SECOND YEAR - HTBT

CONTEMPORARY
HOSPITALITY SERVICES
MANAGEMENT
QUARTER 1 – WEEK 1:

DEVELOP AND UPDATE

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

NAME: _________________________________

GRADE & SECTION: _____________________

 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

What is Local Knowledge?

Local knowledge is the knowledge that people in a given community have
developed over time, and continue to develop. Adapted to the local culture and
environment

What is the important of Local Knowledge?

Local knowledge is the human capital of both the urban and rural people. It
is the main asset they invest in the struggle for survival, to produce food, provide for
shelter or achieve control of their own lives. ... Today, many local
knowledge systems are at risk of becoming extinct.

Give three reasons you should have local knowledge about your venue, town,
region or country.
Any from the following:
Pass this on to tourists/visitors
Inform tourists/visitors about what is happening locally
Meet tourist/visitor expectation.

List of general topics you should aim to capture information about when
developing local knowledge.
Any from the following:
General information on the tourism industry
Local tourism destinations, facilities and infrastructure
Tourism products – including tourism services, facilities and rates
Environmental issues – including eco-tourism
Local attractions, tours, events and places of interest
Local customs – which can include information about what visitors should not
say/do, and information about local food and drinks.

List of types of written material that can be used to develop local knowledge to
pass on to tourists/visitors.
Any from the following:
Reference books
Trade magazines
Guidebooks
Newspapers
Telephone book
Advertisements

Identify ways of obtaining the information required to gain local knowledge.

Any from the following:
Subscribing to, and reading, industry magazines, newsletters, up-dates, fact
sheets, reports, research findings
Reading through local and city newspapers
Visiting the Visitor Information Centre
Surfing the internet
Joining your local industry association
Reading books
Being a tourist in your local area
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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

List of general information topics on the tourism industry about which

information should be captured when developing your industry/local
knowledge.
Any from the following:
Numbers of inbound tourists
Reasons for their visits Amount spent
Countries of origin
Most popular times of the year for travel
Method of travel.

What are „man-made attractions also known as? Built attractions.

When advising visitors about local attractions it is vital to address any local
dangers that may exist: give three examples of these possible local dangers.
Any from the following:
Wild animals
Currents and tides
Areas/locations, neighbourhoods they should avoid because of the potential
for attack – the “no go” areas
Geographical features with the potential to cause death/injury
Activities that may be inappropriate given the profile of the visitor
Weather conditions – rain, sun, wind.

What are the two common options for storing local information in a venue?
Filing system/cabinets
Electronic database of some sort (including CRS: computerised reservation
system).

Identify four ways to share local knowledge you have discovered with other
staff at your workplace.
Any from the following:
Verbally tell your colleagues about what you have learned
E-mail co-workers with the information you have discovered
Prepare a short handout
Up-date the internal systems
Replace and replenish internal displays and/or information points with
new/revised materials
Arrange for a guest speaker from the venue/attraction to come and talk to
staff
Arrange for a speaker/representative from the Visitor Information Centre to
attend and make a formal presentation to venue staff
Arrange for staff to visit the venue/attraction personally

What are the two generic types of research you can undertake to gain local
knowledge?
Formal research
Informal research

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

List of keys to research that will enable you to get the most out of your efforts
to up-date your local knowledge.
Any from the following:
Do it regularly
Take notes
Obtain hard-copy material
Involve others
Share your findings.

Identify three basics of sharing local information with customers.

Any from the following:
Advising of altered conditions when talking to customers, guests and visitors
Mentioning new options to customers/guests:
Asking people where they have already been and what they have already seen
Prepare local „information packs‟
Develop a series of tours suitable for guests or visitors.

Identify three types of trips/tours a venue should develop for its visitors.
Full-day
Half-day
2-hour.

What staff should be involved in communicating local knowledge to visitors?

All customer contact/frontline staff.

What is identified in the notes as the „Big No-No‟ in relation to providing local
information to visitors?
Simply responding to a query to which you do not know the answer by saying “Sorry,
I don‟t know”.

