Open your own travel agency. How to open a travel agency from scratch - implementation of the business idea of ​​​​opening a travel agency

In Europe and America, people have long been refusing the services of large agencies and companies in favor of independent consultants. Similar trends are observed in our country.

Becoming a tour operator is an opportunity to create an excellent launching pad for the further development of your own business.

What attracts people to this work? High salaries, constant travel... To many, the life of a travel agent seems like a real fairy tale. But at the same time, almost no one dares to take any decisive steps towards fulfilling their dreams. Don't want to be one of them? Then this article is for you!

Step 1. Training

If you are interested in how to become a tour operator, you first need to figure out where and how you will undergo training.

There are two options here: regular colleges and universities, as well as special operator training schools.

The first option is attractive because you will study in depth all disciplines related to tourism and hospitality and gain a huge base of theoretical knowledge. However, it will take several years to complete the entire course of study. An alternative is distance learning. Actually, you will appear at the educational institution itself 2-3 times a year, and you can use the rest of the time to prepare the ground for further work.

If you want to get as much useful practical information as possible and start working as soon as possible, it would be more logical to enroll in a special operator training school. Here you will learn how to become a tour operator, get a general understanding of tourist destinations, sales and booking systems, marketing, etc.

Step 2: Obtain Certification

Working as a tour operator is impossible without obtaining certification. For your future clients, this will be proof of your competence and deep knowledge of the specifics of your activity. Consequently, they will trust you much more.

As a rule, appropriate certificates can be obtained at the place of study. But some people turn to CLIA International, which offers well-known and respected certification programs in the travel industry.

Step 3. Obtaining a license

If you want to have your own travel agency, it is better to register your business as a legal entity (CJSC, LLC, etc.). But for those who want to become a travel agent (that is, an intermediary between a travel agency and its clients), it will be enough to register as an individual entrepreneur - PBOYUL. To obtain a license, you will need to pay a state fee of 1,300 rubles.

You should be aware that the sales license and pre-booking of air travel are issued separately. Certification conditions are dictated by Federal Aviation Regulations. At the same time, certain requirements are imposed on the premises, personnel, security and reservation systems. If you intend to sell not only travel packages, but also air tickets, you will need to enter into an agreement with the airline and obtain this certificate.

When deciding to become a travel agent, it is very important to choose the right OKVED codes. The most commonly used code is 63.30 - “Activities of travel agencies.” In addition, it is advisable to apply for inclusion in the All-Russian Register of Travel Agencies.

Step 4. Selecting a tour operator company

Perhaps this is the most important stage. A travel agent can independently choose which of the many operators to cooperate with. When choosing, you should take into account the size of the remuneration, the company’s reputation in the market and ease of work.

An important question that almost everyone who is interested in becoming a travel agent faces is: “Where to look for these same operators?” The easiest way to do this is by visiting specialized tourism fairs, exhibitions, etc. It is best to “catch your luck” in Moscow, where similar events are held annually (MITT, MITF, Intourmarket, Otdykh). Hundreds of representatives of various companies and organizations gather here. As they say, there is plenty to choose from. In addition, you can visit similar regional exhibitions.

A variety of conferences and fairs are also held in workshop format by professional travel publications (Tour Business, Banco, Turinfo, Travel Expert consulting group, etc.). The atmosphere at a workshop is usually calmer and more business-like than at exhibitions. There are more opportunities to meet partners, discuss important issues and get ready for work.

Step 5. Conclusion of an agreement

But now we get to the most important thing. How to become a travel agent? Once you have decided on the choice of tour operator, you will need to sign an agency agreement. According to the terms of such a document, you will receive a reward for each tour sold. The size of the reward may vary, but on average it is about 10-15% of the cost of the tour itself. If in the future you establish yourself well in the eyes of the tour operator and successfully sell tours, the percentage you receive from each transaction may increase.

In addition, partners of travel agencies that are part of agency networks (for example, Kuda.ru or the Last Minute Travel Chain of stores) receive an increased commission. Due to powerful corporate support, agencies that are part of such networks (which, by the way, are not so easy to get into) have the opportunity to deduct a fairly large percentage of their income.

Step 6. Advertising

Let's say you have already found a suitable company and entered into an agreement. Done: now you are a tour operator in Italy, France, Greece or Russia. It would seem that everything is going well, but... But no, for some reason in a few weeks you managed to sell only a few trips. And then to my friends. This is where the lack of advertising of your services comes into play.

First of all, we would recommend that you pay attention to the numerous publications, catalogs and applications that publish tourism advertising. Of course, standing out among hundreds and thousands of other offers is not easy. Therefore, first of all, you need to decide on your target audience.

