Houston Community College System
Travel & Tourism
COURSE DESCRIPTION:TRVM 1391 SPECIAL TOPICS: TRAVEL RETAIL SALES
(3 CREDITS)
COREQUISITE:
None
PREREQUISITE:
None
COURSE GOALS:
At the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Identify the eight sectors of the tourism industry
2. List examples of each sector of the tourism industry
3. Explain the importance of sales for each of the eight sectors of the tourism
industry
4. List the twelve steps in the sales process
5. Describe various ways in which a tourist’s interest is aroused to explore and
experience a tourist destination
6. Greet prospects in a courteous, friendly, and enthusiastic manner
7. Identify seven approaches used by salespeople when greeting prospects
8. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each of the seven
approaches to prospects
9. Serve two or more customers at one time
10. Qualify prospects to determine their wants and needs
11. Develop an accurate client profile
12. Determine the level of quality preferred by the customer for transportation
and accommodations
13. Determine the prospect’s level of commitment to the tourism experience
14. Explain the importance of product knowledge to establishing credibility with a
prospect, that you are a professional, and that you know your product or
service well
15. Explain the importance of product knowledge to answering a client’s
questions
16. Explain the importance of product knowledge to matching your knowledge of
the product with your knowledge of the customer, gained from effective
qualifying, to recommend a product or service that will successfully meet the
client’s needs
17. Discuss, in detail, various ways of obtaining product knowledge
18. Explain why it is important for your to complete the qualifying process before
answering all of the prospect’s questions
19. Explain why it is important not to give too much information at this point in the
sales process
20. Offer products or services that will satisfy the prospect’s needs and wants
21. Offer conclusive proof that your proposal will satisfy the prospect’s needs and
wants
22. Use the reservations computer, brochure, or tariff to demonstrate the
economic value of your recommendation
23. Define the term closing
24. Define the term trial close
25. Phrase trial close questions that will confirm the effectiveness of the sales
presentation to the present moment, and to move it forward toward closing
26. Listen for and be able to identify closing signals
27. Describe seven situations when it is not a good time to close
28. Describe and use 10 closing techniques
29. Name the two principal types of telephone sales calls
30. List two categories of incoming calls
31. List five categories of outgoing calls
32. Demonstrate effective use of a multi-line telephone system
33. List the six details you need to complete a credit card transaction over the
telephone
34. Complete a booking form with all of the information required to make a
booking
35. Respond to a phone call for information and turn it into a sales opportunity
36. List four basic systems of word spelling used in the tourism industry
37. Recite the symphonic alphabet
38. Identify and overcome objections due to time considerations
39. Identify and overcome objections due to financial considerations
40. Determine whether the recommendation satisfied the prospect’s needs
41. Recommend another proposal that better meets the prospect’s needs
42. Determine whether the customer misunderstood the salesperson’s proposal,
and if so, clarify the proposal
43. Define selling-up and upgrading
44. Provide examples of selling-up and in all eight sectors of the tourism industry
45. Explain 12 more opportunities for selling-up
46. Explain 15 selling points that will help a client to accept a higher-priced
tourism product or service
47. Describe sources from which you can retrieve information to advise clients
regarding:
a. which airport and which terminal your clients will be using for departure and
arrival
b. the documentation required for an international trip
c. health measures required and additional health measures recommended
for an international trip
d. customs regulations regarding what your can take into and out of a foreign
country
e. customs regulations regarding what can be brought home from a foreign
country
f. the availability of duty-free shopping at international airport and surface
border crossings
g. the most efficient way to make transfers between transportation terminals
and accommodations
h. local transportation at the destination
i. check-in times and procedures for transportation, tours, and
accommodations
j. passengers’ free baggage allowance
48. Advise outgoing and incoming tourists regarding the best means of handling
and exchanging currency
49. Advise customers what is and what is not included in their purchase
50. Assist clients in establishing a budget for their trip
51. Advise clients regarding tips, gratuities, and service charges
52. Advise passengers regarding the need to reconfirm international flights
53. Advise clients of the importance of having appropriate travel insurance
54. Discuss the criteria for good novelties, gifts or favors for customers
55. Describe the two most popular methods of follow-up used in the tourism
industry
56. List four advantages of doing your follow-up by telephone
57. List five points to be covered in a follow-up telephone call
58. Describe follow-up procedures for each of the eight sectors of the tourism
industry
59. Explain the importance of asking for referrals
60. Identify what the most important sale you will make will be
61. Explain how a thorough knowledge of the sales process will help you obtain
the job
62. Explain which closing technique is most appropriate in most job interviews
63. Describe a situation in which each of the ten closing techniques could be
used in a job interview
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Shouping Liu (713) 718-6072 work (832) 668 6828 cell
email: shouping.liu@hccs.edu or trvmhcc@yahoo.com
TEXTBOOK INFORMATION:
Selling Tourism by H. Kenner Kay Published by Thomson/Delmar Learning
ISBN: 0827386486
LAB REQUIREMENTS:
None
STUDENT WITH DISABILITIES:
Students who require reasonable accommodations for disabilities are
encouraged to call (713)718-6164 to make necessary arrangement.
