RTA Local Agents

Although we have designed the model to attract innovative and progressive thinkers, and have kept your 'start-up costs' to an absolute minimum, you owe it to yourself to make a thorough assessment of the opportunity, and its potential to provide you with a good living and long term job satisfaction, before taking on the role. You need to consider the following, and comment on each point when applying for a place on a course.

• The potential appeal of your destination - to showcase the unique travel experiences (customs, culture, lifestyles) that would appeal to the responsible tourism market.

• The number and diversity of the existing micro and small tourism businesses, and of the potential for launching new options.

• The potential for linking these businesses along 'tourist routes' as excursions from your destination.  

• The availability of potential local development partners, and the training support they could help you provide.

• The availability of local experts and suitable guides.

• The potential for additional revenue stream generation.

• Realistic revenue & expenditure projections for your RTA Local Agent operation. (Note* We will work with you to establish them from the information you provide.)

• Your own or your group skill sets - as needed to undertake the role successfully.

• The cost of your training and of securing the concession.

The number of concessionaires appointed to a given destination will be determined over time by its RTA Ambassador visitor capacity, by the ability of the first appointed RTA Local Agent to service that trade effectively.

Before being accepted as an RTA Local Agent you would have to complete and pass a 12-week training course, based in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.

• The course covers all the operational and reporting roles required and includes time spent as part of a VWB Volunteer Task Force.

• The RTA provides you with the standard template and you adjust it to suit your structures. The nature of the business, especially in the early stages, is that you do not need high street offices and all the overheads that go along it. You need a laptop computer, a good internet connection, a presentable space (café/hotel lobby) in which to meet clients, drive and ambition, and an ability to connect well with others.

• The work with VWB involves conducting surveys of and recruiting potential Business Partners, working with them to establish or improve their business models, designing / uploading their business profiles to the RTA’s search and booking platform.

• RTA Local Agent course participants will be tested on their knowledge of the role and an assessment of their suitability for it will be conducted at the end of the course. Only those who pass the course will be eligible to take on the role, in a pre-agreed location. 

• In time, and subject to demand, RTA Local Agent courses will be conducted in other destinations, regions, and countries.

• Course participants, as well as all those registered as members of the various groups, will be required to sign legally binding NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) aimed at protecting the intellectual property rights of the RTA and its membership. Request more detail using our email contact form.

In keeping with our business model which seeks to identify and provide an opportunity to budding entrepreneurs, there is no deposit required to secure a concession, and monthly fees are very reasonable. However, to protect the integrity of the business the first concession period is offered for 1 year only, and subsequent extensions are for 3 years at a time. Performance criteria are put in place and monthly operational and formatted financial reports are submitted via an online channel.

Your 'Initial Training' will have provided you with a road map for the step by step development of your RTA Local Agency. As with any business, a good operations manual or handbook lays out all the rules, regulations, procedures, checklists and, practices needed to ensure a smooth operation. 

The RTA tourist routes are one or more excursions that radiate out from or between destinations, linking the products and services of your Business Partners. 

The system overcomes the reluctance of guests to spend money and time to visit a single business located ‘off the beaten track'. It does so by creating a whole new range of unique travel experiences that operate on a full or part-time basis, and are run as either primary or secondary revenue streams, bringing opportunity and employment to the outlying areas.

The itineraries are customised by the RTA Ambassadors and booked via you the RTA Local Agent. Your role is to establish these routes - for maximum appeal - identifying, developing, and promoting them and the potential RTA Business Partners who are located along them.

You must do so with the assistance of VWB experts, volunteers, and your network of development partners. (See below.)

• Best Practice Database - You need to set an example for your RTA network and edit your copy of the RTA Best Practice Database on your online profile, to reflect those BPs you will comply with.   

• Hobbies & Interests Database - You are responsible for editing your copy of the RTA Hobbies and Interests Database on your online presentation, to reflect what is available in your destination. When enquiries from RTA Ambassadors come in, you access their online profiles to see if you can match their stated hobbies and interests with those available in your destination during their period of stay.

The RTA Business Partners you recruit must meet the criteria for local owned micro and small-sized businesses to ensure that the objectives of the RTA are met, and the best practices established for membership are followed.

VWB (The Volunteers Without Borders Foundation) has developed several training workshops designed to improve the business operating skills, profitability, and service skill level, and best practice compliance of each business partner. This is best, and most economically achieved if the courses can be delivered or supported by other stakeholders (local government, NGOs, etc.,  tasked with improving the livelihoods of those in the local community.  

