Over the previous two decades, the tour operator sector has responded well to the tourists’ ever-increasing need for innovative and diverse travel packages.
If the trend continues, new complex vacation packages and tour operators specializing in their providing will undoubtedly emerge. Today, tour operators provide a wide range of travel packages to meet the needs of the incoming, outbound, and domestic tourist markets. The primary packages are as follows:
Types of Packages
Independent Tour
Independent tours are tailored to the needs of the individual/specific traveler. A traveler on this tour is free and independent to choose any component for his journey. The travel agency/tour operator assembles the components of the ‘tour,’ working directly with vendors such as airlines, hotels, cruise lines, transportation companies, and others.
The vendors normally quote a net price to the travel company and allow him to mark it up to pay his time and expenditures. In the case of an independent tour, suppliers quote the rack rate for individual reservations. For example, an independent tour could be a package of transport and ground accommodations that is specially tailored to the individual’s tastes and is not promoted in a tour brochure.
Inclusive Tour
An inclusive tour is one in which the tour ingredients are purchased, mixed, and offered as a package to travelers at an all-included price by a tour operator. It is a publicized tour package that combines travel and ground transportation at group pricing.
As a result, the all-inclusive tour is less expensive than the independent tour. In fact, to obtain the group pricing, the tour operator must ensure that those seats, accommodations, and so on will be sold.
If this is not sold, the tour operator is expected to absorb the entire loss. Thus, an inclusive tour is a pre-paid and well-planned tour that includes all aspects, including services at discounted rates, and requires that all tour members fly on the same round-trip flight and stay together for the duration of the tour.
Today, tour operators provide a range of inclusive tours, such as inclusive tour adventures, and inclusive tours by charters like Nelson Bay golf tours.
Escorted Tour
It is often referred to as a ‘Conducted Tour.’ To escort the tour members, a tour escort is given from the starting point to the point of return. Ground operators typically arrange this type of tour on behalf of the primary tour operator.
Some excursions will feature both a local escort and a professional escort who will share the tasks throughout the voyage. In many cases, tour operators employ a different escort/tour leader depending on the character of each location visited.
Business Tour
The essence of a business tour differs greatly from that of other tour packages, such as a vacation. The enjoyment factor, on the other hand, cannot be isolated from business tours.
Because business people travel for a variety of reasons, itineraries are set rather than chosen by them, and attractions are frequently added to make business tours more successful and appealing.