This
was a very intense day!
Our
teacher invited two travel agents to come to the school for a talk.
During their time with us, they told us everything about their job.
It was really interesting, we want to thank them because we were able
to really learn more about what they do and how travel agencies work.
This
is a summary of what we learnt:
A
travel agency is a business that offers trips for tourists; museums,
hotels, restaurants… etc.
Types
of travel agencies:
Wholesalers
(Tour operators): Agencies that sell their products only through
other travel agencies.
Retail
travel agencies: Agencies that sell travel services directly to the
public, and act on their behalf to book and purchase holiday
packages, travel, accommodation, tours and so on.
Wholesale/Retail
agencies: Agencies that function as both, a wholesaler and a
retailer.
Another
classification would be:
Outgoing:
Agencies whose customers want to go out of their own country.
Incoming:
Agencies whose customers (non-resident visitors) come to our
country, so they organize ther visits and activities.
Outgoing/Incoming:
Agencies that take care of both.
A
third classification would be:
Functions
of travel agencies:
Travel
Information: A
retail travel agency provides necessary travel information for the
general public.
Preparation
of Itineraries: A tourist journey involves preparation of different
types of itineraries. There are different means of transport with
their respective advantages and disadvantages. A travel agent
advises the potential tourist to choose the most convenient
itinerary.
Coordination
with Service Providers: A travel agent should maintain constant
contact with the providers of various services like transport
companies, hotel managers and providers of road transport like
vehicles to and from the airport, to the hotel, for sightseeing
purposes...
Ticketing:
Selling tickets to tourists for different means of transport.
Provision
of Foreign Currencies: The travel agent will arrange for the
purchase of foreign exchange on behalf of his intending travellers.
Insurance:
Personal insurance in case of accidents or luggage loss.
The
documents that the travel agency usually work with are:
Train
tickets (Different discounts, golden card...)
Plane
tickets (Boarding pass...)
Cruise
tickets
Hotel
reservations (Full board, half board...)
Insurance
documents
Car
rentals
Paperwork
(such as invoices, contracts...)
Finally,
we would like to show you only a few of the many questions we asked
them:
Q.
How do you feel when you sell a trip?
A.
We feel very pleased because is a nice experience for the customers.
Q.
What would happen if someone gets sick during the trip?
A.
If they had paid for travel insurance, it covers doctor and hospital
bills while they are away.
Q.
What qualifications are required to become a travel agent?
A.
In order to run an agency you should study a degree in tourism.
Q.
What happens if a flight is cancelled?
A.
If your flight, for which you hold a valid reservation, is cancelled,
you are entitled to re-routing, personal attention,
full refund and
compensation.
Q.
What percentage of commision do agents usually receive?
A.
A very small percentage, depending on the destination.
Q.
What is the most popular destination?
A.
Cruises are very popular nowadays. Ten years ago, it was very
expensive to go on a cruise, but now, it is much cheaper.
