Elements and Performance Criteria

destination and product library
internet and intranet
state and federal government tourism authority information systems
regional tourism office information systems.

major cities, towns and tourist areas and precincts
major man-made tourist attractions
major gateways for and transport networks within the region and destination
history
local economy
local customs
special regional features
cultural elements
special features of the host community
local facilities, including banking and public facility information
facilities for customers with special needs.

location of the destination and the region in which it is located
climate and seasonal factors of the destination and its region
major geographic features of the destination and its region.

any current health risks, including diseases, epidemics, and animal or insect infestation
terrorism threats or current acts
weather disasters or threats of bad weather, e.g. fire, flood and storm.

may include:
styles of product available within the destination
seasonal availability of product
location of product within the destination
may be found in:
brochures
e-brochures
sales kits
supplier information kits
product manuals
advertising flyers.

card reference systems
files and notes of particular destinations
files and notes for specific touring routes or locations
files and notes for specific styles of customer group
computerised database of information.

informal discussions with colleagues
undertaking formal study
accessing and reading promotional information, including travel guide books, and product brochures and updates
liaising with trade and general media
attending product launches
attending promotional seminars
direct contact with other organisations, including suppliers, principals and tourist information offices
familiarisations
accessing the internet and intranet
personal on-site observation or exploration
organising information from own memory and experiences
watching television, videos and films
listening to radio
reading newspapers, books and other references.

health advisory notices issued by federal and state or territory government health departments
safety advisory information issued by federal and local police authorities and emergency service authorities.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

ability to research current, relevant and accurate information on Australian tourism destinations and the styles of product offered in those destinations
knowledge of current industry information networks and sources
ability to source and provide tailored Australian destination information and advice in response to multiple customer requests covering a range of Australian tourism destinations; the breadth of destination knowledge required to provide advice to customers will vary according to the industry sector and workplace
project or work activities that show the candidates' ability to source and provide Australian destination information and advice within the context of the particular industry sector in which they are working or seeking work; for those undertaking generic pre-employment training, assessment must cover a range of industry contexts to allow for a broad range of vocational outcomes
sourcing and providing information and advice within typical workplace time constraints and the deadlines determined by the customer.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

demonstration of skills within a fully equipped industry-realistic office environment using appropriate publications, computers, printers and information programs currently used in the tourism industry to store tourism related information
interaction with and involvement of customers to whom destination and general product advice can be given
access to sources of destination and general product information such as sales kits, brochures, product manuals, supplier or destination marketing organisation information kits, electronic information sources and information databases.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct observation of the candidate sourcing current information and providing advice to customers
evaluation of integrated activities completed by the candidate, including sourcing information on Australian destinations, selling products, providing quotations and issuing documents
case studies and problem-solving activities to assess ability to respond to different customers
destination research activities for different customer scenarios
written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of information sources and key destination information
review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

SITTTSL001A Operate an online information system
SITTTSL005A Sell tourism products and services
SITTTSL006A Prepare quotations
SITTTSL007A Receive and process reservations
SITTTSL008A Book and coordinate supplier services.

Assessing employability skills
Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.
Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.