Give three examples of „local communities‟ for the purpose of this Unit.
Other businesses in the area
Local groups, clubs and interest groups who conduct events and/or support
local tourism initiatives
Individuals who are active in promoting the local area

List of ways you/a venue can stay in contact with local communities.
Any from the following:
Join local groups and attend their meetings
Participate in what local groups are doing and contribute assistance,
information and resources to help them achieve outcomes that are mutually
beneficial
Contact them on a regular basis – visit them face-to-face or telephone them
regularly
Ask them to contact you
Thank them whenever they contact you
Offer your venue as a meeting place.

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

What are identified in the notes as the five elements of an effective response to
a customer enquiry?
Honesty
Comprehensiveness
Currency – must be up-to-date
Relevancy
Timeliness.

When providing information to visitors about local transport options, list four
types of information you should be able to give.
Transport options
Cost
Where station and bus stops are
Frequency of public transport (buses, trams and trains) – supplemented by
current timetables.

What are the two aims of promoting tourism products and services to visitors?
Enhance/optimize the tourist experience
Encourage tourists to stay another night or two in the area.

List of activities involved in being proactive when promoting local tourism

products and services.
Any from the following:
Offer the local knowledge/information without having to be asked
Making suggestions about what tourists/visitors can do with their time
Showing enthusiasm for suggestions made
Talking to people after they return from a suggested trip/experience.

Reasons why staff should promote local tourism products and services.
Any from the following:
Meets visitor/tourist expectations
Provides better job satisfaction
Enhances job security and enables extra hours to be worked by you and
others
Identifies you as someone trying to help visitors and may identify you as
someone with the potential for promotion/career advancement
Allows you to learn more from other people and creates the potential for a
greater network of contacts
Increases the possibility of tips/gratuities
Demonstrates you/your venue is a good corporate citizen by sharing wealth
and opportunity
Assists your workplace maintain its on-going viability by generating extra
revenue and repeat and/or referral business
Supports local businesses and the local community by generating income for
them which creates/maintains local industry, employment
Enhances visitor/tourist enjoyment of the local area/region
Shares the local culture with visitors enabling better appreciation of the
country/region amongst visitors/tourists
Gives greater insight into, and understanding of, the people and the country to
overseas visitors.
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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

Why is it important to develop a rapport with visitors when trying to promote

local tourism products and/or services?
It facilitates the exchange of ideas, questions and information. It increases the
trust between the parties and encourages people to ask you questions and to
ask for advice.
Give three reasons it is important for every tourist venue/destination to be
actively involved in monitoring the queries of visitors, and the information
provided to visitors by venue staff. Any from the following:
This is an effective and inexpensive way of identifying what is important and of
interest to our visitors It demonstrates customer focus
This is an excellent way of sharing information between staff at the venue
It makes staff accountable.

What are the three options for reporting visitor queries and results to
management?
Verbal
Written
Combination of verbal and written.

List three examples of possible internal action and/or follow-up after

feedback on visitor queries and results/outcomes.
Any from the following:
Staff training
Revision to standard materials available at the venue
Introducing, changing or removing products and services
Changing venue advertisements
Apologies to customers.

In order to develop and update local knowledge effectively it is necessary to be

proactive. Part of taking the initiative in this regard is the need to maintain contact
with local communities. “Local Communities” include:
Other business in the area
Local groups, clubs and interest groups who conduct events and/or support
local tourism initiatives
Individuals who are active in promoting the local area.

Assessment

1. What is Local Knowledge?

2. Why is it important?

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

Enumerate the ff. statement:

1. What are the two generic types of research you can undertake to gain local
knowledge?

2. Give four general topics you should aim to capture information about when
developing local knowledge.

3. Give four types of written material that can be used to develop local knowledge to
pass on to tourists/visitors.

4. What are identified in the notes as the five elements of an effective response to a
customer enquiry?

5. Give three reasons why staff should promote local tourism products and services.

Assignment
Search on Internet “How to Maintain the Contact with Local Community”

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

SECOND YEAR - HTBT

CONTEMPORARY
HOSPITALITY SERVICES
MANAGEMENT
QUARTER 1 – WEEK 2:

