Tourism in Russia is now developing at a fantastic speed. People began to live better, incomes increased, which means the field of activity for companies working in this area has expanded.
Where to start a tourism business? Like any other, with planning costs and income. In this article we will talk about what a travel agency business plan should contain, how to properly organize a business, create an assortment of tours, and choose partners.
Choosing a direction of work
This is the first thing you will have to face. All currently operating companies can be divided into two groups: those that organize and implement their own tours, in a word - tour operators, and those that specialize exclusively in selling offers from domestic and foreign companies, that is, travel agents.
Of course, working according to the first option is more profitable, but the risks are higher. Besides start-up capital you need a very big one. Therefore, it is safer and easier to start your activities by implementing ready-made tours from reputable tour operators. Organizing a tourism business in this case will require much smaller investments from you; you can start with a capital of 200 thousand rubles (of course, this is the minimum figure).
A travel agent is a kind of intermediary between a large company and a buyer. But this does not mean that you should sell tours strictly at the price determined by the tour operator. For example, the organizer of a tour to America offered you a route worth 80 thousand rubles for implementation on the condition that you keep 10 percent of the tour price for yourself. You sell a ticket in your city, where there are no other similar offers, for more, say, 100 thousand rubles. The benefit is obvious - your income increases.
Travel business. Where to begin?
Once you have decided on the direction of work, you should register your company. You can create entity, or you can function as an individual entrepreneur. As practice shows, to work in the tourism industry it is better to give preference to LLC. The key point in such activities is customer trust in the company they choose, and people trust legal entities more than individual entrepreneurs.
For registering an LLC, a fee of 4,000 rubles is charged, you will also have to make a seal (another 400-600 rubles) and certify constituent documents from a notary (about 1000 rubles). Authorized capital must be at least 10,000 rubles, at least half of it must be transferred to an account opened with a bank (you will also have to pay about 500 rubles for opening an account). Upon registration, the company will be assigned OKVED 53.30 “Activities travel agencies" Thus, the minimum amount you will spend on the registration procedure is 6,000 rubles.
License and taxes
What else is needed to open a travel agency? Previously, a license was required, but since 2007, compulsory licensing has been abolished. Therefore, all that remains is to choose the object of taxation. The work of travel agencies falls under the simplified tax system. At your discretion, two objects are offered: income (6 percent rate) or income minus expenses (15 percent rate). The second option should be chosen only if it is intended large share costs.
Selecting a room
This step should be completed before the registration process. Yes, they won’t register you if the company does not have a legal address. Of course, it is best to locate the agency office in the city center, but focus primarily on financial opportunities. Please pay attention Special attention design and furnishings of the room. Essentially, a travel company sells promises, “air,” a person gives money now and receives the service later, so an atmosphere of confidence should be created that savings are in good hands.
Office equipment
Don’t forget about office equipment: the office must be equipped with a computer with Internet access (one is enough for a start), a telephone, a printer, a fax - without all this it will not be possible to organize work. Furniture costs will also be considerable. A computer desk costs at least 6,000 rubles, a swivel chair costs about 3,000 thousand, you will also need to purchase chairs for clients, a sofa for waiting in case a line forms, a coffee table where booklets, leaflets, etc. will be placed.
On average, the cost of purchasing furniture will be 30-60 thousand rubles. You will need to spend about 50 thousand rubles on office equipment (at conservative estimates). Yes, owning a travel company is not cheap! The business plan should also contain a calculation of monthly office maintenance costs, which will include expenses for office supplies, utility bills, Internet payments, telephone bills, etc.
Selection of partners
Finding the tour operators you want to work with is what is needed to open a travel agency, among other things. Today there are many operators on the market organizing tours to all kinds of destinations. Important point: You need to work only with trusted companies.
Many entrepreneurs who are just starting to develop a tourism business make a serious mistake. They strive to cooperate with tour operators offering tours at the lowest prices. As a rule, such companies turn out to be unreliable. To avoid unpleasant moments, choose companies that have already proven themselves in the market.
Be sure to find out which tour operators have offices in your city. Working with them will save you a lot of hassle. All document circulation is carried out at the main office; if you have a representative office, you will be able to submit documents directly, which is very convenient.
Recruitment
The business plan of a travel agency must include information about personnel and wages. A small company may consist of only four people: a director, a manager, an accountant and a cleaner. When combining functions, the staff may be even smaller.
If you decide to open a travel company, then you may have many questions that can only be answered by specialists with a sufficient level of knowledge and experience. Unfortunately, there are not so many experts in this industry. At the same time, it is very important that all issues related to organizing this business are resolved as quickly as possible with maximum accessibility and correctness. Otherwise, you will simply abandon your idea, since opening a travel agency from scratch is quite difficult without required quantity information.
