Placement Plan Cusco-Peru 2009

Conduct of businesses

characterisation of the organisation

Golden Empire Tours has been operating in the field of traditional, cultural, archaeological and ecological tourism since June 2005. It is a Tourist Travel Agency located in Cusco and owned by Violeta Dueñas Pareja, a professional in the field of tourism. She is responsible for composing packages and selling them to other national and international travel agencies and tour operators. Moreover, Golden Empire Tours is part of other innovative Tourist Agencies that follow a sustainable approach.

The website www.goldenempiretours.com informs visitors about the various tours with detailed background information on activities, historical places and cultural attractions.

Policy

Golden Empire Tours communicates, conveys and shares the cultural and historical greatness of Peru, i.e. Peru's vast heritage, such as the remains of Inca and pre Inca civilizations, its traditions and customs as well as the astonishing diversity of natural environments to both, Peruvian and foreign tourists.

Being aware of tourism impacts Golden Empire Tours represents a sustainable policy. Profound respect and deep concern are placed on well being and conservation of natural ecosystems, native inhabitants of the Andean and Amazonian biosphere.
Thus, working with indigenous populations while sharing their traditions and respecting their goals is crucial for Golden Empire Tours to guarantee a harmonious cooperation. The principle of “Participative Tourism” forms a fundamental objective.

Product

The product is defined by mostly self-composed tours and some tours that belong to other travel agencies. Being located in Cusco, Golden Empire Tours offers five traditional tours around Cusco as well as eleven adventure tours. The Ecological excursions are offered in cooperation with other travel agencies, that are specialized in that area. In Addition, many other Tour Packages are tailor-made; some examples are provided below. Travellers wishing to journey through whole Peru have the opportunity to choose one of the nine own-designed tours.


Traditional Tours

Cusco Imperial
4 ½ hour
- City-Tour with two types of services: private and in group(pooled)
- starting at 8, 9 am depending on customers
- 2 pm for group

Enigmatic Cusco (Cusco Enigmatico)
1 Day every Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
- Sacred Valley of the Incas (Valley Segrado de los Incas)
- private or in group
- visiting markets

Machupicchu
1 Day
- leave Cusco in the morning and return in the evening
- 3 services with Peru Rail; Hiram Bingham, Vistadome, Backpackers

Maras Moray
5-6 hours
- only private
- starting from 8-9 am until 2-3 pm every day

Tipon Pikillacta - Andahuaylillas
5 hours
- every day
- private or in group (min. 5 people)


Adventure Tours

Inca Trail TO Machupicchu
2 days, 1 night
- train from Cusco to Chachabamba (Km104)
- walk to Machupicchu
- overnight in hotel

Inca Trail to Machupicchu
4 days, 3 nights
- departure from Cusco to Piscacucho (Km 82) by bus
- walking to Machupicchu “seja de selva”
- return by train

Trek to Lares
4 days, 3 nights
- walking from Lares to Machupicchu
- visiting native communities on the way

Trek to Lares – Machupicchu
5 days, 4 nights
- from Huaran to Lares (hot springs)
- visiting native communities, lakes, snow caped mountains
- train from Ollantaytambo to Machupicchu

Choquequirao – New Inca Road
4 days, 3 nights
- Alternative to Inca Trail
- starting 5 am morning, private bus
- horses carry luggage

Choquequirao
5 days, 4 nights
- same road as above, but overnight stay in Choquequirao

Choquequirao to Machupicchu
8 days, 7 nights
- starting 5 am with private bus

Salkantay to Machupicchu
5 days, 4 nights
- starting 5 am
- road through the jungle
- famous snow-caped mountain; e.g. Nevado Salkantay (6264m)

Horse back riding
2-3 hours
- starting 9 am morning

River Rafting
1,2 or 3 days
- working together with other travel agencies, who are specialized in mountain biking; e.g. Eric Adventure

Mountain Biking
- working together with other travel agencies, who are specialized in mountain biking

Ecological Trips
Work together with other travel agencies that are specialized in jungle trips. April to November is best time to go to jungle trips. No selling in rainy season.

