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Archive for the ‘travel agency’ Category

Role of a travel agency is to perform as an intermediary between the producers and consumers of tourism services. Suppliers in tourism industry such as airlines, tourist transport operators, tour operators, hotels etc work with travel agency for distribution of their services. Tourists also avail the services of travel agency for buying the services of the major suppliers. This does not mean that the travel agencies follow the strategies of the principal suppliers for marketing purposes. They have to chalk out their own strategy for promoting themselves.

Travel agencies make effort to add value to the products/services of the major suppliers. They go for their own market research to set the target market. They have to decide on discounts or service charges and finalise their product mix as well as sales and promotional strategies.

Understanding the Market
A travel agency has to take decision which market segment to target. The prospective market needs to be properly segmented. This segmentation could be done on the basis of the motive of travel or their budget. Timing of the travel decisions or services required by the customers could also be the base of segmentation. A customer could require services like tour packages, travel consultancy, ticket booking, handle travel documents (visa, passports etc), airport transfers, hotel bookings etc.

Product Design
Travel agency business is more or less confined to sole proprietorship or partnership firms. Majority of businesses are of small level. A travel agency has to decide on the target market, determine on customer requirements and generate ideas to develop the product. One also has to do the business analysis considering costs, estimate future sales, and profit potential.

A travel agency could have product oriented or market oriented approach in the business. It could emphasise on products and services of tourism supply, disregarding customer needs. However, in a multi-player market, this approach will not work. A market oriented approach would always be better for an agency. It must look at the customer needs and accordingly design its products. Market survey has to be conducted to understand the customer needs and get information about the practices of other agencies. Only when a manager knows about market needs, he can take a decision on the product design of the company. For example, services provided to walk-in customers could be different than those offered to repeat customers.

Even in the recent past, we didn’t have telephone communication from all the places. There were landline telephones at roadsides, bus terminals, rail station, and hospitals and at some other places. Might be we didn’t feel the demand of phone everywhere; however, if there was it would be great help to save a life at the time emergency.

Now a day, we cannot pass even hours without a cell phone. When we move to somewhere and find at a state the cell phone is at home, not with us, many of we go back to bring it. We even take the risk of being late in office or in an emergency meeting.

We see some people holding cell phone in their hands all the time. They even do so while driving a car, doing exercise or participating in a meeting. It is the mobile phone technology that enables you to communicate to anywhere from wherever you are, Now, mobile phone isn’t just a phone; it is an multi-purpose device-listening music, watching video, snapping picture, surfing internet etc. Even you can start a chat from your mobile phone. Internet is now a part of cell phone.

Now, we are quite used to this modern technology. We do not imagine parting with it. Even when you are driving a car, you cell phone is an indispensable part of your life. However, it may lead you to a dangerous accident. Don’t worry; I don’t suggest throwing away your cell phone, just using a hands free device. And that is a Bluetooth headset.

A Bluetooth headset can solve the problem. It is device which enables you receive a cell phone call without using any of your hands i.e. you are not likely to create a chance of car accident risking your and others’ lives. It gives you high quality sound excluding background noise. Its transmission quality is also excellent. Bluetooth headset gives you the advantage of hear the sound clearly.

Bose Bluetooth headset is one of best one of its kind. It has features that make it popular in the market. It provides you excellent sound quality. Its microphone enables the person on the other side hear clearly what you say. Both of you don’t hear background sound.

This Bluetooth is a smart looking one without an ear clip. There are three sizes available in the market. You can choose any of them as per your appetite. They are also of different colors; just choose one for you.

The market of mobile phone is increasingly growing. Uses of mobile phone are including utility bill payment, banking, buying tickets, receiving exam results etc. In course of time mobile will be associated with most of our daily activities.

The trip of a lifetime can take a lifetime to plan unless you know how to pick a travel agency.

A common misconception is that travel agencies add to the cost of your trip. In truth, finding and using a good travel agency to plan your trip usually saves you time, money, and frustration. So how do you pick a travel agency?

Ask around!

The best way to find a good travel agency is through word of mouth. Ask your family and friends who they’ve used and then ask them about their trip. How did they travel? Where did they stay? Was their trip enjoyable? Getting a few referrals from friends helps you to know in ahead of time what to expect from a particular travel agent and helps you weed out the good from the not-so-good as well.

Are you a member?

Many clubs and organizations offer travel services for their members and many corporations have established relationships with travel agencies that their employees can use. “Members only” travel plans frequently offer the best values.

Compare

Shop a couple of experienced firms. Travel agencies come and go like any other businesses. The ones that stay in business add experience and know-how to each trip they plan. Make your first inquiry with a travel agency a listening experience; judge how well the agent listens to you and how comfortable they make you feel.

A good travel agent will ask you to outline your trip. They’ll ask where you’re going and why, how you’d prefer to travel, how long you plan to stay, and what your travel budget is. Be open and honest with your answers. A good agent will readily put together a sample itinerary that describes availabilities in transportation, accommodations, and estimated costs.

If you feel like you’re getting the “hard sell” or the travel agency tells you there’s only package available, keep shopping. You can always go back if you find that they’re right!

In addition to finding the best rates in lodgings and transportation, an experienced travel agent can also give you some helpful tips about your destination and here’s the bonus– generally it costs nothing to use a travel agency! Because they can buy in volume, travel agencies get discounts on prices for both tickets and lodgings!

For travel made easy, use the services of a travel agency to make your outing a time to remember well!