Chapter 8
Tours &
Packages
Chapter 8 Outline : Tours & Packages
A World of Tours
•Types of tours
•Custom -designed tours
•The independent tour
•The hosted tour
•The escorted tour
•Special- interest tours
Creating and Evaluating Tours
•Components of a tour
•Developing and operating tours
•The tour contract
Selling Tours
•Choosing tour operators
•Identifying the benefits of a tour
•Helping clients choose a tour
•Benefits to travel agencies
A World of Tours
•Custom -designed tours (FITs)
•Independent tours (packages)
•Hosted tours
•Escorted tours
•Special-interest tours
•Hard adventure
•Soft adventure
•Ecotours
Benefits of Tours
Benefits to travel counselors
•Speed of booking
•Maximum earnings
•Objective advice
Benefits to clients
•Known costs
•Price
•Peace of mind
•Guaranteed entrances
•Reliable sightseeing features
Chapter 8 Tours
Answers: TEXTBOOK
Review Questions
1. What are the differences between an independent tour and a hosted tour?
Clients on an independent tour receive vouchers and perhaps an itinerary but otherwise
are on their own. On hosted tours, a representative is available at the destination to help
travelers plan their activities, to arrange sightseeing, to answer questions, and to handle
problems. Both types have a minimum of structure and scheduled activities.
2. What does the price of a tour usually exclude? Tour prices usually exclude transfers
from an individual's home to the embarkation point, fees for documents such as passports
and visas, and items of a personal nature. They also may exclude tips, some taxes,
optional sightseeing, and many meals.
3. For some participants on escorted tours, enjoyment of the tour depends on the
tour escort. Why? Tour escorts are responsible for establishing a friendly environment,
providing important information, and entertaining passengers during long stretches of
time.
4. Clients often object to the high cost of traveling as a single. How would you
deal with this objection? Some tour companies will try to arrange a share; others will
offer a guaranteed share. Some travelers do not want to share yet object to paying more.
Explain that the extra cost is based on the fact that they will occupy the hotel room alone
and must pay for it just as they would if not on a tour. If they do not accept or understand
that, there is little you can do except to emphasize the other benefits.
5. What can travel counselors do to keep clients booking with them rather than on
the Internet, and how can travel counselors harness the Internet for tour sales?
Many tour operators accept reservations only through travel agencies or try to steer
potential clients to travel agencies even if they have their own Web sites. Try to support
these operators as much as possible. Keeping close to your clients and knowing their travel
needs and dreams will bond them to you. Then even those who see what they think is a
deal on the Internet will check with you first and give you the opportunity to make the
sale. Also keep abreast of what is offered online and evaluate what you might do on the
Web as you grow.
Worksheet 8.1 Key Terms
Comments in parentheses are supplementary informa-tion.
Words in italic are defined elsewhere in Key Terms.
1. Adventure tour. A special-interest tour that focuses on outdoor physical
activity. See hard adventure and soft adventure.
2. Affinity group. A club, team, or membership organization made up of people
who share a particular interest or characteristic, such as age or ethnic
background. (They may wish to travel together to pursue their common interest
or simply to enjoy each other's company).
3. Cancellation penalty. A charge incurred for canceling travel arrangements after
a specified time.
4. Ecotour. A special-interest tour designed to appeal to those interested in the
environment.
5. Escorted tour. A tour (organized trip) in which participants travel together as a
group and are always accompanied by a professional escort (or tour manager).
6. FIT. A custom-designed tour. (Originally referred to as a "foreign independent
tour" but now also used for custom-made domestic trips).
7. Fly/drive. An independent tour that includes air transportation as well as car
rental and permits participants to stay at a number of hotels.
8. Forced single. An additional amount that a single traveler may have to pay when a
tour operator cannot find a roomate.
9. Hard adventure. A type of adventure tour that features strenuous outdoor
activity-for example, mountaineering or white-water rafting-remote locations, or
risk.
10. Host. A representative of a tour or ground operator who helps tour participants
to plan and arrange activities. (Also answers questions and solves problems at
the destination).
