"Home of the Dragons!"
FTHS STUDENT TRAVEL AGENCY
"The Sky's the Limit"
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations! You and three of your classmates have just been chosen to start a new division of the "FTHS Student Travel Agency" envisioning and marketing package vacations in a foreign country. As travel consultants you envision, research, develop, and advertise a rare product, one which will be highly valued by all human beings who enjoy traveling, but don't have the time, resources, or perhaps the energy to research the area to which they would like to travel. You are not only going to entice the tourists of this world, but you are also going to have a hand in shaping their cultural and recreational experience abroad. Not only will this new position offer you the opportunity to work with your peers, it may also allow you to explore many areas of this planet that you have yet to see. Bon Voyage!
THE TASK
Welcome to your first assignment. In order to ensure that your new division takes off with a flying start, you and your partners need to create a sample product which "The FTHS Student Travel Agency" will be using to advertise its services. Your foursome will be designing and creating a unique travel brochure and website by doing research on the Internet. Within this brochure you will be including general information about the selected destination, areas of historical and recreational interest, and a choice of travel packages. In addition, you must include pictures and images to appeal to the eyes of your consumers. Remember, first impressions are always the most lasting impressions, so you'll want to create utterly polished and professional website and brochure. You will finally need to present your products with a PowerPoint presentation. Hopefully this advertising will yield smooth sailing ahead for the FTHS Student Travel Agency and promotions and pay increases for all members of your group!
THE PROCESS
1. The first thing that you and your colleagues need to do is download the Goals Inspiration 6.0 file. At each stage of the Process, you must fill out the date tasks are completed.
2. Next you must collectively decide on the destination (ie. country, or region) for which you will create your travel brochure and websites to advertise. Brainstorm possible destinations that you think the public would be interested in. Once you have a list of worthy destinations, hold a group vote to decide upon the destination on which you will base your travel brochure. Select a name for your new division in the FTHS Student Travel Agency (ie. "Division Azteca," "Area Group Arabian Sea," or "Deutscheland Department").
3. Your group then needs to distribute the following roles to each member of the group. Below is a list of roles that need to be fulfilled, followed by a description of the job that accompanies the role. In the "Resources" portion, you will find a list of websites to consult in order to complete each job effectively and efficiently.
Ambassador of Destination:
The ambassador will be the person who is providing a complete profile of the destination. The ambassador should provide the following:
- a detailed map of the destination
- geographic, demographic, and environmental descriptions
- population and weather reports
- a list of major cities
- language(s) spoken
- religions and holidays celebrated
- government and cultures practiced
- the currency used
The historian/tour guide is responsible for providing a brief history of the destination, in addition to finding areas of historical or trivial interest within the desired destination. The historian should research and include the following:
- specific historical locations
- a map and brief description of the significance of each historical location
- a list of available tours that offer tourists an opportunity to site see
- a price list and schedule of tours
Everyone likes to have fun on vacation, so the recreation director has an important job. He or she needs to find the hot spots or events at the desired destination and make them available to the tourists. Remember, not everyone is alike. Some people like water sports; some like indoor activities. Some people are early risers, while others party all night long and sleep late. The recreation director needs to research and identify the following:
- activities varying from indoor to outdoor, land to water, dawn to dusk
- names and locations of areas of interest (recreation, dining, etc.)
- maps, schedules, and prices for activities if available
- any other specific instructions or restrictions to accompany activities
The travel agent too has a very important job. For without this help, people would not be able to get to their destination. The travel agent needs to shop around and find the best prices for the following:
- transportation to destination
- transportation within destination (car rental, subway, bus, etc.)
- lodging accommodations
- dining accommodations
In addition, the travel agent needs to offer a variety of packages for the various wallet sizes. The travel agent must keep in mind that people of all incomes and interests travel. Some like to travel with class; some just like to get to their desired destination, even if it means driving long hours in a bus. Also, the travel agent must remember that not all people are crazy about the same types of transportation, hotel chains, and restaurants. The key to success with this job is offering a variety of packages that include a variety of choices.
4. Once all roles have been distributed, each group member should visit the given web sites and begin to compile all of the information and images for which he or she is responsible. Download the Inspiration 6.0 notes files for Ambassador, Historian/Tour Guide, Recreation Director, and Travel Agent on which to compile your notes.
