Interview with Deputy Director for Tourism of the LEON-Tourse Agency, Lebedeva Hope

The tourism industry today amazes with the diversity and variety of offers, and therefore it is important for everyone without exception to understand how to search for a tour, what should be the requirements for a travel agency and how not to lose with “burning” vouchers. However, thanks to the media and the Internet, the bulk of the population is more or less oriented in the offers offered by tour operators. But you can look at the situation from the other side and try to understand how small travel agencies work and how they increase their competitiveness.
To answer these questions, the representative of personalguide.ru Olga Yakubovskaya spoke with the Deputy Director for Tourism of the agency “LEON-TURSE," Swan Hope.

Olga: Can you please tell me the story of your company?

Hope: Our company Leon-Tours was founded in April 2009. As a consulting agency, we actively interacted with employers on HR issues and came to the conclusion that for a person, rest is as important as work. If people rest poorly, they are more susceptible to stressful situations.
First, we developed our brand, defined a strategy for interaction with tour operators, we already had experience in finding and selling tours, so we quickly started working with both customers who know us personally and with customers attracted through promotions.

Olga: Describe the main directions of your company, maybe there are some features?

Hope: We work only with those tour operators that have gained authority among tourists (for example: TEZ TOUR, Coral, Natalie Tours, Intourist, Capital Tour, Evroport, S7, tour operator Pegasus and many others). Our offers are foreign holidays, exotic holidays, as well as the Ural region. We did not choose one of the destinations to give the tourist a choice.

Olga: Please describe the characteristics of the tourism market in the current economic situation.

Hope: If last year the number of burning tours was large, this year, due to the crisis and the decline in the solvency of the population, tours are disassembled in advance, there are practically no special offers.

Olga: Are there any special offers for September/October 2010?

Hope: There are interesting offers on beach destinations: Goa, UAE, Egypt, the closing of the season Turkey. Fascinating offers for excursions in Europe, children's holidays are over, and you can walk relatively freely through historical places, visit famous museums, architectural monuments, just sit in a cozy cafe. Paris is particularly attractive in this regard. The cost of tours from 345 euros.
In the Urals, a huge offer of sanatoriums and recreation centers.

Olga: However, the situation in the tourism industry is changing rapidly, so say a few words about the prospects for the development of the tourism market.

Hope: The market does not stand still, proposals for new directions are constantly emerging, now Morocco, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Brazil are of interest.
Our tourists will use the services of agencies and tour operators until the cost of air carriers decreases, and since charter flights allow you to fly cheaply, the tourist package will be much cheaper for the tourist than buying tickets, insurance, transfer and hotel reservations.

Olga: Finally, I would like to ask about the prospects of the company and you as a young specialist in this field.

Hope: We are actively developing, have opened an office in Chelyabinsk, there are plans for the further development of the brand and advertising companies. We attract new partners, enter the market not only for recreation, but also for work abroad for students, youth and migrant workers.

When you offer restThere is always excitement, how it will develop, whether the hotel will like, the expectation of a tourist will coincide with reality. Therefore, it is important to hear the impression and take into account the comments of the tourist. Sometimes it is very pleasant when you hear: “Everything was just great, I liked everything, advise to rest exactly where we were!” So I didn’t work for nothing and did everything right!
For the sake of such moments, there is a great desire to continue a career in tourism. Seminars held by tour operators are very helpful, since, gathering together with other travel agents at such events, you do not feel tension and competition, everyone is polite and friendly with each other. You can always ask about the experience of solving any problems with tourists, I believe that in this business there is a chance for everyone.
For myself, I see a perspective as a leader, as well as an opportunity for professional growth in the direction of European tourism.

Olga: Thank you, Nadezhda, for an exciting conversation and I wish you further success. Goodbye.
 

Deciding to go on a trip, and not knowing where to go, ask for help in the future. travel agency of YekaterinburgThey will help you choose. abroad and, tour .

see also Moscow