The first steps in the tourism business. How to start a travel agency from scratch? Step-by-step instruction

Let's talk about how to open a travel agency and what the essence of the work is. A travel agency assumes the implementation of a specific product for individuals. This product has two types of services - package and individual.

To open a travel agency, you need an administrative resource and basic knowledge in the chosen field of business. The future agency may offer package or individual tours and combine them with each other.

Package tour - specific services: accommodation, insurance or excursions. The product is easy to sell as it takes into account the ratio of popular travel services. "Packages" reduce the risks associated with possible customer dissatisfaction and save time.

Package tours are formed by the tour operator and differ in content. Some include a list of services, which determines the cost, while others are chic. This condition makes tours popular.

Individual tours are compiled based on the wishes of the client. An average travel agency of this type does not boast of a large number of clients - it operates on different principles.

The increase in profits from tailor-made tours is generated by serving customers with a high level of paying capacity.

Types of tourism and choice of target audience

There are three types of tourism based on geography.

• Domestic tourism. This type of activity involves the travel of residents of the country through the territory of the country itself. One of the simple ones in terms of organization - does not require a visa and is carried out directly, without the participation of tour operators, as part of the organization of intracity excursions and weekend tours.
• Entry. This aspect implies a focus on foreign clients entering Russia for tourism purposes. It also dispenses with the participation of tour operators and minimizes the cost of paperwork. But clients will need help in obtaining visas and entry documents.
• Outgoing. Tourism with the design of foreign tours for residents of Russia. Minimum travel arrangements and provides a large agency fee from the tour operator.

This division does not mean that the agency is obliged to specialize in one type of activity. Choosing a priority area will allow you to better understand its essence and adapt the business to a specific consumer.

People go on trips for different purposes. Cultural tourism destination:

• business
• ethnic
• recreational
• curative
• transit
• religious

Organization of tours for pilgrims is more successful when the agency has religious attributes and a name. But for the recreational and business areas, such attributes are a definite disadvantage.

The essence of the travel agency workflow

The basis of the work of a travel agency is intermediary services that connect the client and the operator. Income is generated from receiving commissions for the sale of a tourist product. Duties of the tour operator - organization of services: resolving issues of interaction with insurance companies and embassies.

Compliance with the correct paperwork required for visas is the responsibility of the agency. The travel agency is engaged in the issuance of documents coming from the tour operator: tickets for travel; medical insurance; voucher for accommodation; memo telling about the country of visit.

The travel agency transfers money to the operator on time for the provided tours and controls the correct booking of services by tourists. When the client refuses the tour, he is subject to penalties, which are prescribed in the contract.

How to start opening a travel agency

From the legal form of business organization. Clients do not trust individual entrepreneurs in the field of tourism, so choose an LLC.

Tourist activities fall under, but in a simplified form. The value is calculated in two ways. The first is in the form of 6% of income. The second takes into account the difference, which is formed by the formula: income minus expenses, from which 15% is taken on account of tax payment.

Obtaining a license is no longer binding. In 2007, the licensing of the tourism business was terminated. But the document has a beneficial effect on increasing the level of trust from customers.

The franchisor solves many problems.

Choosing a tour operator

When the travel agency has been registered, the next step is to conclude agreements with tour operators. Which will require some effort and utmost responsibility.

Newcomers to the tourism industry work with low-cost companies. And they do not think about the possible consequences of the unfair work of such companies that are engaged in price dumping. Clients sometimes find themselves at a broken trough - due to non-receipt of the full volume of the booked services.

• period of stay in the market of tourist services;
• priority of directions in activities;
• financial security.

Work with operators that have a representative office in your city.

Whether to work with a tour operator directly

Establish a business relationship not with a tour operator, but with an intermediary. These are travel agencies that offer to conclude a sub-agent agreement with the right to design and sell travel services.

This type of cooperation has advantages: commissions are high compared to the remuneration offered by the tour operator. The increase in the commission for the tour operator is associated with the number of clients. And the intermediary will offer a high reward, which does not depend on how many tours have been booked.
When a travel agency works with a tour operator, and its head office is in another city, sending documents is accompanied by certain monetary costs. This problem does not arise when working with an intermediary company; incorrect paperwork implies that the intermediary contacts the tour operator to resolve the issue. This condition saves the agency costs.

