Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe, after Russia. The country is rather flat and includes the autonomous region of Crimea in the south. Most of the Crimean Tatars were forcibly moved to Central Asia in 1944 to suppress their nationalist intentions. The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian; one of the three East Slavic languages, closely related to Russian and Belorussian. Tatar Mongols invaded the area in the 13th century but the western Ukrainian principality of Galicia, founded in the 12th century, suffered less from the Mongol invasion. Annexed by Poland in the 14th century, although the Ukrainian Cossacks allied themselves with Russia. The partitions of Poland saw much of the land handed over to Russia in 1667, while Galicia became a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1772 to 1919. The Cave monastery, Perchersky, was founded in the early 11th century and is one of the most sacred buildings of the Russian Orthodox church. The ruins of the Golden Gate also date from the same period and was once the main entrance to the city. Kiev was the centre of the Rus principality in the 11th and 12th centuries AD, and it is still known as the Mother of Russian Cities. It’s easy to travel by train from London to Ukraine. It’s also safe, comfortable, affordable and (unlike yet another flight) an adventure. Eurostar and German Railways link London with Berlin, then there are daily sleeper trains from Berlin and Warsaw to Kiev. There’s even direct sleeping-cars several times each week from Berlin to Odessa and Simferopol in the Crimea. This page will tell you train times, approximate fares, and how to book. loans online

Traveling the world is a dream to most people. What if you were offered a job that grants you the opportunity to travel to different locations? You surely wouldn’t pass up the opportunity Imagine your self viewing scenic panoramas, coming into contact with different cultures, and meeting interesting people. Plus, you are earning money. How could you not love it? It is a chance of a lifetime and you can do it now. Travel jobs provide the opportunity to earn while traveling the world. People from all walks of life have been doing this for quite some time now. And so can you. You don’t have to worry about your lack of skills or limited education. Travel jobs encompass various fields and you can certainly find a suitable job for you. Here are some examples of travel jobs that you can get. If you are a licensed nurse, you can practice your profession in different parts of the world. You can experience working in diverse environments and work settings. Housing is usually free and you can sharpen your skills as a health care provider in the process. You can be hired by an agency that can provide you with assignments. You could work at a hospital in Hawaii, a research center in Alaska, or as a personal nurse in Europe, the choice is yours. Travel and save the world at the same time. If you have a degree in this field, you can work as a wildlife conservationist. Otherwise, you just lend a hand to the experts in this area. Getting training or an internship is a good start. You can network with environmental scientists and seek future opportunities in education. Keep in mind that you must have passion in this line of work. This is considered a green collar job; a job that is greatly rewarding for persons who want to make a difference in the world. If you are the extreme type and love nature, you can be a guide for adventure activities. You will organize and lead enthusiastic people in exhilarating activities like whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and even skydiving. You get to trek the beautiful mountains and forests and get paid. You can get paid by adventure tour companies or you can work as a contractor. The job is fun and never boring. That’s what adventure is all about. Also, you can get huge tips from satisfied clients. When you talk about travel jobs, working on a cruise ship usually comes to mind. It is no surprise because working on a cruise ship is an amazing experience. The work is fairly easy and you can earn through tips from on board vacationers. Even entry-level jobs such as cruise liner crews have the capacity to earn even with their meager compensation. The food and accommodation is free so you have the opportunity to save your money. cash advance loans

Are you on a holiday or traveling on business purposes or pursuing your studies abroad? Whatever your purpose may be, you must have travel insurance, while traveling overseas. International travel involves a certain amount of risk. If you need treatment abroad, but are not equipped with sufficient money, you will be confronted with a difficult situation. Travel insurance will be of great help during such emergencies. Cover yourself with the best travel insurance policies, when you plan to travel abroad.

A travel insurance policy not only covers medical treatments while you are abroad, but also relieves of any kind of reimbursement immediately by providing cover damages caused due to loss of passport and loss or delay of baggage along with the standard medical coverage that you obtain. It is wise to secure yourself with the best travel insurance policies, whenever you plan to travel abroad and have a hassle-free travel experience.

Most of the general insurance companies today offer holiday insurance cover and the best way to find out about travel insurance plans is to browse online and compare all the travel insurance policies and rates available in the market before you make your final choice. Many sites provide you the list of credible travel insurance companies and also help you to choose the one that you feel is suitable for you.   You just need to fill in your profile details, the type of your trip, the place where you are planning to travel, the premium you can pay and the number of days covering your travel or holiday, in order to get the best policies, rates and cover online, offered by some of best travel insurance company brands.

