How to open a tour operator step by step instructions. How to open a travel agency from scratch, where to start

Tourism, despite the fact that it has been experiencing certain difficulties for several years, it 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 work 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:

  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 big profits;
  2. You will have a large choice of travel operators, besides, 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 travel company;
  3. The flow of those wishing to go on a trip is constantly growing, and it does not end all year round;
  4. 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:

  1. 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;
  2. If you don't pay enough attention advertising campaign to promote your travel agency, you can completely lose customers and be left without orders (in this case, the risk of losing the invested funds increases);
  3. 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 legal enterprise LLC or as a private FLP institution.

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);
  • The 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 area;
  • 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:

  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. There is a pass system at the checkpoint in any business center, which will repel customers.

You can choose the premises for the company in mall. 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 are still very important point, which you need to know before starting 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 will immediately note what to do big investments won't have to. 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 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

The tourism business is a very popular service sector in our country. There are many options for doing it - from a home agency to a franchise.

In this article, we will analyze all the possible options, highlight their advantages and disadvantages, answer the question of what it takes to open a travel agency, and give some useful tips.

Business pros and cons

When deciding to open a travel agency, you need to think carefully and calculate all the pros and cons of such a step.

The advantages and prospects of the venture include:

  • a rapidly developing tourism business, which makes it possible to provide tourism services in many directions (in Russia, abroad, etc.), and as a result, the possibility of obtaining the corresponding profit;
  • a wide choice of tour operators and the possibility of concluding contracts with one or several of them;
  • a rapidly increasing flow of people who would like to use the services of agencies to organize their holidays;
  • relatively simple execution of registration documents and opening a license.

The disadvantages and difficulties that may arise when opening such a business include:

  • rapidly increasing competition in this area (in every city there are now at least a few travel agencies that provide services similar to yours);
  • difficult predictability of the client flow (depending on the success of the advertising company and the relevance of travel packages, the agency can either acquire a stable client base in a short time, or fail to withstand the offers of competitors and be left without customers);
  • seasonality of profitability. It is generally accepted that the business is all-season due to the possibility of selling winter tours (for example, Courchevel and other ski resorts). However, actual data show that in summer the demand for the services of travel agencies is many times greater than the interest of customers in winter.

We draw up a business plan

As with starting any other business, you will need to write a business plan. scheduling perspectives further development and risks when opening a travel agency, it is necessary to take into account a number of fundamental factors that affect the success and profitability of the enterprise.

It is necessary to think in as much detail as possible and calculate all possible risks, expenses, payback periods of initial investments, additional costs in the process of promotion, as well as the estimated profit, based on interest target audience.

The business plan should include the costs of:

  • paperwork (registration, license to provide services, certificates, franchising);
  • rent of office space;
  • marketing campaigns, advertising;
  • wages, including contributions to tax service, pension fund, social insurance;
  • ensuring the life of the office (including furniture, office equipment, stationery).

Also, it is necessary to roughly calculate the possible profit (calculated on the basis of general market monitoring in this area, seasonality, competition, marketing effectiveness of your company) and the risks associated with the unprofitability of the travel agency. Consider ways to address these risks.

Location

One of the main stages of opening a travel agency is choosing an office for rent. It is desirable to rent office space in the city center, in a location close to business centers. This will ensure that you have the opportunity to engage VIP clients, as well as draw more attention to yourself.

Also, it must be taken into account that for greater efficiency, it is desirable that there are no firms providing similar services in the building (on the same street) (exclusion of competition).

The rented office must have access to the Internet. It is better to give preference to buildings that have a separate exit to the street and a parking area for cars.

How to attract clients?

Given the high level of competition between travel agencies, securing a client base is one of the main priorities of a young organization.

If you have chosen a simple, but rather colorful and memorable name for your company, this can serve as an additional plus for promotion.

Also, do not forget about the most effective way - "word of mouth". Before opening a travel agency, tell all your friends and acquaintances about your plans, make notes on your pages on social networks, in general, try to let as many people as possible know about your venture.

