Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to process a range of travel documentation commonly used or issued within the tourism industry. It requires the ability to identify and interpret all documentation requirements and to prepare and despatch documents within designated deadlines.

Travel-related documents can include air tickets. In most States and Territories, organisations that issue air tickets must meet the requirements of relevant state or territory Department or Office of Fair Trading which, in most cases, requires the tourism organisation to hold a travel agent's licence. In many cases managers must have formally achieved competence in constructing and ticketing airfares through a registered training organisation that must use this unit as the basis for their training.

Application of the unit 

This unit describes a key operational function for a diverse range of domestic and international tourism and hospitality products and services and applies to the full range of industry sectors. It applies to all organisations where travel and tourism documents are issued to customers or tour delivery staff. Documentation can be administered using a computerised or manual system.

The unit applies to frontline operations personnel who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others. It is undertaken by a diverse range of people such as retail travel consultants, corporate consultants, inbound tour coordinators, visitor information officers, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators, tour guides, tour desk officers and operations coordinators. Some larger organisations such as tour wholesalers support a documentation department staffed by industry entry-level documentation officers or clerks who may require more supervision.

The range of products and services and complexity of documents will vary according to the industry sector. Because of the broad industry application of this unit, it is critical that assessment is contextualised to meet the requirements of the specific industry sector, local tourism industry operations and the particular needs of the job role.

Prerequisite units 

This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite unit:

SITTTSL002A Access and interpret product information.

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

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

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1

Interpret information required for processing of documentation.

1.1

Identify deadline for preparation and despatch of documents .

1.2

Interpret existing reservation data  held for the customer to identify all customer details  correctly.

1.3

Identify and interpret details of specific products and services  that have been sold and confirmed to the customer and check prices quoted.

1.4

Identify confirmed bookings held for customers and costs quoted by product and service suppliers.

1.5

Identify sources of general information required to issue all necessary documents .

1.6

Check payment status and take appropriate action.

1.7

Check for and report any discrepancies in costs quoted to the customer and actual cost of services and take any follow-up action required to collect shortfall.

1.8

Identify any operational documents required by personnel involved in delivering the tourism product.

2

Process documentation.

2.1

Prepare complete and accurate documentation  within designated timeframes.

2.2

Record required details on documentation with accuracy and according to the conditions applicable to the product.

2.3

Make appropriate calculations and record any required costs within documents.

2.4

Action payment required by the supplier  at the appropriate time according to organisation procedures.

2.5

Check all documentation for accuracy prior to issue and amend as necessary.

2.6

Process, file and despatch copies of documents  according to organisation and supplier  procedures and requirements.

2.7

Despatch documents according to customer and organisation requirements.

2.8

Reissue documentation where appropriate and process any required refunds or additional payments required according to conditions applicable to the product.

3 

Minimise waste of printed materials.

3.1

Minimise use of printed materials and maximise electronic transmission and filing of all documents to reduce waste and negative environmental impacts.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

• interpretation of customer and operational requirements
• interpretation of quotations previously supplied to customer
• literacy skills to read and interpret reservation and operational data, read and interpret complex itineraries and product information, and prepare accurate and clearly expressed travel-related documents
• numeracy skills to calculate costs quoted to the customer, check payment status of customer files and issue documents with correct monetary value.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

• procedures and principles underpinning the processing of documentation
• documentation types and standard formats used in the tourism industry
• basic product knowledge appropriate to the specific industry sector
• relationships between different sectors of the tourism industry in relation to requirements for and acceptance of tourism documentation
• basic understanding of the negotiated costs, contractual arrangements and preferred supplier arrangements in place.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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

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

Evidence of the following is essential:

