Listening. Dialogues.
Reading. Booking procedure. Hotel contracting
Skills.
Lesson 1. Listening.
3.1 Speaking over the telephone. Listen to the Dialogue 1.
Vocabulary:
To be engaged
To hold on
To take a message
To delay
To reschedule
To make sure
- Good morning, CPT. How may I help you?
- Id like to speak to Maria Bonetty, extension 81, please.
- Thank you, who is calling please?
- Its Philippa Knight, from The Fashion Group.
- Im putting you through. Hello, Im afraid she is engaged at the moment. Will you hold on or can I take a message?
- Ill leave a message, please. The thing is I should be meeting Ms. Bonetty at 2 p.m., but smth. has come up. My plane was delayed. And Ive got to reschedule m appointment.If possible, Id like to meet you tomorrow. Preferably in the morning. Could she call me back here at the hotel please?
- Certainly. Whats the number, please?
- Its 020 7585 3814. Ill be leaving the hotel soon, so if she cant call me back within, say, within the next quarter of an hour. Ill call her again this morning. Is that OK?
- Right. Ive got that. Ill make sure she gets the message.
- Thanks for help. Good bye.
- Goodbye.
Dialogue 2.
To make an appointment-
To put through
Extension
To check the diary -
- Good morning, CPT. How may I help you?
- Its Phillippa Knight here. Could you put me through to extension 281, please?
- Certainly, putting you through.
- Hello, Maria Bonetty speaking.
- Hello, Maria. Its Philippa Knight from The Fashion Group in New York.
- Hi, Philippa. How are things?
- Fine, thanks. Im calling because I ll be in London next week and Id like to make an appointment to see you. I want to tell you about our new collection.
- Great. What day would suit you? Im fairly free next week, I think.
- How about Wednesday? In the afternoon? Could you make it then?
- Let me look now. Let me check my diary. Oh yes, thatd be no problem at all. What about 12 oclock? Is that OK?
- Perfect. Thanks very much. Itll be great to see you again. Well have plenty to talk about.
- Thats for sure. See you next week then.
- Right. Bye.
- Bye.
Lesson 2.
2.1. Read the text:
OOKING PROCEDURE.
Once the client has signed the booking form, you must collect the appropriate deposit payment. If the client pays in cash or by cheque, you should issue a receipt according to office procedure and then forward this payment to the tour operator concerned.
However, if the client pays with a credit card, you should make sure he or she has completed and signed the credit card section on the booking form. You may find also that from time to time the operator may want the client to sign a Standard Sales Voucher instead.
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Of course, it is important for the client to take out insurance. If the tour operator's insurance is chosen, make sure the booking form is correctly completed and then add the premium to the deposit.
Should the client decide on the alternative insurance policy or perhaps no insurance at all (not to be advised), make sure this is properly noted on the booking form. Remember that if you sell our own group's travel insurance, you can earn up to 45 per cent commission.
Once the booking has been signed, it should been sent to the tour operator immediately. If the option expiry date is coming up soon, it is best to telephone and make arrangements to extend the option so as to avoid any risk at the booking arriving too late. When the tour operator receives the booking form, all the details such as flight reservations or hotel rooms will be confirmed.
2.. 2.. Read the text Hotel Contracting and answer these questions.
A) Who is Gary David?
B) What does his job involve?
C) In his opinion, how cooperative are the hoteliers he has been working with?
HOTEL CONTRACTING
Hotel contracting is one of the most crucial activities of any holiday company's business - it is also one of the most demanding with endless round of resorts and hotels and the inevitable negotiations of next season's rates.
We need hotels as much as they need us, said Cadogan Travel's tour operations general manager Gary David, who has made thirty-four visits to nine destinations featured in the winter brochure. But they play games; there's a lot of bluffing going on."
He claims this year to have toured 170 hotel and self-catering properties, viewed 500 bedrooms and visited sixty-five handling agents. This is an addition to briefing couriers, inspect agents. This is an addition to briefing couriers, inspecting hotel noticeboards to make sure material is well displayed (it often isn't), visiting the tourist offices for each destination and dealing with forty airlines that serve the resorts.
