tour operator definicion

What is a tour operator and how does it work?

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The tour operator is an integral component of tourism , yet many people are unclear about what a tour operator actually is or what they do.

In this article I will explain what a tour operator is and why tour operators are important. I will also talk about what the difference between a tour operator and a travel agent is, as well as the different types of tour operators.

What is a tour operator?

Definitions of tour operator, importance of tour operators, the difference between a tour operator and a travel agent, what does a tour operator do, products and services sold by tour operators, inbound tour operators, outbound tour operators, domestic tour operators, ground tour operators, the association of independent tour operators, the tour operator: to conclude.

Tour operators are inextricably linked to the package holiday model. The tour operator is the person or organisation who creates the package. A travel agency is then used to sell the package holiday.

In the chain of distribution , the tour operator is represented by the term ‘wholesaler’. This is because the tour operator is responsible for purchasing products of services in bulk and then redistributing them as a packaged product to consumers.

To put it simply, a tour operator is the person or organisation who takes the individual elements of a holiday (e.g. transfer, hotel, transport) and packages these together.

The types of package vary. Most commonly, tour operators are associated with mass tourism and the traditional package holiday market. However, tour operators do also play an important role in the production of niche tourism products and services too.

If you’re looking for a formal definition of a tour operator with a reputable source, you may want to reference Polyther, who in 1993, defined the tour operator as;

‘[an organisation or person] who has the responsibility of putting the tour ingredients together, marketing it, making reservations and handling actual operation’.

Similarly, Holloway (1992) states that;

tour operations undertake a distinct function in the tourism industry, they purchase separate e lements of tourism products/services and combine them into a package tour which they sell directly or indirectly to the tourists .

The Organisation for Economic and Cultural Development (OECD) define a tour operator as follows;

‘Tour operators are businesses that combine two or more travel services (e.g., transport, accommodation, meals, entertainment, sightseeing) and sell them through travel agencies or directly to final consumers as a single product (called a package tour) for a global price. The components of a package tour might be pre-established or can result from an “a la carte” procedure, in which the visitor decides the combination of services he/she wishes to acquire.’

Tour operators are an important part of the tourism industry .

Tour operators make the logistics of organising a holiday much easier for the consumer. This makes people more likely to travel, more often.

Tour operators have a lot of power. If they choose to sell holidays in a particular location, for example, then that location will receive many of the associated positive and negative economic impacts of tourism .

Tour operators are often vertically or horizontally integrated with other organisations, such as travel agents and airlines. This allows for easier management and distribution of products.

Tour operators typically build holidays en masse. This means that economies of scale play a key role in driving down prices- the more you produce the cheaper the product becomes! This is obviously beneficial to the consumer and helps travel agents to have a competitive advantage when selling holidays.

Many people are not aware that a travel agent and a tour operator are actually two totally different organisations and they are not aware of the difference between a tour operator and a travel agent.

In fact, it is quite easy to understand this difference!

A tour operator is the organisation which puts the different elements of a holiday together. And the travel agent is the organisation who sells it to the consumer.

Whilst this differentiation is pretty easy to comprehend, it is easy to understand why people get tour operators and travel agents confused. This is largely because many organisations will operate under the same company. For example, TUI has a tour operator and a travel agent (and an airline too). As a result, many people do not realise that in actual fact, there are two separate organisations doing two separate jobs.

Ultimately, a tour operator is responsible for putting the different elements of a holiday together into a commodified package.

To do this, there are a number of different roles and responsibilities that tour operator staff will have. This includes:

• Data analysis- which destinations will sell best, how many holidays should they sell etc
• Assessing suitability of accommodation, transfer and transport options
• Liaising with stakeholders e.g. coach operators, airlines, hoteliers and resort representatives
• Negotiating contracts
• Confirming reservations with airlines/hotels
• Managing and responding to customer feedback
• Undertaking market research
• Production of marketing material
• Providing pricing information
• Handling bookings, invoicing and issuing of tickets
• Working with travel consultants from different travel agencies to put holiday packages together

Tour operators have a number of products and services that they sell, depending on their specific business model, business intentions and target market. A tour operator will typically package together two of more elements to form a packaged product, which is then sold at an inclusive price.

Examples include:

• Package holidays
• Accommodation
• Information on destinations
• Representative service in resorts

Types of tour operator

Tour operators come in all shapes and sizes. Some are large, multinational organisations and other are small, independent business.

Different types of tour operators develop products for different types of tourism . This can include the mass market, niche tourism market, special interest tourism, the luxury market, tailor-made products and dynamic packages .

There are four different types of tour operators, which I will explain below.

• Inbound Tour Operators
• Outbound Tour Operators
• Domestic Tour Operators
• Ground Operators

An inbound tour operator is one who facilitates inbound tourism .

The aim of an inbound tour operator is to bring tourists in to a particular country or countries.

Inbound tour operators will often collaborate with local travel agencies and transport operators to facilitate travel arrangements for their customers.

Inbound tour operator example: A group of German tourists conduct a tour of China, encompassing a visit to Shanghai , Hangzhou and the Yellow Mountains . The tour operator who organises their travel is Chinese-based company China Highlights . This company is based locally in China and they offer local, Chinese tours.

An outbound tour operator is one who facilitates outbound tourism .

The aim of an outbound tour operator is to send tourists out of a particular country or countries.

Outbound tour operators will often collaborate with foreign travel agencies and transport operators to facilitate travel arrangements for their customers.

Outbound tour operator example : A family of four from Liverpool, UK want to book an all-inclusive summer sun holiday in Alicante. They book through TUI , the largest tour operator in Britain, who specialises in outbound travel. They are based in the UK, but they work with foreign partners to facilitate holidays overseas.

A domestic tour operator is one who facilitates domestic tourism .

The aim of a domestic tour operator is to organise travel within a particular country or countries.

Domestic tour operators will often collaborate with domestic travel agencies and transport operators to facilitate travel arrangements for their customers. Domestic tour operators will often also serve the inbound tourism market.

Domestic tour operator example : A group of twenty-something boys from Chicago want to travel to Florida for the spring break holiday. They want to do a tour of the local attractions in the area and have some time to relax on the beach . They organise their travel through the tour company, Trek America . Staff at this company are experts in domestic travel within the USA.

A ground tour operator is an organisation who dopes the ground work as grass roots level.

Many tour operators do not have connections in all places around the world, therefore they build a network of connections to help them run their business.

Essentially, some of the work is passed on to a third party, known as a ground operator. This work may include negotiating local contracts, liaising with local suppliers and providing market data, amongst other things.

This is especially common for small tour operators.

You may also hear ground tour operators referred to as handling operators or handling agents.

Ground tour operator example : A backpacker wants to ‘give something back’ and book a volunteer tourism holiday in Kerala. She wanted to use a known and trusted tour operator to book her trip so she booked it with Intrepid Travel . Intrepid Travel create and sell adventure holidays all over the world, and it is impossible for them to have contacts and every staff in every corner of the globe. Therefore they work with local ground operators, who do the work on the ground. In this instance, the ground organisation is Iris Travel – a tour operator based in Kerela, India.

The Association of Independent Tour Operators , abbreviated as AITO, is a travel industry trade group (like  ABTA  or ATOL) based in Britain. They launched in 1976.

The AITO represents around 120 independent  tour operators  across 200 countries.

These tour operators provide access to a huge range of activities including city breaks, safaris, luxury holidays and much more. The AITO is based in Twickenham, south-west London.

The AITO does a variety of things. Most importantly, you can be reassured that your holiday is well-protected thanks to the Association of Independent Tour Operators.

They assess every member financially as well as by their own business practice code before granting membership; this means that you are guaranteed clear and accurate descriptions of holidays as well as tour standards that are consistently monitored.