When a travel agency has problems with tourists, their solution with the help of an intermediary is problematic. It is easier to find direct contact with a travel product supplier. This negative aspect adversely affects collaboration through third parties, but this form of interaction is popular.

"Off season": ways to solve the problem

The travel business is seasonally dependent, which determines the demand curve for services over the course of the year. The popular period is summer, when the flow of tourists increases. Winter is a quiet time, it comes to life during school holidays and during the New Year holidays.

The "off season" causes difficulties for travel companies, they are making efforts to maintain control over the situation. There are agencies that prepare a "safety cushion" in advance - they set aside some of the funds in reserve.

During this period, tours to rest houses are carried out. In the "hot season", companies prefer domestic tourism. But he has less revenue.

Business development at the initial stage

At the heart of the tourist business in the first months of activity is the principle of creating a customer base with a subsequent increase. The modern tourist chooses companies with a wide range of all kinds of discounts.

Tours do not have a constant value and price fluctuations occur frequently. This leads to painstaking work on the search for proposals. Ask customers for their email address, which will help you quickly send new offers on profitable tours. The selection is offered without the name of the tour operator, so if you lose a client, he will go to another agency.

Continuously improve the quality of customer service. A satisfied tourist will definitely tell friends and acquaintances about the wonderful vacation, and also mention the travel company, which provided an unforgettable experience.

Ask clients about the quality of your stay. This increases the efficiency of work, you will know about all the shortcomings, which will allow you to correct them in time.

The tourism sector, despite the fact that it has been experiencing certain difficulties for several years, remains quite profitable. Anyone who does not have big savings can be engaged in tourism business. In addition, such entrepreneurial activity brings a lot of positive emotions, because there is an opportunity to help people in organizing recreation. However, there are still some nuances that should be taken into account in order not to lose the funds invested in this business. We will tell you about all the intricacies of how to open a travel agency from scratch so that you do everything right.

Features of the tourism business

Before opening a travel agency, you need to understand what a travel agency is, what is the essence of its activities. First of all, you need to learn the meaning of some concepts.

A travel agency is an agency that acts as an intermediary between the travel operator and the person who wishes to travel. It can fulfill obligations:

• Tour operator - a company that must develop and advertise through the media various tours that are in the greatest demand among the population;
• Travel agent - a company that implements tourist tours: makes transfers, sells tickets, worries about accommodating clients and organizing excursions for them.

You should also know, before opening a travel agency in Russia, what will be the responsibilities of your company. Typically, a travel agency provides the following services:

Issue visas for clients in accordance with the requirements of the tour operator with whom the contract has been concluded. If something is done wrong, the responsibility for it should be the responsibility of the travel agency.

Provide clients with a full package of documents required for the trip:

• Tickets (air and railway);
• Medical insurance;
• Accommodation voucher;
• Memo about the state to which the tourist is going;
• Book all the services requested by the client;
• Timely pay for the tour operator's work.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of the tourism business include:

1. It is developing rapidly, which means that you will be able to provide services to people not only in Russia, but also abroad, which will also bring you great profits;
2. You will have a wide choice of travel operators, besides, you can conclude cooperation agreements with more than one operator, with several at once - this is the first thing you need to open a travel company;
3. The flow of people willing to go on a trip is constantly growing, and it does not end all year round;
4. The paperwork is simple, done quickly and fairly cheaply.

Now let's consider a few negative points that you should be aware of before starting a travel agency:

1. Quite a high level of competition - many start-up entrepreneurs are thinking about how to open a travel agency from scratch, because they understand the profitability of this business;
2. If you do not pay enough attention to the advertising campaign to promote your travel agency, you can completely lose customers and be left without orders (in this case, the risk of losing your investment increases);
3. In the warm season, the demand for tourist trips is much higher than in the cold season, but this is a controversial issue, because there are winter resorts where people are happy to go for the New Year and Christmas holidays.

Activity registration

If you want to open a travel agency, you must carefully read the Law of the State "On Tourism", which outlines all the requirements on how to open a travel agency from scratch without work experience. We will list you in detail what you need to open a travel agency:

A travel agency can be registered as a legal entity LLC or as a private institution of sole proprietorship.

To register a new institution in the state register, one resident is enough, who can sell tours within the country and abroad.