5. Once all information has been collected in an Inspiration file, as individuals you must sort through your collection, selecting the important stuff and discarding the rest. You will then craft different vacation packages for your destination; each member will be responsible for creating one package vacation tour. You will need to provide flight information, accomodations, restaurants, and a detailed itinerary as to each day's activities. Each vacation will last approximately five days. Download your budget from here.
6. You will then make a brochure for each of these three vacations. You need to convey the information you have collected in a persuasive fashion. After all, you do want to rally some interest in your customers rather than discourage their travels. Persuasive language includes lots of detailed descriptions, action verbs, and imaginative phrases. You also need to include all the important information as to "why," "when," "where," "what" and "how much." Never forget that you are marketing a vacation in this brochure; besides being informative, the brochure needs to look professional and attractive! Check out your brochure rubric right here!
7. Your group then needs to begin putting together one general brochure for your travel division about your country of destination and various package tours, and a website, a PowerPoint file, and a oral presentation conveying the same information. Each must be as professional and informative as possible. (See rubric for Oral Presentation, final brochure, and website) In addition to these responsibilities, you can have one person work exclusively on finding pictures, if you have enough people in your subdivision.
RESOURCES
The following links will be extremely helpful to you when your group researches its chosen destination.
Lonely Planet provides general information, maps, histories, travel packages, entertainment and site seeing guides for the destination of your choice. This is a great all-around general site.
Travelocity is one of the most powerful one-stop travel sites on the Internet providing secure online reservation capabilities for air, car, hotel and vacation reservations.
Let's Go Accurate and sassy, Let's Go brings you the world. This is the "must have" for budget and youth travelers. Lots of nitty-gritty information for the youthful traveler.
Fodor's Your guide to destinations around the world. Boring but comprehensive site. All the information you might want.
The Encyclopedia Britannica provides more comprehensible general information than you could possibly use on your destination of choice.
The CIA Factbook is an excellent and brisk introduction to your destination and its vital statistics.
Lonely Planet-Destinations provides specific information about specific destinations. This is a great place to zero in on the general information about your country of destination.
Excite-Travel provides general information, maps, histories, travel packages, entertainment, and site seeing guides for the destination of your choice.
Eurotrotter: The Internet Traveler Guide for Europe This site gives you an easy and convenient access to many thousands of internet sites that will help you explore your destination, find an accommodation, book a journey or holidays and lead you to all kinds of service-organizations that can be helpful in traveling.
Europe for Visitors An excellent guide to Europe, including many first-hand accounts of European countries, as well as the usual information about flights, accommodations, history, maps, recreational activities, and links to other good sights. Another good sight to explore in depth.
Yahoo-Travel provides general information, maps, histories, travel packages, entertainment, and site seeing guides for the destination of your choice. Excite-Destinations provides specific information about specific destinations.
The Rough Guide to Travel Online offers up-to-the minute details and illuminating commentary on thousands of destinations and travel-related happenings worldwide. We aim to be your favorite travel resource on the Internet.
Yahoo-Recreation/Travel provides entertainment and recreational information for the destination of your choice. This is one of the best sites on the Web from which to start your research.
Best Read Guide provides general information, maps, histories, travel packages, entertainment, and site seeing guides for the destination of your choice.
Yahoo-Vacations/Travel provides on-line assistance for vacation planning, including transportation, lodging, and dining accommodations.
Lowestfare.com provides supposedly budget fares for the destination of your choice, as well as a cool travel guide.
EVALUATION
Each group member will be given an individual grade as well as a group grade.
Group members will be graded individually based on:
- the fulfillment of his/her job
- the quality of material included in the brochure and website
- the content, organization, and mechanics of the persuasive writing.
- the creativity executed to complete the work
- the neatness exhibited in the final product
Group grades will be based on:
- the overall appearance of the final product
- the collaborative effort exhibited to complete the brochure, website, and PowerPoint presentation.
- the fulfillment of the project criteria
Click here to see Travel Brochure Rubric
CONCLUSION
The Internet can be a very valuable source to all people, particularly when they need to get information quickly and successfully. Traveling on the Internet can be just as enjoyable for cyber surfers as it is for tourists. Not all people have the resources to travel, so the Internet offers an opportunity that they may not otherwise be given.
By completing this project, you have cooperated with your peers to gain knowledge about your selected destination and technological skills to create electronic products, and to improve your persuasive writing skills. Bravo! Job well done! Congratulations!