Smith Warburton
Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism, endorsed by University of Cambridge International Examinations, covers the content of the new Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism syllabus. Written in a clear and accessible style, the book offers comprehensive coverage with an international perspective and in-depth analysis of all topics. Designed for class use and independent study, the book equips students with the skills needed to succeed in the examination. Key Features
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Travel and Tourism
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Based on and full coverage of the latest IGCSE Travel and Tourism syllabus Full colour, attractive design and layout to enrich the learning experience Sections have been split into units, each dealing with a particular topic, and are cross-referenced to other units wherever appropriate Clear and detailed explanations of all concepts using diagrams, flowcharts, contemporary photographs and examples as appropriate Wide variety of activities and end of unit questions to check and facilitate students' understanding Contains case studies and illustrative examples encouraging subject-based knowledge as well as a truly international approach
Cambridge IGCSE
·
Cambridge IGCSE
John D. Smith and Fiona Warburton are both experienced teachers and principal examiners in the subject.
ISBN 978-0-521-14922-8
9 780521 149228
®
Travel and Tourism John D. Smith Fiona Warburton
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Mexico City Cambridge University Press 4381/4 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110002, India www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521149228 Š Cambridge University Press 2012 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 2012 Printed in India by A catalogue for this publication is available from the British Library ISBN 978-0-521-14922-8 Paperback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Every effort has been made to trace the owners of copyright material included in this book. The publishers would be grateful for any omissions brought to their notice for acknowledgement in future editions of the book.
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Contents Preface
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Unit 1: The travel and tourism industry
1
Introduction
1
Structure of the international travel and tourism industry
2
The economic, environmental and socio-cultural impact of travel and tourism
18
Role of national governments in forming tourism policy and promotion
35
The pattern of demand for international travel and tourism
40
Destination Investigation – Group/Project Work
44
Promoting visits to the destination’s attractions
46
How your knowledge and understanding of the Unit 1 content is likely to be assessed 47
Unit 2: Features of worldwide destinations
49
Introduction
49
The main global features
51
Different time zones and climates
56
Investigate travel and tourism destinations
63
The features which attract tourists to a particular destination
70
How your knowledge and understanding of the Unit 2 content is likely to be assessed 94
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Unit 3: Customer care and working procedures
97
Introduction
97
Deal with customers and colleagues
100
Identify the essential personal skills required when working in the travel and tourism industry
111
Follow basic procedures when handling customer enquiries, reservations and payments
116
Use reference sources to obtain information
118
Explore the presentation and promotion of tourist facilities
123
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How your knowledge and understanding of the Unit 3 content is likely to be assessed
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Unit 4: Travel and tourism products and services
131
Introduction
131
Identify and describe tourism products
132
Explore the roles of tour operators and travel agents
140
Describe support facilities for travel and tourism
152
Explore the features of worldwide transport in relation to major international routes
161
How your knowledge and understanding of the Unit 4 content is likely to be assessed
177
Unit 5: Marketing and promotion
179
Introduction
179
Role and function of marketing and promotion
180
Market segmentation and targeting
191
Product as part of the marketing mix
197
Price as part of the marketing mix
203
Place as part of the marketing mix
208
Promotion as part of the marketing mix
214
How your knowledge and understanding of the Unit 5 content is likely to be assessed
220
Unit 6: The marketing and promotion of visitor services
221
Introduction
221
The operation, role and function of tourist boards and tourist information centres
221
The provision of tourist products and services
230
Basic principles of marketing and promotion
234
The marketing mix
237
Leisure travel services
240
Business travel services
244
How your knowledge and understanding of the Unit 6 content is likely to be assessed
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Index
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Preface Welcome to the world of international travel and tourism. Travel and tourism is one of the world’s largest industries, employing approximately 231 million people and generating over 10 per cent of the world GDP. World travel and tourism generated in excess of US$ 7 trillion in 2009 and this is expected to rise to over US$ 13 trillion over the coming decade. You may or may not have studied the subject before but you will know something about it from your own holidays and related travel experiences. Travel and tourism syllabus has been designed to help meet the need for skilled and knowledgeable individuals in this rapidly diversifying industry. The syllabus develops practical skills across a range of working roles, as well as provides a global and local perspective on travel and tourism. Students gain an overview of the industry, and learn about popular destinations, customer