UK tour operators and retail travel agents: ABTA and the public interest

In the 1960s the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) introduced rules to safeguard the public against the failure of tour operators to fulfil holiday contracts. When the Restrictive Trade Practices (Services) Order 1976 took effect, certain ‘registrable restrictions’ were rescinded. Remaining restrictions were defended in the Restrictive Practices Court. The exclusive trading arrangement between ABTA tour operators and retail agents for the sale of foreign inclusive holidays (Stabilizer) was retained. But rules relating to the standard of premises, and to the control by the principals over prices charged, were found to be unjustifiable. Modified staffing rules were upheld. EEC approval for these decisions was obtained.     

U.S. Tour Operators and Travel Agencies

Abstract

The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to explore the services and package tours for people who have difficulty walking provided by U.S. tour operators and travel agencies, and to identify barriers encountered when planning and operating the tours. Accommodations and eating-drinking establishments were the least desirable environments for people who have difficulty walking due to inaccessibility and negative staff attitudes. Attractions and transportation staff displayed higher attitudes but facilities were not accessible. The graphical display of data of accessibility barriers and staff attitude barriers indicated that the four tourism sectors did not comply with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.     

Conference Report: The World Ecotourism Summit

This paper uses an actor-network perspective on innovation to examine the introduction of a mandatory product-oriented environmental management system (in Dutch: Product en MilieuZorg or PMZ) for Dutch outbound tour operators by the Netherlands Association of Tour Operators (VRO). In-depth interviews and a quantitative analysis of the actions taken by 126 outbound tour operators revealed that the introduction of the PMZ was extensively negotiated. The results show the various stages of implementation and three types of tour operators: ‘unconvinced minor participants’, ‘open-minded yet sceptical participants’, and ‘loyal actors’. The analysis also demonstrates that on average, tour operators made 13.6 actions, which is almost three times the minimum requirement (five) set by the VRO. Between them, the 126 tour operators have undertaken a total of 1710 actions, of which over 87% concern the environmental dimension of sustainability. Unquestionably, the introduction of PMZ helped tour operators to identify some of the environmental consequences of their operations, and to single out and implement environmental friendly initiatives. However, the rather general criteria and lax entry requirements at this stage led to an abundance of proposed actions by tour operators that were often ‘soft’ and indeterminate. New rounds of translations are necessary to maintain the momentum.     

Does climate change matter to the travel trade?

This study evaluated the awareness of, attitudes toward and opinions about the ability of travel agencies in Hong Kong to help address tourism's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The retail travel agent sector is a major player in the tourism distribution system, accounting for about 25% of travel activity, and is the primary distributor of package tours. In-depth interviews were conducted with senior managers and owners/operators of a sample of travel agencies in Hong Kong, followed by a survey of 485 front line staff. The study revealed senior managers adopted a range of neutralisation techniques to abrogate themselves from any personal or corporate responsibility in this issue. Front line staff were largely unaware and ill-informed, and mainly see their role as simply pushing products. Cluster analysis revealed five groups with diverse views: Cluster 1, the “Deeply concerned” group (11%); Cluster 2, the “Deep knowledge” group (6%); Cluster 3, the “Moderate knowledge and awareness” group (18%); Cluster 4, the “Concerned but unaware” group (31%); and Cluster 5, the “Neither concerned nor aware” group (34%). The combination of lack of leadership among managers and ignorance among front line staff means that neither feels responsible for, nor able to, address this issue.     

我国旅游术语的规范化问题

我国旅游术语中存在着用词不当的失误,这给旅游从业人员的工作实践带来了不必要的麻烦.因此,科学地规范旅游理论中的概念已成为我国旅游界当前面临的重要任务.     

旅行社与导游委托代理模型解析

旅行社和导游之间是典型的委托一代理关系,导游的工作特征使得旅行社对其监督的成本很高,也就是说旅行社很难观测到导游的努力水平.本文根据委托一代理理论.构建经济模型说明,在这种情况下,旅行社与导游不会改变他们之间现有的报酬模式,因为这是一种满足了参与约束与激励相客约束的均衡结果.而旅游行政管理者要做的就是完善现有的导游报酬机制.特别是要通过制度设计与行政手段来解决导游监督、回扣等问题.     

