Travel agency or company

The act of traveling to different places for leisure or recreational purposes is leisure travel and tourism is a travel for leisure or recreational purposes. Globalization has increased the tourism industry a big boost. Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries that contribute greatly to the economy of a country in this era of globalization. Majority of the working class spend their leisure time for travel. Many services describe a leisure travel experience that include guided tours, farm stay tours, tours for the activity of the kids, entertainment programmes at resorts or hotels, and weekend accommodation/holiday packages.A travel agency or company sells the travel services, particularly the package travel. There are commonly three types of three different types of agencies that include multiples, maniples and independent agencies. The multiples comprise of national chains of international conglomerates. A package travel comprises of a pre-arranged travel for 24 hours, which is a combination of accommodation, transport and a tourist service such as entertainment that forms a significant part of the package. Normally there exists an exclusive price for this package travel.The package is generally provided for a discount and the travel company should provide the information regarding the requirements of the visa and passport, health requirements. The Brisbane is the state capital of Queensland, Australia, with tourism as an important industry for the economy of the state attracting 4. 9 million of domestic and 0. 9 million international visitors annually. Brisbane neighbors the tourism capital of Australia, the gold coast, with golden beaches and exciting nightlife.The present paper discusses on designing the leisure travel product, a package tour to the Brisbane the capital of the state of Queensland, Australia. It also analyses the existing market opportunities for the product when compared with the products of the similar nature. Variables of the mark eting mix in a package tour: Product: The product in the tourism industry is the customer value, and for the elements of the marketing mix to be effective, it is important to concentrate on the unique characteristics of the product for tourism, the demand and the range of the determinants for the demand.In a tourism industry, for a strategic planning of the product there are two possible approaches that include, Market approach and the destination approach. It is important to select the right package of products to make the market more attractive. Securing a unique position and a good reputation in the market is very important for the strategic place of the product in the market. A package of benefits and offerings that can meet the expectations of the visitors, investors will increase the business.Promotion: Communication in an effective way plays an important role that increases the effectiveness of the market. Awareness of the product: it is important to make the customer aware o f the product to get the attention of the customer. Interest: generating interest on the product plays an important role. Desire: Creating a desire that is related to the needs relative to the competitors is important. Action: stimulating the target market to purchase the product plays an important role.Giving the information and building awareness of the product, creating a positive attitude towards the product, and creating a good climate for purchase by clearing the doubts about the product are some of the attributes that has to be considered for promoting a product. The product offering in the form of stimulus input that provokes for a holiday tour, taking the full advantage of product promotion through the communication channels such as guides, brochures etc, will motivate the customers to purchase the product.Price: The price factor in the tourism industry is perceived in terms of value for money. This is largely influenced by the prior expectation of the customer as to how ex pensive or cheap the trip would be. The price and the perception the price in the market needs to be handles carefully in the marketing mix. Description of the travel product, the package tour A package tour is a service that comprises of transport and accommodation organized by a tour operator and sold by a travel agent.The package tour of the modern times has evolved from the package tours of 1960’s when there was a package tour that comprises of flights, accommodation and transfers. These package tours mostly existed in the United Kingdom where most of the people got an affordable travel to various destinations including the foreign travel. With a decreasing demand for the package tour, the sector is now largely operated by a few large tour operators. With the advent of dynamic tour package, the consumers have the freedom to choose their own packages consisting of accommodation, flights and transfers.(First conferences battle, 2005). Analysis of the product: Australian cul tural environment is unique in that it is a combination of the aboriginal, Europe and American cultures. The excellent cities, snowfields, deserts, rain forests, and the golden beaches of Australia provide a wealth of travel experiences. Australia is a tourist attraction for its events, arts from aboriginal culture, antiques, cuisine and most of all the flexible government policies to obtain visas for the foreign tourists.Contributing a large share to the economy, tourism in Australia represents about 5. 