You will have to obtain a written commitment from any banking institution that will vouch for the services of a travel operator in the event that the travel agency cannot do this (without this guarantee, no operator will agree to cooperate with the agency). However, the bank will issue an appropriate guarantee only if the founder of the travel company provides a package of documents, which will include:

• Certificate of state registration;
• Charter;
• Current account data;
• Copies of contracts confirming the lease of the premises where the company is located (if the premises are personally owned by the owner, then you must provide a document confirming the ownership);
• Passport;
• A copy of the head's TIN;
• Certificate of registration with the tax service.

It is necessary to develop special client agreements that you will conclude with clients who will order tours from you. Everything must be spelled out in these contracts: the date of payment, the date of issue of the tourist voucher.

It will also be necessary to develop rules for tourists: who will meet them in the country where they go, accompany, conduct excursions. It is advisable to include these rules in the client agreement so that the tourist signs the document after reading them.

It is also recommended to conclude a contract with an insurance company, however, this is an optional moment. If you want your clients to be insured, then it is better to provide them with a medical policy and other types of property insurance (for example, a car).

Recommends to conclude a sub-agent agreement with any airline through which you will buy tickets for your customers. This is very beneficial because in such cases, airlines offer many lucrative bonuses.

Draw up an approximate business plan of how to open a travel agency, so that you know what expenses await you, how you need to act so that they are quickly reimbursed and begin to turn into consistently high income.

Location selection criteria

If you do not have your own premises, then the main thing you need to open a travel agency is to find a suitable place to rent it. We've put together a few location options that you can consider before starting a travel agency in 2018:

You can open a travel agency in the central area of ​​the city. At the same time, it is desirable that:

• The room was at least 20 m² in size;
• It should be located on the first floor of any apartment building, but still it is better to select office buildings;
• It is necessary to hang a bright sign with advertising on the premises so that people passing by can see what services you provide (the fact that your travel agency is located in the city center will make them believe in your prestige and high level of customer service).

You can open a travel agency in the building of the business center. What you need to open a travel agency in such an institution:

1. The premises should have a fresh modern renovation so that the agency looks presentable and solid;
2. You will be able to serve not only tourists who will come to you from other parts of the city, but also employees of a huge business center;
3. However, you will not be able to advertise in such territory;
4. At the checkpoint in any business center, there is a pass system that will repel customers.

You can choose premises for a company in a shopping center. We will give you some basic recommendations in such an institution:

• Choose a boutique where there are always a lot of people (it is better for this to consider the departments where they sell clothes, shoes or electronic equipment);
• You need to be prepared for the fact that in such an institution you will have to pay a high price for rent.

You can open a travel agency in a residential area of ​​your city:

• A large crowd of people who can become potential clients of your agency always concentrate here;
• You don't have to pay a lot for rent;
• There won't be much competition in such an area.

Room and interior equipment

There is also a very important point that you need to know before starting a travel company from scratch - it must be decorated in a modern, fashionable style. You must understand that if you have the old premises at your disposal, then renovation is what you should definitely start opening your travel agency with. All costs for this must be provided for by you and included in the business plan.

The premises of your company should always be clean and comfortable. This is necessary so that your clients, coming to the office, can completely relax and unwind in it. This is especially true of situations when a queue of people gathers. You need to put various magazines, catalogs, coffee makers on the tables. Also hang on your walls all sorts of interesting things that will inspire your clients to travel.

To open a travel agency from scratch without work experience, you need to purchase furniture and the necessary equipment. It is not necessary to choose expensive models, an economical option is also suitable, as long as it all looks decent and beautiful. You will need:

• Computers with printers and necessary software;
• Office tables, chairs;
• Soft sofas;
• Armchairs and coffee tables;
• Air conditioning;
• Coffee makers with appropriate utensils;
• Telephones;
• Wi-fi.

Financial investments

Of course, if you decide to start a travel business, you need to know exactly how much it costs to open a travel agency from scratch. We note right away that you will not have to make large investments. The main expenses you will have:

• When renting a room;
• For the purchase of equipment and furniture;
• With an advertising campaign;
• To pay a fee if you decide to open a travel agency for a franchise.

