Travel agent what. What is the difference between a travel operator and a travel agent? Who and why works in tourism

Work with travel agencies is currently one of the main directions of the current and strategic activities any tour operator. The role of travel agents in the prosperity and success of the operator's business cannot be overestimated, because no matter how famous the operator is, no matter how interesting tours that meet the needs of market segments he offers, without an efficiently operating extended agent network, he would not be able to achieve anything in tourism business. That is why in the structure of any operator there is either a responsible person, or even a whole department that works with agents and develops new ways, means of stimulating and increasing the efficiency of agency activity.

Tourist agency Is it legal or individual engaged in advertising, bringing to the consumer and sale of travel packages developed by the tour operator. The need for agents is due to a number of reasons:

The need to promote the operator's tours in the regions - not every tour operator has the opportunity to open its own representative office or branch in each promising region, while the involvement of regional agents in joint work allows you to promote the operator's tours far from the place of its permanent deployment;

The need to bring tours to the client - not every client is inclined to desire to travel tens or hundreds of kilometers to another city in order to purchase a tour. It is much more profitable for the client to purchase a package in hometown with an authorized agent of a long-distance tour operator, similarly, this is also beneficial for the operator, the presence of an agent network in which allows serving non-resident tourists;

The operator's inability to independently serve all customers departing from him. The presence of an agent network is an indispensable condition for minimizing the costs of a tour operator. The more people he serves on his own, the more expenses he has (the need to maintain a large staff of workers, in the first place) and vice versa.

Functions of travel agencies:

Advertising tours offered by tour operators in the regional market at their own expense and under their own financial responsibility - the agent, therefore, independently decides which of the tours offered by the operator will be positively received and in demand in the regional market, and then advertises them with all available him in ways for his own money;

Bringing reliable information about the tour potential client(in the case of a client contacting the office of a travel agent, the latter must popularly and easily convey reliable information about the upcoming tour organized by the tour operator. At the same time, the information required by the client who applied can be of any content, which requires the agent to have high experience and knowledge of the direction);

Selling a tour, that is, pre-booking a tour with an operator, receiving a booking confirmation from the last one and receiving payment for an upcoming tour from a client;

The component function of the agency is to purchase (from the tour operator or directly from suppliers) additional tourist products that provide maximum convenience for the tourist;

The tour-forming agent's function is to enable him to purchase individual tourist products from various tour operators and independently form a tourist package from them. This function is the most optimal for organizing custom-made individual or group tours, as well as in cases where the purchase of a component of tours from different operators more profitable in terms of the final price of the tourist package.

The legal status of the operator and agent cooperating is fixed in the agency agreement (or alternatively, agency agreement, agency agreement, etc.), the subject of which is the delegation by the operator to the agent of the right to sell their own tours for a fixed amount of commission. The agent can sell tours of the operator both on his own behalf, both with reference to the tour operator, and on behalf of the tour operator. However, in any case, the client's claims for an organized tour must be accepted by the agent who sold this travel package. According to the standard agency agreement, the duties of the agent are: bringing reliable information about the upcoming tour organized by the tour operator to the client;

Selling a tour after a preliminary booking and receiving confirmation of the booking conditions from the operator;

Collecting the necessary information and documents from the client and sending them to the tour operator in a timely manner (so the agent is obliged to inform the operator of the personal data of tourists in a timely manner, and in some cases organize the sending of the tourist documents to the operator on time, for example, when selling tours to visa countries);

Timely payment of the tour operator's tour - the agent is obliged to fully pay the sold tour to the operator within the period specified in the contract or specified in the booking confirmation.

It should be noted that in the event of claims from the client arising from the agent's improper performance of his duties (for example, the agent provided false information about the client's identity, as a result of which the tourist was not met at the airport or not settled in the hotel), the responsibility is fully transferred to the agent.

The tour operator under the agency agreement undertakes:

Inform the agent about the formal requirements, conditions, restrictions imposed on tourists by foreign suppliers, air transport, consular, customs and other institutions;

Provide the agent with comprehensive information about the features of travel, as well as the dangers that tourists may encounter during their implementation;

Not later than the period specified in the contract (usually 24 hours) from the moment of receipt of the booking request, confirm the possibility of organizing the tour in accordance with the stated conditions; issue invoices for the payment of the tourist product for which it is requested;

Issue to the agent (or send him by registered mail) documents required by the tourist for the trip (for example, air tickets, accommodation voucher, information sheet, insurance policy, etc.);

Inform the agent about the occurrence of circumstances that prevent the implementation of individual requested tourist products or the departure of the tourist, as well as changes in the tour programs;

Pay the agent a commission in the amount established by the agency agreement or a specific offer of the tour operator.

