How to check the reliability of the tour operator? This issue has become especially relevant for Russian travelers in recent years. Unsurprisingly, reports that another travel agency has announced the cessation of activity, while its clients are in vain waiting for registration at the airport or trying to move into a hotel abroad, appear in the media more often. At the same time, the "heroes of the reportage" are not the one-day companies, but well-established, well-known brands. How to be a Russian tourist? Is there a certain rating of tour operators for reliability, which can be guided?

What is the essence of the problem?

To understand that the precedents covered in the media,reflecting the bankruptcy of players in the tourism market - not an accident, but a systemic problem, let us turn to expert statistics presented in a number of sources. More than a dozen dozen tour operators in 2014 announced their bankruptcy, and this has been difficult to organize the rest of more than 50 thousand tourists.

The organization "Tourist assistance" was forcedevacuate from different countries more than 35 thousand people, remaining, obviously, without a place in the hotel and the plane, ordered from the travel agency. Of course, these figures may seem quite small on the backdrop of the indicator reflecting the total number of clients that Russian tour operators served in 2013, namely 10 million people. However, in absolute terms, they are seen quite eloquent.

Reliability in motion

One of the criteria that can becomea guide in how to check the reliability of the tour operator, experts call the active development of business. If the company does not stand still, develops, promotes its brand to other cities, then it most likely has significant financial reserves, analysts of the market believe. Another indicator is the appearance in the structure of the services of the tour operator of new services, interesting and unusual excursion programs.

Effectively - it means reliably?

Some market analysts suggest meetingoperators "on clothes". An indicator of the company's consistency can be, for example, an expensive office in the city center, quality repairs in it. Another indirect indicator is a functional and convenient website, the production of which can not be cheap.

Great choice ahead of time

Another criterion, noted by market analysts -possibility to book tours for a long time. This shows that the company has a good set of links in the industry - with hotels, airlines, various kinds of intermediary structures, offering the client a wide range of options.

A business model that is characterized by reliabletour operators, involves a significant diversification of the relationship between the firm and its partners, experts say. This is useful not only from the point of view of forming an offer for clients, but also in terms of the availability of spare moves in the event that some counterparties will experience difficulties.

Charter to the sea

Some experts negatively refer to the practice,When travel agencies send customers to rest through charter flights. A much more reliable option, analysts say, when the flight is performed within the regular schedule. And because if a client asks how to check the reliability of the tour operator, it will be useful to look at the model of the relationship between the firm and the airlines.

Narrow specialization

Some market analysts consider relevantcriterion of a narrow specialization of a travel agency. Which can be expressed, for example, in the work with a single geographic direction, country or theme of tours. Despite the fact that the largest tour operators in Russia have incommensurably greater financial capacity compared to average players, the latter, at the same time, can successfully fight with leaders in selected niche segments and even entice customers to themselves. In this case, people will receive the appropriate level of service.

Payment in advance

Among the most frequent problems that exist on theRussian tourist market - the refusal or unexpected lack of resources of the operator to pay for airline services and hotel reservations. The client of the firm, being already literally at the airport, learns that he can not register for the flight because the ticket has not been paid by the tour operator. A similar situation can arise when you check into a hotel. To avoid such cases, experts advise to deal with tour operators, which guarantee advance payment for the services of the respective counterparties.

But even if promises are given by the firm, noteexperts, the tourist, before you go, you still need to call the hotel or the airline to make sure that the reservation has been paid. This information is not secret, and such kind of checks are not forbidden. It is important to be convinced of this not only in the fact of payment of the ticket and the place in the room, but also check all by dates, and also make sure that the place in the plane is confirmed not only for the flight there, but also for the return.

Abroad will help

According to some experts, a significant criterionreliability of the tour operator can be considered the fact of ownership of shares in firms by foreigners. This can say, in particular, about better conditions for lending - abroad rates are lower, the ratio of banks in some cases is more loyal. For foreign investors, the tourist market in Russia is attractive - it is growing, our travelers, moreover, are willing to spend more on travel than many Europeans. Therefore, the share of foreign partners in the share capital of Russian tour operators can be significant.

The state is on the alert?

There is evidence that Russian lawmakers at thethis time prepare sufficiently promising amendments to the Federal Law "On the basics of tourist activities", which may introduce additional standards for the work of tour operators. It is expected that the final phase of consideration by their authorities will be in November-December 2014. What will be new in the law?

First of all, the company's entry threshold will be increasedin the Register of Tour Operators. Obligatory criteria may include, in particular, the provision of correct accounting records (and in support of - audit results), as well as providing information relating to the personal business reputation of the company's top executives. Another criterion of financial nature, which can become mandatory - the availability of bank guarantees from tour operators working with charter flights.

