System for developing custom group tours

• US 7,729,937 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Music Travel Consultants, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Star Travel Services, Inc. (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Attebury, Michael Taylor, Knotek, Gregory Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Application Number:
  US10/884,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/6, 705/8, 705/9, 705/1, 705/7, 707/9
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A customized group tour development system includes a server configured to execute a customized tour application. The customized tour application includes a sales module configured to generate a tour proposal for a custom tour as a function of a customized tour framework. The customized tour application may also include a client module that is configured to be enabled to allow creation of a group list within the customized tour framework. The group list may include participants in the custom tour. An operations module is also included in the customized tour application. The operations module is configured to develop the customized tour framework into a fully detailed customized tour.

Claims

1. A method of developing a custom group tour, the method comprising:

a server computer generating a first login request in response to access to a first network address;

the server computer verifying an identity of a first user as a staff user;

the server computer generating a staff page, the staff page generated in response to the identity of the user being verified as the staff user;

the server computer creating a trip record for a proposed trip only if the identify of the first user is verified as the staff user, the trip record associated with a client record and created based on receipt of information in an add/edit trip screen;

the server computer populating a tour costing sheet based on receipt of financial information in the trip record, the tour costing sheet including a sales total and an earnings total;

the server computer printing a tour proposal in response to a print command received from the staff user;

the server computer adding additional detailed information to the trip record to form a day-by-day, hour-by-hour itinerary only if the additional detailed information is received from the staff user, the additional detailed information comprising an actual number of participants, an accommodation, a transportation, pricing, a schedule, and tour events;

the server computer continuously updating the tour costing sheet in accordance with the added additional detailed information;

the server computer generating a second login request in response to access to a second network address;

the server computer verifying an identity of a second user as a client user;

the server computer generating a client page specific to the trip record in accordance with the client record, the client page generated in response to the identity of the second user being verified as the client user;

the server computer receiving and updating the trip record with traveler specific information, room assignment information, transportation seat assignment information, and a plurality of chaperone assignments via the client page; and

the server computer directing one of a single invoice for the client user to print, or a plurality of participant invoices for each respective one of a plurality of tour participants of the custom group tour to print, in response to receiving a print command from the staff user and a selection of one of a plurality of payment plans via the staff page, the payment plans including a participant payment plan and a group payment plan.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the server computer enabling the staff user to print a trip booklet for each participant in the custom group tour and an escort guide book based on the trip record and on verification of the identity of the staff user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the trip record comprises an assigned trip number, a status of the trip record, a plurality of trip option selling price entries, an entry for a number of the tour participants on the proposed trip, a selection of an identity of the staff user, an identity of a client contact from a list of client contacts, a selector for either group payment or individual payment and an indication of a percentage commission for the staff user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the server computer assigning each of the tour participants to a respective one of a plurality of vehicles, wherein each of the vehicles is to travel from a first location to a second location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising including at least 80 participants in the custom group tour and the server computer assigning each one of the at least 80 participants to a corresponding one of a plurality of vehicles, each one of the vehicles to travel a single common destination.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the server computer updating the tour costing sheet comprises the server computer calculating a sales and earnings estimate and a cash flow projection for the proposed trip based on at least one of the trip option selling price entries, a selection of either the group payment or the individual payment, and the percentage commission for the staff user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the server computer storing a letter of intent received from a client contact, wherein the letter of intent indicates a financial commitment by the client contact to purchase the proposed trip.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the trip record comprises a status of the trip record, and wherein the server computer adding the additional detailed information to the trip record includes denying entry of the additional detailed information into the trip record by the staff user until the status of the trip record is set to a predetermined status.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the server computer populating a cash flow projection section of the staff page with vendor invoice data related to payment of each of a plurality of vendors.

10. A method of developing a custom group tour, the method comprising:

a server computer generating a first login request in response to access to a first network address;

the server computer verifying an identity of a first user as a staff user;

the server computer generating a staff page, the staff page generated in response to the identity of the user being verified as the staff user;

the server computer creating a trip record for a proposed trip only if the identify of the first user is verified as the staff user, the trip record associated with a client record and created based on receipt of information in an add/edit trip screen;

the server computer populating a tour costing sheet for display based on receipt of financial information in the trip record, the tour costing sheet including a sales total and an earnings total;

the server computer printing a tour proposal in response to a print command received from the staff user;

the server computer adding additional detailed information to the trip record to form a day-by-day, hour-by-hour itinerary only if the additional detailed information is received from the staff user, the additional detailed information comprising an actual number of participants, an accommodation, a transportation, pricing, a schedule, and tour events;

the server computer continuously updating the tour costing sheet in accordance with the added additional detailed information after receiving, at the server computer, an agreement to purchase the custom group tour;

the server computer generating a second login request in response to access to a second network address;

the server computer verifying an identity of a second user as a client user;

the server computer generating a client page specific to the trip record in accordance with the client record, the client page generated in response to the identity of the second user being verified as the client user;

the server computer receiving and updating the trip record with traveler specific information, room assignment information, and transportation seat assignment information, via the client page; and

the server computer, in response to receiving a print command from the staff user, directing a plurality of participant invoices for each respective one of a plurality of tour participants of the custom group tour to print.