Organization chart
Organizational structure of a tourism business is somehow less complex than that of a hospitality business. Generally, a tourism company’s management apparatus consists of the following deparments: Director; ticketing department, marketing department, finance and accounting department, tour management, and administration department. However, the structure can be flexible to adapt to the situation. For example, during the recent Covid-19 pandemic when the employment was reduced, an employee could take many tasks: A tour guide could take all actions from ticketing, operating tour, guiding customers during the tour, taking post-tour survey and providing customer care services.
Notes
– Director is the general manager of the tourism company, who sets the missions and goals of the company and approves all decisions on daily performance. He is the sole legal representative for the company to sign contracts.
– Ticketing department sells air tickets of domestic and international airlines, sometimes even sells domestic train/car tickets. The staff should provide customers with product information, make reservations, sell tickets, change reservations, sell last-minute tickets, collect baggage fees, excess baggage, late arrivals, and other services as prescribed at the airport. They also perform sales network, collect market information and be responsible for building a professional working environment, safety and security, promoting teamwork and personal responsibility.
– Tour operator department is responsible for designing and managing domestic and international tours. Tour operators both directly plan travel and help visitors handle any problems that arise. Specifically, tour operator staff have to design travel plans at many different locations, conduct field trips to survey the destination, directly work with agents selling air tickets, trains, cars and representatives of restaurants and hotels, pay attention to negotiate the most suitable price and quality of services. Besides, they are also responsible for directly dealing, introducing, consulting and negotiating with customers, observing and managing groups of tourists to ensure a successful trip, flexibly handling of unexpected situations and incidents, regularly accumulate professional knowledge and practical experience to improve themselves, and preparing detailed statistics to report to management.
– Tour guides are the representatives of the tourism company, on behalf of the company, to directly implement the tours and commitments to customers. They perform the work stated in travel contracts given by the tour operators. After receiving a specific schedule for a trip, tour guides need to review customer information, check vehicles, prepare necessary equipment, etc. to ensure the entire trip of the best quality. During the trip, the tour guide should stimulate interaction, create excitement for guests to bring them good experiences, and connects team members. The tour guides are also the ones who solve the problems that arise during the entire journey.
– Marketing department has the role of linking, acting as a bridge between the company and customers. It organizes domestic and foreign market research, attracts and invites customers through propaganda and advertising activities about the company. It has functions to advise the director on market selection planning, service improvements to suit the needs of the market.
– Finance and accounting department is responsible for making periodical reports, monitoring and recording the company’s expenditures, use of capital, assets, revenue and expenditure sources.
– Administration department is responsible for organizing and coordinating with other departments to develop and implement monthly, quarterly and annual work plans. It advises the director on the organization, training, evaluation, promotion, arrangement, reward and discipline of employees. It is responsible for purchasing, managing, monitoring and repairing equipment when damaged. It also advises, develops and organizes the implementation of the company’s rules and regulations, assigns work and takes responsibility for the entire work of employees in the department, including recruitment process, personnel training, human resource development and company culture building.
