Travel Agency Part-2

Chapter-1Introduction

Introduction About the topic:Customer satisfaction is a key issue for every company wishing to increase the value of customer assets and create a better business performance. To increase the value of customer assets, customer satisfaction should be measured and managed.Customer satisfaction refers to the extent to whichcustomersare happy with the products and servicesprovided by a business. Customer satisfaction levels can be measured using survey techniques and questionnaires. Customer satisfaction, on the other hand, is how the customer feels about the service they receive and the company that provided it. This is your customer's perception and emotional response, and you have no direct control over it. It is harder to measure and even harder to improve. Gaining high levels of customer satisfaction is very important to a business because satisfied customers are most likely to be loyal and to make repeat orders and to use a wide range of services offered by a business.About tour and travel industry:Travel and tourism is the largest service industry globally in terms of gross revenue and foreign exchange earnings. It is also one of the largest employment generators in the world. It has been a major social phenomenon and is driven by social, religious, recreational, knowledge seeking and business interests and motivated by the human urge for new experience, adventure, education, and entertainment. Tourism is both cause and consequence of economic development. It has the potential to stimulate other sectors in the economy owing to cross-synergistic benefits and its backward and forward linkages.Global scenarioTravel and tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries and a leader in many countries. It is expected to have generated around 9.4% of world GDP and 8.2% of total employment in 2009. The contribution of the industry to the global economy remains high despite a 4.38% decline in 2009. During the year, travel and tourism investment too declined by more than 12%.International tourist arrivals rose from 682 million in 2001 to 920 million in 2008. The global travel and tourism industry experienced a downturn in 2009 due to the global economic and financial meltdown. The industry was affected by low business volumes and consumer confidence, given the uncertainty about factors such as availability of credit, exchange rates, employment, and the H1N1 virus. Consequently, tourist arrivals fell 4% worldwide in 2009. Nevertheless, tourist arrivals increased 2% in the last quarter of 2009, led by recovery in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East.The industry is expected to improve in 2010, as most of the leading economies are exiting the recession since end-2009. However, it is expected to be gradual as corporations, households and governments slowly recover. Given the improvement in global economic conditions, the UNWTO forecasts a 3-4% increase in international tourist arrivals during 2010. Asia is expected to continue showing the strongest rebound, while Europe and Americas are likely to recover at a more moderate pace.

The expected rebound in tourism materialised in the first four months of 2010. This is reflected in the 7% increase in international tourist arrivals during January-April 2010. Tourist arrivals grew at a faster pace of 8% in emerging markets, while advanced economies reported a 5% increase.

In 2009, following the trend in tourist arrivals, international tourism receipts also recorded a decline. It is estimated to have declined by 5.7% to US$ 852 bn. The decline in earnings is sharper than in arrivals, as during periods of slowdown, tourists tend to stay closer to home and prefer to travel for a shorter duration of time.The travel and tourism industry can be divided into inbound and outbound tourism; inbound refers to countries attracting the largest number of tourists and outbound refers to countries from where the largest number of tourists originate.Indian travel and tourism industryIndian tourism offers most diverse products globally. The countrys rich history, cultural heritage, beauty, diversity of religion and medicine fascinate budget and luxury travellers. Tourism in India has registered significant growth over the years. This has been led by growth in both leisure and business tourism. Rising incomes, increasing affordability, growing aspirations, increasing globalisation, and a growing airline industry along with improvement in travel-related infrastructure have supported industry growth. Tourism holds immense potential for the Indian economy. It can provide impetus to other industries through backward and forward linkages and can contribute significantly to GDP.

Indias travel and tourism industry is expected to generate revenue of Rs. 1,970 bn (US$ 42 bn) in 2010, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). This would be around 3.1% of total GDP. However, since travel and tourism touches all sectors of the economy, its real impact is greater and the travel and tourism economy directly and indirectly accounts for ` 5,533 bn (US$ 118 bn), equivalent to 8.6% of total GDP.