care, working procedures, travel and tourism products and services, and marketing and promotion. Through their studies, students will gain an understanding of the concepts, models and theories used within the industry, and also enhance their skills of investigation, analysis, interpretation and evaluation. To help prepare students to take full advantage of future opportunities, they will be encouraged to participate in visits to appropriate travel and tourism organisations and destinations. Such activities will help the individual student to clearly: develop an understanding of the scale and importance of the industry; appreciate the importance of host destinations and communities to the industry and the importance of sustainable development; appreciate the positive and negative impacts that the industry may have on people, environment and economy; as well as appreciate the global and dynamic nature of the industry. Furthermore, participation in such activities will help students to gain a knowledge and understanding of the travel and tourism industry that is fully appropriate to the needs of an employee working at the operational level with direct contact with customers. Indeed, it can be argued that the acquisition of such knowledge and understanding will clearly relate to that required of an employee working at supervisory level. The vocational subject seeks to promote in students the ability to: develop and sustain an interest in the issues affecting the industry and their potential effect on employment opportunities;
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appreciate the importance of the customer to the industry; develop practical and technical skills relevant to the industry; appreciate how the industry responds to change; appreciate the impact of ICT on the industry; develop their own values and attitudes in relation to industry issues. This book has been structured to match the curriculum content listed in the University of Cambridge International Examinations syllabus and each chapter relates to one of the six study units. Frequent links are made to the international travel and tourism industry ensuring that students learn to apply theory to real-life tourism situations. Each chapter has photographs, stimulating activities and up-todate case studies. Assessment tasks have been included at the end of each chapter to help students assess their own progress and mastery of the key concepts.
Acknowledgement We would like to thank the following for permission to use their material in either the original or adapted form: www.etn.travel, Travel Weekly Group (www.travelweekly.co.uk), Shearwater Adventures (shearwatervictoriafalls.com), The Port of Dover (www.doverport co.uk), OANDA Corporation (www.oanda.com), Touch4 Ltd (www.touch4.com), www.germany.travel, www.gotohungary.com, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Days Out Guide (www.daysoutguide.co.uk), Tourism Development Solutions (www.developtourism.com), Brunei Tourism (www.bruneitourism.travel), American Society of Travel Agents, Centara Hotels and Resorts, ICCA – The International Congress and Convention, www.visitbritain.org, Telegraph Media Group Limited, UNWTO (9284403311), www.tourismleafletonline.com, www.iceplc.com. The following is reproduced by permission of the University of Cambridge International Examinations. Syllabus Name & Code Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism 0471 Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism 0471 Cambridge AS Travel and Tourism 9395 Cambridge AS Travel and Tourism 9395
Paper & Question Number Paper 1; Q4 (a), (b) and (c) Paper 1; Q4 (b) and (c)
Month/Year Chapter/Page in book November Chapter1; 2008 Pages 47/48 June 2010 Chapter 1; Page 48
2 images of hotel workers Paper 1; Q1 November 2010 Receptionist photo
Chapter 3; Page 102 Chapter 3; Page 107
Paper 1; Q1
Chapter 3; Page 112
Doorman photo Paper 3; Q4 Fig. 4 (a)
June 2010
Cambridge International A June 2010 Level Travel and Tourism 9395 Cambridge International Paper 1; Q4 (photo) and 4 November IGCSE Travel and Tourism 0471 (a) and (c) 2009
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Unit 1
The travel and tourism industry Think About It
Introduction The substantial growth and development of tourism-related activities clearly mark tourism as one of the most remarkable economic and social phenomena of the past century. For example, the number of international arrivals show an evolution You are likely to have some personal experience from a mere 25 million international arrivals in 1950 of travel and tourism. Think about the following: to over 900 million in 2008, corresponding to an • Where did you last go on holiday? average annual growth rate of 6.6 per cent. • Was it in your country or abroad? Today travel and tourism is one of the world’s • How did you travel? • What type of accommodation did you largest industries, employing approximately 231 stay in? million people and generating over 10 per cent of • What did you eat and drink? world GDP. Indeed, world travel and tourism is • What activities did you do on holiday? expected to generate in excess of US$ 13 trillion • How was the holiday organised/booked? over the coming decade. From the answers to the above questions you will have examples and illustrations of the following aspects of the University of Cambridge International Examination’s Travel and Tourism Syllabus content: If the holiday was in your home country you were a domestic tourist; if abroad you were an outgoing tourist. The destination, if abroad may have been long haul or short haul; at home it may have been a short break or with regards to Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR). Different methods of transportation by land, sea and air may have made up a part of the holiday. You may have travelled using principals owned by large private sector companies. The accommodation used may have been serviced or selfcatering, such as a four star hotel or a camp site, and you may have had a half board or an all-inclusive meal plan.