Schedule for its first customers the maximum possible discounts and interesting promotions(quite often these discounts are made even at a loss to the company and are written off as advertising expenses), try to ensure that the services provided are at the highest level. In most cases, after successful trips, satisfied customers tell their surroundings about it, which motivates them to contact you.

Mandatory additional attributes should be business cards and prospectuses, which will indicate promotional offers that are superior in terms of competitors' offers.

Turning to the consideration of the main marketing moves when promoting a travel agency, it is necessary to focus on on internet advertising. These can be both pop-up banners on the pages of visited sites or mail services (an agreement is concluded with the management of the sites on the allocation of a site on the page: the cost, the percentage of occupancy of the strip on their web page, the frequency of appearances, the period of validity of the agreement are negotiated), and contextual advertising(when you enter keywords in the line of the search service, it is your site that appears on key positions). These nuances must be discussed with the programmer who will develop your site.

A fairly effective method of attracting customers is video marketing. You can make a video of the most interesting and frequently visited places in the proposed tours and post them on the Internet (for example, on Youtube). There is no need to use expensive equipment for shooting. These may be commercials filmed on amateur cameras, but the plot of commercials should convey emotionality. At the end of the video, a navigation block is placed, by clicking on which your potential customers will be able to get acquainted with the conditions and cost of purchasing vouchers in your agency.

The following video contains tips on opening an agency and attracting clients:

The nuances of opening an agency

If you would like to eliminate additional costs and aim for a relatively minimal investment, then it makes sense to think about the following options for opening a travel agency.

at home

To open a travel agency at home, you will first need to register your activity (company registration). After completing all the basic documents, it is best to conclude an agreement with a major tour operator.

When concluding a contract, try to avoid taking on obligations to ensure a fixed number of sold tours, focus on a simplified scheme: you provide clients to the main agency - the agency pays you a commission according to the work actually performed. This option does not provide for the cost of renting office space, which significantly reduces the cost of the project.

Online

The specifics of opening and developing an online tourism business can mean both office work and being at home, doing business from a home PC.

When registering your entrepreneurial activity you will need to indicate legal address enterprise and additionally fix the name of the official website through which the sale of vouchers (services) will be carried out. If the site provides for payment by bank transfer, as a rule, it is also necessary to register a company account to which transfers will be made.

franchise

You can turn to a well-known tour operator for help in establishing a company and conclude a franchise cooperation agreement with him. As a rule, the cost of a franchise directly depends on the popularity of the franchisor and the conditions under which a larger company will provide you with a franchise.

In this case, from the side of the parent organization, you will receive additional information support and financial insurance and exclude additional costs for advertising.

How much does it cost to open a travel agency

Depending on the conditions under which you plan to open a travel agency, you will need to calculate the amount of future costs.

As a rule, the most expensive thing is renting an office and purchasing everything you need for it (furniture, office equipment, etc.). The cost of rent may vary on average from 30,000 to 60,000 rubles(it all depends on the proximity of the office to the city center, its general condition: repair, availability of communications and the conditions on which the lease agreement is concluded).

Registration of the main necessary documentation during registration (registration of an LLC and a license) can cost you from 8,000 to 12,000 rubles.

In the event that a travel agency will be opened under the auspices of a franchisor, it is necessary to take into account the costs of concluding a franchise agreement.

In most cases, the contract is paid as a one-time payment. However, over time, additional clauses and conditions may be included in it, which may change the value of the originally agreed price.

Also, the priority expenditure part includes remuneration of employees and the corresponding monthly deductions in state funds on each of them. Usually, at the start, the accountant is not included in the staff, and the number of employees varies from 3 to 5-6 people (including the director). The average salary in the tourism industry fluctuates from 12,000 rubles and more, depending on the type of mutual settlements: constant rate, rate + percentage, only percentage. It must be taken into account that according to the Labor Code, payment must be timely, therefore it is desirable that the amount for its payments be deferred for several months in advance.

