Chapter 1 The Roles and Functions of Travel Agents (Travel Agency & Tour Operations)

1. Presentation on
The Roles and Functions of Travel Agents

2. Presented By:
Md. Shaifullar Rabbi
BBA & MBA (Major inTHM,FBS,DU)
Lecturer
Dept. ofTourism & Hospitality Management
Daffodil Institute of IT(NU)

3. Travel Agency
A travel agency is one
which makes
arrangements of travel
tickets (air, rail, road, and
sea); travel documents
(passports, visa and other
documents required to
travel); accommodation,
entertainment, and other
travel-related services
from principle suppliers.
It may also secure travel
insurance, foreign
currency for travelling
people.

4. History of Travel Agency

5. Types of Travel Agency (Overall)
 A retail travel agency
sells tourists products
directly to the public on
the behalf of the
products suppliers and
in return get
commissions. Some
package tour is sold in
two ways i.e., on a
commission basis and
mark up the price.
 Wholesale Travel agencies are
specialized in organizing
package tours, which are
marketed to the
customers/tourists through the
network of a retail travel
agency or directly to the
prospective clients ( if
wholesale travel agency has a
retail division). A wholesale
travel agency purchases
tourists product components
in the bulk and designs tour
package.
Retail Travel Agency Wholesale Travel Agency

6. Types of Travel Agency (Functions)
IATA Travel Agency
Students’ Overseas
Travel Agency
Tour Packaging Agency
Hajj/Omra Travel Agency Recruiting Travel Agency

7. Difference between Wholesale Travel Agencies and Tour operators
The wholesale travel agencies may offer or operate the package tours or
may specialize in developing tours for inbound as well as outbound
travellers. They are often referred to as tour operators, but these two
essentially different:
 Wholesale travel agency does not sell directly to the public, while tour
operators do sell directly to clients.
 A wholesale travel agency usually combines, assembles and contacts for
existing travel services to formulate a new travel product she has his own
one or more components of travel product i.e. ‘inclusive tours.’
 Wholesale travel agencies are less inclined than tour operators to perform
ground services i.e. handling agency or ground operators.
 A wholesale travel agency may deal with one component of travel product
while a tour operator offers a variety of tour programmes.
 The size of the business is large in the case of tour operators in
comparison to a wholesale travel agency.

8. Features and Importance of the Travel Agency
Travel agency plays an important role in travel sector
business. Some most important features and importance of
the travel agency business are following as:-
 An important link between the clients and principal
suppliers.
 Image-Builder.
 Ensures rapid travel services.
 Provider of authentic and reliable travel information.
 A social a continuous process.
 Establishes a good relationship with clients and vendors.

9. Functions and Services of Travel Agency
 Travel Information
 Itinerary Preparation
 Airline Ticketing and Reservation
 Tour Packaging and Costing
 Reservation
 Insurance
 Currency Services
 Organisation of Conference/Conventions

10. Travel Agency Linkages and Integration

11. Different Types of Products and
Services Offered By a Travel Agency
 General information about the Agency
 Reservations
 Bills
 International and domestic airline tickets at special rates
 International and domestic travel packages
 Hotel and resort reservations at special rates
 Corporate and group travel arrangements
 Customized travel itineraries
 Travel insurance
 Travel documents advice for visas
 Land transportation service
 Travel consultation

12. Different Types of Tours
Sightseeing Tours Excursion Tours Adventure Tours
Educational Tour Combining Tours Recreational Tour
Sporting Tours

13. Common Travel Terminology
 Add-on – A selection, typically at an increased price, added to a travel
reservation.
 Adjoining rooms – Bordering hotel rooms that do not share a common door.
 Airport access fee – A fee paid to the airport authority by car rental companies
for the use of shuttle vehicles. This often appears in customer’s car rental bills.
 Availability – The total number of seats allowed to be sold at a particular rate.
 Base fare – The cost of an airfare prior to addition of fees, taxes or surcharges.
 Blackout dates – Specific dates in which special fares or promotions do not
apply. Typically exist around holidays or special events.
 Global distribution system (GDS) – An international computer reservation
system that accesses many databases of suppliers, airlines, etc. in different
countries, such as Sabre
 Hub – A city in which an airline has a major presence. Often, it is the city in
which the airline was formed.

14. Common Travel Terminology
 Blocked space – Seats reserved to be sold to third party
companies at a discounted group rate.
 Boarding pass – A ticket issued at airport check-in that
authorizes airplane boarding.
 Bulk fare – A reduced fare for purchases of a large number
of tickets.
 Business class – While amenities vary based on the airline,
business class generally falls between first class and coach.
 Cancellation penalty – A fee to charge to customers that
cancel flights after booking reservations. Fees typically vary
based on the agency or carrier.
 Commission – A small fee that a travel agency or services
adds to the total fee in order to make money.

15. Common Travel Terminology
 No show – A traveller that doesn’t appear for their flight, hotel, or car rental reservation.
 Non-refundable – A ticket in which no money will be returned if the customer no longer
intends to use the ticket.
 Nonstop – A flight that travels directly to its destination without connections or layovers.
 Occupancy rate – The proportion of reservations expected during any given period.
 Offline connection – A connection that requires switching to both a new aircraft and carrier.
 Off-peak – A less expensive time to travel as result of lower consumer volume during these
periods.
 Overbooking – When a carrier books more reservations than available seats.
 Passenger name record (PNR) – The official name of one's reservation in a computer
reservation system (CRS).
 Published fare – A fare immediately offered for purchase by the airline. This does not
include heavily discounted flights usually offered to consolidators.

16. Common Travel Terminology
 Rack rate – The price of a hotel prior to discount.
 Reconfirm – to double-check a reservation.
 Reissue – When a new ticket is issued as a result of a change of
plans. This can often require fees or penalties from the airport.
 Round trip – Two flights: the destination flight and its return trip.
 Scheduled carrier – An airline that offers regularly scheduled
flights between destinations.
 Special fare – Any fare that deviates from normal pricing
(typically discounted).
 Supplier – A company that offer travel services to the general
public.
 Travel agent – An individual or company that sell travel services
on a commission basis.

17. Tasks and Responsibilities of a Tour
Operator and Travel Agency
 Designing and developing a tour.
 Determining an itinerary, arranging for tour escorts.
 Assisting the overseas tour operating Partner Company in
developing brochure content and marketing programmers.
 Making travel and accommodation reservations.
 Offering face to face and telephone advice to customers.
 Quoting holidays and converting these to bookings.
 Maximizing sales and customer holiday experience by suggesting
upgrades.
 Offering excellent customer service, dealing with complaints in a
calm and diplomatic manner.
 Keeping product and brand knowledge up to date whilst having in-
depth knowledge of the company's brochures and destinations.
 Working to sales targets.

18. Skills and qualities of Travel Agency
and Tour Operator Personnel
 Passionate interest in geography, strong domestic and international travel
knowledge.
 Excellent command of both written and spoken English.
 Strong numeric skills.
 Ability to multitask and quickly interpret complex information.
 Ability to build strong relationships with clients, both over the phone and
face to face.
 Skills to persuade customers and influence their decisions, both for their
own benefit and that of the agency.
 Exceptionally high levels of motivation, working both independently and as
part of a team
 Smart appearance.
 Proficient internet research skills for customer information.
 Ability to work in a target-based environment and to achieve sales goals and
objectives.

19. Travel Agency Related Videos
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6etjx5C-fA
 https://drive.google.com/file/d/137905BAah7O
wP-MjBLp85_WJ4npqsJrX/view
 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zh8B_pqi4-
n5ainw_APHRLC2fVruatt3/view