How to open a travel agency: market analysis + 5 steps for starting a business + detailed financial plan + calculation of business profitability.

Capital investments: from 425,000 rubles.

Payback period: from 8 months.

Do you have good knowledge of geography and excellent organizational skills? Or maybe you just want to give people joy and organize an unforgettable vacation that they will want to repeat? Or are you a quick learner and want to experience the joy of financial independence and start your own business?

Then information about how to open a travel agency, will be relevant for you. Today we will find out the intricacies of running this business, as well as how much money will be needed to start it.

Tour operator and travel agency: finding out the difference

Before moving on to the answer to the question of how to open a travel agency, let’s start with the fact that many still work with a tour operator. And knowing the difference between these two categories is useful not only for those who are going on vacation, but also for those who wish to enter this industry.

Firstly, it is the operator who “creates” the tour from start to finish: forms, promotes and sells. Its specialists book a hotel, pay for a flight ticket, select excursions, and provide transportation for tourists.

As for the implementation of the tour, he can do it independently or through agencies. The second one’s responsibilities include selling the ticket. The travel agency selects the necessary option for the client, informs him about all its nuances

Therefore, difference number one: a tour operator creates a tour, and a travel agency only implements it.

Secondly, to start the activity of a tour operator, it is necessary to register only as a legal entity that has certain financial security. While a travel agent can be either an individual entrepreneur or a legal entity.

Difference number two: you can open a travel agency in any organizational and legal form, and it does not need to have financial security, since, unlike a tour operator, it does not pay insurance.

Thirdly, the tour operator is responsible for setting the price. That is, the agency sells a tour at a certain price. And his reward will be a commission, which is set by the company providing the trip.

Difference number three: a travel agent does not influence the cost of the tour; he works for a fee from the tour operator. In addition, sometimes in order to achieve large sales volumes, specialists can reduce the price, unfortunately to the detriment of their commissions.

Fourthly, by default, responsibility for a “failed” tour lies with the operator, who will be subject to claims from clients.

The travel agency is responsible only under the contract, and most often its responsibility is related to the fact that it must fully inform the client, pay for his trip and tell him about all his rights and obligations.

Therefore, difference number four: the tour operator is responsible for the quality of the tour, unless otherwise provided by the contract.

Typical scheme of a travel agency

When you decide to open a travel agency, you need to understand how it works:

1. An existing travel agent is looking for proven operators with whom it enters into a contract for further cooperation.
2. A travel agent studies the tour operator's offers down to the smallest detail and begins to look for clients.
3. If one is found, the travel agent enters into an agreement with him and submits an application to book services with the operator.
4. The tour operator accepts the application and, which must subsequently be paid.
5. After this, the funds received by the travel agent, minus the established commission (usually 10-15%), are transferred to the tour operator’s account.
6. The tour operator transfers all the necessary documents to the agent, who subsequently provides all the information to the tourist.
7. After the transaction is completed, the agency transmits the report to the operator, who prepares an invoice for it.

Note: if the client refuses the trip after payment, then you will be forced to pay the operator a fine. This “pitfall” must be taken into account if you want to open a travel agency according to this scheme.

The situation on the Russian tourism market

Opening a travel agency and not analyzing this industry is extremely reckless. Any business should begin by studying the market situation, finding out its strengths and weaknesses.

The Russian tourism market never ceases to develop. Even in small towns you can find travel agencies that offer their services. They are often approached by those who want to travel abroad for impressions.

But currently, under the influence of many factors (exchange rates, unstable situation in a number of foreign countries, etc.), domestic tourism has begun to be in demand. And this is not surprising, because our country is famous for many beautiful places, which also attract foreign tourists.

Therefore, when you decide to open a travel agency, look for operators who deal with such tours.

It is also worth noting that in 2017 the situation in the tourism market has improved significantly compared to the previous two years. And by the way, Russian tourists began to prefer more exotic countries rather than Europe. Therefore, opening a travel agency is now quite profitable due to the development of this area.

Special attention is paid to online sales. Nowadays, people buy more and more on the Internet, so creating your own website with the possibility of online booking and payment is mandatory.

As for the strengths of the business, everything will depend only on the quality and organization of your work.

Therefore, when deciding to open a travel agency, you need to bet on:

• providing a wide range of services;
• competent employees who are focused not only on the number of tours sold, but also on quality customer service;
• cooperation with proven and well-known tour operators.

Opening a travel agency involves risks that must be taken into account:

• Seasonality - it so happens that for the most part people like to travel abroad in the summer and for the New Year.
• High competition- the tourism business is a fairly filled niche; new players are constantly appearing on the market who can provide customers with something new and of better quality.
• Lack of stability- exchange rate changes, the political and economic situation in the country, inflation affect the work of travel agencies, since as a result of these factors the purchasing power of clients may decrease.

