Holidays, Customers, Destinations and Technology

Holidays for every kind of traveller

People travel for all sorts of reasons and want very different things from a trip, so the travel and tourism industry offers many kinds of holiday. A young family, a couple, a group of friends and a business traveller each have their own needs, and a good provider matches the holiday and the destination to the customer. Increasingly, technology sits at the centre of all this, from choosing and booking a trip to checking in and finding your way around. This module covers the types of holiday, the needs of different customers, what makes a destination attractive, and how technology helps.

Travel and tourism words

Learn these terms before the examples are described. They name the holidays, the customers and the tools.

Match each holiday type to its description

Package against independent travel

Two common ways to arrange a trip suit different travellers. Knowing the trade-off helps you match a holiday to a customer.

Which holiday suits them?

A family with two young children is choosing a holiday. What do they most need?

• Child-friendly facilities such as a pool and family rooms
• Lively late-night entertainment above all
• A quiet business centre with meeting rooms
• No particular facilities at all

Meeting the customer needs

The heart of travel and tourism is matching what is offered to what the customer needs. A family wants child-friendly facilities, an older couple may want comfort and easy access, a business traveller needs good transport links and a reliable internet connection, and a traveller who uses a wheelchair needs step-free access and support. A strong answer names the customer, names their need, and shows how a holiday or destination meets it. Customer, need, and how it is met: keep to that pattern and you show real understanding rather than just listing holiday types.

Pick what draws visitors to a place

Select everything that helps attract visitors to a destination.

• A pleasant climate
• Interesting attractions to see and do
• Good transport links to reach it
• No accommodation of any kind
• No way for visitors to get there

Order planning a trip online

Put the steps a customer takes to plan and book a trip online in a sensible order.

• Research possible destinations
• Compare options on a travel website
• Choose one that suits their needs and budget
• Book it online
• Receive an e-ticket or confirmation

Complete the travel facts

A holiday where travel and accommodation are booked together is a _____ holiday. A place people travel to is a _____. Booking travel over the internet is called _____ booking. A ticket held on a phone rather than on paper is an _____ ticket.

One family, one holiday choice

Picture a family with two young children planning a summer holiday. They start online, looking at destinations with a warm but not extreme climate and a beach. They compare a few options on a travel website, checking that each has family rooms, a pool for children and a short transfer from the airport, because tired children and long journeys do not mix. They choose a package holiday, so that travel, accommodation and meals come together for one price and there is less to organise. They book it online and an e-ticket arrives on a phone. Every choice was made to meet the needs of that particular customer, and technology made each step quicker. That is how the parts of this topic fit together.

Tap the ways technology helps

Tap the TWO ways technology helps travellers.

• Comparing prices on a travel website
• Checking in online before the airport
• Queuing at a desk for hours with no other option
• Posting a paper letter to make a booking

The travel and tourism run

Answer each one correctly to keep your lives. Choose the best answer.

Advise each traveller

Read each situation and choose the best advice.

• An older couple want a relaxing holiday with comfort and easy access. What suits them best?
• A traveller who uses a wheelchair is choosing a hotel. What matters most?
• A customer wants to compare many holidays quickly before choosing. What helps most?

Build a point about destinations

Choose the word for each gap to complete one clear point about travel and tourism.

Explain holidays, customers and technology

A friend thinks a travel business just sells the same holiday to everyone. Using what you have learned, explain how travel and tourism matches trips to customers and how technology helps.

• Explain two or more types of holiday
• Explain how different customers have different needs
• Explain what attracts visitors to a destination
• Explain how technology helps travellers