REVIEWER IN LATH
Module 6: The Duties and Responsibilities of Travel
operators and travel agents
Travel Operator
A travel trade entity that assembles and operates tour packages
composed of two or more of the following: transportation
services, accommodations and meals, and tour guide or tour
escort services.
The typical tasks carried out daily by a tour operator include:
 Providing general and specific advice about different travel
destinations
 Drawing up complicated travel itineraries and ensuring that all
the needs of the customers are met
 Making arrangements for transport, accommodation, tours,
and activities
 Contacting airlines, hotels, and ground transport companies
such as coach operators to make suitable arrangements
 Advising the customer about travel issues including required
documentation and financial matters, such as appropriate
exchange rates
 Using the computer database to research information about
hotel accommodation fares and hotel ratings
 Dealing with payments
 Performing general administration tasks
 Dealing with and documenting complaints in an efficient and
diplomatic manner
 Planning and advertising different promotions
 Making alternative arrangements for customers who have had
their trips interrupted by unforeseen issues
 Evaluating customers’ holidays and issuing appropriate
feedback forms
 Every now and then, tour operators travel abroad for research
purposes
 Making presentations to travel groups
 Creating and putting up displays at trade shows
Travel agents
Provide an intermediary function between the tourist and the
providers of transport and accommodation. He is the distributor
of the products. A travel agency is a private retailer or public
service that provides travel and tourism-related services to the
general public on behalf of accommodation or travel suppliers.
Travel agencies can provide outdoor recreation activities,
airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, travel
insurance, package tours, insurance, guide books, public
transport timetables, car rentals, and bureau de change services.
Travel agencies can also serve as general sales agents for airlines
that do not have offices in a specific region. A travel agency's
main function is to act as an agent, selling travel products and
services on behalf of a supplier. They do not keep inventory in
the hand unless they have pre-booked hotel rooms or cabins on
a cruise ship for a group travel event such as a wedding,
honeymoon, or another group event.
Duties
 Plan and teletransportation, accommodations, insurance, and
other travel services
 Cooperate with clients to determine their needs and advise
them of appropriate destinations, modes of transportation,
travel dates, costs, and accommodations
 Provide relevant information, brochures, and publications
(guides, local customs, maps, regulations, events, etc.) to
travelers
 Book transportation, make hotel reservations, and collect
payment/fees
 Use promotional techniques and prepare promotional
materials to sell itinerary tour packages
 Deal with occurring travel problems, complaints, or refunds
 Attend travel seminars to remain updated with tourism trends
 Enter data into our software and maintain client files
 Network with tour operators
 Maintain statistical and financial records
 Meet profit and sales targets
Module 7: Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is an insurance product for covering unforeseen
losses incurred while traveling, either internationally or
domestically. Basic policies generally, only cover emergency
medical expenses while overseas, while comprehensive policies
typically include coverage for trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight
delays, public liability, and other expenses.
Policy purchase
Cost calculation
Travel insurance is risk-based, and takes into account a range of
factors to determine whether a traveler can purchase a policy
and what the premium will be. This generally includes
destination countries or regions, the duration of the trip, the age
of the travelers, and any optional benefits that they require
coverage for such as pre-existing medical conditions, adventure
sports, rental vehicle excess, cruising, or high-value electronics.
Some policies will also take into account the traveler’s estimated
value of their trip to determine the price. A policy may be a
single trip, covering the exact duration of the upcoming trip, or a
"multi-trip" policy can cover an unlimited number of trips of a
limited duration within a year.
Journey departure and return conditions
Most travel insurance policies must be purchased before
departure from home, or the first departure point (e.g., an
airport), depending on the product. A smaller number of brands
offer travel insurance for travelers who are already overseas and
have forgotten to purchase travel insurance or have a policy that
has expired. Most policies require you to start and finish your
journey in your country of residence, however, some policies
offer coverage for one-way travel for people who are
permanently relocating to another country.
Complimentary travel insurance
Some credit card issuers offer automatic travel insurance if travel
arrangements are paid for using their credit cards, but these
policies are generic and do not take into account personal
requirements and circumstances.