Inability to accurately predict performance results- even with a detailed study and analysis of tour sales, it is impossible to accurately calculate the expected profit.

For this reason, you need to focus on advertising in order to attract as many customers as possible.

Step-by-step instructions on how to open a travel agency

When answering the question of how to open a travel agency, you need to understand that the main expenses will go to setting up an office, creating a website and, of course, promotion.

The process of opening a “tourist” business will consist of the following stages:

Stage	1 month	2 month	3 month	4 month
Choosing a travel agency name	+
Business registration	+
Search for premises and its arrangement	+	+
Search for operators		+
Website creation			+
Recruitment			+
Advertising				+
Starting a business				+

With well-coordinated and properly organized work, you can open a travel agency in 3-4 months.

Step 1. Choosing a name for the travel agency and registering the business

So, you have analyzed the market, assessed your capabilities and are sure that this business is for you. Now we need to start taking concrete actions. And the first step is for your travel agency. It should be simple, but memorable, and also evoke associations with relaxation.

You can come up with a sonorous name yourself, or you can use the services of specialists.

After this, you can begin registration. You can open a travel agency as an individual entrepreneur or a legal entity. It all depends on your ambitions, so if your plans include expanding your business and creating an entire network, or you want to start a business with a partner, then choose LLC.

When submitting an application for registration, do not forget to indicate the OKVED code. But remember that the classification is constantly changing. As of 2017, for the tourism business it looks like this:

As for the taxation system, according to the law “On the Fundamentals of Tourism Activities in the Russian Federation” it is allowed to use the simplified tax system: “Income” 6% or “Income-Expenditure” 6-15%.

Step 2. Finding and arranging premises for a travel agency

A well-chosen location is the key point in how to open a travel agency. If you are planning to start your business in a small city, then do it only in the center.

In a big city, the choice of premises is more extensive:

• crowded places;
• residential areas where competitors are not yet operating.

The room itself should not be large, 25-35 sq.m. is enough. But at the same time, it must be carefully equipped with furniture, office equipment, and decorative items.

Approximate costs for repairs and arrangement of the premises will look like this:

Name	Quantity, pcs.	price, rub.	Total cost, rub.
Total:	-	-	147,000 rub.
Worker table	2	4 000	8 000
Chairs	4	1 000	1 000
Sofa for clients	1	10 000	10 000
Rack	1	10 000	10 000
Laptops	2	30 000	60 000
MFP	1	15 000	15 000
Electric kettle	1	1 000	1 000
Modem	1	2 000	2 000
Phone line	2	15 000	30 000
Internet	1	3 000	3 000
Decor items	1	2 000	2 000
other expenses	-	-	5 000

Step 3. Search for tour operators for cooperation

The next step in how to open a travel agency is to search for operators. This step must be approached with all responsibility, since if any inconsistencies arise, the client will remain dissatisfied with your work.

So, when choosing operators, pay attention to the following factors:

• time spent on the market;
• recognition;
• commission size;
• terms of cooperation.

The most popular tour operators in Russia:

Step 4. Recruiting staff to open a travel agency

The success of a business depends on the quality of staff work. And to begin with, you can hire only two sales managers, who will receive a salary and a percentage of the number of transactions completed.

The responsibilities of these specialists should include:

• selection and consulting of clients;
• monitoring attractive tours and their prices;
• concluding deals with tourists;
• booking tours and their registration with a tour operator;
• keeping up with new developments in the tourism industry.

If you decide to open a travel agency, then at the beginning, take the reins into your own hands. At the beginning of work, this will be correct and appropriate, since you will be able to fully control the process and instantly identify errors in the work.

Positions such as accountant, system administrator, and cleaner may not be on permanent staff. For this you can.

Step 5. Promotion and advertising for opening a travel agency

You can’t just open a travel agency and wait for clients...

No one will know about your services unless you introduce yourself. And you need to engage in active promotion on an ongoing basis, especially if you want to attract tourists not only during the summer and New Year seasons.

You can use advertising tools such as:

• sign at the entrance;
• handing out leaflets on the street;
• advertising in local publications;
• radio advertising;
• advertising on the city’s social networks and on the Internet.

How much does it cost to open a travel agency?

And now we have come to the culmination of the answer to the question of how to open a travel agency - the financial component.

So, capital investments will consist of the following expense items:

Expense item	Amount, rub.
Total:	425,000 rub.
Business registration	25 000
Payment for the first month of rent	20 000
Indoor renovation	50 000
Room equipment	147 000
Site development	30 000
Payroll for the first month of work	40 000
Outsourcing	40 000
Advertising expenses	60 000
other expenses	13 000

But opening a travel agency is not all. You need to constantly invest money in it.