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While on holiday, you may have visited natural and built tourist attractions and used the services of a local Tourist Information Centre (TIC) or guide. The holiday may have been booked through a travel agency or directly with a tour operator. It is important to understand and appreciate that development of travel and tourism can take place at a variety of scales. This means that you should be aware of developments within your immediate local area as well as within your country as a whole. Furthermore, an international perspective is also required. It should be remembered that in examinations candidates will always obtain credit for providing specific details about facilities and locations that are appropriate to a particular question.
Structure of the international travel and tourism industry What is tourism? Industry definitions Defining tourism is not really helpful unless we understand who the tourist is, so it is worthwhile to consider the definition of the word ‘tourist’. In 1995, the World Tourism Organisation provided the following clarification: Any person who travels to a country other than that in which s/he has his/her usual residence, but outside his/her usual environment for a period of at least one night but not more than one year and whose main purpose of visit is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the country visited. This term includes people travelling for leisure, recreation and holidays, visiting friends and relatives, business and professional health treatment, religion pilgrimages and other purposes. There have been many attempts to define tourism and one of the more straightforward definitions is the one used by the UK Tourism Society: Tourism is the temporary short term movement of people to destinations outside places where they normally live and work, and their activities during their stay at these destinations. The United Nation’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) provides simple definitions of terms commonly used in the travel and tourism industry. Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not
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more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes. International visitor refers to any person travelling to a country other than the one in which he/she has his/her usual residence, but outside his/her usual environment, for less than 12 consecutive months and whose main purpose of trip is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited. Tourist (overnight visitor) is a visitor who stays at least one night in a collective or private accommodation in the country visited. Nationality of a visitor is that of the government issuing his/ her passport or other identification document, even if he/she normally resides in another country. Tourist accommodation refers to any facility that regularly or occasionally provides overnight accommodation for tourists. Occupancy rate refers to the proportion of the rooms or bedplaces in a collective tourism establishment that is occupied over some period of time, such as night, month or year. Duration of stay refers to the time spent during a visit measured from the standpoint of the receiving country or place. Tourism receipts are defined as expenditures of international inbound visitors including their payments to national carriers for international transport. They also include any other prepayments or payments afterwards made for goods and services received in the destination country.
Who are the tourists? It is easy to refer to tourists as if they were just an anonymous mass of people, but of course there are many different types of tourists, each with their own different needs and motivations. Tourists can be: International – people from overseas. Domestic – people from your own country. Tourists can be classified in many ways but it is usual to divide them up in terms of their purpose of visit. We can now briefly look at three major categories of visit.
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Leisure tourists These are people who are visiting somewhere for pleasure rather than business-related reasons, in other words they are on holiday. Tourism, in everyday language, generally means people engaging in leisure-related activity, making use of their free time and using their own economic resources (money) in order to do so. Leisure visitors can be further divided according to whether or not they are day trippers, overnight visitors, short break or holiday takers. Business tourists Business travel is one of the most important elements of international tourism. It includes travel for business meetings such as sales trips, attendance at conferences and trade shows, and government business. In general, business travellers are high spending and make extensive use of premium fares on trains and airlines as well as on staying in quality hotels. MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) is the recent growth area in international tourism and relates to various forms of business tourism. Meetings are defined as events designed to bring people together for the purpose of exchanging information, either from within one company or organization or from a broader spectrum of people. Incentives are the second category of this market segment and include travel to a foreign country or domestically as part of a motivational incentive scheme to increase or reward the employee effort. Conferences are generally accepted as being multi-day events having at least 100 delegates attending the event for the purpose of exchanging information. Such a conference is termed to be an international conference if 40% of the delegates originate from outside of the host country. Conferences are thus differentiated from meetings by both the duration of the event and the number of people attending. Exhibitions involve the bringing together of people for the purposes of viewing products and services.
Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) Visiting friends and relatives may be for the purposes of leisure, recreation and holidays. There are also others factors, however, to do with family occasions (births, weddings, funerals) which are not traditional vacations or holidays. In many societies, returning to the community from where one’s family originated (indeed, where family
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presumably want to be reunited from time to time.
