Classification of Tour Packages

TATO (Travel agency and Tour Operation) Presentation

1. Classifications of Tour Packages Dr. Sumit Kumar Singh

2. All-Inclusive Package Tour All-inclusive package is a generic term for packages to include all the elements that travellers require for their trips, including airfare, lodging, ground transportation, meals, recreation and entertainment and taxes. All-inclusive holidays have become popular option for savvy spenders. They not only allow travellers to budget for the bulk but also work out cheap at the destinations.

3. Package Tours with Escorts Escorted tours follow a predetermined Itinerary and tour escorts or guides accompany travellers. Escorted tours are normally conducted by a tour director who takes care of all services from the beginning to the end of the tour.

4. Package Tours Promoted by Hosted Hosted tours are a kind of guided tours. It is somewhat similar to the Escorted tours. On the other hand, passengers are greeted by a local representative rather than a Tour Manager. Local guides are arranged at all locations to accompany the guests at the sites. Some meals, accommodations and sightseeing may be included in the tour.

5. Independent Tours An Independent tour does not include a guide or a host or a set routine of daily activities. Independent tours are prepared/ formulated for those tourists who wish to travel independently. These tourists usually spend 2 or 3 nights in each location visited and usually only a few locations are visited.

6. Freedom Tours Freedom tours are very popular kinds among the youth groups, friends, newlywed couples and working classes. These tours are designed as per the requirements of customers. This can also be taken to the present day concept of tailor-made packages. Tourists decide how to travel, when to travel and where to travel and travel requirements are submitted to service providers for tailoring a tour.

7. Fly- Drive Packages Fly-Drive tours are single price packages that include return trip air fare and a rental car at destination. A Fly-drive holiday is a best way to see a country or a range of destinations all in one trip. Fly drives give the freedom of the road to explore at your own style or simply fly into a destination airport or hire a car.

8. Accommodation and Meal Package Most resorts and certain other lodging properties promote packages that incorporate one more nights of accommodation, plus a specified number of meals. Customers book accommodation first and when they arrive to stay in the hotels they are provided with meals and required amenities for their stay. Hotel staff provides information and suggestions regarding sightseeing, shopping and other entertainment activities at the destination.

9. Event Packages Big events become the attractions for great holidays. There would be many events round the calendar and each place would be famous for a special event. Every year, special one-time events, festivals, entertainment and cultural performances, or other occurrences take place in India and throughout the world.

10. Packages with Programming for Special Interest The primary attractions of these packages are the special activities, programmes and events arranged by one or more of the participants. This segment is very popular among the youth and allo-centric tourists. Special interests like cycling biking, and rafting, trekking, mountaineering jumping and skiing, skating and ballooning are some crazy activities liked by the youth.

11. Target Market packages Target Market Packages are specially designed to meet the needs of certain target markets. Market segments like children, youth, women, newly married, differently-abled, adults and old age groups are identified and travel services are catered targeting these segments accordingly. Packages including theme parks, zoological parks, water sports etc. would fit to the children segment.

12. Incentive Tour Packages Incentive tour packages are generally given to employees as recognition for their better performance in the organization. This incentive tour is actually a business tool to motivate the employees towards the goals and targets in the company. This tour packages are usually given to groups with unusual travel package which may also include meetings, exhibitions or conferences.

13. Convention/ Meeting Packages These package tours are prepared together including meetings and conventions or they are also prepared individually. In these packages, registration and entry tickets to conventions are booked earlier and then tour package is developed according to the time schedule of the convention. Generally, these kinds of tours are pre-convention tours or post-convention tours including convention as part of the tour.

14. Affinity Group tour Packages Affinity groups share common interests or common goals formally or informally. Affinity groups include hobby clubs, reading circles, writing circles, social clubs, fraternities and like-minded groups etc. Similar interest groups tend to have their interest in activities like cycling, biking, painting, singing, art, architecture, heritage, adventure and expedition cruise etc. and go on for tours including such components

15. Family Vacation Packages Family Vacation Packages are prepared exclusively for a single family. This is the package where a family can play together. Family vacations are some source of fondest memories for both, the kids and the parents. Since a family consists of kids, parents and grandparents, it becomes difficult for an organizer to arrange all the travel services

16. Weekend and Mini Vacation Packages These packages are generally meant for the employees to break far away from their hustle and bustle of city life to rejuvenate their mind, body and soul with this short and cheap weekend and mini vacation packages. Such packages are planned within the close vicinity so that the tourists can complete trip within the stipulated time.

17. Seasonal Packages Seasonal Packages are specially prepared to enjoy seasons like the spring bloom, winter splendour, summer sun, and fall leaf season etc. These packages cannot be enjoyed all around the year and are prepared in accordance with the tourists. It is a tough job preparing such itineraries because a tour operator has to find suitable places according to the best reasons for the best season.

18. Off-peak Special Packages These packages are specially designed to tap the market during Off-Seasons. The packages are made attractive adding new components to it. Creativity and innovation is necessary to design such packages. Tourists wish to experience the tourism at destinations integrating into every aspect of it.

19. Foreign Independent Tour (FIT) A special package arranged by travel agents or other foreign independent travel specialist that fits individual clients needs while they are travelling in foreign countries. These tours are preferred by wealthy and affluent travellers. This tour provides the comfort of travelling whenever a tourist wants to individually. These tours are got tailored by the personal travel agents.

20. Group Inclusive Tour (GIT) This is an all-inclusive package with a specified minimum size involving one or more groups travelling on scheduled or chartered air service. This is the best method of having an economic tour. Tourists who feel insecure and alone can have such tours because they are always in the group which is accompanied by a tour leader.

21. Charter Tour Charter tour is a trip or a package where the aircraft or other equipment is chartered by a tour wholesaler, tour operator and other individual or group. When a large families, group of friends or employees of a company wish to travel together, charter tours serve the purpose. Separate flight or vehicle is booked exclusively for the group

22. Destination Package A package can be categorized by the destinations as it features. Tour package is designed selecting all the components at a single destination. Tourists are taken to that specific destinations and it is experienced to the fullest. Itinerary would be very simple. Starting at the origin, reaching the tourist destination, staying at the destination, moving to every corner of it, enjoying all the activities and then returning back to the origin is the plan.

23. Dynamic Packaging This is a new trend in tour packaging. This enables the tourists to book their own package based on their preferences of transport, accommodation, transfers, meals, tour guiding, sightseeing etc. instead of buying a pre-defined package tour. The pricing in dynamic packaging is always based on the current availability.

24. Summary Packaging is commonly used in assembling some essential and related services to enhance the value for money. It is seldom to find individual items in the tourism market as customers do not want to undertake travel with the confirmation of one single element. However, there is no big difference between all-inclusive and customized package tour as each has its own merits and demerits.