A prearranged, paid trip that includes two or more travel components, such as airfare, airport transportation, lodging, and other services, is referred to as a tour package. It is more difficult to describe the tour package notion practically than to comprehend it.
“A total tourism product consisting of transportation from the market area to the destination, accommodation at the destination, and recreational activities promoted by the tourists” is how Holloway describes a tour package.
“A tour package is an advertised journey with specific features, arranged and promoted with tour literature by a tour operator, and paid for in full by the tourists before the tour starts,” according to Gregorg.
In technical terms, a package tour or tour package is a complete tourism product as it often consists of transportation from the starting point to the final destination, lodging along the way or at the destination, and other travel or leisure activities. The “tour operator” is a person, business, or organization that purchases these parts. He packages all of the travel-related items and offers them to customers at a single, all-inclusive price.
The Tour Package’s History
Even as early as 1670, the word “tour” was popular. In particular, the British went to learn more about the social life and culture of the continent. Other cultural center enthusiasts gradually embraced this method.
The procedure led to the opening of several historic and cultural sites in Europe to British tourists. Small fishing villages around the British coast started to draw visitors in the early 1730s who were looking to cure their illnesses by drinking or submerging themselves in the seawater.
For the first time, pleasure tourists were significantly impacted by the construction of a rail connection connecting the main cities in 1830. Many businesspeople started promoting train travel by arranging public trips at a discount.
However, Mr. Thomas Cook deserves the credit for “the origin of package tours” as he expanded his company’s operations internationally in 1855 by launching the first “inclusive tour” to Paris.
Mr. Cook together all the elements of tourism goods and marketed them to travelers as “inclusive tours.” His pre-packaged tour served as an inspiration for other travel agencies to plan comparable trips to every country in the world.
The majority of Cook’s excursions were linear, meaning that the traveler traveled from one location to another. In essence, Mr. Cook created the idea of the “grand tour and escorted tour,” which is still in use today.
Tour Package Types
In order to meet the various needs of tourists, a travel agency or tour operator offers a wide range of “tour packages,” including those for adventure, beaches, architecture, culture, business, conferences, incentive tours, ayurvedic packages, Buddhism, religion, special interest tours, cruise tours, group tours, education, heritage, monuments, wildlife lovers, etc. These may be roughly divided into five groups:
The Independent Tour
For guests who want to travel alone, independent trips are designed and organized. Air travel, air transfer, lodging, travel papers, sightseeing, boat rides, entertainment, and other travel services are all included in these excursions.
In certain instances, though, visitors are free to buy each component separately. As a result, this kind of trip offers visitors a great deal of flexibility in organizing the activities to suit their preferences.
An all-inclusive tour may or may not be an independent tour. As a result, the cost of the tour varies according on the kind of air travel, air transfer, lodging, and other tour components. Examples of independent tours are domestic independent travel (DITs) and foreign independent travel (FITs).
The Escorted Tour
A tour is referred regarded as an escorted tour when a travel firm incorporates the services of a knowledgeable and experienced tour manager in its package. In general, guided tours are designed for tourists who want to visit a foreign nation for the first time.
The escort’s tasks and responsibilities include giving the group or individual traveler thorough information and support at the starting point, while traveling, and at the final destination. One type of escorted trip is an excursion tour.
HOSTED TOURS
When one agency uses another agency’s services in a specific location, it’s known as a hosted tour. Let’s say a party of French travelers is visiting India. TCI meets the party at the airports when they get to India, helps them unload their luggage, and then takes them to the hotel.
Their tour host (TCI) is on hand to provide information and devices on the activities and attractions in the area. Additionally, at every tourist destination in India, a separate travel agent welcomes the party upon their arrival. As a result, a hosted tour offers travelers the highest caliber of planned and customized services.
Rewards for Travel/Tour
It is a fully compensated holiday or motivating program that businesses provide their employees as a thank you. mostly in medium-sized and big businesses, and typically in too far-off places to encourage them to keep up their performance, boost productivity, enhance their reputation, and gain the long-term loyalty of their staff.
A variety of alternative packages are available from a tour operator, including adventure, special interest, excursion, and bespoke excursions.
The Freedom Tours
These days, working-class people are increasingly on freedom trips. These itineraries are created based on the preferences of the travelers. The traveler has complete control over how they wish to spend their vacation. People who want to choose where, how, and when to go are the target audience for these kinds of excursions.
This traveler may be a person, a family, a family vacation, or a corporate group. The ORBIT develops and promotes these excursions.