74795 Unit 07 Investigating Travel Agency Operations

OCR Level 2 Nationals in Travel and Tourism 1

Unit 7: Investigating travel agency operations (LEVEL 2)

Learning outcomes

By completing this unit candidates will develop an understanding of the types of travel agents, their roles and the products and services provided. Candidates will also develop an understanding of the process used to book a holiday and stages involved prior to overseas travel.

Candidates will produce evidence to meet the unit assessment objectives in order to show that they understand:

• the different types of travel agents and their roles

• the different products and services provided by travel agents

• the process used to book a holiday

• the necessary information for the first-time traveller.

Candidates will also develop their practical skills in choosing and presenting an appropriate holiday for a specific customer type.

Assessment objectives Knowledge, understanding and skills 1 Describe and give

examples of the different types of travel agents

Types of travel agents: • independents, miniples, multiples • leisure and business • specialist and mass market

2 Describe the role of travel agents

Role of travel agents: • selling travel and tourism products and services, eg package

holidays, flights, ferry services, rail and coach travel, hotel bookings, foreign exchange, theatre bookings

• giving travel and tourism information and advice, eg destinations and their suitability, travel methods, facilities, attractions, visa information

3 Chart the process used to book a package holiday, including the information recorded at each stage

Process: • customer enquiry • recording customer information, eg holiday details, names,

dates, special requirements, budget, preferred destination(s) • holiday search, eg Viewdata or Internet • completion of booking form, eg compliance with contract terms • payment of deposit(s) • issue invoice for balance • payment of balance • issue tickets

Unit 7 – Investigating travel agency operations

2 OCR Level 2 Nationals in Travel and Tourism

Assessment objectives Knowledge, understanding and skills 4 Choose, cost and

present an appropriate holiday for one specific customer type

Cost: • basic price • supplement(s), eg regional departure, balcony, sea view Appropriate holiday: • meets customer needs • includes holiday details • includes extra services • within budget Customer types: • families • couples • singles • different age groups (eg 18-30, grey market) • special needs • adventure seeking

5 Chart all stages of the holiday experience from booking to arrival back in the UK

Stages: • booking process, eg deposit, final payment, arrival of tickets • passport, visa, vaccination requirements • buying currency • flight check-in times, checking-in procedures to include passport

control and security measures • arrival at destination, transfers, arrival at accommodation,

checking-in • welcome party • role of holiday representative • departure procedure to include: checking out of accommodation,

transfer, flight check-in • arrival back in the UK

Assessment

This unit is centre assessed and externally moderated.

In order to achieve this unit candidates must produce a portfolio of evidence showing that they have met all of the assessment objectives.

Portfolios of work must be produced independently. They will need to be made available, together with witness statements and any other supporting documentation, to the OCR Visiting Moderator when required.

Centres must confirm to OCR that the evidence produced by candidates is authentic. An OCR Centre Authentication Form is provided in the Centre Handbook and includes a declaration for assessors to sign. It is a requirement of the QCA Common Criteria for all Qualifications that proof of authentication is received.

Guidance on assessment and evidence requirements

This unit has links with Unit 1: Exploring travel and tourism, Unit 2: Dealing with customers in travel and tourism, Unit 6: Investigating package holidays (tour operations), and Unit 10: Using technology and the Internet for travel and tourism. Candidates should be encouraged to apply the knowledge and skills developed in these units when choosing and presenting a holiday.



For Assessment Objective 1 candidates are expected to investigate the different types of travel agents. Some candidates will have used the various services of travel agents and may have had work experience in them. This experience will be a useful starting point for discussion. Tutors should ensure that candidates understand that major tour operators own the multiples and that independents are under threat. Tutors should encourage candidates to consider how the role of travel agents is changing as they face competition from Internet bookings.

Assessment Objective 2 focuses on the role of travel agents and the products and services they offer. This may be taught in conjunction with Assessment Objective 1 so that candidates are aware of the differences in offering between the different types of travel agents. Candidates should notice that multiple travel agents give more emphasis to their parent company products, eg Thomson selling TUI products.

The process for booking a holiday (Assessment Objective 3) in a travel agency differs from that online or by telephone. Candidates could discuss the differences whilst understanding that the same essential information must always be present.

Assessment Objective 4 could be a practical assessment carried out as a role-play. In this case a witness statement from the assessor would be needed. Candidates could choose their own customer types or tutors could allocate them. Candidates should be encouraged to develop their customer description so that there are very specific holiday needs. A range of appropriate resources should be provided for candidates to research including brochures, travel guides and the Internet. Candidates could work in pairs, in turn playing the customer and the travel agent.

The chart for Assessment Objective 5 could be based around the holiday for Assessment Objective 4. The tutor should encourage candidates to talk through the process from booking a holiday to returning home before beginning their charts. This could be done as one large group or in smaller groups. Candidates could do their own research into different flight check in times and vaccination requirements, etc. For higher grades charts need to be annotated.

Candidates may provide portfolio evidence for all of the assessment objectives in this unit using a range of presentation techniques. This may include assessor testimony/witness statements logbooks, diaries, the use of video, audio and presentation software, posters/charts, written work. Where video and/or audio evidence is provided this must be supported by assessor testimony/witness statements. Where candidates demonstrate competence, centres should record skills demonstrated on appropriate recording documentation.