If you are thinking about getting the best travel insurance, it is best to buy online. Many big players of travel insurance sector have been recognized as popular travel insurance companies. These big players will also give you a free recommendation online on the best travel policy with best coverage at best rates you should choose. These travel insurance policies will help you deal with any difficult situations while you are traveling abroad. These policies essentially cover insurance against unforeseen situations and medical emergencies while traveling abroad. Notable travel and holiday insurance companies offer policies, namely Travel companion, Individual Overseas Plan, Student Companion, Travel Elite, Travel Assist, Student Medical Insurance and others. These policies essentially cover insurance against unforeseen situations and medical emergencies abroad. Get an instant quote from any Travel insurance website online. You can find out the premium rates with the help of this quote.

Some of the reputed travel insurance companies offer you policies, where no paperwork and medical check-ups are involved. Other benefits come handy to you as you get your travel plan instantly and the option of EMI payment without any extra charges makes the entire process of transaction very easy and quick. However, you must remember that, while applying for the best travel insurance policies from an insurance company in India, you must be within the country. Just make sure that you go through the premium rates of various insurance companies, the travel cover they offer and make your final decision. Hence, we advise you to browse through the travel insurance rates online and grab the best insurance deal.

We could all use a break from the monotony of our jobs and the humdrum of domestic chores, and the first thing that comes to mind is often a vacation. As many health experts say, taking a vacation every now and then is indispensable to good health.

The next thing we do is look for great travel deals through a travel agency. This is important because if taking a vacation means emptying out our wallets and bank accounts, what good can that do to our financial health? In dire economic times, topmost in our minds is to get the best deals, which are typically possible only from travel agencies.

Many people think that getting travel deals on the Internet is the way to go. The reason for this is that there is very little overhead involved. Online ticket sellers don’t need a physical location; all they need is a web site and a marketing campaign. A recently released white paper says, however, that people who book with travel agents receive discounts of as much as $56. 00 more than when booking with the Internet or with an airline.

Great Deals through Your Travel Agency: Tips

Here are some things to bear in mind when you want to obtain great deals through a travel agency.

1. Remember the concepts of off-peak and peak – these concepts relate to travel time periods. For instance, peak travel periods would be Thanksgiving, Christmas, graduation and Easter. You probably still might get a great deal, but chances are very slim. Peak season equates with greater demand for tickets and more crowded airports, not to speak of higher fuel costs. You can obtain great deals if you schedule your trip during off peak travel periods.

2. Air consolidators – when you hear someone say, “my ticket is a consolidated ticket”, that means they are travelling to an overseas destination like Asia or Europe and their travel agents sold them consolidated tickets. Agents have access to consolidated tickets because they have special and exclusive arrangements with major carriers, thanks to frequent volume purchases.

3. Wide network of providers – travel agents work on special computer systems that provide access to the world’s discounted travel packages. This is why your best bet is to deal with a travel agent when hunting for deals because agents use the most sophisticated program applications, technology and relationships to do some bargain hunting for you.

4. Group travel – just as buying in bulk would fetch a lower price at a food wholesaler, your travel agent will be pleased to seek additional discounts for you if you’re travelling in a group. If you tell your travel agent that you need tickets for a party of four or five people, the potential of obtaining great deals is higher.

5. Budget travel – ask your travel agent for a variety of ways of travelling on a tight budget. You should tell your travel agent that you are willing to take the train, stay in a youth hostel, and eat in cheaper restaurants. Numerous travel associations here and abroad cater to younger travellers who are usually on a limited budget. Your travel agent has access to a wealth of information relating to cheap accommodations and cheap dining, as well as access to discount coupons and free passes to attractions.

6. Advance booking – it used to be that the magic number was “21”; that is, booking your trip 21 days in advance, giving you a cheaper fare. Not anymore. If you’re going to London for Christmas, call your travel agent six to seven months ahead and ask her to look for the cheapest possible flight; be aware though that Christmas time can be an expensive time to travel anywhere. If you’re travelling to say Hong Kong for Chinese New Year, you’re better off booking about seven months ahead.

7. Restricted plane fare – if you’re a no-fuss traveller and you know exactly what you want, tell your travel agent. For instance you can tell your travel agent the following:

· You’re travelling on say June 21 and that’s a definite date (which means you’re not going to change the date) and you’re returning on July 31 (again no changing of dates);

· You don’t mind a circuitous route (direct flights are more expensive)

· You’re open to taking red eye flights

· You don’t mind being on stand-by

· Remember that if you do change the dates, you could be paying a penalty.

8. Retiree – if you are a retiree, tell your travel agent. Some travel agents offer hot deals to seniors and have special relationships with hotels and sightseeing tour operators that cater specifically to this age group.

9. Children – again, some travel agents can offer half fares or practically free fares for children under a certain age. Some agents will even offer the fourth ticket free if you’re travelling with four children.

10. Day of the week – it matters what day of the week you want to travel – provided these days are not close to national holidays. For instance, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturday are considered off-days.

