ProTour (FoxPro database) or ProTourSQL (SQL database) — Because it is Windows based it is easy to use and follow. Both are flexible enough to accommodate both large and small tour operators. It doesn’t matter if you specialize in African Safaris, Caribbean Dive Tours, Parisian Excursions, Theatre Vacations or Sporting events the software is perfect for managing tour businesses from the initial reservation to the year end reporting. (The SQL database allows the user to have a more secure and stable database; it also allows the user use ProTourSQL without a network connection so a company can have multiple locations connected to one central database anywhere in the world. If the user has a high-speed Internet connection they can connect anytime and anywhere and work as if they were in your office).

 

Some Key Features

 

Reservations

Making a reservation it is very simple. Many of our customers say that it takes no more than 4 hours to train a new agent in your office to make a reservation. The steps are routine and simple. The more information and effort the database teams stores in the database, the easier it is for the reservation agent to use in selling your product. The reservation screen has a notes area that the software adds automatically notes as an example, who made the reservation in your office, when a reservation was modified, what was modified, who and when money was paid out or received, etc. Your staff will be able to add as many notes as they wish so that all information is stored on the reservation in this area. If your office has been used to putting together a file, with paper and notes all over the place, this will stop, as all the information is stored in ProTour or ProTourSQL. Your staff will be able to make FIT, Package Tours, Schedule Group Departures or Escorted Tours as easy as clicking on buttons. You can send a customer a copy of their proposal by clicking on Fax, email or print. We have generic forms (Documentation is customizable from changing typefaces & object layout to importing your company logo) that can be used to send out your information to both the client and Travel Agent.

 

Inventory

The software keeps track of every item in the system. Each item needs to have an inventory attached to it, either a request inventory or a free sale/from allotment inventory. The inventory can be set up as a daily inventory (departing each day with a specific cut off date) or a Period Inventory (that has an inventory for a specific date range). If you use a daily inventory your database department will be able to “block out” certain dates so your staff doesn’t sell them or request them over and over. As reservations are being made or changed the software keeps track of the inventory and has the reservation saved by a status that is associated with the multiple inventories and items being bought. When you report your items to the vendors they will know if the item you are reporting comes from inventory or is “on request”. During the reservation process your reservation agent will also be able to pull some inventory reports that will allow them to see what product is available.

 

Programs and Packages

Your database personal will be able to build packages that can be limited to only certain departures. Because it is a package and the items are predetermined in the package, it will make the reservation process even quicker. Your staff will be able to add to a package extra nights or optional items you want to sell in the package. Each package will be able to have its own deposit/final payment requirements. If you find that you no longer want to sell a departure date inside a program it is very easy to remove the date from the program.

 

Accounting

All reservations will have items attached to them and each item will have a price table with both cost and price. As the items are being bought in the reservation the software creates both a receivable and payable for these items. Each reservation will be tracked so when the deposit or final payment is due your company will be able to monitor it. If your vendors require a prepayment or deposit before the reservation takes place we have a report for this. Each cost is recorded and kept track of. You will be able to issue refunds, commission payments out of the software. Once an invoice from your vendor is received, you will be able to match it to your reservations and pay the bill out of ProTour or ProTourSQL. We use accrual accounting and have a general ledger that is used for the accounting aspect of the software. We offer revenue recognition by travel dates so that once it is done; the reservation can’t be changed or modified to assure the company that the revenue and cost is recorded in the month the reservation traveled. At any time an invoice can be generated out of the software.

 

Reports (can be done generated by Summery or Analysis of reports)

There are over 100 reports that come with the software. Just to give you an idea of some of our popular reports that can be generated are: