How to start a Travel and Tour Business.

Travel agency is a fun and profitable business its like your always in vacation while making money. I can say that because the more you can sell airlines tickets they give discounted or free travel tickets.

So what is travel agency?

A travel agency is a business that cater the needs of travelers like booking,ticketing and hotel accommodation. And a tour are those who arranged your journey to different places.

To start into this business we need to know about capitalization, location, permits and how this business work.

Required Capital

No exact figure for the capital at least you have the cash for the following expenses.

• Location rent
• 1 computer with printer
• Internet
• telephone lines and fax machine.
• Salary for atleast 2 staff
• Cash on hand (at least 3 times the location rent price)
• Reservation and ticketing software.

Choosing  your Location

Remember that your target is a traveler, tourist, schools, companies and Overseas worker.

• Choose the place where many tourist,offices are located.
• Choose the safe place - Customer do not trust you if your location is located in a slum area.
• Choose the place were less or no competition.

Ways to profit.

In this business you can earn by charging service charge, commission to the following products.

A. Selling Domestic and International Airline Tickets
C. Selling Shipping lines,Ferries tickets and cruise.
D. Tour Packages
E. Hotel booking
F. Educational tour/Field trips
G.Selling travel insurance

Operation

Selling International Air Tickets - For issuing tickets and hotel booking your advised to subscribe to a ticketing software(Global distribution system for all IATA Airlines) like abacus, Amadeus, and Galileo. Using the system the fare is usually discounted compared to the price on the airline website.

 If you have enough capital you can get accreditation from IATA(International Air Transport Association) so that you can issue tickets on your own, However you can partner to a travel agencies with IATA Accreditation. Or use the own airline website for booking and ticketing.

It is important to received the payment first from your customer before issuing ticket because if the customer cancels, you are the one to shoulder the fare. And so hard to get refund from airlines. Error in a single letter in customer name ticket is costly. Avoid name dictation over the phone.

Hotel booking and Tour  - Directly contact sales agent of a hotel for reservation. Find the best tour guide in a place of your Tour Packages. You can contact the local tourism bureau for information and recommendation.

Marketing

This day marketing your business is easy using social networking sites like facebook, google+, etch. and you must have your own website domain to build trust to your clients. Flyers is always effective. Ads on newspapers. Meet with International Manpower agencies and give them discount when they buy tickets, Create a Promo packages. 

"Remember: Good service is always the ultimate marketing strategy."

Thank you, GOOD LUCK.