Travel nurses are healthcare professionals such as registered nurses or therapists who travel to various locations to work for certain portions of the year. They usually work up to four travel jobs per year. A travel nurse can work in any region in the United States and many International regions. Most nurses secure a travel nursing career through a reputable travel staffing agency.

A career as a travel nurse can be personally and financially rewarding. Most people who have experienced life as a travel nurse say it is an exciting profession and a great way to earn a living. A travel nurse will enjoy living in new and exciting locations, reside in wonderful accommodations, and work in excellent hospitals. Other benefits include:

Travel Assistance: Most reputable travel nurse agencies will arrange such travel details as directions and maps. They should also have a 24-hour emergency hotline.

Great Pay: While on assignment, travel nurses are offered comprehensive packages consisting of excellent pay with many benefits and bonuses. Annual earnings for an RN travel nursing jobs can be as high as $110,000.

Your Facility Choice: Most travel nurse agencies have available jobs in all 50 states and at the highest ranking hospitals.

Free Private Housing: Housing accommodations are selected by travel nurse agencies for their excellent services and amenities that may include spas, swimming pools, and fitness centers.

Flexible Work Schedule: Many nurses choose a career as a travel nurse because the stress of a traditional hospital can be the result of long hours and increased physical demands. Travel nurses have more flexible work schedules. It is often much easier for a travel nurse to plan for special engagements and vacations

Free Health and Dental Insurance: Travel nursing agencies offer many free comprehensive health plans to meet all their client’s needs. Dependents can also be covered at a nominal cost. Travel nurses can also receive supplemental insurance that provides income if they are unable to work as a result of a non-work-related illness. As well, professional liability insurance should be offered at no extra cost.

Work Protection Plan: A work protection program should be offered by a reputable travel nursing agency because it ensures that if a shift is cancelled, you will still be paid.

Travel Expenses Reimbursement: Most travel nursing agencies will provide travel allowance to nurses. Travel allowance may be given before you depart or as a reimbursement after you arrive.

Tax Advantage Plans: Tax laws allow full-time travel nurses to receive non-taxable credit for meals.

Licensure Reimbursement: Travel nurse agencies will reimburse nurses for their State Nursing Licensure fees for every travel assignment. They will also help travel nurses acquire a State Nursing License.

Auto Club Membership: Many travel nurse agencies offer a discount or free membership to an auto club. Travel nurses will have access to roadside assistance, hotel discounts, rental cars, free trip routing with detailed directions and maps, emergency check cashing, and no fee travelers checks.

401(k) Plan: Travel nurses can enroll in a retirement 401(k) plan where a portion of their earnings will go into a retirement savings plan.

Free Course Upgrades: Many travel nursing agencies will provide free education courses so nurses can keep up with new technology and education.

Referral Bonuses: Travel nursing agencies will give bonuses to travel nurses who recruit other health professionals into their travel nurse program.

While the pay and bonuses of a career in travel nursing are very rewarding, travel nursing positions are highly sought after. It is important that you keep up with modern education and experience. There are hundreds of agencies that specialize in placing travel nurses. Registering with several agencies will increase your assignment choices. With the right planning and knowledge, you will discover great joy with a career as a travel nurse.

Your travel agent can be an integral part of planning your vacation, especially when used wisely. A travel agent is an invaluable resource when you have decided to plan a trip. They can help prevent travel complications while at the same time getting you the best value. However, it is important to remember that each travel agent is different. So, to ensure that your travel agent is a good match for your needs, here are some common questions to ask.

Question 1 – What is your specialty?

It is important to know what your travel agent’s specialty is. He or she may specialize in certain destinations or products, such as cruises or adventure tours. You will also want to ask what types of travel your agent specializes in. For example, you would not want to book a trip for a large group with an agent who is not experienced in such services.

Question 2 – What are your fees?

Obviously, you know that you will be compensating your travel agent for his or her time, planning expertise, work, and advice, but knowing the fees upfront is always a good idea. Some travel agents work on commission, some charge a flat rate, and some charge per service. It is also best to be upfront about your travel budget and be clear that your total budget includes travel agent fees.

Question 3 – What are your hours of operation?

You will need to know when your travel agency or agent operates. Be sure to get the toll-free number in case of an emergency as well as an alternate number for after-hours necessities. If your travel agent has email or a website, you will also want to note that information as well.

Question 4 – What happens if something goes wrong?

Sometimes, it is impossible to avoid inconveniences while traveling. Such inconveniences may include a delayed or cancelled flight because of poor weather. Discuss with your travel agent what happens in such circumstances and how he or she responds to these problems. Always be clear on your travel agent’s policies.

Question 5 – Are tickets refundable?

