Resort Management

This report has been emphasized on the resort management by the Thomson tour operator. Moreover, this report describes the main function and structure of the resort operations which are basically carried out by the tour operators who have established their services overseas. In addition to this discussion has also been made on the role and impact of quality systems and procedures on the services of Thomson. Furthermore, this report also covers the management issues which are related to the incident which include natural, transport, medical, and so on.

Task 1

1. Description and Analysis of Functions of Overseas Office

This case describes the appointment of a person by the Thomson tour operator who is going to start its operation in the Costa del Sol area of Spain. The new service has been started by them where they are going to provide accommodation to travelers in three resorts of Marbella, Fuengirola, and Torremolinos. Further, the report has to be prepared which describes the functions of the Thomson office which have been established in Spain. Therefore the functions of the Thomson office at Costa del Sol are described as follows:

Coordination

The first and foremost function of the Thomson office is to coordinate the service with the suppliers who are going to supply the equipment and amenities which the firm is going to provide it to the customers. Along with that provision is also to be made with the suppliers so that the company does not have to face difficulty during short supply.

Customer Service

The firm has to provide excellent service to the customer as they are going to provide revenue to the company. It is the main function of the tour operator to provide quality and innovative services to the customers at reasonable prices in order to maintain customer loyalty.

Customer Information

It is also one of the functions of the Thomson Company to have clear and detailed information about all its customers so that in case of any changes in the flight timings, during delays or urgent cases company could contact them. Further, information should also be there so that the authenticity of the customer can be checked.

Effective Communication

The Company performs the function of effective communication between the head office and branches located in other countries. It should be there so that the company can convey all sorts of information related to customers' arrival, the number of customers reaching there, arrival timings, details of the customers, accommodation information, emergency cases, etc. Further, the firm also communicates between different countries in case of visa application and other formalities to be carried out so the customers do not get distracted and they get hassle-free trips. Additionally, the company properly communicates with resort offices so as to confirm the accommodation process. Also, communication has been done with the customers in order to provide clear information about the trip and other additional benefits.

Training Personnel

One of the most important functions which are being performed by the overseas office is to train the personnel who are appointed by them. It is done in order to acquaint the personnel with the new policies and work practices which is already adopted by the head office. The new overseas workforce should be made aware of the work policy of the head office. Further, the company provides training so that effective performance can be carried out by them in order to create a competitive edge.

Meeting Local Laws

The overseas offices have to perform this function of following the country's law that is providing a healthy and safe environment to the employees, the Environment Protection Act, proper tax, and no discrimination. If these legal laws are not followed then the company might face legal issues. Thus, in order to work smoothly in the other country it is to be ensured by the firm that all the laws are properly incorporated.

Budget Setting

The budget should be set and allocated so that over-expenditure does not occur. Further, every task should be allocated a separate budget so that proper financial resources can be distributed. This is done by the overseas offices in order to maintain the profit margin so losses do not occur.

Setting and Achieving Target

It is again one of the functions of the overseas office of Thomson. The company has to set the work-based targets and should aim to achieve those targets. Further, the firm also performs the duty of targeting customers and working efficiently in order to achieve those targets. Moreover, this function is performed in order to achieve the sole purpose of the establishment of the company in Costa del Sol which is to earn maximum profits by acquiring a large market share.

2. Analysis of the Resort Structure of Two Other Tour Operators

There are two other tour operators who are carrying out their tourism services in the UK and other parts of the world. One is Thomas Cook and the other is Cox and Kings. These tour operators provide their services in an excellent manner and prove to be a competitor for Thomson Tourism. Thus, the resort structures of these two firms are as follows...

Points of Differences

There are some of the points discussed below which differentiate between the services of the other two tour operators...

