Tour organization

Details

TOURISM

1 Tourism essentials

1.1 Definitions in travel and tourism

1.2 Tourism past and present

1.3 Trends in tourism

2 Tour organization

2.1 The chain of distribution in the tourism industry

2.2 Tour operators and travel agents

3 Types of tourism

3.1 Purpose of travel

3.1.1 Leisure

3.1.2 Business travel

3.1.3 Special interest tourism

3.2 Tourist attractions

Questions and Topics for Discussion

List the revolutionary changes that enabled the masses to travel for leisure.
What are the most important trends in tourism today?
Identify the major changes in domestic/outbound tourism in Hungary.
What distinguishes a tourist from an excursionist?
Describe the chain of distribution in the tourism industry?
What are the main tasks of a tour operator/travel agent?
Who is a fam trip organized for?
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the package holiday.
What are the most popular mass forms/special interest forms of tourism?
What kinds of places can become tourist attractions?
What are some of the attractions and kinds of entertainment that make major tourist destinations?

1 Tourism essentials

1.1 Definitions in travel and tourism

The tourist industry has become one of the most important economic influences in modern times.

According to Wikipedia tourism is travel for recreational, leisure, or business purposes. The World Tourism Organisation (WTO)defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".

In 1976, the Tourism Society of England's definition was: "Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to a destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes."

A tourist is distinguished by the length of his trip from an excursionist, who is away from his usual residence for less than 24 hours.

Inbound and outbound tourism are forms of international tourism. Inbound tourists are tourists entering a country from their own country of origin, and outbound tourists are those who leave their country of origin to travel to another country. Domestic tourism is the term used to describe tourist trips which take place in the tourist’s own country.

Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. After slowly recovering from the contraction resulting from the late-2000s recession, where tourism suffered a strong slowdown from the second half of 2008 through the end of 2009, international tourist arrivals surpassed the milestone 1 billion tourists globally for first time in history in 2012. International tourism receipts grew to US$1.03 trillion (€740 billion) in 2011, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 3.8% from 2010. In 2012, China became the largest spender in international tourism globally, surpassing Germany and the United States and emerging markets like e.g. Russia or Brazil significantly increase their spending over the past decade.

Tourism is important, and in some cases, vital for many countries. It was recognized in the Manila Declaration on World Tourism of 1980 as "an activity essential to the life of nations because of its direct effects on the social, cultural, educational, and economic sectors of national societies and on their international relations.

1.2 Tourism past and present

Ancient times

Trade, business and religion were the most important reasons for travelling in ancient times. Throughout history people have travelled all over the world to trade with other nations or tribes. As early as 3000 BC. There were caravan routes from Eastern Europe to North Africa, India and China. Caravansaries were built a day’s march apart, where both the people and animals could rest and refresh themselves. Journeys often lasted for months or years. Greeks and Romans were famous traders but there is also evidence of some travel for private purposes at this time. Holidays, of course, have their origin in ‘holy days’, and from the earliest times people have travelled for religious reasons, so the first inns were established around or near holy places. Later, in Europe inns and taverns were built along the roads at the distance a horse could travel a day. It has to be mentioned here, that not only in Ancient times but in the Middle Ages and in Modern Times too, tourism, catering and hospitality were closely connected. As we move forward in history, they become independent branches of industry.

The Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages the members of the ruling classes travelled to their distant estates, knights went to hunt or to seek new adventure, apprentices sought work, or went to learn at famous workshops, students travelled to study with famous scientists, actors went from inn to inn reciting poetry. Pilgrims appeared on the roads of feudal Europe as the Crusade to the Holy Land began.

The Modern Age

In the 17^th century it became fashionable with the younger generation of the aristocracy to set out to visit various countries in Europe and famous towns such as Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice, Munich, and Vienna on a trip called a ‘Grand Tour’ in order to improve their knowledge.

In the 18^th century, travel for health became important when the rich people of Europe began to visit the spa towns. Fashionable spas sprang up in Switzerland, France, Germany. The spa of Bath, situated in Southern England was famous both as a centre of social life, and also a place at which to find treatment. The technical inventions and discoveries of the industrial revolution brought about qualitative changes in tourism. The most important stages were the following: the steam engine invented in 1778, the steamship in 1807 and the locomotive in 1817. Railway lines were laid all over Europe and on other continents. The economic boom, which took place at the end of the 19^th century, brought about considerable changes in Europe.