If you’re working with a travel agent, it is likely that you are planning this trip well in advance. In addition to last minute inconveniences that may occur, such as poor weather cancelling a flight, things in your life may change as well. Find out if your trip is refundable, partially refundable, or if a cancellation fee applies. It is also a good idea to check if reservations can be exchanged.

Question 6 – Do you have special relationships with travel suppliers?

Many times, your travel agent will be able to get you a great deal, which may not be available to the general public. Cruise lines, tour companies, and hotels often offer perks such as upgrades, free parking, and other deals to travel agents who have worked with them before. If your agent has this type of influence, take advantage of it!

Question 7 – Have you traveled to my destination?

There is nothing like first-hand knowledge. If your travel agent has traveled to your destination, he or she will be able to speak from experience. A well-traveled agent will be able to make informed recommendations and provide sound advice as opposed to one who has not visited the areas you are considering.

Question 8 – Can I get a better deal if I travel on a different day?

This question is integral to establishing a better deal if your travel dates are somewhat flexible. Remember, even when working with a travel agent, peak travel times and seasons still apply. Let your travel agent know that while your original itinerary is ideal, if there is a better deal to be had, you may consider traveling at a later date.

Question 9 – Where can I learn more about my destination?

In many cases, travel agents will provide customers with information, such as brochures, about your destination. If the brochures are not sufficient enough for you, ask your travel agent where you could do a little more research. He or she should be able to easily point you in the right direction.

Question 10 – Will I need a passport or visa?

If you are not sure if you will need a passport or special visa to travel to your destination, ask your travel agent. If you do need a passport or visa, he or she will also be able to instruct you on how to obtain one.

Question 11 – What questions do you have for me?

Always ask your travel agent if he or she has any questions for you. Travel agents should always ask you a few questions about what you are looking for in a vacation. This is necessary so that they will be able to come up with the best itinerary for your interests and budget.
The best travel agent for the job is one who is willing to work with you, has extensive knowledge, and is receptive to your priorities as a traveler. However, you will need to ask the questions outlined above to get started. Remember, your agent should be more than willing to answer any of these questions, or any others that you may have.

These days, many families have their put their vacation plans toward the bottom of their list of priorities. During tougher times, a vacation can seem to simply cost too much money. However, if you are thinking about going on a vacation, you might want to look into working with a travel agent to save money on vacation expenses. Working with a travel agent to plan your vacation means you might be able to afford the trip you thought you would have to put off until next year. For this reason alone it is definitely worth exploring the possibility. So how can working with a travel agent save you money?

Your travel agent will help you get the most out of your budget

Whether your travel budget is $500 or $5,000, working with a travel agent is probably the best way to make the most of your money. Especially if you’re traveling on a tight budget, the skills, knowledge, and experience of a travel agent can be invaluable.

Just make sure when you’re discussing travel plans with your agent, you are absolutely clear about how much money you have to spend. If you want to travel as cheaply as possible, make sure your travel agent understands this so that they have a good idea of the types of travel and accommodation they should be finding for you.

Your travel agent can quickly access a number of providers

Travel agents typically have access to a large network of travel, accommodation, and activity providers. With computer systems that provide access to travel agents all over the world, they can quickly locate details of discount travel providers in many countries. This is one of the main reasons why working with a travel agent is a good idea when you’re on a strict budget. They have access to a large number of different resources, software, and industry contacts, all of which they can use when hunting down the best bargains.

Your travel agent knows the cheapest times to travel

Some days are less expensive to travel on than other days. Red-eye flights and stand-by flights can be less expensive, but direct flights can cost more than taking a circuitous route that involves several different connections. Your travel agent should be very knowledgeable on the process of all this and knows that flights booked on Friday, Sunday, and Monday are generally more expensive. You stand a better chance of saving money on flights if you’re flexible about your travel dates.

In addition, your travel agent can quickly tell you if your vacation plans fall within a peak season during which flights to your destination are significantly more expensive. This means that you can modify your travel plans if you wish. Changing plans may include a cheaper destination or traveling during the offseason to save money on your flight.

Advanced booking is another factor that your travel agent can use to help you get cheaper flights. You should be booking at least six months ahead to get the most affordable tickets. Your agent should tell you that the holiday season is always a relatively expensive time to travel, no matter how far in advance you book.

Your travel agent has access to bulk discounts and consolidated tickets

If you’re willing to travel as part of an organized tour, your travel agent can help you access travel and accommodation. There are also specials for activities that are significantly cheaper than what you would spend if you did the same activities alone. This is because as part of a tour you can take advantage of bulk discounts. You can even organize your own tour through your travel agent, and the organizer might get to travel for free!

Consolidated tickets provide you with the chance to save on your air travel costs. A consolidated ticket is simply a ticket which was purchased by the agent as part of a large group of tickets sold by the same airline. The agent gets a bulk discount on the tickets and can pass that discount on to their clients.