Think About It
members may still reside) is an important part of the annual calendar, especially with regards to religious or cultural holidays and festivals. The importance of the contribution made by VFR to the development of tourism in a given destination can be illustrated by the survey findings listed in Fig. 1.1 Consider how many people move away from their home town at some stage in their lives, leaving behind loved ones with whom they
5
Think of your own circumstances or those of all your relatives and friends: How many have moved from one area to another? How often do you visit? How did you travel? What do you do when you are there?
SURVEY RESULTS ❏ I usually buy in extra food when people come to stay with me 88% agreed ❏ I always try to find a local event or attraction to go to when I have visitors 45% agreed ❏ I always take my visitors out to eat in local restaurants at least once during their stay 58% agreed ❏ When going out with my visitors I avoid places I know will be over crowded with other tourists and day trippers 63% agreed ❏ If I didn’t have room for visitors to stay overnight at my house I would recommend other accommodation locally 69% agreed ❏ I feel I should pay for everything when I have visitors to stay 47% agreed ❏ Going out with my visitors makes me realise how much my local area has to offer 61% agreed
❏ Staying overnight with friends or relatives is a cheap way of having a holiday 62% agreed ❏ Many of my friends live so far away from me that visiting them requires staying overnight 68% agreed ❏ I try to combine trips to visit friends or relatives with an event of interest to me in the area 41% agreed ❏ It’s important that the people I am staying with come along with me to visit local attractions or events 57% agreed ❏ When I stay overnight with relatives it is usually because of a family event or special occasion 53% agreed ❏ By going to stay with friends or relatives you get to see parts of the country you may not otherwise visit 77% agreed
Source: English Tourism Council research carried out amongst representative sample of 959 adults in the UK
Fig. 1.1
What is the travel and tourism industry? Travel and tourism is a global industry involving approximately 1 out of every 11.5 people on the planet. The industry has experienced tremendous growth in the last 40 years and is now considered to be one of the most important industries in the world. However, what exactly are we talking about when we say ‘the travel and tourism industry?’ To put it simply, it is that whole mix of businesses and agencies that work together to serve the needs of people who travel. Some do this directly, such as airlines, bus companies, hotels and holiday companies. Some do this indirectly, such as advertising agencies, consultants and government bodies. The various sub-sectors that go to make up the travel and tourism industry are shown, in a simplified form, in Fig. 1.2. The presence of these sub-sectors determine the characteristics of the tourism industry in any particular location and the types of tourists that
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Transportation
Travel agents
Attractions
Travel and Tourism
Accommodation and catering
Tour operators
are being attracted to go there. A complex network of tour operators, travel agents, transport operators and accommodation providers work together to identify and develop new markets or recreate existing markets. Tour operators, airlines and hotels have become increasingly important in destination development. Let us now briefly look at what each of the component sub-sectors of the travel and tourism industry actually does and why they are important.
Roles of the sub-sectors
The role of the travel agent Travel agencies act as agents for a variety of principals (the suppliers of the travel and tourism industry’s products) such as airlines, rail companies, Fig. 1.2 The component sub-sectors of the international travel hotels, tour operators, car hire companies and and tourism industry currency suppliers. The main role of a retail travel agent is to sell holidays, ancillary products (such as insurance, car hire, foreign currency etc.), provide information and to advise customers. There are also business travel agents who specialise in providing services for business travellers. These business travel agencies provide speed and flexibility in making travel arrangements with scheduled airlines and accommodation bookings with large international hotel chains. Travel agencies vary in their size and scale of operation. In some countries you will find multiples. These are agencies that have branches throughout a country and often in counties abroad as well, example, Thomas Cook agency. You can also find smaller independent travel agents called miniples, which are not part of a national chain. They usually have one retail outlet but may have a number of shops in the specific area. Travel agencies perform a key role as intermediaries that provide information on destinations and tour packages, and enable potential clients to access this information and confirm their arrangements through bookings. Their place in the chain of distribution is shown in Fig. 1.3. The key aspects of this distribution process are: Tourist information and guiding services
The principals acting as primary suppliers in the tourism distribution chain include transport, accommodation, attraction, local tours etc.