11. Hosted tour. A tour in which individuals travel independently but have access to
a host to assist them at each destination on the tour.
12. Independent tour. A tour in which participants travel independently; often
called a package.
13. Land rate. The tour rate that does not
include airfare to the destination.
14. NTA (National Tour Association). An
association of tour operators, suppliers,
and destination marketing organizations
that are insured and comply with the NTA
Code of Ethics.
15. Package. Two or more travel components bundled together and offered at one
price; often used to refer to an independent tour.
16. Pied Piper: A well-known and popular leader for a specialinterest tour.
17. Shell. An incomplete brochure provided by suppliers with a
photograph or two and some generic text; travel agencies or
tour operators then add the details about their product.
18. Soft adventure. A type of adventure tour that involves mild
activity but little physical challenge or danger; for example, a
walking tour through vineyards and rafting on a mild river.
19. Special-interest tour. A tour designed to appeal to the interests
of a very specific market segment. (An organized trip devoted to
a particular activity or topic).
20. Step-on guide. A person who joins a tour briefly to conduct
sightseeing. (Usually a local expert who leads the group through
a particular location on the tour).
21. Template. The electronic version of a shell, an incomplete
brochure provided by suppliers.
22. Tour. A package of travel component features sold as a single
unit.
23. Tour escort. The person responsible for the smooth running of a
tour and the welfare and satisfaction of the clients; also called a
"tour manager" or a "tour director."
24. Tour guide. A specialist who dispenses in-depth knowledge about his or her
particular topic on an escorted tour. (May lead a tour for a day or less or join an
escorted tour for part of its journey).
25. Tour operator. A company that assembles the components and operates
aspects of tours and may own facilities or vehicles or employ personnel used on
tours (such as guides, escorts or drivers); may also sell tours directly to the
public.
26. Tour wholesaler. A company that packages the components of tours for later
sale by retail outlets.
27. USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association). The professional
association for tour operators that conducts business in the United States;
members pledge adherence to a code of ethics and participate in a consumer
protection plan.
Worksheet 8.2
The World of Tours
1. d. Customized tour
2. c. Escorted tour (Hosted Tour is also
a good answer)
3. c. Hosted tour (Escorted Tour is also
a good answer)
4. a. Independent tour
5. a. Independent tour
6. a. Independent tour
7. c. Escorted tour (Escorted or Customized Tour are also good answers)
8. c. Escorted tour (Escorted or Customized Tour are also good answers)
Note that questions 9-18 go beyond facts presented in the textbook you may have to
do additional research.
9. a. Skiing; Idaho
10. c. Tennis; South Carolina
11. d. Art (and e, if the student names the opera festival); New Mexico
12. e. Music; Missouri
13. b. Diving; Florida
14. g. Ancient history; Greece
15. j. Religion; France
16. i. Wildlife viewing; Kenya
17. f. Theater; England, UK
18. h. Mountain climbing; Switzerland
Worksheet 8.3
Reading a Tour Brochure
Answers could vary if tour features changes after publication.
1. 8
2. Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion
3. Lake Powell
4. Complimentary basic internet where available in hotel rooms; service levels are not guaranteed.
5. Three - Arizona, Utah, and Nevada
6. Scottsdale, Ac; Las Vegas, NV
7. April through October
8. All customary gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff and local guides are included.
9. The weather ranges from hot and dry in Arizona and Nevada to cool and dry at the higher elevations in the
national parks.
10. Some of the excursions on this tour are:
• A flight-seeing adventure to Rainbow Bridge (and another optional adventure to Monument Valley) in an
18-seater twin-Otter aircraft or single engine 4-or 5-seater Cessna. The planes are not pressurized and
there is no oxygen on board. Since they fly at less than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), most guests
experience no problem.
•
A 2 hour open-air off-road trip to and hike in one of the Lake Powell area's hidden slot canyons.
•
A 2½ hour float trip on the Colorado River using a 22-foot (6.7 meter) pontoon raft that carries 15
passengers over 15 miles.