It is important to bear in mind that the answer to the question of how much it costs to open a travel agency depends largely on the city in which you live. After all, if you live in a metropolis, the rent for the premises will be higher than in the provinces. You will only have to spend about 30-60 thousand rubles a month for rent.

In order to put the selected room in order (it must meet certain standards), buy the necessary furniture, equipment and draw up all the necessary documents, you will need to have at your personal disposal about 200,000 rubles.

To promote your travel agency, you will need at least 100,000 rubles. However, note that this amount is relative, it depends more on the channel that will carry out the advertising campaign.

Also, discussing the question of how much it costs to open a travel agency, you need to know that you still have to pay wages to your employees. As a rule, it should be 15 thousand rubles stable and another 20% of the travel agency's monthly profit.

Consider also that the next 6 months after you open an agency, it will not bring you any profit. Therefore, you need to have some financial resources in stock, due to which you can build your business.

Estimated profit

Living in the conditions of the economic crisis, you will surely have a question whether it is profitable to open a travel agency, whether others will use your services. They will definitely be, because, as a rule, people who could afford to travel earlier will be able to do it now. Therefore, do not hesitate whether it is worth opening a travel agency in 2018 if you have a desire to work in this interesting field and the required amount of savings.

If you learn how to sell more than 500 vouchers per year, then monthly your travel agency will make a profit of 50-100 thousand rubles. This is enough to establish itself as a popular segment of the tourism business. The more you sell the tour, the more you can earn. If you are satisfied with such layouts, then do not hesitate for a long time whether it is worth opening a travel agency, and immediately get down to business.

Travel agency as a business model

Business payback periods

The second most important question for those who decided to open a travel agency in 2018 from scratch is how long it will take to pay off. Here you need to be aware that this moment depends more on how you start. If you create a large turnover of the tour from the first days, then for the first year of work you will earn 600-800 thousand rubles, which means that you will return your invested personal funds.

However, experienced entrepreneurs who have been in this area for a long time claim that the payback period of a travel company is at least 2 years. But we do not advise you to be equal to someone else's achievements. If you seriously approached the question of how to open a travel agency from scratch in Russia, then you will find a way how to quickly unwind in order to get your investment back and start making a profit.

At the end of this article on how to open a travel agency, we want to give you some useful tips on how to quickly promote your business and receive consistently high income on it:

• If you are wondering how to open a travel agency at home, then for promotion you just need to have an official website at your disposal, through which you will carry out all the work. Opening a travel agency from scratch at home is much easier and more economical. You can save at least the extra 200,000 rubles. It is better to invest some of this money in creating a unique website. Seek advice from experts on how to open a travel agency at home so that your activity is official and in demand;

How to open a travel agency? It turned out that our project really gives hope to young people that someday they will be able to open their own business. In the end, it is not as difficult as it really seems, because desire and perseverance will definitely help you achieve your goal.

Today, the heroine of our article is Angela Burmistrova, who herself is very fond of traveling and in the future dreams of visiting the best resorts in the world.

She wants to give this opportunity to other travelers and learn how to open a travel agency.

Participant's questionnaire:

1. Why such a business?

It is profitable, interesting enough, there are opportunities for travel, development, broadening one's horizons, meeting new people.

1. What has already been done in this direction?

Unfortunately, I haven't seriously thought about it yet, so nothing serious has been done.

1. What funds do you have and where do you think you can get the missing amount?

There is no capital, but I will try to save. I hope it works!

Before you start saving or borrowing, you should understand the essence of the business, understand how to open a travel agency , determine how many competitors there are and assess the considerable financial risks. But there are no unattainable goals - if Angela manages to stand out among other companies, and works conscientiously, like the best travel agencies, trying to really provide customers with a decent vacation, and not just get their money, as many do, then everything will work out.

To register an individual entrepreneur, you need to come to the Federal Tax Service with a passport, fill out an application for opening an individual entrepreneur, pay a state fee (800 rubles), then apply to the tax office with the following papers:

• statement;
• a copy of all pages of the passport;
• receipt of payment of the duty;
• application for the transition to the simplified tax system;
• copy of TIN.

After registration, the organization is assigned OKVED No. 53.30 "Activities of travel agencies".

If the registration was successful, then you should be given a certificate, an extract from the single register of individual entrepreneurs, a notification of registration with the tax and registration as a payer of fixed contributions, statistics codes.