Tour operators are an important part of the tourism industry, and with AITO, you have added security when booking your travels through a tour operator. Hopefully after reading this article you are now confident with what a tour operator is, how these organisations work and the different types of tour operators operating the market.

If you liked this article, why not take a look at these too?

• Types of travel agents | Understanding tourism
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• 10 jobs in travel and tourism that will be BIG in 2022 and beyond
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Tour Operators

Tour operator is an organization, firm, or company who buys individual travel components, separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly or through middlemen, is called a Tour Operator .

More precise tour operators are primarily responsible for delivering and performing the services specified in a given package tour. They can provide these services themselves as some have their own cars and coaches, hotels, and other travel-related services or can obtain these from the other suppliers. That is why they are called manufacturers of tourism products .

Tour operators are sometimes called wholesalers but this is partially true because a wholesaler buys goods and services in bulk at his own account to prepare a tour package and then retails it through the travel agencies or directly to clients. However, a tour operator who has his own one or more tourists products components, (SOTC, TCI, Thomas Cook, Indo Asia KUONI formulates a new tourist product for example ‘ inclusive tours .’

Tour operators generally offer a variety of package tours to cater to the needs of different kinds of travelers.

Definitions of Tour Operator

Poyther (1993) defines, “tour operator is  one who has the responsibility of putting the tour ingredients together, marketing it, making reservations and handling actual operation.”

Holloway (1992) stated that tour operations undertake a distinct function in the tourism industry, they purchase separate elements of tourism products/services and combine them into a package tour which they sell directly or indirectly to the tourists.

Today, tour operators have become highly competitive. They endeavor to achieve a high volume of turnover, and maximum International and domestic market share by effectively operating. Moreover, the success of many developed and developing nations as tourists destinations depend heavily on a tour operator’s ability to attract tourists, development and promotion of tourism plant, diversification of tourism product and their social responsibilities to develop a remote and backward area.

Types of Tour Operators

Tour operators are basically categorized into four types . These are categories on the basis of their nature of the business and its operations.

Inbound Tour Operators

Outbound tour operators, domestic tour operators.

• Ground Operators

These are also known as incoming tour operators . Technically, the operators who receive guests, clients/tourists, and handle arrangements in the host country are c alled inbound tour operators . For example, a group of American Tourists is coming through TCI Ltd. to India and the company makes arrangements and handles the group in India then TCI is called an inbound tour operator.

Incidentally, the inbound traffic to the country for the last two decades has been decreasing. Essentially the tour operators need to adopt innovative marketing strategies and should introduce a special interest tour to cater the special needs of Japanese, Americans, French and British people.

Tour operator who promote tours for foreign destinations, maybe business tour or leisure tour is called outbound tour operators . For example a group of American tourists going to a trip of India and Thomas Cook handle arrangement in America like as ticket reservation, hotel booking etc. then Thomas Cook is called Outbound Tour operators in the context of America.

Domestic tour operators are those who assemble, combine tourist components into inclusive tours and sell it to the domestic travelers. In general, these tour operators provide travel services within the tourist’s native country.

The domestic tour operators operate within the boundary of the home country and offer package tour to the travelers viz. Domestic inclusive tours or independent tours.

Ground Operators/Destination Management Companies

These are commonly known as handling agencies and their main function is to organize tour arrangements for incoming tourists on the behalf of overseas operators. Let us take the case of India as a destination that – has a varied culture.

When a tour operator himself promotes beach holidays, wildlife holidays, adventure tours, heritage tours at the different places, the difficulty arises. It is the ground operator then who by handling the incoming travelers in the same season but at different places ensures that the entire operation is according to the package tours or agreements.

Sometime when a handling agency is at a prominent tourist place i.e., Delhi and it has to make arrangements to Goa, then it contracts (If it has no office of its own) with a local operator (known as excursion agent) to handle the arrangement on his behalf.

Why Ground Operators?

Obviously, the tour operation companies do not have close contact with suppliers, governments, destinations and so on. It leaves no choice with the companies but to appoint handling agencies at the destinations.  The main reasons are:

• Introduction of new products or plant to promote an exotic destination.
• Lack of Government regulations.
• Lack of personal contract.
• Language problem.
• The company cannot establish its own branch.

Recognizing the very fact that the reputation, performance, and profitability of tour company in its own market largely depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of ground operators, it has because necessary for the company to consider various factors before the selection of a handling agency, they are:

• Size of business
• Professional staff
• Length of business
• Area of operation/Product line
• Market share

Functions of Ground Tour Operators

Over the years of functions and activities of the destination, companies have changed drastically to cope with the changing environment of the tourism industry. In fact, today’s destination companies have become more professional and are bound to provide personalized travel services to the tourists. The following functions are performed by ground tours operators:

• Land arrangement
• Contract and Negotiate with other vendors
• Handling of Arrival and departure procedure
• Planning and organizing local package tour
• Escorting the tourists
• Providing market information
• Costing and pricing package tour

Practically, if we see the working of the travel agencies and tour operators in the industry we find that most of the organizations are performing different types of activities like the retail travel agency , wholesale travel agency, and tour operators.

The travel agency business is no longer an amateurism. Over the last two decades, the pattern and structure of travel agencies have changed to meet tough challenges in the international market. Today, small-scale agencies are finding the travel industry increasingly complex.

Thus, the small and medium scale travel agencies are disappearing or merging or falling instead of rising. On the other hand, a new concept has also emerged i.e. tour operation business . The tour operation business is new but a maturing business at the global level.

Functions of Tour Operator

A tour operator is an organization, firm, or person who is responsible for the actual arrangement of transport and accommodation facilities on any tour or vacations. They are also responsible for operating and providing vacation through contracting, booking, and packaging together of the various components of the tour such as hotel, transportation, meals, guides, optional tours, and sometimes flights.

A tour operator is like a service provider, providing the most convenient option for tourists to stay, visit, as well as leave from the city. A tour operator owns a high volume of travel services across carriers, services, and accommodation. Some most important functions of the tour operators are following as:

Planning a Tour

The most important functions of the tour operators are planning a tour. Tour operators plan a tour and make tour itinerary which contains the identification of the origin, destination and all the stopping point in a traveler’s tours. A prospective tour operator also gives advice to intending tourists in various types of tour programmes, which they may choose for their leisure or commercial travel.

Making Tour Package

Tour operator buys individual travel components, separately from there suppliers and combines them into a package tour. Tour operators make tour package by assembling various travel components into a final product that is called tour package which is sold to tourist with own price tag. Making tour packages is also an important function of Tour Operator.

Arranging a Tour

Tour operators make tour package and also arrange a tour according to tourist demands. Tour operators arrange the tour package and various tourists activities to provide the best experience to tourists/traveler.

Travel Information

Whatever the size of tour operators, it has provided necessary travel information to the tourists. This task is utterly difficult and very complicated. A tour operator must give up-to-date, accurate and timely information regarding destinations, modes of travel, accommodation, sightseeing, immigration, health and security rules about various permits required to travel in a particular area etc.

Reservation

It is a very important function of all type tour operators and travel agencies. Tour operator makes all the reservation by making linkages with accommodation sector, transport sector and other entertainment organizations to reserve rooms, and seats in cultural programmes and transportation.

Travel Management

Tour operators manage tour from beginning to the end of the tour. A tour operator has the responsibility to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour such as hotel, accommodation, meals, conveyance etc. Tour operators provide travel guide, escorting services and arrange all travel related needs and wants.

Evaluate the Option Available

Tour operators evaluate all available options to provide a unique or unforgettable travel experience to tourists during their journey. Tour operators evaluate the various options available for a tour package and provide best of them to tourists.

Tour Operators makes tour packages and promote them into various tourists markets at domestic as well international level. Tour operators promote a travel destination to attract a large group of tourists at domestic as well as international level. In the promotion of tourist destination, tour operators play a key role. Travel agencies or tour operators are called as image builder of a country.