You must do what you can to encourage the membership to position their businesses to complement, rather than compete, with others in their LVBEs (Local Visitor Based Economies.)

It is also essential that you encourage those in your local RTA business partner network to establish their non-tourism dependent 2^nd revenue streams, ideally linked to their cultural practices, and where possible that help protect the environment. Ideally, 2^nd revenue streams should allow the RTA Business Partner to ‘add value’ to the product before it is sold on, independently, or through the RTA developed supply chain established for that purpose.

The RTA intends to attract ethical investment for individual RTA Business Members from both organisations and individuals committed to providing grant, impact, or crowd-funded investment for the development of individual responsible tourism compliant businesses.

Grant funding may be available for culturally or historically important projects and/or environmental or socio-economic initiatives undertaken by RTA Members in your area and would benefit the development of the local visitor based economy in your area.

Your role as the Local Agent would be to identify culturally/historically important projects, as well as identifying those Business Partners that may want and would benefit development funding ahead of time, and encourage them to put the operational and financial reporting systems in place to facilitate it.

In countries like Thailand, guides are either mainstream tourism or trekking/adventure guides. The former are trained and licensed on the 'basics' related to key attractions in their destinations. The RTA Ambassadors are a far more inquisitive guest, guides will have to undergo further training become far more knowledgeable on the attractions, activities, courses, and workshops they take guests to. As a result, they will deservedly earn more.

To become an RTA Local Agent you need to implement responsible tourism best practices. The RTA provides you with a database of best practices. From this database you tick YES or NO to those practices you do or do not follow yet. VWB will facilitate skills training workshops on best practices and hospitality.

• Phased Introduction - The database, showing your current level of compliance, is saved to your business profile. RTA understands that changes might cost money and will take time to implement. Full compliance will only be reached step by step as your funding allows.

• Costs & Savings -The higher your compliance status, the greater your potential cost savings and the more appeal you will have to your customer base.

The key to successful promotion is establishing a well-run business in which the staff are motivated to provide your clients with good service. With that in place, the low-cost market access, and a wide range of free promotional tools available to you will help.

• Guest Comments - Ambassadors’ positive comments will help to attract more business.

• News & Events – You can use the News & Events feature to promote genuine 'news and events' related to your business or your local visitor-based economy.

• Guest Promotion - Some of the Ambassadors may wish to assist your promotional efforts by contributing to your business blog.

• Articles, Blogs, Forums– Ambassadors will mention your business in tourism-related articles, and their blogs, and RTA forums. This gives you more free advertising.

   

RTA Ambassadors using your agency are asked to review and comment on your standard of service you provide, and if you comply with the best practices you stated on your business profile. The Ambassadors booking ref. and verified comment (and a score of 1 to 5) on each, would then be uploaded to the comment section of your business profile:

• Objective - The objective is to encourage you, the Business Partner - through positive comments and promotional support to achieve full compliance and the best possible service over time.

• Positive Comments- Comments 'ticked' positive would be automatically uploaded directly to the site.

• Negative Comments- Comments 'ticked' as negative would be sent to you. You who would then have 7 days to resolve the problem and/or submit your comments for upload.

• Transparency – Your recent history of comments is stored on your online profile where it can be reviewed by the Local Agent in the event of a dispute.

   

Note* Compare benefits for each level of membership in the table below. 

• Fees - To Track of the Tiger.

50% is allocated to hosting fees for the website and RTA members online presentations.
50% is allocated to marketing - which includes funding RTA Competition prizes.

• Donations - to  the VWB (Volunteers Without Borders Foundation)  our registered non-profit.

50% is allocated to subsidising VWB Volunteers to assist RTA Business Partners develop their business models, and design/upload their online presentations.
50% is allocated to providing business skills training and workshops for RTA Business Partners aimed at improving their business , hospitality and service skills, as well as helping them to establish and meet their own stated responsible tourism best standard compliance. It extends to helping them (where practical) to identify and develop viable non-tourism reliant 2nd revenue streams.

You establish a table of charges for your services based on hourly charges putting programme itineraries together for RTA Ambassadors. (See: Benefits.)