Personal travel and tourism is the most significant contributor, accounting for 55% of the total market, while business travel forms only 9%. Capital investment is also significant with a share of 24%. Hotels, air transport, surface transport, basic infrastructure, and facilitation systems environment are some of the related sectors.The share of the Indian travel and tourism industry globally is very less. However the industry holds immense potential. In fact, India has been ranked among the leaders by the WTTC for long-term (10-year) growth prospects. Further, a globally renowned travel magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, ranked India among the top 10 tourist destinations of the world. JBIC has also ranked India as the fifth most attractive investment destination. India is probably the only country that offers various categories of tourism with its geographical diversity and rich cultural heritage.Structure of the tourism industryTourism comprises activities of people travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and social, recreational, and knowledge seeking purposes.The tourism industry is primarily service and people oriented; it is made up of businesses and organisations belonging to various other industries and sectors. It is interplay among these businesses and organisations/persons which offer travel experience to tourists. The tourism industry comprises hospitality (related to accommodation and dining), travel (transportation services through different modes), and various other businesses which offer services and products to tourists. The components of the tourism industry are shown below--

Most of the players in the tourism industry are SMEs. The unorganised sector dominates the industry in India. Hotels, airline companies, and tour operators form the organised sector.Specialist travel service providers assist tourists with travel arrangements. These providers include travel agencies who are involved in retailing of travel products directly to the tourists (individuals or groups). They provide information on different travel destinations and advise customers on travel plans. They also sell associated products such as insurance, car hire, and currency exchange.Business travel agencies specialise in making travel and accommodation arrangements for business travellers and promoting conference trades. The tour operators provide packages for individuals while the principals provide basic travel and tourism related services.Tour operators offer holiday packages which comprise travel (road, rail, sea, air as well as to and from the destination airport, car hire, excursions, etc) and accommodation (hotels, guesthouses, apartments, etc) services.Transport service providers could be airlines, cruise lines, car rentals, and rail companies. A tourists choice of transport would depend on the travel budget, destination, time, purpose of the tour, and convenience to the point of destination. Accommodation could be hotels and motels, apartments, camps, guest houses, lodge, bed and breakfast establishments, house boats, resorts, cabins, and hostels. In addition, tourists also require catering facilities, which a variety of outlets for food and refreshments offer. These include hotels, local restaurants, roadside joints, cafeterias, and retail outlets serving food and beverages.Another major component of the travel and tourism industry is attractions such as theme parks and natural attractions including scenic locations, cultural and educational attractions, monuments, events, and medical, social or professional causes.The tourist information and guidance providers include a number of service providers such as those offering insurance, recreational, communication, and banking services; government agencies; tour guides; industry associations; packaging agents; ticketing agents; and holiday sellers.About Travel Agency:A travel agency is a private retailer or public service that provides travel and tourism related services to the public on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, and package tours. In addition to dealing with ordinary tourists most travel agencies have a separate department devoted to making travel arrangements for business travellers and some travel agencies specialize in commercial and business travel only. There are also travel agencies that serve as general sales agents for foreign travel companies, allowing them to have offices in countries other than where their headquarters are located. The modern travel agency first appeared in the second half of the 19th century. Thomas Cook, in addition to developing the package tour, established a chain of agencies in the last quarter of the 19th century, in association with the Midland Railway. The first ever tour organized was from Loughborough to Leicester carrying 500 passengers 12 miles journey for 1 shilling. They not only sold their own tours to the public, but in addition, represented other tour companies. Other British pioneer travel agencies were Dean & Dawson the Polytechnic Touring Association, and the Co-operative Wholesale Society. The oldest travel agency in the United States is Brownell Travel; on July 4, 1887, Walter T. Brownell led ten travelers on a European tour, setting sail from New York on the SS Devonia.Travel agencies became more commonplace with the development of commercial aviation, starting in the 1920s. Originally, travel agencies largely catered to middle and upper class customers, but the post-war boom in mass-market package holidays resulted in the proliferation of travel agencies on the main streets of most British towns, catering to a working class clientele looking for a convenient way to book overseas beach holidays. A travel agency's main function is to act as an agent, selling travel products and services on behalf of a supplier. Consequently, unlike other retail businesses, they do not keep a stock in hand. A package holiday or a ticket is not purchased from a supplier unless a customer requests that purchase. The holiday or ticket is supplied to the agency at a discount. The profit is therefore the difference between the advertised price which the customer pays and the discounted price at which it is supplied to the agent. This is known as the commission. In many countries, all individuals or companies that sell tickets are required to be licensed as a travel agent.In some countries, airlines have stopped giving commissions to travel agencies. Therefore, travel agencies are now forced to charge a percentage premium or a standard flat fee, per sale. However, some companies pay travel agencies a set percentage for selling their product. Major tour companies can afford to do this, because if they were to sell a thousand trips at a cheaper rate, they would still come out better than if they sold a hundred trips at a higher rate. This process benefits both parties. It is also cheaper to offer commissions to travel agents rather than engage in advertising and distribution campaigns without using agents.Other commercial operations are undertaken, especially by the larger chains. These can include the sale of in-house insurance, travel guide books, and public transport timetables, car rentals, and the services of an on-site bureau de change, dealing in the most popular holiday currencies.A travel agent is supposed to offer impartial travel advice to the customer. However, this function almost disappeared with the mass market package holiday, and some agency chains seemed to develop a "holiday supermarket" concept, in which customers choose their holiday from brochures on racks and then book it from a counter. Again, a variety of social and economic changes have now contrived to bring this aspect to the fore once more, particularly with the advent of multiple, no-frills, low-cost airlines.Agency incomeTraditionally, travel agencies' principal source of income was, and continues to be, commissions paid for bookings of car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours, tour operators, etc. A fixed percentage of the main element of the price is paid to the agent as a commission. Commissions may vary depending on the type of product and the supplier. Commissions are not paid on the tax component of the price. Travel agencies also receive a large variety of bonuses, benefits, and other incentives from travel and tourism related companies as inducements for travel agents to promote their products. The customer is normally not made aware of how much the travel agent is earning in commissions and other benefits. Other sources of income may include the sale of insurance, travel guide books, public transport timetables and money exchange.Since 1995, many airlines around the world and most airlines in the United States now do not pay any commission to travel agencies. In this case, an agency adds a service fee to the net price. Reduced commissions started in 1995 in the United States, with the introduction of a cap of $50 on return trips and $25 on one way. In 1999, European airlines began eliminating or reducing commissions, while Singapore Airlines did so in parts of Asia.