Unit of competency details

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Replaces but is not equivalent to SITTIND001B Develop and update tourism industry knowledge.

Title changed to better reflect the intent and content of the unit.

Significant changes to Elements, Performance Criteria and Required Knowledge. Coverage of laws and ethical issues limited to those specifically relevant to the tourism industry. Other legal knowledge, e.g. work health and safety is found in relevant units.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1. Source and use relevant industry information.

1.1 Identify sources of information  on the structure and operation of the tourism industry .

1.2 Access specific information  of relevance to the tourism and travel industry to assist operational duties.

1.3 Obtain information on features of current and in trend tourism products and services relevant to job role.

1.4 Use knowledge of the tourism and travel industry and its products and services to enhance the quality of work performance .

2. Source and use compliance information in daily activities.

2.1 Obtain information on laws specifically relevant to the tourism and travel industry and work compliantly.

2.2 Seek information on industry quality assurance schemes .

2.3 Access information on career planning and equal employment opportunity law.

2.4 Conduct day to day tourism activities according to ethical industry practices .

3. Source and use information on tourism technology.

3.1 Source and access information on current and emerging technologies  that impact on operational duties.

3.2 Use information on technology to suggest new and improved workplace practices.

3.3 Use current and emerging technology in day to day work activities.

4. Update personal and organisational knowledge of the tourism industry.

4.1 Identify and use a range of opportunities  to update knowledge of the tourism and travel industry.

4.2 Monitor current issues and trends  for the industry.

4.3 Share updated information with colleagues.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills including active listening and open and closed probe questioning to obtain information from:

• experienced industry personnel
• colleagues
• suppliers
• industry bodies

• initiative and enterprise skills to suggest:

• new and improved ways of doing things using emerging technology
• organisational benefits of participating in industry quality assurance schemes

• learning skills to continuously update knowledge of the tourism and travel industry
• literacy skills to:

• read and comprehend the content of plain English information about laws, industry accreditation schemes and codes of conduct
• research, sort and use tourism and travel industry information
• write notes, summarise and record information in basic documents such as information sheets, portfolios and files

• planning and organising skills to complete daily operational activities while sourcing information required to support those
• problem-solving skills to recognise knowledge deficiencies and take action to seek information
• self-management skills to take responsibility for sourcing and updating current and emerging information
• teamwork skills to share updated information with colleagues
• technology skills to:

• use a computer and keyboard
• use online information systems to search for information.

Required knowledge 

• sources of information on the tourism and travel industry
• structure of the tourism and travel industry and its different sectors including:

• functions
• key characteristics
• business relationships between sectors

• roles and general responsibilities for different jobs in the industry
• general nature of allied and related industries including hospitality, meetings, incentives, conferences and events
• primary functions of:

• major cross-industry and sector-specific industry associations especially those with which the organisation has a relationship
• trade unions in the industry
• local, regional, state and national tourism information service and marketing organisations
• tourism research bodies

• basic aspects of tourism and travel industry quality assurance processes:

• industry accreditation schemes
• codes of conduct or ethics
• occupational licensing
• reasons for participation and impacts of non-compliance
• roles and responsibilities of individual staff members when participating in schemes

• basic aspects of state, territory and commonweath laws specifically relevant to the tourism and travel industry and actions that must be adhered to by tourism organisations:

• Criminal Code Act (1995) for child sex offences outside Australia
• travel agents licensing acts

• for inbound tour operators and guides, basic aspects of and actions that must be adhered to by tourism organisations:

• Queensland Tourism Services Act (2003) for the delivery of tourism products in Queensland

• basic aspects of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) law including rights of employees and responsibilities of employers to make merit based employment decisions
• current and emerging technology used in the tourism industry, including e-business and social media.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the ability to:

• source current tourism industry information and use this in day-to-day activities to maximise effective performance
• demonstrate knowledge of the tourism industry, including main roles, functions and interrelationships of different sectors
• integrate knowledge of the basic aspects of key laws and ethical issues specifically relevant to the tourism industry.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure use of:

• computers, printers, communication technology and information programs used to source industry information
• information on codes of conduct, membership and benefits distributed by:

• industry associations
• accreditation operators
• unions

• plain English documents issued by government regulators that describe laws specifically relevant to the tourism industry:

• Criminal Code Act (1995) for child sex offences outside Australia
• travel agents licensing acts
• Queensland Tourism Services Act (2003).

