Travel agents and Tour operators
Index/learning goals
- The tourist product: the package tour
- Tour operators and travel agents definitions
- The role of travel intermediares in the tourism
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Tourism packages
- consist of organized trips following predetermined and detailed programs. Packages are usually sold at competitive prices ans are perceived as having a good quality- price ratio. TP involve:
- preliminary organisation: they are planned before the client’s demand
- services provided: they may consist on holiday stays and offer other services like transport, meals, entertainment
- fixed price: the price of the product is fixed in advance and payment is usually settled before leaving

The t. product (italian law)
The TP includes more than two services (accomodation, transport, other services) and should have the following characterics:
1) TIME: it takes more than 24 hours or should include at least one night. 2) PRICE: composed by the combination of interdipendent elements
3) DISTRIBUTION: made by travel agencies or other authorized operators
4) INCLUDED SERVICES: are fixed and provided in advance

The basic elements of tourism product
(2 minimum): accomodation, transport, other services



Tour operator
- is a company whose main business is the planning, packaging, selling, marketing and promotion of multiple vacation elements, including air or surface transportation arrangements combined with land accomodation.