Dependency on Tour Operators

Abstract

Tour operators have increasingly emerged as the most powerful and influential factor of international flows from the main generating countries to various destinations, since they are able to interpret and manipulate the “push” and “pull” factors of the tourism process to a commercial end. As a result, many tourist-receiving destinations have to face the intervention of foreign tour operators in their tourism industry. Despite the crucial role played by tour operators for the development of insular regions' tourism, little empirical evidence is available on the relationship between tour operators and the destination tourism suppliers. This paper presents the findings of a study undertaken during the summer of 1997 on the Greek island of Crete. From the findings, it is evident that the Cretan tourism industry is heavily dependent on tour operators, and that various actions should be undertaken by the island's public and private sector to overcome this problem.     

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Marine Tours: A Case Study of Australian Tour Boat Operators

This paper estimates the overall and per capita energy costs and GHG contributions associated with tour boat operations in Australia, a country with a 35,000 km coastline and world class marine attractions. Using a comprehensive database of Australian tour boat operators, 145 face-to-face interviews or completed postal survey questionnaires and 45 in- situ audits, the overall GHG emissions for this industry sector was estimated conservatively at 70,000 tons CO2-e or 0.1% of the transport sector in Australia, the fastest growing sector in terms of GHG outputs. On average, this translated into an extra 61 kg CO2-e per tourist if their travel itineraries included a trip on a boat with a diesel engine, or 27 kg CO2-e for a trip on a boat with a petrol engine – the equivalent of a single person driving 140 km or 300 km, respectively, in a standard passenger vehicle. Information obtained from Australian tour boat operators, however, indicated a range of technical and operational opportunities for reducing GHG emissions. In the light of Australia’s anticipated growth in domestic and international visitors, the importance of reducing tour boat GHG outputs, is stressed.     

Tour operating planning in Thomson Holidays UK: The use of research

Thomson Holidays is the UK's largest inclusive tour operator with a turnover of over £200 million in 1982.The author, the company's marketing director, divides tour operating planning into nine major strategy areas: company strategy, marketing strategy, product strategy, marketing mix, the consumer, pricing, the brochure, annual programme plans and monitoring of results, and for each describes how research is used to deal with major problems and issues.     

A review and evaluation of China's quality assurance system for tour guiding

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of China's tour guiding quality assurance system as an instrument for sustainable tourism. It notes the importance of China's 131,000 tour guides for inbound, outbound and domestic tourism. China's tour guiding quality assurance and regulatory mechanisms are then reviewed, including qualification examination, licensing, professional certification, training, awards for excellence, professional associations and codes of conduct. Structurally, China's comprehensive and comparatively regulated system may be recommendable to other countries, particularly its certification and licensing systems. However, the findings suggest that tour guide quality assurance in China may be constrained by an over-reliance on government and the absence of industry-driven mechanisms for some elements such as monitoring, enforcement and rewarding excellence. Most importantly, the focus of China's quality assurance system is on a limited number of tour guiding roles and tends to overlook those most critical to harnessing the guide as a vehicle for sustainable tourism. Key future development areas could extend recognition and reward for the guide's performance as a role model, advocate, mentor, interpreter, cultural broker and environmental monitor.     

对旅游业回扣现象的反思

回扣现象伴随中国旅游业的发展已近20年。随着旅游者消费权益意识的日益加强和中国加入WTO组织 ,回扣现象能否继续存在值得深思。本文通过界定回扣的概念 ,分析回扣的来源与归属 ,回扣目前的消极影响和其背后的合理因素 ,给出解决回扣问题的几点建议 ,最后指出解决回扣问题是中国旅游业深入发展的出路。     

导游人员职业权益维护及其利益表达

我国导游员队伍建设出现的矛盾和问题归根结底在于导游人员职业权益的长期缺位,现实表现在三个方面:一是旅行社企业内、外部及境外同行都存在随意侵害导游人员工作岗位行政许可独占权;二是导游人员劳动报酬权、社会保障权难以保障;三是导游人员学习培训权难以维护.导游人员职业权益维护重在措施落实到位,更在于建立健全导游人员利益表达机制.具体措施主要有加强导游总量控制、旅行社企业等级标准与拥有导游队伍情况密切挂钩、旅游者(团)接待档次与陪同导游等级水平相匹配等;拓宽导游人员利益表达渠道则主要靠政府及其部门、导游群体代言人、工会组织、社会舆论监督、旅行社企业社会责任标准认证和民间团体等社会各个方面共同发挥作用.