Signposting to Key Skills

The unit contains opportunities for developing the Key Skill, and possibly for generating portfolio evidence, if teaching and learning is focused on that aim.

Key Skill reference

Key Skill reference

Key Skill reference

C2.1 N2.1 ICT2.1

C2.2a N2.2a ICT2.2

C2.2b N2.2b ICT2.3

C2.3 N2.2c N2.2d N2.3



Mapping to National Occupational Standards

Occupational Standards Unit number

Title

Travel Services (Leisure Travel, Business Travel, Call Centre Operations)

2.17 Develop customer relationships (Customer Service)

Travel Services (Leisure Travel, Business Travel, Call Centre Operations)

2.22 Contribute to the effectiveness of the workflow (Administration)

Travel Services (Leisure Travel) 2.01L Achieve sales of standard leisure travel products and services

Resources

This section provides suggestions of suitable resources. The list is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive, and candidates should be encouraged to gather information from a variety of sources. Some suggested resources are intended for Tutor use. The resources in this section were current at the time of production.

Books

Hayward, P. (2000) Intermediate GNVQ Leisure and Tourism Heinemann

Holloway, C. (2001) The Business of Tourism 6th Ed. Pearson Education

Horner, P (1996) Travel Agency Practice Longman

Lavery, P. (2004) Travel and Tourism Elm

McAlphine, M. (2004) So you want to work in travel and tourism? Hodder and Stoughton

Riley D. & Greasby, E. (2005) Check Your English Vocabulary for Leisure, Travel and Tourism Second Edition Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Vranic, J. (2000) Intermediate Leisure and Tourism Hodder and Stoughton

Journals/Magazines/Newspapers

Travel Trade Gazette

Travel Weekly

Other useful resources include tour operators’ holiday brochures.

Websites

Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). URL:http://www.abta.com/ The Association of British Travel Agents is the UK's Premier Trade Association for Tour Operators and Travel Agents.



Department of Health. URL:http://www.dh.gov.uk/Home/fs/en Section on vaccinations and government travel advice.

Fit for Travel. URL:http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/ Travel advice site from NHS Scotland.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office. URL:http://www.fco.gov.uk/ Travel advice.

Going Places. URL:http://www.uk.mytravel.com/ Website of one of the UK’s largest travel agents.

Information Commissioner’s Office. URL:http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/ Data Protection Act information.

Lunn Poly. URL:http://www.lunnpoly.com/ Website of one of the UK’s largest travel agents.

Resource Gateway. URL:http://www.resourcegateway.org.uk/logon.asp?step=1 This website gives teachers and students the opportunity to access a resource database of information and materials that support a variety of leisure, travel and tourism courses for the 14-19 age group.

UK Passport Service. URL:http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/ Passport information.

Vocational Learning. (Leisure and Tourism) URL:http://www.vocationallearning.org.uk//teachers/subjectspecific/KS4/leisuretourism.asp Leisure and tourism teaching and learning resources for schools and colleges.



Grading

Assessment Objective

Pass Merit Distinction

AO1 Describe and give examples of the different types of travel agents

Candidates provide a basic description of the different types of travel agents using obvious examples.

Candidates provide a detailed description of the different types of travel agents using a variety of examples.

Candidates provide a comprehensive description of the different types of travel agents using a variety of well chosen examples.

AO2 Describe the role of travel agents

Candidates provide a basic description of the role of travel agents. The description includes brief information about some of the products and services they provide.

Candidates provide a detailed description of the role of travel agents. The description includes clear and relevant information about many of the products and services they provide.

Candidates provide a comprehensive description of the role of travel agents. The description includes in depth information about many of the products and services they provide.

AO3 Chart the process used to book a package holiday, including the information recorded at each stage

Candidates provide a simple chart that briefly outlines the process used to book a package holiday, including the information recorded at each stage.

Candidates provide a clear chart with explanations of the process used to book a package holiday, including the information recorded at each stage.

Candidates provide a comprehensive chart with detailed explanations of the process used to book a package holiday, including the information recorded at each stage.

AO4 Choose, cost and present an appropriate holiday for one specific customer type

Candidates choose and present an appropriate holiday for one specific customer type. Candidates show limited understanding of the customer type and why the holiday chosen is suitable. A simple costing is provided.

Candidates choose and present an appropriate holiday for one specific customer type. Candidates show some understanding of the customer type and why the holiday chosen is suitable. A full costing is provided.

Candidates choose and present an appropriate holiday for one specific customer type. Candidates show a thorough understanding of the customer type and why the holiday chosen is suitable. A full costing is provided, including all supplements.

AO5 Chart all stages of the holiday experience from booking to arrival back in the UK

Candidates provide a simple chart that briefly outlines all stages of the holiday experience from booking to arrival back in the UK.

Candidates provide a clear chart with explanations of all stages of the holiday experience from booking to arrival back in the UK.

Candidates provide a comprehensive chart with detailed explanations of all stages of the holiday experience from booking to arrival back in the UK.

Documents

74795 Unit 07 Investigating Travel Agency Operations