Collecting documents
Opening a business in the field of tourism services requires certain documents. What do you need:
- A statement that you have state registration.
- Charter of the company in two copies.
- Decision on establishment.
- Original document confirming that you paid for registration. This could be a receipt.
- The agreement on establishment, as well as a request that will allow you to receive a copy of the charter.
- Letter of guarantee from the owner of the premises at whose address the company is registered.
- An original document that confirms payment of the state fee for receiving a copy of the charter, as well as an agreement on establishment, for example, a payment order or receipt.
When thinking about how to open a travel agency from scratch, you should first collect all the listed papers. It must be remembered that the application for registration must be certified by a notary and signed by the applicant. After all, he is responsible for the correctness and reliability of all information.
If you open an IP...
If you decide to register as an individual entrepreneur, then you must provide:
Where is the best place to locate an agency office?
Not everyone decides to start their own business in this area. So, how to open a travel agency from scratch without high costs? You can't do this without outside help. Of course, it's not just money that plays decisive role. It is also very important where exactly your company’s office will be located.
While all the documents are being prepared, you can start looking for premises. In order to open a travel company, you will need premises of no more than 20 square meters. There should also be a personal line for connecting phones and the Internet. So, where is the best place to locate an office:
- City center. If you want to attract more clients by providing travel agency services, then the main street of the village may be the ideal place. The best option is a room located in a commercial or residential building on the ground floor. However, it should be remembered that the cost of renting such premises will be very high.
- Business center. Having an office in this building can also have a positive impact on your business. After all, in addition to outside visitors, business center employees can become your clients. The only negative is that you will not be able to place outdoor advertising and signboards.
- Shopping centers. If you decide to open your office here, then you will find a large number of clients. However, renting a space in a popular shopping center can cost you a decent amount of money.
- Sleeping areas. Here, a new travel company may be one of a kind. Plus, you can save on rent. The only downside is that you will have to put in a lot of effort to get your agency noticed. You can use any marketing strategy for this.
We select the right personnel
Many entrepreneurs who decide to start their own business in this area often do not fully realize that personnel for such work must be carefully selected. After all, the human factor plays an important role in this matter.
The agency is based precisely on the well-coordinated work of the team. And for success, personnel must be selected with special attention.
Who do you need
- System Administrator.
- Accountant.
- Sales Manager.
It is worth noting that the staff must gradually increase if the travel agency grows. Experts recommend hiring two sales managers. After all, they are the driving force of your activities. Managers promote your tourism product on the market. In addition, sales managers must be able to communicate with people. You should not hope that employment exchanges will offer you real masters. It is better to start searching for an available candidate on your own.
First steps on the path to success
So, the opening. A travel agency ideally requires a thorough study of the entire algorithm for creating a business plan. You don't have to be a professional in a particular industry. To begin with, you should carefully study the structure of this activity from the inside and analyze the real situation of organizations that have been providing similar services for many years.
To make everything clear to you, let's look at a diagram that contains all the components necessary to create a business plan and open a travel agency. It can be divided into several points that are interconnected. Moreover, each stage plays an important role at the very beginning of the activity. That is why you simply cannot skip any of the points.
Company concept
The business plan of a travel company begins precisely from this point. The company's concept must fully reflect the type of activity. For example, an organization may be or provide mixed services.
In addition, all documents must fully reflect all possible types company activities. For example, the sale of tickets for railway and air transport, insurance for clients traveling on travel, visa processing, limousine booking, and transfer services.
We determine in advance the list of services
Before opening a travel agency from scratch, you need to decide on the list of services. At the request of clients, the company must provide an interpreter and a guide. The ideal option is an employee who speaks several foreign languages fluently and is able to act as a tour guide. In this case, the guide must know everything interesting places, which are worth visiting for vacationers.
A travel agency can purchase everything you need for your trip. Travel for tourists in in this case it will be even more enjoyable. After all, they won’t have to think about purchases and try to predict all the little troubles. It is worth noting that representatives of travel companies very often practice such a service as booking tables in a restaurant. Vacationers can visit it immediately upon arrival.
Why is this necessary?
Those who have already started a tourism and hotel business are required to formalize all Required documents, if their client receives a foreign passport. In addition, they readily provide an accompanying person or a personal guide.
Very often a person who travels abroad does not know a foreign language. As a result, this can greatly complicate the vacationer’s communication with local population. To prevent this from happening, many turn to a travel agency for help and hire a translator. It is worth noting that the company must provide a specialist in the field of foreign languages upon the first request of vacationers.
