SITTIND001 – Source and use information on tourism and travel industry
In this study unit you will learn to
- Source and use industry information
- Source and use compliance information
- Source and use information on tourism and travel technology
- Update personal and organisational knowledge of the tourism and travel industry
Introduction
The tourism industry is one of the largest and most diverse in the world. Each year, tourism and hotel schools take in greater numbers of students, showing that the industry is continuing to grow. Why are tourism industries so popular?
The short answer is that they are vitally important to any country’s economy:
- Any destination that could serve as a tourist attraction needs to have a hospitality industry. Tourists need food and accommodation, so restaurants, guesthouses and hotels are a necessity to make their stay enjoyable.
- Information centres run by various governments’ tourism industries are essential in making any tourist’s experience a happy one. Providing visitors with enough information on the people and sites inhabiting the place they are visiting, as well as directing them towards a specific place they may be looking for and answering any questions they may have is absolutely essential . Without centres such as these, tourists would get lost often and countries would lose business fast.
- The amount of revenue generated from tourism and hospitality every year is significant. Hardly any country would be able to survive financially without input from the tourism industry, with some places reaping up to 90% of their GDP from tourism (which, naturally, cannot function without the hospitality industry).
- The level of job creation that comes with a successful hospitality industry is substantial. Concierges, chefs, hotel management staff and waitresses all need to be hired in order to ensure that every guest or patron is taken care of. Thousands of jobs are created annually as a direct result of the hospitality industry.
Knowledge is an important aspect of any job. It is vital to the success of the organisation you work for and for your own sense of professionalism to gain as much knowledge about the things that affect your role.
Information you need to be familiar with in your role, could include, but is not limited to:
- In depth knowledge of your product or service
- In depth knowledge of your organisation and the industry
- Employment conditions
- Effect of your business on local amenities and facilities
- The role of the local community in your industry
- How your sector of the industry interacts with other sectors within that industry
- Local area knowledge
- Career opportunities
- Current and emerging technology and trends and so on
Source and use relevant industry information
Satisfying customer needs must, first, begin with providing them with information necessary for them to make informed decisions about how to best meet their needs.
In today’s world of almost limitless information, however, where to you begin to know where and how to access it?
Identifying Sources of Information
In order to promote your product or service effectively you will need to be knowledgeable about it. There is an almost never ending array of not only different products and services to choose from, but a great many companies offering them. Nobody expects you to know everything there is to know about all of these products and companies. Much of the product knowledge you attain, you will build up over time.
In the meantime , however, important sources of general product knowledge include:
…. continued in learner guide ……