Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
based on scheduled services are referred to as inclusive
tours by excursion (ITX). Aircraft may be chartered for
specifi c fl ights or for blocks of time, usually a whole year
or for the duration of a season. This is known as time
series charter and is fi nancially more attractive than 'ad
hoc' arrangements. Many tour operators charter their
aircraft on a 'fl ight series' basis, contracting with the
airline for the same time and destination each week. By
using fl ight series charters and setting very high load
factors (the number of seats that needs to be fi lled on
a fl ight before any profi t is made), tour operators have
been able to keep prices down and stimulate demand.
It is not uncommon for an operator to set a break-even
load factor as high as 85-90 per cent.
Other travel services
Apart from accommodation and transport, package
holidays usually include other services such as:
Transfers to and from accommodation in the resort;
The services of a representative (rep);
Car hire;
Reps are an important part of package holidays
Excursions;
Equipment hire, e.g. skis, hammocks, bicycles, etc.
which bypasses retail travel agents altogether. It is now
quite common for people to put together their own
'unpackaged holiday' by using the internet to book
fl ights, accommodation, car hire, etc. separately. This
is having an effect on the sales of traditional package
holidays, which have been falling in recent years.
Depending on the number of passengers involved,
transfers can be by coach, taxi or minibus. Tour
operators schedule fl ight arrivals so that maximum use
can be made of coaches, without undue delay being
caused to clients.
Resort representatives ('reps') provide information and
support services for their customers, deal with any
emergencies, arrange excursions and generally ensure
the smooth running of the holiday while the clients
are in the resort. Many reps are only employed for the
duration of the season, either summer or winter, with
some returning to work at head offi ce in the UK out of
season.
One solution to this problem is for travel agents to
offer their customers a more 'tailor-made' experience,
rather than selling them just standard package
holidays. Many travel agents would say that they do
this already, especially the independent agents, who
pride themselves on their personal service and high
standards of customer care. Creating tailor-made travel
arrangements for clients is more time-consuming for
the travel agent, but new technology systems make it
easier for agents to offer clients a more personalised
holiday that meets their requirements. Many holiday
companies are breaking away from the traditional
seven and 14-night holiday durations to attract DIY
packagers.
Tailor-made and dynamic holidays
We discussed earlier in this unit that travel agents are
facing a big challenge from the development of the
internet and the growing trend for DIY packaging of
holidays and other travel products by customers,
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