Therefore, the approximate monthly costs of opening a travel agency will look like this:

Calculation of business profitability and payback period for investments in a travel agency

Having in hand the approximate costs of opening a travel agency and maintaining it, you can predict the level of profitability of the business.

Successful agencies with two managers can conclude up to 300 transactions per month. But most often such indicators are typical for a business that is already established in the market.

We will imagine that the average cost of one sold tour is 28,000 rubles (we take the current dollar exchange rate into account). The commission on the transaction is 10%. And in order for income to exceed expenses, you need to make at least 70 transactions per month (2-3 transactions per day):

70 * 28,000 * 10% = 196,000 rub. (with expenses of 175,000 rubles)

And with this progress, the profit will be pitiful:

196,000 - 175,000 = 21,000 rubles.

Profit after tax:

21,000 - 3,150 = 17,850 rubles.

But let’s assume that such indicators will only be in the first 3-4 months while you are making yourself known. And soon you will bring them to 120-140 transactions per month.

Then your projected income with the same expenses will be:

130 * 28,000 * 10% = 364,000 rub.

With such work, the profit will be: RUB 160,650

Based on such financial calculations, we can assume that the investment in starting a business will pay off within 8-10 months.

The main emphasis is how to open a travel agency, you need to do advertising and, of course, cooperate only with trusted operators. Also, do not discount the motivation of specialists. Create rewards for a job well done. The simplest thing is to pay a percentage of tour sales.

How to open a travel agency from scratch?

From idea to first profit - in one video:

The tourism business itself is constantly evolving, so be sure to follow the latest developments in this area and fully devote yourself to the business, and then success will not be long in coming.

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What is the article about?

People in the CIS countries, especially in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, love to fly abroad, travel around countries and relax, and you can make money on this by opening your own travel agency. But, if you are not a successful entrepreneur, how to open a travel agency from scratch? Step-by-step instructions with recommendations from established businessmen, clear advice and a financial plan in our article.

• First steps - choosing a concept
• First pitfalls
• Registration
• We prepare documentation
• We are looking for suitable premises
• We select a pleasant interior
• We select personnel
• We are looking for potential clients
• What are the expenses and income?

First steps - choosing a concept

You can find four options on the market for a long time:

1. A private travel agency requires renting an office, hiring staff and concluding contracts with other companies, but you don’t have to depend on other people. This option is more suitable for those familiar not only with business, but also with the work of a tour operator.
2. A home travel agency is the easiest way for a newbie in business to join this environment. You won’t need to rent an office and hire other people, but don’t expect much profit either. In this case, only a person with his own client base and skills in the marketing environment can burn out. Get ready that only the middle class of people will come to you.
3. An online travel agency is a format of online shopping that is extremely popular with people, which can allow them to travel to different cities and countries, so the travel agency must not go under. The main thing is that the company’s website contains complete information about the company itself, about tours and offers, and is also really convenient for the average ordinary visitor. Include the ability to communicate with the operator, select changes to the trip and pay through online wallets for the convenience of the buyer.
4. Franchising is the best format for a first-time entrepreneur, because a beginner is not yet ready to solve some problems on his own. The advantage of this option is that your new agency is opened under the leadership of a well-known network like “World of Discovery”; you do not remain without the attention and trust of potential buyers. You will also receive some equipment, free business training, a marketing campaign and the necessary connections at the very beginning.

First pitfalls

The least popular period for tourism is the off-season periods - several months winter-summer + several months autumn-winter. Of course, some bursts of activity are guaranteed, because someone has holidays, vacations or personal circumstances, but such periods must be taken care of in advance.

In the first year, it is important to intensively prepare to expand the customer base through discounts for the May holidays, unusual ideas for summer vacations and promotions for trips during non-vacation months.

Take care of planning your expenses in unprofitable months, and, most importantly, you should open a travel agency in early spring, so that you have time to increase your client base before the fall. During the “dead” seasons, your travel agency should offer the sale of air tickets, the services of a lawyer for obtaining a visa, as well as special domestic tours to the cities of the country.

Download a sample travel agency business plan as a template for your own.

Registration

There are two regulatory forms; you should choose based on your desires and aspirations, as well as initial capabilities.

• The first option is an LLC (legal entity). Registration of a legal entity requires a large financial investment, but makes it possible to open a whole network of travel agencies.
• The second option is an individual entrepreneur (individual). A beginner should start with this form, because the investment is quite small, and it’s easier for many to collect the documentation. True, situations arise when tour operators require mandatory registration of an LLC, but do not work with individual entrepreneurs.

