What Is A Travel Agency Tourism Essay
Travel agency is a confidential seller/ public service that present tourism related services to the public on behalf of dealers like hotel, package tour, railways, rentals car, airlines, sea ways, and airlines. addition to trading with regular tourists the majority agencies have a separate department committed to making travel arrangements for commercial travelers and a number of travel agencies focus in commercial travel only. There are also travel agencies that provide as general sales agents for overseas businesses, allowing them to have branches in regions and nations other than where their head offices are placed.
Operation
Agency’s major role is to perform as a representative. Promoting travel goods and services on behalf of a dealer. Therefore, similar to other retail industries, they don’t have a stock in stores. A holiday pack or a ticket is not obtained from a dealer till a consumer desires that purchase. The holiday or ticket is providing to them at money off offer. The revenue is consequently the variation among the marketing cost which the consumer pays and the discounted cost at which it is offered to the agent. This is known as the commission. In countless countries, all persons or companies that trade tickets are necessary to be licensed as a travel agent.
Many British and American agencies license are based on these associations:-
(IATA) international transport association- for who issue air tickets
(ATOL) air travel organizer’s licensing- for who order tickets
(ABTA) associations of British travel agent or the (ASTA) the American society of travel agent, for who trade package holidays on behalf of a tour company.
Ticketing
Reserve and distributing tickets is a most important function of the travel agency. It is necessary for travel agency workers to have familiarity or knowledge about Air travel in the worldwide as well as national segment. This knowledge undertakes a range of other features such as booking methods, class of travel, prohibited matter, special customers, passports, visas, travel directories, hotel guide. Supervisor or an worker have to know the variety of procedures linked to these
Management tasks
Similar to any other business if you have it in mind to set up and run a travel agency company efficiently you have to apply the management concepts and functions not only in scheduling but also in processing. The organization tasks in a travel agency are linked to the character of business process and the services provided. The key responsibility of travel agency is to supply the purchase of travel to the client at a suitable place. It is at these places that the travel agencies act as reservation representative for road or water transport, railways, hotels, package tours, airlines. They also offer convinced additional services such as, traveler cheque, procuring of visas, foreign exchange, travel insurance, airport transport, customer clearances, permits, etc. A travel agency also behaves like a travel advisor suggesting consultancy on ideas like:
How to travel?
When to travel and where?
Where to stay or do shopping, etc.?
Information about rules, policy, safety, etc.
Such suggestions are possible only after identifying the client’s requirements and attitudes. This part has to be completed neutrally by the travel agency in order to provide the best to the client.
Travel agencies are divided in a range of ways. The differences can be based on their memberships such as International Air Transport Association (IATA), Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), World Association of Travel Agents (WATA), Universal Federation of Travel Agents Association (UFTA) or Travel Agents Association of srilanka (TAASL). These recognitions can also be identified by the kind of trade or services they are providing.
Acquiring Product familiarity or Knowledge
If not a director acquires product knowledge or familiarity with products, it is hard to be successful in travel agency industry. This is exactly true because the majority of the travel agencies are small family businesses with proprietor performing as managers and use little workforce. The managers themselves must have a best product familiarity or knowledge in order to lead and direct their workforce. This is related for mutually, outbound as well as domestic travel. A travel agency workforce should have full familiarity or knowledge of-
Destinations:
Whether conditions,
Political environment,
Special events and community holidays,
Customs, culture and cuisine of destination,
Main attractions,
Physical condition and other hazards,
Money exchange rates,
Travel policy regulations and documents,
Lodging facilities,
Airlines:
Reservation system,
Travel Route operations,
Flight agenda,
Charges,
Types of airplanes,
Services offered on board,
Connecting flights,
Airports:
Timings,
Amenities,
Travel Agencies
Product knowledge can be obtained
From a variety of sources. It is equally
Custom and safety regulations,
Distances from city,
Transportations:
Connections or contacts
Car rentals,
A reservation method and procedures.