We must not forget about the costs of marketing and promotions. This item should include the cost of printed promotional products (business cards, leaflets, printed price lists, etc.), payment for the creation of a website and its promotion (updating information, hosting). As a rule, all these investments are at least 30,000 rubles. If you are planning a large-format discount system as an opportunity to promote the travel agency and attract more customers, this amount can be increased significantly.

If you wish, you can use television, while it is better to focus on city TV channels. The cost of advertising airtime varies by region, but on average, you can count on the cost 15,000-30,000 rubles when broadcasting a video several times a day. The cost of the video itself will cost you from 12,000-20,000 rubles(without sophisticated special effects, but with the involvement of a professional cameraman and editing, cutting shots).

Also, there may be additional costs for logistics, any unforeseen expenses, payment of penalties and much more.

In general, if you have calculated all possible costs and risks, and after monitoring the market in the provision of travel agency services, you have come to the conclusion that your company will already be worthy of competition. existing companies feel free to get down to business!

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

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

Features of the tourism business

Before opening a travel agency in Russia, an entrepreneur should consider the features of this business, get an idea of ​​the structure of the tourism services market and assess the state of affairs in the industry, which is currently determined by the following factors:
  • On popular destinations, agencies offer similar or identical products, thus creating a high level of competition;
  • The market is dominated independent companies- despite the large number of proposals, no more than 8–10% of entrepreneurs seek to open a franchise travel agency;
  • About 30% of newly created entities close within the first year of operation;
  • Market leaders use dumping in competition, artificially lowering prices for popular tours;
  • Business is subject to both positive and negative external influences - championships, festivals and mass holidays attract the attention of tourists, while natural disasters, political and military actions, terrorist threats cause a significant decrease in demand.

Travel company formats

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

  1. Independent company. This option is more suitable for professionals with personal connections, experience in the industry and contacts with tour operators. Among the things you need to open a travel company, you should name the registration of SPD, office rent, purchase of equipment and recruitment;
  2. home agency. For entrepreneurs who do not have the required start-up capital, this option is preferable, since you can open a travel agency at home with minimum investment A: All you need is a computer, printer and phone to work. The format of a home agency is also not suitable for beginners, since it implies the presence of its own client base and an extensive circle of contacts. How to open a travel agency at home: you need to register an individual entrepreneur, ensure a presence on the Internet and social networks, and organize a platform for meeting with clients in the nearest cafe;
  3. Internet agency. Such a sales channel can be both additional for an independent company and the main one for a home business format. To open a travel agency in 2020, you need to develop an online store, attract programmers to organize access to the offers of tour operators, connect payment systems and think over a mechanism for providing online consultations.

Buying a franchise. It is easier for beginners who do not have sufficient experience to buy ready business model and open a franchise travel agency, since network agencies usually provide their partners with:

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

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

Choice of tour operator

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

  • Visa support and paperwork;
  • Delivery of tourists to the place of rest by planes, trains or buses;
  • Transfer (transportation of clients from the airport to the hotel and back);
  • Accommodation and food;
  • Health insurance.

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

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

  1. Duration of existence and active work;
  2. The presence of positive and negative feedback clients;
  3. Financial security of the operator and the amount of the insurance contract;
  4. Priority areas of work;
  5. Availability of purchased rooms in popular hotels;
  6. The presence of branches nearby, which greatly simplifies the workflow and the procedure for issuing visas for tourists.

Advantages and disadvantages

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

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

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

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

Activity registration

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

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

Location selection

Experienced entrepreneurs consider the search for a suitable premises to be one of the most important tasks in the tourism business: when considering what is needed to open a travel agency, one should take into account not only the format, but also the target audience of the agency. When implementing exclusive services, the company is placed in business district in a building with convenient parking, while when selling mass tours, priority is given to crowded places of people with average incomes - central streets, shopping or entertainment centers, bus stops and metro stations. Before opening a travel agency in a chosen place, it is advisable to make sure that it is possible to place a signboard that is noticeable from afar, which increases the flow of customers by 25–30%.

In the city center, a rented space of 20–25 m² on the ground floor of a residential or administrative building is used as an office: such a location will enhance the status of the agency in the eyes of clients. Other advantages of this option include high permeability and transport accessibility and disadvantages include a possible lack of parking and higher rents.

