Unit 2 Global destinations - Learning Aim C Flashcards
What are the factors considered when planning travel arrangements for customers?
Convenience Timings Risk assessment Services Safety and Security
What are the factors of convenience travellers will consider?
- the length and the total cost of the journey
- if transport is direct or changes
- number of changes or stopovers
- waiting times
- any onward transfers, connections or transit times
What is a negative of convenience?
It can come as a cost
e.g. flights that seem cheap may not be convenient - may involve a change half way through with a long transit time
Why is time of travel important for convenience?
- early flights might be cheaper but not convenient if there is a long journey to the airport
Transfers and connections
Package holiday - they will be organised
Independent - will have to research and plan these themselves
Why is it important to consider travel when arrived at the gateway airport?
-as without planning, especially if they arrive late at night, other transport services may be closed, so tourists require accurate departure times and reliable connections
Timings - 24 hour clock
- used internationally
- can cause confusion when dealing with midnight
Why are changes in time zone important?
- for plans and are included in any time calculations
- could lead to a traveller being late for connecting transport services or have a very long wait between two services
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
- Standard time in Great Britain
- The time in the rest of the world is calculated in relation to GMT
Daylight saving time
done in most regions of the world but some countries use different dates to the UK
-it is used to match hours of the day when people are studying or working with daylight hours
What are changes in time travel planner should be aware of?
- Greenwich mean time and different time zones
- Daylight saving time - different dates in different companies
jet lag
- caused by crossing time zones which leads to extreme tiredness
- a passengers mind and body has to adapt to the new hours of daylight
- takes a few days to adapt
- find they fall asleep during the day in their new time zone and can’t sleep at night
What does the impact of jet lag depend on?
- whether you are going west - less disturbance
- or east - more disturbance
- time zone extended longitudinally - long haul journeys may feel no difference (Cape town)
Services and level of comfort - different classes on scheduled and chartered flights?
Scheduled flights - offer economy, business and first-class options Charter - premium class for those willing to pay higher fares
What does service and level of comfort depend on?
- how willing the customer is to pay extra
- how long the flight is
- off peak or peak seasons
- do they need extra leg room or priority boarding
How do low-cost airlines earn revenue?
- by selling refreshments and other goods is a valuable method of making more money
- charge for extra services like priority boarding and premium class
First class on rail
-offer free wifi, refreshments, snacks and more comfortable seat
Safety and security measures
- stricter in developed world
- involve extensive checks on baggage and passengers by trained security personnel
- regular police patrols and CCTV coverage at stations and airports
- to prevent terrorist attacks and to reassure travellers
- passengers will consider the safety record and reliability of transport options and travel providers
- a previous crash might dissuade passengers
What is a risk assessment?
The process of identifying potential dangers or risks
What does a risk assessment involve?
- identifying things that may cause harm to people (hazards)
- deciding who might be harmed and how
- evaluating the risks and deciding how they can be reduced
- recording significant findings
- reviewing and updating the risk assessment
Who carries out a risk assessment?
Customers may do informal risk assessments about the destination and form of transport and make their choices accordingly
- they will also rely on tour operator, transport provider and travel agent to have gone through risk assessment
Risk assessment by FCO
Foreign commonwealth office - travel restrictions are put in place when it is dangerous for tourists to visit a particular destinations
-usually enforced during dangerous political situations or an outbreak of disease
What happens if it is not safe to be in the destination - risk assessment?
-tour operators should offer an alternative holiday or refund
-tour operators have contingency plans in place to repatriate their customers if a dangerous situation occurs
Independent travellers - can be more serious if there is a problem in a destination - even if a traveller has purchased travel insurance, the insurance may not provide cover in the event of terrorist activity or an outbreak of war
Risk assessment - health restrictions
- vaccinations
- some countries will not permit tourists to enter unless they have had vaccinations for typhoid and yellow fever
- tourists may have to carry a certificate as proof
- outbreaks of disease can prevent people from travelling
What is the general information that an itinerary include?
- number of people travelling
- dates and duration
- total costs that are broken down
- entry and visa requirements
- health requirements
Itinerary requirements
-travel details and onward arrangements
examples
- departure dates and times
- means of travelling to the departure point
- method of travel
- duration of travel
What other information would a customer like to have on their itinerary? examples
- seating arrangements - airplane details
- any changes in time zone
- onward travel arrangements
What may an extended itinerary include?
- type of trip (one/two centre, guided or independent)
- transfers
- any free leisure time
- any optional extras
- special assistance provided
What are some cost factors?
- total cost
- discounts
- supplements
- exchange rates
What are cost factors?
- cost of trip can be most important
- doesn’t necessarily mean the cheapest option is the most appealing
- need to know what service level for their money
Total cost
can be presented per person, per room, per night
Discounts
- can be offered in conjunction with a promotion such as a sale
- advance booking
- last-minute offers
- free places
- reward schemes
- integrated travel
Supplements
an amount of money paid for an additional service
- rooms with particular views
- luggage charge
- pre-allocated seats
- class of service
- travel insurance
- private transfer services
Exchange rates
- impacts tourists choice of destination
- have to consider price of attractions, eating, car hire when choosing
- if exchange rate is unfavourable then these purchases will cost more
- Exchange rate can go up and down so predictions may not be completely accurate