We prepare documentation

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Start by choosing the name of the travel agency. Think of something sonorous, memorable, appropriate in meaning, but quite serious. For example, “World of Discovery” is suitable.
2. Choose a room. This is important for determining the company's registered address.
3. It is important to choose the right type of activity in a travel agency according to the classifier.
4. Pay the state fee.
5. Notarize the signature of the application for company registration.

For a legal entity, it is also necessary to perform two more actions - to determine the authorized capital in the amount of at least 10 thousand rubles, and also for each of several founders to create a model of its share with its nominal value.

We are looking for suitable premises

You will need a small area located in an area with the highest traffic of potential buyers. This is why travel agencies like to open in business centers.

Be guided by the name, because, for example, “Business Ocean” clearly says that there are many entrepreneurs and office workers in the building, and everyone has a vacation. Undoubtedly, it is important that the premises are located in the city center, even if these are small regional cities like Omsk or Samara.

We select a pleasant interior

Design a decent and comfortable client corner, where there will be a coffee table and a comfortable small sofa for several people. If you want your clients not to get bored, organize a small number of travel-themed magazines, preferably with a lot of photographs. The tourist model should be read throughout the office design - paintings, straw hats, photo wallpapers and other things reminiscent of tourism.

Don’t be afraid to express your own “wants” and creativity in design. Be original! Employees also need their own area. To ensure efficient work processes, organize desks, comfortable computer chairs and shelving with everything you need to work. You will also need space for a printer, copier and other important devices.

We select personnel

A travel agency as a business does not tolerate fraternization and forgiveness of mistakes, so never agree to hire relatives and friends.

Only hire those who show professionalism and the ability to accept criticism. It is very profitable to hire people with experience in tourism, but some personnel can show excellent work even without experience. Browse job candidates in the following categories:

• way and manner of speaking:
• competent construction of sentences and pleasant presentation of thoughts;
• the ability to identify what needs to be put in the foreground;
• ability to persevere, focus on a specific task;
• how seriously a person takes the tourism industry;
• the ability to present your personality to another person;
• relaxed, worry-free communication with strangers;
• what things interest him, breadth of outlook;
• proposed ways to resolve various conflict situations.

Therefore, the candidate must become an example of a person who is able to interest others in a purchase, who is able to work with people with money.

Are you planning a small project? Two or three customer service employees and a cleaner are enough for stable office operation. Later, it is worth hiring an accountant and programmer, with the expectation of expanding the business. As a salary for managers, offer a minimum payment, supplemented by a percentage of revenue, in order to motivate them to work more efficiently.

Choosing a reliable tour operator

In order not to make a mistake and reduce risks, enter into contracts with ten different operators at once, half of which must specialize in a particular area.

Choose a direction that is calculated by other companies as the most popular in your city or entire region, but do not forget about unusual options.

At first, you will not begin to receive much profit, but after the first tourists the percentage will begin to increase. If you start showing an excellent example of a business project with successful sales, more offers will come from more successful operators.

There is also a ready-made example of a search database for online tours and operators, which can slightly simplify the work of your travel company. The most popular database is the site tourindex.ru, where access to the database is obtained for a significant fee. For a year of service you will have to pay 26 thousand rubles, but whether it is profitable to remain without such reliable support is up to you to decide.

We are looking for potential clients

In order not to be left without clients, open your own company website so that its design and content are handled by a professional web designer and system administrator rolled into one.

You can still use other advertising methods:

1. Making announcements in the media, including radio.
2. Advertising the company on billboards and banners.
3. By broadcasting advertising on TV in ad blocks.
4. Hiring people to hand out leaflets.
5. Motivating clients to write reviews about the agency to launch word of mouth.

Sometimes clients come to the office from an unknown source, so it is important to constantly adjust even a ready-made business plan, as well as keep a special journal about the channels of client receipt in electronic form. This will help you do regular analytics of statistics on attracting people to a travel agency. Don’t forget about discounts, promotions and bonuses that perfectly motivate people not only to make purchases, but also to attract their friends and family.

Video: how to open a travel agency?

What are the expenses and income?

The profitability indicator is individual and depends on a variety of factors.

Expense line		Amount of costs, thousand rubles.
1	Initial rent for two months	100
2	Repair	80
3	Furniture	50
4	Public utilities	10
5	Paperwork	5
6	Manager's salary	15 x 2
7	Cleaner's salary	10
8	Marketing campaign	15
9	Taxes	30
10	Unexpected expenses	10
Total:		340

The opening of a travel agency itself will cost about 300 thousand rubles or more, but you will also have to pay monthly rent for premises, taxes, employee wages, utilities, and much more.

