Kinds of holidays

Nowadays tour operators try to tailor their products to the public’s diverse tastes.

The classic sea, sand and sun holiday dominates the industry, but many tourists today seek something different. There are four broad classes of alternative holiday such as adventure and action, ecotourism, escape and enlightenment, culture and heritage.

On adventure and action holidays tourists do physical things and see unusual sights. The examples of adventure and action holidays are white-water rafting, sailing a yacht, going in a hot air balloon, riding an elephant or camel, going on safari, trekking through jungle or mountains, scubadiving, windsurfing, mountain skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping and so on.

Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people. It can be different expeditions, research trips, whale-watching, bird-watching and so on.

As a result of the stress of modern living, tourists are increasingly seeking relaxation in a range of holidays that can be classed as escape and enlightenment. Escape can come through a stay in a spa resort, a health resort, or some similar place where it is possible to get away from the urgency and tension of life today. Enlightenment can come directly through the practice of activities such as yoga and meditation, or indirectly through the discovery of self often made by people on pilgrimages.

Cultural and heritage holidays involve anything in which the purpose of the visit is increased knowledge and understanding of other people and their culture. For example, city break holidays give tourists a chance of feeling the city for 3-5 days.

Tour operation

Tour operators bring together transport, transfers, accommodation, meals, attractions, and other services to make a package holiday.

Tour operators buy the components from the principals – the airlines, shipping lines, hotel companies, and so on.

Tour operators form part of the chain of distribution, and act as the link between the principals and the travel agents. However, tour operators can sell their products directly to tourists via the Internet.

There are four types of tour operators.

Mass market tour operators create package holidays for people travelling to the world’s most popular and most economical destinations.

Domestic tour operators specialize in packages for people travelling inside their own country.

Inbound tour operators produce packages for tourists coming into a country from abroad.

Specialist tour operators offer packages to people with specific interests.

Tour operation is a risky business. Fashions change, and political instability, terrorism, or natural disasters can alter demand. Tourism products are described as perishable. If they are not sold by a specific date, they are lost altogether.

Travel agencies

Travel agents are retailers; they sell tourism products to the public in a shop that is called a travel agency. They connect tour operators to customers. Travel agencies sell a range of products and services. Products are items created by other companies which the travel agent sells for commission.

Typical products are

- package holidays

- air, train and coach tickets

- traveller’s cheques

- insurance.

Services involve

- guiding and advising customers as to the best product

- giving advice on visa and passport application

- planning travel itineraries and working out costs

- representing a client in a complaint procedure after an unsatisfactory holiday.

A travel agent must possess a wide range of different skills and qualities, such as

- a very wide knowledge of geography

- detailed knowledge of the products the agency offers

- high level computer skills

- excellent personal skills, especially good listening skills

- the ability to determine a client’s needs accurately.

Ownership of travel agencies varies considerably. A significant proportion of travel agencies are actually part of a large company with a chain of agencies distributed around the major cities in a country. In addition, many tour operators have their own travel agencies to promote and sell their products.