Chapter 1 - Working in a team

Theme: TRAVEL AND TOURISM BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK

Introduction

My name is Laura Changanani and in this report I am going to outline my experience being
part of a Travel and Tourism team and working on planning an educational trip alongside my
teammates. My experience was unique because I was apart of a team of four, but my three
teammates were working from Maranatha Christian High School Harare, Zimbabwe campus
whereas I was working from Maranatha Christian High School Kadoma, Zimbabwe campus.
This provided advantages and disadvantages. Despite the many challenges we faced as a
team we managed to persevere and successfully plan and go on our trip to Nyanga,
Zimbabwe. The planning process proved to us the learners that the Travel and Tourism
subject is more than writing and reading notes in class. It gave us a greater perspective of
the world in one of the most thriving industries.

This project outlines and gives a clear illustration of the processes that took place as we
were planning the trip to Nyanga. Chapter one shows the overview of working in a team and
the roles and responsibilities of each member as well as the mission, vision and objectives of
the project. Chapter two gives insight on the planning of the project, it includes feasibility
studies of proposed destinations and events for the project. SWOT analysis and budget
evaluations that influenced and led us to deciding on an event for our project. Chapter three
focuses on the business plan and SMART (specific, measurable,attainable, realistic, time
specific) goals. In this chapter risk assessment and contingency planning are carried out.
Chapter four depicts the event and all developments that occurred during the event. In the
fifth and final chapter, an evaluation of the event is carried out. Feedback on the successes
and failures that occurred and what could have been improved.

Background of the project

The coursework is a requirement of the Travel and Tourism 9395 AS syllabus paper 2, the
theme of this paper is Planning and Managing a Travel and Tourism Event. The 9395
syllabus states that the coursework component allows for practical, vocationally relevant
skills to be developed and demonstrated by candidates. It contributes to candidates
experience to working in the field, such as developing critical thinking, independent research,
communication, leadership and time management skills.
This coursework aids candidates in understanding the context of their studies within the
wider world which inspired our theme, TRAVEL AND TOURISM BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK.

Team overview

Teamwork is defined as the combined action of a group, especially when effective and
efficient (Oxford Dictionary of English, March 2024). The purpose of a team is to overcome
problems and achieve the end goal through interaction and collaboration with teammates.
Having a teamwork environment promotes an atmosphere that caters to the different needs
and wants of each team membership allowing discussions to take place and everyone being
able to convey their opinions. Teamwork is efficient as each team member has different
strengths and weaknesses and possesses different skills and qualities that will benefit the
success of the team.

(Picture of Team)

IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE (from left to right)

(chairperson -
Health and safety officer - Laura Changanani
Minute taker -
marketing officer -

Team structure and roles

Title Team member roles reason of

selected appointment

chairperson

health and safety Laura Changanani assessing and

officer (myself) monitoring the health
and safety issues
and risks of the trip
and carrying out risk
assessment during
the planning
process.

marketing officer

finance director

I was given the role of being the Health and Safety officer which entailed of assessing and
managing risks during the trip. This included carrying out primary and secondary research
on the organizations responsible for the activities we had planned to do on the trip and
making sure they were trusted and had a good reputation, as well as anticipating any health
issues we could face on the trip, making sure all members had safety products that would be
useful such as mosquito repellent, sunscreen, medication and that we travelled with a first
aid kit in case of emergency or injury.

Factors affecting the success of the team

Qualities of an effective team are good, comprehensive listening skills, positive body
language, verbal communication and a positive attitude and commitment to the project as a
whole.
Different leadership styles may be used to achieve success when working in a team.
These include autocratic leadership which involves one member of the team giving orders
and the rest of the team following them, democratic leadership which is when ideas are
proposed and feedback is given by each team member to reach a decision that benefits the
whole team and bureaucratic leadership where team members follow rules and procedures
consistently.

Factors affecting the success of our team were quite a few:

● due to the distance between my teammates and I. This came with its own troubles as
we are not allowed cell phones at school so communication was hindered since we
had to rely on video conferencing which was also difficult due to poor WiFi
connectivity. We managed to discuss our project during weekends and after school
on weekdays when we could use our cellphones. However group thinking proved to
be a valuable factor in the success of our team as our brainstorm sessions helped us
to find solutions to different problems together as a group and saved us a lot of time.
● Team cohesion was another factor that influenced the success of our team as it
affected the extent to which we got along. My teammates and I being on different
campuses meant I did not know them before the project and did not know how to
communicate with them in a way that they would understand and could not trust their
abilities and opinions as i did not know what kind of people they were. Having to get
friendly and well acquainted with them first cost us a lot of time but in the end it
helped as it was easier to trust their decisions and ideas when they were my friends.
● Role identity was an important factor in the success of our team as all team members
were aware of their roles and responsibilities so they knew what to do and what was
expected of them. Since everyone was clear on their roles the team was able to work
effectively.
● The trip was costly as we had to cater for our teachers from both the Kadoma and
Harare campuses and the driver as well.
● Accidents were probable as we had planned activities such as zip lining, sky walking
and hiking which all came with risks.
● The planning process included obtaining various permits and paperwork which were
necessary for our trip. We had to seek consent from authorities and risked denial.