• ability to interpret and confirm the customer's requirements
• ability to identify any documents required by operational or delivery personnel
• ability to process and issue accurate tourism documentation
• ability to process a range of different tourism product, service or operational documentation for multiple customer, tour or event files and ideally as a component of integrated work activity
• understanding of the principles that apply to the processing of any type of documentation
• project or work activities that show the candidates' ability to process tourism documentation within the context of the particular industry sector in which they are working or seeking work; for those undertaking generic pre-employment training, assessment must cover a range of industry contexts to allow for a broad range of vocational outcomes
• issuing of documentation within typical workplace time constraints and the deadlines determined by the customer and the organisation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• demonstration of skills within a fully equipped industry-realistic office environment using appropriate computers, printers, information programs, publications and software programs currently used in the tourism industry to control documentation functions or  demonstration within the applicable sales environment for the sector e.g. a conference venue for the Events sector or touring environment for the Guiding and Tour Operations sectors
• use of customer and operational file types showing reservations or operational data as the basis for the issuing of documentation
• use of industry-current documents, such as itineraries, vouchers and confirmation letters
• where assessment covers air documents and tickets, the use of industry-current airline or consolidator documentation, computer data, schedules, tariffs and bulletins outlining rules, conditions and regulations
• for air tickets, the use of the full range of International Air Transport Association (IATA) actual or training facsimile air documentation.

Methods of assessment 

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

• evaluation of integrated activities completed by the candidate, including sourcing information on destinations, selling products, providing quotations and booking supplier services
• review of documents processed by the candidate
• case studies or project activities to assess candidate's ability to issue different types of documents in different operational circumstances and for varying customer requirements
• written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the principles underpinning the issuing of documentation, requirements for various types of documents and relationships between different sectors of the tourism industry
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• SITTTSL008B Book and coordinate supplier services
• SITTTSL010B Control reservations or operations using a computerised system
• SITTTSL012B Construct domestic airfares
• SITTTSL013B Construct normal international airfares
• SITTTSL014B Construct promotional international airfares
• SITTTSL015B Construct advanced international airfares.

Assessing employability skills 

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

RANGE STATEMENT 

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Documents  may be produced:

• manually
• using a computer.

Reservation data  for the customer may be:

• a computer file
• a manual file.

Customer details  may include:

• name
• age
• special requirements to be noted on documents
• agent's details
• address for delivery of documents
• date required for delivery of documents.

Products and services  may be:

• domestic
• international.

Sources of general information required to issue all necessary documents  may include:

• timetables
• brochures
• price schedules
• contracts with suppliers
• centralised reservations system (CRS)
• database of product suppliers and their details
• internet sites
• visa guides
• air travel information such as:

• airline schedules and timetables
• airline fare manuals
• tariffs from airlines
• tariffs from consolidators
• special bulletins issued by airlines and consolidators.

Documentation :

• may be paper-based or electronically transmitted materials
• may include:
• air travel documents such as e-tickets, multi-purpose document (MPD), credit card charge forms and exchange tickets
• accommodation vouchers
• bus, coach or other form of transportation tickets
• car hire and motor home vouchers
• cruise vouchers
• tour vouchers
• vouchers for attraction or theme park entry
• vouchers for any tourism product or service
• meeting or event confirmation letters
• delegate information packs
• travel insurance documentation
• confirmation letters
• letters outlining terms, conditions and liability restrictions
• letters advising sources of information relating to health, safety and regulatory issues for the customer's attention
• product disclosure statements
• letter of commission disclosure
• confirmation vouchers
• commission vouchers
• visa and passport forms
• visas and passports
• travellers cheque requests
• passenger itineraries
• operational itineraries for crew
• briefing notes for crew
• passenger lists
• rooming lists
• sales returns

• may be produced for:

• a single product or service
• multiple products and services making up a complete itinerary
• inclusive tours or optional tours
• groups
• individuals
• guests or delegates
• one-off touring arrangements
• series tours
• incentive tours
• meetings
• conferences.

Actioning payments required by the supplier  may involve:

• requesting payment from the accounts department, e.g. cheque requisition or purchase order
• self-administering the payment:
• issuing a miscellaneous charges order
• sending payment by cheque or electronic transmission.

Copies of documents  may be:

• paper-based or electronically transmitted materials
• for the file
• for the accounts department
• for the operational personnel involved in the delivery of a tour, e.g. tour guide and driver
• for the supplier of the service.

Sector 

Tourism

Competency field 

Tourism Sales and Operations