Itinerary Preparation — Concept, Typology, GIT vs FIT & How to Design a Perfect Tour
Itinerary Preparation — Concept, Typology, GIT vs FIT & How to Design a Perfect Tour
The tour itinerary is the backbone of every tour package. It is the promise made to the tourist — a day-by-day blueprint of their entire journey. Getting it right is the most critical skill in tour operations. Here is everything you need to know.
An itinerary is a day-to-day plan of a journey. It includes all activities and destinations the tourist will engage in or visit during their trip. It identifies the origin, destination, and all en-route stopping points along with transport, accommodation, and other services.
The concept of the printed tour itinerary was introduced by Thomas Cook in 1856 when he introduced a printed tour itinerary for his Grand Circular Tour of Europe — the first time tourists received a written day-by-day plan of their journey.
A tour itinerary is not just a schedule — it is the total tourism product designed and offered to tourists. It covers all services from pre-departure to post-arrival. The itinerary shows: assembling point, departure point, days of departure, tour duration, legal requirements, destination features, optional activities, and meal plans.
The tourist provides: destinations desired, duration, budget, number of passengers (PAX), accommodation preferences, meal requirements, personal interests, special activities, and language service needs.
The tour planner then creates a completely personalised programme. The joy of a tailor-made itinerary is that the holiday is designed entirely around the tourist’s requirements — not restricted to a set group departure schedule.
According to Morrison (1989): “A trip planned and paid for at a single price in advance, covering transport, accommodation, meals, and sightseeing, sometimes with an escort or guide.”
Features: Fixed departure dates, fixed routes, shared accommodation (twin/triple sharing), escort/tour leader, most meals included, usually 3 nights max per location. Fast-paced, cost-effective, suitable for first-time travellers.
1N Chandigarh (Rock Garden, Pinjore Garden)
2N Shimla (Kufri, Scandal Point, Shimla Church)
3N Manali (Rohtang Pass, Hadimba Temple, Mall Road)
1N Dharamsala (Dal Lake, Dalai Lama Monastery)
2N Dalhousie (Khajjiar excursion)
2N Amritsar (Golden Temple, Wagah Border)
◆ Thomas Cook introduced printed tour itinerary in 1856
◆ 2 types: Customer-made (tailor-made/FIT) + Readymade (GIT/package tour)
◆ FIT = Free/Foreign Independent Tour = personalised, flexible, higher cost
◆ GIT = Group Inclusive Tour = pre-designed, fixed departure, lower cost
◆ Morrison 1989: Package tour = “trip planned at single price covering transport, accommodation, meals, sightseeing”
◆ Itinerary segments = portions of the journey
◆ Key elements: origin/destination, duration, transport, accommodation, sightseeing, inclusions/exclusions