Manu Cultural Zone
4 days, 3 nights
- working together with other agencies, that offer these tours; e.g. Vilca Expeditions
- bus, river, and air plane

Manu Zona Reservada
8 days, 7 nights
- plain, bus,
- or bus, bus

Ecoselva - Eco Amazonia
3 days, 2 nights

Tour Packages
Packages composed by Golden Empire Tours; mixed with various activities and prices. Specially designed for the customer (tailor-made packages) in regard of the duration, expenses, hotel preferences. The two most popular examples are described below:

Cusco Imperial
4 days, 3 nights
- City tour, Sacred Valley, Machupicchu (one day)
- last day leave Cusco

Cusco Imperial
5 days, 4 nights
- City tour, Sacred Valley, Machupicchu (two days)
- Leave Cusco
- most selling

Cusco Enigmatico
5 days, 4 nights
- City tour, Sacred Valley, Inca Trail (2 days, 1 night), Machupicchu
- last day transfer to Lima

Peru Trips
Own-designed tours outside Cusco.

Peru Historico Cultural
5 days, 4 nights
- Lima – Cusco

Peru Arqueologico y Cultural
8 days, 7 nights
- Lima – Puno – Cusco

Peru Historico Cultural
8 days, 7 nights
- Lima – Arequipa – Cusco

Peru Historico Cultural
11 days, 10 nights
- Lima – Arequipa – Puno – Cusco

Peru Arqueologico y Cultural
12 days, 11 nights
- Lima – Arequipa – Cusco – Puno – La Paz

Peru Historico Cultural
12 days, 11 nights
- Lima – Paracas – Nasca – Arequipa – Puno – Cusco

Peru Arqueologico Cultural
5 days, 4 nights
- Lima – Chiclayo – Trujillo – Lima

Peru Historico Cultural y Ecologico
13 days, 12 nights
- Lima – Arequipa – Puno – Cusco – Puerto Maldonado

Peru Historico Cultural y Ecologico
15 days, 14 nights
- Lima – Arequipa – Puno – Cusco – Manu

Market

The market is composed of domestic and foreign tourists with interest in Peruvian history and heritage. Former tourists origin from Chile, Argentina, China and Turkey. Unfortunately, a more detailed description of the markets does not exists at the moment. Therefore, it is my task to do research on this part to provide more clarity about different market segments.

Relation with the professional field

Golden Empire Tours is a pure tourism company that operates within the tourism industry. The office is located in San Jeronimo, a suburb that is 20 minutes away by car from Cusco. The company is working with local travel agencies and with international travel agencies. Moreover, various services are offered in the office. Hence, customers can benefit from banking services of Western Union, Inter Bank, Credit Bank and Continental Bank. In addition, bus tickets of the popular Cruz del Sur company are sold on a commissioned basis as well as airline tickets of various companies. A close relationship exists with hotels in Cusco, Puno, Arequipa, Lima; Bolivia, La Paz; Argentina. Restaurant in Cusco and Lima are part of the tourism product, too.


Recent Developments

Being a young company Golden Empire Tours is striving to expand its market share and grow in business activities. When it opened in 2005, the prime activities were to establish contacts with travel agencies outside Cusco. The goal was to create a partnership with other cities in Lima, Arequipa and Puno. Information about rates in the hotel and restaurant industry, as well as other services were updated on a regular basis. Therefore, there has not been the need to visit the places to find out about these matters. The second step, which is currently dominating, is the establishment of relations with international travel agencies. Based on online contacts and web pages, it is possible to get into contact with many places around the world and sell packages to these places, when customers are interested. Negotiations are being made to work on commission with foreign located agencies in countries such as Cuba, Thailand, Portugal, Spain, La Paz, Argentina and Ecuador. However, the prime goal remains promoting Cusco and selling tours within this area.


Workday activities

According to the placement premises, half of the placement period has to be spend on daily activities to gain practical experience working in a tourism company. Hence, I will carry out daily activities, which are typical for a Travel Agency; i.e. Selling package tours and flight tickets, making reservations for accommodations and transportations, and preparing payments. Since Golden Empire Tours makes their own packages, I will assemble individual tours as well. Moreover, I will use my language skills to improve and translate writings.