Scheme of all main stages
Before you open a travel agency from scratch, you need to clearly understand how it operates. Many did not fully work out their plan and, as a result, simply could not engage in this type of activity. Let's figure out how the technology for selling, promoting and developing a tourism product is built using the example of a specific trip:
- To begin with, it is worth determining the supply and demand in the tourism services market.
- Create detailed description services that the agency will offer to its clients.
- It is necessary to develop and design the content of all company service processes.
- Work out the route in detail.
- Create a general movement plan.
- It is imperative to draw up a list of services that the client can use immediately upon arriving at his vacation spot.
- A full survey of the route the tour will take should be carried out.
- After this, an analysis of the designed tour should be carried out.
- Then prepare all the documentation.
- Don't forget about control. It is better to choose the most effective method.
- After completing the development of the route itself and preparing all the documentation, you should start advertising, various marketing moves and promotion methods. This will make your product popular.
- It is important to choose the right sales method, as well as methods for receiving payment from clients.
- Of course, before selling, you should calculate the cost and final price of the tourism product.
- Only after all this does sales begin, and then control over the quality of services provided and the customer service process.
Travel agency from scratch: pros and cons
Anyone who wants to work in the field of tourism services is faced with a choice: start everything from scratch or purchase a ready-made business. At the same time, many people forget that both the first and second options have their drawbacks.
A travel agency created from scratch has greater advantages than a purchased company. You won't have to fight the old order and win your respect from your subordinates. In addition, many travel agencies for sale are unprofitable. Statistics show that 90% of those organizations that are put up for sale can be considered completely bankrupt. However, a business started from scratch also has disadvantages. First of all, you will have to spend a lot of effort and, of course, time to develop routes, settle into the new premises and develop a client base. In addition, you will need investors to open a business in this area.
How much do you need to invest?
Opening a travel agency from scratch is a business that requires large investments. So how much money will it cost? Let's calculate:
- First of all, you need to register as a legal entity - from 25 thousand rubles.
- To renovate the premises and purchase furniture - from 75 thousand rubles.
- Install computers and office equipment - from 60 thousand rubles.
- Develop your own corporate style and solve the issue of printing - from 10 thousand rubles.
- Create a company website - from 35 thousand rubles.
- For other expenses, as well as for connecting phones and the Internet - from 50 thousand rubles.
The result is a decent amount: about 255 thousand rubles. This is an approximate cost estimate for a travel company with three employees and an office in Moscow. In other regions the cost will be significantly lower. It is worth remembering that the specified amount will only be needed to get started. Starting a business in this area requires a lot of expenses. In addition, you will have to spend about 150 thousand rubles monthly. Therefore, initially you should have from 500 to 700 thousand rubles in reserve. The travel agency will begin to make a profit only after three months. If there is no such amount, then investors will help. To open a business in this area, it is imperative to have initial capital.
The Most Important Thing: Going to Market
The success of your business depends not only on a well-located office, professional workers, but also from advertising. You should invest a lot of money in this part. Only good publicity will be able to attract potential clients to you. You need everyone to know about your travel agency. So, everything is ready and you celebrated the opening. The travel agency is ready for normal work. But where can you get clients?
Don’t expect a large flow of people wanting to relax right away. To develop a small tourist base, you need to spend a little time. If you approach the matter correctly, then they will soon start talking about you. As you know, people are more willing to believe their friends and acquaintances than advertising. That is why it is very important for you to treat your clients with attention at this stage.
There is another option. You can open an agency based on franchising. An already well-known brand does not require promotion, and it will be much easier for you. After all, it does not require much effort in terms of advertising. How to proceed? You decide.
According to statistics, several thousand new travel agencies are opened in Russia every year. This type of business has one of the lowest entry barriers, that is, opening a travel agency from scratch requires very little investment. Therefore, this type of business is quite attractive for beginners.
However, not everything is so smooth. The same statistics claim that almost 100% of newly opened travel agencies close in the first three years, and more than half generally operate only for one season. And only a few gain a foothold in the tourism services market. What is the reason for these unpleasant statistics and how can a novice businessman avoid joining the ranks of losers? Let's figure it out.
The disappointing results are largely due to the seeming ease of this type of activity, which attracts people who are very far from business and have a very vague understanding of tourism activities in general, business planning and payback. Such entrepreneurs often do not have any, even the simplest, financial plan and have no idea how exactly they will attract clients.
Meanwhile, the tourism sector is one of the most dynamic, it is very susceptible to the most various factors– from weather to politics. You need to be constantly aware of the latest events, quickly respond to changes, show mobility and flexibility and always have a “back-up option”.