In 1841 Thomas Cook opened the first travel agency and organised a tour using chartered trains. He can be considered the founder of organised travel. Thomas Cook, the father of mass tourism was a printer in Leicester, England and the secretary of a local church organisation. In 1841 he arranged a rail trip for members of his church to a meeting in Loughborough, a round trip of twenty-two miles, which was the world’s first package tour. Cook immediately saw the potential for business development in the sector, and became the world's first tour operator. After a few more similar trips, in 1845 he advertised a trip to Liverpool for the general public, then to places all over Britain. He soon published the first travel magazine with details of trips and advice to travellers. From 1855 he took groups to Paris, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland. By the time he opened an office in London, he had already had a million clients. He organised tours to New York, the Holy Land and Egypt. Cook revolutionized travel by introducing the circular ticket instead of the numerous tickets from the railway companies involved in a longer journey, the traveller’s cheque and a system of coupons for hotel rooms and meals. Thomas Cook, the first tour operator was followed by many very soon, offering services to the growing middle classes.

As the railroads carried a large number of people further and more rapidly, large hotels were constructed near the train stations. Following the development of the short sea ferry services in the 1820s, deep-sea services were introduced on routes to North America and the Far East. Mass tourism began to develop when the invention of the train allowed large numbers of people to get to places of leisure interest in a short time and more people began to enjoy the benefits of leisure time.

The 20^th century

In the initial years of the 20th century pleasure travel continued to expand. World War I stopped this development briefly but during the 20s regular tourism started to pick up again. Forms of travel however began to change radically. The railways went into a period of steady decline with the introduction of the motor car. The most outstanding invention of the 20^th century is the airplane which revolutionized tourism again. With the introduction of the Boeing 707 jets in 1958, the age of air travel for the masses arrived. The appearance of low-cost/no-frills/budget airlines presents serious competition for the different airlines.

Freddie Laker was one of the pioneers of modern passenger air travel. He was an engineer and entrepreneur who helped the rapid expansion of air travel, using developments in aircraft technology after World War II. In 1955 he introduced an air service carrying passengers and cars across the Channel between England and France. It was in the 1960s and 1970s that the real growth in charter air travel began, as more and more people wanted to go on package holidays. Freddie Laker helped make air travel a realistic and fairly cheap possibility for many travellers and tourists. The developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as jumbo jets, low-cost airlines and more accessible airports have made many types of tourism more affordable.

After WWII paid holidays began to be the norm; people had more disposable income. In 1950 package holidays first appeared but really picked up after the introduction of the first jet airliners in the 60s. After a couple of years of mainly short-haul travel it was a mixture of politics and technology that brought the remotest parts of the world within reach. Revenue from tourism seemed more and more attractive. For years the national airlines had opposed any competition from charters but they changed their mind and charters started up in 1988.

The majority of tourists today either travel by car or plane. A smaller number travel by coach on organised round trips, especially if the distance to be covered is not long.

There has been an up-trend in tourism over the last few decades, especially in Europe, where international travel for short breaks is common. Tourists have a wide range of budgets and tastes, and a wide variety of resorts and hotels have developed to cater for them. For example, some people prefer simple beach vacations, while others want more specialized holidays, quieter resorts, family-oriented holidays or niche market-targeted destination hotels.

There have also been changes in lifestyle, for example some retirement-age people sustain year round tourism. Smaller nuclear families, single person and single parent households, and an ageing population significantly changed the tourism market. People above the age of 55 have been more active, fit and affluent than any of the previous generations used to be. As the tourism market has expanded beyond the traditional pattern of holidays for couples and families, the tourist load increased and had to be spread to control and reduce its scale – among others for environmental reasons. Travel periods have been spread and tourists have begun to holiday throughout the calendar year, also taking second holidays which is facilitated by internet sales of tourist services. While sun, sea and sand tourism still dominates, the standard two-week beach vacation is becoming less popular.

Online booking has been booming recently. Some sites have now started to offer dynamic packaging, in which an inclusive price is quoted for a tailor-made package requested by the customer.

Numerous niche or specialty travel forms of tourism have emerged over the years. People nowadays take shorter but more diverse trips causing the growth of adventure travel, ecotourism, cultural tours, religious, heritage or culinary tourism, spa holidays, cruises, sport vacations, luxury cruises, etc.