Your travel agent has industry contacts and experience

This translates into money being put back into your pocket. Your travel agent may be in regular contact with many industry professionals, and might be able to get you a great deal on a tour being planned by another agent. If you’re flexible with travel times, your agent may advise you to adjust your trip dates to travel during a cheaper part of the week, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars in travel costs. An experienced agent should have expert knowledge of your travel destination and can provide advice on budget accommodation and activities. The agent may often be able to provide discount coupons, free passes, and other incentives.

Best of all, none of these advantages come at a price! You can take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge and experience that your travel agent provides, and can potentially save a great deal of money in the process.

Tourists

The origin of the word “tourist” date back to 1292 AD. It has come from the word ‘tour’. A number of experts have defined the term:
“Tourists are the voluntary temporary travelers, traveling in the expectations of pleasure from the novelty and change experienced on a relatively and non-current round-trip”.
“Tourist is a person who makes a journey for the sake of curiosity for the fun of traveling”.

Tourists are:

-Persons traveling for pleasure, health and domestic reason.
-Persons arriving in the sea of sea cruise.
-Persons traveling for convention.

Tourism – the first commercial venture.

A religious Englishman called Thomas Cook in 1841 arranged, for a fee, a one –day rail excursion from Leicester to Loughborough for 540 members of a temperance league. Thus the first bona fide travel agent was Thomas Cook.

While Cook himself did not make a profit on this first venture, he was a man of vision and was convinced that there was a need for a skilled “travel arranger”. So by 1845 he had become the first full-time travel agent, operating train excursions from Leicester. The next year he chartered a train and steamer for an excursion to Scotland for 330 people. In 1851 Cook arranged ocean steamship travel and accommodations for more than 1,50,000 visitors to the World Exposition in London and in 1856 he operated the first escorted “grand tour” of Europe. Tours to Europe and Middle East were also conducted and, in 1872, the first around the world tour was conducted.

Tourism as a Service Industry

Tourism as a service industry comprises of several allied activities which together produce the tourism product. Involved in the tourism product are three major sub-industries. They are: -
1. Tour operators and travel agents.
2. Accommodation sector (hoteling and catering) and
3. Passenger accommodation.

According to international estimates, a tourist spends 35% of his total expenditure on transportation, about 40% on lodging and food and the balance 25% on entertainment, shopping and incidentals.
The product in this case is not confirmed to travel and accommodation but includes a large array of auxiliary services ranging from insurance and entertainment and shopping, demand generation, in addition to the consumer motivation, is also heavily dependent upon powerful persuasive communication both at the macro (country) level and the micro (enterprise) level. The participants in the process of this service business can be illustrated by the figure below.

Some of the pointers to nature of tourism as a Service Industry

1. Tourism accounts for nearly 6% of world trade.
2. Bulk of tourism business is located in Europe and North America. , with 1/8 of the market being shared between the other regions.
3. The highest growth rate in tourism in recent years has been in the third world.
4. Tourism, like most pure services, because of the character of inseparability, exemplifies a product, which cannot be sampled before purchase; the prospective consumers have to travel to a foreign destination in order to consume the product.
5. The major players in the tourism market include a number of intermediary companies. Some of them transnational in character, some of them exhibit
vertical integration, both backward and forward, acquiring interests in all major sectors of this service industry.

The Tourism Product- Factors Governing Demand.

Because of the unique nature of the nature of tourism product- it being an amalgam of the characteristics of a destination and the infrastructural as well as managerial efforts of the promoter, the determinants of tourists demand emanate from both individual tourist motivations and the economic, social, technological factors. Some of these are:

• Income Levels

In the last 30 years, disposable incomes around the world have shown upward trends, thus allowing more money for activities like leisure travel. Smaller families have meant higher allocations per person in the family. More and more women are entering the workforce and in real terms the cost of travel has fallen. The dramatic rise of tourism in the last 50 years can be attributed in a large measure to the combined effect of more leisure time and rise in both real and disposable incomes.

• More Leisure time:

Increasing unionization of labour right from 1930 onwards has reduced the number of working hours per week. Changing managerial orientations towards human resources have increased the levels of pay and paid vacation time in most developed countries. Now people have longer periods of leisure, which could be allocated to travel.

• Mobility

Better transportation and communication services have made the world a smaller place, and have brought both exposure and awareness of distant lands to larger sections of potential tourists across the world. Faster modes of transport have cut down on travel time, making it easier for people to economically plan and execute trips abroad.

• Growth in Government Security Programmes and Employment Benefits:

The growth in government security programmes and well entrenched policies of employee benefits mean that quite a large number of families may have long term financial security and may be more willing to spend money for vacations.

