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Own business: opening a travel company. How to open a travel agency from scratch: step by step instructions What you need to open a travel agency

The tourism sector, despite the fact that it has been experiencing certain difficulties for several years, remains quite profitable. Any person who does not have large savings can engage in the tourism business. In addition, such entrepreneurial activity brings a lot of positive emotions, because it becomes possible to assist 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 you open a travel agency, you need to understand what a travel agency is, what is the essence of its activities. First of all, it is necessary to learn the meaning of some concepts.

A travel company is an institution that acts as an intermediary between a travel operator and a person who wishes to go on a trip. 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;
A travel agent is a company that implements tourist tours: makes transfers, sells tickets, takes care of the accommodation of customers and organizes excursions for them.

You also need to know before you open a travel agency in Russia what will be the responsibility of your company. As a rule, a travel agency provides the following services:

Issue visas to clients in accordance with the requirements of the tour operator with which the contract is concluded. If something is done wrong, the travel agency should be held responsible for it.

Issue to customers a full package of documents necessary for the trip:

Tickets (air and railway);
Medical insurance;
Accommodation voucher;
A memo about the state to which the tourist is sent;
Book all services requested by the client;
Timely pay for the work of the tour operator.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you have decided to open a travel agency from scratch with no experience, think over and calculate what positive and negative moments may come your way.

The main advantages of the tourism business include:

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 big profits;
You will have a large choice of travel operator, in addition, you will be able to conclude cooperation agreements with more than one operator, with several at once - this is the first thing you need to open a travel company;
The flow of those wishing to go on a trip is constantly growing, and it does not end all year round;
Paperwork is simple, done quickly and fairly cheaply.

Now consider a few negative points that you should be aware of before you open a travel company:

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

Activity registration

If you want to open a travel agency, you need to carefully read the State Law “On Tourism”, which describes all the requirements for 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 enterprise LLC or as a private institution of FLP.

To register a new institution in the public register, one resident is enough, who can sell tours domestically and abroad.

You will have to obtain a written commitment from any banking institution that will guarantee to pay for the services of a travel operator if this cannot be done by a travel agency (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 information;
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 need to provide a document confirming ownership);
Passport;
A copy of the TIN of the head;
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 should be written 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 them, 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 an agreement with an insurance company, however, this is an optional moment. If you want your clients to be insured, then it is better for them to provide a medical policy and other types of insurance for property (for example, for a car).

Recommends to conclude a sub-agency 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 a rough business plan on how to open a travel agency in order to know what expenses await you, how to act so that they are reimbursed faster and begin to turn into consistently high incomes.

Site 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 have put together a few location options that you can consider before starting a travel agency in 2020:

You can open a travel company in the central area of the city. 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 choose office buildings;
A bright advertising sign should be hung 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 confident in your prestige and high level of customer service).

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

The premises should have a fresh modern renovation so that the agency looks presentable and solid;
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;
However, you will not be able to advertise in such territory;
There is a pass system at the checkpoint in any business center, which will repel customers.

You can choose a room 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 (for this, it is better to consider departments that 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:

There is always a large crowd of people who can become potential clients of your agency;
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 another very important point that you need to know before you open a travel company from scratch - it must be designed in a modern, fashionable style. You must understand that if you have an old room at your disposal, then repair 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 customers, when they come to the office, can completely relax and unwind in it. This is especially true when there is a queue of people. You need to lay out different magazines, catalogs, coffee makers on the tables. Also hang interesting things on the walls that will inspire your customers to go on a trip.

To open a travel agency from scratch without work experience, you need to purchase furniture and 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 conditioner;
Coffee makers with appropriate utensils;
Phones;
WiFi.

Financial investments

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also keep in mind 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 reserve, through which you can build a business.

Approximate profit

Living in an economic crisis, you will probably have a question whether it is profitable to open a travel agency, whether others will use your services. Definitely will be, because, as a rule, people who could afford to travel before will be able to do it now. Therefore, do not hesitate to open a travel agency in 2020 if you have the desire to work in this interesting field and the necessary amount of savings.

If you learn how to sell more than 500 tours a year, then your travel agency will make a profit of 50-100 thousand rubles a month. This is enough to establish itself as a popular segment of the tourism business. The more tours you sell, the more you can earn. If such layouts suit you, 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 of those who decided to open a travel agency in 2020 from scratch is how long it will pay off. Here you need to be aware that this moment largely depends on how you start. If you create a large turnover of the tour from the first days, then in the first year of work you will earn 600-800 thousand rubles, which means that you will return the invested personal funds.