[3] In 2002, Delta Air Lines announced a zero-commission base for the U.S. and Canada; after a few months United Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, USAirways and American Trans Air all followed suit. InsuranceThe majority of travel agents have felt the need to protect themselves and their clients against the possibilities of commercial failure, either their own or a supplier's. They will advertise the fact that they are surety bonded, meaning in the case of a failure, the customers are guaranteed either an equivalent holiday to that which they have lost or if they prefer, a refund. Many British and American agencies and tour operators are bonded with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), for those who issue air tickets, Air Travel Organizers Licensing (ATOL) for those who order tickets in, and the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) or the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), for those who sell package holidays on behalf of a tour company.[Types of agenciesThere are three different types of agencies in the UK: multiples, miniples and independent agencies. Multiples comprises a number of national chains, often owned by international conglomerates, like Thomson Holidays, now a subsidiary of TUI AG, the German multinational. It is now common for the large mass market tour companies to purchase a controlling interest in a chain of travel agencies, in order to control the distribution of their product. (This is an example of vertical integration.) The smaller chains are often based in particular regions or districts.Four different types of agencies exist in the United States: independent, consortium, regional, and mega agencies. American Express and the American Automobile Association (AAA) are examples of mega travel agencies.Independent agencies usually cater to a special or niche market, such as the needs of residents in an upmarket commuter town or suburb, or a particular group interested in a similar activity, such as sporting events, like football, golf, or tennis.Travel agencies choose between two approaches. One is the traditional, multi-destination, outbound travel agency, based in the traveler's originating location; the other is the destination focused, inbound travel agency, that is based in the destination and delivers an expertise on that location. At present, the former is usually a larger operator while the latter is often a smaller, independent operator.Travel agencies in the 21st centuryWith general public access to the Internet, many airlines and other travel companies began to sell directly to passengers. As a consequence, airlines no longer needed to pay the commissions to travel agents on each ticket sold. Since 1997, travel agencies have gradually been disintermediated, by the reduction in costs caused by removing layers from the package holiday distribution network. However, travel agents remain dominant in some areas such as cruise vacations where they represent 77% of bookings and 73% of packaged travel. In 2009, the market size for travel agencies experienced a sharp decline, dropping from $17 billion the previous year to $14.5 billion. In response, travel agencies have developed an internet presence of their own by creating travel websites, with detailed information and online booking capabilities. Major online travel agencies include: Cheap Oair, Cheap Tickets, Expedia, Hotwire.com, Orbitz, Priceline, Travelocity, Voyages-sncf.com, and Webjet. Travel agencies also use the services of the major computer reservations systems companies, also known as Global Distribution Systems (GDS), including: Amadeus CRS, Galileo CRS, SABRE, and Worldspan, which is a subsidiary of Travelport, allowing them to book and sell airline tickets, car rentals, hotels, and other travel related services. Some online travel websites allow visitors to compare hotel and flight rates with multiple companies for free; they often allow visitors to sort the travel packages by amenities, price, and proximity to a city or landmark.]Travel agents have applied dynamic packaging tools to provide fully bonded (full financial protection) travel at prices equal to or lower than a member of the public can book online. As such, the agencies' financial assets are protected in addition to professional travel agency advice.All travel sites that sell hotels online work together with GDS, suppliers, and hotels directly to search for room inventory. Once the travel site sells a hotel, the site will try to get a confirmation for this hotel. Once confirmed or not, the customer is contacted with the result. This means that booking a hotel on a travel website will not necessarily result in an instant confirmation. Only some hotels on a travel website can be confirmed instantly (which is normally marked as such on each site). As different travel websites work with different suppliers, each site has different hotels that it can confirm instantly. Some examples of such online travel websites that sell hotel rooms are Expedia, Orbitz, and World Hotel-Link.The comparison sites, such as Kayak.com, Side Step, and Trip Advisor, search the resellers sites all at once to save time searching. None of these sites actually sells hotel rooms.Often tour operators have hotel contracts, allotments, and free sell agreements which allow for the immediate confirmation of hotel rooms for vacation bookingsMainline service providers are those that actually produce the direct service, like various hotels chains or airlines that have a website for online bookings.Portals serve as a consolidator of various airlines and hotels on the internet. They work on a commission from these hotels and airlines. Often, they provide cheaper rates than the mainline service providers, as these sites get bulk deals from the service providers.Role of Travel Agencies:The main task of travel agents is to supply the public with travel services. They do it on behalf of their suppliers, also called principals. Basically we can say that a travel agency operates as a broker, bringing buyer and seller together, for the other suppliers of travel such as hotels, car rentals, ground operators and tour companies. A travel agency may offer every possible service or specializes in a certain type of business. In that sense travel agencies can be divided into different types according to the services they offer. Here are some examples:Full-service travel agency offering all services and products related to international and domestic travel is equipped to handle all types of travel such as holiday and business travel on individual or group based smaller agencies situated in residential areas tend to concentrate on leisure travel larger agencies serving commercial areas will concentrate on business travel Corporate/ Business travel agency specialize solely in servicing the travel needs of the business or corporate clients, in that sense they deal with work-related and incentive travel In-house travel agency differs from the corporate travel agency in the sense that they work with only one corporate account doing mainly business travel but also handling the leisure side for corporate clients Speciality agencies result of specific market needs, serving the needs of market segments such as senior citizens, incentive groups or adventure travellers Importance of the study:Now a days customers are the king. Consumer satisfaction studies how individuals, groups and organizations select, buy, use, and dispose of goods, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs and desires. Understanding consumer behaviour and knowing customers are never simple. Customers may say one thing but do another. They may not buy in touch with their deeper motivations. They may respond to influences that change their mind at the last minute. So it is very important for the companies to understand how and why their customers buy. In my study, I am trying to find out the satisfaction level of the customers of Cox & Kings, travel agency in Jorhat. The study investigates the strength and weakness of the agency in their customer service.

