Tour Operations by Thomas Cook Group

What is Tour operators are responsible for combining activities regarding travel and tour industry. They are also responsible for arrangement of tour packages. These packages are for promoting new tourism destinations in world. Operators are also responsible for meeting the needs of destination and provide a great satisfaction to modern customers. In this report we will focus on tour operations of Thomas cook Group PLC (Culver, 2006).

Thomas cook Group PLC is British Global tour and visiting the attractions firm that supply wide choice of services.  Company organize its commercial activities from England. Organization was formed on 19 June 2007 with permutation of Thomas Cook AG and My Travel Group Plc. The proprietor of Thomas Cook Ag has acquired 52% share out of new group. Firm propose services in tour and visiting the attractions sector with services of travels, hospitality, etc.

Thomas cook Group PLC has a number of divisions that provide services and activities in tourism industry like, vacation division, trade, airlines, etc. In this report we will focus on working of Thomas Cook Group Plc in Mediterranean destinations. Mediterranean destinations are places that are connected with sea or ocean (Voxted, 2011). The places that are covered in Mediterranean destinations are such as, Southern Europe, Anatolia and North Africa.  The modern customers are now more focused towards these destinations and spend their vacation with new and memorable experiences.

In this report researcher will make understand the readers about tour operators industry with context of travel and tourism sector.  It will also focus on stages involved in creating holidays. This report will also review brochures and methods of distribution used to sell holidays in Mediterranean destinations. Furthermore, this will also spot on strategic and tactical decision making for tour operators.

Recent trends and development in tour operation sector

Tour operators functioning is rapidly changing in comparison of earlier days. Thomas Cook Group Plc was first company that enters in business of travel and tourism sector. Earlier brand was known as Thomas Cook Tourism. Organization has organized its first tour package in year 1840 by providing transportation with help of British Railways. Thomas Cook is responsible for organizing and combining different variables of industry together and provides services in form of package holidays. This plays a key role in increase in level of customer satisfaction. In other words, it can be said that tour package service is combination of various tourism variables like, food, accommodation, transportation and other tourism activities (Jayawardena, 2013). There two types of packages which are named as mode of travel and mode of accommodation. The mode of travel is way of travel from one destination to another with use of various travel mediums like, road, flight, ship and railway. While on other side, mode of accommodation is consist of other tourism activities like, food, accommodation, games and sightseeing.

These packages are also divided in international and domestic packages. These kind of tout packages depends on mode of tour, which includes holiday time period, distance and destination. Tour operator’s work as support system for travel and tourism industry, they play key role in all activities such as, formation of plan, attraction of customers and implementation of plan.   For example, earlier tour packages are consisting of accommodation and transportation only. But now a day’s tour packages includes all services and factors that can affect business of tour and travel industry such as, accommodation, travel, food, games and other tourism activities. With a changes in industry Thomas cook has also started providing a services with concern of these factors (Mehmetoglu, 2004). In this, company can provide stay at Mediterranean destination with travel mediums, accommodation, meals and other activities for better experience of customers. Earlier the major aim of tour operators was to gain more profit in return but now a days, company is focusing on providing better services at low cost  for cost minimization and increased customer satisfaction. For example, if customer will buy all these tourism factors on individual basis then it will take large time as well as high investment. But the recent changes has resolved this issue it take less time and provide best service according to individual needs.

Reasons to travel with Thomas Cook Group Plc

Thomas Cook Group Plc has great experience of travel and tourism industry. Company is operating in industry from year 1841. Customer executive are specialist in providing better service and you can believe our experts for better visit to your interested destination. Our executives are always ready to help in every activity, including plan to book vacation. We will always provide you our best at every stage of tour with consideration of best in transportation, accommodation and food. Organization motive is to help because customers are god and we are here to serve them. We promise that visit us and have a best experience of travel in Brazil, Cuba and Chile.

Package Attractions

Thomas Cook Group Plc is providing nine days tour package in which will are providing opportunity to visit various destination of Cuba, Chile and Brazil. The cost of package starts with 3000 Pound. In this we will service you services regarding accommodation, transportation and food. We are here to meet your needs by providing best in hotels in heart of cities (Henderson, 2013). We also provide you to choose accommodation according to your needs and budget.

• On day first we will arrive to Havana, the local host will be there to serve you. Local host will also suggest some tourism activities to have great experience and feel relaxed.  
• Day two we will trip to Playas de Este that is dynamic beach. It is 18 km far from small resort of Bacuranao.  
• Day third we will visit Old Havana, it is historical destination of Cuba. Here you can understand the culture of Cuba.  
• Day four is all about leaving the Cuba and flies to Chile for giving a great experience at San Cristobal Hill.
• Day fifth we will trip to Torres del Paine national park. It is a national park which is bounded by glaciers, lakes, mountains and rivers.
• On day six we will take u to largest penguin colonies to meet penguin families. It is on island that is situated in South Chile and named as Los penguin’s natural monument (Henry, 2006).  
• Day seven is to fly to Brazil and have the opportunity to know history.  
• Day eight we will have a full day trip to Rio de Janeiro. Here you will have tour to rain forest in the middle of city. Here you will also have experience of bird sanctuary by visiting Tijuca National Park.
• On the last day of tour you will have trip to Christ the redeemer. The Jesus Christ statue was build between 1922 and 1931. The statue is 30 meters tall and 38 meters wide.