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

If you wondered how to open a travel agency at home, then for promotion you only 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. At least you can save the extra 200,000 rubles. It is better to invest some of this money in creating a unique site. Consult with experts on how to open a travel agency at home so that your activities are official and in demand;

The tourism industry sooner or later rejects those who tried to turn a hobby into a business, but were not ready to give this business all their strength. But the managers who remain in it, having passed the tests of "water, fire and the closure of Egypt", sooner or later begin to think that their experience and knowledge quite allow them to go into free swimming - to open their own travel agency. Stops the fear of making a mistake and losing everything. The CEO of the network tells how to start a business in this area.

Who should open a travel agency?

Definitely not for someone who only yesterday came into this business. They can just forget about it - for a while. To prepare for such a step, it is worth working as a simple manager for at least two years, and preferably three to five. During this time, you will not only be able to get to know the entire "inner kitchen" of the tourism market, but also evaluate your strengths: do you agree to work under someone's wing or are you ready to go on an independent voyage. In the first case, you do not touch any organizational problems, do not think about how to find money for utilities, you do not care about tax audits and other regulatory authorities. You are in the business of selling. And you only think that you don’t know the Maldives well - that’s why you should go to the advertiser for 10 days. But at the same time, you are limited in profit, dependent on the will of the leader, who may not let you go on this promotional tour.

So, you can open your own company only after weighing all these pros and cons, clearly realizing that you are morally and financially ready to take on all the responsibility from now on.

Travel agencies cannot open 365 days a year

Our business is highly dependent on the season. Therefore, the ideal time for the emergence of a new travel company is from January 20 to March 1. During this period, there are promotions for early bookings, the growth of sales for which this year was huge - and in 2018 it will definitely not be less. Of course, you can open in March-April, but then the prospects for making a profit will be worse. It is possible in the high season, but you will earn even less money. But from October to December, you definitely can’t go to the market - this is the “tail” of the season, the first tourists will appear not earlier than the end of January, and you will have to pay for rent and salaries to employees all this time.

By the way, even if you open your company at the most suitable period for this, call your clients in the database and tell them that now you are working, conditionally, not in the Black Cuttlefish, but in the Golden Penguin, then no one will immediately come to you will come. At best, expect tourists in two to three weeks. You need to be ready for this.

How to Hire Professional Salespeople

It is no secret that there is a problem with personnel in the tourism industry. For example, in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar and other millionaires it is easier to find a good specialist. But in small towns with a population of less than 100 thousand, the personnel issue is very acute. There are only 10-15 worthy travel agencies there, and it will be much more difficult to attract strong employees to your company. But it's doable. My advice: do not skimp on the salaries of managers. Reduce any other expenses: buy chairs not for 400 €, but for 400 rubles. In a year, of course, they will fall apart. It's okay - buy new ones. Do not make expensive repairs, do not introduce uniforms for employees - we are not a bank, after all. And instead of the Macintosh, put Chinese computers. It doesn't matter to a tourist whether your monitor costs 5 thousand rubles or 100. The only thing that matters to him is whether the specialists of the travel agency will be able to pick up the tour he came for. And it depends on the depth of their knowledge and experience. And if you find a professional, offer him a salary of 30-40% more than he received before. It will be the best investment you can make.

Choosing a room is not as easy as it seems

My advice is: choose a smaller area, but in a better location. Do not rent 50 sq. m in a quiet area, if in the very center they offer only 20 for the same money. Let you have only three jobs, but you will start your business where there is high traffic - and then you can expand. Moreover, at first you won’t need more: three salespeople, one of whom is you, will be enough. Accounting can be outsourced for little money. If you are logged into the network, then you will not need a lawyer (for example, we have legal support for network agencies for free), and marketers who will provide you with everything you need for high-quality advertising.

Without ads - nowhere

Keep in mind that the first advertisement is your sign. It should be bright, visible and as large as possible. If you have a 5-meter facade, then 5 m, no options. Another tip: always put a phone number on the sign. Let's say a person is driving a car, he has no time to park, get out right now. If he sees your phone (it is desirable, of course, that the number be with memorable numbers), he will call later. If he doesn’t see it, you will lose a potential client.

