Tour Operations Chap 4
TRAVEL AGENCY OPERATIONS
The operations department is the core of the travel agency business. It is primarily engaged in the efficient and effective delivery of the organization’s service as agents of travel suppliers.
The operations department functions are:
1. Counter counseling
2 .Reservations
3. Fare calculation
4. Ticketing
5.Documentation
Personels:
Manager
Travel counselors or counter staff
Travel supervisor
Reservations and ticketing officers
Document supervisor
Liaison officer
Counter counseling:
Counter counseling aims to conclude counter sales, which are transactions captured by the travel counselors or counter staff. These transactions are the results of providing information, and recommmending suitable and attractive products.
Effective counter counseling leads to counter sales.
It includes suggesting itineraries and insuring proper travel documentation. The Travel counselor report’s directly to the Travel manager through the
Supervisor.
Duties and and resposibilities of a Travel counselor:
1. To provide all necessary information requested by prospective travelers. 2. To recomend products and services best suited to the travel’s needs including best routes, carriers, gateways and stopovers.
3. To keep abreast of travel-related information, such as new airfares, routes gateways and the like.
5. To properly endorse the Outbound Booking Card to the Reservations and Ticketing Officers for action.
6. To relay all changes and confirmations to client.
7. To issue Payment Slips, Tour Vouchers and Purchase Orders as and when required.
8. To process refunds and cancellation fees.
9. To closely monitor the processing of travel documents, and insure these are in order prior to releasing to the clients.
10. To prepare invoices as, and when, required.
11. To provide close support to the Marketing and Sales department in terms of quotations and information.
12. To prepare company reports on counter sales.
Suggesting itineraries requires knowledge in flight
The operations department is the core of the travel agency business. It is primarily engaged in the efficient and effective delivery of the organization’s service as agents of travel suppliers.
The operations department functions are:
1. Counter counseling
2 .Reservations
3. Fare calculation
4. Ticketing
5.Documentation
Personels:
Manager
Travel counselors or counter staff
Travel supervisor
Reservations and ticketing officers
Document supervisor
Liaison officer
Counter counseling:
Counter counseling aims to conclude counter sales, which are transactions captured by the travel counselors or counter staff. These transactions are the results of providing information, and recommmending suitable and attractive products.
Effective counter counseling leads to counter sales.
It includes suggesting itineraries and insuring proper travel documentation. The Travel counselor report’s directly to the Travel manager through the
Supervisor.
Duties and and resposibilities of a Travel counselor:
1. To provide all necessary information requested by prospective travelers. 2. To recomend products and services best suited to the travel’s needs including best routes, carriers, gateways and stopovers.
3. To keep abreast of travel-related information, such as new airfares, routes gateways and the like.
5. To properly endorse the Outbound Booking Card to the Reservations and Ticketing Officers for action.
6. To relay all changes and confirmations to client.
7. To issue Payment Slips, Tour Vouchers and Purchase Orders as and when required.
8. To process refunds and cancellation fees.
9. To closely monitor the processing of travel documents, and insure these are in order prior to releasing to the clients.
10. To prepare invoices as, and when, required.
11. To provide close support to the Marketing and Sales department in terms of quotations and information.
12. To prepare company reports on counter sales.
Suggesting itineraries requires knowledge in flight