Brochure to assess the suitability of alternative methods (non-traditional) of communication and promotion

Non-traditional modes of communication and promotion

Online network: This communication method will motivate customer to have service of Thomas Cook Group Plc. It will build a connection between company and customer. Other than this, it will also expand the business of Thomas Cook Group Plc by providing new innovative opportunities for gaining new customers.

Free online classified: It will create a new business opportunities for Thomas Cook Group Plc and help in attracting potential customers towards company services (Keillor, 2007).

Guest Blogging: The use of tool will expand the business by having great opportunities in blogger of company. Firm can target more customers than normal ways and allow having expansion in global market. It will also help firm in building strong relationship with customers.

Meet-up groups: This method of communication will allow firm to maintain relationship on basis of individual and similar interest or needs. It is way to meet new people and attract potential customers to have growth in business.

Benefits of non-traditional methods in branding

• These tools are more efficient and dependable.
• It helps in building relation with customers in more effective manner.
• This will also increase level of customer loyalty.
• These tools also provide better convenience to customer as well as company in easier way.
• This will also reduce cost of advertising in Thomas Cook Group Plc (Kirkwood, 2003).

Ways of tour promotion

• Thomas Cook Group Plc can have investment in Google Ad words to promote their official portal with having a proper use of keywords that can boost business of travel and tour.  
• Company can also promote its business over social networking sites like; face book, twitter, etc. They can also publish their brochures and advertisement over various websites. Through this company can target wide range of potential customers in less time and less investment.  
• Other than this, Thomas Cook Group Plc can also submit its articles on other websites which are related to travel and tourism industry (Vidler, 2005). This will increase brand awareness of firm and allow business to find new opportunities.

Non-traditional methods of distribution to sell holidays package

It has been identified that there are number of non-traditional distribution methods to have increase in sale of holiday packages. To have increase in sale of Thomas Cook holiday packages, organization can adopt online and guest blogger method. Other this, firm can also adopt print media for have increase in sale and attract customers to revisit. Online distribution method is way to attract more customers and find new business opportunities in effective manner. Thomas Cook can use several websites or networking tools for have increase in sale of packages (Swarbrooke, 2012). In this method organization will promote and advertise their packages and services over its own portal as well as other social networking websites like, facebook, twitter, etc. this system will increase the brand image of company by having an use of internet.

Guest blogger is also online method that can boost the business of Thomas Cook Group Plc. In this system, company and manager can share its views or any other information regarding business as well as industry. Organization can share picture, information, videos of destinations and other activities that are organized by Thomas Cook group Plc. It will also allow manager to share some interesting and exciting facts about destinations to have increase in attraction of potential customers. In other words, it can be said that it provides a better opportunity to sell packages and services to new customers (Rana, 2014). This will allow firm to target mass segment for growth in business rather than niche market. Thomas Cook Group Plc can also launch its own blog for sharing of information on its own website. This will increase level of bonding between customers and organization.

Other than this, company can also adopt print media to have increase in sale. In this system or mode of distribution organization can advertise in newspapers, magazines for creating a brand image as well as increase in sale. Organization can also issue tour magazines and journals that hold information regarding destinations as well as tour and travel industry. Manager can issue interviews in press that can be useful for community. It also provides wide exposure to business in limited time period (Tani, 2014). These all tools will also force existing customers to have revisit and reuse the services of Thomas Cook Group Plc. This will also create a trust between employees and improve the business of firm. It will also allow company to have more focus on business with generation of new and innovative ideas. Non-traditional methods of distribution to sell holidays package.

Emerging trends and responses of different tour operators

There are number of trends that are identified in assignment first like, social media, shopping tourism packages and active adventures. Here this paper will put focus on responses of Thomas Cook Group Plc competitors towards changes in trends.

Social media: There are number of competitors of Thomas Cook Group Plc who has successfully adopted the social media trend to have success in business such as, Ace Tours Worldwide Ltd., Cox & Kings and International Travel House Ltd. The use of social media has increase the sale of these organizations. This has also allowed these companies to have finest and real time circumstances with their customers and guests. These organizations have also launched mobile applications and online portals to have increase in sale as well as to have proper use of marketing tools (Robinson, 2009.). Social media has improved the understanding regarding the needs and expectation of customers with having consideration of changes adopted by competitors. They find a way to have knowledge about competitors by having a visit of their online portals.

