This assessment will cover the following the questions:
- Evaluate the effects of current trends and developments on the tour operators sectors.
- Elaborate the stages and timescales involved in developing holidays in Travelodge UK.
- Explain the planning for decision making for the selected brochure.
- Discuss the strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator.
INTRODUCTION
Tour operation management includes different activities and tasks in business irrespective of their nature in functions. It considers planning, organizing, staffing, monitoring, controlling, etc. to improve overall productivity. There are several tour operators that generally include packages and advertise them to promote their products (Robinson, Fallon, and Crotts, 2016).
In this context, the present study is based on Travelodge UK which is a hospitality sector industry and operates in hotels. They deal with more than 500 hotels in the UK and provide different kinds of services to attract more customers.
For gaining insight information of the present study, it includes the effect of current and recent trends on the tour operations industry. Furthermore, it focuses on the suitability of different methods of contracting from different components. Moreover, the report also assesses the suitability of alternative traditional brochures for different types of tour operators. At last, it contains tactical decisions that could be taken by the selected tour operators in different situations.
TASK 1
1.1 Analysis of the effects of current and recent trends and development on the tour operator industry
Travelodge can select brochure of different types of tour operators such as inbound as well as outbound tour operators and the planning decision is as follows:
Cost: The quality of brochure should be so attractive so that many customers will automatically influences. The brochure main aim is to provide entire necessary information to their customers in order to decide the best option for them. Copies and distribution method should be proper because it should not waste any single piece (Williams, 2017).
- Format: The brochure format should also be consider in planning. To make the format of brochure, Travelodge should consider various factors such as name of the tour company, time of tour, destination and transportation and other important key aspect. Make sure that the brochure should not be folded into more than 2 to 3 folds.
- Budget: The planning decision also affected by the budget as well as target market. Budget should be consider in order to determine the actual cost that could be incurred and target audience should also be focused while distribution of brochure is done (Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier, 2015).
- Print specification: it is one the most planning decision which should be kept in mind while deciding a brochure. The font size of the brochure should not be sop small or so large. Such that it should be in a readable form only.
- Stages and Time limit:To determine the limit as well as stages of the brochures that should also be consider in planning the activities for brochures and in addition to this, the stages which should also be accomplished within a specified time limit.
- E-Brochure: It is the best alternative method for traditional brochure. e- brochure is an alternative paper document which can be folded into various template and this are available in an electronic format are called e- brochures. This is best suitable option for inbound tour operators because these types of tour operator are work at international level (Waruwu and et.al., 2015).
- Internet: It is the best method for all types of tour operator. This method attract wide range of customers towards them. Through internet they can select best brochure with their new and creative ideas which help to draw attention of many customers towards them. Internet is another suitable option for Brochure which are designed through computer which is mostly used by inbound as well as outbound tour operators.
- Social Media: the best suitable alternative option to a traditional brochure. Today's generation is based upon social media and every young generation is used social media in order to keep update with their new trends (Wallhagen and Strawbridge, 2017). Therefore Travelodge is also used social media in order to let people know about new offers. As brochure contain complete information which help to choose people best option. That is why through social media also, many people can easily select best travel package for their own use.
- Press: It is one the most common alternative option used by Domestic tour operation because press means to provide information through newspaper and magazines. Therefore this option is suitable for those people who live within a local area. Magazines and newspaper are also consider the best suitable option to let people know about different tour packages which are provided by the tour operators. In this, brochure consist of complete holiday package detail that is useful for them in order to select the best option3.2 Presenting the suitability of alternatives to a traditional brochure for different types of tour operator.
- Direct Distribution: It is the best and traditional method of distribution and also cost effective. Through this method manager of Travelodge can easily interact with their target customers face to face in order to let them know about the holiday package (Edmonds and et.al., 2017). Direct sales can be done through exhibition so that they can easily reach through large number of groups. Further it also provide direct and first hand feedback from the customers.
- Through Social network website: This is one of the most common way of distribution holiday package and Travelodge can also uses this method. Most of the people uses social media and it has been analysed that travel and tour industry provide many information to their customers through this way because it is the best method to reach many peoples in single method (Boniface, Cooper and Cooper, 2016). Online marketing also provide a platform to attract wide range of customers.
- Online travel agencies: this method is now become very popular because most of the people uses this method in order to reach wide range of peoples. Online travel agencies provide best useful service to their customers are even they are trustful and further offer discount offers to them. That is why many tour operators such as inbound as well as outbound tour operators uses this method in order to reach wide range of customers.
