common sight in towns and cities all over the world.
Like many other types of shop, travel agencies try to attract customers
by having eye-catching window displays. Fig. 3.9 shows a typical UK
shopping street in which the travel agency has occupied a key site in
order to maximise customer numbers. It is located on a corner, thus
. . .. Cambridge !GC1 Travel and Touri_s . --.;.......__-...:ii
.d.
-
·t with a shop frontage
prov1 mg 1
This also means
on twos t ree ts .
that the travel agency has the
• c two window
opportunity 1or
display areas.
The windows in this example
are full of promotional offers. The
signs are large, using bold colours,
to help attract the attention of
people walking by. The fact that
the travel agency is on a main road
surrounded by other shops will
mean that it can take advantage of
the high pedestrian flows that are
- found in such locations.
Fig. 3.9 A travel agency outlet Larger attractions will also
promote their various additional products and services to visitors once
they have arrived on site. Large hotels behave in a similar fashion;
7 therefore, let's have a brief look at these in-house promotional methods.
Fig. 3.10 shows a major international 5-star resort hotel's dining
terrace being prepared for a special buffet luncheon. The buffet is
available for both resident hotel guests and to outside customers who
buy it as a part of a special day visit
package that also allows beach and
pool access. Such packages will be
advertised to non-resident customers
by a variety of traditional methods.
However, hotel guests will be made
aware of the buffet by slightly
different methods including:

• in-room tv advert;
• in-room news letter or
information sheet;
• notice in reception and/ or at the
restaurant entrance;
• menu insert or table advert at a
previous meal service;
• word of mouth from restaurant
Source: JDS staff.
Fig. 3. 10 Dining terrace of a 5 star resort
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To understand the ways in which promotional activities can take place, look at the following lists of media and
tou~ism products. Match the most suitable promotional method to each product, giving reasons for your choice.

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How your knowledge and understanding of the

Unit 3 content is likely to be assessed · - ~ ·
Examination questions will always be partly based around pieces of real
life travel and tourism industry material. This chapter contains examples
such as the images included under various sections.
Question I _ _
(a) Explain three personal skills and qualities that 'front-of-house'
travel ,11nd tourism employees would be expected to possess.
(6 marks)
(b) Explain why it is important for safari guides to have the
following attributes:
• Local destination knowledge
• Good written and spoken English skills
• First aid training. (6 marks)
(c) Discuss the procedures that a travel agent is likely to follow
when handling enquiries and making reservations. (6 marks)
Question 2
Refer to the following description of a restaurant manager's job role
and duties.
 Cambridge IGC, ravel andTouris

WANTED
Restaurant manager
th th
The restaurant is your empire, but it is essential to liaise effectively with other heads of department. Good relations wi e.
kitchen are a top priority. Also with the bars (especially if there is a particular bar from which your staff obtains wine and dr~ks
for diners) , housekeeping (for linen supplies and laundering) and reception (who get enquiries for table reservations, and are ma
t
strong position to encourage guests to dine in the restaurant). You will take reservations (mostly by telephone), greet gueS s as
they arrive in the restaurant, and show them to their table. Some restaurant managers also hand guests the menu, :"1d. return to
take the order, advising on the choice of dishes, wines and other drinks. Otherwise waiting staff do this, and your JOb IS to keep an
eye on all tables, guests and staff, so that you spot and can quickly deal with anything that is going inappropriately. It i~ court~ous
to check that guests are enjoying their meal. Complaints will happen, even when noth ing has gone wrong, and your diploma~c-
skills have to come to the fore. You will recruit and train restaurant staff (although the general manager, or personnel and trauung
manager may also be involved), plan staff rotas, ensure that routine duties such as cleaning the silver are attended to, and that
licensing and health and safety legal requirements are complied with. Before service, you will brief staff on the day's menu, any
large bookings and VIP guests. Stocks of cutlery, glassware, china and other restaurant equipment are your responsibility.

(a) Identify three groups of internal customers that the restaurant

manager will have dealings with. (3 marks)
(b) Explain three ways in which staff teamwork is important for the
delivery of customer service in the restaurant. (6 marks)
Question 3
Refer to the figure below, a photograph showing a member staff from
a resort hotel's pool & beach department attending to the needs of an
external customer.

Source: JDS

(a) Identify and explain two ways in which the uniform is

appropriate for the serv~c~ environment. (4 marks)
(b) Explain two types of trammg the member of staff is likely to
have received. . (4 marks)
(c) Explain three ways in which the hotel's range of water sport
activities could be promoted to resident guests. (6 marks)