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• exercises and project activities that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to:

• obtain current and accurate tourism industry information
• research information to meet differing operational needs

• group projects that allow individuals to collectively source information on differing aspects of the tourism industry and present it in a portfolio
• direct observation of the individual delivering an oral presentation on the sourced information
• problem-solving exercises so the individual can identify new knowledge required to complete operational activities and source information to resolve the deficiency
• written and oral questioning to assess knowledge of:

• different sectors of the tourism industry and their interrelationships
• laws relevant to the tourism industry
• industry codes of conduct

• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the individual.

Guidance information for assessment 

The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

• SITTTSL201 Operate an online information system
• SITXCOM101 Source and present information.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Sources of information  may include:

• computer data, including the Internet
• discussions with experienced industry personnel
• industry:

• accreditation operators
• associations and organisations
• developers of codes of conduct or ethics
• journals
• seminars

• networking with:

• colleagues
• suppliers

• plain English documents, issued by government regulators, that describe laws relevant to the tourism and travel industry
• libraries
• media
• personal observations and experience
• regional, state and national tourism offices
• reference books
• training courses
• unions.

The tourism industry  involves a range of sectors and businesses including:

• accommodation
• attractions
• coordination:

• councils
• industry associations
• research bodies
• taskforces

• cruise ships
• guiding
• information services and promotion:

• visitor information centres
• regional, state and national tourism offices

• meetings, incentives, conventions and events
• retail travel
• tour operations
• tour wholesaling:

• inbound tour operators
• outbound wholesalers

• transport:

• coach
• regular public transport and charter airlines
• vehicle hire
• vessels.

Information  of relevance to the tourism industry may include:

• career opportunities within the industry
• different sectors and organisations within the industry, their relationships and the services available in each sector
• different tourism markets and their relevance to industry sectors
• economic and social significance of the tourism and travel industry, which may relate to:

• community role in tourism
• effect on local amenities and facilities
• employment
• population change due to tourism development

• industrial relations and award provisions
• major tourism and travel industry bodies and associations
• quality assurance schemes
• relationships between tourism and other industries, including:

• agriculture
• arts
• conservation
• entertainment
• events
• hospitality
• retail
• science and research
• sports

• role of and impacts on local communities
• roles and general responsibilities for different jobs in the industry
• specific features of the local and regional industry.

To enhance the quality of work performance  may involve:

• improving skills and productivity
• providing tourism products and services to meet current market trends and customer expectations
• providing quality tourism service
• suggesting new and improved ways of doing things
• working effectively with:

• other sectors of the tourism and travel industry
• suppliers

• working according to:

• ethical industry practices to ensure smooth tourism operations
• the law to avoid problems for self and the enterprise.

Laws  may cover:

• business and occupational licensing
• child sex tourism
• EEO
• Queensland Tourism Services Act (2003)
• travel agents licensing
• workplace relations – Fair Work Australia.

Quality assurance schemes  may include:

• accreditation schemes
• codes of conduct or ethics
• industry association membership
• occupational licences.

Ethical industry practices  may relate to:

• agreed compliance with:

• accreditation schemes
• codes of conduct
• preferred product arrangements
• payment of commission
• terms of payment

• confidentiality of customer information
• consumer protection:

• provision of services as promoted
• reasonable consumer pricing
• truth and honesty in all information given to customers

• declaration of:

• commissions
• fees and other charges
• gifts and services provided free of charge
• tips

• overbooking
• product recommendations
• professional behaviour when participating in familiarisations and industry events.

Technologies  may involve:

• customer technologies:

• applications for electronic devices and computers
• automated airport check-ins
• online booking systems
• online check-ins

• Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems
• e-business
• industry:

• online booking systems
• reservations, operations and financial and tracking systems

• project management systems
• social media sites.

Opportunities  may include:

• discussions with experienced industry personnel
• networking with:

• colleagues
• suppliers

• participating in:

• industry accreditation schemes
• industry seminars
• membership of professional industry associations
• union membership
• training courses.

Current issues and trends  for the industry may relate to:

• emerging markets
• environmental, social and cultural impacts
• government initiatives
• industry expansion or retraction
• industry initiatives
• labour issues
• maintaining organisational and industry profitability by productivity and pricing flexibility
• shrinking markets.