Considering how to open a travel company from scratch in a business center, the availability of ready-made offices with repairs, connected utilities, communication channels and services, including cleaning and security, should be mentioned as a positive aspect. The disadvantages of this location are the presence of a throughput system and the impossibility of placing a sign on the facade of the building.

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

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

Room and interior equipment

After the conclusion of the lease agreement, the premises need to be repaired, the managers' workplaces should be equipped with tables and computers, and the waiting area for visitors with comfortable sofas, coffee tables, a water cooler or a coffee machine. The total cost of preparing the premises includes:

Room preparation

Item of expenses price, rub. Qty Cost, rub.
Rent for the period of repair 1200 25 m² 30 000
Office design project 1500 25 m² 37 500
Repair work 2 000 25 m² 50 000
building materials 1 500 25 m² 37 500
Plumbing 7 000 1 7 000
Lighting 1 500 6 9 000
Air conditioner 25 000 1 25 000
Illuminated signboard 25 000 1 25 000
Total: 221 000

It is better to entrust the development of a single corporate identity for a signboard, exterior and interior design of an office to a designer: when calculating how much it costs to open a travel agency, you should take into account such design costs. Geographical maps, souvenirs from different countries, exotic masks, globes, aquariums with colorful tropical fish: a visitor should understand at a glance that a travel company is located here.

When choosing furniture, you can choose one of the standard options or order the manufacture of cabinets, tables and shelving in the workshop: the difference in price will not be significant. Before you open a travel agency from scratch, you must additionally purchase:

Equipment

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

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

Staff

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

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

The director of the company (who is also the owner) can perform administrative functions, engage in advertising, search for new partners and replace managers during their absence. Hiring an accountant, a system administrator and a cleaning lady full-time is not advisable: the incoming specialists will also cope with a small amount of work. When calculating how much it costs to open a travel agency, you need to provide for the costs associated with wages:

Agency staff

Financial investments

When considering how to open a travel agency, how to start a company, it should be understood that without detailed cost planning, the chances of business success remain small. Travel agency investments include:

Initial Costs

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

Estimated running costs

Profit and payback periods

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

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

So, if you sell 50 tickets per month with a commission of 4,000 rubles for each, the agency's income will be 200,000 rubles. Considering current expenses at 154,600 rubles, you can expect a monthly net profit at 45400 rubles. Thus, with a profitability of 29%, the payback period for the business will reach 12-13 months.


* Calculations use average data for Russia

A fragment of the book by Yulia and Georgy Mokhovs “Travel Agency: Where to Start, How to Succeed” by the publishing house “Peter. Published with the permission of the publisher

Do I have enough money to open a travel agency? Should I risk my last savings or not? How long does it take to pay off investments in the tourism business? How much will I earn? Create your own travel agency or buy a ready-made one? Or join a franchise network? Is it difficult to make a travel agency business plan? What are the requirements for a travel agency office? How many employees will you need to hire? Where to look for footage? What tour operators do you work with? Which countries sell tours? Limit yourself to a narrow specialization or sell everything in a row? Open air and railway ticket offices immediately or later? How to attract clients? How much to spend on advertising? Do tourists have a lot of complaints? And still…

SHOULD I OPEN A TRAVEL OFFICE OR NOT?!.

We will try to dispel all your fears and support the desire to open a travel agency. But we guarantee: everything that is written here is a real reflection of the state of affairs in the tourism business, without exaggeration and omissions.

Development of a business plan for a travel company.

We will offer for review a diagram that reflects the main parameters and items of expenditure that can be used when compiling a business plan for a travel company (agency).

1. The concept of a travel agency

Kind of activity:

  • travel agent;
  • tour operator;
  • mixed activity.
Additional services:
  • sale of air and railway tickets;
  • transfer services, ordering limousines;
  • visa processing;
  • insurance;
  • preparation of documents for registration of foreign passports;
  • services of an individual guide accompanying;
  • translation services;
  • sale of guidebooks;
  • sale of related products for travel;
  • implementation gift certificates;
  • booking and ordering tables in restaurants, tickets for events;
  • rental of tourist equipment;
  • Car rent.
Priority tourist destinations:
  • by type of tourist destination;
  • according to the cost of tours;
  • by country;
  • by type of tourism.