Objectives of the study:1. To know the service provided by travel agencies in Jorhat. 2. To know the satisfaction level of the customer. 3. To find out the areas to where improvement can be made. Methodology of the study: The way in which the data are collected for the research project for all techniques, methods and procedures adopted in terminology work to carry out terminology research is known as Research Methodology. The sample size taken is 20. Types of data collection: Here are two types of data has been collected to complete the study. (1) Primary data (2) Secondary data Primary Data: Primary data has been collected through distributing questionnaire to the respondent. In the questionnaire, close handed questions are put. During interview, all efforts were made to clarify the question to respondents so as to elicit the most specific and relevant information from them. Secondary Data:Secondary data used in this report were collected from internet.Mode of Data collection:The data is collected through structured, close ended questionnaire in case of primary data collection, whereas, hand books and internet are used for collection of secondary data.The data has been presented with the help of graphical methods and percentage for convenience in understanding the results and their interpretations. Layout of the project:The project has been divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 of study is introductory in nature. It highlights the introduction of the topic, about the tour and travel industry, about travel agency, role of travel agency, importance of the study, objectives of the study, methodology of the study, layout of the project and limitation of the study. Chapter 2 highlights about the company.Chapter 3 highlights data analysis and interpretation and findings of the study. Chapter 4 highlights the suggestion and conclusion of the study. Limitation of the study: All efforts were made to collect the relevant information for study yet there were always some limitations. The prime difficulties which were faced during collection of information are discussed below: 1. The result would be varying according to the individuals as well as time.2. Small number of respondent: Only a sample of the travel agency has been taken, so the findings of the study cant be generalised.3. The findings and conclusion are based on knowledge and experience of the respondents sometime may subject to bias. 4. The time period for carrying out the research was short as results of which many facts were left unexplored.