9% of the GDP. With a large number of domestic and international tourists visiting every year, there is a lot of scope for the dynamic package tours in the country. Activities and benefits of a package tour: The activity of a package tour is to plan a journey to a different place without many hazels at a reasonable cost. The benefits of the tour include the avoiding the hassles of searching for accommodation in a new place and all accommodation and transportation are pre arranged.Wi th packaging to tourism the tourism operators get the benefits such as increase in the sales, increasing marketability of the product and increase of the share in the market beyond the own resources. Target markets: Many tourists buy the package tours as they feel it is the secure, economical and a convenient way for a leisure travel. The travel agents can use this opportunity to enhance their product value by offering some compliments along with their services. The best packages give appealing experiences for a good value to the target market.The best package chooses specific products based on the best fit in the target market. Price: Price of the package is decided upon the per customer basis and is calculated based on variable costs, fixed costs and the overhead or the marketing costs. All these costs together with the profit will form the basic package of the price. Location/schedules: Many travelers and the budget minded in particular, prefer the travel that is safe convenient and secure. These package travels are useful for those who travel for an unfamiliar location that is exotic that can be covered in a short period.Many of the partially escorted tours take care of transportation and lodging in which meals are excluded. Personnel for the package tour: The warm and friendly personnel and their welcoming and receiving nature will give the tourists a relaxation. The relaxing environment provided by the personnel at every stage of the travel gives a feeling that the tourists feel excited and relaxed. Physical facilities for a package tour: The organizations, which offers services for package tours has to change the strategy in such a way that the package offered constantly meets the demands of the customer.By considering the aspirations of the tourists, it is possible to manage the resources effectively. Process management policies: The process management policies include package types that supports user-defined product types, dynamic packages that allows choice of items adjusted according to the budget, flexibility in accommodating the packages in different seasons, a complete rule based pricing mechanism, managing multiple currencies, pooled inventory management and powerful traveler reward programme. Competitive advantage or unique selling point:For selling a package, it is beneficial to develop the package that has appealing inventory of experiences, and support services. Developing a package concept that includes setting a theme, market position, and giving a full description of the specific services are appealing to the target market that give a competitive advantage. Travel products offered by one company Package tour-1 The package includes four days and three nights, and the price includes morning city sights, rivers and return private car transfers to airport, hotel and the choice of selecting star hotels including one lunch.Package tour-2 The package tour includes four days and three nights. The pricing includes escorted t ouring with knowledgeable guides. One night each at pinnacles, beach, museums, that includes six meals (3 breakfasts and 3 dinners). Package tour-3 The package includes five days and four nights, the price includes accommodation for two nights at rain forest retreat, excursions, guided walks, morning and afternoon teas, accommodation for two nights at a resort, four breakfasts and one lunch and private car transfer to hotel and airport.Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of each package tour Package tour-1 Strengths: The strengths include city viewing in the morning, offering choice to choose a star hotel for accommodation and transport by private cars to airport and hotel. Weaknesses: The weaknesses include providing only one lunch during the period of stay. Package tour-2 Strengths: That include visit for the museums, viewing wild flowers, dolphins, beaches, and pinnacles and offering six meals. Weaknesses: Not offering transport by a private car to the hotels and airport.Packa ge tour-3 Strengths: The strengths include providing accommodation for two nights at rain forest retreat, with excursions and guided walks, all transfers, and private car transfer to hotel and airports. Weaknesses: The weaknesses include providing only four breakfasts and one lunch as the travelers has to visit the rain forest retreat. Proposed travel product The travel product comprises of a trip to Brisbane a cosmopolitan city that provides relaxation. The stay includes 3 days and two nights.The price includes two nights at Brisbane, transports by a private car to hotel and airport visit to a sanctuary, and high lights of the city in the afternoon, and a tour to the zoo. The price also includes three lunch and two breakfasts and one dinner and the choice of choosing one out of the three good star hotels for accommodation. The price will be reasonable at 520 US dollars. Presentation of the product A trip to Brisbane A trip to discover a young cosmopolitan city Brisbane will relax y ou from the hassles of routine life.Stay: 3 days and two nights Price: †¢ two nights at Brisbane †¢ private car transfers to the airport and hotel †¢ visit to sanctuary †¢ afternoon highlights of the city †¢ a tour to the zoo †¢ three lunch, two breakfasts and one dinner Day-1 Transport by a private car, a tourist guide will accompany a tour to the afternoon high lights of the city. A visit to the wild life sanctuary, and choice of choosing a hotel Day-2 Visit to the zoo, entertainment by many shows and demonstrations. Day-3Transfer to airport from Brisbane by a private car References From the journals: 1. Angel roper(2005), Marketing standardisation:tour operators in the nordic region European journal of marketing,vol. 39(5/6), pp. 514-27 2. Jay kadumpally(2000), The impact of demand fluctuation on the quality of service: a tourism industry example. Managing service quality, vol. 10(1), pp. 10-19. From the internet: 3. Travel Agents Could Lose Out in t he Dynamic Packaging Battle, First Conferences Ltd. (2005).