The average payback is almost one and a half, or even two years. In the first year, it is important for a travel agency to simply survive and stay afloat in a sea of ​​competition. This can be achieved through pleasant service, quality services, good service and competent advertising. Only after achieving a sales level of 500 trips annually, the project becomes an established business.

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People have different ideas about vacation: for some, the ideal option would be a week spent on a tropical beach, others prefer traveling and sightseeing, and still others cannot imagine leisure without hiking and rafting on mountain rivers. In all this diversity there is one common feature: when going on vacation, everyone tries to change the environment and spend time away from home.

Given this demand for tourist travel, many entrepreneurs are thinking about how to open a travel agency from scratch: step-by-step instructions in this case suggest two possible ways to create and develop a business. In the first case, an entrepreneur can focus on the mass sale of popular tours and take part in active competition, while in the second, the emphasis is on expensive individual and exotic tours. Considering that hundreds and thousands of destinations are currently available to consumers both within the country and abroad, it can be assumed that anyone who takes a sufficiently balanced and responsible approach to creating their own travel company can find and occupy their own unique niche in this market.

Features of the tourism business

Before opening a travel agency in Russia, an entrepreneur should consider the features of this business, get an idea of ​​the structure of the tourism services market and assess the state of affairs in the industry, which today is determined by the following factors:

• In popular areas, agencies offer similar or identical products, thereby creating a high level of competition;
• Independent companies dominate the market - despite the large number of offers, no more than 8–10% of entrepreneurs want to open a franchise travel agency;
• About 30% of newly created entities close during the first year of operation;
• Market leaders use dumping in competition, artificially lowering prices for popular tours;
• Business is subject to both positive and negative external influences - championships, festivals and public holidays attract the attention of tourists, while natural disasters, political and military actions, and terrorist threats cause a significant decrease in demand.

Travel company formats

Taking into account the size of the start-up capital and his own ambitions, an entrepreneur can open a travel agency in 2020 from scratch in one of the following formats:

1. Independent company. This option is more suitable for specialists who have personal connections, experience in the industry and contacts with tour operators. Among what is needed to open a travel company are registration of SPD, renting an office, purchasing equipment and recruiting personnel;
2. Home agency. For entrepreneurs who do not have the required start-up capital, this option is preferable, since you can open a travel agency at home with minimal investment: all you need is a computer, a printer and a telephone. The home agency format is also not suitable for beginners, since it presupposes the presence of its own client base and a wide circle of contacts. How to open a travel agency at home: you need to register an individual entrepreneur, ensure a presence on the Internet and social networks and organize a platform for meeting clients in a nearby cafe;
3. Internet agency. Such a sales channel can be either additional for an independent company or the main one for a home-based business format. To open a travel agency in 2020, you need to develop an online store, attract programmers to organize access to the offers of tour operators, connect payment systems and think through a mechanism for providing online consultations.

Purchasing a franchise. For beginners who do not have sufficient experience, if they have starting capital of the required size, it is easier to buy a ready-made business model and open a franchise travel agency, since network agencies usually provide their partners with:

• Software, systems for viewing and booking tours;
• Training;
• The opportunity to open a travel agency from scratch without experience using a well-known brand and recognizable corporate identity;
• Legal and advertising support;
• Increased commission rate;
• Support in resolving conflicts with tour operators.

Franchises costing from 150 to 450 thousand rubles are available on the market. It should be noted that the companies offering them have certain requirements for office space, interior design, and stipulate a mandatory sales plan: such factors must be taken into account in order to understand whether it is worth opening a travel agency in this way.

Choosing a tour operator

An entrepreneur considering how to open a travel agency should also understand the technologies for creating and selling tourism products. In fact, the tasks of travel agencies are limited to finding buyers and selling ready-made tours, which are developed by larger companies - tour operators. They are the ones who form tourist packages, which include:

• Visa support and paperwork;
• Delivery of tourists to their holiday destination by plane, train or bus;
• Transfer (transportation of clients from the airport to the hotel and back);
• Accommodation and meals;
• Health insurance.

When concluding contracts with one or more tour operators, the agency’s income will be generated from a commission of 9–12% of the cost of each tour sold, which the product supplier pays to intermediaries. The interest rate is revised twice a year, thanks to which large travel agencies that sell a large number of vouchers achieve an increase in the amount of deductions to 15%.

How to open your own travel agency, where to start? First of all, you need to choose 8-10 reliable tour operators. Half of them should sell tours corresponding to the company’s profile (for example, to Turkey or Egypt), and the rest should close other destinations, including individual programs and tours to exotic countries; This division allows us to offer customers interesting products even after the end of the tourist season. When choosing operators, it is recommended to pay attention to the following factors:

1. Duration of existence and active work;
2. Availability of positive and negative customer reviews;
3. Financial support of the operator and the amount of the insurance contract;
4. Priority areas of work;
5. Availability of purchased rooms in popular hotels;
6. The presence of branches nearby, which significantly simplifies the document flow and the procedure for obtaining visas for tourists.