Types of travel agencies
First, let's figure out what a travel agency is from a legal point of view. The basic law defining all activities of organizations specializing in tourism is Federal Law “On the Fundamentals of Tourism Activities in the Russian Federation.” Here a clear concept of travel agency activity is given, which consists of promoting and selling a tourist product. That is, a travel agent can only sell a ready-made tourism product created by a tour operator. A tourism product is understood as a complex consisting of several services sold to the end user for a common price.
Based on the provisions of the law, a travel agency can not only sell so-called “package” tours created by a tour operator on the mass tourism market, but also provide additional services to tourists at a separate cost. For example, to such additional services may include ordering air and train tickets, hotel reservations, selling concert tickets, etc. But organizing a trip to the theater, which in addition to tickets also includes delivery by bus, strictly speaking, is already a complex tourism product, for the creation of which you need to become a tour operator with all the ensuing consequences in the form of financial guarantees, inclusion in the register of tour operators, etc.
Often travel agencies get around such restrictions by concluding an agreement with the tourist for each service separately or, for example, by receiving a commission from a transport company. Which, in turn, enters into an agreement to organize the trip. However, such an organization of activities is unlikely to be recognized as legal in the event of a trial, and therefore is very risky.
Actually, a travel agency, at the very beginning of its activities, can choose one of two development paths - to remain independent or to join any network of travel agencies. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages.
An independent travel agency does not owe anything to anyone, more free in his choice of partners, can choose the location and design of the office. But at the same time, be prepared that your commission will be minimal (at least until you ensure a large sales volume for each tour operator). You will also deal with your problems yourself.
Those who want to join the existing network will still have to make a choice which network to prefer. You can join one of the independent travel agency networks(1001 tours, Last Minute Travel Shop, etc.). Each network has its own requirements and conditions, which should be carefully studied. In addition, there is often a mandatory initiation and/or annual fee. For this you will have an increased commission from many tour operators, legal support (very conditional, of course), in case of problems, as well as recognizable brand, which increases confidence in beginners.
You can also open a travel agency under the franchise of a tour operator. Coral, Intourist, Sputnik, etc. have their own networks, but here the requirements for a travel agency are even stricter; they often require a sufficiently large volume of sales of tours from a given tour operator or a guarantee of such sales. All networks impose certain restrictions on their participants in choosing partners, which may even be a good thing for beginners, especially in light of the increasing frequency of bankruptcies. At least many network agencies are among the first to receive information about the financial difficulties of tour operators.
The video also talks about creating your own company.
Registration of business from a legal point of view
You can engage in travel agency activities as commercial organization(LLC, CJSC, etc.), and individual entrepreneur. There are no obstacles in the form of licenses, permits, etc. That is, to open a travel agency it is enough to go through state registration as a legal entity or individual entrepreneur and indicate OKVED 63.30, which is the most general and reflects the main aspects of travel agency activity, and also makes it possible to provide information and excursion services, book hotels and provide transport.
Next, in order to sell a tourism product, you will have to contact each of the tour operators you are interested in enter into an agency agreement. It is better to first make a list of the main tour operators working in the areas of interest and find out the terms of concluding an agreement with new agencies on the website or by phone.
Many tour operators now allow you to send scans of the necessary documents and a signed contract to access booking systems, and either send the original by mail or bring it in person only when booking or even paying for the first tour.
If you are planning to open in the spring or autumn, then it is convenient to conclude contracts at large tourism exhibitions, which are held twice a year in Moscow. At the same time, stock up on promotional materials for the upcoming season!
After concluding an agreement with a tour operator, you can start working.
Room
Here uniform rules No. You can be guided by the following principle. If you have enough money, then it is better to choose a room either in a passable place, for example, next to bus stops public transport or on crowded streets with its own entrance, or in large shopping centers. Such premises cost a lot, but you will see your first clients right on the opening day.
If your starting capital is limited or it is borrowed funds, then the premises can be chosen much more modestly. The main requirement, meanwhile, remains in force - the premises must have easy access, no one will look for a travel agency, especially a new one, when there are plenty of them within walking distance.
The room area is calculated based on the estimated number of employees. Each manager must have at least 8 m2.
Next, you should think about the layout of the room. There are some nuances here. Firstly, visitors to a travel agency often come not one at a time, but with whole families. Hence, you should be able to comfortably accommodate 4-5 visitors. A sofa, several armchairs or banquettes, which should be placed close to the manager’s desk, are suitable for this.
It is worth thinking about appearance premises. Decor It should be bright and catchy enough to attract attention from the street. You should not make too aggressive color accents, because clients often spend a lot of time in a travel agency, choosing vacation options, so the atmosphere inside should be calm, conducive to confidential communication.
Interesting solutions can be created by stylizing the room as a country that is priority direction your business.
