SITTIND201 - Source and use information on the tourism and travel industry

SITTIND201
Source and use information on the tourism and travel industry

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to source and use current and emerging information on the tourism and travel industry. This includes industry structure, technology, laws and ethical issues specifically relevant to the tourism and travel industry. Tourism personnel integrate this essential knowledge on a daily basis to work effectively in the industry.

Application

This unit applies to all tourism sectors and many people working at different levels. Managers will use more formal research to attain specialised and comprehensive knowledge which supports product planning, marketing and strategic management activities. This is covered within other individual units.

This unit is not about having indepth knowledge but focuses on the ability to source and interpret information.

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. Source and use relevant industry information.	1.1 Identify sources of information on the structure and operation of the tourism industry. 1.2 Access specific information of relevance to the tourism and travel industry to assist operational duties. 1.3 Obtain information on features of current and in trend tourism products and services relevant to job role. 1.4 Use knowledge of the tourism and travel industry and its products and services to enhance the quality of work performance.
2. Source and use compliance information in daily activities.	2.1 Obtain information on laws specifically relevant to the tourism and travel industry and work compliantly. 2.2 Seek information on industry quality assurance schemes. 2.3 Access information on career planning and equal employment opportunity law. 2.4 Conduct day to day tourism activities according to ethical industry practices.
3. Source and use information on tourism technology.	3.1 Source and access information on current and emerging technologies that impact on operational duties. 3.2 Use information on technology to suggest new and improved workplace practices. 3.3 Use current and emerging technology in day to day work activities.
4. Update personal and organisational knowledge of the tourism industry.	4.1 Identify and use a range of opportunities to update knowledge of the tourism and travel industry. 4.2 Monitor current issues and trends for the industry. 4.3 Share updated information with colleagues.

Required Skills

Required skills

communication skills including active listening and open and closed probe questioning to obtain information from:

experienced industry personnel

colleagues

suppliers

industry bodies

initiative and enterprise skills to suggest:

new and improved ways of doing things using emerging technology

organisational benefits of participating in industry quality assurance schemes

learning skills to continuously update knowledge of the tourism and travel industry

literacy skills to:

read and comprehend the content of plain English information about laws, industry accreditation schemes and codes of conduct

research, sort and use tourism and travel industry information

write notes, summarise and record information in basic documents such as information sheets, portfolios and files

planning and organising skills to complete daily operational activities while sourcing information required to support those

problem-solving skills to recognise knowledge deficiencies and take action to seek information

self-management skills to take responsibility for sourcing and updating current and emerging information

teamwork skills to share updated information with colleagues

technology skills to:

use a computer and keyboard

use online information systems to search for information.

Required knowledge

sources of information on the tourism and travel industry

structure of the tourism and travel industry and its different sectors including:

functions

key characteristics

business relationships between sectors

roles and general responsibilities for different jobs in the industry

general nature of allied and related industries including hospitality, meetings, incentives, conferences and events

primary functions of:

major crossindustry and sectorspecific industry associations especially those with which the organisation has a relationship

trade unions in the industry

local, regional, state and national tourism information service and marketing organisations

tourism research bodies

basic aspects of tourism and travel industry quality assurance processes:

industry accreditation schemes

codes of conduct or ethics

occupational licensing

reasons for participation and impacts of noncompliance

roles and responsibilities of individual staff members when participating in schemes

basic aspects of state, territory and commonweath laws specifically relevant to the tourism and travel industry and actions that must be adhered to by tourism organisations:

Criminal Code Act (1995) for child sex offences outside Australia

travel agents licensing acts

for inbound tour operators and guides, basic aspects of and actions that must be adhered to by tourism organisations:

Queensland Tourism Services Act (2003) for the delivery of tourism products in Queensland

basic aspects of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) law including rights of employees and responsibilities of employers to make merit based employment decisions

current and emerging technology used in the tourism industry, including ebusiness and social media.