Sales and Marketing

Tour operators do sales and marketing of tourist products. Tour operators buy individual travel components, separately and combine them into a tour package, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly. Tour operators do marketing of tourist destinations and tourism product to attracts the attention of the tourists/travelers.

Taking Care of Glitch

Tours operators are also called handling agencies which handles tour package and take care of all the glitches and problems arises during a tour package. Tour operators fix the glitches and provide the best available alternative to tourists during their journey.

Importance of Tour Operators

Tours operators play a key role in the tourism sector. Tour operators create tourist products, promote them a finally sold them to tourists.

Tour operators provide the best and competitive price to the tourist. Tour operators negotiate with suppliers of tourism products such as hotels, airlines and provide the best possible price to the tourist. Tour operators buy tourist products in bulk and get huge discounts from suppliers. So that they provide tourist products at a cheap price.

Tour operators organized a tour in the best way. They personalize and make sure each and every component of the tour is well-taken care. Tour operators provide the best travel experience during a tour. Tour operators save tourists time and money.

Tour operators provide immediate support systems at the host country as well as a foreign land. When tourists travel to a foreign land and things get uncertain, maybe its a health or loss of documents and need to return back or change of travel plan. A qualified tour operator takes care of all these unseen events with efficiency.

Tour operator caters to the needs of tourists on the based on their taste of travel. Tour operator provides all the best available option according to tourist needs and demands

Difference between Travel Agent and Tour Operator

There is a lot of confusion about the difference between tour operators and travel agents what exactly makes them different. The main difference between a Travel agent and Tour operator are following as:

• A travel agent is a person who has full knowledge of tourist product – destinations, modes of travel, climate, accommodation, and other areas of the service sector. He acts on the behalf of the product providers/principals and in return get a commission.
• Tour operator is an organization, firm, or company that buys individual travel components, separately from their suppliers and combines them into a package tour, which is sold with their own price tag to the public directly or through middlemen.
• Tour operators are like wholesalers and travel agents are the retailers.
• A tour operator makes the package holidays up and the travel agents sell them on.
• Tour operator taking up the bulk of the responsibilities and his fee is obviously much greater than a travel agent.
• A tour operator has the responsibility to look after the finer details of a vacation or tour such as hotel, accommodation, meals, conveyance, etc.

The wholesale travel agencies may offer or operate the package tours or may specialize in developing tours for inbound as well as outbound travelers. They are often referred to as tour operators, but there is a difference between Wholesale Travel Agencies and Tour operators .

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Tour operador

Tabla de contenidos.

Un tour operador u operador turístico es una empresa que ofrece servicios relacionados con el sector turístico. 

Los proveedores se encargan de abastecer al tour operador que es el que ofrece los servicios que les proporcionan para venderlos en variados paquetes como viajes con todo incluido, excursiones, o vacaciones a la carta.

Los proveedores los conforman las aerolíneas, compañías de autobuses, guías de viajes, restaurantes, bares, hoteles, entre otros.

Los objetivos de los operadores turísticos se centran en ofrecer a los clientes paquetes que difícilmente podrían conseguir por cuenta ajena a precios asequibles para ellos.

¿Cuáles son las diferencias entre los tour operadores y las agencias turísticas?

Estas son las principales diferencias:

• Los tour operadores actúan como intermediarios entre el consumidor final, y el producto (servicios, o destinos determinados de viaje). Algunos trabajan con agencias de viajes, y otros eliminan de la ecuación a estas para centrarse únicamente en el turista final.
• Las agencias turísticas se ciñen a su papel de intermediarias entre los operadores turísticos, y los clientes finales. Valoran la información que tienen proporcionada por estos, e informan del paquete que se ajusta a las necesidades de los usuarios.

¿Qué ofrecen los tour operadores?

Esto es lo que ofrecen principalmente a la hora de contar con ellos:

• Son empresas centradas en facilitar viajes, paquetes, y transportes adecuados a los gustos de los turistas.
• Ofrecen planes programados para que los usuarios no tengan que preocuparse por nada, sino tan sólo de disfrutar en el lugar de destino.
• El turista escoge el destino deseado, y ellos llevarán a cabo las gestiones necesarias para escoger los vuelos más destacados, hoteles, excursiones, y dietas más exclusivas acorde todo siempre con los gustos del turista.
• Esa forma de viajar, cuando es gestionada por operadores turísticos tienen la ventaja  de que los usuarios pueden disfrutar de precios más asequibles.

¿Cómo escoger un tour operador óptimo?

Toma nota de estos consejos:

• Lo primero que se debe tener en cuenta es que existen una gran cantidad de empresas que ofrecen y gestionan este servicio. Por lo tanto, debes hacer una investigación inicial sobre ellas.
• Las redes sociales, y las distintas plataformas en internet facilitan la consecución de datos informativos para formarse una opinión sobre ellas. Accede a sus redes sociales, y observa los eventos, programas, viajes que han ido llevando a cabo durante un tiempo. También puedes hacerlo en su propia web donde lo habitual es que publiquen las ofertas, o las distintas opciones que ofrecen para informar a los usuarios.
• Observa las opiniones que existen referentes a su trabajo. Si los turistas están contentos con su gestión lo manifestarán en internet, y a través de sus distintas plataformas. Ten en cuenta que no vas a encontrar opiniones 100% positivas, pero entre la variedad puedes adivinar cómo cuida su gestión un tour operador, y el trato que tiene hacia sus clientes finales.
• Ten en cuenta también los seguidores que tienen en sus perfiles (aunque esto no es nada definitivo porque algunos se pueden comprar), pero si hay bastante interacción, y en líneas generales se puede observar que hay una actitud por parte de los clientes finales positiva, podrás tomar nota de ello, y quizá decantarte por esta opción.
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¿Quieres referenciar este artículo?

Rosario Peiró , 18 de febrero, 2020 Tour operador . Economipedia.com

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Turoperadores: qué son los operadores turísticos

El turismo es una actividad clave para la economía actual, y esto no hubiera sido posible sin los turoperadores. Sin su gestión, el sector no habría crecido del modo que lo ha hecho en el último siglo. Pero ¿qué es exactamente un turoperador y por qué es importante esta figura?

En los últimos años, especialmente con el auge de internet y de las nuevas tecnologías, hemos vivido la democratización del turismo. Hace 50 años, viajar era una actividad exclusiva de las clases más altas. Hace 25 años, si bien era una actividad lúdica más popular, el turismo internacional requería un desembolso que no todo el mundo podía permitirse de manera habitual y recurrente. Y, sin embargo, en los últimos años, viajar está a la orden del día, con una amplísima oferta de destinos y con opciones muy competitivas en cuanto a presupuestos.

Qué son los turoperadores

Empecemos por el principio: para entender qué son los operadores turísticos, también conocidos como tour operadores, necesitamos conocer su definición. Un turoperador es una empresa que ofrece servicios relacionados con el sector turístico, desde vuelos hasta reservas de hotel, coches de alquiler o experiencias y excursiones que nos permitan conocer mejor la ciudad que visitaremos.

Esta figura nace con el desarrollo de los diferentes medios de transporte, concretamente con la llegada de la aviación comercial. El turoperador aparece para hacer que viajar resulte más fácil, ofreciendo paquetes completos y adecuados a los gustos de los turistas, con todo preparado para que los clientes no tengan que preocuparse por nada más que disfrutar de su destino.

Sin embargo, aunque ese es su objetivo final, los clientes de los turoperadores no son directamente los viajeros. Estos operadores turísticos trabajan a gran escala , lo que es una gran ventaja porque, de este modo, son capaces de conseguir precios muy competitivos , pero los clientes finales a los que destinan estos paquetes vacacionales no son los viajeros sino las agencias de viajes y otras empresas del sector turístico más pequeñas .