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Tour operators can be seen as product builders i.e., they produce a new product by combining or packaging the basic products or components offered by primary suppliers. Travel agents can be viewed as Providers of travel products: accomodation, information brokers, providing the transport, transfers and other services consumer with relevant information and booking facilities. Computerized Reservation Systems/ Wholesalers Global Distribution Systems (CRS/ Tour Operators GDS) cover airline offerings as well as other tourism relevant products such as packaged holidays and other means of transportation. They provide the Direct Sell Retailers eg via internet main links to tour operator systems Travel Agencies and to travel agents. On-line reservation systems allow customers to by-pass traditional intermediaries and deal directly Customers with the primary suppliers to obtain information and make reservations. Fig. 1.3 The chain of distribution
Example To help illustrate how the chain of distribution actually works we can now look at an example. The accompanying image shows an extract from the website of a Brunei-based travel company. Freme Travel Services is the largest travel agency in Brunei Darussalam, employing over 60 people with branch offices in four different locations throughout the country. The company offers outbound leisure travellers a comprehensive range of travel products and services including flights, cruises, hotels, rail, car rental, transfers, tour packages and medical screening packages. In terms of business travel, the company is the appointed agent for Brunei Shell Petroleum for all work-related travel, including hotel bookings and it also caters to the needs of over 90 corporate clients throughout Brunei. Source: http://www.freme.com/
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Source: http://www.trafalgar.com/
Fig. 1.4
Internet based travel agency
The role of tour operators The tourism industry is well known for its ‘packaging’ of tourism products together into a tour or holiday. A tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a package holiday. The most common example of a tour operator’s product would be a flight on a charter airline plus a transfer from the airport to a hotel and the services of a local representative, all for the one inclusive price. Many tourists find buying a package tour a very convenient, economical and secure way to travel. Packaging is the process of combining a number of inter-related tourism products and services that, together, offer a comprehensive experience for travellers. They are brought together into a convenient single product at a lower price than if they were bought separately. Packages can be and often are designed to appeal to a specific target market. The best packages offer unique, appealing experience or series of experiences to travellers, at good value. Fig. 1.3 clearly indicates that some tour operators act as wholesalers and sell their tours through retail travel agents. Others sell directly to the customer, sometimes just over the internet (see Fig. 1.4). In order for tour operators to be able to stay in business and remain profitable it is important that they are able to do the following: Identify and then meet consumers’ needs, requests and expectations; Assemble tourism products from different providers according to customer requirements; Provide a co-ordinated and seamless travel experience; Reduce prices by negotiating and pre-purchasing tourism products in bulk; Issue and deliver travel documentation, i.e., ticketing, vouchers, etc.; Assess and monitor the quality of facilities and products; Reduce the perceived risks for consumers; Provide appropriate information by using leaflets, maps, brochures, videos, CDs etc.; Undertake pre and post experience marketing research; Promotion of particular products or packages, in co-operation with suppliers; Complaint handling for both customers and industry partners.
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The role of accommodation providers All tourists need somewhere to stay during their holiday, and accommodation therefore forms an essential part of a tour operator’s package. However, the accommodation sector provides an enormous variety of accommodation types to suit a wide range of visitors. Accommodation ranges from luxury 5 star hotels which provide facilities and services such as 24 hour room service, gyms, swimming pools etc. to camping grounds where the visitor is provided with a patch of ground on which to pitch a tent. Classification of different types of accommodation is very difficult as they can mean something different in another country. In the United States, the meaning for an ‘inn’ is a hotel or motel style accommodation usually operated by a chain such as Holiday Inns. In Britain, an ‘inn’ would describe a pub-style accommodation offering bed and breakfast. A range of options are available at most destinations and it is common to find all of the following: Hotel is an accommodation establishment of at least 10 rooms that correspond to high standards and offers dining services (restaurant). Motel is an accommodation establishment of at least 10 rooms situated near a road that is primarily meant for car travellers and has a safe parking site. Guesthouse is an accommodation establishment of at least 5 rooms which offers dining services. Hostel is a simple accommodation establishment for holiday, sport or study visitors that offers dining or cooking facilities. Holiday village or camp is an establishment providing limited accommodation services, which has an enclosed area for tents and/or caravans, parking sites for motor vehicles and/or dwelling houses (bungalows). Holiday home is an accommodation establishment for holiday-makers, which is rented out fully and has cooking facilities. Visitor’s apartment is an accommodation establishment with food-preparing facilities which is rented out. Bed and breakfast means accommodation services at a private farm, house or apartment which includes breakfast.