Tourist Classification:-

Tourists can be classified into the following seven demand categories:-
1. Explorer: – Very limited in number, these tourists are looking for discovery and involvement with local people.
2. Elite: – People who favour special, individually trips to exotic places.
3. Offbeat: – These are filled with a desire to get away from the usual humdrum life.
4. Unusual: – Visitors who are looking forward to trips with peculiar objectives such as physical danger or isolation.
5. Incipient mass: – A steady flow, traveling alone or in small-organized groups using some shared services.
6. Mass: – The general packaged tour market, leading to tourist enclaves abroad.
7. Charter: – Mass travel to relaxation destinations, which incorporate as many as standardized, developed world facilities as possible.

The Travel Decision:-

The average tourist is faced with considerable uncertainty regarding the decision and may have only scanty ideas about distant destinations. His evaluation of alternatives is also limited to the extent of this awareness about possible destinations. The stages of travel decision can be described as: -

1. Travel Desire:-
The first step where the need to travel is felt and the pros and cons are thought about.
2. Information Collection and Evaluation:-
This stage involves the process of finding out the trip from travel agents, books and acquaintances . information so collected is evaluated against criteria of cost and time constraints, alternative possibilities, relative attractiveness of destinations, perceived ‘safety’ o the alternative destinations etc.
3. Travel Decision:-
This is the decision phase involving selection of destination, travel, mode of accommodation and activities to be undertaken.
4. Travel Preparation and Experience:-
This involves tickets, bookings, travel, money and documents arrangement, clothing and undertaking of the travel.
5. Travel Satisfaction Evaluation:-
The whole tourism expenditure is constantly evaluated before, during and after the experience is used to influence future decisions.

The marketing concept for the travel and tourism industry is profit driven and customer centric (unlike sales which are volume driven and target centric).

Service Marketing Triangle

Service marketing is unique in many ways in the travel and tourism industry. There are 3 players in the transaction process:-

- Company: A travel and tourism company listens to the customers and evolves/develops the travel/tour package and it communicates the attractiveness and the utility of that very tour package directly to the customers. Here it (the company) performs external marketing. The company makes promises to the customers.

- Providers: They are a travel company’s internal customers constituting employees and agents. The company does internal marketing with the providers educating and motivating them about the idea of the particular tour package which they can offer to their customers. This is done to enable the providers to effectively carry out the service transaction process. The providers make provisions for office space, accessibility and connectivity. The company enables promises to be kept by this infrastructural association.

- Customers (Travelers): The customers are the reasons that the travel company exists and for whom the company has designed the traveling and touring package as well as set up the infrastructural facilities and spent money on employee development programmes. Here the providers are the only ones who interact with the customers, like the travel agents interact with the customers and not the company. The agents perform interactive marketing which is on-time, all-time, every-time. This is the most crucial aspect of service marketing in the travel and tourism sector. Those agents have the responsibility of ‘keeping promises’ made and enabled by the company. The providers (agents) are responsible for the perceived quality level of the service transaction. This underlines the uniqueness of service marketing.

Tourism Products:

1. Accommodation
• Hotels
• Motels
• Boatels
• Flotels

2. Destination

• Natural Scenes
• Historic Excellence
• Artificial Beauties
• Social Cultural Excellence

3. Transportation

• Infrastructural
i. Airways
ii. Railways
iii. Roadways
iv. Waterways

• Local

i. Local transport

4. Tour operators

• Travel companies
• Travel agents
• Guides

5. Shopping

• Handicrafts
• Handloom
• Books

Marketing mix for tourism product:

The designing of the marketing mix variables in case of tourism is significant as it helps the marketer in conceiving the right ideas, particularly to raise the acceptability of the tourist product by stimulating and penetrating the demand. Framing of a proper marketing mix is significant because it helps the tourist organization in accomplishing the objective and projecting a fair image.

Product Mix:

Tourism is a composite product with components like attraction facilities and transportation. Attraction deserves an intensive care. It includes natural site, places of historic interest, events and cultural attraction.

The facilities compliment attraction. The facilities include accommodation, food, transportation and recreational facilities. The transportation component includes the vehicles and infrastructure. Innovation in the tourism product helps raising the sensitivity. The users of the service are looking forward to better and improved product.

The provider of the tourist is a travel agent or the package tour. A well conceived and designed package tour, covering a wide range of tourist attraction at an economic price, helps in attracting the potential tourist.

The travel agent performs numerous activities such as hotel arrangement and accommodation, site seeing arrangement, domestic transport arrangement, air travel arrangement etc.
In a true sense the tour agents and the travel agents are the vehicles who can give a fillip to the tourism industry, provided they are well trained.

