Tour Operators

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Tour operator is an organization, firm or company who buys individual travel components,
separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold with their own
price tag to the public directly or through middlemen, is called a Tour Operator.

More precise tour operators are primarily responsible for delivering and performing the services
specified in a given package tour. They can provide these services themselves as some have their
own cars and coaches, hotels and other travel related services or can obtain these from the other
suppliers. That is why they are called manufacturers of tourism products.

Tour operators are sometimes called as wholesalers but this is partially true because a wholesaler
buys goods and services in bulk at his own account to prepare a tour package and then retails it
through the travel agencies or directly to clients. However, a tour operator who has his own one or
more tourists products components, (SOTC, TCI, Thomas Cook, Indo Asia KUONI formulates a
new tourists product for example ‘inclusive tours.’

Tour operators generally offer a variety of package tours to cater to the needs of different kinds of
travelers.

Definitions
Poyther (1993) defines, “tour operator is one who has the responsibility of putting the tour
ingredients together, marketing it, making reservations and handling actual operation.”

Holloway (1992) stated that tour operations undertake a distinct function in the tourismindustry,
they purchase separate elements of tourism products/services and combine them into a package tour
which they sell directly or indirectly to the tourists.

Today, tour operators have become highly competitive. They endeavor to achieve a high volume of
turnover, and maximum International and domestic market share by effectively operating.
Moreover, the success of many developed and developing nations as tourists destinations depend
heavily on a tour operator’s ability to attract tourists, development and promotion of tourism plant,
diversification of tourism product and their social responsibilities to develop a remote and backward
area.
Types of Tour Operators
Tour operators are basically categories into four types. These are categories on the basis of their
nature of the business and their operations.

1. Inbound Tour Operators

2. Outbound Tour Operators
3. Domestic Tour Operators
4. Ground Operators

Inbound Tour Operators

These are also known as incoming tour operators. Technically, the operators who receive guests,
clients/tourists and handle arrangements in the host country are called inbound tour operators. For
example, a group of American Tourists is coming through TCI Ltd. to India and the company makes
arrangements and handles the group in India then TCI is called an inbound tour operator.
Incidentally, the inbound traffic to the country for the last two decades has been decreasing.
Essentially the tour operators need to adopt innovative marketing strategies and should introduce a
special interest tour to cater the special needs of Japanese, Americans, French and British people.

Outbound Tour Operators

Tour operator who promote tours for foreign destinations, maybe business tour or leisure tour is
called outbound tour operators. For example a group of American tourists going to a trip of India
and Thomas Cook handle arrangement in America like as ticket reservation, hotel booking etc. then
Thomas Cook is called Outbound Tour operators in the context of America.
Domestic Tour Operators
Domestic tour operators are those who assemble, combine tourist components into inclusive tours
and sell it to the domestic travelers. In general, these tour operators provide travel services within
the tourist’s native country.

The domestic tour operators operate within the boundary of the home country and offer package
tour to the travelers viz. Domestic inclusive tours or independent tours.

Ground Operators/Destination Management Companies

These are commonly known as handling agencies and their main function is to organize tour
arrangements for incoming tourists on the behalf of overseas operators. Let us take the case of India
as a destination that – has a varied culture.
When a tour operator himself promotes beach holidays, wildlife holidays, adventure tours, heritage
tours at the different places, the difficulty arises. It is the ground operator then who by handling the
incoming travelers in the same season but at different places ensures that the entire operation is
according to the package tours or agreements.

Sometime when a handling agency is at a prominent tourist place i.e., Delhi and it has to make
arrangements to Goa, then it contracts (If it has no office of its own) with a local operator (known as
excursion agent) to handle the arrangement on his behalf.

Why Ground Operators?

Obviously, the tour operation companies do not have close contact with suppliers, governments,
destinations and so on. It leaves no choice with the companies but to appoint handling agencies at
the destinations. The main reasons are:

 Introduction of new products or plant to promote an exotic destination.

 Lack of Government regulations.
 Lack of personal contract.
 Language problem.
 The company cannot establish its own branch.
Recognizing the very fact that the reputation, performance, and profitability of tour company in its
own market largely depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of ground operators, it has because
necessary for the company to consider various factors before the selection of a handling agency,
they are:

 Size of business
 Professional staff
 Length of business
 Area of operation/Product line
 Market share

Functions of Ground Tour Operators

Over the years of functions and activities of the destination, companies have changed drastically to
cope with the changing environment of the tourism industry. In fact, today’s destination companies
have become more professional and are bound to provide personalized travel services to the tourists.
The following functions are performed by ground tours operators:

1. Land arrangement
2. Contract and Negotiate with other vendors
3. Handling of Arrival and departure procedure
4. Planning and organizing local package tour
5. Escorting the tourists
6. Providing market information
7. Costing and pricing package tour

Practically, if we see the working of the travel agencies and tour operators in the industry we find
that most of the organizations are performing different types of activities like the retail travel
agency, wholesale travel agency, and tour operators.
The travel agency business is no longer an amateurism. Over the last two decades, the pattern and
structure of travel agencies have changed to meet tough challenges in the international market.
Today, small-scale agencies are finding the travel industry increasingly complex.
Thus, the small and medium scale travel agencies are disappearing or merging or falling instead of
rising. On the other hand, a new concept has also emerged i.e. tour operation business. The tour
operation business is new but a maturing business at the global level.