Authenticity is another trend: wealthier Western travellers look for more exotic, individualized experiences. Governments of these sometimes off-the-beaten-path countries try hard to cater to this new demand, which offers them the opportunity to keep more tourism revenue within their borders. Some of the examples include: Do-Good Holidays: caring for orphans in Romania, planting trees in Uganda, rebuilding monasteries in Mongolia, Herbal Holidays: pampering the body and spirit with grape-seed therapy, hot steam bath in a wooden room (banya) in Moscow etc., Learning About Indigenous Cultures Holidays on the coast of eastern South Africa where you can have dinner with folk story-telling by the fire, Themed Vacation Cruiseswhich offere.g. yoga-themed, classical music, culinary festival, wine-tasting cruises and also educationals by naturalists and historians – all on board.

Although there have been a few setbacks in tourism at the beginning of the 21^st century, e.g. terrorist attacks to tourist destinations or the tsunami of December 2004 caused by the Indian Ocean earthquake which stopped or severely hampered tourism in certain areas for a time, longer term trends – including a rise in global wealth, improving transport technology, liberalization of international airspace, cheaper flights and the use of the Internet as a travel tool – make it possible for more people around the world to travel than ever before.

The prestige of travel has been on the increase worldwide. Tomorrow’s tourists will come from new places; the number of Asian, and particularly Chinese tourists is predicted to explode as the region becomes more integrated into the global economy.

UNIT 1+1B

Tour organisation, Types and Forms of Tourism + Conferences

Tourism is an activity done by an individual or a group of individuals, which leads to moving from one place to another for specific purposes of entertaining or getting to know other civilizations and cultures, also increasing the knowledge of countries, cultures, and history.

Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. Tourism can be domestic or international, and international tourism can be both incoming and outgoing.

Today, tourism is major source of income for many countries, and affects the economy of both the source and host countries, in some cases it is of vital importance. Tourism has a direct impact on the national revenue; it creates work opportunities, industries, and several investments.

Vocabulary Practice

1. Match the words on the left with the words on the right to form word partnerships. Some words can be used more than once.

distribution tourism
outbound tour
tour holiday
travel trip
package chain
tourist operators
familiarization attractions
guided destinations
tailor-made guide
incentive agents

2. Now match the above partnerships with the following definitions.

a) when tourists leave their country of origin to travel to other countries

b) they buy a range of tourism products in bulk and sell them in ’packages’, they are the wholesalers of the industry

c) the common synonym for the technical term ’inclusive tour’

d) they are the retailers of the tourism industry and they are in direct contact with the consumers

e) natural or man-made places of interest, sights for tourists to visit

f) the marketing channels of getting products from the producers to the consumers.

g) a tour which is accompanied by a guide

h) a trip offered by an organization to its employees as reward for successful performance or to motivate them to work harder

i) an educational trip usually offered to travel agents to make them acquainted with destinations or services sold by them

k) the person who is in charge of a tour or an excursion, usually making travel arrangements and accompanying a sightseeing trip

3. Put the following words or expressions from the box under the correct headings.

high advance deposit disposable income health off/low

sports commission peak business shoulder

religion VFR(visiting friends and relatives) discounted rate break even

voucher leisure/holiday refund policy study

Reasons for travelling

Tourism seasons

Money terms

4. Now find out which of the above terms are defined below.

1. partial payment for goods or services before they are provided

2. the point where the costs and earnings are balanced, i.e. no loss or profit is made

3. an amount of money usually calculated on a percentage basis and paid to an agent for selling goods or services

4. any rate below the standard minimum rate

5. repayment scheme especially in case of cancellation

6. a document used as ‘payment’ in exchange for services like accommodation, meals or sightseeing, etc.

5. Tourism experts use a lot of abbreviations. Do you know what they stand for?

ABTA
IT and CIT
PAX
B&B
HB and FB
CDW and LDW

6. The verbs on the left can go with some or all of the given words in the same line. Decide which.

1. TO ESTABLISH a) contact b) a company c) someone’s priorities

2. TO COVER a) costs b) distance c) an excursion

3. TO DO a) a plan b) research c) a job

4. TO ISSUE a) documents b) money c) a resort

5) TO OBTAIN a) documents b) details c) a replacement passport

6. TO ARRANGE a) a trip b) a meeting c) travel documents

7. TO NEGOTIATE a) a contract b) prices c) products

8. TO CHANGE a) buses b) one’s mind c) the itinerary

7. Match the words in box A with their synonyms in box B. You will not need all the words in box B

1. costs

2. provide

3. revenue

4. purpose

5. purchase

income

target

give

buy

expenses

receive

8. Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capitals.

