Travel Agency*

Teacher Overview
This project is designed as a culminating activity to
incorporate and reinforce state core standards and
objectives previously explored in Business CTE
Intro..
This project includes a reinforcement of:

 Word Processing
 Internet
 Multi-media Presentations
 Desktop Publishing
 Human Resources
 Careers

Marketing Requirement
The Travel Agency Project meets and exceeds State Core Curriculum requirements for all 5
days of Marketing.

 Two days specifically focused on What is Marketing?, Products, and the 4 P’s.
 After teaching What is Marketing, the focus narrows to a Travel Product which is a
service.
 Introduce and discuss target markets.
 Strong emphasis on promotion: projects include an advertising flyer, newsletter,
and multi-media presentation.

Time Requirements

The time teachers have to spend in the Travel Agency will vary from school to school, and
rotation to rotation. Schools with limited number of computers will have less time to work on
the Travel Agency. Also, a student’s ability to grasp and move through the Travel Agency will
vary based on past computer experience and learning styles. Teachers may decide to pick and
choose from assignments available and customize to meet classroom and student needs. There
ample activities with instructions provided, as well as additional suggested activities, for a 3-4
week time frame.

Student Activity Booklet

The Student Activity Booklet is designed to let students read and work at their own pace. This
allows the teacher to set a minimum expectation and customize requirements for individual
students, if needed. For example: resource students may be required to complete less projects.

Activity booklets are written for Word The instructions refer to the menu bar at the top of the
screen instead of icons. Historically, menu bar choices remain the same or similar. After
completing the task through the menu bar, students quickly find the shortcuts themselves without
instruction.

Personalizing the Student Activity Booklet

There are certain items in the activity booklet that need to be personalized for your school. For
example: the booklet gives step-by-step instructions for selecting the company logo.

Attraction Internet Search

The student booklet suggests 10-12 attractions be searched and identified. This is a high
expectation. The average student will complete 8 in the 3-4 search days given. It is better to
have enough to keep the fastest student focused and allow others sufficient time to complete the
minimum requirement. Students must have a description of at least five tourist attractions to
successfully complete the Travel Agency activities. Students who have more attraction
descriptions will have a larger variety and more latitude for creativity. Offering bonus KASH
can help motivate students to complete more attractions.
Students should realize that hotels and restaurants are not attractions.
Limit Destination Choices

Limit the number of destination cities students may choose. As a teacher, it is important to visit
the web addresses suggested in the student booklet each rotation before you begin the Travel
Agency to make sure that they are still available and appropriate. Web Masters have an
“annoying habit” of frequently updating and modifying Web Sites. Limiting destination choices
gives the teacher more control of the student searches and appropriateness of materials available.
Students struggle finding a variety of attractions in some cities. For example: Students who
choose Cairo, Egypt often struggle to find enough attractions that would interest teenagers and
young adults. They easily identify 3-4 attractions and then they begin listing lots of museums
because they cannot find other appropriate material.

Example of Attraction Description

Discussing an example of an attraction description is very important. Help students understand

that the description should be informative and persuasive. It should answer the questions:
What is it? What will I see? and Why should I visit? The description should show that the
student found the information from the Internet. The next page can be made into an overhead
transparency with examples of two descriptions written by 7th grade students. The first
description, a bad example, does not indicate any facts the student picked up from the Internet.
The second example clearly indicates the student has visited the Internet to learn about the
attraction.
 EIFFEL TOWER

It is a tower. It is shaped like an A. You will see

lots of landscape. You should visit because it looks
interesting.

–OR–
The Eiffel Tower is the most recognizable structure
in the world. It weighs 7,000 tons but exerts about
the same pressure on the ground as an average
person sitting in a chair. The tower was created for
an exhibition and was never meant to be permanent.
It was built in 1889. It is 1,056 feet high. On a clear
day you can see 40 miles in all directions.
Attraction Graphics

As students search for attractions on the Internet, they often come across pictures/graphics of the
attraction. Encourage students to download one good graphic for each attraction. Help students
recognize that some attractions and/or landmarks do not have graphics but most major attractions
do. A realistic expectation requires students to save five graphics for 10 attractions. In addition,
encourage students to record any admission fees, operating hours, closures, etc. as they come
across the information. This saves time and effort: all information is gathered in one search
and doesn’t require a second or third search later.

The Attraction Search worksheet (Travel Agency Activity 2) asks students to record the web
address when the attraction information is found. Students also identify the file name they
give each graphic when they download. Take the time to talk about saving the graphic using a
related filename and the importance of writing it on the worksheet to help them in future
assignments. Emphasize the web name assigned to a graphic is not always
recognizable and can be changed. Newsletters, flyers, and multi-media presentations
are much more interesting with relevant graphics.

The quality and thoroughness of

the Internet search in Activity 2
will determine student success on
the activities to come!