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An important distinction in the accommodation used by tourists is in the difference between serviced and non-serviced types. Serviced accommodation means that members of staff are available on the premises to provide services such as cleaning, meals and room service. The availability of such services, even if they are not in fact used, is included in the price charged. If the accommodation is non-serviced, this means that the sleeping accommodation is furnished and provided on a rental basis, normally for a unit comprising several beds such as a cottage, an apartment or caravan. While services for the provision of meals, bars and shops may be available on site on a separate commercial basis, as in a holiday village, they are not included in the price charged for the accommodation. Most of the hotels used by international travellers have rooms with en-suite bathrooms and, more commonly in the United States than elsewhere, climate control. Other features usually found include a telephone, an alarm clock, a television, and broadband Internet connectivity. Food and drink may be supplied by a minibar (which often includes a small refrigerator) containing snacks and drinks (to be paid for on departure), and tea and coffee making facilities. The cost and quality of hotels are usually indicative of the range and type of services available. Due to the enormous increase in tourism worldwide during the last decades of the 20th century, standards, especially those of smaller establishments, have improved considerably. For the sake of greater comparability, rating systems have been introduced, with the one to five stars classification being most common. For instance, most people recognise that a 5 star hotel will have excellent service, be exceptionally clean and tidy with housekeeping staff on call 24 hours, have up to date luxurious dĂŠcor and have a wide range of facilities on offer. A 3 star hotel on the other hand will have fewer facilities, less luxurious dĂŠcor and more limited services, such as a limited 24 hour room service menu instead of the entire restaurant menu.
The role of catering outlets Catering facilities are very important for the creation of suitable conditions for tourism and for satisfying tourists’ basic needs in any specific destination or resort. However, such food and beverage facilities should not only be regarded as being a basic tourist need; they are also important to the development and promotion of all types of tourist
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facilities, and can be classified as tourist attractions in themselves. They are certainly a key tourist facility within any destination. In Poland, for example, there exists basic catering facilities providing regional and traditional menus which fulfil the role of tourist attractions at a regional, national and even international level. Additionally, in Krakow there are cafés and winebars which are particularly attractive to tourists for their historical value, menu and special atmosphere. This diversity of catering facilities should be taken into account by those responsible for destination management within tourist areas. To help you appreciate the importance of hospitality provision within tourist destinations you can now undertake an investigation within your local area.
y t i v i t c A
1
(a) Identify the range of accommodation providers available, including: hotels hostels apartments guest houses camp sites. (b) Choose an example of each and describe the products and services available. (c) Explain how such properties can be classified using various grading criteria. (d) Examine the occupancy trends within your chosen areas. Sources of information to help you undertake this task include the local area’s ‘Destination Manual’ and sample promotional materials produced by individual providers. Statistics and grading criteria are available from the local tourist board. This work could be expanded as it is a good opportunity to investigate the products and services needed by leisure versus business travellers.
The role of transport providers Transport has developed hand in hand with tourism. Improvements in transportation facilities have stimulated tourism and, in turn, tourism demand has prompted transport developments such as the growth of charter air services to serve the international tourism market. Transport developments have made tourist destinations accessible to their markets in tourist generating areas. All tourism depends on access, and the lack of accessibility can make or break a destination.
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Methods of transportation used by international travellers vary according to the needs of the individual. The needs of a leisure tourist will be quite different to those who are travelling for business purposes. However, it is fair to say that an individual tourist will take into account factors such as price, convenience, choice of departure points and timing of services when making their travel arrangements. Air transport providers include the major national carriers (such as Air India, Cyprus Airways, British Airways, Emirates etc.) as well as the low-cost, budget or ‘no frills’ airlines (such as easyJet and Ryanair). These carriers operate scheduled flights that run to a published timetable and operate irrespective of whether there are enough passengers to make a profit or not. However, because of their regular flights, variety of routes and service standards, they attract both business and leisure passengers. Not all tourists flying to their destination travel on a scheduled flight. Charter flights are mainly used by the package holiday industry and tour operators who make a contract with an airline for a specific route for the peak holiday season. Furthermore, charter airlines frequently operate on routes, or to airports, where there is no scheduled service. Much of the traffic through small and medium sized airports in the United Kingdom consists of charter flights, and the survival of these airports often depends on the airline landing fees they get from the charter companies. Although charter airlines typically carry passengers who have booked individually or as small groups to beach resorts, historic towns, or cities where a cruise ship is awaiting them; sometimes an aircraft will be chartered by a single group such as members of a company, a sports team, or for travelling to a major event. Many airlines operating regular scheduled services (i.e., for which tickets are sold directly to passengers) have set up charter divisions, though these have not proved to be competitive with the specialist charter operators. Water transport providers include ferry operators and cruise companies. However, in terms of being a transport principal, it is the ferry companies that will be considered in this instance. The services provided by the ferry companies help to link groups of islands such as those found in Greece or to connect an island destination to an adjacent larger land mass, such as the UK and mainland Europe across the English Channel. Rail transport is important for travelling both within and between different countries. Services are scheduled and travellers perceive trains to be safe, inexpensive and more convenient for many journeys. A train journey involves no long check-ins, no extra