• Thomas Cook has a structure for conducting the programs of summer and winter programs. Thus, this Company takes visitors on the tour during the seasons and attracts the customers during the seasonal occasions. Further, the company provides special offers and discounts during this period of time so that people get attracted to this company. Moreover, during the summer, accommodation is provided at the beach resorts so that people get the leisure of spending holidays at the seaside. On the other hand, the company takes the tour during winter at the snow places so that snowfall can be seen and also to the hot places and accordingly resorting is done. On the other hand, Cox and Kings have a different resort structure where they conduct the programs of developed and developing countries. They take on trips to all kinds of countries and make packages that include trips to developed as well as developing countries.
• Secondly, Thomas Cook has a hierarchical structure and they adopt the method of promotion on a seniority basis. However, the organizational structure of Cox and Kings is not hierarchical. They worked in a single line and all the employees were at the same level.

Points of Similarities

There are some points which are similar in both the tour operators and they are described as follows...

• Thomas Cook and Cox & Kings provide the services of Camping and self-catering programs. Further, both firms carry out these services in order to bring innovation in their tourism services. They have a link with some resorts which are built in the forest and they provide accommodation to the people in those resorts and from there they take on the camping programs and carry out the self-catering services.
• Another similarity between both firms is that they have similar job titles and appoint the people of same qualifications.

These were some of the points of distinction and similarities between Thomas Cook and Cox & Kings. However, these two tour operators have to be compared with the resort structure of Thomson. Therefore, the points of similarities and differences are discussed below.

Points of Differences

• Thomson conducts the programs such as specialist programs that are sailing and trekking and also the sports program. They maintain the link between the resorts and provide accommodation to the travelers at those resources who take the visitors for trekking. Further, they also provide facilities to the visitors in link with the resorts so that people do not face any issues while having the leisure trip. On the other hand, Thomas Cook and Cox & Kings do not provide such facilities. They take the trip of summer, and winter programs and developed & developing countries programs.
• Secondly, the company has an effective organizational structure where it has a proper line of communication which helps the firm in coordinating the activities with the resort manager and with the employees of the organization. However, the other two firms do not have effective lines of communication.

Points of Similarities

• The company Thomson has some similarities in that all the tourism companies have a proper link with the head office and other agencies that are situated or located around the globe.
• Thomson, Thomas Cook, and Cox & Kings conduct the summer and winter programs which are linked with the resorts established at such places where people travel and wish to spend their holidays during those days.

These were some of the differences and similarities between Thomson, Thomas Cook, and Cox & Kings.

Task 2

1). Effective Quality Systems and Procedures Affecting Legal and Conflict Situations

The effective quality system is directly related to the health and safety of travelers. In this regard, safety is ensured in different areas such as fire safety, swimming pool security, and playground safety. Along with that health and hygiene also matters. In this regard, Thomson assesses risk and discovers potential areas of problems. Accordingly, tour operators complete the safety form which depicts that all hotels and selected locations in holiday packages are safe for visitors. This form is filled or completed by area managers and representatives where they specify aspects regarding any particular danger issue. The safety form also covers details related to actions taken to overcome the health issues. For example, the playground of the hotel must contain harmless equipment and safety for children. It facilitates the reduction of the chances of head injuries and any other kind of accidents to kids. Here, Thomson is liable for any kind of injuries to visitors whether it occurs due to the fault of the hotelier, Excursion Company, or other related parties.

In case of any fault of the tour operator, visitors have the right to take legal action. This is because the government imposed several laws through which the responsibilities of tour operators are mentioned. For example, the Health and Safety Act, of 1974 depicts that Thomson must have good management and it needs to take appropriate measures to assess and detect risks. Similarly, the Consumer Protection Act 1987 is also there for the protection of visitors who are accessing traveling services. At this juncture, customers should get information related to prices and discounts as well as about other offers provided with the package. Apart from this, Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations, 1992 is imposed by the government to protect the rights of the workforce. It shows that tour operators can carry out risk assessment plans to provide a comfortable work environment for employees.