Other Aspects:
Package tours,
Excursions,
Principal Suppliers:
Image and financial standing,
Services offered,
Quality of service,
Commissions offered,
Forming or setting up a travel agency
To form a travel agency business has to make sure about following aspects:
Monetary and Infrastructural requirement,
Approval from concerned parties,
Recognitions from major suppliers or dealers,
Infrastructural and Financial or monetary Requirements
Forming a new business in this subject the big capital requirements are less. Most require investment are for the following:
Purchase of Suitable office space,
Office furniture,
Communication system and tools such as, computer, telecommunications
Wages for the employees,
Office equipment such as, document, files, tag, letterheads
Before formulate the travel agency business a significant point to be think is the situated place of the agency or the position of agency. The majority of the travel agents have their offices in busy cities. Travel agents vie for business in the place where they are positioned. At the same time selecting on the position of your office, you should make sure that it is in the marketplace with close access to profitable business.
Approvals from Concerned parties
Travel agencies want some approvals for start and function the business such approvals are:
Recognitions From the (IATA) International Air Transport Association is the global association of Scheduled Airlines. To apply for International Air Transport Association approval an application has to be presented by completing out the essential details, Forms, and sent to Sedentary, Agency Investigation, according to agency investigation below aspects will tartan-
Capability to find and procure air traveler transportation
Professional standing
Financial or economy position
Business building, location, etc
Workforce experience
A final inspection is held and the approval is provided by International Air Transport Association. Mainly it is important state here that all International Air Transport Association approved Agents obtain 9% commission on global air tickets and 6% on domestic air line tickets.
Recognition and Licenses
Travel agencies have to look for recognition or licensed from –
Department of Tourism,
Travel agency association of srilanka(TAASL)
Recognition from the major suppliers such as, the airlines, Banks and recognition by the dealing hotels.
Civil aviation license registration (according to Srilanka)
Manager prefer the status of that company
Manager and two staffs with qualified diploma certificate authorized institute. (Have to face an interview to recognizes and get the permission)
Original business registration certificate (BRC)
True copy from share holders and shares details. If that company based on one person they will need company details and future achievement
Section 51 form that ,the main one share holders original details including share percentage
MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURE
Membership Entrance Fee Rs. 20,000/-
Membership Subscription for the ensuring year Rs. 10,000/-
Total Rs. 30,000/-
Needed Document’s
Registration Certificate issued by the Ceylon Tourist Board
License Certificate to carry on Business as a Travel Agent issued by the Ceylon Tourist Board for the current financial year
License Certificate to carry on Business issued by the Aviation Authority for the current year
Certificate of Company Registration
A letter confirming the authorized and paid up capital form the Auditors
TRAVEL AGENTS ASSOCIATION OF SRI LANK
APPLICATION FORM FOR MEMBERSHIP
The Secretary
Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka
COLOMBO
Name of Company: …………………………..……………………………………..
Address: …………………………..……………………………………..
Business: State Nature of Tourist Activities:
…………………………..……………………………………..
…………………………..……………………………………..
Name / Designation of Contact Person: …………………………..……………………………………..
Tel No: …………………………..……………………………………..
Fax No: …………………………..……………………………………..
Email Address: …………………………..……………………………………..
Signature of Applicant: ………………………………………
Date: ………………………………………
I / We wish to apply for election as a member of the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka and I/We hereby agree to be bound by the Rules of the Association from time to time in force and by the decision of the General Committee.
Signature of Applicant: ………………………………………
Date: ………………………………………
Services offered
Tour packages(family travel, group travel, adventure travel, incentive travel )
Domestic and international tour packages
hotel and resort lodging to air transportation
car rental needs
travel insurance security
visa procedures
Immunization procedures and other foreign travel requirements.
Urgency toll-free phone numbers
ticketing
airline seating preference
Smoking and non-smoking designation
It all based on personal interests and budget concerns.
License to carry on business as a travel agent
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