Equipment
In addition to the usual computer equipment and communications equipment, for travel agency equipment nothing fancy is required. Here your imagination is limited only by your budget.
Of course, every manager who works with clients must have a desktop with a computer and telephone, as well as a printer. For daily work, a travel agency manager needs only a monochrome laser printer, which, in addition, can be made networked and provide printing capabilities for several employees at once. The main thing is that access to the printer is convenient for each of them.
It looks very unsightly when managers have to squeeze past clients and other employees to pick up a printed contract. It's even better if it's not a printer, and an MFP, because in a travel agency quite often you have to make copies of documents or scan them to send to partners.
Another nuance that is worth considering when equipping a travel agency is monitors. Since a manager’s working day is spent almost entirely behind a screen, it must be a high-quality, working monitor that is sufficiently big size. In addition, it should be located in such a way that the potential client does not see the information on the screen (there is no need for a tourist to see, for example, the size of the agent’s commission). At the same time, the manager should be able to easily turn the monitor towards the tourist to show, for example, photographs of a hotel or country.
Do you need a fax? Today we can confidently say that the fax has practically ceased to be used!
Cabinets for storing documents and promotional materials, of which there will be many. Also provide a wardrobe for employees' clothes and a hanger for coats so that visitors can also sit comfortably.
You will definitely need a safe, because even if you do not accept cash, which is difficult, you may need to leave clients' foreign passports for visas, travel forms, etc.
To work with cash you will need a cash register.
Concerning software, then a regular office software package and one specialized program for a travel agency are enough; there are several of them on the market and each has its own advantages. All programs allow you to keep records of clients with their data, which greatly facilitates the manager’s work.
Staff
From a legal point of view, there are no requirements for travel agency personnel. Actually, as a last resort, all personnel can be represented by one individual entrepreneur.
But actually, You must have at least 2 employees, so that they can replace each other in case of vacations, illnesses and trips on promotional tours. In addition, 2 employees will allow the travel agency to operate in the evenings and weekends, when the flow of clients is usually maximum.
Should employees be required to special education and work experience? Unfortunately, now special tourism education is very far from the practice of modern tourism, so having it without real work experience will not give the employee any advantages. But work experience, especially if the founder himself does not have one, will not hurt. If the director has work experience and his own idea of what employees should do and how, then the best option There will be a selection of employees without experience - they will not have to be retrained.
Do I need to hire an accountant? In a small travel agency there is usually a very small volume of financial and accounting transactions, so the accountant is full time usually not needed. It is enough to have a home-based accountant or a service from a special company that will ensure the preparation and submission of reports.
Promotion
This is where it gets toughest for beginners, especially independent travel agencies. It is difficult to convince clients of your reliability and competence.
If you have a limited budget, you need to approach expensive outdoor advertising with caution. One bright sign is enough visible from the street.
Better Distribution of flyers works, especially with discounts. This is an inexpensive advertising method that can bring in several dozen visitors on the same day. Advertising works well in social networks, especially in a small city.
For example, a travel agency negotiates with several cafes. That along with the bill, each visitor will be given a travel agency discount card. And the travel agency, in turn, will provide its clients with a discount to this cafe as a bonus when purchasing a tour.
You need to understand that promoting a travel agency is a rather lengthy process; few people manage to make money in the first season. But even if the summer, for example, turned out to be successful, surviving the “off season” (February-March) is difficult even for “experienced” travel agencies. In general, it is possible to pass the break-even point and begin to make a stable profit only after three to four years.
Profitability
Profitability, in simple terms, refers to the ratio of the profit received to the invested funds. A profitability of 30% means that every ruble invested in turnover came back and brought another 30 kopecks of profit.
How to calculate the profitability of a travel agency? Very simple. Count all the funds you have invested in your business. Then count how much you got. Is the first one bigger than the second? Congratulations, you are at a loss! If you earned more than you spent, then this is success.
In order for the opening of a travel agency from scratch to be successful, you must immediately clearly understand what level of sales you need daily, monthly, annually in order to at least break even. To do this, count all your current expenses, leaving aside for now investments in equipment, furniture, etc. Add up the cost of renting the premises, employee salaries, utility bills, and advertising costs. Don't forget to add your salary too.
Now subtract from here the taxes you will need to pay. This is exactly how much you should earn in order not to go broke. Once your sales volume confidently exceeds your expenses, you will begin to recoup your one-time investment. And only after that can we talk about the profit received. Only then will your business become profitable.
Problems faced by travel agencies
The first problem that creates difficulties is pronounced seasonal nature of the business. Typically, people actively use the services of travel agencies during the summer season and before the New Year holidays. The rest of the time, clients in a travel agency are “worth their weight in gold” and there is a tough fight for them.