El turoperador, por tanto, diseña diferentes paquetes –desde viajes de negocios a viajes en familia, en pareja o para grupos– en los que incluye todos los servicios, desde los vuelos y el alojamiento hasta los traslados y las actividades. Para ello, contacta directamente con los servicios de hostelería, aerolíneas, etc., y hace reservas de gran volumen para conseguir ofertas muy competitivas por esta adquisición. Tras crear los paquetes, se los vende a las agencias de viajes minoristas, y estas los comercializan al cliente final.

En la actualidad, con la llegada de internet, la función del turoperador ya no es exclusivamente el facilitar la tarea de viajar, sino además ofrecer sus servicios a precios económicos.

Diferencias entre turoperadores y agencias de viajes

Es lógico que surjan dudas entre ambas figuras, y es que las dos tienen actividades muy similares al dedicarse al mismo sector y ofrecer servicios relacionados con el turismo. Sin embargo, hemos visto con anterioridad cuál es su principal diferencia: su público, a quién dirigen su actividad .

La agencia de viajes ofrece al viajero, es decir, al cliente final, todos los servicios que pueda necesitar para realizar su viaje: vuelo al destino elegido, traslado desde el aeropuerto, coche de alquiler, habitaciones de hotel, excursiones… Sin embargo, la agencia es una intermediaria que ofrece todos estos servicios a ese cliente final desde un turoperador. Es decir, que la agencia de viajes es quien se encarga de vender al cliente final los paquetes de viajes de los turoperadores .

Por este motivo, los turoperadores son capaces de ofrecer esos precios tan competitivos: pueden adquirir un alto volumen de plazas porque su cliente final no son los viajeros, sino que esas plazas serán comercializadas a través de las agencias de viajes.

Ejemplos de turoperadores

Hay diferentes tipos de turoperadores. Para clasificarlos, nos centraremos en su tipo de actividad:

• Según destino: especialistas en un destino concreto (España, Caribe, Japón, etc.).
• Según interés: es decir, especialistas según el tipo de viajes, como por ejemplo de turismo aventura, safaris, turismo deportivo, etc.
• Por target específico: cuando están centrados en un tipo concreto de cliente (viajes familiares, viajes para jóvenes en grupo, viajes de negocios, etc.).
• Por tipo de alojamiento: especializados, por ejemplo, en casas de vacaciones, cruceros, etc.
• Según el medio de transporte: especializados en un método de transporte concreto, como trenes, autobuses, aviones, etc.

En cuanto a ejemplos que encontramos en el mercado nacional, algunos de los turoperadores españoles más conocidos son TravelPlan, Catai o Julià.

Si te ha resultado interesante conocer más sobre los turoperadores y te gustaría adentrarte en el mundo de la gestión de los canales de comercialización, el curso Yield and Revenue Management está hecho para ti. ¡Consulta el programa e inscríbete! Te esperamos.

También te puede interesar nuestro artículo sobre transformación digital en el turismo .

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What Does a Tour Operator Do?

Find out what a Tour Operator does, how to get this job, salary information, and what it takes to succeed as a Tour Operator.

The Tour Operator plays an essential role in the travel and tourism industry by designing, organizing, and conducting tours and travel packages for individuals or groups. They ensure that the travel experience is seamless, enjoyable, and enriching, taking care of logistics such as transportation, accommodation, and itinerary planning. By maintaining strong relationships with various stakeholders including hotels, guides, and transport services, they are able to curate experiences that meet the diverse needs and preferences of travelers. Their expertise in understanding destinations, cultural nuances, and local attractions enables them to create packages that offer more than just a visit, but a deep dive into the essence of the place. Through meticulous planning and coordination, the Tour Operator ensures that each journey is memorable, safe, and aligned with the expectations of their clients.

Tour Operator Job Duties

• Design and develop diverse tour packages to meet the interests and requirements of different groups of tourists, including itinerary planning, accommodation selection, and transportation arrangements.
• Negotiate contracts with service providers such as hotels, transportation companies, and activity providers to secure the best rates and services for tours.
• Market and promote tour packages through various channels, including online platforms, travel expos, and partnerships with travel agencies, to attract potential customers.
• Provide detailed pre-tour information to clients, including travel tips, itinerary details, and necessary preparations, to ensure they are well-prepared for the trip.
• Lead and manage tours, ensuring all aspects of the tour run smoothly, from coordinating transportation to managing schedules and addressing any issues that arise.
• Offer insightful and engaging commentary on the cultural, historical, and natural significance of tour destinations to enhance the client’s experience.
• Handle financial transactions related to the tour, including collecting payments from clients, managing budget allocations for different aspects of the tour, and settling accounts with service providers.
• Collect feedback from clients post-tour to assess the quality of the experience and identify areas for improvement in future tour offerings.

Tour Operator Salary & Outlook

Tour Operator salaries vary based on experience, niche market expertise (e.g., adventure, luxury, cultural tours), language skills, and the complexity of tours managed. Additionally, the size and reputation of the employing company, along with the individual’s negotiation skills and client satisfaction rates, significantly influence earnings.

• Median Annual Salary: $51,975 ($24.99/hour)
• Top 10% Annual Salary: $80,500 ($38.7/hour)

The employment of tour operators is expected to grow faster than average over the next decade.

This growth is driven by increasing global travel demand, a rising interest in unique, personalized travel experiences, and the expansion of the middle class in emerging markets. Tour operators, adept at crafting tailored itineraries and navigating complex travel logistics, are essential in meeting these evolving consumer preferences.

Tour Operator Job Requirements

Education: A Tour Operator typically has diverse educational backgrounds, with many having completed some college courses, often in tourism, hospitality, or business management. High school diploma holders also qualify, ideally with subjects focused on geography, history, and languages. Those with Bachelor’s or Associate’s degrees usually major in travel, tourism management, or related fields, enhancing their understanding of global cultures, travel regulations, and customer service essentials. Education in marketing and communication is also beneficial for this role.

Experience: Tour operators often come from diverse backgrounds, with many entering the field with minimal to moderate experience. A significant portion starts with less than a year’s experience, indicating on-the-job training is common and crucial. This training encompasses customer service, itinerary planning, and safety protocols. Some individuals transition into the role with no prior experience, learning entirely through structured training programs offered by employers. Experience in travel planning, group management, and cultural knowledge is beneficial, highlighting the importance of adaptability and a keen interest in travel and culture. Continuous learning and skill development are key components of succeeding as a tour operator.

Certifications & Licenses: Certifications and licenses for Tour Operators may vary by location but generally include a business license and, in some cases, a tour operator license. Specialized certifications such as the Certified Tour Professional (CTP) offered by the National Tour Association can enhance credibility but are not universally required. No specific certifications or licenses are universally mandated across all regions or types of tour operations.

Tour Operator Skills

Itinerary Planning: Selecting destinations and activities that align with clients’ preferences and comfort levels is crucial for tour operators. They must have a comprehensive understanding of local attractions, cultural nuances, and logistical considerations to craft journeys that are both leisurely and adventurous, ensuring a seamless and enriching travel experience.

Risk Management: Tour operators are tasked with identifying potential hazards and taking preventative actions to safeguard their clients’ safety and satisfaction. A meticulous attention to detail and the ability to foresee and address risks, ranging from natural disasters to health emergencies, are imperative for ensuring secure travel experiences.

Supplier Negotiation: Achieving favorable terms with hotels, transportation providers, and local attractions is critical for the profitability and competitiveness of tour packages. Effective negotiation skills, informed by an understanding of market trends and strong relationships, are necessary to secure deals that benefit both the company and its clients.

Customer Service Excellence: Handling inquiries, complaints, and special requests with patience and positivity is essential. Tour operators must efficiently resolve issues and proactively enhance the customer’s experience, transforming potential challenges into opportunities for outstanding service.