1. REPRESENT

The .........................of the agency is visiting the campsite at the moment.

2. DEPEND

He has never joined any tourist groups as he prefers to be an .................traveller.

3. CONVENIENT

The hotel manager apologized to the guests for the ...............................

4. VARY

......................exciting programmes are offered for entertainment.

Warm up

Task 1

In small groups brainstorm a few purposes why foreign visitors come to Hungary.
Which of these forms of tourism do you think generate the largest revenue to the country? Why?

Task 2

Choose a tourism region in Hungary and describe what forms of tourism can be found there.
Suggest a few ways in which more custom could be attracted to the area both from outside and from inside the country.
How do you think tourists’ reasons for travelling have changed over the past twenty years? (Ask/Think of your parents.)
Think of a few typical factors that might lead to culture clashes when foreign tourists visit a country/ Hungary.

Reading Comprehension

How to get your teeth fixed cheaply outside the UK

Travelling to Budapest for dentistry has given Anne Traynor something to smile about financially too, writes Esther Shaw (The Guardian, Wednesday June 18, 2008).

As the chance of finding an NHS dentist diminishes, more and more people are booking cheap flights to Hungary or Poland to get implants, fillings and teeth-whitening done for a fraction of the price of private fees in the UK.

Recent figures from RevaHealth, a medical tourism search engine, show that last year, 45,000 people from the UK travelled overseas for dental treatment, up from 30,000 in 2006. VitalEurope, a Hungarian dental clinic, claims that 95% of its patients are from the UK, and that it is currently treating 200 Brits each month. Meanwhile, figures from healthplan provider HSA show that one-in-five people in the UK are avoiding a trip to the dentist because of worries about the cost.

"Over the past year or two, the dental tourism market from the UK has exploded," says Thomas Antalffy, managing partner at VitalEurope. "These individuals are choosing to travel to countries such as Hungary for the cost savings, which can be considerable. There's also a huge demand for cosmetic treatment which isn't available through the NHS, and which can be extremely expensive if done privately in the UK."

…Anne Traynor, who is 55 and from Bexleyheath, has made five trips to Budapest for dental treatment and saved herself thousands of pounds. Traynor wanted dental treatment for the two gaps in her lower teeth caused by an accident, and met the dentist who would be treating her at a clinic in London for an initial consultation. "What swung the decision for me was meeting the dentist. I've had problems with both private and NHS treatment in the past, but he put me completely at ease."

…While there are some hefty savings to be made on your dental treatment by heading overseas, you do need to do your research. "The vast majority of people who opt for dental treatment abroad will be absolutely fine, but there can be repercussions when things go wrong," warns Joanna Pearl from Which? "Patients may, for example, have to contend with a different legal system."

…You should also be aware that not all dentists overseas are as highly trained as those in the UK. "Individuals should recognise that by visiting a UK dentist, they can guarantee they are seen by a qualified and registered dentist," says Caroline Lakeman from HSA. "All qualified dentists must be registered with the General Dental Council before practising in the UK, and this can help protect the patient."

…So there are plenty of things to think about before you decide to go abroad for dentistry treatment. But with care, it can save you thousands of pounds - and give you something to smile about.

1. Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? Underline the part of the text where the answer can be found and answer T for True and F for False.

Having dental treatment is cheaper in Hungary than Poland.

The majority of people who do not visit the dentist in the UK do so because it is too expensive.

Non-medical dental treatment is not available in the UK.

Ann Traynor trusted the dentist when she met him for the first time.

Having dental treatment abroad can often be risky according to Which magazine.

Any British dentist is better trained than those outside the UK according to a British provider.

2. Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D

What is the writer's main purpose?

A. To outline the dangers involved in having dental work done abroad

B. To describe the options available for dental treatment abroad

C. To explain the differences in the comparative cost of treatment in Hungary and the UK.

D. To persuade people to go abroad for dental treatment.

Listening

Internet Travel

You will be hearing part of a radio programme about the impact of the internet on people’s travel habits.

