Application
This unit applies to the tour operations, inbound tour operations and tour wholesaling sectors, and to the tour managers, tour directors, tour leaders and tour escorts employed by those companies. These individuals may lead extended tours in Australia or overseas, and are responsible for the logistical management of touring programs that usually include multiple destinations. They work independently in the field, within established organisational procedures. When on tour, they take a lead role without supervision, only referring problems to the tourism operator when absolutely necessary.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
1. Manage touring arrangements. | 1.1 Manage touring program logistics in a holistic way taking account of legal, ethical, safety and sustainability considerations. 1.2 Conduct touring program according to prearranged itinerary. 1.3 Make forward reconfirmations and bookings progressively. 1.4 Reconfirm or arrange operational details progressively. 1.5 Make adjustments to touring arrangements when required within the scope of individual responsibility. 1.6 Make major adjustments within budget according to controlling office guidelines. 1.7 Maintain ongoing contact with controlling office and forward suppliers as required. |
2. Liaise and negotiate with others. | 2.1 Maximise operational efficiency and customer service levels by effective liaison and negotiation with those contributing to program operations. 2.2 Conduct negotiations in a professional manner in the relevant cultural context. 2.3 Select negotiation style appropriate to the circumstance and use negotiation and communication techniques to maximise the chances of an acceptable outcome for all parties. 2.4 Conduct negotiations in the context of the entire touring program to take account of the overall relationship between the organisation and other stakeholders. 2.5 Confirm agreements in writing as required. 2.6 Provide relevant information to the controlling office as required. |
3. Develop and maintain group rapport. | 3.1 Develop and maintain a team spirit for the duration of the program. 3.2 Gain the trust and confidence of the group through the demonstration of professional competence and integrity. 3.3 Use leadership and communication skills to foster group cohesion. 3.4 Encourage customer participation and group interaction. 3.5 Identify and assess potential conflict within the group and should conflict arise, take appropriate action to resolve. |
4. Solve problems that arise on tour. | 4.1 Identify and consider problems from an operational and customer service perspective in the context of the entire touring program. 4.2 Initiate short term action to resolve immediate problems where appropriate. 4.3 Analyse problems for long term commercial impact and assess and action solutions. 4.4 Present a positive image of the organisation and its contracted suppliers at all times. 4.5 Take responsibility for resolving problems within the scope of individual authority and to ensure customer satisfaction. 4.6 Consult the controlling office to resolve problems outside scope of guidelines and responsibility. 4.7 Take appropriate follow up action to monitor the effectiveness of chosen solutions. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: negotiate potentially complex challenges and changes in touring arrangements provide leadership and facilitate group cohesion work co-operatively with colleagues from a wide range of supplier organisations critical thinking skills to evaluate and respond to the impacts of operational situations on the organisation’s broader commercial interests initiative and enterprise skills to pro-actively create opportunities to enhance the customer touring experience literacy skills to: read and interpret tour information numeracy skills to: calculate tour component times translate from the 24 calculate the cost of changes to itineraries planning and organising skills to coordinate multiple and varying logistical tour arrangements problem-solving skills to proactively identify and resolve complex operational and service issues including potential customer dissatisfaction and logistical problems self-management skills to take responsibility for tour quality and customer satisfaction. |
Required knowledge |
ways to manage visits to culturally or environmentally sensitive areas responsibilities of tour managers on extended touring programs tourism industry supplier networks and interrelationships that impact on the conduct of an extended touring program management policies, processes and procedures to be undertaken before, during and at the completion of a tour negotiation techniques and their application to different tour managing contexts leadership, motivation and communication techniques and their application to different tour managing contexts legal, ethical, safety and sustainability considerations in the management of extended touring programs, including: anti-discrimination provisions duty of care minimising waste and conserving resources site-specific safety and security requirements. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: manage logistical and interpersonal aspects of an extended touring program: of a duration that reflects local industry product and practice of sufficient duration to allow the individual to demonstrate techniques that build group rapport ensure the ongoing welfare and satisfaction of group tour members and develop and maintain group cohesion and rapport throughout the touring program use effective negotiation and contingency management techniques to deal with the range of practical and people demonstrate knowledge of the legal, ethical, safety and sustainability considerations for extended touring programs. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure use of: touring environments that reflect the nature of tours commercially available in the relevant city or region real or simulated touring activities equipment and resources required for the delivery of tours such as transport, accommodation and venue access a group of customers for whom the individual can act as tour manager industry-current customer and operational documentation. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of the individual’s ability to holistically manage all tour logistics by participating in tours conducted by the individual direct observation of the individual’s people management, communication and negotiation skills by participating in tours conducted by the individual questioning of group tour members about the individual’s clarity of communication, and leadership and motivational skills review of tour preparation notes, checklists and tour reports prepared by the individual use of case studies and problem-solving activities to assess ability to apply people management and contingency management skills to a range of different touring situations, including emergency situations written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of tour management procedures, leadership, motivation and communication techniques and tourism industry networks review of portfolios of evidence and third |
Guidance information for assessment | The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example: SITTGDE302 Provide arrival and departure assistance SITTGDE304 Prepare and present tour commentaries or activities SITTGDE401 Coordinate and operate tours SITTTOP403 Operate tours in a remote area. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Types of extended touring programs may include: | adventure tours camping tours cruise programs cultural and historical tours ecotours general sightseeing tours pre and post-conference tours. |
Legal, ethical, safety and sustainability considerations | trade practices legislation licensing and the use of licensed operators duty of care health and safety requirements aspects of sustainability: environmental financial social. |
Reconfirmations and bookings may be for any touring product or service component and may include: | accommodation venues airlines attractions catering providers charter airlines cruises ground transport guided tours in attractions and sites local tour guides optional tours restaurants retail outlets scenic flights trains. |
Operational details may include: | check-in and check-out procedures customs and immigration procedures and requirements documentation preparation group currency requirements luggage coordination local touring liaison management of passenger travel documentation: airline tickets and vouchers seat allocations or boarding passes travel vouchers seat rotation. |
Adjustments may include: | developing alternative routes organising new or replacement documentation re renegotiating cost. |
Controlling office may be: | destination marketing company event management organisation inbound tour operator outbound tour wholesaler professional conference organiser tour operator. |
Liaison and negotiation may be with: | airlines attractions coach drivers government authorities, including: land management agencies customs immigration hotels interpreters local guides restaurants retail locations tour leaders accompanying group from home country tour operators traditional owners. |
Problems may relate to: | customer interpersonal situations: disruptive behaviour group conflict group dissatisfaction customer operational situations: late passengers loss of personal valuables and documents lost luggage lost passengers missed connection passenger robbery passenger sickness, injury or death environmental conditions: natural: fire flood storm cyclone built: road closures road blockages equipment and transportation in contingency situations, e.g. coach breakdown itinerary challenges: change in services delivered delays overbooking poor supplier performance political issues such as unrest in area of tour. |
Sectors
Tourism
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.