In general, you should advertise wherever possible: on radio, television, etc. But this is when you have already earned some money. And you should start with online advertising, primarily in powerful search engines such as Google Adwords and Yandex Direct. When you have received the first clients, you can move on to outdoor advertising. Here, by the way, a small town outperforms the capitals. In Moscow, you have to put up 100 billboards to get noticed. In a small town, one or two are enough - but in the very center, next to the “main traffic light”.

And the last. None of the advice I gave will work if you don't work hard. It is to “plow” and try to be better than others in everything. Let's say your competitors are open until 6 pm - extend the working day to 7. Other travel agencies are closed on weekends - assign managers on duty on Saturday and Sunday. Do everything that your competitors do not have, and you will win. Good luck to everyone who decides to start their own business!

How to open a travel agency: market analysis + 5 steps to start 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 excellent organizational skills? Or maybe you just want to give people joy and organize an unforgettable vacation for them that they want to repeat? Or are you a fast learner and want to experience the joys of financial independence and start your own business?

Then 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 proceeding to the answer to the question of how to open a travel agency, let's start with the fact that many of them are still 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 beginning to end: it 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 duty of 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 number one difference: the tour operator forms a tour, and the travel agency only implements it.

Secondly, to start the activity of a tour operator, it is necessary to register only as a legal entity with a certain financial security. 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 security, since, unlike a tour operator, it does not pay insurance.

Thirdly, the tour operator is responsible for pricing. 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 ticket.

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 sales volumes, specialists can reduce the price, unfortunately at the expense of their commissions.

Fourthly, by default, it is the operator who is responsible for the "failed" tour, to whom claims from customers will be made.

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: it is the tour operator who is responsible for the quality of the tour, unless otherwise provided by the contract.

Typical scheme of work of a travel agency

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

The current travel agent is looking for trusted operators with whom he concludes a contract for further cooperation.
The travel agent studies the proposals offered by the tour operator to the smallest detail and begins to look for customers.
If one is found, then the travel agent concludes an agreement with him and submits an application for booking services with the operator.
The tour operator accepts the application and, which must subsequently be paid.
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.
The tour operator transfers all the necessary documents to the agent, who subsequently issues all the information to the tourist.
After the transaction, the agency sends the report to the operator, who prepares an invoice for it.

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

The situation in the Russian tourist market

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

The tourist market of Russia does not cease to develop constantly. 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 rates, the 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 its many beautiful places, which also attract foreign tourists.

Therefore, having decided 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 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 a must.

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 focus not only on the number of sold tours, 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 love foreign holidays 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 better.
Lack of stability- exchange rate changes, the political and economic situation in the country, inflation affect the work of travel agencies, as these factors may reduce the purchasing power of customers.

Inability to accurately predict performance- 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 equipping the office, creating a website and, of course, promotion.

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

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

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 we need to take concrete action. 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 start registering. 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 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 Fundamentals of Tourism 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 a 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 big 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 should be carefully equipped with furniture, office equipment, decor items.

Estimated costs for the repair and arrangement of the premises will look like this:

Name	Quantity, pcs.	price, rub.	Total cost, rub.
Total:	-	-	RUB 147,000
Table for workers	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 travel operators for cooperation

The next step in how to open a travel agency is to find operators. This step must be approached with all responsibility, because if there are any inconsistencies, then the client will remain dissatisfied with your work.

So, when choosing operators, pay attention to such factors:

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

The most popular tour operators in Russia:

Step 4. Recruitment 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 hire only two sales managers who will receive a salary and a percentage of the number of transactions made.

The responsibilities of these professionals should include:

selection and consulting of clients;
monitoring of attractive tours and their prices;
making deals with tourists;
reservation of vouchers and their registration with the tour operator;
keeping up to date with the latest developments in tourism.

If you decide to open a travel agency, then at the initial stages, take the reins of government 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 an accountant, system administrator, cleaning lady may not be on a permanent staff. For this you can.

Step 5. Promotion and advertising for opening a travel agency

Just opening a travel agency and waiting for clients will not work ...

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 attract tourists not only in the summer and New Year seasons.

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 here we 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:

Item of expenses	Amount, rub.
Total:	RUB 425,000
Business registration	25 000
First month's rent payment	20 000
Indoor repair	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 in it.

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

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

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

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

Let's imagine that the average cost of one sold tour is 28,000 rubles (we take into account the current dollar exchange rate). The transaction fee 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. (with expenses of 175,000 rubles)

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

196,000 - 175,000 \u003d 21,000 rubles.

