Travel agency - Ryokougyou (English spelling) travel agent

Japanese: 旅行業 - りょこうぎょう（英語表記）travel agent

A business that acts as an intermediary between travelers and tourist agencies, providing various services such as acting as an agent for both parties, providing travel guidance, and arranging group tours, and earns income from fees and fare differences. Commonly known as travel agencies, they have steadily developed as tourism demand has increased. Some of the larger ones, such as Thomas Cook & Son in the UK and Japan Travel Bureau, issue timetables, while others perform international services such as issuing traveler's cheques, exchanging money, and selling reserved seats for foreign destinations. In socialist countries, due to the need to supervise travelers, there are large, single, state-run travel agencies, such as InTourist in the former Soviet Union and Balkan Tourist in Bulgaria. In Japan, the term refers to general travel businesses, domestic travel businesses, and travel agency businesses based on the Travel Agency Act (Act No. 239 of 1952). A general travel agency is an agency that acts as an agent for travelers to enter into contracts, act as an intermediary, or act as a middleman for those who provide transportation, accommodation, or other travel-related services, or acts as an agent for the service provider to enter into contracts with travelers, act as an intermediary for those who provide transportation or accommodation services to travelers using transportation or accommodation services operated by others, or act as an agent for travelers in various administrative procedures, provide travel guidance, or offer consultations. A travel agency that deals only with domestic travel is called a domestic travel agency. A travel agency that enters into contracts on behalf of a general travel agency or domestic travel agency is called a travel agency. Travel agencies must be registered and examined by the Minister of Transport or the prefectural governor, and each office must have at least one travel agency supervisor (certified by a national examination). General and domestic travel agencies must deposit a business guarantee and be approved by the administrative agency for fees and travel terms. Currently, the scale of travel agencies is not necessarily large, and the small size of agencies is particularly noticeable.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

旅行者と観光業者の間に立って双方の代理業務，旅行案内，団体旅行の設定など各種便宜をはかり，手数料などの報酬や運賃差額を収入としている事業。一般に旅行代理店と俗称され，観光需要の増大に伴って着実に発展してきた。大きなもののなかにはイギリスのトマス・クック・アンド・サン商会や日本の日本交通公社のように時刻表の発行を行うものや，また旅行小切手の発行，両替業務，外国の座席指定券の発売など国際的業務を行うものもある。社会主義国では旅行者の監督を行う必要から，旧ソ連のイン・ツーリスト，ブルガリアのバルカン・ツーリストなど，単一の大規模な国営旅行公社が存在する。日本では，旅行業法 (昭和 27年法律 239号) に基づく一般旅行業，国内旅行業，旅行業代理店業をいう。一般旅行業とは，旅行者を代理して，運送または宿泊およびその他の旅行に関するサービスを提供するものと契約の締結，媒介，取次ぎをする行為，逆にサービスを提供する側の代理人として旅行者相手に契約締結，媒介をする行為，他人の経営する運送機関または宿泊施設を利用して旅行者に運送または宿泊サービスを提供する行為，旅行者のために各種行政手続の代行や旅行案内をしたり相談に応じる行為を行うものをいい，これを国内の旅行だけについて扱うものを国内旅行業という。また一般旅行業，国内旅行業の代理をして契約を締結するものを旅行業代理店業という。旅行業を営むものは運輸大臣あるいは知事の行う登録審査を受けなければならず，また各営業所最低1人の旅行業取扱主任者 (国家試験による) の配置などが義務づけられている。一般・国内旅行業では，営業保証金の供託，料金・旅行約款についての登録行政庁の認可が必要である。現在，旅行業の経営規模は必ずしも大きくなく，特に代理店業の零細性が目立つ。

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