Common benefits
Medical
In the event of minor injury or illness overseas, medical benefits
offer coverage for visits to general practitioners, medicine,
ambulance fees, and limited
Cancellation
Comprehensive travel insurance policies include cover for any
cancellation fees or lost deposits relating to the cancellation of
the insured person's trip for a range of unforeseen and
unexpected circumstances. These include illness or injury,
natural disasters, bad weather, strikes, riots, hijacking, and
family emergencies. Depending on the policy, it may also include
cancellation due to jury service, being made redundant from full-
time employment, having your annual leave revoked if you are in
the armed forces or emergency services, and prohibition of or
advisory against travel by a government to a particular
destination.
Alternative transport and travel expenses
Many policies include benefits for alternative transport,
accommodation, and meal expenses if your transport provider is
delayed by a certain period, provided any layover times met the
criteria in the policy. Policies may also include a benefit to
purchasing essential items like clothing and toiletries in the event
baggage is delayed by an airline.
Luggage
Luggage benefits cover loss, damage, or theft of personal effects
during your journey, including passports and other travel
documents. It may also include limited benefits for the theft of
cash.
Public liability
This covers legal liability as a result of a claim made against you
for bodily injuries or damage to the property of other persons.
Optional benefits
In addition to their base policies, many providers offer coverage
for declared pre-existing conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes,
cancer), higher-risk sports and activities (e.g., skiing, trekking at
high altitudes, scuba diving), rental car damage, and cruising.
Common exclusions
Insurance companies issuing will often exclude coverage for
ongoing known events to new policies, and may announce long-
term exclusions for specific events, such as volcanic activity from
a currently active volcano. As travel insurance is a risk-based
product, many policies will exclude events that may be of a far-
reaching and poorly quantified risk, such as pandemics and
endemics, acts of war, and terrorism.
Compulsory travel insurance
Certain countries will require that you have proof of sufficient
travel insurance as a condition of entry or of granting a visa. This
includes travelers requiring a Schengen area or UAE visa, and
visitors to Cuba, Turkey, and Belarus. Thailand and Egypt have
announced plans to introduce similar requirements. Tour
companies and cruise providers may also have minimum travel
insurance requirements before a traveler can commence their
journey.
Module 8: Hotel Management Law
Hospitality law is a legal and social practice related to the
treatment of a person's guests or those who patronize a place of
business. Related to the concept of legal liability, hospitality laws
are intended to protect both hosts and guests against injury,
whether accidental or intentional.
Duty to guests
Hotels and other business operators are expected to "act
prudently and use reasonable care“to ensure that their premises
are (reasonably) free of risk. While not specifically requiring that
a business owner ensure his guests are safe, most jurisdictions
interpret 'prudent and reasonable to include foreseeable
dangers, such as tripping hazards or unsecured shelving.
In most cases, unless directly disclaimed (for example, with some
insurance waivers), hospitality law does not protect a business
owner against charges of negligence.
Use in common law
Common law holds innkeepers liable for any loss of guest
property when the guest is on the premises of a place of
business; in practice, such liability is often overlooked provided
that the business owner meets certain conditions (such as having
a guest sign a waiver of liability). In most countries, for liability
waivers to be enforceable, notification of the waiver must be
posted in an accessible, visible location (usually at the front desk
or in a common area of the business), and must be printed in
legible text.
Bailments
A bailment is the "delivery of an item of property, for some
purpose, with the expressed or implied understanding that the
person receiving it shall return it in the same or similar condition
in which it was received when the purpose has been completed."
Coat checks, safety deposit boxes, and luggage storage are
common examples of bailments for the hospitality industry.
Module 9: Hotel Rules and Regulations
Hotel Rules and Regulation (House Rules) Sample
Hotel rules / House rules are management policies or
agreements between the guest and the hotel. Usually, these
policies are mentioned on the guest registration card which is
signed by the guest at the time of check-in. In Addition to this, a
copy of the rules and regulations is also kept in all guest rooms
for guests to read and understand the management policies. This
can also include the local government policies which have to be
followed by the guest.