•
A private Lake Powell dinner cruise aboard the double-decked yacht Canyon Princess.
11. Checked Luggage: General: Space constraints during the Tauck journey make it
difficult to accommodate extra luggage. They ask that you limit checked
luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
Carry-on Luggage – General: Oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are
often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour
flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for
numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically
small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small
camera bags, etc.
For day-to-day travel while on tour, they recommend that you limit your hand
luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those
items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras,
film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead
rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be
inaccessible during daytime travel.
12. Deposit Date: The deposit is due at time of booking. Final Payment is due at
Tauck’s Norwalk, CT office 60 days before departure.
Worksheet 8.4 Chapter Review
1. The order of answers may vary.
a. Costs are known and controllable in advance.
b. Costs are often less.
c. Entrances are guaranteed to attractions and events that may not be available
to others.
Other answers are possible.
2. The order of answers may vary.
a. Relaxation in the knowledge that someone else is handling the details
b. Expertise of the tour operator and tour escort
c. Opportunities for socializing with like-minded individuals
Other answers are possible.
3. The order of answers may vary.
a. Travelers must conform to the tour schedule.
b. Travelers' options are limited.
Other answers are possible, such as the idiosyncrasies of other members of the
group.
4. The order of answers may vary.
a. Convenience and speed because many elements may be booked from one
source
b. Maximum earnings because commissions cover meals, local sightseeing, and
other aspects of the tour that travel counselors often don't arrange
c. Objective advice from tour operators about their tours, hotels, destinations,
and so on
Other answers are possible.
5. d. They should be meticulously
planned and offer some special
amenity or event.
6. b. per person double occupancy.
7. d. 30 to 60 days before departure.
8. c. USTOA.
9. False. The hallmark of a good
escorted tour is a more leisurely
pace. This is, of course, subjective.
10. False. It's the tour guide who
needs to be the expert, although it
certainly helps if the tour escort
knows a lot about the area as well.
11. True.
Worksheet 8.5 Technology Technique
1. "Integrity in Tourism," found by going to www.ustoa.com and clicking on "Our Mission and
Goals"
2. NTA (National Tour Association) is the leading association for professionals serving travelers
to, from and within North America. NTA members represent more travel product and have
access to more business-to-business networking than in any other association in the industry.
That includes product in every U.S. state, Canadian province and more than 40 countries with
over 1,500 tour operators, 600 destinations and 1,500 tour suppliers. Our members join to
demonstrate their commitment to the profession, further their education, and collaborate and
partner with the best the industry has to offer.
3. A - Answers may vary but may include:
Tauck Culturious – Small Group Travels averaging 20 guests, with trips that are culturally
immersive, hands-on adventures for inquisitive travelers that stimulate, then satisfy, a
curiosity that challenges you to experience a destination as the locals do
Tauck Bridges family travel takes you back in time with local experts who make history
come alive at famous places... go on wildlife expeditions, safaris, historic walks... learn
about local traditions and activities... and so much more.
River Cruising: Tauck’s river cruises include all private shore excursions, wine with dinner
aboard ship, meals at sea & ashore with an onboard choice of alternative bistro dining,
services of a Tauck Cruise Director and one Tauck Director for every 40 guests, all gratuities,
on-board experts and more.
Nature: Tauck has introduced guests to natural phenomena the world over, from
magnificent natural parks to the mysteries of deserts, the ecology of the rainforest, the
amazing migratory animals of Africa, the evolutionary wonders of the Galápagos.
B. Tauck World of Giving is committed to affecting change and making a difference in our
local community and places we travel around the world. We accomplish this through raising
awareness, financial support, donations of service and materials and engaging and inspiring
our employees by providing access, time and opportunities to give back in a meaningful way.
4. a. 7 hours
b. $215 US (Approximately $208 Austrailian)
5. Answers will vary.
6. Answers will vary.
Worksheet 8.6 Critical Thinking
Answers will vary; the goal is to encourage you to think beyond the text and to
search for current information.
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