B. TRANSPORT IN TOURISM (2)

Tourism is one of the six sub-sectors of the tourism industry. It is usually divided into three types:

· Land transport – train, coach, bus, tram, taxi, car motorbike and bicycle;

· Water transport – cruise ship, ferry, yacht, motorboat;

· Air transport – jet aircraft light aircraft, and helicopter.

From the tourist point of view, each of these types fulfils one of three functions:

- Travel to and from the destination;

- Local transport at the destination;

- Transport as a tourist attraction.

Air transport is the dominant form of travel today. It is very good for business people because it is the fastest way of travel.

Trains provide transport to and from destinations and also locally. They can also be a tourist attraction, as with the Orient Express from Paris to Venice. Coaches provide international and inter-city transport. In those countries where the rail network is not well developed, luxury coaches provide a cheap but comfortable alternative.

Modern cruise ships are floating hotels, and provide transport, accommodation, and attraction in a single place. Not all cruises take place at sea. The Nile in Egypt and the Rhine in Germany are rivers where tourists can enjoy cruises.

Ferries travel between countries, as with the cross-channel ferries from the UK to continental Europe, or between islands, as in Greece or the Philippines.

Tourism transport can be scheduled or charter.

Scheduled transport operates on a regular basis shown on a published timetable and following specific routes.

Charter transport is aircraft, coaches, or trains that have been contracted to travel to a specific destination on a specific date. Charter transport is cheaper than scheduled.

Travelling by any kind of transport can be romantic, fascinating, interesting. It can leave you vivid impressions and good memories.

DESTINATIONS

Giving a short presentation:

1) climate (seasons, temperature, and rainfall);

2) getting around (metro / trains / bus services);

3) entertainment (discos / nightclubs / shows / festivals / concert halls / funfairs);

4) sightseeing (museums / galleries / historic monuments / parks / gardens);

5) food and drink (bars / restaurants / takeaways / local specialities).

Tourist destination is a place or area to which tourists travel. It may be a resort, but it also may be a city.

Visiting Moscow

The best time to go to Moscow is July and August because they are the warmest months of the year. Summer days are long and it can rain quite a lot.

Getting around is easy and relatively cheap. You can get between all five airports and the city centre by a combination of bus and metro or suburban train. It’s good idea to book a transfer.

Most visitors to Moscow come to see the Kremlin, Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral and to look at Lenin’s tomb and it’s best to see the central area around the Kremlin on foot. For the other parts of the city, the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to get around is on the metro. Buses, trolleybuses and trams run everywhere the metro doesn’t go.

The most famous of Moscow’s parks and gardens is Gorky Park which stretches almost three kilometers along the river Moskva. There’s a fairground, an ornamental garden and river excursions.

There’s a number of festivals that are worth seeing. The Moscow Film Festival takes place in the autumn and the Russian Winter Festival is a must, with troyka rides, folklore shows, games and vodka.

As far as eating out is concerned, for an authentic Russian experience go to Petrovich where the walls are covered by all sorts of reminders of the Soviet past.

For a quick snack, there are three chains of food stalls – Niam Niam, which sells all kinds of sweet and savoury pies, Kroshka Kartoshka, which are jacket potatoes with fillings and Russkie Bliny, which of course needs no explanation.

The Balearic Islands – Mallorca, Menorca, Ibitsa, Fotmentera.

· Sun, sea, and culture – with a Spanish style.

· 300 days a year of guaranteed sunshine.

· Fabulous beaches.

· Great entertainment.

· Something for every type of tourist.

Floating between Spain and the North African coast, the Balearic Islands offer the perfect location for a fantastic holiday. There are four main islands for you to choose from, each with their own special atmosphere.

The gorgeous climate boasts 300 days a year of guaranteed sunshine, making the islands the ideal setting for a beach holiday. The long hot summer stretches from may to October, with temperatures around +27 C – just right for relaxing and getting a tan.

The islands offer a number of attractions for tourists. Sun-seekers will love the fabulous beaches. Fun-seekers will enjoy the exciting nightlife – the clubs of Ibitsa provide plenty of entertainment for young people. But there’s more to these islands than sun and fun. You can also enjoy wonderful architecture (the Gothic cathedral at Palma is well worth visiting), hilltop villages, olive groves, and hidden beaches. You can take a relaxing fishing or sailing trip, or go to one of the many festivals. If you go in June, don’t miss the spectacular Fiesta of San Juan at Ciutadella on Menorca.

Whatever you want from a holiday, the Balearics will help you find it.

13. THE STAFF STRUCTURE OF A HOTEL (=A PLACE TO STAY+)

All hotels, big or small, have a staff structure. In medium to large hotel, the staff are organized into departments. A simple structure might have only three departments:

· food and beverages (restaurants, bars, kitchens);

· housekeeping and maintenance;

· front office and administration.

In a big hotel the restaurant and the kitchen are separate departments. The same would happen with housekeeping and maintenance, and also with front office and administration.

The department in closest contact with a hotel’s guests is the front office, which is often called the reception. It is responsible for taking reservations, registering guests when they arrive (check-in), and preparing the bill for guests who are leaving and charging them (check-out). Hotel receptionists are in constant contact with the public and need very god customer skills.

The check-in and check-out procedures in all good hotels will be written down in the hotel manual. Front office staff follow these procedures exactly.

The check-in procedure involves filling in a registration card and getting the guest to sign it. Part of the card is kept in reception and part of it is given to the guest with the room key. Today many hotels use electronic key cards. Computers allow hotels to create a file called a guest history. This contains information about the guest’s previous stays and about any preferences – smoking or non-smoking, upper or lower floors, and so on.

The larger the hotel, the greater the number of services offered. The services directory is a document that tells the guest how to obtain different services. Usually a services directory is left in each room. Large hotels will also have a concierge, who has a desk in the hotel lobby near the reception. The concierge’s job is to help guests find the facilities and attractions that they want both inside and outside the hotel.

Hotel facilities

The range of hotel facilities and services depends on the type of a hotel. Large, modern hotels usually contain restaurants and cocktail lounges, shops and recreation facilities such as swimming pools or health clubs. Other facilities and services include: 24-hour room service, valet service, children facilities, air conditioning, minibar, hairdryer, TV, information service, wheelchair access etc. Many hotels also have facilities for social functions, conventions and conferences – auditoriums, ball rooms, meeting rooms of different sizes, exhibit areas and the like.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1203