Mission
● Experiencing and learning beyond the textbooks and theory.

Vision
● Exploring the practical side of travel and tourism

Aims and objectives

● To meet the requirements of the travel and tourism (9395/02) syllabus
● To give us, the students, a glimpse of travel and tourism beyond the textbooks and
classrooms
● To give us exposure to real world exposure of the travel and tourism industry
 ● To give learners a greater understanding of what’s taught in textbooks

Chapter Summary

Chapter one highlighted the important parts of the project and acted as an introduction to the
whole project. It touched on the background, team overview, aims, objectives, vision and
mission of the project. Giving a clearer insight on why the coursework is a requirement for
the syllabus and how it aids learners in their AS Travel and Tourism journey. With all the
basic components of the project outlined we move on to chapter two which focuses on the
feasibility studies of all the project options considered by the team.

Chapter 2- Choosing the event

This chapter will focus on the feasibility studies of the proposed project options. It will give
insight on the process of choosing the event to pursue as a team by giving feasibility studies
on each event or destination and a detailed SWOT analysis and advantages and
disadvantages of each one and taking the reader through the process our group went
through to decide on going to Nyanga, Zimbabwe for our trip.

Before choosing the event, we conducted a feasibility study. Out of the three events which
we had to consider, we managed to decide on one using the results of our feasibility studies.

Feasibility studies

Simplilearn.com, www.simplilearn.com, defines a feasibility study as a comprehensive

evaluation of a proposed project that evaluates all factors critical to its success to assess its
likelihood of being successful. We decided to carry out a feasibility study in order to weigh
the options which had been suggested. The options were Cape Town, Kariba and Nyanga.

Feasibility Study on Cape Town

A trip to Cape Town was the initial suggestion that was brought forward. This consisted of an
educational tour of the city of Cape Town and its sights and attractions. The trip was set to
last for …. days. It would give Travel and Tourism students the chance to experience
international tourism and traveling for special interests, in our case education, as well as
leisure.

Background of Cape Town

Cape Town is a vibrant city with stunning natural beauty. It is a popular tourist receiving area
known for its various attractions such as:
● Table Mountain, is a flat topped mountain and a prominent landmark in Cape Town,
South Africa. It is known for its unique shape and breathtaking views and is a popular
tourist destination. It is accessible via hiking or cable cars.

● Robben island, an island in Table Bay, is famous because in the 20th century it was
used to imprison political prisoners who opposed the postwar apartheid state. Nelson
Mandela was once imprisoned here. There is a museum on the island that tourists
visit.

● Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, acclaimed as one of the greatest botanical

gardens in the world, includes a large conservatory exhibiting plants from a number
of different regions. It is a world heritage site that gives visitors the opportunity to see
some of the rare plant species of the world.

● Cape Point, is a promontory in Cape Town. It is famous for its dramatic cliffs, pristine
beaches and breathtaking views.
● Boulders Beach, is a sheltered beach situated between granite boulders, from which
its name originated. African penguins are found here and this is one of the tourist
attractions.

● V & A Waterfront, is a mixed use suburb. It’s backdrop is table mountain and it has
one of the oldest working harbors in the Southern Hemisphere. There are stores,
food and drink, art and many other attractions situated at the V & A Waterfront Mall

● Two Oceans Aquarium is home to many marine animals such as sharks, penguins
and fish. It provides a fascinating close up view below the surface of the oceans that
surround the South African coastline. There are many things to do and see at the
aquarium such as microscope exhibits, diversity gallery, penguin exhibit, kelp forest
exhibit and shark exhibits.

● Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost tip of South Africa's Cape Peninsula is called
the Cape of Good Hope. It is known for the stormy weather and rough seas
encountered there. One of the southernmost points in Africa, it is among the most
famous capes in maritime history.

● Cape Agulhas is the place where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.
Benefits of the Cape Town Trip

● It would allow the students to have an outdoor learning experience.

● It would meet the requirements of the Travel and Tourism syllabus.
● It would add adventure into learning and give students a chance to experience
different types of tourism.
● It would give students a practical approach to the subject.
● It would allow students to be international tourists.
● It would let students experience the beauty of Cape Town and all its visitor
attractions.
● It would give the students a chance to be in a different country and expand their
travel portfolios.

Limitations of the Cape Town Trip

● Travelling to a different country would be very costly as flights, travel documentation

and other services have to be accounted for.
● A lot of paperwork would need to be processed to allow the school to take students
outside the country.
● Not many students would be able to go on the trip and this would disengage
economies of scale.
● Students with fish, water and flight phobias would not be interested in going.
● Cape Town can get very hot and this could make it difficult for students to properly
enjoy the trip.

SWOT Analysis for the Trip

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats
Targeted Market

The target market for the Cape Town Trip were students of both Maranatha Harare and
Maranatha Kadoma campuses.

Projected Budget

Feasibility study on Kariba