2. Organizational plan

Travel office location:

  • Centre;
  • outskirts;
  • distance from the subway.
office status:
  • rent;
  • own premises;
  • otherwise.
Office type:
  • showcase office on the first line;
  • in the business center;
  • in the administrative office building;
  • in the mall;
  • on the first floor of a residential building.
Office size:
  • two jobs, three five jobs;
  • one-room, two-room, three-room, more than three rooms;
  • free planning (number of meters).
Office Furniture (Cost Calculation):

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tables with reception places, chairs for employees, chairs for visitors, bedside tables with keys, a catalog rack, a wardrobe, hangers, a hanger rack,
a board for information and special offers, a sofa for visitors, a coffee table, a safe, blinds, a mirror, dishes (for employees, for receiving visitors), photo frames and permits, plants.

Office Equipment (Cost Calculation):

computers, telephones, fax, printers (minimum 2), scanner, copier, TV, CD and DVD player for showing films about countries and resorts, air conditioning, water cooler, first aid kit, clock, stationery, wall map of the world or globe.

Office design project:

  • space zoning;
  • design of the premises according to the concept of a travel company;
  • floor plan.

3. Competitive environment

Competitors in selected travel destinations.
Competitors within the radius:

  • building;
  • district;
  • cities;
  • country (if applicable).
Primary competitive qualities of the future travel agency.

4. Production plan

Staff:

Tour sales technology:

  • search and booking of tours;
  • scheme of interaction with partners;
  • registration of payment for tours;
  • document flow;
  • delivery and issuance of documents.
The range of travel agency services:
  • by seasons;
  • by directions;
  • by country;
  • by price;
  • by target audience.

Pricing policy of the travel agency.

Features of the sold tours.

Corporate identity development:

  • contractor;
  • list of required items;
Website creation:
  • concept and functions of the site;
  • contractor;
  • cost and terms of work.
Setting up a sales office.
  • signboard;
  • pavement sign;
  • pointers;
  • a plate with the mode of operation and details of the company.
Printing products(description, circulation, contractor, production time, cost): Opening presentation.
  • budget size for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months;
  • advertising media.
Structure and rules of maintaining the client base.

6. Legal aspects of opening a travel company

    Legal form legal entity.

    Taxation system.

    Drawing up a lease agreement.

    Required permits depending on the type of tourism activity.

    registration trademark.

    Purchase and registration of cash register equipment (if necessary).

    Ordering forms of strict reporting "Tourist ticket".

    Bookkeeping (independently, with the involvement of an accountant, consulting company).

    Legal support activities

7. Financial plan

    Sources of funds.

    Amount and duration of investment.

    Plan of initial expenses.

    fixed cost plan.

    income plan.

    Payback plan.

8. Conclusion

    Long-term development plan.

9.Applications

Approximate costs for the establishment of a travel agency in Moscow,
lump sum:

    Registration of a legal entity and execution of necessary permits for tour agency activities: 20,000–25,000

    Furniture and office preparation for sales: 50,000–100,000

    Office equipment and communications 100,000–150,000

    Corporate identity development 15,000–25,000

    Website development and registration 20,000–45,000

    Trademark registration 50,000-100,000

    Training of employees 5,000–30,000

Additional possible costs

  • Purchase of a ready-made tourism business, payment legal services transaction support
  • Payment for services for the selection of premises
  • Payment for recruitment services
  • Payment for connection services
  • Internet and additional telephone lines
  • Payment for the services of a consulting company

The cost of tours even in the same category of hotels is different, and the choice of tourists does not always fall on the 3 * level of accommodation. Therefore, in order to make an income plan, it is necessary to analyze the season prices for selected destinations with the data of 3*, 4*, 5* hotels and compare them with the expected amount of income