I. Before listening to the text, discuss the following questions:

1. How has the internet changed the way we travel?

2. Have you ever booked a holiday online?

3. What travel products are most commonly booked on the internet?

4. What household names are there in the Hungarian travel market?

5. What kinds of overhead costs does a traditional travel agency have?

II. Listen to the text, and decide whether the following statements are true or false according to what you hear.

1. Sean Dodson works for a British travel agency.

2. We can book hotels on line all around the world, except in China.

3. The first travel website in the US was Expedia in 1995.

4. Lonely Planet’s website has message boards called “Thorn Tree”.

5. The internet gives more control to tourists.

6. When Sean booked his first holiday, there were no computers in travel agencies yet.

7. Low-cost airlines fly to the same destinations as traditional airlines.

8. Travel agencies offer many products that you cannot find on the internet.

9. Sean enjoys booking travel products online.

10. Sean orders guidebooks online before the travel.

Monologue Questions

What is the traditional role of a tour operator? How do they specialise?
How do they traditionally sell their products?
What can be included in a package? What are some pricing arrangements?
How do travel agents differ from tour operators? What services do they offer?
For which destinations would you choose a package tour? Why?
How is the internet threatening travel companies? Is there a future for them?
What can be the reasons why a travel company goes bankrupt?
What are the most popular attractions of Hungary?
How often did Hungarians go on holiday 30 years ago? How long was the typical holiday? How has it changed?

Role Play (Situation)

Equestrian tourism

Role A - Managing Director of Hungarian holiday company

You are Antal/Anita Bakos, managing director of a Hungarian holiday company. You would like to penetrate the British market offering equestrian tours to upmarket British clientele. You meet Tom/Tina Sherwood, sales and marketing manager of a British travel agency in his/her London office where you propose your ideas to your potential partner for consideration.

During the discussion:

briefly introduce your company,
describe your scope of activity list and describe the tours on offer (use the data below as the basis of the information)
- visits to the Hungarian National Stud Farm &/or private stud farms. 
- horse shows, excursions on horseback, carriage-driving courses, dressage instruction. 
- horse camps for children, riding-school training for beginners to advanced riders.
introduce the riding regions in Hungary with the help of the map provided
answer any questions that might arise during the discussion

Role B - Sales and Marketing Manager of a British Travel Agency

You are Tom/Tina Sherwood, sales and marketing manager of a British travel agency. You meet Antal/Anita Bakos, managing director of a Hungarian holiday company in your London office. Antal/Anita Bakos would like to discuss possible future cooperation between your company and his/hers, and s/he has come to see you to introduce his/her company to you.

During the discussion:

make enquiries about available equestrian tours 
obtain information about riding regions and possibilities in Hungary 
ask him/her about the possibilities of arranging horse purchasing trips 
enquire about the possibilities of renting riding apparel (breeches and riding boots)
find out about the possibilities of combining riding with cultural/gastronomic programmes

Writing Task

Ön a magyar Equus Tours utazási iroda munkatársa. Az iroda luxus lovas nyaralásokat és táborokat szervez. Amerikai üzleti partnere lefoglalt egy kéthetes nyaralást 10 magyar származású amerikai fiatal számára. Írjon a foglalásról visszaigazoló levelet amerikai partnerének (Mary Smith) 150-180 szóban. A levél tartalmazza az alábbi szempontokat:

pontos dátum
szállás (kétágyas szobák egy családi panzióban, Heves megyében)
ellátás (félpanzió)
lovas túrák (napi 4 óra, az első nap kivételével)
fakultatív kirándulások (hőlégballonos kirándulás, városnézés Budapesten és Egerben, Mátra Bob Adrenalin Kalandpark, reggelente magyar nyelvórák)
reptéri transzfer
lemondási feltételek

Grammar Test 1

I. Supply the suitable form of the verbs in brackets.

1 I should ………………………. (book) in advance. There are no free rooms now.

2 Passengers arriving late will ..................... (not allow) to board the aircraft.

3 What makes you ………………… (think) that this is not the right bus?

4 If you had brought a map, we ……………………….. (not lose) our way.

5 When ............................... (the hotel, close) for the winter?

6 It’s great to be here again. I last ............................... (visit) Corfu ten years ago.

7-8 When I ............................... (check) in the hotel, I met a friend of mine whom I ................................ (not see) for ages.

II. Read the following letter concerning a delayed order. Find ONE grammatical mistake in each line. Write the correct sentence part on the dots.