Hence the next problem of the tourism business - discounts, often on the verge of dumping. It is not uncommon, especially in the off-season, for discounts of 5-8%, which almost completely “eat up” the already small commission, which is the source of income for the travel agency.
Staff incompetence– another scourge of tourism. So that a travel agency manager does not just sell package tours, but is well versed in different directions, knew the conditions of each country and the hotel base, it is necessary to invest in its development (send to exhibitions, seminars, promotional tours), and the travel agency often does not have free funds for this.
Dishonesty of partners. Tour operator bankruptcies put travel agencies in an unenviable position. After all, they are the ones who often have to deal with angry customers. And even if a trip has taken place, a dissatisfied client often goes to a travel agency, which in no way can influence the quality of the tourism product. Imperfection legislative framework also makes the travel agency business risky.
Do you still want to open a travel agency? It's really most interesting business, not just a business, but a lifestyle! It suits dynamic, risk-taking and active people. The main thing here is not to count on quick super-profits and always be ready to apply “plan B”. We must always look for non-standard approaches, reach new clients, and make maximum use of personal connections and charm. And then you will succeed!
In the video below, Sergei Vatutin, the founder of the 1001 Tour company, shares the secret of his success.
The tourism business is a very popular service sector in our country. There are many options for running it - from a home agency to franchise work.
In this article we will look at everything possible options, we will highlight their advantages and disadvantages, answer the question of what is needed to open a travel agency, and give some useful tips.
Pros and cons of business
When deciding to open a travel agency, you need to think carefully and calculate all the pros and cons of such a step.
The advantages and prospects of the idea include:
- a rapidly developing tourism business, which makes it possible to provide tourism services in many directions (in Russia, abroad, etc.), and as a result, the opportunity to receive corresponding profits;
- a wide selection of tour operators and the possibility of concluding contracts with one or several of them;
- a rapidly increasing flow of people who would like to use the services of agencies to organize their vacation;
- relatively simple design registration documents and opening a license.
The disadvantages and difficulties that may arise when opening such a business include:
- rapidly increasing competition in this area (every city now has at least several travel agencies that provide services similar to yours);
- complex predictability of client flow (depending on the success of the advertising campaign and the relevance of travel packages, the agency can short term how to acquire a stable customer base, or not be able to withstand the offers of competitors and be left without customers);
- seasonality of profitability. It is generally accepted that the business is all-season due to the possibility of selling winter tours (for example, Courchevel and other ski resorts). However, actual data show that in summer the demand for travel agency services is several times greater than the winter interest of clients.
We draw up a business plan
As with starting any other business, you will need to create a business plan. Outlining prospects further development and risks When opening a travel agency, it is necessary to take into account a number of fundamental factors that influence the success and profitability of the enterprise.
It is necessary to think through and calculate in as much detail as possible all possible risks, expenses, payback periods for initial investments, additional costs in the promotion process, as well as estimated profits, based on the interest of the target audience.
The business plan must include expenses for:
- paperwork (registration, license to provide services, certificates, franchising);
- rent of office space;
- marketing campaigns, advertising;
- salary payments, including contributions to tax service, Pension Fund, social insurance;
- ensuring the functioning of the office (including furniture, office equipment, office supplies).
Also, it is necessary to approximately calculate possible profit(calculated based on general market monitoring in this area, seasonality, competition, marketing effectiveness of your company) and risks associated with the unprofitability of a travel agency. Consider ways to eliminate these risks. 
Location
One of the main stages of opening a travel agency is choosing an office to rent. It is advisable to rent office space in the city center, in a location close to business centers. This will provide you with the opportunity to attract VIP clients and also attract more attention to yourself.
Also, it is necessary to take into account that for greater efficiency it is desirable that there are no companies in the building (on the same street) engaged in providing similar services (elimination of competition).
The rented office must have access to the Internet. It is better to give preference to buildings that have a separate exit to the street and a parking area for cars.
How to attract clients?
Considering the high level of competition between travel agencies, securing a client base is one of the main priorities of a young organization.
If you have chosen a simple, but quite colorful and memorable name for your company, this can serve additional advantage during promotion.
Also, do not forget about the effective way– “word of mouth”. Before opening a travel agency, tell all your friends and acquaintances about your plans, make notes on your pages on social networks, in general, try to let as many people as possible know about your idea.
Schedule for its first customers the maximum possible discounts and interesting promotions(quite often these discounts are made even at a loss to the company and are written off as advertising expenses), try to ensure that the services provided are at top level. In most cases, after successful trips, satisfied clients tell those around them about it, which motivates them to contact you.
