GROUP 7
EXERCISE 2
i.
Brief description
Andalusia Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd is the organizer of the Hajj and Umrah
pilgrims with economical price packages deal.
They also conduct Muslim
package tour to Korea and visiting other Muslim countries. Dato' Ustaz Hj Md
Daud Che Ngah is the lead of tour.
ii.
Where are they located? Why have they chosen this location?
Headquarter of Andalusia Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd is located at Taman Maluri,
Kuala Lumpur. The headquarter is located in Kuala Lumpur because it is
convenience since it is located in the same state as Kompleks Tabung Haji
Kelana Jaya and near to KLIA. It is also a centre of attraction because of the
accessibility. There are also branches located at Kelantan, Melaka, Johor,
Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Pulau Pinang, Terengganu, Perak, Kedah, and
Selangor. They have branches in every state because those who stay far from
Kuala Lumpur could just refer to the agent at their respective state and it is easy
to manage.
iii.
What type of travelers are these various tours designed to attract?
The type of traveler that this travel agency focused on is religious tours and
spiritual traveler. Andalusia Travel & Tours attract most of Muslim tourist to
buy their package where Muslim are available to perform their hajj and umrah.
This is because, for Muslims, hajj is a must for those who can afford to go to
Mecca. So, Andalusia Travel & Tours can always get their own customers
because Muslims are going to Mecca throughout the year.
iv.
Does the travel agent specialized or not?
Yes, Andalusia Travel & Tours basically is a travel agency that promote hajj and
umrah packages for Muslims. Andalusia Travel & Tours prepared hajj, normal
umrah, and umrah and visit packages. Umrah and visit packages is where tourist
can perform their umrah and on the same time, they may visit certain Islamic
places.
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GROUP 7
v.
What do travel agent sell? How do they earn their income?
In general, travel agent sells travel product. To be specific, they sell product
such as tours and attraction, cruises, accommodation, all-inclusive vacation,
luxury travel and so forth. Besides, they also selling their expertise in organizing
and managing the tour package.
Most of travel agents earn their income through commissions and service fees.
Travel agents earn commissions from service providers and vendors which they
book for their clients. However, this contribute such a smaller portion of their
income. Apart from that, they also earn their income through fees. It may vary
by agency as some might charge a flat fee per basic airline ticket and more
complex itineraries. Meanwhile others might charge on an hourly basis, with the
fee depending on how much the itinerary required by the clients.
vi.
What does a potential tourists look for in a travel agent?
A potential tourist look for expertise of the travel agent. They seek for solid
knowledge about the product or package that travel agent provide. It is the
things that make the travel agent a trusted advisor. By doing so, they can win
repeat business by their client. Tourists also look for vary product that travel
agent provide which differ from competitors. Mix product somehow will attract
potential tourists.
vii.
How and why do some travel agent specialize?
In recent years, travel agent made use of a specialized technology infrastructure
and specific knowledge to justify their cost. Technology is therefore seen as a
critical factor in measuring, controlling and reducing these costs. New
technologies also provide additional value to customers as new products, new
processes and new strategies. Some of these can be seen in the marketing area;
for example, one-to-one marketing and mass customization, suppliers now have
ability to understand each customer’s needs, target them individually and deliver
custom-made product. This type of changes will profoundly affect the landscape
of the industry, and as a result, some players will disappear, new players will
emerge and all of the current actors will have to change in order to survive.
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GROUP 7
Specialty agencies will served only specific market needs and serving the needs
of markets segments such as senior citizen, incentive groups, adventure travelers
or religious groups and individuals. For example, an agent who specializes in
Disney travel should be able to provide accurate information, including pricing
for Disney resorts, theme park passes and packages.
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