Profit after tax:

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

But 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 with the same expenses will be:

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

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

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

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

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 keep up with the latest in this area and fully devote yourself to the business, and then success will not be long in coming.

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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 seems in reality, because desire and perseverance will certainly help you achieve your goal.

Today, the heroine of our article is Angela Burmistrova, who herself loves to travel and dreams of visiting the best resorts in the world in the future.

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

Participant profile:

Why this particular business?

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

What has already been done in this direction?

Unfortunately, I have not thought about it seriously yet, so nothing serious has been done.

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 accumulate. 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 firms 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 the state fee (800 rubles), then contact the tax office with the following papers:

statement;
a copy of all pages of the passport;
receipt of payment of the fee;
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 unified register of individual entrepreneurs, a notification of tax registration and registration as a payer of fixed contributions, statistics codes.

Travel agencies by law fall under the Simplified Taxation System (STS), which allows you to calculate the tax in the following ways: 6% of income or 15% of the difference between income and expenses. The first option is usually chosen, but if your company's share of expenses is high enough, consider the second option.

Do you need a license?

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

Entrepreneurship in the tourism industry is a serious and risky business, so the 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 when you start, you will understand that all the efforts were not in vain, since all costs are tripled. Perhaps preliminary work in a travel agency as a manager or at least an operator will help to understand all the intricacies of the business, but more on that 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 theme of travel agencies will continue, and we will delve into the activities of the agency from a practical point of view.

According to statistics, several thousand new travel agencies open annually in Russia. This type of business has one of the lowest "entry thresholds", that is, to open a travel agency "from scratch" requires very little investment. Therefore, this type of business is quite attractive for beginners.

However, not everything is so smooth. The same statistics state that almost 100% of newly opened travel agencies close in the first three years, and more than half generally work only during one season. And only a few are fixed in the market of tourist services. What is the reason for the unpleasant statistics and how can a novice businessman not join the ranks of losers? Let's figure it out.

The disappointing results are largely due to the seeming ease of this type of activity, which attracts people who are very far from business and who have a very remote idea of tourism in general, about business planning and payback. Such entrepreneurs often do not have any, even the simplest financial plan at all and have no idea how exactly they will attract customers.

Meanwhile, the tourism sector is one of the most dynamic, it is very exposed to various factors - from weather to politics. You need to be constantly up to date with the latest developments, quickly respond to changes, be mobile and flexible, and always have a “fallback plan”.

Types of travel agencies

To begin with, let's figure out what a travel agency is from the point of view of the law. The basic law that determines all activities of organizations specializing in tourism - Federal Law "On the basics of tourism activities in the Russian Federation". Here a clear concept of travel agency activity is given, which consists in the promotion and implementation of a tourist product. That is, a travel agent can only sell a ready-made tourist product formed by a tour operator. A tourist product is a complex consisting of several services sold to the end user for a common price.

Based on the provisions of the law, a travel agency can not only sell the so-called "package" tours created by the tour operator in the mass tourism market, but also provide tourists with additional services for a separate cost. For example, such additional services may include the ordering of air and railway tickets, hotel reservations, sale of concert tickets, etc. But the organization of a trip to the theater, which, in addition to tickets, also includes delivery by bus, strictly speaking, is already a complex tourist product, for the creation of which it is necessary to become a tour operator with all the ensuing consequences in the form of financial guarantees, inclusion in the register of tour operators, etc.

Often, travel agencies circumvent such restrictions by entering into an agreement with a tourist for each service separately or, for example, by receiving a commission from a transport company. Which, in turn, concludes a contract for the organization of the trip. However, such an organization of activities is unlikely to be recognized as legal in the event of a trial, therefore it is very risky.

Actually, a travel agency, at the very beginning of its activity, can choose one of two ways of development - to remain independent or to join any network of travel agencies. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

An independent travel agency owes nothing to anyone, more freely in their choice of partners, can choose the location and design of the office. But at the same time, get ready that your commission will be minimal (at least until you provide a large volume of sales for each tour operator). You will also deal with your problems yourself.

Those who want to join an existing network have yet to make a choice which network to prefer. You can join one of the independent travel agent networks(1001 tours, Last minute deals store, etc.). Each network has its own requirements and conditions, which should be carefully studied. In addition, there is often a mandatory entry and/or annual fee. For this, you will receive an increased commission from many tour operators, legal support (very, of course, conditional) in case of problems, as well as a recognizable brand, which increases confidence in beginners.