Approximate plan of monthly expenses of a travel company in Moscow (rubles)

Office and infrastructure

    Room rental 25 m2 - 50 000

    Communication services 3000

    Internet 5000

    Water (cooler) 500

    Stationery 2500

    Other administrative expenses 6000 Staff salaries

Wage
  • Director 35,000 +%
  • Manager 19,000 +%
  • Manager 16,000 +%
  • Secretary-manager 12,000 +%
  • Courier 16 000
  • Accountant (outsourcing) 10,000
  • Cleaning lady 3000
Advertising budget
  • Legal subscription service 7000 rub. months
  • Payment for the system of online booking and search for tours 1200 rubles / month.
  • Refilling cartridges 400 rubles/month.
Unforeseen expenses 10,000 rubles.

Total 241,500 rubles. + percentage of salary

Choosing the status of a travel company. Tour operator or travel agent?

After the abolition of licensing of tour operator and travel agency activities in 2007, mandatory public order established only for tour operator activities. Any legal entity or individual entrepreneur can engage in travel agency activities. The only thing that determines the status of a travel agent today is the existence of an agreement with a tour operator, according to which the travel agent, on behalf of and at the expense of the tour operator, sells the tourist product formed by the tour operator. At the same time, the travel agent must comply with whole line requirements statutory, which we will discuss below.

But first of all, it is necessary to find out why it is so important to understand the difference between travel agency activities and tour operators and to take the necessary legal actions in time. The point is that the law mandatory requirement- all tour operators registered in the territory of the Russian Federation are required to have financial support. Financial security is a guarantee of the tour operator in case of non-performance or improper performance of the contract for the sale of the tour product, insurance of its civil liability to consumers and tourists.

From the financial security funds, the affected tourists are compensated for the actual damage they have suffered, for example, the cost of the tour if it did not take place, or the difference in cost if the rest time was reduced. Financial security is provided by an insurance company or bank guarantor. The law establishes the minimum amount for which an insurance contract or a bank guarantee contract must be concluded; today it is 10,000,000 rubles. for international tourism (in/out) and 500,000 rubles. for domestic tourism.

The cost of servicing financial collateral is on average 1–1.5% per year of the amount of collateral.

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For example, from minimum size financial support for international tourism in 10,000,000 rubles. the cost of the insurance premium will be 100,000–150,000 rubles. It is this amount that will need to be paid annually to the insurance company for the tour operator's civil liability insurance contract.

The contractual scheme of work of a travel agent in the implementation of tours looks something like this:

  1. the tour operator concludes an agency (commission) agreement with the travel agent, according to which the agent is instructed to sell (sell) the tours formed by the tour operator for a fee;
  2. a travel agent attracts a client (tourist) and concludes an agreement with him on the sale of a tourist product, receives the documents necessary for the design of the tour;
  3. the travel agent sends the tour operator an application for booking specific travel services for the client (tourist), - indicating the dates, number and data of tourists, hotel, level of transportation, excursions and other components of the tour;
  4. the tour operator confirms the application of the travel agent and issues an invoice for payment;
  5. the travel agent transfers to the tour operator the documents (or information) necessary for processing the tour (for example, for a visa);
  6. the travel agent accepts the final payment from the tourist (in cash, issues cash receipt or a strict reporting form);
  7. the travel agent makes payment to the tour operator minus the remuneration due to him (by bank transfer or in cash at the tour operator's cash desk);
  8. the tour operator issues to the travel agent the documents on the tour necessary for the tourist to travel;
  9. the travel agent gives the tourist documents on the tour and all the necessary information to the tourist;
  10. the travel agent reports to the tour operator - sends the agent's report (act) indicating the amount of the sale of the tour and the amount of remuneration;
  11. the tour operator signs the agent's report and issues an invoice for the services provided under the agency agreement.

But it should be borne in mind that the outlined scheme reflects only an ideal version of the workflow.