Travel agencies by law fall under the Simplified Taxation System (USN), which allows you to calculate tax in the following ways: 6% of income or 15% of the difference between income and expenses. Usually the first option is chosen, but if your firm will have a high cost share, consider the second option.

Do I need a license?

To open a travel agency in 2017, fortunately, a compulsory license is not required - it was canceled 10 years ago. But for a travel agency, business will do much better if you have a license, because tourists will clearly trust a licensed organization. Therefore, if there is a desire and extra funds, then a license can be obtained, however, such official travel agencies do not have any additional privileges.

Tourism entrepreneurship is a serious and risky business, therefore tourism business must be managed wisely. You need to know all the nuances of registration, execution of contracts with travel operators, decide whether you need a license and understand whether it is worth opening an agency at all. But once you start, you will understand that all the efforts were not in vain, since all costs are replenished three times. Perhaps, preliminary work in a travel agency as a manager or at least as an operator will help to understand all the intricacies of the business, but more on a little later.

Conclusion

This article describes only the legal nuances, covers the terms that entrepreneurs who decide to open a travel agency need to know. In the next article, the topic of travel agencies will continue, and we will delve into the activities of the agency from a practical point of view.

Do you want to open a travel agency? Here are the best tips to help you start your own travel agency hassle-free! Take note.

Do you love to travel?

Do you know how to properly organize a trip, find itineraries and which museums to visit?

It is likely that you are not averse to it.

How do you like the idea to open your own travel agency?

So, let's go to sort out all the pros and cons on the shelves! 🙂

How to open a travel agency and what you need to know for this?

Tip # 1: The most important thing is that you must understand that this business is complex and does not bring super profits!

With successful work, you will be able to earn, but it will not be "crazy" money.

As, in fact, they will not be in other areas, if you do not deal with weapons, drugs and smuggling.

Tip # 2: In the travel business, you sell a service, and the quality of this service will entirely depend on you!

There are two players on the market: tour operators that form the tourist product and travel agencies that sell this tourist product.

The product is the same for all travel companies, so your success depends entirely on.

Tip # 3: In many cities, and in Moscow and St. Petersburg for sure, courses are held for those who want to open their own travel agency.

The courses are weekly, are relatively inexpensive, useful in terms of the legal framework.

But if you do not have the opportunity, do not be discouraged, please be patient and persistent and devote ten days to independently study all legislative documents in this area.

The activities of travel agencies themselves are not licensed, so you do not need to obtain a license.

But knowing all the laws is a must!

Tip # 4: Choosing an office location for your company is one of the critical success factors.

The company should be located in a walk-through area, preferably with windows facing the street.

The presence of a nearby bus stop, metro, a large supermarket is almost mandatory.

It would also be nice to contact a branding agency that will develop a creative and bright style for your company, which is very important!

You need to stand out and always be in trend and people reach out to you! 😉

Thanks to the flow of people, you will be able to attract the attention of potential customers with discounts and promotions!

Tip # 5: You can choose the franchise option, that is, go under the name of a well-known travel agency network.

In this case, there are both disadvantages and advantages.

Pros: already known name, booking program, co-advertising.

Cons: Entry fee and recurring franchise payments. Here, the choice is only yours.

For those who are fired up with the idea of ​​opening their own travel agency,

Where to turn your attention?

Well, the most important thing in the travel business is word of mouth and customer return!

There is no need to recruit managers right away, because at first you can probably handle it yourself.

The main thing is to study all the information, conclude agreements with tour operators, master the booking system and fight.

Helpful article? Don't miss new ones!
Enter your e-mail and receive new articles by mail

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

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

Tour operator and travel agency: find 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 of them are 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 in 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 transport for tourists.

As for the implementation of the tour, he can do it on his own or through agencies. The second is to sell the ticket. The travel agency selects the necessary option for the client, informs him about all its nuances

Therefore, the difference is number one: the tour operator forms the tour, and the travel agency only implements it.

Secondly, to start a tour operator, you need to register only as a legal entity with a certain amount of financial support. While a travel agent can be both an individual entrepreneur and 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 support, 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 the tour at a certain price. And his reward will be a commission, which is set by the company that provides the trip.