As the RTA business model is non-commission based, RTA Local Agents will secure quotes for Ambassadors from Business Partners using a time/cost-based calculation to determine their 'booking fees'. Their services include:

• Communicating with RTA Ambassadors - Is done via the embedded email system and CGI forms in the 'enquiries & booking log' on your online presentation. Emails come either direct (where RTA Business Partners can support them and RTA Ambassadors choose that option), or via the RTA Local Agent.

• Negotiating the Best Deals - On accommodation, attractions, activities, courses, and workshops for the RTA Ambassador, from each of the Business Partners detailed in the RTA Ambassadors draft itinerary.

• Seeking Booking Incentives -  From Business Partners by or on behalf of the RTA Ambassador - In the form of discounts, upgrades, and complimentary services.   

• Securing Your  Best in Personalised Service - From Business Partners by or on behalf of the RTA Ambassador: Catering to their preferences, likes, dislikes as stated on their Best Practices Database - a component of the RTA Ambassadors online presentation

• Hobbies & Interests - Sourcing activities in the destination, during the RTA Ambassadors  period of stay, to match those stated on their Hobbies & Interests Database - on the RTA Ambassadors online presentation, is a task undertaken by the RTA Local Agent.

• Community Service Opportunities - Organising CS activities as requested and provided by our non-profit organisation VWB  to be included in the RTA Ambassadors programme subject to agreement made with the RTA Local Agent.

Notes*

• Personalised Service – A editable database on which you may indicate the level of personalised service (language, transport, medial support etc.) you can provide to the RTA Community Members.

• Hobbies & Interests – An editable database on each Ambassador’s profile allowing him or her to indicate, and the RTA Local Agent to try and match his or her hobbies and interests to offer related opportunities conducted by groups, clubs, associations in the destination, during the Ambassador’s visit. The RTA Local Agent also has such a database to facilitate the matching process.
• Combined Service & Best Practice Score – Taken from the verified visitor guest comments submitted to your online profile by RTA Ambassadors.
• Specific VWB Project – A specific Community Service based project being undertaken by VWB in a given destination (i.e Agroforestry, or Education) that you would like to direct your donor funding to.

• Booking Fees- As the RTA business model is non-commission based, Local Agents will secure quotes, for RTA Ambassadors from RTA Business Partners using a time/cost-based calculation to determine their 'booking fees'. Your work includes:

• Negotiating the Best Deals - On accommodation, attractions, activities, courses, and workshops) for the Ambassador, from each Business Partners detailed in their draft itinerary.

  • Seeking Booking Incentives from the RTA Business Partners - In the form of Discounts, Upgrades, Complimentary Services - for the Ambassadors.  

  • Securing the Best Service - By having the RTA Business Partner accommodate the: Preferences, likes, dislikes as listed on the Ambassadors profile.

  • Accommodating the Hobbies & Interests - Of the Ambassador - as listed on his or her online profile.

• Booking VWB Run Community Service Opportunities - Organising CS activities as requested to be included in the Ambassador's programme.

The use of the RTA's CGI based form, embedded into each RTA Ambassador's 'communication and bookings log'(on his or her online profile) allows the itinerary to be developed, as it is passed - back and forth between the RTA Ambassador, the Local Agent, the Business Partners involved. 
Booking fee estimates are provided to the Ambassador as soon as possible in the enquiry phase, and updated as and when needed.

Additional revenue opportunities may or may not include:

There is a possible role and revenue stream for the RTA Local agent in providing one or more services in the supply chain and or delivery of raw materials, collection, and even sale of the end product. Examples of this would be:

• Establishing a Showcase - and sales outlet for 2nd revenue stream product from the tourist routes, perhaps combined with an office.
• Establishing a Business - Guesthouse, restaurant, or similar that would host the above, as well as to provide a training/internship opportunity for service staff/management seeking to work in the RTA Businesses in the local visitor based economy.

The Search System allows the RTA Ambassador to fine-tune his or her search for products or services by region, country, destination, category, price band, and by the physical access limitations. This creates a shortlist of the results prioritised by their interest and displayed by membership level.  Ambassadors further refine their selection by:

• Reviewing the Online Profile - for each RTA Business Partner that attracts their interest. This means you must ensure your online profile, and those of the profile as interesting as possible and highlight what makes them unique or interesting.

• Prioritising Service Standard - according to the average score awarded by previous guests. This means you should provide the best service possible to earn good reviews.

• Prioritising Best Practice Compliance - According to the average score awarded by previous guests. This means you should try hard to gradually meet best Practice standards and encourage those in your business network to do the same. This will take time to improve.