Advantages and disadvantages

Is it worth opening a travel agency in 2020? To answer this question, an entrepreneur must carefully weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of this type of activity. The positive aspects of the tourism business include:

• A wide selection of tour operators offering favorable terms of cooperation;
• Loyal requirements for the amount of starting capital, the opportunity to open a travel agency from scratch at home if there is a shortage of funds;
• Simple company registration process, no licensing;
• The development of the tourism industry in Russia, the emergence of many budget and exotic tours within the country (for example, to Karelia or Kamchatka);
• Forming the belief among potential buyers that they should take a vacation every year, if possible, away from home or abroad;
• The opportunity to cooperate not only with private consumers, but also with corporate customers.

Speaking about whether it is profitable to open a travel agency, it should be taken into account that today the market is 85–90% full, as a result of which only companies offering non-standard services and opening new destinations survive. Thus, in addition to the high level of competition, the disadvantages of the tourism business include:

• Unpredictability of demand and the impossibility of accurately forecasting profits;
• Exposure to economic and political factors;
• Seasonality (between November and March, sales drop by 40–50%).

Registration of activities

Business in the tourism sector without legalization of the enterprise is not only illegal, but also virtually impossible: tour operators will simply refuse to enter into cooperation agreements with private individuals. Therefore, before opening a travel company, you need to select one of the available organizational and legal forms (individual entrepreneur or LLC) and submit an application for registration to the appropriate authority, indicating the desired taxation system. Depending on the expected profit structure of the company, the preferred simplified tax system is 6% (income) or 15% (income minus expenses).

Obtaining a license at the moment is not what is needed to open a travel agency: only the activities of tour operators are regulated by the state. However, the owner of an intermediary agency, in order to increase consumer loyalty, can also officially confirm his status: to do this, he should submit an application to Rostourism, attaching documents on financial security of responsibility. In addition, the staff of the licensed company must consist of employees with secondary specialized or higher education in the field of tourism, and the manager will additionally be required to have at least three years of work experience in the industry.

Selecting a location

Experienced entrepreneurs consider finding suitable premises one of the most important tasks in the tourism business: when considering what it takes to open a travel agency, you should take into account not only the format, but also the target audience of the agency. When selling exclusive services, the company is located in a business district in a building with convenient parking, while when selling mass tours, priority is given to places where people with average incomes gather - central streets, shopping or entertainment centers, bus stops and metro stations. Before opening a travel agency in a chosen location, it is advisable to make sure that it is possible to place a sign that can be seen from afar, increasing the flow of clients by 25–30%.

In the city center, a rented space of 20–25 m² on the ground floor of a residential or administrative building is used as an office: such a location will help improve the agency’s status in the eyes of clients. Other advantages of this option include high cross-country ability and transport accessibility, while disadvantages include a possible lack of parking and increased rent.

When considering how to open a travel company from scratch in a business center, one should mention as a positive aspect the presence of ready-made offices here with renovations, connected utilities, communication channels and maintenance, including cleaning and security. The disadvantages of this location are the presence of an access system and the impossibility of placing a sign on the facade of the building.

In shopping centers you can also find a suitable place to open a travel agency: what needs to be done first of all is to assess the traffic and purchasing power of visitors in order to select the most popular offers. There are two main disadvantages in this case: high rents and a shortage of free space in popular shopping complexes.

In a densely populated residential area, the number of potential clients is most often limited by the walking distance of the office. When calculating how much it costs to open a travel agency from scratch, you need to take into account the relatively low rent and the possibility of purchasing an apartment on the ground floor with its subsequent transfer to non-residential use. In the absence of direct competition, the main task of the company is to regularly inform local residents about popular offers by posting notices and placing advertisements in mailboxes.

Room and interior equipment

After concluding a lease agreement, the premises need to be renovated, manager workplaces must be equipped with tables and computers, and the waiting area for visitors must be equipped with comfortable sofas, coffee tables, a water cooler or a coffee machine. General costs for preparing the premises include:

Preparing the premises

Expense item	price, rub.	Qty	Cost, rub.
Rental during renovation	1200	25 m²	30 000
Office design project	1500	25 m²	37 500
Repair work	2 000	25 m²	50 000
Construction materials	1 500	25 m²	37 500
Plumbing	7 000	1	7 000
Lighting	1 500	6	9 000
Air conditioner	25 000	1	25 000
Illuminated sign	25 000	1	25 000
Total:			221 000

It is better to entrust the development of a unified corporate style for signage, exterior and interior design of the office to a designer: when calculating how much it costs to open a travel agency, you should take into account such design costs. Geographic maps, souvenirs from different countries, exotic masks, globes, aquariums with bright tropical fish are used as additional decorative elements: the visitor should understand at first glance that this is where a travel company is located.