SOURCE CURRENT
INFORMATION

NAME: _________________________________

GRADE & SECTION: _____________________

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

Source Current Information on the Tourism industry

1.1 Identify sources of information on issues of economic, political and social

significance, and obtain such information

Introduction

In summary, tourism involves all activities that

take people away from their usual place of
residence for any reason. Common reasons include
holidays, recreation, business, visiting and
experiencing new cultures and to visit family and
friends.
Any business that is utilized during any part of travel
is associated with the tourism industry. Whilst the
businesses incorporated within the tourism industry
will be detailed later in this manual, it is easy to
understand the diversity of the industry.
The tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world and for many
countries is its major economy and employer. Tourism has become a very significant
global activity and as disposable income and the ease of travel continues to prosper,
so will the tourism industry.
Industry knowledge is a vital pre-requisite for effective performance within the
industry.
Each section in this manual will explore how and where to gather information
regarding different aspects of the tourism industry and how to incorporate this
knowledge to improve your service levels for customers.

There are many sources of information that can assist you. Some of these sources
are generic in nature and others are specific to the industry.
The idea of obtaining industry information is so
that you can use it for your benefit, the benefit of
your organisation and the ultimate benefit of the
customers.
It is important in the tourism industry to
have up-to-date information so you can:
Talk to customers about industry
specific events, trends and happenings
Plan your career as opportunities present themselves
Know when you need to update your training (knowledge and
skills) in line with changes in legislation, equipment, trends and
industry best practice
Cultivate and maintain a professional interest in the tourism
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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

profession
Communicate effectively with colleagues and management who
have themselves kept up-to-date.
Learn new techniques.

Sources of information

Whilst each section in this manual will detail

specific sources of information relating to a
particular aspect of the tourism industry, there
are a number of sources that will be a great
starting point to get an overview of the industry
as a whole.
Colleagues, supervisors and managers
These people are your first-line sources of information. You should feel free to
ask them questions whenever you need to find information. Get to know them
and actively seek out their opinions, experiences and views. They can help you
find out what is happening, where the business is heading, what they think of
the industry and its various stakeholders and what they intend doing
personally.
Talking to these people demonstrates your interest in the industry and the
more you talk to them the easier it will become to ask subsequent questions.
Representatives
Many suppliers have sales representatives who call on the business on a
regular basis.
Sales representatives, known also as sales reps or “just reps”, visit the
business for public relations (PR) purposes or to introduce new products.
These PR calls are courtesy visits where they don’t actually ask for anything
but simply call in and “have a chat".
This talk can be useful in finding out what is happening at other businesses,
trends in the industry, new products, blackout periods and impending price
rises.
They are an excellent source of information, certainly about their products,
but also about the industry in general because they visit so many businesses
and speak to so many staff.

Developing your own industry network

As a member of the tourism industry, it is vital to build your industry network.
This involves reaching out to all people in all aspects of the industry and
discussing industry happening, trends and current information.

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

The more people you meet and the more

information you accumulate provides you
with a sound understanding of the industry
and will help your career progression.
To develop a useful and representative
network of contacts you will need to make
deliberate attempts to target and talk to
people you respect within the industry
including owners, managers and others.

Make yourself known and visible and keep in the “loop” which means:
You need to contact your network when
you find out something you think they
might need to know. This highlights the
two-way nature of the concept of
networking.
You need to occasionally contact them
just to “keep in touch” even when there is
nothing specific to pass on to them. Often
they remember something they need to
tell you and your call demonstrates you
value them as a contact.

Conferences and seminars

You should attend these whenever possible and make an effort to attend a
major one at least every two years. Let your employer know you are
interested in attending and keep an eye in the media and trade
publications about events that are coming up.
Conferences and seminars are extremely
useful because they are:
A great source of industry contacts.
It is beneficial to begin “networking”
as soon as possible
Good sources of new ideas, new
products and new industry thinking
A good opportunity to share and test
ideas.

If you can‟t attend them, then make sure you read about them in the trade
magazines or make contact with someone who has attended.

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

Product launches
You are in a good position to attend many
of these by the virtue of being in the travel
industry. Sales representatives may give
you an invitation or an invitation may be
given to all staff at your workplace. These
events are good networking opportunities
and they also provide product knowledge
about the product being launched.

Economic Issues

As previously mentioned, each section

within this manual will explore different
aspects that affect the tourism industry.