Destination Knowledge: Deep familiarity with the destinations offered is required, encompassing local customs, language nuances, and lesser-known attractions. This enables the creation of tours that are engaging, culturally enriching, and provide travelers with a memorable and authentic experience.

Multilingual Communication: The ability to communicate fluently in multiple languages facilitates effective interaction with a diverse clientele. It ensures that all participants fully comprehend the itinerary, safety instructions, and cultural nuances, allowing for more personalized and engaging experiences that foster a deeper connection between tourists and their destinations.

Tour Operator Work Environment

Tour operators often find themselves in a dynamic work environment, where the office can range from a traditional desk setting to the great outdoors, depending on the day’s needs. The workspace is equipped with standard office tools and specialized software for planning and booking tours, requiring a good grasp of technology.

Work hours can be irregular, with peak seasons dictating longer days and the possibility of work on weekends and holidays. The dress code tends to be casual but may require formal attire for meetings with partners or clients.

The role is inherently social, involving constant interaction with clients, vendors, and team members, making a collaborative and adaptable culture crucial. Travel is a significant component, offering opportunities to explore new destinations but also demanding flexibility and resilience.

Health and safety are paramount, especially when conducting tours, necessitating knowledge of first aid and emergency procedures. The pace can be fast, balancing multiple tours and clients, requiring excellent organizational skills and a calm demeanor.

Professional development is encouraged, with many companies offering training in new destinations, languages, or tour management software, supporting career growth within the industry.

Advancement Prospects

Tour operators can advance their careers by specializing in niche markets, such as eco-tourism or adventure travel, to cater to specific client interests and stand out in the industry. Developing a deep understanding of a particular region or type of travel can lead to becoming a sought-after expert, potentially opening opportunities for higher-level positions within larger travel companies or the foundation for a successful independent business.

Progression can also come from embracing technology, utilizing digital marketing, and social media to enhance customer engagement and expand market reach. This digital proficiency can lead to roles in digital strategy or marketing within the travel sector.

Leadership roles are another advancement path. With experience, a tour operator can transition into managerial positions, overseeing teams, or entire operations. This might involve strategic planning, financial management, and business development responsibilities, contributing to the broader success of a travel organization.

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The Difference Between Tour Operators & Travel Agents

28 Sep 2023 Quite a common question for anyone not working in the travel industry is about the difference between a tour operator and a travel agent. Both terms are, in effect, industry jargon and we expect the consumer to work out what the difference is. So let's clear that up. What Is a Tour Operator?   A tour operator is a person or company that thinks up ideas for holidays, researches the ideas, designs the holiday itinerary and content, contracts the services needed for the holiday, accommodation, transport, guides, tour leaders or resort reps and then markets the resultant package. They sell the package either directly to the consumer or use the services of a travel agent to do so. A tour operator sells the product that they themselves create. They do not sell anybody else's packages, they sell only their own creations. A tour operator is what in law is referred to as a "principal", meaning they take responsibility for the package that they create and cover that liability with (usually) an ATOL licence and / or some form of bonding to ensure that the consumer gets their money back if the tour operator fails, or is flown home if they are abroad when a tour operator fails.   It's worth mentioning that, with regard to bonding for financial protection, the law asks that certain items or services must be bonded; AITO demands that all its tour operators bond anything they sell to the consumer; this is in excess of what the law demands, to the benefit of the consumer. Who does a Travel Agent Differ?    On the other hand, a travel agent offers the consumer a range of holiday packages that have been put together by a tour operator. They do not, in theory, put together any of their own packages; they sell lots of different holidays put together by lots of different tour operators. They do not usually design or create the holidays they sell, and they do not act as a Principal. The tour operator whose product they sell takes the responsibility for the holiday; the travel agent does not. Therefore the agent usually does not have an ATOL licence or any bonding in place, but relies on the tour operator to cover this.   Nowadays it is fair to say, the difference between tour operator and travel agent is blurred. Some travel agents do create some packages, and therefore do act as a Principal and have the required licences, but they will also sell other product put together by tour operators.   A good analogy goes like this: if you want to buy a dining room table and chairs, you have two choices. You can go directly to the factory where one particular company makes the table and chairs and buy from the creator of the product. But you will only, at that factory, see furniture made by that one manufacturer. If you go to a high street store and browse their furniture department, you can choose from a range of furniture made by several different furniture makers, but none of the furniture has been made by the high street retail store.   In travel, the manufacturer, the factory, is the tour operator. The high street retail store is the travel agent. It's up to you whether you prefer to (a) talk to the creator or the product, or (b) have a wide range of product from different manufacturers to choose from.  Why Book With a Tour Operator or Travel Agent?   Another common question is why a potential traveller should book their holiday arrangements with a tour operator rather than doing it themselves. The answer to this question covers tour operators and travel agents - both are offering commercially assembled holidays.   It is possible to spend hours researching a possible destination, pondering over the best itinerary, checking for the best hotels and so on. Or you can book with a tour operator who has done all that research and chosen wisely based on their experience and knowledge. If you design your own itinerary it can be fun, but if something goes wrong then you are on your own. A tour operator has a legal responsibility to look after you if things go awry. Strikes, natural disasters, personal illness and several other disasters can befall the traveller, better to have someone to take care of things at such critical times. If your overseas hotel ceases trading when you are there, or on your way there, you are on your own; whereas a tour operator will make alternative arrangements. When the Tsunami struck in Thailand some years ago, all the clients who had booked with a tour operator were helped by their tour operator; they were moved to alternative accommodation or flown home. Travellers who had booked their own arrangements were left to fend for themselves. "It's always the individual travellers who we can't locate and help", said someone at the Foreign Office Travel Unit, "since they don't tell us where they are going".   If you want to assemble that dining room table and chairs yourself it's perfectly possible to buy some wood or other, practice a bit with a saw and then start creating your furniture masterpiece (have some bandages and some glue handy just in case). Or you can go to a furniture factory or retail shop and buy a carefully crafted piece of furniture. Most people do the latter when it comes to furniture - why be any less careful when it comes to making travel arrangements? Make it yourself or buy from a professional - it's your choice. What is the Role of AITO?    A third question is why look at AITO for holiday ideas and help? Imagine if you could get over 100 tour operators all in one place, each with their own special holidays. Imagine if each operator had specialist knowledge about one particular destination or style of holiday. And imagine if each of the tour operators was independently owned. That is, each was run by the people who own it and who are passionate about what they sell. If you actually want all that, visit aito.com and it's all here in one place. 

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What is a Tour Operator: A Travel Definition

What is a tour operator.

When looking to work in the travel industry the big decision is between whether you want to be a tour operator or a travel agent. So, what is a tour operator?

Definition of a Tour Operator

A tour operator controls, books and devises the whole trip. They create a package holiday by combining all elements such as hotel, airport transfers, activities, restaurants, tours and such like. A tour may not include all of these elements, the list is purely an example.

The Difference between a tour operator and a travel agent is that a tour operator makes the package and can sell direct to consumer. A travel agent sells the packages created to the consumer.

In essence, the different roles do what they say on the label-

A tour operator – operates the tour

A travel agent – is purely an agent for holidays selling tours that are provided.

Creating a Package Holiday

Tour operators create a package holiday. The Definition of a Package Holiday means the arranged combination of at least two of the following components:

• Accommodation
• Other tourist services that account for a significant proportion of the package.

The most common package holidays that the consumer sees are accommodation and flights, accommodation and airport transfer or entire bespoke tours. A tour operator does not always sell flights, they can also be purely ground-based.

Cycling holidays, yoga retreats, wellness holidays, detox retreats, skiing holidays, hiking breaks, theatre breaks, cookery escapes are all examples. This list is far from exhaustive.

All package holidays are subject to Package Travel Regulations .

Niche Tour Operators

The reason tour operating began was to offer packages to untouched parts of the world. The layman didn’t have access to make arrangements in less well-known areas of the world. In today’s world we have the internet and so the world has become very small and incredibly accessible. However, there is a bigger demand for niche tour operators today than ever before.