Placement Assignment

The other half of the placement period should be spend on specific assignments that benefit the company. The company asked to conduct a marketing plan to get more insight in potential international markets. In addition, a feasibility study has to be written for innovative tourism packages in Cusco. These assignments are going to be elaborated based on research on the internet, questionnaires and through consultation by the company.

Furthermore, NHTV demands specific Placement Assignments, which have to be performed in different disciplines; i.e. area of marketing, financial management, management & human resources, and information technology. One assignment has to be selected to cover each discipline. The selection of these assignments has been made in accordance with the company supervisor to cover common interests. These specific assignments will be included in the placement report.

In the area of marketing the marketing strategy (no.3) of Golden Empire Tours will be discussed to gain insight into the strategy of the organisation.
Regarding to financial management the seasonality and capacity influences on tourism business and activities (no.2) are going to be analysed to get an idea of consequences of seasonal patterns
Management & human resources are to be analysed by means of Quality Management (no.5); performing a quality assessment for Golden Empire Tours.
Information technology will discuss the information technology facilities of the company as well as a comment on its website.

A destination analysis about Cusco will be written as well.

Attainment Targets

Improve Spanish in writing and speaking (telephone conversations, customer consultation)
Writing a marketing plan (External Business Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Internal Business Analysis, SWOT- Analysis, Marketing mix and Budget...)
Feasibility Study on tourism products (package tours, creative and innovative activities, tourism demand and supply...)
Compose a destination analysis (Destination Market Analysis, Tourism Supply, Tourism Impact Studies, Tourism Planning and Development)
Insight in Peruvian way of living (historical background, traditions and customs, social interaction, values...)
Increase knowledge of ancient civilizations and heritage sites (Inca civilization, geographical understanding, Machupicchu)
Research activities (being creative to get necessary information, working independently in a foreign environment)
getting to know contacts within the tourism industry (4th year thesis report, future working possibilities)


Personal Aspects

Strengths and weaknesses analysis

Regarding my strengths in the professional field it can be said, that I consider it to be important to accomplish tasks as good as possible. I put a lot of personal effort and energy to deliver a satisfying result. Thus, I can be very flexible and able to put back personal desires. Using my observational skills, I try to estimate the situation in a realistic way in order to figure out what needs to be done. Once I got the point, I start to get the job done. Another strength is, that I am able to work independently without being dependent on anyone.
Referring to my weaknesses in the professional field I have difficulties working together with other members, especially with opposing characters. It becomes difficult for me to identify myself with the group and an aloof behaviour is the result. i.e. a strong decline in motivation and personal enthusiasm. Moreover, I am not satisfied with my leadership and organisational skills.

When it comes to describing my character qualities I have great difficulties because they depend on the environment and the people I am currently working with. However, it can be said that I have a strong character. Due to my diverse former experiences, i.e. international background, one year student exchange, military service and travel to India I have gained a cosmopolitan view on life. I am aware of my personal interests, which in some ways interfere with my professional development. Therefore, my prime goal is to balance these differences and find a way to progress in both areas. Describing my character it can be said, that I am very sensitive, adventurous and result-oriented. On the other side I can be easily discouraged and quickly lose initiative, once something is not going the way I would like it to be. Therefore, I would like to become more extroverted and authoritarian to be able to implement compromises, instead of drawing myself back. I would like to be able to take over the role of an initiator to put my ideas through with more self-confidence and security. Moreover, I need to develop a service-oriented and hospitality-minded attitude during moments that I am motivated to work as well as during situations when I dislike them. Although having seen different places and having socialized with amazing people I still feel the urge to further develop and improve my character, my professional skills and my behaviour.

Motivation for the placement

I feel great motivation for the placement in Peru for many reasons. First of all, it has been a yearlong dream to visit South America and to learn Spanish. Getting to know distinct cultures and values, which particularly differ from Europe, is a great personal enrichment that I am very grateful for. Moreover, I get the chance to spend part of my life in Cusco, a central place for archaeological heritage and worldwide uniqueness. In reference to my personal career, I will broader my knowledge once again. I will get an insight in tourism motivation of South America while working in a travel agency. Despite my tourism studies, it is going to be my first practical working experience within the tourism industry. I am looking forward to meet new challenges, overcome language barriers and discover new working methods that supplement my education.