Faculty are only authorized to provide accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and
integrity in fulfilling course requirement.
ATTENDANCE AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY:
1. Attendance:
A. Students are expected to attend all classes (see college catalog for
attendance policy).
B. Students are responsible for all work missed during an
absence, and it is the student's responsibility to consult with instructors for
make-up assignments.
C. If a student misses 2 or more consecutive classes (12.5%, including
lecture and laboratory time), he/she may be withdrawn from the course by
the instructor. This policy will be strictly enforced for veterans.
D. Students are expected to be quiet and attentive during the class, no
cellular phone is allowed during the class.
2. Withdrawal:
It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a
course. Failure to officially withdraw may result in the student receiving a
grade of “F” in the course. A student may officially withdraw in any of the
following ways:
A:
B.
Complete an official withdrawal form at the campus he or
she is attending or any other HCCS campus.
Send a letter requesting withdrawal to:
Registrar
Houston Community College Systems
P. O. Box 667517
Houston, TX 77266-7517
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING POLICY:
A. Tests-student’s performance will be evaluated through true/false, fill in
the blank, and multiple choice questions. To evaluate the student
achievement for the stated objectives he/she will complete two tests
and a comprehensive final exam. A current news report/article related
to sales is to be presented at the beginning of each class period, and
a total of ten news/article is due on the last day of class.
B. Grade:
A = 90 – 100
B = 80 -- 89
C = 70 -- 79
D = 60 – 69
F = 59 or below
C. Final Evaluation Criteria:
Attendance and participation
Ten weekly sales news/article
Homework assignments
Exams
Final Exam/Sales Project
15%
10%
20%
30%
25%
TESTING:
Exam I: Chapters 1-6
Exam II: Chapters 7-12
MAKE-UP POLICY:
Only under special circumstances which student could not control and
with the instructor's approval make-up exam will be given.
PROJECTS, ASSIGNMENTS, PROTFOLIOS, SERVICE LEARNING, INTERNSHIPS,
ETC.:
All homework assignments are due on and before the following class on
Wednesday. No late homework assignments are accepted. Email of
homework is accepted by the end of the day before the due date.
COURSE CONTENT:
This course covers various creative methods used to increase sales and maintain
current accounts. The basic concepts will be covered through lecture/discussion.
Because the course emphasizes a practical approach to travel selling skills the class
time is taken up with exercises related to specific operations in the airline industry. Also
class discussion are supplemented by out of class projects.
COURSE CALENDAR WITH READING ASSIGNEMTNS:
Date
Content
Homework Assignment
(due by next Wed. before class)
Week 1 01/20/2016 Course Introduction & Syllabi
none
Week 2 01/27/2016 Chapter 1 (p. 1-15)
Discussion Questions 1-5
Week 3 02/03/2016 Chapters 2+3 (p. 17-38)
Discussion Questions 1-8
Week 4 02/10/2016 Chapter 3 (p. 38-58)
Discussion Questions 1-5
Week 5 02/17/2016 Chapter 4 (p. 60-73)
Discussion Questions 1-6
Week 6 02/24/2016 Chapter 5 (p. 74-90)
Discussion Questions 1-4
Week 7 03/02/2016 Chapter 6 (p. 91-113)
Discussion Questions 1-5
Week 8 03/09/2016 Exam I (chapters 1-6)
Week 9 03/16/2016 Spring Break Week (03/14/2016 – 03/19/2016)
Week 10 03/23/2016 Chapter 7 (p.114-130)
Discussion Questions 1-10
Week 11 03/30/2016 Chapter 8 (p. 132-146)
Discussion Questions 1-5
Week 12 04/06/2016 Chapter 9 (p. 147-160)
Discussion Questions 1-5
Week 13 04/13/2016 Chapter 10 (p. 161-186)
Discussion Questions 1-6
Week 14 04/20/2016 Chapter 11 (p. 188-195)
Discussion Questions 1-5
Week 15 04/27/2016 Chapter 12 (p. 196-204)
Discussion Questions 1-4
Week 16 05/04/2016 Exam II (chapters 7-12)
Week 17 05/11/2016 Final Exam/Sales Project Presentation
*Last day for administrative/student withdrawals – April 5, 2016
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that institutions have policies and
procedures that protect students’ rights with regard to sex/gender discrimination. Information
regarding these rights are on the HCC website under Students-Anti-discrimination. Students who
are pregnant and require accommodations should contact any of the ADA Counselors for
assistance.
It is important that every student understands and conforms to respectful behavior while at HCC.
Sexual misconduct is not condoned and will be addressed promptly. Know your rights and how to
avoid these difficult situations.
Log in to: www.edurisksolutions.org . Sign in using your HCC student e-mail account, then go to
the button at the top right that says Login and enter your student number.