Active adventures: It has been identified that leisure and luxury travellers are more focused on health and stay active. There is growth in adventure tourism due to change in customer perception. It includes activities regarding nature, culture and health and it is more beneficial to attract young age travellers. Competitors of Thomas Cook Group Plc has introduced some adventure activities to their packages. They are now also focusing on some spectator, participatory sports and athletic events while spending vacation and tour. It provide entertainment as well as keep person active, activities are classified as, tracking, beach volleyball, sailing, etc (Swarbrooke, 2012).

Shopping tourism: It has been spotted that tourist spends a lot of money on purchase of items and tourist items while having the tour. In other words. It can be said that shopping has became very essential factor in tourism and to have attraction towards destination. These have been spotted by competitors of Thomas Cook Group Plc and they have introduced some shopping destination to tour packages to have more attraction of customers. The shopping destinations are Brazil, Russia, India and China. Customers are more attracted towards shopping destination to purchase historical items, etc.

Tour packages: It has also been spotted that customers are more attracted towards best services in less cost. This is the reason they are more attracted towards tour packages to have less investment of money as well as time. The competitors of Thomas Cook Group Plc have introduced some tout packages with having a consideration of Asian countries to attract more customers (Bhatia, 2012).

Difference between tactical and strategic decisions and tactical decisions taken by Thomas Cook Group Plc

Tactical decisions are procedures used by organization for short period for large function.  It is useful for organization to acquire job done or to complete specific strategic goal. Its major principle is to make use of definite resource to have accomplishment of sub-goals that provide a support to overall organizational objective. It key role is to boast best possible use of resource to accomplish set of targets. Tactical decision is more elastic and can work according to particular market circumstances. The methods exercise in tactical judgments are skill, observe, plans, process and team work (Robinson, 2009). It provides clear deliverables and productivity using group, tools and time. It also proposes low cost resolution for cost effectiveness and makes corporation a top player in market.

Strategic decision is judgment making procedure that prepared on basis of study like, SWOT, cost-benefit and outside advice analysis. Strategic judgments are formed to recognize the obvious and boarder objectives that are vital for overall association and for appropriate classification of resource. Its key role is to carry out individual working to attain objectives and recognize the combination of tactics that effort collectively to complete goals. It has responsibility of overall union and it is prepared for long time period. It is not so elastic and can’t change regularly. The technique uses in strategic judgments are experience, research, analysis, thinking and communication (Kirkwood, 2003). Its key principle is to create clear managerial goals, plans, maps and key presentation measurements. It scale is to direct all circumstances of marketplace such as, competitors, customers and economy.

For the betterment of association Thomas Cook Group Plc has also adopted a number of tactical decisions. It has been recognized that in tourism sector consumers are guest, so it is essential for institute to center on betterment of them and service to provide better experiences. The objective of union is to offer best service in travel and tourism industry. To have accomplishment of this ambition firm has started taking support from customers. This has forced association to have improved perceptive of needs and perceptions of customers. Other than this, Thomas Cook Group Plc has also capable to identify the needs of human resources (Hansen, 2007). This identification of needs has also motivated firm to solve the problems in more effective and innovative manner.

Another tactical judgment adopted by Thomas Cook Group Plc is to decrease cost of operation. Business has launched its website to have straight connection with clients. In this tactical choice clients can have express booking of lodging through internet and technology. It has also reduced the time consumption of consumer as well as firm. Begin of online service has motivated organization to have reduced in its cost by decline in expenses, which was previously given to negotiators. This judgment has also helped organization in further strategic execution like, it motivated company to go commercial over internet and have boost in sale. The use of website has stretched its trade at international level with less consumption of time (Kirkwood, 2003). It has also motivated firm to have an appropriate exercise of social networking sites and its own portal.

Conclusion

As per above study it has been concluded that tour operations study plays a key role in travel and tourism industry. It makes understand about needs and expectation of customers with providing various servicers like, accommodation, transport and food and beverages. It is also important for organizations to have proper use of non traditional communication and distribution method such as, social networking, blogger, etc.

You may also like to read: 

• Marketing in Travel and Tourism
• Sample on Travel And Tourism Sector
• Destination Management Sample
• Tourism Lessons
• Heritage and Culture Tourism

References

• Henderson, S., 2013. Sustainable touring: exploring value creation through social marketing. Arts Marketing: An International Journal.
• Henry, C., 2006. Periscopic media tour. Strategy & Leadership.
• Jayawardena, C., 2013. Trends and sustainability in the Canadian tourism. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes.
• Mehmetoglu, M., 2004. Tourist or traveller? A typological approach. Tourism Review.
• Pawitra, I., 2003. Tourist satisfaction in Singapore – a perspective from Indonesian tourists. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal.

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