Example: Please find enclosed our later catalogue. …….latest……

Thank you your letter of November 23^rd. We regret the delay in 9 ………….…

despatching your order for the twenty piece of double beds. 10 …………….

Unfortunate we had problems with our new computerised 11 …………….

system for deal with orders, and as a result, your order was mislaid. 12 …………….

We apologise for the inconvenient and hope that it will not 13 …………….

deter you from doing business with use in the future. 14 …………….

III. Fill in the gaps with a suitable preposition.

15 Finding a new colleague could prove difficult ….. such short notice.

16 I would like to draw your attention ………. some misprints in your catalogue.

17 I’m not satisfied ……. your attitude. Try to be more polite.

18 Nearly 80% of our guests ……. average come from Germany.

19 The document you want is not available ……… present.

20 The colleagues always commented …….. their neglected office surroundings.

UNIT 1 (B)

Conferences

Conference services include the booking of conferences, meetings, or other events, as well as the planning and provision of the services necessary for those events to be successful. Conference services are also commonly referred to as meeting management, event management, event planning, or event marketing. Conference services vary according to the event, but typically include budgeting, lodging arrangements, catering, and audio visual equipment and support.

Conferences are often hosted by hotels with on-site conference facilities. These usually include large and small meeting rooms, IT facilities, a ballroom, and audio-visual facilities for speakers or presentations. Meals are usually handled by the hotel's own food and beverage department. These conference services are all managed by on-site personnel and coordinated by the conference services manager, who makes all the necessary arrangements when informed by the group of their needs.

Choosing a conference facility is best accomplished by examining the needs of the group and what they seek to accomplish during their event. Typical conferences include trade shows, company training programs, or yearly awards ceremonies. Many hotel conference services planners also plan weddings or small family events. The goal in hiring conference service professionals is to ensure that all the group's needs are met and that the event goes smoothly without having to worry oneself about the details.

Vocabulary Practice

1. Match the words in the box with a definition below. There are more words than definitions.

projector seating capacity annual autocue session

delegate reception interpreter spouse provisional

1 a conference participant

2 a formal social occasion

3 husband or wife

4 occurring every year

5 temporary

6 someone who mediates between speakers of different languages

7 a machine that shows a large image of a slide onto a screen

2. Match a word from column A with a word in column B to make word partnerships. There is one word in column A which cannot be matched.

A B A B

laser access conference equipment

tie-clip event audiovisual metre

annual pointer stacking chair

layout microphone duration package

Internet square

Now use some of the word partnerships (either their singular or plural forms) to fill in these sentences below.

1 Our speakers can choose between a hand-held or a/an .................................. .

2 “How big is the room?”

“It’s a 6 by 4 room, so it’s 24.................................. .

3 From our latest catalogue you can choose from an attractive selection of comfortable .................................... for banquet and conference seating.

4 Our basic .................................... starts at £49 per person/day. The minimum number of attendees must be 10 people.

5 A/an ....................................... is a small device designed to highlight something of interest by projecting a small bright spot of coloured light onto it.

3. Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with the correct form of the word at the end
of the sentence.

1 The Conference Centre is ..................................... on the LOCATION

ground floor.

2 What about the estimated .....................................? Do you ATTEND

know how many participants are planning to take part?

3 This conference room can ......................................... up to 300

people. ACCOMMODATION

4 Some of the ...................................... have decided to come PARTICIPATE

with their spouses.

5 I’m phoning to .................................. the arrangements of the FINAL

conference.

6 The plenary room can be ................................. into three DIVISION

sections.

7 The technical equipment we offer includes computer RENT

.................................... .

4. Fill in the gaps in the following conference programme with the words in the box
below. In some cases you have to use a word twice.

delegates venue registration provisional presenter(2) coffee break closing session buffet lunch(2) breakfast(2) refreshments

Travel Agents’ Annual Conference

(1)................................ Programme

Monday 16.00 (2)............................. and check-in

17.00-18.00 Opening ceremonies

(3)............................: Henry Greenhouse, chairman of the Association of British Travel Agents – ‘Tourism Industry and the Crisis’

(4)..............................: main auditorium, 1^st floor

18.15 Cocktail reception

19.00 Dinner

Tuesday 8.30 (5)...................................

9.30 Workshops

11.00 (6)...................................

11.30 Workshops

13.00 (7)...................................