• Further Research - Of guest comments, articles, forum discussions, comparison with similar products services in the destination. This means you and your network of Business Partners should give your guests the best possible service so that they write about your business. It also means you must provide a value for money service.

• Booking Incentives - By comparing the booking incentives offered by the Business Partners to whom they have made enquiries. This means they should offer incentives. These don’t have to cost you any money.  For example, giving a guest an upgraded room doesn’t cost you more money – but it means a lot to the Ambassador.

• The RTA Local Agent - Has special password-enabled access to the presentations of RTA Ambassadors - when working with them - but cannot edit them. The Agent can see their personalised service and responsible tourism best practices databases, as well as your comment history, barter trade, etc. An agent can only access the RTA Ambassador's profile when  working with them on an enquiry/booking.
• The RTA Business Partner - And all others in the RTA Community, have password-protected access to all areas of their online profiles and can hide or show information to others at will.
• Security - All parties sign an agreement when you register. This protects everyone’s data privacy. The RTA agrees not to share your identifying information at any time, and to seek your permission to share your general data for research purposes. Personal detail (next of kin etc.) would only be accessed by RTA Admin in an emergency.
• Design Freedom - The RTA platform uses a template but within this template, you have the freedom to use a range of advanced multimedia features to personalise your profile.

As an RTA Local Agent, you can enter RTA competitions. The competitions are designed to engage and reward the RTA Membership. 50% of membership fees go towards competition prizes.

• Competition Categories – There are six different categories of competitions. (1) Travel Quiz (2) Articles, (3) Blog posts, (4) Photography, (5) Video, (6) VWB Assignment Essays.
• Competition Entry Vouchers - You need a verified competition entry voucher to submit entries to competitions each year. These are awarded based on your membership level.
• Draw dates - Each competition is drawn one week after the RTA Barter Dollar 1’000.- 'prize money funding figure has been reached. 
• Notification - One week before the draw date, the RTA Membership will be notified of the upcoming competition by email and invited to enter competitions. 
• Scoring – RTA members vote on what they think are the best competition entries. The entry with the highest number of votes will be declared the winner of that competition. 
• Payment - Payment in RTA Barter Dollars is made into the winning member’s RTA Trade Account – a part of their online profile.

Note* The number of competitions you may enter content for each year is decided by your membership level. Bronze = 0, Silver – 1, Gold = 2. Platinum = 3.

• Forums - An information exchange between the RTA Community Members covering a range of topics.
• Resources -A forum for sharing resources that would be of benefit to those in the wider RTA Community.

On registering you must decide on your preferred membership level - bronze, silver, gold, platinum - determined by the costs vs benefits for each as explained - under costs above. Your registration will be confirmed by email once approved. You payment of membership fees will only commence when you receive your first booking. However, we would really appreciate it if you made a one-off donation to VWB to help us fund volunteer and training costs. 

The unique ID and password you are sent allows you to access a user friendly 'online editor' to manage the content and imagery on your profile yourself. The same password provides authentication for access to forums, guest comments, competitions, etc. Assistance is available if needed, from VWB Volunteers who can be organized by the RTA Local Agent.

• Your Registration Data – Standard information that will assist us in providing you with a high standard of personalised service, and an equitable deal for your travel experiences.
• Your Online Presentation Data – The additional information that you enter, using the online editor, covering more detailed information on your business. The registration form also includes the following agreements for your electronic signature:
• Using the Online Editor - Your registration will be confirmed by email once payment has been received. You will be sent a unique ID and password. You can use these to manage the content and imagery on your presentation for yourself. These will also give you secure access to forums, guest comments, competitions, etc. 
• The RTA General Business Agreement– Our assurance that we will not use your data (designated private, shared internally, or public) for any reason other than stipulated without your written consent. That you will respect our intellectual property rights over the RTA business model.

• RTA Development Partners Data Research Agreement – Authorising us to allow selected RTA Development Partners (university or tourism organisation research groups) access to your information (less your personal or identifying information)  to study the responsible tourism industry and the RTA’s role in it.
  Details of the survey questions would be mailed to you on a case by case basis allowing you to decline participation if you so choose. Bear in mind, we offer this service to RTA Development Partner research groups in exchange for an agreed donation made to VWB (Volunteers Without Borders) which is used to fund development projects.

Step 1. RTA Ambassadors conduct their search and research as described above and then use the communications & booking log on their profile page to submit an enquiry on an email, - or submitting their proposed itinerary & timeline to you on the CGI form provided.