Pricing:

Pricing of the tourist product is complex. Geographical location of the destination, seasonality and varying demand affects the pricing decision.
In India the pricing strategies become important for promoting or contracting the tourism industry, since more than 40% of the total population are below the poverty line. In order to develop the tourism industry more and more potential users are to be transformed into actual users.

When a tourist proposes to visit a particular place, the total cost of his traveling also include the expenses incurred on transportation, accommodation and communication.
Liberal pricing strategy is found to be a productive pricing decision, particularly in case of tourism industry. The pricing strategy which includes low income group people, student and retired persons can be more effective. This is possible if the government concessional and subsidized infrastructural facilities to the potential tourist below the average income.

The different pricing methods generally used are cost based pricing, demand based pricing and competition based pricing.

Promotions:

The promotion mix includes advertising, publicity, sales support and public relations.
The purpose of promotion is to make available the information to the user. Advertising the sales promotion can be effective when supplemented by publicity and personal selling.
Radio, TV, newspapers, cinema and printings are some of the important vehicles for traveling of messages. Effective slogans raises the effectiveness of advertisement.

Another important component of the promotion mix is public relation. It helps in projecting the image of an organization. Public relation and publicity include regular articles and photographs of tour attraction, use of TV and travel journalists to promote editorial comment.
Public relation officer plays an important role. He should be efficient, active, impressive, intelligent and well-behaved.

Good image projection can be made if the PRO manages the affair like a professional. It is said that word of mouth is the best form of publicity. The word of mouth promotion is an important tool in tourism marketing.

Place:

The tourist centers should be located at suitable points if the tourists spots are natural there is no question of selection. In a vast country like India with a divergent socioeconomic and cultural patterns, the promotion of domestic tourism encourages unity in diversity.
Infrastructural facilities, transport and communication are important for development of tourist centres. The site selected should have natural surroundings, increased accessibility and improved amenities. At the same time it is also important that the ecological balance is not disturbed. Since growing ecological imbalances leads to pollution, some important steps like promoting afforestation, promotion and beautification may be undertaken in countering the side effects of atmospheric pollution and maintaining ecological balance.

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } <!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p. MsoNormal, li. MsoNormal, div. MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12. 0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8. 5in 11. 0in; margin:1. 0in 1. 25in 1. 0in 1. 25in; mso-header-margin:. 5in; mso-footer-margin:. 5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div. Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1703945296; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-1535873982 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:?; mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-. 25in; font-family:Symbol;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} –> /* Style Definitions */ table. MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0in 5. 4pt 0in 5. 4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10. 0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”;}

Choosing a travel agency to handle your next vacation as opposed to dealing directly with an airline presents numerous benefits. Here are a few of the benefits you enjoy:

Wealth of information

Because of their experience and wide connections with people in the hospitality industry, travel agencies are in the best position to provide sound advice when it comes to the following points: off peak and peak travel times, budget travel, hotel and meal deals, excursions, shopping bargains, and other tourism-related topics. Much will depend on your preferences. For instance, are you interested in a golf holiday, a fishing trip, a museum jaunt or a spa type of vacation?

Discounted fares

Travel agencies and online travel agencies are great for bargain hunting and usually get the best deals from their network of contacts. They also purchase air tickets on volume, consolidated tickets, enabling them to buy air tickets at considerably higher discounts.

Extended network of suppliers and providers

Given that travel agents deal every day with hotel managers, restaurant owners and managers, bed and breakfast supervisors, tour operators, limousine companies, and other people who offer a specialized service, they know who and what are offering better prices and when. So travel agents have a wealth of information on just about anything related to travel, and because they network with other travel agents, they get to exchange valuable tips. Consider yourself fortunate if you happen to be dealing with a travel agent who seems to know “just about everyone” in the travel industry and who can offer you the discounts that she reserves for preferred clients.

Group discounts

If you tell your travel agent that you and your friends want to travel together or that you’re taking your family of four on a Kenyan safari, he or she might be able to slash off more dollars from your air tickets because you will be travelling in a group. Sometimes, when you buy three adult tickets, travel agents will let your four-year-old travel for free or at a much lower price. Travel agents can, at their discretion, extend courtesy discounts to groups. The more seats are bought and the more rooms are booked, the higher the discounts they receive.

Perks

Travel agents also have access to suppliers and service providers who hand out “bonuses” or perks. These are the nice extra incentives that say, hotel managers would give to agents so that the next time the travel agency has a large group of travelers, they choose the same hotel. Meal vouchers are another example that travel agencies have a constant supply of to give to loyal customers. For example, if you and your friends like to visit Las Vegas a lot, your travel agency may give you slot chips worth $50. 00 to use on machines, or free passes to a stage show or concert. So you see, it does pay to develop good relationships with travel agencies especially if you’re a frequent traveler.

