Tourist routes belong to linear forms of tourism organization. A tourist route with tourist centers located within it can be defined as a linear-nodal form of tourism organization. Any trips, trips and tours are carried out along predetermined routes. Consequently, a tourist route is a geographically defined route of a hike or trip, tied to a given area and special objects, and described with varying degrees of detail.
Tourist route are defined as a pre-planned route for the movement of tourists over a certain period of time in order to receive the services provided for by the program and additional tourist and excursion services. Tourist routes are one of the main types of services provided to tourists.
Route is defined as the route followed by a tourist, indicated by a list of all geographical points and places sequentially visited by him during his trip, indicating the types of transport used by the tourist to move between stopping points along the route. The starting and ending points of the route are the starting and ending points of the journey. The beginning of the route is the place where the first tourist service specified in the contract is provided to the tourist, and the end of the route is the place where the last tourist service is provided. Depending on the movement along the route, linear, circular, radial and combined types of tourist routes are distinguished (Fig. 7.3.).
Linear route – a route, the beginning and end of which occur at different geographical points. This is the most common type of route. The tourist stays in the destination for a certain time, while making one-day excursions from his place of stay. After rest, the tourist returns back to his place of permanent residence.
In this case, one feature of linear routes should be considered. There are two options for organizing them. The first assumes that the starting and ending points of the route do not coincide. For example, the Volga cruise “Saratov – Samara – Ulyanovsk – Kazan” is a classic example of a linear tourist route. The starting point of the journey is Saratov, and the final point is Kazan.
However, there is one thing. Let's assume that a tourist, having reached Kazan, returned back to Saratov on the same ship, visiting the same set of tourist centers as on the way from Saratov to Kazan. In this case, this option should also be considered as a linear tourist route. If a tourist, having reached Kazan by boat, returns home by train, then this option (the second) does not fit into the definition of a linear route, since his path is organized along a circular route.
But this route will only be circular if tourist services continue throughout the entire trip. Most cruises offer one-way service only. The issue of returning home is decided by the tourist independently and at his own expense. In this case, the route remains linear.
1. Linear type of tourist route
2. Circular type of tourist route
3. Radial type of tourist route
4. Combined type of tourist route
Rice. 7.3. Types of tourist routes
Radial route – a travel route, the beginning and end of which occur in one geographical point of stay, located in which the tourist travels to other points of stay, returning at the same time to the point of origin of the journey. For example, tourists from Volgograd came to St. Petersburg and after a three-day stay in the city, leaving their pre-booked hotel rooms, they made several trips to Novgorod, Pskov and Pushkin Mountains.
The main condition for the implementation of a radial route is the fact of maintaining a reservation at the hotel of the tourist center from which trips to other tourist centers are made. The presence of overnight stays in permanent accommodation facilities in Pskov and Novgorod somewhat complicates the task, while maintaining the radial nature of movements.
Circular route – a route that begins and ends at the same geographic location. A classic example of routes of this kind is the route of the “Golden Ring of Russia” tour, which passes through the following cities: Moscow – Vladimir – Suzdal – Rostov – Yaroslavl – Kostroma – Ples – Ivanovo – Moscow.
The place of arrival at the destination can be:
A) unchanged, when tourists arriving at a tourist destination pass through only 1-2 transit cities. Such cities were called “gateways”. In Russia, the gateways are St. Petersburg and Moscow. Often gateways are cities where large airports or train stations are located - for example, Chicago, Frankfurt am Main, Hong Kong, London, Dublin, etc.
b) different from the place of arrival, when tourists arrive in one city and fly home from another city. For example, a tourist begins a tour of Russia from Moscow, arriving at Sheremetyevo Airport, and ends it, flying home from Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg. These tours are called crossing tours.
Combined route – a route that contains elements of two or three other types of routes in one or another combination. For example, you can take a river cruise along the Volga with the organization of transfers by bus to tourist centers remote from the main riverbed of the Volga, such as Rostov, Vladimir, Semenov, Elabuga, Ivanovo, etc.
Tourist routes are divided according to seasonality: year-round, that is, valid throughout the year and seasonal operating during any season. We will highlight in a separate group holiday routes, tied to certain holidays. According to the duration of the trip, routes are divided into multi-day(vacation pay) and weekend routes(weekend tours).
Tourist routes must also be classified according to the types of transport used. There are aviation, railway, bus, road, river, sea and combined tourist routes.
Aviation tourist routes are reduced to use as the main air transport and are implemented in two forms: a) regular air routes and b) air routes on charter flights (irregular, by appointment). The duration of air routes can vary widely, although the actual process of air transportation is quite short - no more than 10-12 hours.