The last point, regarding the commission, is the most important in the system of relations between the tour operator and the agent. The role of the commission is not only to stimulate the agency (increasing its material interest in the more active sale of the operator's tours), but also to encourage tourists to buy tours in the official agencies of a tour operator (since the presence of a commission ensures equal selling prices for both the operator and and from the agent, which makes it meaningless for potential tourists to apply for the purchase of the tour directly to the operator). It is thanks to the commission that the identity of selling prices in different regions in different agents is achieved, which indicates the civilization and high level of development of the tourism market.

Exist., Number of synonyms: 1 agent (57) ASIS Synonym Dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

travel agent- travel agent … Dictionary of abbreviations and abbreviations

Travel agent- see Tourism activities ... Encyclopedia of Law

TRAVEL AGENT- TRAVEL AGENT ACTIVITIES ... Legal Encyclopedia

travel agent- 3.9 travel agent: Organization or individual entrepreneur carrying out activities on the basis of a license to promote and implement the tour. Source: GOST R 50690 2000: Tourist services. General requirements original document... Dictionary-reference book of terms of normative and technical documentation

- (see TRAVEL AGENT ACTIVITIES) ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of Economics and Law

travel agent- see travel agency activities. * * * see Tourist activities… Big Law Dictionary

travel agent- a, h. A legal person or an individual undertaking, which, on the basis of a license, establishes activity for the promotion and sale of a tourist product ... Ukrainian glossy dictionary

Travel agent - entity or an individual entrepreneur carrying out activities to promote and implement tourism product. Wed Tour operator. a conductor organization engaged in the implementation of tours formed by the tour operator. Most of… … Lexicon of a tourist

Books

Information technology in the tourism industry. Undergraduate study guide
Information technology in the tourism industry. Textbook, Shitov Viktor Nikolaevich. Considered in detail information processes and technology Information Security activities of enterprises tourism industry, computer technology in general use with…

How to become a travel agent?

The fastest option that does not require higher education would be specialized courses. It is budgetary, does not take much time and in a few months will give the first fruits.

But there is a side effect here: in such a short period of time, a huge amount of information is given - not all people are able to absorb it in full. Upon completion, you receive a certificate of completed courses and the opportunity to work in entry-level positions.

Of course, if you want to move further in this field, you should go to college or university.

Another opportunity to get the profession of a travel agent is given by various colleges of service and tourism. Faculty name: tourism manager. Such institutions create a more complete picture of the future specialization in the head of a young student.

The study lasts an average of two to three years, it happens both on a paid and free basis. At the end of the study period, the college usually guarantees the student employment, which is a good help for specialized courses.

The third option is higher educational institution. Faculties: tourism manager, travel agent and others. In universities, students get a complete picture of the tourist destination, study management and marketing, without which there is little sense in this profession.

This is the longest and the surest way to become a travel agent. Specialists from higher education always in demand and have every chance to have good salary, because the main income of a travel agent is a percentage of sales.

Work as a travel agent

A tourism manager or travel agent sells and arranges tours, advises clients on various issues: from the peculiarities of a particular country to the availability of wi-fi in a hotel room.

Here it is important to be able to find an approach to each client, to understand and take into account their needs, to be stress-resistant, and most importantly, to have information. A good travel agent is the most erudite person who knows about different countries the most important and up-to-date information.

How much do travel agents earn?

The salary of a travel agent consists of a rate and a percentage of sales. The assistant tourism manager has the lowest salary, on average in Moscow it is 20-35 thousand rubles, and in Russia 15-20 thousand rubles. A novice tourism manager earns 35-45 thousand in Moscow and 20-30 thousand in Russia per month - it all depends on sales.

A good agent with experience and a well-established base can earn from 50 thousand and more, it all depends on him.

In the field of tourism, people are valued who can sell tourism products by forming a circle regular customers, which will later generate income.