In section 1.1 we will explore the “big

picture” the global affect of tourism
including:
Economic issues

Political issues

Social significance.

Primarily an economy consists of the economic structure of a country or

other area. It is a true measure of the success of a country and is the
backbone for generic advancement.

An economy comprises the utilisation

of resources including:
Labour – amount of persons, with
the necessary education,
knowledge and skills, available to
perform functions. The tourism
industry is very labour intensive
and requires people with a variety
of skill sets to meet the needs of
the local and international market
Capital – financial means to pay for infrastructure to support tourism
and to provide tourism related products and services
Infrastructure – roads, bridges, airports, transportation systems,
telecommunications, electricity, water systems and basic services

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

Geography – land, features and its

inhabitants
Ecology – living organisms and how they
interact
Natural and land resources - especially
important with eco-tourism
Manufacturing – the level of production
towards goods and services
Trade – the strategic location and partnerships between countries is a
major component of economic prosperity and the impact of tourism
growth
Distribution – transfer of products and services or items used to
provide these. In the case of tourism this also relates to the ease of
travel for people to get to the products and services, which are
traditionally based in a set location
Consumption of goods and services – based on supply and demand.
This will be explained further in this section.

An economy is based on the concept of supply and demand.

Demand
When looking at the economy as a whole demand is driven by the need for
people to travel, for whatever reason that may be. In addition they must
have the financial means to do so.
Demand, in relation to the tourism industry, is
influenced by:
Necessity – the need to travel, whether
for business or leisure
Employment - is measured as the
number of adult workers who have jobs
Inflation - means undue expansion or
increase of the currency of a country. The higher inflation, the more
expensive items are compared with their wages
Disposable income – how much money is available to spend on items
after necessities have been paid for. Travel is generally not considered
a necessity

Costs of goods and services – how much it costs to purchase a

product or service. Many tourism businesses now offer cheaper
package deals including flights and accommodation, increasing
demand for travel
Opportunity costs – an evaluation of alternative options. Generally a
travel consumer will compare offerings from competitors, in a specific
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location or from a global perspective when selecting travel

Basic needs and wants – many people work hard and want to make
the most out of their leisure time. They have specific goals towards
travel and want these fulfilled. They may be a need for relaxation,
adventure of learning of new cultures
Marketing and promotions – with easier access to greater media
sources, including the internet, many people are becoming aware of
the tourism opportunities not only in their region but around the
world.

Whilst a number of reasons for demand have been identified, if there is

no demand, there is no need for tourism businesses to exist.
Whilst the world may be in the midst of economic uncertainty, tourism
still seems to be a growth market throughout the world. People still need
to travel, whether locally, regionally, domestically or internationally and
therefore demand remains strong.
The world is becoming a smaller place and with a combination of cheaper
and more accessible travel options, increased disposable income and the
desire to travel, demand for tourism remains strong.

Demand for travel within the Asian region is strong, with many people
seeing Asia as a growing tourism market for a number of reasons:

Strong economic growth markets – greater

business and supplementary leisure travel

Ease of travel – ease of visa restrictions,

improved infrastructure and transportation
options

Large population base – Asia comprises one

of the world‟s largest population bases

Greater demand for “localized” travel –

many people generally prefer to travel in their region than take
longer and often more expensive travel

Cheap package and transportation options – many tourist areas

provide very attractive travel options for the leisure market

Cheaper products and services within Asian countries –

tourists enjoy getting “greater value for money” for items than
they would get at home.

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Supply
If demand for tourism remains strong, therefore there is a need to supply
resources to cater for the demand.
Some of these resources would be provided or funded by governments
including:

Roads, airports and other transportation

Electricity, water and gas supplies

Basic services including hospitals, waste

management, post offices and police.

There are many types of businesses, directly associated with tourism that
would need to be developed or funded through private resources including:
Transportation – airlines, boats, buses and cars

Accommodation – hotels, resorts, hostels

Food and Beverage – restaurants, stalls, bars, catering services

and food production

Attractions - leisure activities.

