A, A breathtaking sight from the high altitude region, The magnificent and imposing Vivekananda Rock Memo, Where work and life is a celebration! Reviewed by: Alicia Bodine, Certified Ramsey Solutions Master Financial Coach. A travel operator can be the supplier of the services as well that he present to its customers. A Travel Agency vs. A Tour Operator. Name at least two of the world´s bigget tour operators. Whether its travelling in the Himalayas or soaking sun in the Maldivian beaches, you name it and we will make it happen as per your comfort and convenience. A tour operator specializes. Travel agents make sure you don’t have unpleasant surprises like unexpected resort or tourism fees. Both a travel agency and a tour operator will help you go on a trip. When it comes to tourism and travel facilities then all kind of facilities comes under this area like car rentals, hotels booking, railway or airline reservation, cruise lines etc. So, being an agent, the source of income of travel agent is the commission that he is paid by the agencies for which he is working. If you’re traveling aboard for the first time, you might prefer a little extra help. Most of the operation of travel operators are linked with the sale and purchase of tickets and the visa process. Tour operator is directly responsible to the regulatory authorities while travel agent is first responsible to the clients and then to the travel operator. A tour operator can get you into the best sightseeing attractions, take you to restaurants with delicious local cuisine, and make sure you spend your nights in comfortable surroundings. Some travel agents work directly with tour operators and provide the tour operators with the information of clients. It's up to you whether you prefer to (a) talk to the creator or the product, or (b) have a wide range of product from different manufacturers to choose from. Now, should you do the planning yourself or go through a travel agent? You’re planning a trip. The basic functions of all these remain with little difference on the additional services and sectors in which they operate. If you need to cancel, you’d better do it in advance if you’ve made the arrangements yourself. Maybe you want to do something exotic. Karen Gardner is a former feature editor and writer and is now a freelance writer. The main difference between a tour operator and a travel agent is that tour operator is the person who is actually responsible for the planning of the trip/tour package while travel agent is the person who is involved in selling the tour package. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Many a people now prefer a tour operator rather a travel agent. A travel agent will help you arrange transportation, find lodgings, and suggest an itinerary. The designation travel agent itself describing a person working as an agent. As we have talked about the main difference already. Their responsibility is to provide your vacation with all the necessities. Some common types of tour operators are inbound tour operators, outbound tour operators, domestic tour operators, group operators and destination management companies. He does not accompany travelers or tourists. Road, Sector - 28, Gurugram, Haryana 122001, Savor the Indian wedding extravaganzas with us! A travel agent will help you arrange transportation, find lodgings, and suggest an itinerary. This is because a trip on a smaller scale does not require that degree of end-to-end management on the customer’s end. Dealing with specially one country at a time. You can also ask friends and family for recommendations, which can be invaluable. If you want to visit the Galapagos Islands, a travel agent can make that possible with little stress and much peace of mind. Not every trip needs to be planned through an agent, but if you prefer not to sweat the details, it may be worth it to use a travel agent. The travel agent is a person that knows tourist products very well and that are directly selling them to customers. In that’s way he doesn’t work as commission agent for the services providing companies. Subscribe to receive our best monthly deals. New posts will not be retrieved. Many a people now prefer a tour operator rather a travel agent. The duties of travel agent are mostly services based that requires not too much investment while travel operator is required to invest in the business. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. A tour operator will arrange your transportation, lodgings, food, entertainment, and itinerary. They even pay services to the travelers on behalf of all these hotels, resorts or even rent-a-car services. A tour operator will arrange your transportation, lodgings, food, entertainment, and itinerary. There are proper training programs in order to pursue the career as a travel agent while travel operator needs the business management practices. If there are cancellations due to weather or other cancellations, a travel agent can redo your itinerary with little stress and effort on your part. You can use an online travel agent or a brick-and-mortar agent. Make sure your agent takes time with you. The working system of modern day travel agents has been reshaped to much extent. Both will do their best to make sure you have a good time. Tour operators look into all the aspects of a vacation, they plan almost each and everything. It has proper organization structure because in a case of large travel operating company there can be subsidiaries in the other cities or countries as well. It’s easy to comparison shop. Both will sell you travel insurance (never go on vacation without travel insurance). • While both tour operators and travel agents are involved in providing a tourist with relaxing and wonderful vacations, there are differences in roles and functions between the two. These can include travel agents and operators, but also companies organizing foreign events and sending delegations abroad. The main difference between a Travel agent and Tour operator are following as: A travel agent is a person who has full knowledge of tourist product – destinations, modes of travel, climate, accommodation, and other areas of the service sector. A tour operator removes the headaches. The high street retail store is the travel agent. Similarly, customized packages are more suited for travel agents who work with operators and DMCs. In that’s way he doesn’t work as commission agent for the services providing companies. So, a tour operator actually plans out the tour or holiday. A tour operator is one who comes up with their own holiday itinerary and sells it as a package. While travel operator earned by providing services to the clients and he also earned commission from the different companies by booking their services for the clients. You control what you do. The main difference between a tour operator and a travel agent is that tour operator is the person who is actually responsible for the planning of the trip/tour package while travel agent is the person who is involved in selling the tour package. A tour operator knows an area well. Like for one distinct country, there will be a specialized tour operator, who knows almost everything about that place. There are specialized tour operators as well. Make sure you have printouts of all your reservations so if you are questioned, you have proof. Becoming a travel agent doesn’t requires so much time as compared to the travel operator that needs … Changing flights and hotels can get expensive and time consuming. Some travel consultants (like me) are registered as a tour operator for legal business purposes. In that case, a certified travel agent might be the right person to help you (choose a certified travel agent, one who belongs to ASTA or CLIA). This is because a trip on a smaller scale does not require that degree of end-to-end management on the customer’s end. You can also ask for a tour guide. If you're planning on a cruise, the travel agent may even have a deal that gets you an onboard credit. In the age of internet, more and more people are becoming aware of how travel works, and how to plan their own trips. So, tour operators basically create pre-packages holidays for the travelers. However, many are also doing it to further understand the industry and how to bring disruptive changes to it. And if there are any problems, your tour guide is there to help — you don’t need to call a travel agent who’s 2,000 miles away. In addition to earning commission against bookings, he also received benefits and bonuses from the tourism and travel companies as well. If you're seeking a package deal, travel agents can take the stress out of comparing notes. A tour operator packages trip elements into travel packages that they either sell directly or through travel agents. Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. But what are the differences between a travel agency and a tour operator? Travel is Restricted, but Inspiration Isn’t. And if there are any problems, your tour guide is there to help — you don’t need to call a travel agent who’s 2,000 miles away. Travel agent gets permit to work from the respective tour operator either private or public while travel operator acquires license from the regional ministry of tourism.