You can also open a travel agency franchised by a tour operator. Coral, Intourist, Sputnik, etc. have their own networks, but here the requirements for a travel agency are even tougher, often a sufficiently large volume of sales of tours by a given tour operator or a guarantee of such sales is often required. All networks impose certain restrictions on their members in choosing partners, which may even be good for beginners, especially in light of the frequent bankruptcies. At least many network agencies are among the first to receive information about the financial difficulties of tour operators.

The video also tells about the creation of his own company.

Setting up a business according to the law

Both a commercial organization (LLC, CJSC, etc.) and an individual entrepreneur can engage in travel agency activities. There are no obstacles in the form of licenses, permits, etc. That is, to open a travel agency, it is enough to pass state registration as a legal entity or individual entrepreneur and indicate OKVED 63.30, which is the most general and reflects the main aspects of travel agency activities, and also makes it possible to engage in the provision of information and excursion services, book hotels and provide transport.

Further, in order to sell a tourist product, you will have to contact each of the tour operators of interest enter into an agency agreement. Beforehand, it is better to make a list of the main tour operators working in the areas of interest and find out on the website or by phone the conditions for concluding an agreement with new agencies.

Many tour operators now allow you to send scans of the necessary documents and the signed contract to access the booking systems, and either send the original by mail or bring it in person only when booking or even paying for the first tour.

If you are planning to open in the spring or autumn, it is convenient to conclude contracts at major tourism exhibitions that take place twice a year in Moscow. At the same time stock up on promotional materials for the upcoming season!

After concluding an agreement with the tour operator, you can already start working.

room

There are no uniform rules here. You can be guided by the following principle. If you have enough money, then it is better to choose a room either in a passable place, for example, next to public transport stops or on crowded streets with its own entrance, or in large shopping centers. Such premises cost a lot, but you will see the first customers right on the opening day.

If your start-up capital is limited or if it is generally borrowed funds, then the premises can be chosen much more modestly. The main requirement, meanwhile, remains in force - there should be easy access to the premises, no one will look for a travel agency, especially a new one, when there are a lot of them within walking distance.

The calculation of the area of the premises is carried out based on the estimated number of employees. Each manager must have at least 8 m2.

Next, consider the layout of the room. There are some nuances here. Firstly, visitors to a travel agency often come not one at a time, but with whole families. Hence, you should be able to accommodate 4-5 visitors comfortably. For this, a sofa, several chairs or banquettes are suitable, which must be placed near the manager's desktop.

It is worth thinking about the appearance of the room. Decor should be bright and catchy enough to attract attention even from the street. You should not make too aggressive color accents, because clients often spend a lot of time in a travel agency choosing vacation options, so the atmosphere inside should be calm, conducive to confidential communication.

Interesting solutions can be created by stylizing the premises under the country that is a priority for your business.

Equipment

In addition to conventional computer equipment and communications equipment, for travel agency equipment nothing fancy is required. Here, your imagination is only limited by your budget.

Of course, every manager working with clients, must have a desktop with a computer and telephone, as well as a printer. For the daily work of a travel agency manager, a monochrome laser printer is enough, which, in addition, can be made networked and provided with the ability to print several employees at once. The main thing is that access to the printer is convenient for each of them.

It looks very ugly when managers have to squeeze past customers and other employees to pick up a printed contract. Even better if it's not a printer, and MFP, because in a travel agency quite often you have to make copies of documents or scan to send to partners.

Another nuance that should be taken into account when equipping a travel agency is monitors. Since the manager's working day is spent almost entirely behind the screen, it must be a high-quality serviceable monitor of a sufficiently large size. In addition, it should be located in such a way that the potential client does not see the information on the screen (there is no need for a tourist to see, for example, the size of the agency commission). At the same time, the manager should be able to easily turn the monitor towards the tourist to show, for example, photos of a hotel or a country.

Do you need a fax? Today we can confidently say that faxing has practically ceased to be used!

Cabinets are needed for storing documents and promotional materials, which will be many. Also provide a wardrobe for employees' clothes and a coat rack so that visitors can also sit comfortably.

You will definitely need a safe, because even if you do not accept cash, which is difficult, but it is possible, you will need to leave foreign passports of clients for visa processing, tourist voucher forms, etc.

To work with cash, you will need a cash register.