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charges for baggage, an ever-changing view and no tedious transfers as the trains go straight into city centres. It is thus no surprise that the Eurostar service carries more passengers between London and Paris than all of the airlines put together. Rail travel is also popular with independent travellers because trains on major inter-city routes have many facilities ranging from sleeping compartments to restaurant cars and even laptop plug-in sockets. There are some very famous forms of rail transport. The Orient Express , the TransSiberian Railway and the South African Blue Train are all well known for their sight-seeing appeal and are attractions in their own right. Coach transport operations can be categorised as follows: express coach services, domestic and international; private hire services; tour and excursion operations; transfer services. Greyhound in the United States is one of the most famous inter-city express coach operators but it has to compete with budget airlines and American Track (AMTRAK) rail services run by National Railroad Passengers Corporation for its customers. Within Europe, the brand name Eurolines is made up of 32 independent coach companies operating together to run Europe’s largest regular coach network. This network connects over 500 destinations, covering the whole of the continent, including Morocco. Eurolines services allow passengers to travel from Sicily to Helsinki and from Casablanca to Moscow. Car transport can be hired independently through international chains such as Hertz and Avis or by making a reservation through travel agencies. Car hire is popular with independent travellers because vehicles can be collected at an airport and returned to another office elsewhere if needed. Fly-drive holidays are very popular, particularly when visiting destinations such as Australia, New Zealand and USA. Campervans are becoming increasingly popular both in New Zealand and in the United States where more than 25 million Americans make use of them each year. While not cheap to hire, they have the advantage of flexibility and independence providing both transportation and accommodation.
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Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism
The role of attractions It is important to realise that tourist attractions are a dynamic component of the travel and tourism industry and, as such, are continually changing and evolving. Tourist attractions draw visitors to a destination by providing opportunities for relaxation, amusement, entertainment and education. The importance of such visitor attractions within the travel and tourism industry should not be underestimated. Visitor attractions can be classified as follows: Natural attractions (example mountains, forests, coastline, lakes/waterways, landscape features) Built attractions (example theme parks, museums, heritage centres, sports facilities, family entertainment centres, cinemas, cultural attractions, animal parks, historic sites, shopping centres). Popular tourist destinations will contain a range of attractions. Every attraction, regardless of the size and scale of operation, will attempt to appeal to as many visitors as possible in order to maximise profits and to generate funding to support its further development. In this way, attractions will over time introduce new facilities in an attempt to remain profitably in business.
The role of entertainment venues Attractions are an extremely important part of the tourism industry and are the driving force behind much of the development that has taken place in a variety of destinations. It can be argued that tourist attractions are the most important component in the tourism system. They are the main motivators for tourist trips and are at the core of a destination’s tourism product. Without attractions there would be no need for many other tourism services. Indeed, tourism as such would not exist if it were not for the attractions. A great many tourist attractions have strong entertainment connections, being areas that are used primarily for an audience to be engaged or captivated. These include sports stadia, theatres, and museums, all of which could be considered to be tourist attractions. Indeed many entertainment venues are seen as tourist attractions.
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Example An important characteristic of many entertainment venues is the fact that they offer products, services and facilities that appeal to different types of customer. For example, Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England is famous for being the home of the Grand National Steeplechase. However, the race course generates revenues from hosting a variety of events apart from horse racing. The race course grandstands can be used for business tourism events such as conferences, seminars, exhibitions and various types of meetings. The venue caters to weddings and other types of private functions as well. Aintree’s International Equestrian Centre was launched in 2007 as part of a £ 35 million redevelopment programme. This new facility, primarily used for show jumping and equestrian events, also has the dual purpose of being 3700 square metres of exhibition space with an additional area of 1100 square metres allowing space for catering or storage. Since its opening in 2007, this exhibition space has been used for an array of high-profile and important events such as music concerts attracting over 45,000 visitors to see acts such as Pink, Deacon Blue, Amy Winehouse, Girls Aloud and the Sugababes.
y Activit
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Identify the main visitor attractions that your local area has to offer. Put them into categories such as: Museums Art galleries Theme parks Theatres and places of entertainment Religious buildings Working in small groups, visit two different types of attractions and complete a copy of the following factsheet for each. Attraction 1
Attraction 2
Name and location Brief description of attraction What is there for visitors to do? Main types of visitor Facilities for business visitors to use Services for visitors with special needs Catering facilities Cost of visit and details of offers etc
This will give you a good idea about the ways in which different types of visitor attractions provide different products and services to meet the needs of different types of customers.