Hotel Rules and Management Policies
To make your stay as pleasant as possible, the Management
requests your co-operation in observing the following as an
agreement between the guest and the "Mention your Hotel
Name here" (hereinafter called 'Management') under which
rooms are permitted to be used by the guest(s):
1. Tariff
The tariff is for the room only and is exclusive of any government
taxes applicable Meals and other services are available at extra
cost. To know your room tariff, please contact the Duty
Manager, guest registration forms must be signed on arrival.
2. Settlement of Bills
Bills must be settled on presentation; personal cheques are not
accepted.
3. Company's Lien on Guest's Luggage and Belongings
In the case of default in the payment of dues by a guest, the
management shall have the linen on their luggage and
belongings, and be entitled to detain the same and to sell or
auction such property at any time without reference to the
guest. The net sale proceeds will be appropriate towards the
amount due by the guest without prejudice to the
management's rights to adopt such further recovery proceedings
as may be required.
4. Check-in
Please present your ID card, Passport, or Temporary Residence
Card upon Check-in. By Law, visitors must present personal
documents for hotel records. These documents will be returned
upon departure.
5. Departure
Check-out time is (mention your checkout time here) please
inform the reception if you wish to retain your room beyond this
time. The extension will be given depending on availability. If the
room is available, the normal tariff will be charged. On failure of
the guest to vacate the room on expiry or period the
management shall have the right to remove the guest and
his/her belongings from the room occupied by the Guest.
6. Luggage Storage
Subject to the availability of the storage space, the guest can
store luggage in the luggage room, at the guest's sole risk as to
loss or damage from any cause, Luggage may not be stored for a
period of over 30 days.
7. Guest's Belongings
Guests are particularly requested to lock the door of their rooms
when going out and going to bed. For the convenience of the
Guest, electronic safety lockers are provided in the room to store
any valuables.
Number 7 Continuation: The Management will not in any way
whatsoever be responsible for any loss / or damage to the
Guest's belongings or any other property from either the hotel
room or the locker or any other part of the hotel for any cause
whatsoever including theft of pilferage.
8. Pets
Mention your policy for Pets (allowed or not- allowed) / (Allow
us to make separate arrangements.)
9. Hazardous Goods
Bringing goods and/or storing of raw or exposed cinema films, or
any other article of a combustible or hazardous nature and/or
prohibited goods and/or goods of objectionable nature is
prohibited. The Guest shall be solely liable and responsible to the
management, its other guests, invites visitors, agents, and
servants for all loss financial or otherwise, and damage that may
be caused by such articles or as a result of the guests' negligence
and non-observance of any / instructions. Gambling, contraband,
prostitution, weapons, explosives, flammable objects, poisons,
drugs, animals, and pungent food are strictly prohibited on hotel
premises.
10. Damage to Property
The guest will be held responsible for any loss or damage to the
hotel property caused by themselves, their guests, or any person
for whom they are responsible.
11. Management's Rights
It is agreed that the guest will respectably conduct him/ herself
and will not cause any nuisance or annoyance within the hotel
premise.
Number 11 Continuation: The Management has the right to
request any guest to vacate his/her room or other areas of the
hotel forthwith, without previous notice and without assigning
any reason whatsoever, and the guest shall be bound to vacate
when requested to do so. In case of default, the Management
has the right to remove the Guest’s luggage and belongings from
the room occupied by him/her.
12. Relation between Management and Guest
Nothing hereinabove shall continue or be deemed to constitute,
or create any tenancy or sub-tenancy, or any other right to
interact in the hotel premises or any part or portion thereof, in
favor of any Guest or resident or visitor, and the Management
shall always be deemed to be in full and absolute possession of
the whole of the hotel premises.
13. Government rules and regulations and application of laws
Guest is requested to observe, abide by confirming to, and be
bound by all applicable acts and laws and Government rules and
regulations in force from time to time.
14. Photographs and Videos
Using photographs and video's taken in the hotel for commercial
or public purposes is illegal. Those who do so will be subject to
prosecution.