Assignment title - Planning, selling, administering, operating and costing a package holiday programme

In this assessment you will have opportunities to provide evidence against the criteria listed below. Please indicate the page numbers where the evidence can be found.

Purpose of this assignment-

• Know how tour operators plan, sell, administer and operate a package holiday programme
• Be able to plan and cost a package holiday

Scenario

You will use class notes and additional research to create a staff handbook and complete a practical exercise on planning, selling, administering and operating a package holiday.

You will also produce a suitable proposal - with costs - for a new hotel to be included in a tour operator's programme. You will write a report on how a tour operator can maximise their profit on their package holidays.

Task 1-

A new member of staff has joined your tour operator and you have been asked to put together a booklet and easy to follow staff handbook how the company plans, sells, administers and operates its package holiday programme. The booklet should be professionally presented with clear headings and explanations and cover the following areas:

• Introduction and welcome
• Planning
• Selling
• Administration
• Operations

Task 2-

Tour operators must make profit! In a report (maximum 750 words) explain ways of maximising the profitability of the package holiday programme during the different stages explored above.

Explain how aspects such as ....

• methods of contracting
• consolidations
• currency exchange
• cancellation charges and
• commission

Task 3-

Read the information below on the proposed new inclusion for the programme and complete the tasks numbered 1 - 5.

You are a small tour operator based on the south coast of the UK, specialising in holidays to Italy. You are planning to add Sorrento to the programme from Spring 2016 and you need to plan and cost the holidays for inclusion in the programme.

You are using the services of a local agent in Italy and she has been able to offer contract rates for three different 3* hotels; you must choose one and decide upon the board basis and method of contract.

Assume the passengers will travel from LGW each Monday and stay for 7 nights.

You have a fixed contract of 50 seats on a part charter with an agreed price of £120 per person return, inclusive of taxes.

The agent has quoted a rate of €10 per person for a return coach transfer from Naples airport and €25 per person for a return trip by taxi. She is also charging a flat sum of € 100 for each arrival group to cover the services of a local representative making a daily visit to the hotel

1. Choose which of the 3* hotels is most suitable for your programme, explaining why you have chosen this one.

2. Calculate a selling price per person in GBP for a 7 night package, identifying fixed and variable costs based on all 50 seats being sold.

3. Apply a load factor of 80%, and make any necessary currency calculations and add a suitable mark up.

4. Clearly indicate your selling price.

5. Produce a short description of the planned package, including suggestions for activities and optional excursions that could be offered to your guests.