CHAPTER 2PROFILE OF THE COMPANY

About Cox & Kings:Cox & Kings is the longest established travel company in the world. Its distinguished history began in 1758 when it was appointed as general agents to the regiment of Foot Guards in India under the command of Lord Ligonier.By 1878, C&K were agents for most British regiments posted overseas, including the Royal Cavalry, Artillery and Infantry, as well as the Royal Wagon Train and the Household Brigade. The Royal Navy was next and in 1912, The Royal Air Force came under its wings.Between 1750's and 1950's, Cox & Kings was witness to an exciting era in Indian history, and, in its own way, helped to shape it. In 1947, the British administration departed, but bound by strong ties to India, Cox & Kings stayed on and flourished. Today, Cox & Kings is a premium brand in all travel related services in the Indian subcontinent, employing over 5000 trained professionals. Their India operations are headquartered in Mumbai and have the status of a limited company. It has over 12 fully owned offices in India across key cities such as New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmadabad, Kochi, Hyderabad, Pune, Goa, Nagpur and Jaipur. The worldwide offices are located in UK, USA, Japan, Russia, Singapore and Dubai. It has associate offices in Germany, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Sweden and Australia. About Cox & Kings, Jorhat Branch:Cox & Kings branch office is a premium, one stop shop for all our travel needs in the heart of Jorhat. It has been providing its service since 5th Aug, 2009 in Jorhat. It serves 15 to 20 customers daily in Jorhat. The booking office is located at a convenient place in Jorhat. It is located at Gar Ali, opposite of Central Bank. Generally, more than 15 branch of other agency has been serving in Jorhat. Out of them, I have taken Cox & Kings. I found the service provided by the agency is not worthy of selecting as my topic. Even most of the people prefer Cox & Kings as one of the best travel agency. Majority of the people are more likely to book with the agency. The C&K AdvantageBest Brand for over 250 years and been operational non-stop since 1758. One Stop Travel Fulfilment Centre (Online as well as Offline Fulfilment) for all Travel Related Services including a range of third party products. Integrated Information Technology Platform to offer centralized reservation systems for all business units Excellent Supplier Contracting Terms & Capabilities. Strong online Presence. Timely & Accurate MIS. Knowledgeable Staff. Support via BPO & Call Centres. Innovative Products Design and Creative Marketing. Global Shareholder of Radius. Destination ManagementCOX & KINGS is India's market leader in destination management, with substantial competitive advantage in this business segment. Cox & Kings operates a range of group and individual tours to destinations throughout the Indian subcontinent for clients from all over the world. Cox & Kings overseas is a renowned travel brand and an Indian subcontinent tour specialist and been quoted as one of the top 5 premium tour operators by 'Conde' Nast Traveller'. This division also provides specialist services to foreign participants visiting India for international meetings, conferences, ad hoc incentives and exhibitions and also caters for domestic conferences and corporate incentives. Ground related services to international cruise companies touching Indian shore with a provision of shore excursions are other leading activities of this division.

Outbound TourismIndia is one of the largest potential outbound tour markets in Asia. In 1995, Cox & Kings began a full-fledged in house tour operating activity by designing its own brochure product under exclusive arrangements with direct suppliers and local agents across the globe. Cox & Kings has been undertaking path-breaking initiatives to reach out to the travellers through innovative products.These include:'Duniya Dekho' Holidays to Europe, USA, Far East, South Africa, Mauritius, Australia and New Zealand. For the "value for money" traveller 'FlexiHols' is a concept in holidaying where the traveller enjoys all the comforts and convenience of a planned holiday but at a pace & price that is set by him. This is targeted at the more discerning Free Individual Traveller'Luxury Escapes' It takes a travel company that has been round for two hundred years, to know everything about royal treatment. Cox & Kings rolls out a whole new concept in Holidays - Luxury Escapes. Spoil yourself. Get pampered rotten. Holiday like a king. Join us as we unveil country after country laced with sinful indulgence and fine living. The finest luxury hotels in the world to the most exclusive entertainment experiences await you.Cox & Kings also represents and retails many international third party products including Cosmos, Rail Europe, Silversea Cruises, Star Cruise, and Escorted Tours to USA etc.NRI - The NRI Division of Cox & Kings caters to the Non Resident Indians who would like to travel around the world with Indian families. Cox & Kings organises special tours for these families where the NRI community would like to travel with like-minded families across the world. Duniya Dekho & FIT Packages are specifically designed for this Market Segment by this division.Business TravelCox & Kings are one of the market leaders in business travel services in India, offering a full range of business travel services to over 200 corporate clients, including major multinational companies. C&K's strength in this business area is evident when one of the world's largest conglomerate in business travel - Radius the First truly global travel management partnership/consortium with merger of Travel Trust International and Woodside Travel Management Corporation in 1992 selected Cox & Kings as their Indian partner.Domestic TourismIndia with its large domestic consumer offers Cox & Kings a unique opportunity to launch its portfolio of 'domestic holidays' for people resident in India. Launched in 2000, 'Bharat Dekho' (see India) is today's leading 'branded' product in the country with a wide range of 'Indian Holidays' from cultural holidays, pilgrim holidays, wildlife holidays, honeymoon tours, weekend getaways, customized FIT Tours to nature trails, Bharat Dekho has captured over 50% of the domestic market.MICEThe growing importance of MICE - Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions led to the launch of this division. The division has existing tie ups with various Chambers of Commerce and National Tourist Offices. Currency ExchangeCox & Kings has a full-fledged money changing division in Cox & Kings Offices servicing the needs of the corporate traveller and the leisure travel clients. A strong distributor of American Express Travellers' Cheques, Cox & Kings has been awarded 'Top Performer' for several years.Travel InsurancePolicies for Leisure Domestic as well as International Travel and special Corporate Deals on Insurance covering an array of specialized travel areas, some of which are: Loss of baggage (checked) Bounced Hotel / Airline Bookings Missed connections Personal Accident Trip Cancellation due to hospitalisation, death or curfew. Emergency Hospitalisation Death

High Technology PlatformCox & Kings today deploys highest information technology platform in the Indian Travel Industry. It has developed totally integrated front, mid and back office solutions. This has brought about huge cost savings for the organisation, thus managing to offer 'quality' service to its customers at a great cost savings.

CHAPTER 3

DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATIONFINDINGS

Data analysis and interpretation:Table 3:1. Showing the rating of knowledge of staffs in travel agencies:

ParticularRespondentPercentage%

Poor210%

Average525%

Good945%

Excellent420%

Total20100%

Source: Based on primary data Fig. 3:1. Showing the rating of knowledge of staffs in travel agencies:

Source: Based on Table 3:1

Interpretation: In the above figure shows 10% people said poor and 25% people said average and 45% people said good and 20% people said excellent.

Table 3:2. Showing the helpfulness of staffs in travel agencies:


Poor00%

Average210%

Good525%

Excellent1365%

Total20100%

Source: Based on primary data.

Fig. 3:2. Showing the helpfulness of staffs in travel agencies:


Interpretation: In the above figure shows 10% people said average and 25% people said good and 65% people said excellent.

Table 3:3. Showing if the respondents will book with previous travel agent again:


Very unlikely00%

likely00%

Average1575%

Very likely525%

Total20100%


Fig. 3:3. Showing if the respondents will book with previous travel agent again:


Interpretation: In the above figure shows 75% people said average and 25% people said very likely.

