- SELECTING
THE DATE:
Determining the possible date of the tour is the
first step in detail planning. The selection of the date needs
to be set for the convenience of your target audience unless there is
a fixed date or event that defines the timing of the tour. Other
factors include weather, conflicting local, regional, state and/or
national holidays or events that will detract from attracting your
target audience.
If accommodations are required for the tour the second step after
setting the date is to confirm room availability. Availability
of accommodations often becomes the key factor in establishment of a
date. You may find that the desired facility is already booked
for the date you selected. You will need to either change your
date and/or modify the proposed tour route to find a facility that has
the available rooms.
Conversely the lack of availability of a particular restaurant for a
meal may be inconvenient, however, there are options available (picnic
and / or sack lunch, catered, different location, etc.). The
further ahead a tour can be planned the more flexibility and potential
of finding accommodations. One year ahead may not be sufficient
time!
- DURATION/TIMING
OF THE TOUR:
Length of the tour is based on the strength of
appeal of the topic or elements of the tour itself and also on the
availability of time by the target audience. A retired audience
may have more time available than a working or family target
audience. Tour length can vary from one day to multiple days.
One day tour planning geographically limits your target audience to
those within an hour or two of the tour location. An advantage
with the one day tour is the lack of need for accommodations.
One day tours are relatively inexpensive as overnight accommodations
are not required.
The overnight and/or multi overnight tour requires additional detail
in both the accommodations reservations/bookings and meal
arrangements. This also increases the cost of the tour
accordingly. Tours of longer than two days require major
destination attractions/features. Two and three day tours tend
to be the most common, appealing and marketable.
- DAILY SCHEDULING:
One day tours can normally require a full day or
extended hours i.e. starting at 7:00 a.m. and returning at 10:00 p.m.
or later. Two or three day tours need to be more relaxing
without heavy pressure on time. In addition, every minute of
each day does not to be filled. Free time and/or a relaxed
schedule provides the participant with a more acceptable use of time.
For example, on a two or three day tour, part of the time can be
heavily scheduled such as the first day with the evening free and the
schedule the next day more relaxed. There is a tendency, by most
first time tour planners, is to fill each and every minute of each day
with activities - in essence showing the participant everything that
you have to offer in the first tour. It is better to slow the
tour down and concentrate on the quality of experience and not the
quantity of it. You need to save some of your other features for
future tours and to provide change that will be required in those
tours.
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