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Cambridge IGCSE Travel and Tourism
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To help you understand that your local area’s travel and tourism industry comprises several interrelated spheres of activity offering a wide range of opportunities for visitors, try to complete the following exercise. Identify and provide examples of the main travel and tourism component activities present in your local area. Then, place these into suitable categories, such as: Entertainment Travel agencies and ancillaries Transport Catering Accommodation Sport and leisure Other visitor attractions Now undertake simple forms of analysis of the current range of products and services available using the categories already identified, by means of: Tally chart Bar chart Pie chart You will then be in a position to identify the total number of travel and tourism suppliers.You could then express the numbers in each category as a percentage of the total. This approach will allow you to quote accurate figures, thus indicating the scale of the local industry. For example, the local area contains 25 hotels, 17% of travel and tourism activities are to do with entertainment etc.
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The role of tourist information and guiding services Tour guiding usually refers to the activity of accompanying a group of visitors around a particular site, town or part of a region, giving information on the history and geography of that area, pointing out item of interests, and generally being responsible for conducting the group efficiently. The tourist guide’s main role is to escort groups or individual visitors from abroad or from the guide’s own country around the monuments, sites and museums of a city or region interpreting, inspiringly and entertainingly, in the visitor’s own language the cultural and natural heritage and environment. Tourist Information Centres (TICs) carry a wide range of promotional leaflets, brochures, guide books and other material relating to the local region. They are usually found at locations such as points of entry (airports, railway stations and ports) or central locations within major tourist areas. In addition to providing help and advice, booking accommodation is an important service that is provided for visitors. Furthermore, TICs are frequently used as an outlet for the booking of local guided tours and they also provide information about local guides. The role of ancillary tourist services The chain of distribution provides many opportunities for intermediaries to offer additional travel products and services to their customers. For example, some travel agencies also generate income from Bureau de change or traveller’s cheque operations. Traditionally, this has been a significant source of income for some major travel chains such as Thomas Cook and American Express. Travel insurance is offered both by tour operators and travel agencies. In this way, travel agents and tour operators can earn income from the commission paid by the service providers they are representing. TICs can offer an extensive range of information services, operate accommodation booking services, sell tickets for theatres, guided tours and events, as well as some local/regional travel tickets.
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They also frequently have on sale a range of local souvenirs, publications and postcards.
The role and function of tourist boards The role of National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) is a very significant one. The mission of such organisations is to increase the value of inbound tourism to a particular country. Frequently, the government will identify a series of objectives and the NTO will facilitate a strategy for their implementation. The structures through which delivery eventually takes place are usually hierarchical and the number of levels in such an arrangement will vary from country to country. The important point to be aware of is that the NTO will exert control and influence from above while the local or regional tourist board will be in the front line of delivering services to the given destination’s visitors. It will now be helpful to look at an example to illustrate what precise roles and functions are actually undertaken.
Example
The role of the Croatian National Tourist Board Established in June 1992, the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) is a national tourist organisation that is responsible for creating the country’s tourism identity and enhance the reputation of Croatia’s tourism product. The organisation’s mission also includes the planning and implementation of a common tourism development strategy as well as being responsible for the overall quality of the whole range of tourist services on offer in the Republic of Croatia. The main functions the CNTB are as follows: to have involvement in all aspects of the total tourist product of the Republic of Croatia to structure and conduct market research for the promotion of Croatian tourism to design programmes and plans for the promotion of Croatia’s tourism product the analysis and evaluation of promotional activities the establishment of a Croatian tourist information system to deliver international and domestic tourist information activities to establish tourist representative offices and branch offices in foreign countries, together with the organization and supervision of their work to cooperate with national tourist boards in foreign countries and with specialised international regional tourist organisations to take necessary measures and plan activities for the development and promotion of tourism in the less developed areas of the Republic of Croatia.
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