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

Fourthly, by default, the operator is responsible for the "failed" tour, and the claims from the clients will be brought against him.

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 ticket 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 travel agency work scheme

Having decided to open a travel agency, you need to understand the scheme of its work:

1. The current travel agent is looking for proven operators with whom he signs a contract for further cooperation.
2. The travel agent studies the offers offered by the tour operator to the smallest details and starts looking for clients.
3. If one is found, then the travel agent concludes an agreement with him and submits an application for booking services with the operator.
4. The tour operator accepts the application and, which must subsequently be paid.
5. After that, the funds received by the travel agent minus the established commission (as a rule, it is 10-15%) are transferred to the account of the tour operator.
6. The tour operator transfers all the necessary documents to the agent, who subsequently issues all the information to the tourist.
7. After completing the transaction, the agency sends the report to the operator, who prepares an invoice for him.

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

The situation on the Russian tourist market

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

The tourist market in Russia does not stop constantly developing. Even in small towns you can find travel agencies that offer their services. Often they are approached by those who wish to travel abroad for impressions.

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

Therefore, deciding to open a travel agency, look for operators who are engaged in such tours.

It is also worth noting that in 2017 the situation in the tourism market has improved significantly compared to the two previous years. And by the way, Russian tourists began to prefer more exotic countries 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 are buying 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, deciding to open a travel agency, you need to bet on:

• providing a wide range of services;
• competent employees who are focused only on the number of tours sold, but also on quality customer service;
• cooperation with trusted and well-known tour operators.

Opening a travel agency is associated with risks that must be taken into account:

• Seasonality - it so happened that for the most part people like to travel abroad in 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 better.
• Lack of stability- changes in the exchange rate, 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 customers may decrease.

Inability to accurately predict the results of work- even with a detailed study and analysis of tour sales, it is impossible to accurately calculate the estimated 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 the arrangement of the office, the creation of a website and, of course, promotion.

The very process of opening a "tourist" business will consist of the following stages:

With well-coordinated and properly organized work, it will be possible to open a travel agency in 3-4 months.

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

So, you have analyzed the market, assessed your capabilities and are sure that this business is for you. Now you need to start taking specific 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 that, you can proceed to 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 a whole network, or you want to start a business with a partner, then choose an LLC.

When applying 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 basics of tourist activity in the Russian Federation" it is allowed to use the simplified tax system: "Income" 6% or "Income-Expenses" 6-15%.

Step 2. Search and arrangement of premises for a travel agency

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

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

• crowded places;
• sleeping areas in which 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, decor items.

The approximate expenses for the repair and arrangement of the premises will look like this:

Step 3. Search for tour operators for cooperation

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

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

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

The most popular travel operators in Russia:

Step 4. Recruitment of staff for opening a travel agency

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

The responsibilities of these specialists should include:

• selection and consulting of clients;
• monitoring of attractive tours and prices for them;
• conclusion of transactions with tourists;
• booking of vouchers and their registration with a tour operator;
• tracking novelties in the field of tourism.

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

Positions such as accountant, system administrator, cleaning lady may not be on the 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 if you do not declare yourself. And you need to engage in active promotion on an ongoing basis, especially if you want to lure tourists not only in the summer and New Year's season.

You can use advertising tools such as:

• sign at the entrance;
• distribution of leaflets on the street;
• advertising in local publications;
• radio advertising;
• advertising in social networks of the city 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 items of expenditure:

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

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

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

Having in hand the approximate costs of starting 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 deals per month. But more often than not, such indicators are characteristic of an already established business in the market.

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

70 * 28,000 * 10% = 196,000 rubles. (at an expense of 175,000 rubles)

And with this course of business, the profit will be penny:

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

Profit after tax:

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

But let's suppose that such indicators will be only in the first 3-4 months, while you declare yourself. And soon you will bring them to 120-140 transactions per month.

Then your projected income for the same expenses will be:

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

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

Based on such financial calculations, it can be assumed that investments in starting a business will pay off in 8-10 months.

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

How to start a travel agency from scratch?

From idea to first profit - in one video:

The tourism business itself is constantly evolving, so be sure to keep an eye on the novelties in this area and fully devote yourself to the business, and then success will not be long in coming.

Helpful article? Don't miss new ones!
Enter your e-mail and receive new articles by mail