Tour costing is the process of determining the price of a tour package. It involves calculating the costs of various components such as transportation, accommodation, meals, activities, and the tour guide's fees. The total cost of a tour is then determined by adding up all of these costs and adding a markup to cover the tour operator's overhead expenses and profit.
One example of tour costing can be seen in a seven-day tour of Europe. The tour includes round-trip airfare from New York to Paris, four nights of hotel accommodation in Paris, two nights of hotel accommodation in Rome, and one night of hotel accommodation in Venice. The tour also includes daily breakfast, two dinners, and a guided walking tour in each city.
To calculate the cost of this tour, the tour operator would first need to determine the cost of transportation. The round-trip airfare from New York to Paris would likely be the most expensive component of the tour, with prices varying depending on the time of year and how far in advance the tickets are purchased.
Next, the tour operator would need to calculate the cost of accommodation. The cost of hotel rooms in Paris, Rome, and Venice will also vary depending on the time of year and the level of luxury desired. For this example, let's assume that the tour operator has negotiated a rate of $100 per night for a standard hotel room in each city. The total cost for accommodation would be 4 nights x $100/night in Paris + 2 nights x $100/night in Rome + 1 night x $100/night in Venice = $700.
The tour also includes daily breakfast, which can be included in the cost of the hotel room or purchased separately at a local cafe. Let's assume that breakfast is not included in the cost of the hotel room and will be purchased separately at a cost of $10 per person per day. For a group of 20 people, the cost of breakfast would be 20 people x $10/person/day x 7 days = $1400.
In addition to meals, the tour also includes guided walking tours in each city. These tours can be provided by the tour operator or outsourced to a local tour company. Let's assume that the tour operator has negotiated a rate of $50 per person for the guided tours. For a group of 20 people, the cost of the tours would be 20 people x $50/person = $1000.
To calculate the total cost of the tour, we add up all of the costs: airfare + accommodation + meals + activities = $2500 + $700 + $1400 + $1000 = $5600.
To determine the final price of the tour, the tour operator would then need to add a markup to cover overhead expenses such as marketing and administrative costs, as well as a profit margin. The final price of the tour would depend on the tour operator's desired profit margin and the competitiveness of the market.
In this example, the tour operator may decide to charge $7500 for the seven-day tour of Europe, which would include a markup of $1900 to cover overhead expenses and profit. This final price would be the cost to the customer and would include all transportation, accommodation, meals, activities, and tour guide fees.
Tour costing can be a complex process, but it is important for tour operators to accurately calculate the costs of a tour in order to offer competitive pricing and ensure profitability. By carefully considering all of the costs involved and adding a markup to cover expenses and profit, tour operators can create attractive tour packages that meet the needs and budgets of their customers.