Assignment 1-unit 9
In this assignment, I am going to be discussing in detail about the different types of travel agents:
Multiple, Independent, Business, Call Centre, Online and Regional. Also, I am going to explain what a
homeworker and a consortia membership is, as well as providing examples. I will also talk about the
products and services of each travel agent and compare them to each other.
Definitions:
A product- An item that someone sells in order to serve and satisfy a customer's needs or wants.
A service- The support that is offered to customers. This can be done by completing a task/
work for them, ensuring that it fulfils the demand or need of the other person.
Travel agent- This is a service, either public or private, which provides help to those who want to
travel. Travel agents are responsible for advising clients about travel options whilst meeting the
client’s own requirements (wants and needs). They sell holiday packages, from tour operators to
customers.
A tour operator- These are people who are responsible for arranging/ creating holiday tours. They
put together all the essential elements of a holiday- which include the accommodation,
transportation, and flights-in order to create the holiday packages that are later sold to the public by
travel agents.
Types of travel agents:
Multiple travel agents- These are agencies that are in a national retail outlet, most like to be found
on a high street where many people are/will be, as multiple travel agents rely on having large
numbers of clients. Due to these agencies relying on clients, they usually advertise widely (as the
travel market is extremely competitive). Examples of a multiple travel agents include TUI and
Thomas Cook.
Regional travel agents- These are travel agents that are in a specific area. They usually promote/ sell
holidays that are all in one place. They have good relationships with properties and your operators in
the specialised region. Examples of regional travel agents include Yorkshire Rose Coaches and
Traveltime.
Independent travel agents-These are travel agencies that are not a part of a retail chain, they are a
single business that are mostly managed by themselves. These (usually) do not have a high amount
of funds due to the size of the business, therefore, the offers are limited in comparison to regular
travel agencies. Examples of independent travel agents include Abbots Travel and KM Travel.
Online travel agents- These are travel agencies that are specialised in advertising and selling
holidays online. They provide a variety of things, such as a selection of locations, that people can
browse through whilst looking for a holiday. They allow customers to research and book holidays
directly with travel suppliers without having to physically go to a travel agent. Examples of online
travel agents include Booking.com and Love holidays.
Business travel agent-These are travel agencies that specialise in travel arrangements for
businesspeople. They plan things from bookings (flights and accommodation) to designing itineraries
(schedule of events related to planned travel). These agencies focus more on the timing (as most
trips are short notice) in comparison to the price of the trip. They take on all aspects of the business
,trip planning. Examples of business travel agents include Carlson Wagonlit Travel, CT Business Travel
and Cresta World Travel.
Call centre travel agents- These are travel agencies which sell holidays and products over the phone.
They talk to customers to understand their needs, help them find a suitable package (holiday) or
plan independent travel for them. They also make bookings and payments using computer systems.
Plus, they give advice on multiple things like passports, insurance, visas, vaccinations, tours, and
vehicle hire. Example of call centre travel agents include Ryanair, Expedia and Jet2holidays.
, Multiple Travel Agent
A multiple travel agent is an agent that operates retail outlets nationally.
TUI- Multiple travel agent- that was founded nearly 100 years ago. Its CEO is Friedrich Joussen with
its headquarters being in Hanover, Germany. Also, they won the 'Most Trusted Travel Company' in
The Sun Travel Awards 2022.
Products
TUI has many products available for customers. One of them is that they sell package holidays. This
means that families can book a holiday without having to worry about other aspects of the trip, such
as flights, accommodation, transportation. This will make the process easier for them, making it less
stressful. Another product that TUI offers are tailor made holidays. This means that if you cannot
find the holiday that you want or if it isn’t available, they can make a holiday that fits you and what
you want.
Services
Furthermore, TUI provides services to customers, one service being face to face bookings. TUI has
stores on the high-street where experts are there to help and guide them. This means that with the
help from the staff, the entire process will be less complicated, especially if this is someone who is
booking their first holiday. This first-hand help will make the process easier and comfortable for
anyone, even if they have booked a holiday. Plus, another service that TUI provides to customers is
the online travel agents (in a call centre). TUI has a call centre that allows you to book your holiday
over the phone, from wherever, with help from an online travel agent. This means that no matter
the circumstances, you can book a holiday in the way you like (either physically or virtually).
Therefore, there is an easy and accessible way for customers in any circumstance- it is inclusive for
everyone.
Why would customers choose TUI-a Multiple travel agent?
Customers would choose Tui- a Multiple travel agent. TUI has a wide variety of facilities (products
and services) available for the public. This means that TUI has every resource that is needed to
research and book distinct types of holidays- no matter what the customers want/ are specifically
looking for, everyone can use TUI. This can make customers feel less stressed with the process. Also,
TUI is an agent that has great customer service. It is said that they have “4.5 stars for customer
service.” This must mean that the service that they provide is excellent-from the customers point of
view.
However, TUI also has some disadvantages. One example, on the TUI website, it says that “your
deposit is non-refundable, even if the cancellation charge calculated is lower than the deposit
amount paid.” This means that even if you cancel your holiday within the said period, you will lose
your deposit no matter what. The price of this deposit may not be the cheapest for some, so losing
this amount of money may affect someone rather significantly.
Multiple VS Call centre
Someone may prefer to use TUI (a Multiple travel agent) over a Call-centre travel agent, like
Ryanair, as the customers can go face-to-face with the staff, gaining all the help they need, whereas
those who are booking through a call centre travel agent may struggle with expressing their issues to
the person on the other side of the phone, who is trying to help them. Furthermore, as TUI has a call
centre, this means that even those who have not got the time to go into a travel agent or physically
cannot, they can still book a holiday from their home. This gives customers a choice as to which one
to use, making it accessible for everyone.