In practice, a travel agent can expect various surprises; firstly, the tour operator may refuse to conclude an agency agreement with you and offer a contract of sale, as a result, your legal status will change, it will be necessary to adjust accounting and document flow;

secondly, when making payment under the tour operator’s agreement, you suddenly find that the invoice has been issued for payment to the address
another company or, by making payment through the cash desk of the tour operator, you will be given a cash receipt for the physical
a person with the stamp "paid" without the seal of the organization.

Travel company staff

The optimal staff of a small travel company looks something like this:

  • ¦ leader;
  • ¦ manager1;
  • ¦ manager2;
  • ¦ secretary with extended range of duties;
  • ¦ courier;
  • ¦ bookkeeper;
  • ¦ cleaning lady.

Director.

The head of a travel company is a key figure and solves a large number of issues, both economic and strategic, but in addition to him it is desirable to have at least two sales managers.

The head can also be the chief accountant, cashier, sign documents and process the receipt of funds.
If the head of a travel agency is a hired employee, he must have at least two years of work experience, this is the minimum time for which a specialist can go through all the "seasons" of the travel agency - high, low, "dead" - and learn how to manage the company. If the head - the founder of the travel agency has no experience in tourism, this is not a tragedy. It is necessary to invite managers with experience to work and develop a strategy, assortment, and advertising policy of the company together with them.

Travel company manager.

His responsibilities include: negotiating with clients and partners by phone and in the office, organizing tours with tourists, booking tours and processing documents with tour operators, monitoring the fulfillment of orders, price changes, requirements for documents provided, terms of cooperation, special offers.

A universal manager must maintain and improve his qualifications (master classes, seminars, promotional tours), work at exhibitions and workshops. Requirements for managers: higher education, experience in tourism, lack of bad habits, presentable appearance, competent Russian speech, sociability, initiative, ability to resolve conflict situations, responsibility.

A manager without work experience should at least strive to work in tourism and have a specialized secondary or higher (incomplete higher) education, since this significantly affects the general level of culture. On the
teaching someone who strives for knowledge is a grateful thing, but find out the long-term plans of this candidate so that
the invested efforts and funds were not wasted - perhaps he will use the knowledge gained in another travel agency.

travel agency secretary

receives incoming calls, distributes them according to the specialization of managers, answers general questions (“How can I get to you?”, “What time do you work until?”), ensures timely ordering of the necessary stationery, household goods, monitors the work schedule of the courier , carries out the instructions of the head, receives visitors and guests of the office. It must be understood that sometimes it is very difficult to do without the help of a secretary, especially in the high season - in the summer, when the phone rings at the same time and the client is sitting in the chair.

Secretaries are also entrusted with filling out questionnaires, recording and registering incoming and outgoing mail, answering corporate email, ICQ, Skype.

As a rule, a secretary is hired after a few months of the start of a travel company, when the phone rings constantly, and clients come to the office demanding attention.

Courier

A very important and responsible position. With the forces (feet) of this person, money, passports, documents should go to the tour operator. Therefore, when choosing a candidate for this position, follow a simple rule: a person must be checked by all possible ways- call the previous place of work, confirm the correspondence of the place of registration and place of residence, call the home phone and talk with relatives, ask for recommendations. These measures are not redundant. The problems that may arise due to the actions of the courier are, without exaggeration, catastrophic - the loss of foreign passports and documents, theft of funds that the courier transports daily. The best option is a relative or acquaintance, but, unfortunately, such candidates are not always found.

Accountant-cashier,

undoubtedly, necessary specialist, but the cost of his services for a small travel agency is too high (in Moscow from 30,000 rubles). Therefore, most travel agencies use the services of law firms or a visiting accountant. This staffing solution allows to reduce the cost of accounting by at least three times.

Wage and bonus schemes in the tourism business

In the tourism business, there is a general trend towards higher wages. This is due to the existing personnel "hunger". Specialists with experience move to another company, where they offer a slightly higher salary for the same full-time position, and this can happen every six months.

Tourism Manager Salary Options

The tour is considered sold at 100% payment.