Note* They will presumably include a couple of options for products like accommodation so that you can compare offers made by RTA Business Partners.

Step 2. You review the itinerary and provide the RTA Ambassador with a provisional estimate of your booking fees (based on the estimated number of hours/costs involved in putting it together.) You advise them that you will come back to them for approval and with an explanation if that fee estimate changes during the enquiry & booking process.

Step 3. Once the RTA Ambassador confirms you should proceed, you contact the various RTA Business Partners involved in the booking checking availability and booking incentives. You also check the ability of the RTA Business Partner to meet the RTA Ambassadors stated likes, dislikes, preferences, (as stated on his or her personalised serviced database.

Step 4. Next, you check the RTA Ambassador's Hobbies & Interests database to see if you can match them up with activities (by clubs, groups, associations) taking place in the destination, during their period of stay. 

Step 5. You send the RTA Ambassador your cost itemised proposal (using the same CGI form for your mutual benefit). You exchange responses using this form until you both confirm the services at which point payment options are agreed the formal quotation is issued - including the requirements for payment of a deposit and the balance.

Making Bookings

The RTA Ambassador makes the bookings using the same system stating what will be paid for with the use of Barter Dollars (won in RTA competitions) and held in their RTA barter account, and that the RTA Business Partners products and services being booked in barter trade are advertised as being available. 

Taking Payment

They make a deposit or full payment to the RTA Local Agent via the method agreed (credit card, bank transfer, PayPal). You receive Barter Dollars from their barter account (on their profile page) and pay them to the RTA Business Partners involved.  Once payments have been made you then sent a detailed itinerary, emergency contact detail, and confirmation as required to the RTA Ambassador.

Note:  All exchanges are conducted using the embedded email system on your profile page, and you receive email notification of their arrival. Emails are time-stamped as part of our service standard monitoring programme.

Barter Trade Is an optional (value added) feature for which RTA Business Partners may sign up for or not.
RTA Local Agents transfer but do not trade in RTA Barter Dollars themselves.

It allows them to accept RTA Barter Dollars won in competitions by RTA Members, to purchase the products and services offered in barter trade at ‘advertised rates’ by the Business Partners. 
It helps the RTA Business Partner to sell additional inventory to:

• Gain additionl exposure for their products or services from those RTA Ambassadors who have RTA Barter Dollars won in competition

• Benefit from selling inventory at the advertised rate. 

• Use RTA Barter Dollars accepted to pay for RTA  Search Panel (Pay per Click) Advertising. 
• Use RTA to pay for monthly membership fees (50% limit.)

RTA Barter Trading

Step 1. - The RTA Community Members enters & wins RTA Barter Dollars (in a voucher format) in RTA Competiitions. They are deposited in his or her RTA Barter Trade account on their online presentation.

Step 2. - When planning a holiday he or she looks for RTA Business Partners offering 'products and services' in Barter Trade'. The RTA competition winner benefits from the value of the competition prize. The RTA Business Partner benefits from selling inventory at the full advertised rate.

Step 3. - Once the RTA Member and the Business Partner (via the RTA Local Agent) have reached agreement on barter trade, and the rest of the Ambassador’s booking has been confirmed, he or she transfers the agreed number of RTA Barter Dollars to cover the trade agreed from his or her RTA Barter Trade account, to that of the RTA Local Agent.

Step 4. - On paying the Business Partner for the booking, the Local Agent pays for (transfers) the agreed value in RTA Barter Dollars (identified by reference number) ito the account of the RTA Business Partner.

• The Business Partner benefits from the difference between the ‘cost and the ‘advertised’ rate of the product or service traded in barter.

Verified Guest Comments - The RTA Ambassador uses his or her booking reference number to submit a CGI based form for upload comments and score related to (a) service standard, to the comment section on your online profile. 
On doing so they will be invited to tick a 'positive comment' box - in which case the comment will be uploaded automatically, or a 'negative comment' box, in which case will be copied on it so that you may respond before it is uploaded.

Travel Articles, Video, Photography - RTA Ambassadors have taken on or offsite whilst on tour can be copied to (a) the individual RTA Business Partner, (b) you the RTA Local Agent, (c) submitted to the appropriate RTA competition - to promote the individual RTA Business Partner and the Tourist Route they are located along. They may win the competition they enter earning themselves valuable RTA Barter Dollars - to be used on their next booking.