Table 3:4. Showing the number of times that the respondents booked their travel:ParticularRespondentPercentage%

12 times1575%

3 -5 times420%

5 7 times15%

More then 700%

Total20100%


Fig. 3:4. Showing the number of times that the respondents booked their travel:


Interpretation: In the above figure shows 75% people booked 1 2 times and 20% people said 3 5 times and only 5% people said 5 7 times

Table 3:5. Showing if the respondents will recommend the agencies to others:


Yes1575%

No525%

Total20100%


Fig 3:5. Showing if the respondents will recommend the agencies to others:

Source: Based on table 3:5.

Interpretation: In the above figure shows 75% people said yes and 25% people said no.

Table 3:6. Showing how the respondents came to know about the travel agency:


Reference (Family / friend )525%

Posters315%

Advertisement1260%

Others00%

Total20100%


Fig. 3:6. Showing how the respondents came to know about the travel agency:


Interpretation: In the above figure shows 25% people said reference, 15% said about posters and 60% said about advertisement. Table 3:7. Showing how many travel agencies are known by the respondents in Jorhat:


1 - 3525%

4 - 6630%

7 - 9945%

Total20100%


Fig. 3:7. Showing how many travel agencies are known by the respondents in Jorhat:


Interpretation: In the figure shows 25% people know 1-3 travel agencies, 30% people said 4-6 travel agencies and 45% people said 7 9 agencies.

Table 3:8. Showing the number of vacations that availed in a year by the respondents:


Dont take each year00%

1 vacation1575%

2 vacation525%

More than 3 vacations00%

Total20100%

Source: Based on primary data

Fig. 3:8. Showing the number of vacations that availed in a year by the respondents:

Source: Based on table 3:8.Interpretation: In the above figure shows 75% people takes one vacation in a year and 25% people said two vacation in a year. Table 3:9. Showing if the agencies fulfil their promises:


Yes1575%

No525%

Total20100%


Fig. 3:9. Showing if the agencies fulfil their promises:


Interpretation: In the above figure 75% people said Yes and 25% people said no.

Table 3:10. Showing if the respondents think that the travel agencies should take some steps for better Service:


Yes20100%

No00%

Total20100%

Source: Based on primary data

Fig. 3:10. Showing if the respondents think that the travel agencies should take some steps for better Service:


Interpretation: Above figure shows 100% people said yes according to them the travel agencies should take some steps for better Service.

Table 3:11. Showing the overall level of satisfaction with travel agency:


Satisfied945%

Dissatisfied630%

Neutral525%

Total20100%


Fig. 3:11. Showing the overall level of satisfaction with travel agency:


Interpretation: In the above figure shows 45% people are satisfied and 30% people are dissatisfied and 25% people are neutral in this matter.

Findings of the study: 1. About asking the knowledge of the staff 10% people said poor, 25% people said average, 45% people said good and 20% people said excellent.2. About asking the helpfulness of the staff 10% people said average, 25% people said good and 65% people said excellent.3. Only 25% people said they are very likely to book with previous travel agency again and 75% people said average.4. From the study it has been find out that 75% people have booked their travel up to 1 3 times, 20% said 3 5 times and only 5% people said 5- 7 times.5. From the study it has been find out that 75% people said they were recommend their friend about this agency and only 25% people said no.6. Asking about Cox & Kings travel agency in Jorhat 60% people said from advertisement they know it, 25% people said from reference group they know about it and 15% people said about posters.7. From the study it has been find out that 25% people know 1-3 travel agencies, 30% people know 4-6 travel agencies and 45% know 7-6 travel agencies in Jorhat.8. It has been find out that maximum people takes one vacation in a year.9. It has been find out that 75% people said the agency fulfill their promises. But 25% people are not satisfied.10. From the study it has been find out that 100% people are agree that the travel agency should take some steps for better service in Jorhat.11. From the study it has been find out that 45% people are satisfied with the travel agency, 30% people are dissatisfied and 25% people are neutral in this matter.

CHAPTER 4SUGGESTION AND CONCLUSION

Suggestion of the study1. Agency should give more concerted in advertising in the Jorhat town.2. Agency should recruit some smart and intelligent employees for customer service.3. Agency should organized training program for the employees to update their knowledge time by time. 4. Agency should also used phone calls and SMS to inform the customers about their attractive packages.