What is a shared directory? Why is it

important and how is it used?
Network Systems Operators have the ability to create a drive
specifically for CTE Intro. This drive can be selected just like you
choose the A:\ drive, C:\ drive, etc. A logical name for the drive is
the CTE T:\ drive. Students are given READ ONLY access:
students may retrieve anything from this drive but do not have
rights to save. In other words, students may call up files from the T:
drive but must Save As: to their home directory.

Some benefits and/or justifications for having a shared drive created on your network:

 Allows student to retrieve a new copy of assignments and save over the old assignment in
their student directory to easily start over when a mistake has been made
 Provides teacher flexibility to modify activities daily, if need be
 Allows teachers to save and share files with other teachers
 Provides a place for teachers to create and customize or limit graphics folders focused on
curriculum units.

Most software graphics are too massive for 7th graders. Students often spend more time
trying to choose a graphic than completing the assignment. Graphics’ folders available on the
“T: drive” allows you, the teacher, to limit the number of graphics available. Students need only
have 12-15 topic-related graphics to choose from not 150!

Examples of graphic folder titles:

Junk Foods–Word Processing Unit
Hobbies and Talents–Multi-media Presentations
Holidays–DeskTop Publishing
Travel–Travel Agency Project

The possibilities and flexibility of a shared drive are endless!!!

Graphic Problems:
!
Because students are relatively inexperienced with graphics they run into the following problems.
You should frequently emphasize these points as students are working on the Travel Agency:

 Do not use the 3-D option in Text Art. It locks the computer. The 2-D option
responds and functions fine to change text color, font, shadows, etc.

 Students forget to click away from a graphic or text box before trying to insert another
graphic or text box. Have a brief discussion about “handles” or the black dots around a
graphic or text box when it has been selected. Help students realize that the computer
will try to put a graphic inside a text box if it is selected (handles displayed) when they
insert a graphic. Very often this locks classroom computers.

 Suggest students save often. Students sometimes get error messages (not often) because
they lack experience in using graphics and text boxes. When error messages have
occurred, they are most generally related to “handles”. In other words, the task the
students were trying to perform was done while a graphic or text box was selected..
Scanned Photo of Student
The activity booklet refers to a student photo. It is fun to have students scan their photo and use
it in activities throughout Business CTE Intro. Consider having students use their photo in Word
Processing, Desktop Publishing, and/or Multi-media Presentations. It would even be fun to let
students create a business identification tag to wear around their necks as used in the business
world. Students are asked to insert their photo as the Travel Agent on the Advertising Flyer,
Newsletter and Multi-media Presentation. Students should have previously scanned their photo,
saved it to their directory, and inserted it into an assignment. Remember, students should have
completed each of these actions in previous assignments. This is a culminating project!!

Templates

Word has templates already created. If your software does not have templates, you can create
your own templates and put them on the shared drive or student activity disk. A template is
nothing more than a partially created file. It is similar to a pattern for a
dressmaker. The template file is simply the skeleton. The students
then have the opportunity to open the template and personalize it to
meet assignment specifications. Assignments that students retrieve
from a student activity disk and manipulate are nothing more than
templates!

Rubrics

The Travel Agency is an end of class project and step-by-step

directions for the projects are not detailed. The use of RUBRICS makes students aware of the
minimum expectations for each activity before they begin. Student checklists and teacher
RUBRICS (basically the same except for the person using them ) are included for all three major
projects in the travel agency. Teachers should modify them to meet their own classroom needs.
The checklists give students an opportunity to be as creative as they wish within the guidelines,
of course.

Consider copying the student checklists on colored paper and requiring students to attach to the
back of the flyer and newsletter. Also, ask students to turn in the slide show checklist when they
have completed the project. Two reasons: 1) informs teacher they have completed the activity;
and 2) prevents students from claiming they were unaware of requirements! It’s difficult for
student or parent to legitimately claim the requirements were unknown! Just some food for
thought.

The RUBRIC for the Travel Slide Show, Activity 6, indicates students are to create one slide for
each attraction: spaces to grade 12 slides on country attractions. Very, very few students will
accomplish this task! Remember: some students will not have time to find information for 12
attractions in the time provided. However, the Rubric is designed to allow teacher discretion.
It’s easier to delete than to create! Right?
Teacher Discretion or Questions to Ponder

Before introducing the Travel Slide Show, think through your expectations:

 Do you want an individual slide created for each country attraction found? Is there
a minimum requirement?
 Will students be allowed to change the background? If so, may each slide have a
different background or must the selected background be consistent?
 What font faces are acceptable: all available in the software or are there
restrictions?
 Are there to be restrictions on font appearance: shadow, outline, ALL CAPS, etc.?
 Should the same two or three fonts be used consistently or may students vary the
fonts and appearance from slide to slide?
 Will students be allowed to change slide transitions (template file has transitions
identified)?
 Will students use bullets’ layout and bullet animation? What about bouncing
bullets?

Students love to do slide shows because of

all the changes and fun they can have with
shaded boxes, fonts, colors, bouncing
bullets, transitions, etc. They will spend
hours on the extras; yet, often skip over or
give a superficial effort on the information
and project requirements.