15.00 Optional excursion: Guided tour of the city

(8)................................ are welcome to make use of the hotel’s leisure centre

19.00 Dinner

Wednesday 8.30 (9)....................................

9.15 Workshops

10.00 Coffee and (10)...................................

11.00 (11).......................................

(12)....................................: Thomas Barter – ‘New perspectives in selling methods’

12.15 (13)................................ and departure

5. Match the room layouts with the pictures:

1. Boardroom Style 2. Cabaret Style 3. Classroom Style 4. Hollow Square
5. U-Shape Style 6. Theatre Style

Reading Comprehension

Exclusive Lounges

Par 1 London as a hub, where many of the world’s business travellers are forced to change their connecting flights, is a source of much annoyance to businessmen from Ethiopia to Estonia.

Par 2 Heathrow has become such a depressing experience among frequent professional users that it is now a national embarrassment. Something has to be done about the running of the place, its shopping mall style, invisible customer services, mind-numbing security delays, its staffing levels and in particular its labyrinthine corridors with their vile institutional decor. The only saving grace of this hideous place is the profusion of excellent executive lounges which are a haven of peace and comfort.

Par 3 The lounge for me is the best thing about flying. I have one or two all time favourite lounges around the world. If I am lucky enough to be flying business class I prefer to arrive early, head straight for the lounge and ask hopefully if there is a delay. To be honest I could happily spend all day in a lounge that has unlimited Internet and bar access. Throw in the day-beds and dimmed lighting you get in the Sanctuary section of British Airway’s Classic lounge, or the circular champagne bar in its First Lounge and I am in heaven. Qantas even has the Toy Box, where children of all ages can play in a safe toy filled environment.

Par 4 We live at such a pace these days. People come straight off the plane, into the car and off to a meeting. In a world where every hour of time has to be accounted for, isn’t it nice to have inertia imposed on you, especially when it comes in such luxurious surroundings? And yet I often see men giving the nice ladies on the desk a hard time about when their flight will be departing. (By the way have you noticed how often lounge reception is manned by glamorous middle-aged women? I think some clever person has worked out that flying delays bring out the bad tempered little boy in many businessmen and this mindset is best dealt with by calm elegant mother figures.) Rather than give vent to frustration, why not give in to temptation and enjoy? It’s not as if you can’t be in contact with the rest of the world – by phone, fax, email and conference line – if you really have to.

Task 1

Are the following statements true or false? Underline the parts of the text where the answer can be found and write T for True or F for False.

1 Heathrow is a well-run airport.

2 The writer thinks flight delays can be a cause for celebration.

3 Qantas offers a segregated area for children on board.

4 Glamour alone is enough to calm irritated customers.

Task 2

Match words or expressions from the text with the following synonyms.

5 centre (par 1)

6 anger (par 1)

7 like a maze (par 2)

8 awful (par 2)

9 safe place (par 2)

10 add (par 3)

11 less bright (par 3)

12 inactiveness (par 4)

13 good looking and fashionable (par 4)

14 mentality (par 4)

Writing Task

Ön Anne/Andrew Smith konferenciaszervező. Írjon egy feljegyzést a szállodaszakemberek számára szervezett közelgő konferencia szekcióüléseit levezető moderátoroknak (session moderator) a következő információkkal, kb. 120 szóban:

A konferencia zavartalan lebonyolítása érdekében kérjük, tartsák be az alább felsoroltakat:

Az előadás előtt a moderátornak ellenőriznie kell, hogy a technikai berendezések működnek-e.

A moderátor feladata a szekciórésztvevők üdvözlése, az előadók bemutatása, az előadás előírt időtartamának pontos betartatása és a közönség kérdéseinek moderálása.

A szekcióülések közötti átjárási lehetőség érdekében az előadások fél és egész órakor kezdődnek. Egy előadás időtartama 20 perc, a kérdésfeltevésé 5-8 perc.

Egy-egy előadás után, mintegy összefoglalásként, a moderátornak lehetősége van visszautalni az elhangzott előadás főbb pontjaira, és célszerű egy-két kérdéssel is készülni arra az esetre, ha a közönség részéről nem hangzana el kérdés.

Speaking Task

Give a 2-3-minute talk on either of the topics below.

1 Introduce what types of facilities and services make a hotel suitable for holding conferences.

2 Describe the job of an event organiser.