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Presentation
Presentation
This CU aims to understand how tourism distribution is structured and its dynamics; and to identify and discuss the basic concepts and terminology of the activity of travel agents and tour operators. This course aims to: identify the specific characteristics of tourism products/services and their implications for the activity of travel agents and tour operators; understand the process of putting together a tourism package; analyze how the consumer behaves in tourism and how this influences the performance of travel agents and tour operators; understand how new tools can affect the performance of TAs, such as aggregator platforms and NDC (New Distribution Capability) and provide basic skills in the global distribution system - GDS Galileo.
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Class from course
Class from course
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Degree | Semesters | ECTS
Degree | Semesters | ECTS
Bachelor | Semestral | 4
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Year | Nature | Language
Year | Nature | Language
2 | Mandatory | Português
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Code
Code
ULHT225-22958
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Prerequisites and corequisites
Prerequisites and corequisites
Not applicable
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Professional Internship
Professional Internship
Não
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Syllabus
Syllabus
Description of contents Tourism Distribution Structure of Tourism Distribution Functions of Travel and Tourism Agencies and Tour Operators Classification of Travel and Tourism Agencies Concepts and terminology The business of Tour Operators and Travel and Tourism Agencies Relations between Tour Operators, travel agencies and the tourist system Travel organization: The assembly and commercialization of the ¿tour package¿ Research phase Planning phase Financial evaluation Negotiation with tourism service providers Marketing of the ¿tourist packages Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Main GDS and system functionalities Air transport reservation procedures Practical learning of the use of GDS Galileo from the perspective of the travel agent Availability Booking File -Mandatory fields Bookinf File – Optional fields Fares – Overview; Fare Quote; Fare Quote Best Buy
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Objectives
Objectives
- Know how travel agencies and tour operators work and how they are organized; - Identify specificities and constraints of the work of a travel agent and tour operator in a time of globalization and post-pandemic; - Organise, structure and coordinate the organization of group travel tailored to customer motivations; - Commercialise the packages and tourist products distributed by tour operators, providing the customer with correct information and revealing a thorough knowledge of what they are selling; - Identify the main transformations that the pandemic has brought to tourism distribution; - Understand the importance of ICT applied to travel agencies; -Understand the introduction of the NDC model and aggregators; -Identify the importance of the interpretation of the value chain in hospitality by VAs; - Acquire skills in GDS through the GALILEO program.
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Teaching methodologies and assessment
Teaching methodologies and assessment
During the course of the theoretical classes, students will have the possibility to contact with the real world, through the contact with specialists who work in Travel Agencies and Tour Operators, both international and national, in order to develop creative skills and the ability to solve progressively more complex problems. ability to solve progressively more complex problems. Thus, there will be several thematic seminars and study visits. The Inverted Classroom methodology will also be applied through group work to solve problems, case studies, and learning. problem-solving, case studies, and peer learning.
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References
References
Abranja, N., Alcântara, A., Braga, C., Marques, A., & Nunes, R. (2012). Gestão de agências de viagens e turismo. Lisboa: Lidel. APAVT (2021). O valor economico da distribuição turística em Portugal, EY-Parthenon. Zhong L., Sun S., Law R.& Li X. (2021). Tourism crisis management: evidence from COVID-19. Current Issues in Tourism, 24:19, 2671-2682, DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2021.1901866 Toubes, D.R.; Araújo Vila, N.; Fraiz Brea, J.A. (2021). Changes in Consumption Patterns and Tourist Promotion after the COVID-19 Pandemic. J. Theor. Appl. Electron. Commer. Res., 16, 1332-1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16050075 Travelport (2017). Galileo for Travel Professionals - Using Travelport Smartpoint 6.0. Ed. Travelport.
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Office Hours
Office Hours
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Mobility
Mobility
Yes
