Return Home! Familiarity with reference materials is the foundation of a successful travel career. Students gain working knowledge of how to use reference materials: books, computer-displayed information, industry publications, newspapers, radio and television advertising. Effective use of reference materials is indispensable for selecting flights, making reservations, completing documentation forms for clients and researching travel requirements. Students learn how to use reference materials to evaluate vacation destinations, schedules and accommodations.
There are over 10 million published airfares in the United States, each of which carries some kind of restriction. For example, a given ticket/fare may require travel before a certain date, may require advance purchase, may be non-refundable, or may involve awkward connections and lay-overs. Considerable time is devoted to interpreting airline rules and fares. Students learn to identify allowable routings and restrictions with each fare, how to find the least expensive fare with the fewest restrictions and how to qualify the client's travel requirements with regard to times, routings and fares.
Agencies and airlines today have the option of choosing among four standard and seven miscellaneous types of airline ticket stock. Using both standard and miscellaneous ticket stock, students first practice hand-writing, then computer-generating tickets.
The number of hotel, car and rail vendors has increased by 300% over the last 15 years. Because travelers today spend between 40% and 75% of their travel dollars on such accommodations, travel consultants are heavily involved with making travel arrangements for these auxiliary services. Students learn to research the product - availabilities, rates, options, discount programs - and then to sell, book, reconfirm or cancel reservations through the computer, telex or telephone.
Though business and leisure/vacation travel present many challenges in common, each also has its own. Students learn that while the goals of business travel are cost-effectiveness and efficiency, those of leisure travel are enjoyment and economy. In one case the agent must supply what the client needs; in the other, the agent must help the client find what he or she wants. In the area of business travel, students learn about travel policy guidelines, lowest logical airfares, commercial rates, etc. In the leisure travel area, they learn how to identify the travelers' preferred vacation destinations, modes of travel, leisure activities, types of accommodations, and then how to use tour, cruise and other brochures to match the client's vacation preferences with his or her financial resources.
Class discussions and geography workbook assignments highlight the ways that geography- topography, climate and culture- affects traveler destinations. Emphasis is on major physical features of each continent, then regions, countries and cities, highlighting museums, familiar streets, neighborhoods, historic and national sites and parks. Students familiarize themselves with governmental regulations controlling travel to and in foreign countries, and with other conditions that affect tourism. What inoculations does the tourist need? What items purchased abroad can be brought legally into the United States? What should the tourist expect locally in the way of points of interest, food, accommodations, modes of transportation, dress, customs, etc.?
Through role-playing, students learn sales and customer relations techniques that assure successful travel careers: how to qualify the client, research the itinerary, present the findings, answer the client's objections, close the sale, book the reservations and perform follow-up checks for reservation accuracy. Students discuss the code of ethics that governs their activities as professionals, and learn the do's and don'ts of becoming travel industry professionals.
Students learn techniques for designing a resume that will highlight their strengths and will persuade an employer to grant an interview. They then study and - through videotapes and role-playing- practice proven interview techniques. At this point in the program, students meet individually with the Director of the Academy for career planning sessions. Sessions center on the student's career interests, his or her perceived professional strengths and weaknesses, the kinds of jobs best suited for the student's aptitude and jobs most likely to be available. By the end of the course, each student will have completed a professional resume, gained mastered successful interview techniques and gone a long way toward making a career choice.
Computer knowledge is absolutely essential for a successful career in today's travel industry. Every transaction required in making travel arrangements is made by computer. All major vendors - airlines, hotels, car rentals, tour companies, cruise lines, etc. - use computers exclusively. Recognizing the importance of computer literacy, the Academy gives its students over 90 hours of intensive, individualized airline computer training, beginning the first week of the course. Students learn to display and sell flight schedules directly through the computer, as well as to book auxiliary services such as hotel accommodations, car rentals, tours and cruises. Throughout, students work on their own computer terminals, each of which is identical to those used by Bolack Total Travel's professional travel consultants. The computer interfaces with all of the major vendor reservation systems in use around the world; it also displays current events, schedules, international time differentials, weather conditions, travel insurance coverage and premiums, currency exchange rates and much more.
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