10. Types of tourist companies

TOUR OPERATORS are tourist companies which develop and put together tour packages. Promote their tours and advertise them by publishing colorful brochures, booklets and travelogues; sell tour packages wholesale to travel agencies or sometimes direct to the public. There are large tour operators like Thomas Cook & Sons or American Express. Thomas Cook is the oldest tour operator in the world.

TRAVEL AGENCIES are retail tourist companies which work directly with the public by selling tour operator’s packages and individual tourist services like air tickets, train tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, sightseeing tours, services of a guide. Among tour packages there are inclusive tours, charter inclusive tours and inclusive tours with an excursion.

TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES are also called tourist information centers.

There are tourist information offices at major airports, railway stations, hotels, holiday or leisure centers and many tourist attractions.

Tourist information offices have got office clerks who give information about car hire, sightseeing tours, accommodations, flights and so on. The clerks also give city orientations to, guests.

TOURIST OUTLETS. There are travel agency outlets in hotels, airport terminals, railway stations, big department stores, at large factories and plants, and in office sites.

There is usually just one travel clerk at a sales outlet. He or she does all the work, answers phone calls, meets customers in person, works on the computer, does paperwork, makes bookings, issues and sells tickets, keeps in touch with the head office and knows all the up-to-date information on tours and tickets.

FREE-LANCERS are people in tourism who work for themselves. They don't work full-time for any company. They work part-time or in high season only. In high seasons free-lancers earn a lot of money. In low and off-season they don't earn any money at all or do some other job.

Among free-lancers are guides, guides-interpreters, escorts, animators, travel writers. Tourist companies employ them for seasonal work. Free-lancers are registered. They got a license.

12. Foreign tours

Pleasure travelers have a larger choice of places than those needing to conduct business.

There are the following popular tourist destinations in the world:

FRANCE: France is the most visited country by tourists as the country is rich in culture and has some of the finest places to see. The French wine and weather make a fantastic reason to see the country.

SPAIN: Spain is the second most visited country in the world with more than 50 million tourists visiting it annually. A tour would include a visit to Barcelona and Madrid. You can taste ethnic Spanish food and wine and see some of the most beautiful architectural designs on the buildings of Spain. ITALY: Italy an important tourist destination in Europe is a favorite with honeymooners and all romantic souls. You can spend your time by eating delicious Italian pasta or drinking some of the best Italian wine, seeing Italian art.    USA: The USA is a top destination for tourists. Holidays in USA are popular on its weather conditions, the composition of the population and the topography.

MEXICO: Mexico is a top world destination for people to visit. Its ancient pyramids lost in the rainforests, or its flaming hot dishes, or simply the colorful people of the country, to travel to Mexico is to be a part of a larger adventure.

CHINA: China has grown as a top tourist spot as the people of the country and their unique culture attract people. The impressive Great Wall of China and the tasty food of the country make every China holiday well worth the time.