Mandatory additional attributes should be business cards and prospectuses, which will indicate promotional offers that are superior in terms of the offers of competitors.
Moving on to consider the main marketing moves when promoting a travel agency, it is necessary to focus on advertising on the Internet. These can be either pop-up banners on the pages of visited sites or email services (an agreement is concluded with the management of the sites to allocate an area on the page: the cost, the percentage occupancy of the strip on their Internet page, the frequency of appearances, the period of validity of the agreement are negotiated), and contextual advertising(when when entering keywords in the search service line, it is your site that appears on key positions). These nuances must be discussed with the programmer who will develop your site.
Enough effective method attracting customers is video marketing. You can film the most interesting and frequently visited places in the proposed tours and post them on the Internet (for example, on Youtube). It is not necessary to use expensive filming equipment. These may be videos filmed on amateur cameras, but the plot of the commercials should convey emotion. At the end of the video there is a navigation block, by clicking on which your potential customers will be able to familiarize themselves with the conditions and cost of purchasing tours from your agency.
The following video contains tips on opening an agency and attracting clients:
Nuances of opening an agency
If you would like to eliminate additional costs and are targeting relatively minimum investment, then it makes sense to think about the following options for opening a travel agency.
At home
To open a home-based travel agency, you will first need to register your activity (company registration). After completing all the basic documents, it is most advisable to enter into an agreement with a large tour operator.
When concluding an agreement, try to avoid taking on obligations to ensure a fixed number of sold tours; focus on a simplified scheme: you provide clients to the main agency - the agency pays you a commission according to the work actually performed. This option does not include the cost of renting office space, which significantly reduces the cost of the project. 
Online
The specifics of opening and developing an online tourism business can involve both working in an office and being at home, running a business from a home PC.
When registering your entrepreneurial activity you will need to indicate the legal address of the enterprise and additionally record the name of the official website through which the vouchers (services) will be sold. If the site provides for payment by bank transfer, as a rule, it is also necessary to register the company account to which transfers will be made.
By franchise
You can turn to an already well-known tour operator for help in establishing a company and enter into a franchise cooperation agreement with him. As a rule, the cost of a franchise directly depends on the popularity of the franchisor company and the conditions under which a larger company will provide you with a franchise.
In this case, you will receive additional information support and financial insurance from the parent organization and eliminate additional advertising costs.
How much does it cost to open a travel agency?
Depending on the conditions under which you plan to open a travel agency, you will need to calculate the amount of future costs.
As a rule, the most expensive thing is renting an office and purchasing everything necessary for it (furniture, office equipment, etc.). Rent cost may vary on average from 30,000 to 60,000 rubles(it all depends on the proximity of the office to the city center, its general condition: repairs, availability of communications and the conditions on which the lease agreement is concluded).
Main design necessary documentation when registering (registration of LLC and license) may cost you from 8,000 to 12,000 rubles.
If a travel agency is opened under the auspices of a franchisor company, it is necessary to take into account the costs of concluding a franchise agreement.
In most cases, the contract is paid for once. However, over time, additional clauses and conditions may be included, which may change the value of the price originally agreed upon.
Also, the priority expenditure part includes wages to employees and corresponding monthly contributions to state funds for each of them. Usually, at the start, an accountant is not included in the staff, and the number of employees varies from 3 to 5-6 people (including the director). The average salary in the travel services industry fluctuates from 12,000 rubles and above, depending on the type of mutual settlements: constant rate, rate+interest, interest only. It is necessary to take into account that, according to the Labor Code, payment must be timely, so it is advisable that the amount for its payment be deferred several months in advance.
We must not forget about the costs of marketing and promotions. This item must include the costs of printed advertising materials (business cards, leaflets, printed price lists, etc.), payment for creating an Internet site and its promotion (updating information, hosting). As a rule, all these investments amount to not less than 30,000 rub.. In case you are planning a wide-format discount system, as an opportunity to promote a travel agency and attract more clients, this amount can be increased significantly.
If you wish, you can use television, but it is better to focus on city TV channels. The cost of advertising airtime varies by region, but on average you can count on the cost 15,000-30,000 rub. when broadcasting a video several times a day. The cost of the video itself will cost you from 12,000-20,000 rub.(without sophisticated special effects, but with the involvement professional operator and editing, cutting of shots).
Also, there may be additional costs for logistics, any unforeseen expenses, payment of penalties and much more.
In general, if you have calculated all possible costs and risks and, after monitoring the market in the field of providing travel agency services, have come to the conclusion that your company will be worthy competition to existing companies, feel free to get down to business!
The travel agency acts as an intermediary between the tourist and the tour operator and receives monetary reward. The tourism industry is very competitive. Let's look at what a travel agency does, whether it is a profitable business, and whether it is worth opening another travel agency in this market.