- Review sites: through this sites, customers can easily take feedback in order to know which travel company offer good range of services to their customers (Bester and et.al., 2016). This sites generally provide feedback to their customers so that it will help tour operators to make a plan as per the needs of their customers.
TASK 2
2.1 Strategic decisions made by different types of tour operator
Strategic and tactic decisions are most important consideration for travel and tourism purposes. For Travelodge UK, it is formulated and implemented in effective and efficient manner to run several operations. Running of business of tour operator also require certain decisions for the purpose of increasing growth of the enterprise. In addition to this, it also assists to develop prosperity of the chosen firm which determines successful holiday package in the country (Hoyos, Morales and Akhavan-Tabatabaei, 2015). The selected firm is successfully considered operations as tour operator so that decisions can be made on the following aspect:
Pricing strategies: It is the main concern of tourist to create relation with expenditure which occur in travelling. To accomplish this purpose, it is important for tour operator to make certain decisions in relation with determine price of tour. Pricing may be either disguised or visible one (Florio, Hartl and Minner, 2018). Disguised pricing in overall pricing also mentioned with irrespective price separately. Travelodge must determines price method which is associated with cost and many offers that offers in given context.
Surcharge policy: Furthermore, surcharge is additional amount that added to charge extra fees by tour operators. It is important to add surcharge in such a way where tourist never feel objection. This policy may be create issue for tourist to pay extra fee. Hence, proper guideline must be implement to solve this issue (Redjem and Marcon, 2016).
Positioning and image branding: Brand is the tangible asset that assists to earn more profit in the business. It is important to maintained proper work to increase promotion with different mediums such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Therefore, customer satisfaction play very important role for development of brand.
Choice of product as per customer portfolio: Customer attracted for product when proper advertising can be develop in market (Flores-Garza, Salazar-Aguilar and Laporte, 2017). In this regard, products are presented as per customer interest. Decisions also landscape and presented for effective work in Travelodge.
Distribution decision: These are mediums with services are rendered for customers and way of payment made by them. Different channels also used with great caution as wrong channel lead for the large damage in business (Allahyari, Salari and Vigo, 2015). Hence, government websites consider additional formalities that require extra consideration.
Competition: Excessive competition also present in the market which create impact on growth of the business. Therefore, decisions are taken carefully and appropriately. Competition problems need to be overcome with better advertising approaches and techniques (Burgin and Hardiman, 2015). Hence, Travelodge need to manage good advertising policy to increase brand value for the growth.
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Price wars: Excessive competition, competitors are not able to create great margin for the profit so that it create results to solve problems in effective manner. Strategies can be successfully maintained to enhance performances. It is helpful to accomplish targets of price issue. With the help of proper strategies and effective evaluation, issues of competition can be resolved in all external factors which create impact on UK based enterprises (Ramanathan, Ramanathan and Zhang, 2016).
2.2 Compare the tactical decisions that taken by selected tour operator
In order to consider tactical decisions, tour operators undertaken following decisions in different situations:
Tactical pricing: Travelodge consider tactical pricing which is optimise price to take short term market dynamics. It includes demand shift and competitive effects. Furthermore, the chosen organisation varying price for the product for short term period and aimed to deal with competition and access market entry in successful way. Generally, it is determining with multiple level of implementation. At the highest level of strategic pricing, long term profit and objectives of the organisation can be accomplish to take short term dynamic that sees demand shift and competition. When the organisation determines tactical pricing from the output, reaction from competitive firms develop for pricing changes which affect the firm strategy. In addition to this, different tactical pricing also implemented in simple regression model which ignores reaction from competitive firms (Xu and Gursoy, 2015). Are you worried about HND Assignment help with chat support? Contact our experts.
Tactical marketing: However, tactical marketing consider strategy that assists to look upon goals of the company. It also focuses on details to accomplish goals and objectives. With the strategy, the chosen enterprise consider actions and tactics that assists to increase customer attraction. In Travelodge, variety of marketing channels implemented as tactics. Selection of right advertising media, public relation, sports marketing, etc. develop effective tactics to increase revenue and position of price. Increasing sales of the services of chosen firm develop more effective work (Backer and King, 2015).
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that travel and tourism industry contributed their portion in the economy of the country. Report shows that different tour operators are also affected by current and recent trends which affect directly their management as well as profit. Report also describe the stages as well as timescales which are involve during holidays and some methods which are used for contract. While selecting brochure, Travelodge should focus on some important points which help to attract wide range of customers. Report also concluded that there are some strategic decision as well as tactical decision which should also be considered while planning for the tour packages.Looking for assignment help? Take help from experts!
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