The travel industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and travel is now seen as a necessity in people’s lives, especially millennials. Niche tour operators offer some fabulously unusual trips such as seeing orangutans in Borneo to driving holidays in Albania to photography tours in the North Pole – every corner of the world can be discovered. It is an incredibly exciting time for the travel industry. The question may not simply be what a tour operator is, but what they can offer.

Starting As A Tour Operator

If you are looking to start as a tour op. there are a plethora of options to enable you to develop and expand your business – more so than ever before. The fundamental point of running your business successfully is to appreciate that consumer protection is the key in travel.

If you’d like to discuss this further, please get in contact with one of Protected Trust Services’ (PTS) lovely staff members by calling 0207 190 9988 . Or, you can visit our member support and travel trust account pages to learn more about how we protect you.

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Tour Operator Terminology

On this page we’ll try to clearly define the terms you need to know to run a tour business, and interact in our  Tourpreneur Facebook Group .

General Tour Industry Terms

• Tour This is a catch-all term that implies a type of travel experience that takes place over time, generally visiting multiple sights. It could last 1 hour or 30 days, and be done as a walk, or in vehicle. It could be a solo traveler or a group of 50 people. Other words might be used to describe the same thing:  tour, experience, journey, excursion , etc. It usually implies something organized, either by the traveler themselves, or a tour operator, who designs and delivers a tour for a traveler or group of travelers.
• Guest/Customer/Client/Passenger/Participant/Traveler Thanks to Disney,  guest  is what we generally use to refer to our customers. Why the difference? “Customer” implies a financial relationship, whereas  guest  relates more to a personal connection and a sense of welcome and hospitality. But it’s the same as customer, passenger (PAX), traveler, etc., and different companies will prefer different terminology.
• Guide / Tour Guide / Tourist Guide “tour guide” is used more often in Anglophone countries, especially in the U.S., whereas “Tourist Guide” is used in Europe and elsewhere globally.
• Tour Leader/Tour Director/Tour Manager/Tour Escort/Trip Leader This role goes by many different names. It refers to a guide who works over multiple days, usually traveling with a group of guests to multiple cities or regions. In addition to delivering commentary about the locations visited, a tour leader also handles the tour logistics, including working with the motor coach driver, staying on schedule, checking into hotels, meals and activities on time. 
• Interpreter A guide working often at National Parks or heritage sights; interpretation theory is a 100-year old body of theoretical work focused on strategies for helping individuals make their audience connect with and care for the site that’s being interpreted.
• Docent The name sometimes used for a guide usually in a museum or cultural heritage sight.
• Day Tour A type of experience that begins and ends in the same day. Usually used to distinguish an experience from a multi-day tour.
• Multi-Day Tour Any type of experience that lasts for more than one day. Often includes hotels, meals, short activities, and a form of transportation.
• Package Tour A kind of experience (usually multi-day) in which several different components are bundled together: it may or may not include airfare, hotels, guided experiences, meals, etc.
• Group Tour You’ll see these terms used differently to a kind of experience in which separate individuals or smaller groups come together to share an experience. Group tours can be  public  or  private .
• Public Tour As the name implies, this is a tour that’s open to the general public to sign up. The tour therefore consists of a variety of people who don’t already know each other. A public tour is usually offered at a set time and day.
• Private Tour A tour that is sold specifically to an already-organized group of travelers who don’t wish to experience the tour with others. A private tour might be a couple, a small group of friends, or a large church group. Private tours might be at a set time, or organized according to group’s specific needs.
• Custom Tour A custom tour is usually also a private tour.  Custom  refers to the operator crafting an experience customized to the specific demands of a client. A tour operator might be engaged by a client to design a unique experience, for one person or a large group.
• Pre-Formed/Affinity Group These are commonly used terms in the multi-day tour space to refer to a group tour not made up of individual solo travelers & couples, but instead of an alread-formed large group of travelers. An “affinity group” shares a common trait—they belong to a church, a retirement community, or a family reunion traveling together, for example. A pre-formed group might also be created by a “Group Leader” who sells a tour  for  a tour operator ,  often in exchange for a free trip or a commission.
• Escorted Tour Used most often in the multi-day tour space, an escorted tour means you’re traveling with an escort (old fashioned term), more commonly referred to today as a tour manager, tour director, tour leader, or trip leader. The TM’s job is to handle the logistics of keeping the group together, checked into hotels, arranging meals, etc. They work  for  the tour operator.
• Guided Tour In short, an organized excursion led by an individual or individuals. “Tour Guide” is the generalized term, but a guide could be a museum “docent” or an adventure guide, tour leader, etc.
• Self-Guided Tour This has two different meanings, one related to technology, one related to nature. When talking about mobile phone apps, a self-guided tour is one usually done in-destination using audio recordings and GPS data to guide an individual along a tour route, sharing recorded stories. In the world of adventure tours, a self-guided tour happens when an individual hires a tour operator to provide guidance in the form of itineraries, maps, possibly technology, all to facilitate an extended journey involving walking, hiking, biking, etc.
• FAM Tour A “familiarization” tour, focused on helping one set of professionals (travel agents, for example) learn about a destination, or about vendors in an area. A group of tour guides might take a FAM tour to a new attraction that opened in town, to become familiar with it. A group of travel agents might sign up for a FAM to a destination that they’ll then sell to clients.
• FIT Tour Very confusing term. It’s evolved over time. It once meant “foreign independent travel” but now is more often thought of as “flexible independent travel.” The goal is to distinguish this kind of independent traveler from someone who buys into a packaged group tour. FIT is more associated with a client who engages with a travel agent or operator to design something that suits their specific customized needs. 
• Activity An activity is usually different than a tour in that it is less about guided sightseeing and more about doing something, well, activity based. Examples might be watersports, biking, hiking, etc.
• Attraction Think amusement parks, museums, and the Eiffel Tower. What do they all have in common? They require tickets, they’re single place-based experiences, and rather than do them in groups, thousands of people pour in at once, with no specific booked time requirements (unless doing so for crowd control or pandemic related reasons).
• “Tours & Activities Industry” This is just one of many ways to talk about our industry. You’ll also hear Tours, Attractions & Activities, 
• DMO/CVB/Tourism Board A Tourism Board or Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) or Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) are all essentially the same thing. — an organization (public, private, or a mix) whose goal it is to promote a destination, be it a city, region or country. Examples include  NYC & Company  and  Visit Scotland .
• MICE Pronounced like the animal, stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events. From a tour perspective, this is where an operator might work with a CVB (see above) to organize tours for business customers hosting or attending a conference in a location. Incentive tours are reward experiences that a company offers a group of employees.
• B2B Tour operators who work with other operators 

Types of Tour Operators

• Tour Operator A business that organizes and sells tours. They sell to a customer, and possibly work with vendors (hotels, restaurants, vehicle companies, etc.) to create an organized tour experience. In short, operators do the grunt work.
• Travel Agent/Agency In general, an agency works with travelers, and books travel components to relieve the traveler’s burden of figuring it out on their own. An agency might book a tour operator’s tour as part of the services they provide the travel, in exchange for a commission from the operator.
• [insert word here]  Operator Tour Operator is a general term, but that’s not the only kind of operator out there. You might also be an adventure operator, watersports operator, ATV rental operator, you name it. But in all cases, you’re not an agency booking someone else’s service, you’re providing the service yourself.
• Day (or Multi-Day) Tour Operator Both are subsets of “tour operators” in general. It might be used in the Tourpreneur community when we’re referring to the specific challenges of a specific kind of operator, since the products and challenges of each type of tour can be very different.
• Inbound / Receptive Operator /  DMC (destination management company) These are all versions of the same thing, with terminology that is sometimes preferred over the other words for various reasons. This kind of tour operator creates experiences in a certain location (often a specific city or a region or country), working B2B with tour operators or corporate entities needing local knowledge and connections.  Receptive operator  is an older term meaning they “receive” clients who are coming in (or inbound) from somewhere else.
• Outbound Operator This version of tour operator (usually multi-day) designs experiences that take guests elsewhere. An outbound operator might be based somewhere (Australia, for example) but focus on creating trips that send their Australian customers outbound to other countries.

