Chapter 1: Introduction to Tour Programs
1.1. What is a Tour Program? Analyze the characteristics of a tour program.
A tour program is a set of pre-arranged and interconnected services and goods designed to
satisfy at least two different tourist consumption needs, offered at a fixed bundled price and
sold prior to use.
Characteristics of a Tour Program:
- A tour program serves as a guide for the execution of pre-arranged services to fulfill
tourist needs.
- It must include at least two services arranged in a specific sequence of time and space.
- The price is a bundled total of all included services.
- It must be sold before consumption.
1.2. Characteristics of Tour Programs:
- Intangibility: Cannot be measured, touched, or tested before purchase.
- Inconsistency: Tour quality may vary across different executions due to uncontrollable
factors and the overlapping time and space of service production and consumption.
- Dependence on supplier reputation: Quality assurance is difficult due to intangibility.
- Easy to imitate: Tour businesses require low initial capital and technical sophistication.
- Seasonality and volatility: Influenced by macro-environmental changes.
- Difficulty in selling: Resulting from the above attributes and perceived risks (functional,
physical, financial, psychological, time-related, social).
Distinctive Tour Program Value = Tangible Value + Service Value + Resource/Event Value
1.3. Importance and Criteria of Classifying Tour Programs:
Tour programs are core products of travel agencies. Classification aids in product strategy,
market targeting, investment decisions, and product development.
Classification criteria:
- By origin:
+ Proactive tours: Built and marketed in advance.
+ Reactive tours: Built per customer request.
+ Combined tours: Marketed with pre-built templates upon customer interest.
- By service composition and dependency:
+ Fully escorted tours.
+ Partially escorted tours.
+ Fully independent tours.
+ Minimally independent tours.
+ Sightseeing tours.
- By pricing method:
+ All-inclusive pricing.
+ Basic service pricing.
+ Customizable pricing.
- By purpose/type:
+ Leisure and health tourism.
+ Cultural and heritage tourism.
+ MICE tourism.
+ Cruise tourism.
+ Religious tourism.
+ Ecotourism.
+ Adventure and sports tourism.
+ Veteran battlefield tours.
+ Combined thematic programs.
- By consumer behavior:
+ Group-contractual fixed tours.
+ Group-contractual flexible tours.
+ Passive consumption fixed tours.
+ Active flexible consumption tours.
- Other criteria:
+ By group size (FIT/GIT).
+ By duration (short/long).
+ By geography (domestic/international).
1.4. Classification by Origin:
- Proactive: Agency initiates market research and builds tours with scheduled departures.
- Reactive: Customized on demand, lower risk but fewer clients.
- Combined: Pre-built programs adjusted based on client negotiations.
1.5. Classification by Service Composition and Price:
- Fully escorted package tours.
- Segment-guided tours.
- Full independent tours.
- Basic independent tours.
- Sightseeing-focused tours.
Pricing Types:
- Bundled price.
- Basic service price.
- Flexible price tiers.
1.6. Components of a Tour Program:
- Itinerary: A detailed plan of activities by time, date, and location.
- Services: Transportation, accommodation, dining, sightseeing, guiding, and supplements.
- Price: Critical for customer decision-making, based on the number and quality of services.
1.7. What are Tourism Services? Characteristics:
Tourism services result from interactions between providers and tourists to meet needs
and benefit suppliers.
Key characteristics:
- Intangibility: Can't be evaluated prior to purchase.
- Simultaneity: Produced and consumed concurrently.
- Customer participation: Client satisfaction depends on staff readiness and engagement.
- Immobility: Services are tied to the location.
- Seasonality: Demand is time-specific.
- Package nature: Core and supplementary services.
- Variability: Subjective satisfaction and varied expectations.
1.8. Tour Program Service Components:
- Transportation: Air, road, water, rail.
- Accommodation: Hotels (city, resort, floating, motels), villas, apartments, boats, camps,
guest houses, homestays.
- Dining: Quality meals with ambiance and service.
- Sightseeing: Natural wonders, historical sites, festivals, cultural events.
- Guiding: Interpreting local heritage and ensuring smooth experiences.
- Supplementary services: Shopping, sports, entertainment, wellness, and related support.