Railway tourist routes involve the use of railway transport in two main forms: a) regular tourist routes and b) special tourist and excursion (charter) trains. The duration of train tours is usually quite long - from one to two weeks or more.
Bus tourist routes There are organized trips for tourists using tourist buses. Bus tours can be either regular or irregular. The duration of bus routes can vary widely - from a one-hour excursion to three-week bus tours throughout Europe.
Unlike buses, automobile tourist routes involve travel of unorganized groups of tourists both in their own and rented cars. The duration of such trips is determined by tourists independently and can vary widely - from one day to six months.
River And sea tourist routes are based on the travel of organized groups of tourists using sea and river transport as the main modes of transport. Travel by water transport is carried out in three forms: a) sea and river cruises; b) excursion and pleasure flights; c) yachting and individual travel. The duration of water travel can be very different - from one day (excursion and pleasure cruises) to six months (expensive cruises).
Combined tourist routes involve the use of two or more modes of transport in various combinations. Multimodal transportation has become widespread in the practice of the tourism business, as it allows optimizing the structure of the tour and the time costs for its implementation.
Considering the spatial organization of tourist routes, it should be noted that it is the completeness of their system that is the factor that helps to distinguish tourist areas and especially microdistricts. When delineating a territory with a completed system of routes, an elementary territorial tourism system is actually created. The system, in addition to the network of tourist routes, will also include settlements as places of demand generation, as well as transport communications as a means of communication between the destination and the place of demand generation. We will talk about tourist centers and destinations in the next paragraph.
excursion(from lat. excursio- walk, trip) - collective visit to a museum, landmark, exhibition, enterprise, etc.; a trip, a walk for educational, scientific, sports or entertainment purposes. The display of objects takes place under the guidance of a qualified specialist - a guide, who conveys to the audience a vision of the object, an assessment of the memorable place, and an understanding of the historical event associated with this object. Excursions can be either an independent activity or part of a package of tourist services. (Wikipedia):
technological map of the excursion- a technological document defining the logical sequence of sightseeing along the route. (from GOST R 50681-94.)
Tour operating is a type of tourism business that packages tours from services offered by partner service provider organizations (transport companies, hotel companies, excursion, entertainment companies, etc.). However, in reality, tour operating is much broader and involves providing tourists with both basic (tour package) and additional (consumed on the spot for cash) services.
The development of tourism within the country, including domestic and inbound tourism, is impossible without the development of domestic tour operating. There are two models of tour operating on the market - proactive and receptive. Initiative tour rating is tour rating at departure, receptive - at reception. In a general sense, both types of entrepreneurial activity in the tourism market are defined as the activities of tour operators, i.e. activities to complete the tourism product. However, despite the general similarity of the activities of proactive and receptive tour rating, there are still significant differences.
Sending tourists abroad, an enterprising tour operator forms its tourism product from a set of services of receptive tour operators at reception in the countries visited, transport, visa, insurance and some other services. The service infrastructure for its consumers is created by service providers.
The tourism product (tour) consists mainly of transportation, accommodation and entertainment. Aviation, sea, railway, automobile companies, as well as hotels and other accommodation facilities, work to produce the tourism product. museum and excursion business, places of mass entertainment, sports, resort organizations, etc. Manufacturers of tourism products - tour operators (TOs) sell their products both directly to the buyer and indirectly - through travel agents (TA). (see diagram in Fig. 1).
A tour operator is a travel company (organization) engaged in arranging tours under contracts with service providers and in accordance with the needs of tourists. A tour operator is a manufacturer of a tourist package. He is engaged in the development of tourist routes and tour packages; ensures their functioning, organizes advertising, calculates prices for tours on these routes, sells tours directly to tourists or through the intermediary of travel agencies. The tour operator provides tourists with a variety of choice of tourist services and at the same time simplifies the ordering of services in other cities and localities, taking on these functions.
The functions of a tour operator in the market can be compared with the activities of a wholesale trade enterprise: it purchases large volumes of services from hotels, transport and other tourism industry enterprises and combines them with its own tour programs, which it sells through travel agencies or directly to the consumer (tourist).
Figure 1 shows a diagram of the formation of a tour (tour package) and its implementation.
The functions of the tour operator are:
1. Studying the needs of potential tourists for tours and tourism programs.
2. Drawing up promising service programs, tours and testing them on the market in order to identify compliance with the needs of tourists.
