STANDARD

 

 

HRT 122 - TOUR MANAGEMENT

 

 

Course Description

 

Provides students with an orientation on the duties and responsibilities of the tour operator.  Emphasis is placed on the operator's role in planning and conducting tours.  Topics include:  planning individual tours, planning group tours, transportation arrangements, accommodation options, entertainment options, foreign country tours, and manager's on-tour responsibilities.

 

Competency Areas                                                                             Hours

         

Planning Individual Tours

 

 

Class/Week

5

Planning Group Tours

 

 

D. Lab/Week

0

Transportation Arrangements

 

 

P. Lab/Week

 

Accommodation Options

 

 

Credit Hours

5

Entertainment Options

 

 

 

 

Foreign Country Tours

 

 

 

 

Manager’s On-Tour Responsibilities

 

 

 

 

 

                        

Prerequisite: Provisional admission

 

 

 

 

COURSE GUIDE

 

 

Competency

After completing this section, the student will:

Hours

 

Class

D.Lab

P.Lab

PLANNING INDIVIDUAL TOURS

10

0

 

Tour components

Describe the major components of a tour.

 

 

 

Tour development

Discuss the stages in developing a tour for individual clients.

 

 

 

Terminology

Define tour as it applies to the travel industry.

 

Define escorted tour as it applies to the travel industry.

 

 

 

 

Define hosted tour as it applies to the travel industry.

 

 

 

 

Define independent tour as it applies to the travel industry.

 

 

 

Travel time

State the general rule regarding daily travel time while on tour.

 

 

 

Cost

Discuss tour operator cost control options and the advantages or disadvantages of each.

 

 

 

Benefits of client

Describe the benefits a client derives from a tour.

 

 

 

PLANNING GROUP TOURS

5

0

 

Types

Discuss the types of group tours.

 

 

 

 

Contrast group tours with individual tours.

 

 

 

Terminology

Define fly/drive tours.

 

Define charter tours.

 

 

 

Client/agency benefits

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of charter tours from the client's perspective.

 

Discuss the benefits and liabilities of charter tours for the travel agency.

 

 

 

TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

5

0

 

Domestic

Give examples of references used to determine domestic transportation rates.

 

 

 

 

Discuss domestic packaged tours developed by transportation firms.

 

 

 

Foreign

Discuss the services provided by the International Air Transportation Association.

 

 

 

 

Describe the procedure used to establish a tour through the International Air Transportation Association.

 

 

 

Incentive tours

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of incentive tours marketed by transportation companies.

 

 

 

Convention tours

Describe the process used in developing convention tours.

 

 

 

Special interest tours

Discuss methods of meeting transportation needs for special interest groups.

 

 

 

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

10

0

 

Domestic

Describe the methods a travel agent uses to identify domestic accommodation options available to the individual tourist.

 

 

 

 

Discuss establishing accommodation options for a packaged domestic tour.

 

 

 

 

Give examples of references used to determine accommodation options available to the domestic traveler.

 

 

 

Foreign

Describe the method a travel agent uses to identify accommodation options available to the individual when traveling in a foreign country.

 

 

 

 

Discuss establishing accommodation options for a packaged tour to a foreign country.

 

 

 

 

 

Give examples of references used to determine accommodation options available to foreign country travelers.

 

 

 

Meal plans

Contrast advantages and disadvantages of tours with meals included with those where meals are not included.

 

 

 

 

Define American plans as it applies to tour meal plans.

 

Define Modified American plans as it applies to tour meal plans.

 

Define European plans as it applies to tour meal plans.

 

Define bed and breakfast as it applies to tour meal plans.

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS

5

0

 

Identifying need

Discuss the procedure used to determine client's tour entertainment desires.

 

Describe the procedure used to plan entertainment options for a packaged tour.

 

 

 

Planning

Plan entertainment options for an escorted tour.

 

 

 

FOREIGN COUNTRY TOURS

5

0

 

International tours organizations

Give examples of references which list organizations that establish international tours.

 

 

 

Brochure

Describe the contents of a typical brochure which promotes an international tour.

 

 

 

Outline

Outline a tour to a foreign country which includes accommodation options.

 

 

 

Reservations

Describe the procedure used to make reservations for transportation, site visits, and hotels for a packaged foreign tour.

 

 

 

Itinerary

Prepare an itinerary for a foreign country tour.

 

 

 

Predeparture briefing

Describe the element of a predeparture briefing of clients going on foreign country tour.

 

 

 

MANAGER’S ON-TOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

10

0

 

Duties

Describe the duties of the on-tour manager.

 

 

 

 

Discuss the variations in tour manager qualifications of different countries.

 

 

 

Terminology

Define cook’s tour as it applies to group travel arrangements.

 

 

 

Conduct code

Discuss the Tour Operation Code as developed by the United States Tour Operators Association.

 

 

 

Legal protection

Discuss actions tour managers take to protect themselves from lawsuits.

 

 

 

Itinerary

Select a tour destination and develop an itinerary for use by clients.

 

 

 

 

Select a tour destination and develop a tour manager’s operational procedure.

 

 

 

 

 

Suggested Resources

 

Suggested Resources include textbooks shown below or most current edition.

 

Gregory, A.  (1989).  The travel agent: Dealer in dreams (3rd ed.).  Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

 

Poynter, J. P.  (1989).  Foreign independent tours: Planning, pricing, and processing.  Albany, NY: Delmar.

 

Reilly, R. T.  (1991).  Handbook of professional tour management (2nd ed.).  Albany, NY: Delmar.

 

Starr, N., & Silva, K.  (1990).  Travel career development (4th ed.).  Boston: Houghton Mifflin.