What does a travel agency do?
Agency for the sale of tourist vouchers is one of the areas of business activity dealing with sale of tours to the population.
The tour may include a certain number of services selected for individuals individually or take the form of an already fully formed (package) tour.
A tour that includes a standard set of services: a booked hotel room, round trip flights and insurance is called package tour.
A tour that includes all the same services, but selected individually depending on the customer’s preferences, is called individual.
In the event that you have never had to work in tourism business, it makes sense to start with sales certain types tour: either package or individual. Everyone chooses for themselves which type of tour they prefer to implement.
If you have no experience at all in the tourism business, then you can first work for some time in an existing travel company to understand everything from the inside. Or you can open a franchise travel agency.
Travel companies that have chosen the market segment consisting of VIP persons sell only individual tours. The percentage of orders here is, of course, lower, but the cost of tours is many times higher. As a result, income from sales of individual tours is much more significant than from package tours.
In turn, the implementation package tours much simpler - in this case everything has already been selected. Often, potential tourists know what they want and apply only to arrange everything, book and pay. Package tours help reduce the time it takes to select a particular service and eliminate the possibility that the customer will be disappointed.
The agency's profit lies in the difference in prices for tours between the tour purchased from the tour operator and the tour sold to an individual. The tour operator is responsible for organizing the tour.: draws up contracts with the embassies of host countries, concludes contracts and monitors the mandatory implementation of them with insurance and transport companies, hotels, etc.
Requirements for paperwork when applying for a visa are strictly regulated by each tour operator in its own way. Responsibility for obtaining travel documents such as voucher, transfer, insurance and incorrect visa paperwork rests with travel companies.
In order for the tour operator to be able to provide tourists with a full package of ordered services, travel agencies are obliged to prepare all the necessary documents and transfer payment for them within the prescribed period.
Tourist operators provide for fines if the customer decides to terminate the contract for the provision of services. The amount of fines is specified in the contract and may vary depending on the selected tour operator.
Is it profitable to open a travel agency?
Many entrepreneurs prosper after opening their own travel agency. But experts are convinced that before opening your own travel agency, you need to think very carefully, after weighing all the pros and cons.
If you agree to exchange a measured life for constant worries and stress (and you can’t do without it!), you can start planning your business. After all, with it you will receive a good income and constant travel around different countries, - after all, the head of a travel agency is obliged to establish business connections.
Among other things, it is necessary to mention the high competition in this business area. Statistics show that 30% of travel agencies operate for less than a year.
If you decide to work in the tourism industry, you need to think through everything to the smallest detail and make every effort. So, what does it take to open a travel agency?
What you need to open your own travel agency
Stages of registering a tourism agency.
The most important principle in the tourism business is trust level travel agency chosen by the customer. Therefore, when registering a travel company, an LLC should be preferred to an individual entrepreneur, since such an organizational and legal form of management inspires more confidence in the customer.
At the same time, the main thing in trust and reputation is how you will work with clients, and the organizational and legal form of your travel agency can be any.
A simplified form of tax deductions is provided for travel companies. For example, for the simplified tax system, two calculation options can be used: at a rate of 15% for the difference between expenses and income, or at a rate of 6% of the total amount of income. The most favorable tax rate will be 15% if the company has a significant share of expenses.
Travel agency licensing.
Currently no license required. Although until 2007, licensing was mandatory for travel agencies. Now it has become a voluntary matter, that is, at the discretion of the owner.
If the manager wants to increase the level of trust of potential clients, then a license should still be issued.
Selecting tourism operators for cooperation.
After registering an agency, the first thing you should pay attention to is choosing a tour operator.
And there is plenty to choose from - there is a large selection of tour operators on the market. In this case, you should not enter into cooperation with dubious operators. The alarm should be exaggerated low prices for services, this will not lead to anything good. A tourist’s trip can be disrupted for various reasons, and a dubious operator, in pursuit of profit, is unlikely to warn about this.
Main focus when choosing a reliable operator you need to do the following:
- company priorities,
- the duration of its functioning in this area,
- financial support.
It will be very convenient for you to choose an operator if its main office is located in your city. In this case, paperwork will be completed without intermediaries.
Staff
Selecting a location
Advertising, clients
For a client to come to you, you need so that the client knows about you. Any means can be used here mass media: newspapers, magazines, banners, as well as advertising on radio and television, advertising in transport. It all depends on the amount you are willing to invest in advertising.
So, if you decide to open your own travel agency, you need:
- correctly draw up and execute documents;
- select qualified workers;
- choose a crowded place for an office;
- competently advertise your services.