In addition to this, the European Union Directive of Package Holidays, 1992 specifies that the plan of the holiday must be clear and concise for secure right users. Similarly, the brochure must be accurate so that service users get detailed information related to destinations, prices, and special offers, if any. It shows that Thomson will be liable for the overall tour package for which it is providing its services. Not only this but an Insurance policy is also implemented at the Company by which full security or safety of visitors is ensured. It proves to be effective in increasing the customer base for tour operators. Furthermore, compliance with the regulatory framework makes it possible for Thomson to create a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Thomson also relies on emergency cases where a customer gets hurt in the group of above specified four criteria. At this juncture, it is the prime duty of staff or users to call the ILG travel duty officer very soon. For such kind of contact, numbers are also provided to all users so that their safety can be ensured effectively. Thomson also prepares representative reports for quality control which are sent to the area manager. He/ She is responsible for monitoring the process and providing feedback regarding quality control. Similarly, customer service is reviewed by taking feedback from visitors. It helps tour operators bring modifications to the current working environment. However, negative feedbacks from visitors are considered a serious issue so immediate action can be taken for the same. Accordingly, effectual strategies can be formulated to increase the level of satisfaction among service users. In addition to this, codes of conduct are followed by corporations so that ethical aspects can be maintained. It leads to delivering good quality services to a large number of buyers.

Furthermore, the management of tour operators provides time-to-time training to its personnel. As per the training program, service providers will come to know about conducting the welcome meeting with visitors. Accordingly, they will provide information to customers related to information placed on the notice board. This notice board data displays information regarding safety at the resort. However, all these data are provided on notice board but still, it should be summarized in the overseas representative manual. It helps to ensure the well-being of the company as well as service users. Thus, a quality system facilitates ensuring compliance with the regulatory framework in the right manner and accordingly creates a competitive edge of the same.

2). Analysis of the Impact of Quality Systems and Procedures Implemented by Thomson

Quality systems and procedures which have been discussed in the former question should be implemented by Thomson Tourism in order to run their business smoothly. Thus, the implementation is done in a proper manner so that the company may have a positive impact. However, this implementation may also have a negative impact as well. The positive and negative impacts of the implementation of quality systems and procedures are as follows...

Positive Impact

The proper implementation of the quality system is done. It means that all the acts are duly followed and also risk assessment is done by the company prior to the trip then it will help in providing quality services to the service users. For instance, if the firm follows the act of Health and Safety Act, of 1974 then it can provide a proper safe, and healthy environment to its customers. This will help in gaining a larger market share around the globe as the corporate image will get established strongly. Further, the risk assessment is done and through this potential danger is also identified. This ensures the company in case of any hazard is identified the trip can be pre-pone or post-pone. This will also build a brand image in the minds of the customers and due to this assessment, loss of money and life will not occur. In addition to this, the company can earn maximum profits out of it, the customer base will increase and also their loyalty can be amplified. Apart from this, Thomson Company also provides the insurance policy to their customers. If in case, any incident happens then insurance safety is available before them. This also helps the service users to secure their money. If there are any unfortunate events happening during the journey, then customers can use that policy and this will help the company to provide complete security to their passengers. Through this, loss to the property can be recovered.

Negative Impact

The non-incorporation of quality systems and procedures imposes a negative impact on the company. If the company does not follow the safety regulation and other acts which leads to the provision of quality systems then customers may sue the company and this will destroy the brand image of the firm in the market. This will also lead to the loss to the company and this is how the growth of the firm will start declining. Further, the company also gets impacted in the case of quality services are not provided by the firm to the customers. For instance, if the firms fail to follow the Health and Safety Act, 1974 and they take on the trip of the visitors. The food provided to them is contaminated and due to this visitors will fall ill. For this aspect, tourists or customers may sue the company and this will hamper the business of the firm also this may lead to the cessation of the license of travel and tourism.

Task 3

1). Analysis of the Incidents that Affect Resort Operations

There are numerous incidents that occur at some or the other point. Some of the events are controllable and some natural incidents which are not controllable in the hands of the management. These occurrences have a major impact on the operations of the resorts. However, these events have an adverse effect on the reputation of the resort as well. Some of the incidents which can impact the resort operations are discussed as follows...

Natural Incidents

This includes natural disasters such as hurricanes, avalanches, floods, etc. These are completely uncontrollable events and they can occur at any time without any indication. Due to these unfortunate events, the operation of the resorts gets disturbed. The resorts may not be in a condition to provide proper accommodation when the flood enters the hotel. Further, the company cannot provide food facilities and other transport means at the time of natural disaster. Along with that communication may also get disturbed. This is how the natural incidents impact the resort operations and

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