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: source current tourism industry information and use this in daytoday activities to maximise effective performance demonstrate knowledge of the tourism industry, including main roles, functions and interrelationships of different sectors integrate knowledge of the basic aspects of key laws and ethical issues specifically relevant to the tourism industry.
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Assessment must ensure use of: computers, printers, communication technology and information programs used to source industry information information on codes of conduct, membership and benefits distributed by: industry associations accreditation operators unions plain English documents issued by government regulators that describe laws specifically relevant to the tourism industry: Criminal Code Act (1995) for child sex offences outside Australia travel agents licensing acts Queensland Tourism Services Act (2003).
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: exercises and project activities that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to: obtain current and accurate tourism industry information research information to meet differing operational needs group projects that allow individuals to collectively source information on differing aspects of the tourism industry and present it in a portfolio direct observation of the individual delivering an oral presentation on the sourced information problem-solving exercises so the individual can identify new knowledge required to complete operational activities and source information to resolve the deficiency written and oral questioning to assess knowledge of: different sectors of the tourism industry and their interrelationships laws relevant to the tourism industry industry codes of conduct review of portfolios of evidence and thirdparty workplace reports of onthejob performance by the individual.
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: SITTTSL201 Operate an online information system SITXCOM101 Source and present information.

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.
Sources of information may include:	computer data, including the Internet discussions with experienced industry personnel industry: accreditation operators associations and organisations developers of codes of conduct or ethics journals seminars networking with: colleagues suppliers plain English documents, issued by government regulators, that describe laws relevant to the tourism and travel industry libraries media personal observations and experience regional, state and national tourism offices reference books training courses unions.
The tourism industry involves a range of sectors and businesses including:	accommodation attractions coordination: councils industry associations research bodies taskforces cruise ships guiding information services and promotion: visitor information centres regional, state and national tourism offices meetings, incentives, conventions and events retail travel tour operations tour wholesaling: inbound tour operators outbound wholesalers transport: coach regular public transport and charter airlines vehicle hire vessels.
Information of relevance to the tourism industry may include:	career opportunities within the industry different sectors and organisations within the industry, their relationships and the services available in each sector different tourism markets and their relevance to industry sectors economic and social significance of the tourism and travel industry, which may relate to: community role in tourism effect on local amenities and facilities employment population change due to tourism development industrial relations and award provisions major tourism and travel industry bodies and associations quality assurance schemes relationships between tourism and other industries, including: agriculture arts conservation entertainment events hospitality retail science and research sports role of and impacts on local communities roles and general responsibilities for different jobs in the industry specific features of the local and regional industry.
To enhance the quality of work performance may involve:	improving skills and productivity providing tourism products and services to meet current market trends and customer expectations providing quality tourism service suggesting new and improved ways of doing things working effectively with: other sectors of the tourism and travel industry suppliers working according to: ethical industry practices to ensure smooth tourism operations the law to avoid problems for self and the enterprise.
Laws may cover:	business and occupational licensing child sex tourism EEO Queensland Tourism Services Act (2003) travel agents licensing workplace relations – Fair Work Australia.
Quality assurance schemes may include:	accreditation schemes codes of conduct or ethics industry association membership occupational licences.
Ethical industry practices may relate to:	agreed compliance with: accreditation schemes codes of conduct preferred product arrangements payment of commission terms of payment confidentiality of customer information consumer protection: provision of services as promoted reasonable consumer pricing truth and honesty in all information given to customers declaration of: commissions fees and other charges gifts and services provided free of charge tips overbooking product recommendations professional behaviour when participating in familiarisations and industry events.
Technologies may involve:	customer technologies: applications for electronic devices and computers automated airport check-ins online booking systems online check-ins Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems ebusiness industry: online booking systems reservations, operations and financial and tracking systems project management systems social media sites.
Opportunitiesmay include:	discussions with experienced industry personnel networking with: colleagues suppliers participating in: industry accreditation schemes industry seminars membership of professional industry associations union membership training courses.
Current issues and trendsfor the industry may relate to:	emerging markets environmental, social and cultural impacts government initiatives industry expansion or retraction industry initiatives labour issues maintaining organisational and industry profitability by productivity and pricing flexibility shrinking markets.

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.