Sales, Marketing & Software Terms

• SEO Search Engine Optimization—the art of optimizing your website and online presence to bring your content to the top of search engine results (principally Google).
• PPC Means “Pay-per-click” and references the kind of digital advertising done by companies like Google: you create an advertisement to appear in search engine results, for example, and you pay for that ad a specific market rate each time someone clicks on your link.
• OTA Online Travel Agency—this is a catch-all term for a wide variety of online marketplaces servicing the travel industry, selling everything from rental cars to flights to hotels to tours. An OTA in the general industry might refer to big players like Expedia or Booking.com; in the tour industry, it refers to companies like Viator (the largest tour OTA) and GetYourGuide. There is a long tail of “niche OTAs” that serve specific types of tours and activities (like watersports) or a specific region.
• Online Marketplace / Platform This is a more general term for the kind of website platform (like Viator) that sells a wide variety of tours online. Think Guide Marketplaces like ToursByLocals or Withlocals, companies that curate large amounts of guides, but aren’t traditional OTAs like viator.
• Restech/Booking Software You’ll hear “restech” (alternately reztech, rez-tech, etc…) as a fast way to refer to the software industry centered around creating helping tour operators accept online bookings, and keep those bookings organized. The largest companies in this space work mainly with day tour operators.
• Tour Operator Software Different than booking software/restech, TO software offers an extended suite of features meant to help operators across their whole business, from operators to itinerary proposals to budgeting and pricing. This software may include a booking/payment component, but is a much more fully integrated and holistic (and expensive) solution.
• SaaS Short for “Software as a Service” — this is how the tech industry refers usually subscription-based websites or software that help you do something. Examples of SaaS include booking software and CRMs.
• Supplier In the language of selling tours to customers on a platform, tour operators are suppliers; you  supply  tours that are then  re-sold  by the platform.
• Connectivity This is the dark art of how you, the operator (supplier) connect to sales channels.
• Distributor/Reseller These are sales channels that sell tickets to your tours on behalf of you. They could be everything from an online marketplace like Viator and GetYourGuide, to a personal travel agent or hotel concierge..
• Channel Manager This is software that helps you manager all your different sales channels in one place.

Tour Operators and Travel Agents

Tour Operators are persons or organisation which organised and sells travel like air, railway ticket, transport and accommodation to a tourist. Moreover, a travel agent is a form of business that sells travel related products and services, particularly package tour to the tourists on behalf of travel suppliers such as airline, hotels, tour operator, cruise liners and other travel vendors.

Several travel agencies are specialized in commercial and business travelers while some agencies have setup separate departments dedicated to a separate sector. Several travel agencies serve as general sales agent for larger and foreign travel agencies or companies. A travel agent plays a significant role which converts a countries attractions, accessibility, amenities into saleable goods commodities and promotes, markets, and convince to buyers. Thus, the place of a travel agent is very prominent among the other types of intermediary operations involved in the provisioning and selling of travel products and travel services.

Travel agent:  

Travel agents is defined as   an individual, a firm or company who makes arrangements on behalf of tourists in respect of travel tickets, travel documents-VISA, transportation, accommodation , entertainment, insurance, foreign currency and other travel services from the principal suppliers and sells to the prospective tourists. Thus, the definition clearly identifies that a travel agent/ travel agency is a business may be small or big that sells travel related products and services to end-user customers on behalf of third party travel suppliers/ vendors, such as airlines, hotels and cruise lines. Generally, the clients of travel agencies include tourists and business travellers.

Tour Operator :  

The term tour operator is used to define the large scale operation in the travel intermediary’s process. Thus, ‘tour operators’ can be wholesaler, and or retailer depending upon market size and organizational structure. Thomas Cook, Thomson, American Express, Cox & Kings, Kuoni, Thomas Bennett are good examples of a dual travel organization.  In the Indian tour operation market most tour operators are the outgrowth of successful retail travel agencies in their own travel markets. A Tour operator is defined as an organization/ firm/ company who package the travel to and from a destination along with complete ground services like accommodation , local sightseeing, local cultural fairs / festivals etc. Interestingly, they provide these services themselves as some of the ingredients of tour package they their own or they arrange these ingredients from different destination operators.       

 Generally, the industry practices indicates that a tour operator is a firm /company which specializes in the developing, planning and actual operation of pre-paid, pre-planned holidays and makes these available for tourists either directly or through the  middlemen. In most of the advertisements in the newspapers, magazines and others we have seen regarding five days/four nights along with tour itinerary and price per PAX.   For example, one week in Kerala  5000 Rs. (500 Rs. worth healthcare coupons free or ten days in Goa—heavy off season discounts, beaches, music and other services for Rs. 40000 inclusive meals per PAX etc.  There are numerous offers like this in the newspapers and magazines. Generally, these offers of package tours are available for both individuals as well as groups.  Now the question is that we have ever paid any attention to these offers that who have packages such tours and why? Or how they are packaged   and marketed these products/ services to general public?  Some people arrange these products/ services by their own and some approach the professional organizers to arrangement on their behalf.  When we arrange travel services/ product by own definitely this is a time consuming process. On the other hand there are many people who don’t want to bother themselves about arranging, planning and organizing their own journeys rather they want this to done by someone professional expertise.  It is the tour operator who packages all attractions of a destination into one composite product and retails it through the travel agents or directly to the tourists. He creates the demand, travel, market and image of the destination. Today, many tourists buy these package tours as per their interests, priorities and budget at a price that is pre-determined. The complete holiday package tour includes travels (air/surface), accommodation , sightseeing, insurance, currency, escort/ guide and so on. The person who puts together all these aspects into a package is known as the Tour Operator.

 Practically, a tour operator is a firm/ company who provides travel information, plans, organises and coordinates travel related services/ products with various ground operators to create a tour package. At the same time tour operator also ensures smooth conduct and operation of the package tour due to this professional work a tour operator is also called a Tour/Travel consultant or Tour Coordinator. The tour Operator may or may not necessarily have any product of his own but act as an intermediary for different travel vendors to tailor a package to meet the varied needs of a traveller. In fact, a tour operator plays a pivotal role in organizing, explorations, research expeditions, planning and operation a tour package. We must appreciate here that tour operations originated ever since people wanted to explore new areas/ destinations, go on pilgrimage / religious or trade expeditions, individually or in groups. 

 Definition of a travel agent and Tour operator 

•  The American Society of Travel Agents ( ASTA ) defines the travel agent as follows: “An agent is a person who undertakes a job for another person, who is the ‘principal’. The principal in such a relationship not only sets the goals of the job, such as selling tickets, but also may control the means and manner in which the job is done”.

•  According to Airlines Reporting Corporation (1987), “a retail travel agent is defined as a business that performs the basic functions : quoting fares and rates, makes reservations, arranges travel tickets, books rooms, arranges travel documents, and acts on the behalf of tourism vendors.”

•  Joel M. Abels, (1985) “A travel agent is an individual who, based on recognized industry standards of expertise and experience, is deemed qualified by travel agent peers and by travel principals to offer and sell travel arrangements and services to the general public”.

• Aryear Gregory (1985), “The tour operator is the architect/manufacturer who assembles the tour ingredients and creates travel, creates a market, creates lead and creates an annuity by having satisfied clients who return year after year”. 

•  James M. Poynter (1993) defines, “tour operator is one who has the responsibility of putting the tour ingredients together, marketing it, making reservations, handling all financial and accounting aspects, and selecting as well as managing tour managers”.

