HSC Tourism, Travel and Events (VET) cheat sheet

Duty of care: businesses must eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable (WHS Act harmonised model).

Risk control hierarchy (highest to lowest): eliminate, substitute, isolate, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE.

Risk score = likelihood x consequence; a 5x5 matrix scores 1-25, with 15+ typically requiring immediate action.

Notifiable incident: death, serious injury/illness, or dangerous incident must be reported to the regulator immediately by phone, then in writing within 48 hours.

Consultation is mandatory: workers must be consulted on WHS matters that affect them, including hazard identification and control changes.

Emergency planning requires evacuation diagrams, wardens, assembly points, and drills at least annually (or as the emergency plan specifies).

Food safety: temperature danger zone is 5-60 degrees C; high-risk food must be kept below 5 C or above 60 C.

Manual handling: assess load, path, and posture before lifting; team-lift loads over 20 kg or awkward shapes.

Compliance documents to retain: incident registers, risk assessments, training records, and safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals.

Service recovery sequence: acknowledge the problem, apologise, solve it, follow up - resolve complaints at first point of contact where authority allows.

SERVQUAL dimensions: reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, responsiveness; reliability is usually rated most important by customers.

Response-time benchmarks: acknowledge emails within 24 hours, answer calls within 3 rings, and reply to social media enquiries within 1 business day.

Complaint escalation rule: if the issue exceeds your delegation limit or involves safety, refunds above policy, or legal risk, escalate to a supervisor.

Accessibility: provide step-free access information, large-print or digital materials, and quiet spaces; service animals must be admitted.

Visitor journey stages: pre-visit (research, booking), on-site (arrival, experience, departure), post-visit (feedback, loyalty).

Net Promoter Score = % promoters (9-10) minus % detractors (0-6); scores of 7-8 are passives and are excluded.

Itinerary logic: sequence by geography to minimise transit, then by opening hours, then by energy level (active early, rest later).

Include buffer time of 15-25% between fixed bookings for transfers, queues, and delays.

Product components: transport, accommodation, attractions, meals, guiding, insurance - each item needs a confirmed supplier and price.

Document essentials: passport validity of at least 6 months beyond return, visa requirements, and travel insurance covering medical evacuation.

IATA codes: three letters identify airports (SYD, MEL); city codes may differ from airport codes (LON vs LHR).

Seasonality affects price and availability; peak, shoulder, and low seasons each require different contingency planning.

Inbound vs outbound vs domestic tourism: inbound = visitors arriving from overseas; outbound = residents travelling abroad.

Quote structure: net cost + markup or commission = selling price; GST applies to domestic products but international air travel is generally GST-free.

Run sheet (production schedule) lists each activity with start time, duration, owner, location, and dependencies.

Critical path: the longest sequence of dependent tasks; any delay on the critical path delays the whole event.

Crowd capacity: calculate floor area in square metres and divide by the required space per person (e.g., 0.5 sq m standing).

Event phases: concept, planning, delivery, evaluation; sign-off gates occur at the end of each phase.

Risk register entries need hazard, likelihood, consequence, control, owner, and review date.

Supplier contracts must specify deliverables, deadlines, payment terms, cancellation policy, insurance, and WHS obligations.

Contingency planning covers weather, no-shows, technical failure, and medical incidents, each with a named decision-maker.

Post-event evaluation uses attendance numbers, budget variance, feedback scores, and incident reports.

Active listening: paraphrase, ask clarifying questions, and confirm understanding before acting.

Communication model: sender, encoding, channel, noise, receiver, decoding, feedback; noise is anything that distorts the message.

Written communication rule: confirm bookings and changes in writing, including date, time, price, and cancellation terms.

Team roles: clarify who decides, who does, and who is informed; escalation paths must be documented.

Cross-cultural communication: avoid idioms, speak clearly, use plain English, and confirm comprehension.

Conflict resolution: separate people from the problem, identify interests, generate options, agree on criteria.

Confidentiality: client data (passport numbers, payment details, health needs) is shared only on a need-to-know basis.

Triple bottom line: economic, social, and environmental outcomes are evaluated together.

Leave No Trace principles: plan ahead, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, respect wildlife and other visitors.

Cultural protocols: seek permission before photographing people or cultural sites; follow local dress and behaviour rules.

Consumer law prohibits misleading or deceptive conduct and false testimonials; quotes must be accurate and conditions disclosed.

Privacy: collect only necessary personal information, secure it, and provide access/correction rights.

Access and inclusion: anti-discrimination law requires reasonable adjustments to services.

Sustainable tourism indicators: carbon per visitor, water use, local employment share, and community benefit.

Gross profit = revenue - cost of goods sold; gross margin % = gross profit / revenue x 100.

Markup % = (selling price - cost) / cost x 100; margin % uses selling price as the denominator, markup uses cost.

Break-even units = fixed costs / (selling price per unit - variable cost per unit).

Cash flow forecast tracks money in and out by period; a profitable business can still fail from poor cash flow.

GST in Australia is 10%; GST-inclusive price = exclusive price x 1.10; extract GST by dividing by 11.

Budget variance = actual - budget; a negative variance on revenue is unfavourable.

Invoices need supplier and buyer details, ABN, date, description, amount, GST, and payment terms.

Commission = selling price x commission rate; agent commissions are often a percentage of the gross booking value.

Global Distribution Systems (GDS) such as Amadeus and Sabre connect agents to airline, hotel, and car inventory.

Property management systems (PMS) manage rooms, rates, and guest records; channel managers sync rates to OTAs.

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) governs storage and transmission of card data; never store CVV.

Two-factor authentication and role-based access reduce account compromise.

Booking engines need real-time availability, clear cancellation policies, and mobile-friendly layouts.

Digital marketing metrics: click-through rate = clicks / impressions; conversion rate = bookings / visits.

Data backup rule (3-2-1): three copies, two media types, one off-site.

Industry sectors: accommodation, attractions, transport, tours and activities, events, tourism marketing, and visitor services.

Career pathway example: customer service officer to supervisor to operations manager to general manager.

Employability skills: communication, teamwork, problem solving, initiative, planning, self-management, learning, technology.

Job application documents: resume, cover letter, selection criteria responses, and referee contacts.

Interview method STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result - describe actions you personally took.

Professional bodies and networks support ongoing learning; certifications such as first aid and responsible service of alcohol are commonly required.

Industry trends: experience economy, domestic travel growth, sustainable travel demand, and digital self-service.