ConclusionFor any organization their success depend on their customer service. From this study, it has been found that the company has already developed a good image in the market. The people are satisfied with service of the agency.As I have tried my level best to develop the project to its best but it too has some limitations. Due to lack of time many things has not been highlighted. This is ongoing process in marketing sector now a days customer wants service at his door step with smile. The entity which is competing in this sector must have more patience and motivating capability. Time to time canalizations of market trend and peoples thought changes accordingly the improvement step may be taken. Then only one can leap great heights. So, agency should require to emphasis on customer demand. From my study it has been find out that people are not so happy with the service of the stuff. So that is a big problem for the agency in Jorhat market. Though there are some problem, agency is success to maintain a good image in the market.

ANNEXUREBIBLIOGRAPHY& QUESTIONNAIE

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Books:

i. Kaur Ramneek, Singh Parampal, Service marketing, Kalyani Publishers (2013)ii. Kotler Philip, Marketing Management, Prentice Hall/Pearson Education International Publisher (2003)iii. Singh L.K. Management Of Travel Agency Gyan Publishing House, 01-Jan-2008.iv. Stenholm Anne, Travel Agency: A How-to-Do-It Manual for Starting One of Your Own, Freelance Publication (1979)v. Syratt Gwenda, Manual of Travel Agency Practice, Butterworth-Heinemann (1995)

Web site:

i. www.coxandkings.com/ (at 10.30 a.m. on 2nd March, 2014)ii. www.travel-agents.regionaldirectory.us/about.htm(at 1 p.m. on 2nd March, 2014)iii. www.hostagencyreviews.com/how-do-travel-agents-make-money/(at 5 p.m. on 2nd March, 2014)iv. www.womansday.com/life/travel-tips/should-i-use-a-travel-agent(at 7 p.m. on 14th March, 2014)

APPENDIX IQUESTIONNAIRE

Dear Sir/ Madam I am a student of B.Com 6th semester of CKB Commerce College. As an integral part of our curriculum I am conducting a study on the topic entitled A study on role of travel agency in customer satisfaction Jorhat. You are requested to kindly extend your co-operation in filling this questionnaire which would enable me to attain the objective of my study.

Sri ShityaranjanGogoiB. Com 6th Semester CKB Commerce College

Name: Profession:Male/ Female:Age:

1. Please rate the knowledge of staff in travel agencies. (a) Poor (b) Average(c) Good(d) Excellent2. Please rate the helpfulness of staff in travel agencies. (a) Poor (b) Average(c) Good (d) Excellent 3. How likely are you to book with previous travel agent again?(a) Very unlikely (b) likely (c) Average (d) Very likely. 4. About how many times have you booked your travel ?(a) 1 2 times (b) 3 -5 times(c) 5 7 times (d) More then 7 5. Do you recommend the agencies to your friend or colleague?(a) Yes (b) No 6. How did you find out about the travel agency?(a) Reference (Family/friend) (b) Posters (c) Advertisement (d) others 7. Do you know how many travel agencies in Jorhat? (a) 3 4 (b) 5 7 (c) 8 -10 8. How many vacations do you take in a year? (a) Dont take each year (b) 1 vacation(c) 2 vacation (d) More than 3 vacations

9. Does the agencies fulfil their promises? (a) Yes (b) No

10. Do you think that the travel agencies should take some steps for betterservice?(a) Yes (b) No

11.How would you rate overall level of satisfaction with travel agency? (a) Satisfied (b) Dissatisfied (c) Neutral

--Thank You--

APPENDIX IILIST OF TRAVEL AGENCIES IN JORHAT

1. Cox & Kings2. Shri Ramdev Travels3. Allied Global Services4. Kundaliya Tours & Travels5. Bina Travels6. Sneha Travels7. Tarang Tavels Agency8. Pragati Tours & Travel9. Vinayaka Commercials10. Dollys Tours & Travels11. Oriental Communication12. Aranya Tours & Travels13. JAI Mata DI Tours & Travels14. Assam Pushpak Agency 15. Assam On Wheels

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Travel Agency Part-2

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Transcript of Travel Agency Part-2