3. Interaction with service providers for tours on a contractual basis, with:
Hotels - to provide tourists with accommodation;
Catering establishments - providing food to tourists;
Transport enterprises, firms and companies - to provide transport services to tourists;
Excursion companies, museums, exhibition halls, parks and other institutions - to provide excursion services to tourists;
Firms providing various household services - for appropriate services to tourists;
The administration of sports facilities - on the opportunity for tourists to use sports facilities;
Managers of shows, cinema, video, theatrical enterprises - for tourists to visit them;
Directorates of nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, gardening, hunting and fishing farms - in order to provide tourists with recreation and services in such areas;
1.1 Tour content
As already said, " package of services"is one of two components tour, which in its content, functional and quality properties should satisfy the traveling tourist. The first component of the tour is tourist route, which plays a big role in giving it the necessary attractiveness, satisfying the dreams, wishes and interests of tourists.
Package of services– this is the second component of the tour, which in its content, functional and quality properties should satisfy the traveling tourist. Service packages can have a wide variety of options depending on the quantity, functional properties and quality of the services included in them. A typical package model is a complex that includes accommodation, meeting and sending services, meals and excursions (see Fig. 2).
A tourist excursion route is a set of services provided by tourism enterprises to citizens (tourists). According to M.B. Birzhakova, “a tourist route is a geographically defined route of a hike or trip, tied to a given area and special objects, and described with varying degrees of detail.” In any case, travel (stays, trips, tours) is carried out along pre-selected routes, and they have a certain duration and purpose.
Often a tourist route is defined as a pre-planned route for the movement of tourists over a certain period of time in order to receive the services and additional tourist and excursion services provided for by the program. Tourist routes are one of the main types of services provided to tourists. Tourist and excursion organizations develop routes in advance, including a certain range of services (food, accommodation, excursions, sports and leisure activities, etc.).
A route is the route followed by a tourist, indicated by a list of all geographical points and places sequentially visited by him during his trip, indicating the types of transport used by the tourist to move between stops (stays) on the route. The starting and ending points are the starting and ending points of the journey. The beginning of the route is the place where the first service specified in the contract is provided to the tourist, and the end of the route is the place where the last tourist service is provided.
Routes are classified according to various criteria:
type, seasonality of action, route construction, duration, methods of movement and content.
The types of routes are:
- * thematic - with a predominance of excursion services and educational orientation;
- * hiking - routes with active modes of transportation;
- * physical education and recreation - with a predominance in the program of sports and recreational activities.
To build the route:
* Linear - with a visit to one or more points (except the initial one) located on the route;
A linear route is a route, the beginning and end of which occurs at different geographical points of stay. However, this is the most common type of tourist route. The tourist stays in the destination for 7-10 days or more, making one-day excursions from his place of stay. After the holiday, the tourist returns to his place of permanent residence.
* Radial - with a visit to one point on the route;
A radial route is a travel route, the beginning and end of which occur at one geographical point of stay; while located there, the tourist travels to other points of stay, returning at the same time to the point of origin of the journey. For example, tourists from Saratov arrived in Moscow and, after a two-day stay in the capital of Russia, leaving hotel rooms behind, made two-day trips to Smolensk, Rostov the Great and Vladimir.
* Circular - with the coincidence of the starting and ending points of the route and visiting several points along the route.
A circular route is a travel route, the beginning and end of which occur at one geographical point of stay, for example the “Golden Ring of Russia” tour (Moscow - Sergiev Posad - Rostov Veliky - Yaroslavl - Kostroma - Ivanovo - Suzdal - Vladimir - Moscow).
In this case, the place of arrival in the country or locality may be:
unchanged when tourists, arriving at a destination, pass through only one or two transit points - cities (for Russia, Moscow and St. Petersburg are considered such “gateways”)
* Combined route - a route that contains all the elements of linear, circular and radical routes in one or another combination. For example, you can take a “Golden Ring of Russia” tour in combination with a visit to ancient Russian cities not included in the tourist route - Smolensk, Tver, Nizhny Novgorod and others.
According to the seasonality of operation, tourist routes are divided into year-round, which includes all types of travel routes with a year-round schedule of their operation, and seasonal, operating during a particular season or seasons.
Based on the duration of the trip, routes are divided into multi-day (vacation) and weekend routes.
By transport affiliation:
- * Tours on your own transport, belonging to the transport facilities of travel agencies;
- * Tours on rented specialized transport owned by transport organizations, which travel agencies use on a lease basis for a certain period;
- * Tours on public transport - on scheduled passenger transport, where tourists are transported as passengers;
- * Special tours on the personal transport of tourists - for owners of personal cars, with the provision of all types of services along the route, except for travel.