Consider a policy of no enhancements until

the message or intent of the activity is
completed. Keep them centered on the
message. ONLY AFTER THE MESSAGE
AND THE GRAPHICS ARE COMPLETED
SHOULD STUDENTS BE ALLOWED TO
ADD ENHANCEMENTS!!!
Newsletter Template

A Travel Agency newsletter template is included with an introduction

paragraph which students simply personalize for their destination.
Attraction/landmark identifying text box placement is illustrated, graphic
placement is prompted. Experiment: find your comfort zone!

Pricing the Tour

Travel Agencies are able to offer lower travel prices, in part, because they make and pay in
advance for bulk airline seats and hotel accommodations. Obviously, students will not have
access to “bulk” pricing options. To get around this legitimate obstacle, have students Internet
search the cost of flights, accommodations, and some meals. When students have determined a
total cost for airfare and hotels, assign the final price as 50% of their total.

Suggested Optional Activities (if time permits)

 Invitation to an Open House

 Travel Passport
 Internet search for attraction costs, hours of operation, city walking maps
 Currency conversion from US Dollars to country currency
 Hotel, restaurant and airfare searches
 Day trips
 Travel window poster, etc. etc. etc.

Seat#_______ Name______________________________________
RUBRIC
Advertising Flyer
Activity 4
Your flyer should include the following information. Check off
each requirement below as you complete it.
 Company Name and Logo
 City and/or City/Country Name
 One large photo that depicts your destination
 Second graphic or clipart also required
 Power Words or Phrases (At least 2 required)
 Travel Dates
 Travel Agent name, photo, phone #
 No more than 2 pieces of information in text art
(ie. Country name and 1 power word)
 Company address and WEB address (Use school
address: 150 S. 200 W. Farmington, UT 84025 www.tlctravel.com)
 Student checklist attached
Comments:
Seat#_______ Name______________________________________ Period#___________
Period#___________
RUBRIC
Advertising Flyer
Activity 4
Your flyer should include the following information. Check off
each requirement below as you complete it.
 Company Name and Logo
 City and/or City/Country Name
 One large photo that depicts your destination
 Second graphic or clipart also required
 Power Words or Phrases (At least 2 required)
 Travel Dates
 Travel Agent name, photo, phone #
 No more than 2 pieces of information in text
Art (i.e. Country name and 1 power word)
 Company address and WEB address (Use school
address: 150 S. 200 W. Farmington, UT 84025 www.tlctravel.com)
 Student checklist attached
Comments:
Seat # Name Period

RUBRIC—TRAVEL NEWSLETTER
Activity 5

Column 2

Column 3
Column 1
All identified information required

Used Times New Roman font, 12 pt. for ALL descriptions

Correct spelling

Destination typed in ALL CAPS and in color at top of page

Destination identified and all requested information inserted in

introduction paragraph (Leftover red letters deleted)

Attraction/activity identified by full name in text box (Font and color

of your choice.)

Attraction briefly described with valid and motivating information

gathered from Internet—What will be seen and why it should be seen?

Allotted information space used appropriately without large, empty

white space

Internet graphic or TLC clipart inserted (Request box deleted in col 1)

Average and expected weather conditions identified for travel time

Packing suggestions included

Travel agent name, photo, phone #, WEB address identified

Student Checklist Attached

TOTALS

Comments:
Seat#____________ Name________________________________________________________ Period#_____________

RUBRIC
TRAVEL AGENCY--SLIDE SHOW

Slide 1: TOTAL
G TITLE typed in ALL CAPS, and bolded
G Strong color contrast between font and background
G Company name and logo included
G At least one related graphic

Slide 2: TOTAL
G TITLE typed in ALL CAPS, and bolded
G Strong color contrast between font and background
G Destination city and/or city/ country name included
G Power word or words used
G At least one related graphic

Slide 3: TOTAL
G TITLE typed in ALL CAPS, and bolded
G Strong color contrast between font and background
G Information filled in
G Graphic of Travel Agent included

Attraction Slides:
Attraction # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Full attraction name typed as the title in ALL CAPS, and bolded

Used complete sentences for description

Description answers What is it?, Why should I visit? and What

will I see?

At least one related graphic

TOTALS

Final Slides: TOTALS

(May be divided into two or three slides, if desired, to help all information fit and look nice.)

G Slide TITLE typed in ALL CAPS, and bolded

G Strong color contrast between font and background
G Includes invitation to join the fun
G Includes company name and logo
G Expected weather conditions and packing suggestions
G Includes tour costs and deposit dates
G Includes travel agent name, phone #, web address, and photo
G Includes travel dates
Dearest Travel Leisure Co. travel agent

As you complete your slide show, please remember the

Message is King! The message should be your main
concern. Stimulate others to read your message with strong
color contrast between the background and font color,
interesting information, related graphics, and smooth
transitions. Too much “glitz and dazzle” will only distract from
the message and frustrate your audience (your teacher being
one!).

Happy employers, or teachers, give higher marks and more

smiles than frustrated employers do!

Sincerely

Your employer