There are also many businesses, whilst not

directly associated with tourism, would
need to be developed including:
Retail shops
Pharmacies and doctors
Supermarkets
Suppliers for tourism operations.
The most important aspect of supply is
people. Without a readily available workforce
many tourism businesses would not be able
to operate.
Therefore there is a need for:
Suitable quantities of workers
Education and training providers
Accommodation, meals and appropriate
working conditions for workers.
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Whilst it is easy to find large amounts of people willing to work, it is

important that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to not
only perform the basic functions required of the tourism organization, but
also can provide them to a standard expected by an international guest.

Political issues

The influences of government, whether nationally or locally can certainly

influence the demand and operations of a tourism organisation.
Each government collects taxes, licenses, rates and other levies to spend on
services to the community. If the services were not required, government
would not have to raise revenue. Likewise, because the community expects
certain levels of services provided by government, there is a need for
government to raise sufficient revenue to enable those services to be provided.
Hence policies are introduced to determine how and where revenues can
be raised to pay for services to the community.
Some economic / political policies that
would influence a tourism organisation
include:
Fiscal Policies – taxation and levies

Monetary – interest rates

Wages – minimum working wages and on-costs

Exchange rates – the cost of exchanging one currency into that of

another

Ease of travel – into and out of a country, visa restrictions

Legislative changes – new or amended laws.

Social issues

Social significance relates to how a society deems

something to be important in their lives. What is
deemed by the wider community today as
important may be different from what our parents
and grandparents deemed to be of significance in
their lives.
In today‟s society, generally speaking, people tend
to have greater economic and political freedoms
than in generations past. Many people have access
to improved economic conditions and enjoy a

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 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

higher standard of living.

In terms of tourism, more people work harder and therefore want to enjoy
their relaxation time. They also have greater financial means in which to
do so.
Social trends show society has:
A better quality of life – better accommodation,
employment
Greater need for tourism products – people eat
out more, holiday more and travel more
Greater community pride
Great understanding and appreciation of the
world – through technology we are learning
more about the world which is building desire
towards travel
Increased appreciation of culture – people are being exposed to
different cultures
Greater understanding of other people – through multi-culturalism
we are learning more about people from different backgrounds.
Generally speaking, social trends are indicating society as a whole is
yearning to explore, learn and appreciate what the world has to offer,
which can only be beneficial to tourism. There are some obvious
environmental concerns associated with increased travel and tourism and
this will be explored in later sections.

Finding information

To find out information relating to economic, political and social

issues there are many sources in which to explore including:
Local government websites
Local community and council meetings
Economic and business websites
Legal journals
Industry publications
Newspapers
Internet research

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Assessment

Read and analyze the lesson before you start to answer this
assessment.

Identify the following statement and write the correct answer.

_____________1. Financial means to pay for infrastructure to support

tourism and to provide tourism related products and
services.

_____________2. The strategic location and partnerships between

countries is a major component of economic
prosperity and the impact of tourism growth.
_____________3. It is compose of land, features and its inhabitants.
_____________4. With easier access to greater media sources, including
the internet, many people are becoming aware of the
tourism opportunities not only in their region but
around the world.
_____________5. the need to travel, whether for business or leisure.

_____________6. It is living organisms and how they interact.

_____________7. Transfer of products and services or items used to

provide these.

_____________8. It is a roads, bridges, airports, transportation

systems, telecommunications, electricity, water
systems and basic services.
_____________9. Amount of persons, with the necessary education,
knowledge and skills, available to perform functions.

_____________10. It is called leisure activities.

_____________11. It is called interest rates.

_____________12. It is means undue expansion or increase of the

currency of a country.

_____________13. It composed of airlines, boats, buses and cars.

_____________14. It is minimum working wages and on-costs.

_____________15. A new or amended laws.

_____________16. The cost of exchanging one currency into that of another.

_____________17. It composed of hotels, resorts, hostels.

_____________18. It is called taxation and levies.
 Element 1: Source current information on the tourism industry

_____________19. It is measured as the number of adult workers who

have jobs.

_____________20. Many people work hard and want to make the most
out of their leisure time. They have specific goals
towards travel and want these fulfilled.

Reference:
Develop and Update Tourism Industry
https://www.asean.org/wpcontent/2013/economic/Develop_&_update_tour
_ind_knowledge_310812.pdf

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