It is assumed that a new system will be introduced,within the framework of which the responsibility of travel agencies is insured. In particular, we are talking about the deductions of fixed amounts for each tourist in special funds, the funds of which are expected to be used in case of problems.

Powers of the authorities

Probably, the powers of Rosturizm inarea of ​​control and supervisory functions (including in the direction of initiation of audits). If the operator's activity reveals violations during the inspections, it can be excluded from the Register. Outside of which the travel agency, according to the law, can not legally work. So, its activities will be considered as a criminal offense in the form of illegal entrepreneurship.

What is this Register?

Above we said that tour operators can legally conduct their work only if their brand is present in the official Register. What does it mean?

Activities outside the "accreditation", as we have already donesaid, it is illegal. The register functions at the federal level. Tour operators in Moscow, Vladivostok or a company registered in a small provincial town must meet the criteria defined by the state.

The corresponding register is state. It appeared in 2007 as a system of assessments of the reliability of travel agencies from the profile agencies. The main criterion at the moment is the level of financial support for activities. If it is sufficient, then the travel agency gets to the Register. Now in the list of "accredited" state operators - several thousand companies. In addition to the fact that the Register performs the function of controlling the admission of organizations to the tourism segment, it serves as a reference point for various counterparties of operators - first of all, insurance companies.

The registry requires the law

Many tourists, meanwhile, do not know thatthis Register is. Although, as experts say, most of those firms that delivered inconvenience to customers, the corresponding "accreditation" was quite understandable. And so, market analysts believe, the Register in its current format is not an indicator. However, it may become so after the adoption of large-scale amendments in legal acts regulating the tourism industry.

Facts from online

How to check the reliability of the tour operator byonline analytics? It's possible. Moreover, many Russians prefer to identify bona fide travel agencies just the same using the resources of the Internet. It is perfectly permissible, having studied the rating of tour operators for reliability, to study also online sources of information.

The first thing you can use is servicesanalytics of websites. With their help, you can explore the "virtual representation" of any tour operator for citation, the number of visitors and other indicators that indicate the promotion of the brand in the online space. However, it should be borne in mind that a significant percentage of traffic on the site can be generated artificially. Therefore, the study of site statistics - this is only one of the possible tools that better complement others.

Such as, for example, study reviews - ontourist forums, in the relevant sections of operators' websites, on the portals of booking systems, etc. That is, the opinions of people who have a real experience of interaction with these or other tour operators, travel to relevant programs and use of various services firms. However, there is one, and quite obvious, nuance - reviews, as well as traffic, can be fake, unpaid.

Alternative to user opinions may beevaluation of "promoted" experts in their blogs. The main plus - it is unlikely that they will be paid (and if so - that, most likely, the author will not greatly extol the travel agency with which he in reality had a negative experience of interaction). Among the minuses - the opinions of different experts can be very dissimilar, even opposite.

National quality standard

A possible guide for choosing a tour operatorcan be information about the regalia he has received, reflecting the company's success in the industry. To such it is possible to carry, for example, the premium Travel Russian Awards. Within the framework of this event, tour operators are identified, which the expert commission places among the most reliable.

Laureates of the rating for 2013 are such companies,as Tez Tour, "Biblio Globus", Pegas Touristic. That is, mainly, they are market leaders, the largest operators. Unconditional leadership, having received 33% of the vote, provided himself with the Tez Tour. This confirms one of the criteria we named - the scope of the firm's activities and, as a consequence, the availability of the necessary resources to fulfill its obligations to tourists. In addition, the reputation factor plays a role. Market leaders want their customers to be sure: they are reliable tour operators.

The prize jointly established a magazineTravel Russian News and company PR2POINT, working in the market of marketing communications. The methodology for determining laureates is based on a sociological survey of the tourists themselves, who used the services of operators. Russians, therefore, themselves make the rating of tour operators for reliability. At the same time, it should be noted that initially the list of pre-selected 30 companies is offered to the respondents, at least this was in 2013. Perhaps, the new reliability rating of tour operators, 2014, which is likely to be a magazine, will allow for other criteria for the formation of lists of companies that claim to be highly valued by society. The sample of respondents in 2013 was 1600 people from 205 localities representing all federal districts. The question to the respondents was: choose three Russian tour operators, which, in your opinion, are the most reliable.

There are, of course, other industryRankings, perhaps less known to the common man in the street. There are also regional "elite lists". Many industry portals are trying to make a rating of tour operators in Moscow for reliability, Petersburg, Far Eastern regions. Criteria can be selected based on the specifics of doing business in certain cities.