Functions of Tour Operator

A tour operator is an organization, firms or a person who is responsible for the actual arrangement
of transport and accommodation facilities in any tour or vacations. They are also responsible for
operating and providing vacation through contracting, booking and packaging together of the
various components of the tour such as hotel, transportation, meals, guides, optional tours and
sometimes flights.

A tour operator is like a service provider, providing the most convenient option for tourists to stay,
visit, as well as leave from the city. A tour operator owns a high volume of travel services across
carriers, services, and accommodation. Some most important functions of the tour operators are
following as:

Planning a Tour
The most important functions of the tour operators are planning a tour. Tour operators plan a tour
and make tour itinerary which contains the identification of the origin, destination and all the
stopping point in a traveler’s tours. A prospective tour operator also gives advice to intending
tourists in various types of tour programmes, which they may choose for their leisure or commercial
travel.

Making Tour Package

Tour operator buys individual travel components, separately from there suppliers and combines
them into a package tour. Tour operators make tour package by assembling various travel
components into a final product that is called tour package which is sold to tourist with own price
tag. Making tour packages is also an important function of Tour Operator.

Arranging a Tour
Tour operators make tour package and also arrange a tour according to tourist demands. Tour
operators arrange the tour package and various tourists activities to provide the best experience to
tourists/traveler.

Travel Information
Whatever the size of tour operators, it has provided necessary travel information to the tourists. This
task is utterly difficult and very complicated. A tour operator must give up-to-date, accurate and
timely information regarding destinations, modes of travel, accommodation, sightseeing,
immigration, health and security rules about various permits required to travel in a particular area
etc.

Reservation
It is a very important function of all type tour operators and travel agencies. Tour operator makes all
the reservation by making linkages with accommodation sector, transport sector and other
entertainment organizations to reserve rooms, and seats in cultural programmes and transportation.
Travel Management
Tour operators manage tour from beginning to the end of the tour. A tour operator has the
responsibility to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour such as hotel, accommodation,
meals, conveyance etc. Tour operators provide travel guide, escorting services and arrange all travel
related needs and wants.

Evaluate the Option Available

Tour operators evaluate all available options to provide a unique or unforgettable travel experience
to tourists during their journey. Tour operators evaluate the various options available for a tour
package and provide best of them to tourists.

Promotion
Tour Operators makes tour packages and promote them into various tourists markets at domestic as
well international level. Tour operators promote a travel destination to attract a large group of
tourists at domestic as well as international level. In the promotion of tourist destination, tour
operators play a key role. Travel agencies or tour operators are called as image builder of a country.

Sales and Marketing

Tour operators do sales and marketing of tourist products. Tour operators buy individual travel
components, separately and combine them into a tour package, which is sold with their own price
tag to the public directly. Tour operators do marketing of tourist destinations and tourism product to
attracts the attention of the tourists/travelers.

Taking Care of Glitch

Tours operators are also called handling agencies which handles tour package and take care of all
the glitches and problems arises during a tour package. Tour operators fix the glitches and provide
the best available alternative to tourists during their journey.

Importance of Tour Operators

Tours operators play a key role in the tourism sector. Tour operators create tourist product, promote
them an finally sold them to tourist.

Tour operators provide the best and competitive price to the tourist. Tour operators negotiate with
suppliers of tourism product such as hotels, airlines and provide the best possible price to the tourist.
Tour operators buy tourist product in bulk and get huge discounts from suppliers. So that they
provide tourist products at cheap price.

Tour operators organized a tour in the best way. They personalize and make sure each and every
component of the tour is well-taken care. Tour operators provide best travel experience during a
tour. Tour operators save tourists times and money.

Tour operators provide immediate support system at host country as well as foreign land. When
tourists travel to a foreign land and things get uncertain, maybe its a health or loss of documents and
need to return back or change of travel plan. A qualified tour operator takes care of all these unseen
events with efficiency.

Tour operator caters to the needs of tourists on the based on their taste of travel. Tour operator
provides all the best available option according to tourist needs and demands

Difference between Travel Agent and

Tour Operator
There is a lot of confusion about the difference between tour operators and travel agents what
exactly makes them different. The main difference between a Travel agent and Tour operator are
following as:
1. A travel agent is a person who has a full knowledge of tourist product – destinations, modes of
travel, climate, accommodation and other areas of the service sector. He acts on the behalf of the
product providers/principals and in return get a commission.
2. Tour operator is an organization, firm or company who buys individual travel components,
separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold with their
own price tag to the public directly or through middlemen.
3. Tour operators are like wholesalers and travel agents are the retailers.
4. A tour operator makes the package holidays up and the travel agents sell them on.
5. Tour operator taking up the bulk of the responsibilities and his fee is obviously much greater than
a travel agent.
6. A tour operator has the responsibilities to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour such as
hotel, accommodation, meals, conveyance etc.
The wholesale travel agencies may offer or operate the package tours or may specialize in
developing tours for inbound as well as outbound travelers. They are often referred to as tour
operators, but there is a difference between Wholesale Travel Agencies and Tour operators.