As for the software, the usual office software package and one specialized program for a travel agency are enough, there are several of them on the market and each has its own merits. All programs allow you to keep track of clients with their data, which greatly facilitates the work of the manager.

Staff

From the point of view of the law, there are no requirements for the staff of a travel agency. Actually, in extreme cases, all the staff can be represented by one individual entrepreneur.

But actually, employees must have at least 2, so that they can replace each other in the event of vacations, illnesses and trips on promotional tours. In addition, 2 employees will ensure the work of the travel agency in the evenings and weekends, when the flow of customers is usually the highest.

Are employees required to have special education and work experience? Unfortunately, now a special tourism education is very far from the practice of modern tourism, so having it without real work experience will not give the employee any advantages. But work experience, especially if the founder himself does not have one, will not hurt. If the director has work experience and his own idea of what and how employees should do, then the best option would be to select employees without experience - they do not have to be retrained.

Do I need to hire an accountant? In a small travel agency, there is usually very little financial and accounting activity, so a full-time accountant is usually not needed. A home-based accountant or service by a special firm is enough to ensure the preparation and submission of reports.

promotion

Beginners have the hardest time here, especially independent travel agencies. It is difficult to convince customers of their reliability and competence.

With a limited budget, you need to be careful about expensive outdoor advertising. One bright sign is enough visible from the street.

Better distribution of flyers works, especially with discounts. This is an inexpensive method of advertising that is able to bring in several dozen visitors on the same day. Advertising on social networks works well, especially in a small city.

For example, a travel agency negotiates with several cafes. That, together with the bill, each visitor will be given a travel agency discount card. And the travel agency, in turn, will provide its customers with a discount to this cafe as a bonus when buying a tour.

It must be understood that the promotion of a travel agency is a rather lengthy process, few people manage to earn money in the first season. But even if the summer, for example, turned out to be successful, it is difficult even for “experienced” travel agencies to survive the “dead season” (February-March). Basically, it is possible to pass the break-even point and begin to consistently make a profit only after three to four years.

Profitability

Profitability, in simple terms, is the ratio of profit received to invested funds. Profitability of 30% suggests that each ruble invested in turnover came back and brought another 30 pennies profit.

How to calculate the profitability of a travel agency? Very simple. Count all the funds you have invested in your business. Then count how much you got. Is the first greater than the second? Congratulations, you're at a loss! If you earned more than you spent, then this is success.

In order for the opening of a travel agency from scratch to be successful, you must immediately clearly understand what level of sales you need daily, monthly, annually in order to reach at least “zero”. To do this, calculate all your current expenses, leaving aside investments in equipment, furniture, etc. for now. Add up the cost of renting the premises, wages of employees, utility bills, advertising costs. Don't forget to add your salary as well.

Now subtract from this the taxes that you will need to pay. That's exactly how much you have to earn in order to "not burn out." As soon as your sales volume steadily exceeds the costs, you will begin to recoup your one-time investment. And only after that you can talk about the profit. Only then will your business become profitable.

Problems faced by travel agencies

The first problem that creates difficulties is pronounced seasonal nature of the business. Usually people actively use the services of travel agencies in the summer season and before the New Year holidays. The rest of the time, clients in a travel agency are "worth their weight in gold" and there is a tough fight for them.

Hence the next problem of the tourism business - discounts, often on the verge of dumping. Not uncommon, especially in the off-season, discounts of 5-8%, which almost completely “eat up” the already small commission, which is the source of income for the travel agency.

Staff incompetence- Another scourge of tourism. In order for the travel agency manager not only to sell package tours, but to be well versed in different directions, to know the conditions of each country and the hotel base, it is necessary to invest in its development (send to exhibitions, seminars, promotional tours), and the travel agency often does not have free funds.

Partner dishonesty. Bankruptcies of tour operators put travel agencies in an unenviable position. After all, they often have to deal with angry customers. And in the case of a trip that has taken place, a dissatisfied client often goes to a travel agency, which in no way can affect the quality of the tourist product. The imperfection of the legislative framework also makes the travel agency business risky.

Do you still want to open a travel agency? This is a really interesting business, not even just a business, but a lifestyle! It suits people who are dynamic, ready to take risks, active. The main thing here is not to rely on quick super-profits and always be ready to apply the “plan B”. We must always look for non-standard approaches, reaching out to new clients, making the most of personal connections and charm. And then you will succeed!

In the video below, Sergey Vatutin, the founder of 1001 tour, shares the secret of his success.