When choosing furniture, you can choose one of the standard options or order the production of cabinets, tables and shelving in a workshop: the difference in price will be insignificant. Before opening a travel agency from scratch, you additionally need to purchase:

Equipment

Name	price, rub.	Qty	Cost, rub.
Furniture
Work desk	15 000	3	45 000
Worker's chair	3 000	3	9 000
Chair for client	1 000	6	6 000
Corner sofa	28 000	1	28 000
Coffee table	5 000	1	5 000
Rack	5 000	2	10 000
Filing Cabinets	8 000	1	8 000
Safe	12 000	1	12 000
Information board	4 000	2	8 000
Hanger	4 000	1	4 000
Office equipment
Computer	18 000	3	54 000
Specialized software	9 000	1	9 000
Leased line	2 000	1	2 000
Office network with switch	10 000	1	10 000
Phone line	6 000	2	12 000
Office mini-PBX	5 000	1	5 000
MFP network	15 000	1	15 000
Telephone set	2 000	2	4 000
LCD TV for presentations	18 000	1	18 000
Promotional Products
World map 150x200 cm	4 500	1	4 500
Globe 40 cm	5 000	1	5 000
Catalogs and advertising	15 000	1	15 000
Shelves for souvenirs	1 500	4	6 000
Stationery	10 000	1	10 000
other expenses	20 000	1	20 000
Total:			324 500

Before opening a travel agency, the business plan should also be supplemented with the costs of purchasing specialized software that automates the company’s work and provides quick viewing of offers from all tour operators: a manager who manually opens dozens of sites is unlikely to be able to quickly serve the client. The price for the program is 8–9 thousand rubles, and the subscription fee for access to the tour selection system is 2100 rubles per month.

Staff

You can open a travel agency on your own from scratch without work experience only in a home format - in all other cases, the company requires sales managers. A novice entrepreneur is unlikely to be able to lure experienced workers from other companies, so it is better to invite young specialists to work and train them in the future in a year to get a professional team.

To get acquainted with the product, employees are regularly sent on short familiarization tours, compensating them for expenses after selling a certain number of trips to these destinations. It is logical to assume that an employee who has seen the resort and hotel with his own eyes is able to talk about it much more colorfully and convince even a skeptical client.

The director of the company (who is also the owner) can perform administrative functions, do advertising, search for new partners and replace managers during their absence. It is not advisable to hire an accountant, system administrator and a full-time cleaner: visiting specialists can handle a small amount of work. When calculating how much it costs to open a travel agency, you need to provide for labor-related expenses:

Agency staff

Financial investments

When considering how to open a travel agency, where to start the company’s activities, you should understand that without detailed cost planning, the chances of business success remain small. Investments in a travel agency include:

Initial costs

The amount of current expenses depends on many factors: the motivation scheme for managers, the format of the advertising campaign, the taxation system and the intensity of use of communication channels (with per-minute payment for telephone calls and traffic limitation by the Internet provider):

Approximate running costs

Profit and payback periods

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“I want to open a travel agency, what kind of profit can I expect?” Beginning entrepreneurs are primarily interested in the answer to this question. Meanwhile, the income of a travel company can be calculated based on the average cost of tours sold to typical representatives of the target audience. For example, in a large city, the main consumers (75% of sales) will be single and family tourists, who mainly buy trips to Turkey, Greece, Spain and Egypt at a price of 35–55 thousand rubles per person. The remaining 25% is the budget corporate segment, as well as expensive tours to tropical countries and island resorts.

When learning how to open a travel agency from scratch in Russia, you need to understand that at first a large influx of visitors is not expected: the newly created agency will conclude 45–60 contracts in the summer months and 25–30 in the winter months. By the next season, satisfied customers will return, which will lead to an annual increase in the number of orders by 1.5–2 times.

So, when selling 50 vouchers per month with a commission of 4 thousand rubles for each, the agency’s income will be 200 thousand rubles. Considering current expenses of 154,600 rubles, you can expect a monthly net profit of 45,400 rubles. Thus, with a profitability of 29%, the payback period for the business will reach 12–13 months.

An entrepreneur interested in how to open a travel agency from scratch without work experience should be aware that even with a timely launch of the business and an active advertising campaign, the likelihood that the company will not make a profit in the first months is quite high. Therefore, it is recommended to create some financial reserve to ensure the functioning of the agency, including in the off-season. In addition, you can use additional sources of income: