The main function of a travel agency could be summarized as follows
- Advisory : The agency advices potential travelers on resorts, carriers,travel companions and travel facts worldwide.
- Reservation : The agency makes reservations for all the travelrequirements
- Planning : It plans itineraries of all kinds including complex multistop over independent tours.
- Computation : It computes accurate airline and other fares and doescosting of tours and ticketing
- Correspondence : It correspondences by telephone, letter, telex,fax etc, with travel principals and customers.
- Records : It maintains accurate files on reservation.
- Travel brochure : It maintains and displays stock of travel brochures
- Complaint handling : It intercedes with principals in the event ofcustomers complaints
- Insurance : It arranges insurance facilities for the customers
- Liaison : It maintains liaison with providers of the services
- Foreign exchange : It provides foreign exchange facilities forcustomers
- Miscellaneous : It arranges any other special services ordered/required by the customer
Rights And Duties Of A Travel Agency
In many countries, the activities of travel agencies are authorized, controlled and limited by the state. Such regulations have often been enacted for protecting customers and guaranteeing professional standards. Thus a travel agency.
- Must look after the rights and interests of its customers;
- Must hand them a dated and stamped ticket;
- Must see to it that the customer compiles with frontier regulations, such as personal documents, passport, visas, custom declarations etc.
- May terminate the contract in certain cases and in certain conditions stipulated before hand in which case the customer may be entitled to manage up to a certain amount.
- Recognize the traveler’s right to terminate the contract provided he pays the agency for all the expenses incurred and waive the deposits made in advance.
The public resorts to the services of a travel agency in the following cases, in particular.
- For taking part in tours with an involved program where there are numerous stages and various means of transport used.
- For stays in highly popular tourist resorts where it is difficult to book rooms.
- For prolonged stays for which the tourist wishes to leave nothing to change and to profit from the lower rates.
- For taking part in certain types of tourism which are not available otherwise (curious, safaris, etc).
