Travel and Tourism Products, Destinations and Itinerary Planning
Product knowledge and distribution
Candidates need to distinguish product types: transport (air, rail, coach, cruise), accommodation (hotel, resort, hostel, serviced apartment), attractions, tours, and packaged combinations. Understand distribution channels - direct, retail agency, wholesale, online travel agency - and the role of global distribution systems in air booking. Know fare terminology: one-way, return, open jaw, sector, stopover, connection, minimum connecting time, and the difference between a stopover and a layover.
Destination knowledge
Build a mental map: climate and seasonality, accessibility, visa and entry requirements, currency, time zones, transport hubs, safety advice and cultural norms. Questions punish generic answers; they reward linking destination features to traveller type (families, backpackers, business, accessible travel, special interest).
Itinerary planning logic
A workable itinerary balances time, cost, distance and energy. Apply realistic transfer times, opening hours, rest breaks and contingency. Sequence to minimise backtracking. Check feasibility: a day trip that assumes a two-hour transfer each way plus a three-hour tour leaves no margin.
Documentation and pricing
Know passports, visas, health declarations, travel insurance inclusions and exclusions, and the difference between a quotation and a confirmed booking. Traps: quoting a per-person price when the client asked for total; ignoring child or senior rates; forgetting seasonal surcharges and baggage fees; assuming a connection is protected when tickets are separate.
Worked rule of thumb
The buffer rule: add 20–30% contingency to transfer and activity times, and never schedule a tight connection on separate tickets.