The prospects for this profession are the director of a travel agency or his deputy. With the successful mastery of these professions, a top manager follows, he manages the tourism business and creates the direction of its development. The top manager monitors the increase in the company's profits and bears a huge responsibility.

Explore tourism schools and education systems. Complete travel agent training at a college or independent training school.

Colleges may offer diplomas or certificates in tourism and hospitality, and provide broad or advanced study of all aspects of the travel and hospitality industry.
Travel agent training schools, on the other hand, provide more accelerated programs who specialize in specific travel agent duties, such as researching travel destinations, booking systems, or sales and marketing.

Get a certificate. Certification shows customers that you are familiar with the standards and professional ethics established by the certification body or educational institution in your field of study. The tourism industry has several widely recognized certification bodies.

Travel Institute offers a number of certified programs (Certified Travel Counselor, Certified Travel Associate or Certified Travel Industry Executive).
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) also offers industry-respected and recognized certification programs.

Find a job. To become an online travel agent, look for work in a travel agency at home or contact a leading agency to help you manage your travel business.

Work with a reputable travel agency. Many travel agencies make it possible to stay at home longer by working online through their resources and computerized systems. The advantage is that you can be a permanent employee with support, resources, salary and benefits offered by the company.
Find a parent agency to organize your own independent travel company. The main travel agency offers tour operator services, marketing support, online assistance, and access to booking sites and travel service providers. If you work with a leading agency, you only get a commission.

Find out about the requirements for registering as a travel agent in your area or country. Some states in the US require travel agents to be registered as sellers of travel services. This regulation helps protect the consumer and ensures that travel agencies follow the law when implementing travel offerings. In addition, countries such as Australia require a license for travel agents, which you should be aware of when starting your online travel business. Make sure you comply with local laws as set by local authorities.

Become a member of tourism associations, societies and organizations. Joining travel associations is considered a great way to stay connected to news and trends in the travel industry. Travel associations may also offer support and continuing education to their members.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA)/International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN) are important entities to merge if you are looking to book flights as an online travel agent.

Going on a trip on vacation, people often turn to different travel agencies. At the same time, many think little about the main difference in companies providing travel services. The federal law"On the basics of tourism activities in Russian Federation» divides travel agencies into travel agents and tour operators and defines their areas of activity.

Using the services of travel agencies greatly facilitates travel planning: specialists will provide for everything from accommodation and meals to all kinds of cultural programs. The client just needs to decide on the place of rest. A travel contract can be concluded both with a travel agent and with a tour operator. And the trips purchased (purchased) in such organizations are called tours.

Speaking about the difference between a travel agency and a tour operator, let's say right away that the main difference between them is as follows: the former sell, the latter produce.
Let us express the difference in such a comparison. A travel agent is a store that sells tours, and a tour operator is a tour factory.

The travel agent searches for and accumulates the offers of tour operators and sells them to customers. Profit from this kind of activity is formed by remuneration of producers of tourism products for the sale of tours.
The work of tour operators is more diverse. To offer a tour, the tour operator must contact and negotiate with many, figuratively speaking, performers:

FROM transport companies to take the client away and bring him back in order to carry out transportation for organizing leisure activities at the very place of stay;
With hotels and hotels in the place of stay, because the client must live and eat somewhere;
With museums, entertainment and shopping malls, local travel agencies and so on for recreation;
with local health authorities and social insurance to provide clients with a medical insurance policy.

This list goes on. After all this is done: the price that the tour operator must pay for the client is determined, the time and place of leisure activities are specified, the travel agency's own margins are set to make a profit, a new tour appears in the list of the tour operator's offers and its cost is announced. When the work is completed, the tour operator may offer the tour for sale at the travel agency.

In their work, travel agencies, as business entities, can combine the activities of an operator and an agent. Like a shop with a factory: a factory can open a shop selling any goods, and a rich shop can expand own production. Of course, companies operating in the tourism business do not open stores, and the combination of activities occurs without going beyond the scope of tourism activities. For example, a tour operator can develop tours in Russia and at the same time offer foreign trips to another operator, that is, act as an agent.

When going on a tour, you need to know exactly which organization is the operator. And if you use the services travel agency, it is necessary to clarify whether the agency has an agreement with the operator offering this tour. In the event of disputes, the contract must specify the procedure for their resolution with the operator. If this procedure is not specified, then all issues are resolved with the tour operator, as with the main seller of the service.

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