Specialization

Some travel agencies specialize in certain types of travel and cater to a certain age group or specific professional groups. Some travel agencies have more strengths and capabilities than other travel agencies. One travel agency may know the ins and outs of Eastern Europe or may know what the best budget restaurants in Tokyo are. Other travel agencies may cater specifically to retirees, students or government officials.

When a travel agency handles a large account like a mid-size company whose executives travel weekly, you can be sure that travel agency is in a position to offer significant savings on plane tickets or hotel reservations. If you have a friend who works for a large company and his company uses one travel agency, you could ask him to request the travel agency for special deals. Because travel agents are grateful for the continuing patronage of their company clients, they will most likely share tips on how to travel on a shoestring budget for the executives’ children.

Don’t let one unfortunate experience with a travel agency discourage you. Find another. If you deal with the airlines directly, you’re just another caller to them, whereas if a travel agent calls the airline on your behalf, the airline will recognize the travel agency as a regular customer and hence would be more inclined to extend courtesies.

What you need to do before calling a travel agency is to decide:

· Specific travel dates

· Where you want to go, where you want to stay and whether you’ll need a car or rail passes

· If you’re willing to travel on a restricted ticket or as a standby passenger

· What activities you’d like to do once you arrive in your destination

By giving your travel agency complete information, she can be more efficient in helping you plan your next vacation.

There are more than five reasons an online travel agency can save you money but the top five is a great start. Global statistics are pointing to the trend that online shopping for travel deals is way ahead of online shopping for books, electronics and clothing. For example, in Canada, about 45% of Canadians in 2007 looked for an online travel agency to book their travel, that’s a 9% increase from 2005 reports.

Here are the top five reasons why an online travel agency can save you money:

1. No overhead – many online travel agencies don’t have a physical location where they have to purchase furniture, supplies, and hire staff. In fact, many online travel agents operate from the comfort of their homes. All they need is a high speed Internet connection and access to global reservations systems. So the money they save on rent, utilities, personnel and other logistics constitute savings they can pass on to their customers. By booking online, you also save on trips to and from a travel agency in your area. You not only save money, you save precious time and gas.

2. Comparison shopping – by searching for travel deals online, you have the luxury of comparing prices provided by various online travel agencies. The idea is to read the fine print. You can compare them on the basis of:

· Actual fares and discounts

· Package deals

· Coupons and freebies

· Travel insurance

· Group discounts

· Last minute bookings

· Variety of travel deals (do they specialize in a particular country or to a particular age group?)

· Senior citizens’ deals

· Hotels and meals and transportation

· Tour guides

· Penalties for cancellations

That’s the beauty of online shopping. You’re not scampering from one travel office to another just to get an idea on prices. You can compare online deals and then narrow down your choices to three, ten or fifteen. If you have time on your hands, you can really save yourself some money by doing diligent research.

3. Ticket consolidation – many online travel agencies have access to a database of discounted tickets. Sometimes when they have excess inventory, they are forced to get rid of as many tickets to make way for the next travel season where they can purchase in bulk. Travel agents usually share information on discount tickets that are still available for sale, and prices are reduced on these tickets for “selloff. ”

Air travel consolidators allow customers to compare airfares from as many airlines as possible for a specific route and for a specific time period. Not only can you save money on your ticket, but you can also find the best flight that suits your schedule best.

4. Wide network of travel-related services – online travel agents, through frequent bookings and constant research have a wealth of information that some travel agents with no online presence don’t have. Because of their ability to network rapidly with various people who work in hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, railway and restaurants, online travel agents are able to find the best deals for you.

The name of the game is called “relationship building. ” Through frequent contact, online travel agents can squeeze out more discounts and free coupons from tour operators and hospitality establishments like hotels and restaurants. Instead of spending $10. 00 for your lunch while travelling, your agent can offer you a meal ticket in exchange for your business, not to mention the fare discounts they are also able to offer.

5. One-stop shopping – travel writers know about the “clout” of travel agents. When it comes to flight arrangements, rental cars, tour excursions, cruise information and accommodation, and hotels, travel agents have a lot of clout. They can provide a complete travel package, including shuttle service to and from the airport and even the services of a personal tour guide if requested. By doing all your travel and travel-related shopping with a reputable online travel agency, there is no telling how much you can get done within a short amount of time.

Note that your online travel agent has more buying power than individual passengers when it comes to airline seats, hotel accommodation or cabin space in the yacht.

It used to be that travelling last minute was expensive. Not anymore with online travel agents! In many cases, unsold seats on flights or unsold rooms in hotels are offered to travel agents a few weeks before departure date at considerably discounted rates so they can be sold immediately. If you are travelling last minute, ask your online travel agent for last minute budget deals. Chances are you might get what you want, provided your travel dates don’t fall within peak travel times. But you have to ask, not assume that it will be offered automatically!