According to the types of transport used, tourist excursion routes are divided:
- * Motor ship routes - on motor ships of river and sea shipping companies; sea: cruise - more than a day, sightseeing - no more than a day; river: tourist and excursion flights - more than a day, excursion and pleasure flights - no more than a day;
- * Air tours: group - using part of the seats on passenger airlines; special flights - full rental of an aircraft for special tourist transportation;
- * Bus flights: tourist and excursion - with the provision of accommodation and meals, various services, walking - without service, city transport can be used;
- * Railway tours: group travel using part of the seats on scheduled trains; special - rented trains using seats in the cars as a base for accommodation on a given route;
- * Combined tours - travel using two or more types of transport.
- * outdoor recreation (sea coast, mountains, etc.)
- * hunting and fishing, etc.
- * visiting archaeological excavations, historical monuments and other attractions.
Rules for tourist and excursion services on tram (bus) routes.
1. Based on the main tasks assigned to transport and tourist excursion organizations to ensure high quality and cultural level of service for tourists and sightseers when using passenger transport, the approximate Rules for transport and tourist excursion services provide for the creation of the necessary conditions:
1.1. Development of proper documentation of a tourist or excursion route, its approval and certification;
1.2. Supply of buses for tourist and excursion trips at the appointed time, in technically sound condition, in compliance with sanitary standards;
1.3. The movement of trams (buses) strictly along the approved route
following the established schedule;
1.4. Safety of traffic and transportation of tourists and excursionists;
1.5. Maintaining proper order among tourists and excursionists, ensuring normal working conditions for the driver, cleanliness and safety of equipment, and a pleasant rest during the trip;
1.6. Carrying out a tourist excursion trip in accordance with the approved program for serving tourists and sightseers and the tram (bus) schedule;
1.7. Taking the necessary measures to deliver tourists and excursionists to their destination in cases of emergencies along the way.
2. The Model Rules for transport and tourist excursion services for tourists and excursionists when using passenger transport provide for the regulation of the relationship between transport enterprises and the tourist excursion enterprise when carrying out a tourist trip. These Rules must be specified in the contract for transport services as mandatory for transport, tourist and excursion organizations and tourists (passengers, excursionists).
3. These standard Rules do not replace the current Traffic Rules, Special Conditions for the Transportation of Tourists and Excursionists by Public Passenger Transport and the Regulations on the Guide of Tourist Excursion Institutions and the Leader of a Tourist Group on a Transport Route.
4. In their joint work to serve tourists and excursionists, the tram (bus) driver, tour guide, and leader of the tourist group are obliged to provide tourists and excursionists with a pleasant stay in accordance with the tourist travel program, the set (package) of tourist services specified in the tourist voucher, and high-quality tourist and excursion services.
5. The driver, guide, leader of the tourist group must:
5.1. Promote the complete and adequate implementation of the activities of the group’s tourist and excursion service program. Early arrival of a tram (bus) at its destination does not give the guide or leader of a tourist group the right to demand from drivers additional work not provided for by the schedule;
5.2. Eliminate, through joint coordinated actions, disruptions and malfunctions in the service of tourists and sightseers that arise due to changed or unforeseen circumstances;
5.3. Be clean and neatly dressed. When communicating with each other and tourists, be correct, polite, avoid rudeness and harshness, and adhere to the rules of officially accepted treatment.
6. The driver is obliged to follow the instructions and instructions of the guide, leader or accompanying tourist group, unless they are related to a change in the route, violation of traffic rules and do not threaten the safety of transportation, and also do not contradict existing instructions. If the driver considers the order of the guide or the head of the tourist group to be incorrect, he must declare his disagreement by referring to the relevant document. If the guide or the head of the tourist group insists on carrying out the order given to him, the driver is obliged to obey, making an appropriate entry in the travel order or tour guide’s outfit, and upon arrival at the place, notify the transport company, which subsequently brings the violation to the attention of the relevant tourist and excursion organization (customer). Orders that entail violations of traffic rules, unreasonable changes in the route and operating mode, creating a threat to the safety of vehicles and passengers, are not executed by the driver. In cases of deviation from the route for technical reasons or due to the fault of the driver, the guide, the leader of the tourist group (group guide) makes an entry in the waybill and the work order certificate.
7. The guide, leader of the tourist group and driver do not have the right to:
7.1. Change or extend the route planned in accordance with the tour passport and application, unless this is caused by special conditions that threaten traffic safety;
7.3. Allow travel on a tram (bus) to persons not included in the tourist excursion group, with the exception of persons included in the waybill and workers checking the guide, the head of the tourist group on the route.