There are all sorts of politics, said Mr David. It is a question of attitude as well because some hoteliers like bigger operators while others do not."
At Gibraltar's Rock Hotel, the manager agreed to contributions for advertising and brochures, whereas in Tangier, the Rif Hotel manager to move from his 20 per cent hike in rates.
However, bartering for room rates is only one aspect of Gary David's work. Others cover increases in room allocations, upgrades, added extras such as wine, fruit or flowers, afternoon tea, improved child reductions, long-stay deals and contributions towards advertising, which are all used to improve overall deal.
Another way of getting a better deal from hoteliers is to introduce a new section to the brochure which promotes a top hotel in each resort, and use this a bargaining tool, or give out awards to tempt them to give better discounts.
In Gibraltar I've had to drop two hotels because of poor standards so I've got a shortfall in capacity. I've got now to push for increased room allocation, but I'm dealing with hoteliers who don't need me because most cater for business traffic."
Read the dialogue
-Good morning. Monarch Hotel. How may I help you?
-Good morning, my name is Sarah Smith; I'd like to talk to manager of your hotel.
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-Yes, certainly, I'm putting you through.
-Thank you.
-Hello, my name is Mary Jackson. I am a manager of Monarch Hotel.
-Hello, my name is Sarah Smith, I want to speak to you about arranging of accommodation in your hotel. I'd like to find out what is location of your hotel and how far is city center from it?
- Our hotel is right in city center. Moreover, Monarch Hotel is 18th century, it's very old, but it has a perfect outlook with beautiful fa9ade. Near there are top restaurants, - for those who like opera there are Opera House; and a lot of shopping centers -around.
- Great. Another question is how are we going to get there? Is there some transport for travelers to get to the hotel and back to airport?
- Of course. We have a hotel shuttle cars and it will always be in your order. The next question: touches facilities of hotel.
- We have health club, gym, pool, sauna, shop, but all this you will share with other
hotel guests.
- Ok. And what about meals?
- We have magnificent outstanding cooking. I'm sure you will like it.
- I hope so. Is that all included in the prices quoted to you?
- Yes, certainly.
- How much is that and when do we need to pay?
- It is about $2000 and you can carry out your payment by 31 December.
- All right. Thank you. We'll think about it. Good Bye.
2.4. Dialogue: Hotel harges
Jessica is going on speaking with the front desk clerk.
Will you be paying by credit card?
Yes, Master card. Here you are.
I'll just take an impression of your card.... Here is your credit card, and your room key.
Thank you.
This is your room charge card. You'll need this if you charge anything in the restaurant or lobby shops. Could you sign it here?... Thank you.
Exercise 2.5. Answer these questions:
Did anything seem strange in the check-in procedure?
Lesson 3. Skills
3. 1. Dialogue: Reserving an irline Ticket.
Travel agent Good morning. Can I help you?
Nancy Lee Y es, Id like reserve a seat for a flight to Hong Kong.
Travel agent Hong Kong? Would that be a round trip ticket or one way?
Nancy Lee Round-trip, please.
Travel agent And for what date?
Nancy Lee The eighteenth, if possible.
Travel agent Friday, the eighteenth? Yes. Thats fine. Do you have a fixed date in mind, or do you want an open ticket?
Nancy Lee An open ticket.
Travel agent OK. Do you want a morning flight or an afternoon flight?
Nancy Lee Whats available?
Travel agent Well, there is a Cathay Pacific flight at ten-thirty and a US Air one at twelve-thirty.
Nancy Lee I ll take the Cathay Pacific one.
Travel agent OK. If you ll just wait a minute, Ill check to see if theres room. Yes, thats fine.
Nancy Lee Oh, good. How much is it?
Travel agent One thousand, eight hundred and seventy dollars.
Nancy Lee Ok. Thanks.
Travel agent Now, can I have your details, please?
