The travel business is dependent on many external factors that affect its profitability. At the same time, high competition indicates the extreme attractiveness of this area. To open a travel agency, you must have at least basic knowledge in the field of tourism, be able to effectively act in stressful situations and use spontaneously arising opportunities, as well as carry out serious preparatory work.
Instructions
Step 1
As with any financial project, the first step is to draw up a detailed business plan. It reflects a list of all the services that the agency intends to provide, including additional (car rental, visa processing, guide and translation services), sales technology and the geographical range of tours offered. The size and location of the planned office, the type and amount of equipment, and the size of the staff are also indicated. It is necessary to highlight the main competitors and market participants in related types of services. Determine your budget, including advertising.
Step 2
The main task of a travel agency is to attract clients (tourists). A well-structured advertising and marketing policy plays an important role in this. First of all, the company must have a good name, corporate style and its own website, reflecting the directions of activity, containing comprehensive user information and allowing online booking of tours. Take care of the external design of your office: a noticeable and memorable sign, an information pillar at the entrance, banners on the windows, etc. Decide what type of advertising will be most effective for you, taking into account the available budget and the category of future clients: printed materials (flyers, booklets, etc.), outdoor and media advertising (for example, in periodicals with a tourist focus). Opportunities to promote services provided by popular travel portals will come in handy, for example, www.turizm.ru, www.tours.ru, www.travel.ru
Step 3
A travel agency can be opened on a franchise basis under a licensing agreement with and on behalf of a major tour operator. The latter provides the franchisee (license acquirer) with all the necessary instructions for doing business, work technology and corporate identity; legal and other advice. The franchisor also provides unified corporate advertising support. In turn, the franchisee regularly pays the percentage specified in the license agreement on its profit.
Step 4
An alternative option could be to buy a ready-made business. However, this path is often fraught with pitfalls. Therefore, before deciding on such a step, it is necessary to study in detail the financial statements and other documents, the client base of the object being considered for the acquisition. It is best to hire a professional business broker who carefully analyzes all aspects of the business being sold.