•   Mohinder Chand (2006). “ a tour operator is an organization which conceives idea of tourism product and converts this idea into realities by repeating tourists again and again”.

Difference between Travel Agent and Tour Operator

     Historically, the tour operator has mostly emerged from retail travel agency. However, today a clear distinction must be made between a travel agency and a tour operator.

Essentially a travel agent is a retailer and tour operator is a wholesaler. The travel agent is a retailer because he sells the travel services to the final consumers i.e. the tourists directly.

But unlike the travel agency, the tour operator is a manufacturer of the tourism product . He plans, organises, sells and conducts the tours. He acts as a wholesaler also sometimes because he has to engage travel agents as middleman to sell his package tours in different territories. The Figure 1.1 makes amply clear the flow of travel services from suppliers to the tourists. Moreover, the role of travel agent and tour operator in the tourism market is well defined. In fact, due to strategic alliances and world integration this distinction is meaningless as both are performing similar functions. 

The main difference as: 

•       Travel agents usually sell to end-users   on behalf of travel vendors.   

•       Tour operators plan almost each and everything related with tour package.  

•       Tour operators are specialized in dealing with specially one country/ one destination at a time. But there’s no specialization in the case of a travel agent.

•       Most of the cases some travel agents work directly with tour operators and provide the tour operators with the information of clients.

•       Travel agent gets permit to work from the respective tour operator either private or public while tour operator acquires license from the Ministry of Tourism.

•       Becoming a travel agent doesn’t require so much time/ money as compared to the tour operator.  

•       Tour operator is directly responsible to the regulatory authorities while travel agent is first responsible to the clients and then to the tour operator.

•       The main source of income of travel agent is commission and other reserves while a tour operator earned profit by providing services/ products to the clients and he also earned commission from the different travel vendors like hoteliers, transporters, airlines , cruise companies and destination companies etc.

IMPORTANCE AND FUTURE OF TRAVEL AGENT AND TOUR OPERATOR  

    Over the years, the role and contribution of travel agents and tour operators have been changed. In the beginning travel agent were ‘mom and pop’ organisations but today they are more professional and operating a large scale.  Inbound travel has been dramatically hit by introduction of VISA on Arrival and different promotional measures adopted by the Indian government like Incredible India   In fact; all forecasts are that travel between countries will continue to enjoy substantial growth through the 21st century. Thus, tourism between different countries has shown tremendous growth during 2016-2017 and India is no exception in this context.   Recent figures from the Ministry of  Tourism , Government of India have shown that whereas the overall number of domestic holidays increased by 20% between 2000 and 2016,   the domestic market will grow by 20% in the five years to 2017 and this  is  good news for the  tour operation industry. Outbound travel has, of course, enjoyed continuous growth since the advent of overseas package holidays in the 1990s. Whilst the outbound package market has in recent years increased at approximately 10 million holidays each year, independent holidays taken abroad are still growing strongly, and ensure that the overall outbound market continues to grow each year( Ministry of Tourism , GOI, 2016).  

     The following points are clearly described the role and contribution of travel agent and tour operation business in India:   

·  Travel Inf ormation:    

   Travel information is first and foremost activity of a tour operator. Today, most of the tour operators have developed an internet presence by posting a website, with detailed travel information. Moreover, use of technology has become vital for all travel companies. Most of the travel companies hired specially technology firms to maintain their website and upload latest travel information. Moreover, these companies use travel service distribution companies who operate Global Distribution Systems (GDS), such as  Sabre Holdings , Amadeus , Galileo  and World span to provide up to and minute detailed information on tens of thousands of flight, hotel,  transporters, car rental and others related with tourism services including package tours .

•  Tourist Publicity Material: 

    Tour operators produce huge tourism related material to attract and motive the tourists.     Moreover, travel agents and tour operators brought out a range of publicity material including shell folders on adventure, wildlife, tourist resources of South India Rajasthan and other states including tourist map and trekking maps of Himalayas. It also produced a general India brochure and those on various states and tourist destination in India. Thus, they are exploring India at global level. 

•  Promotion of Tourism:  

       Many tour operators and travel agents in collaboration with central or states governments have launched major campaign on “Tourism Environment / Awareness”. These campaigns are being released in all leading magazines across the country in Hindi, English and other Indian languages. The themes of the campaigns are “We can and we will keep India beautiful”. Besides, the department also launches advertising campaigns to promote lesser known bill resorts called “Holiday Campaign”; to promote Orissa and a campaign to promote Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

•  Tourism development   Planning :  

       Since tour operators play a pivotal role in tourism industry. They are actively involved and participate in tourism developmental processes and tourism policy formulation in the respective areas.  Every state in India has recognized that tourism has a vast potential for development in the country. Appreciating this potential Government has accorded the status of an industry to tourism.  Government has also extended various financial and non-financial incentives to tourism industry to motivate the tourism players.  Private sector investment has encouraged in developing tourism and public sector investment should be focused only on development of support infrastructure. Thus, travel agent and tour operators are  focusing on the following states so that tourism may developed  in a planned and systematic manners  such as states of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Tripura, Manipur, Assam, Karnataka and Union Territories of Andaman arid Nicobar and Lakshadweep etc.

•  Promotion of Wildlife Tourism: 

      To  promote wildlife tourism, facilities are provided in the form of Forest Lodges and transport within the sanctuaries / national parks: Forest Lodges at Enjal (Gujarat), Manas (Assam), Dhangari (UP) and Parambikulam (Kerala) is in progress. The work of Forest Lodges Betla (Bihar) Simlipal (Orissa), Desert National Park, Ranthambhor, Ranakpur (Rajasthan). The tour operators are adding these destinations in their itineraries so that special interest tourism may be promoted. 

•  Tourist arrivals and Foreign exchange earnings: 

     As per Government reports,  the year 2016 has been a highly successful year so far as tourism in India is concerned. For the third successive year, India witnessed a positive growth in foreign tourist arrivals. Today, tour operator have been recognised as a vital component of travel and tourism industry and have become an integral part of this industry at global. They Account for more than 90% of international and 75% of domestic tourist traffic. Further, more than 70% of all travel agency revenues are derived from the business travel. Most travel agencies sell both commercial and leisure travel but there is many travel agencies which only specialize in one sector or the other. It is also appreciated that more than 50% tourists are coming through the travel agency and contributing huge foreign exchange to the country.

•  Development of New Products:   

      Various strategies have been formulated and implemented for tourism to meet the diverse needs of the tourists. Such as cultural  tourism,   wildlife tourism, sports tourism, social tourism, mountains and beach tourism, promotion of fairs and festivals,  and  leisure tourism and development of travel circuits.

•  Employment generation Promotional:   

       Travel agent and tour operators are the major players in the tourism industry. In fact, most of the tourism management students are employed in this vital sector of tourism industry.  More the 25 million people  are  working directly or indirectly in this sector. Event many tourism management students are establishing their own ventures. This is also helps the students to enter into their own business enterprises. 

•  Analysis of potential Tourism markets:   

     Most of the tour operators conduct market analysis and accordingly develop product. In fact, tour operators / travel agencies analysed tourism market potentials’ produce modified products based on the existing products and use technologies and skills. They identify potential of both domestic and foreign customer groups with description relevant characteristics like age, income, preferences and influencing factors on future demand. They also identify the unique selling point along with description of wanted characteristics product by the tourists.

      Thus, by 2020, the government of India expects travel and tourism to contribute Rs8, 500 billion to GDP, almost four times the value in 2010. With successive governments committed to reform, a strong manufacturing sector and a private sector that already has a critical mass that is needed to drive growth, it is unlikely that the strong growth in GDP is likely to be reversed ( Ministry of Tourism , GOI, 2017).  

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We provide different type of services from booking transfers to building full itinerary for your trip.

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