8. The driver is obliged to inform the guide, the head of the tourist group about all observed facts of violation by tourists, excursionists of the rules for using the tram (bus), and the latter is obliged to take measures to suppress violations.
9. In case of deliberate or repeated violations of the rules for using a tram (bus), the guide, the head of the tourist group, as a last warning, has the right to interrupt movement along the route, and in case of further disobedience, to remove the offender from the tram (bus), involving the police if necessary. .
10. If tourists discover damage to a tram (bus) and its equipment, the driver is obliged to immediately notify the guide, the head of the tourist group, interrupt movement along the route and require them to draw up a report. After handing over the report to the driver, movement along the route must continue. An entry about the preparation of the act is made in the driver’s waybill.
11. The driver, guide, leader of the tourist group are obliged to provide assistance and assistance to tourist and excursion groups whose trams (buses) have stopped due to an accident or technical malfunction. When passing by a faulty tourist or excursion tram (bus), the driver, guide, or leader of the tourist group must stop, find out the assistance needed and provide it. Assistance along the way should be provided to all tourist and excursion groups without exception, regardless of which transport company provides the tram (bus). Refusal to provide assistance shall be regarded as a serious violation of these Rules.
12. Controversial issues are resolved by the guide, the leader of the tourist group (group guide) and the driver without the participation of tourists. Involving tourists and sightseers in disputes and appealing to their opinions is strictly prohibited.
Tram (bus) route and schedule,
program and conditions of service for the group at each point of the route (travel rules and procedures, excursion service plan, place and procedure for organizing meals, accommodation for rest and overnight, calculation of the cost of service, etc.);
Contents and rules for execution of all documents related to servicing tourists and sightseers on the tram (bus) route; have proper travel documents (group lists, vouchers, vouchers, orders, invoices, insurance policies, powers of attorney and permits, etc.), including group documents. Know all the necessary details of the receiving organizations, all addresses and telephone numbers of organizations that he can and should contact along the route in the event of emergency circumstances;
Prepare, in the prescribed manner, the appropriate documents for transport, excursion services and other services provided to the group;
In the event of a no-show (or lag behind the group) of any of the tourists or excursionists at the time and place of departure, the guide, the leader of the tourist group: clarifies the identity of the no-show and, if possible, the reason for the no-show; delays the departure of the tram (bus) for 15 minutes and makes a note on the reasons for the delay in the waybill and travel order; in the event of a tourist or excursionist’s failure to appear due to tragic circumstances or a group failure of tourists or excursionists to appear, it acts in relation to the prevailing circumstances, while a record is made in the travel documents about the duration and reasons for the delay and the decisions made.
Before the start of the trip, the guide or leader of the tourist group must:
Make sure that the tram (bus) meets the requirements in terms of its technical, sanitary condition and equipment;
Check the availability of the necessary documents and the list of tourists and make sure that the number of tourists and sightseers corresponds to the number of seats;
Check that tourists have passports or documents replacing them, international passports and visas, if required. Persons who do not have an identification document with them, as well as an insurance policy (compulsory voluntary medical insurance for those traveling abroad with adequate coverage) are not included in the group of tourists and are removed from the route;
Give permission to the driver to begin boarding tourists and sightseers;
Introduce yourself to tourists or excursionists, introduce the drivers and get acquainted with the group leader, and in the national group - appoint a leader and explain his responsibilities to him;
Familiarize tourists and excursionists with the route, the program and content of the tourist trip, the rules for using the tram (bus) and behavior along the route, the schedule of stops, the inadmissibility of falling behind the group, what to do if you fall behind;
Explain to the driver the route around the city and give instructions to start driving.
Along the route, the guide, leader of the tourist group provides:
Conducting an excursion in accordance with methodological instructions and in relation to the characteristics of the contingent of tourists and excursionists;
Compliance by tourists and excursionists with the Rules for using the tram (bus), cleanliness in the cabin and safety of equipment and does not allow the driver to be distracted during work and other violations that interfere with the normal rest of tourists and excursionists;
Satisfying the requests and wishes of tourists and excursionists, if they do not change the route and schedule and do not go beyond the limits of actions allowed on the route;
Appointment in special cases of additional stops in the interests of disabled people, tourists, elderly tourists or those who are sick;
Timely indication to the driver of the stop and parking location of the tram (bus).
A guide or leader of a tourist group is prohibited from:
give orders that are contrary to traffic rules; make loud comments to drivers in the presence of tourists; make comments and give instructions to drivers through a sound-amplifying installation; change the driver's operating mode. Thus, the excursion service process should be based on standard provisions and rules in order to ensure the safety and quality of excursion services.