1. Interest-free system: salary 22,000–30,000 rubles.

2. Salary + interest:
Salary 10,000–15,000 rubles. + 10% of the tours sold by the manager.
Salary 15,000 + 10% after the implementation of tours for more than 150,000 rubles.
Salary 15,000 + 10% of the proceeds from sold tours, divided among all managers.
Salary 18,000–20,000 rubles. + 5% of the tours sold by the manager.
Salary 18,000–20,000 rubles. + 10% of all sold tours, divided among all managers.

3. Planned system: a fixed salary is paid when the plan is fulfilled; for example, from 50,000 rubles. (meaning the company's income, not the total cost of tours). When the plan is exceeded by more than 50,000 rubles. + 10%, more than 100,000 rubles. + 15%, over 250,000 + 20%.

During the low season (January, February, May, June) the plan is 50%. At the same time, the former fixed salary is paid.

If the plan is not fulfilled, with the exception of the low season, the system of fines works:

  • ¦ the first month - no fines, an analysis of the reasons associated with a decrease in sales is required;
  • ¦ second month and beyond: 40,000–49,000 rubles. - 10% is withheld from a fixed payment (30,000-39,000 rubles - 20%; 20,000-29,000 rubles - 30%).

The first months after the opening of a travel agency office, the planned payroll system, as a rule, does not apply.

Travel company courier payroll options

1. Salary 12,000–15,000 rubles, payment for a ticket, mobile phone working hours: Monday-Friday.

2. Salary 15,000–20,000 rubles, payment for a travel ticket, mobile phone, working hours: Monday-Saturday.

During the high season and increase in sales, it is customary for couriers to give a bonus of 20-30% of the salary. A courier is an important employee of a travel agency, so it’s better to pay extra on time, write out bonuses and work calmly.

On the market you can find offers from courier companies that deliver documents to anywhere
cities, they enter into a formal contract, bear full financial responsibility for cash and documents in the parcel.

Options for calculating the salary of the director of a travel company

1. Salary from 40,000 rubles.
2. Salary 18,000–20,000 rubles. + 1–5% of monthly income
agencies after deduction of expenses.
3. 12,000–15,000 rubles + 5-10% of monthly income after expenses.

It was just a small fragment of the book by Yulia and Georgy Mokhovs "Travel Agency: Where to Start, How to Succeed" by the publishing house "Peter".

In the guide itself, you will find detailed advice on choosing a tour operator, organization of workflow, taxation, recommendations for promotion, working with a client base, and many valuable links to specialized Internet resources for practitioners in the tourism industry.

3795 people are studying this business today.

For 30 days this business was interested in 326514 times.

Profitability calculator for this business

“To see the world” is one of the most enduring human desires. If it's not about a couch TV show, then why not give people joy by doing your business on it? Is it difficult to open a travel agency, where to start? Let's try to figure it out.

The tourist business is good because you can open an agency with minimal investment and little work experience. The activity is not licensed, so you do not need to obtain any permits. At the same time, competition in the tourism industry is high, and the demand for the services of travel agencies naturally falls in a crisis. People prefer to save rather than spend. How to open a travel agency from scratch in such a difficult time and make it profitable?

According to the Russian Union of Travel Industry in 2015, the demand for mass outbound destinations fell by 30-60%. The reason is the decrease in the purchasing power of Russians. Due to recent events in the world, experts predict a large drawdown in the following directions: Egypt, Turkey, France.

Market entities

If the decision to open a travel agency is made, for starters it is worth studying the industry legislation. The legal side of the tourist industry is regulated by law N 132-FZ of November 24, 1996 “On the basics of tourism activities in the Russian Federation”.

According to the document, tourism can be international (inbound and outbound) and domestic, and tourism services are provided by operators and agents.

Tour operators- legal entities that independently develop tourism products (tours), promote and sell them. The mission of the operators is for the tourist to see Paris and... return home safely. Therefore, the law obliges them to have financial security in the form of a bank guarantee or insurance. All tour operators operating under the law are included in the Unified Federal Register, and those working on organizing outbound travel must also be members of the relevant associations.

Travel agents are legal entities or individual entrepreneurs who are the link between the tourist and the tour operator. This side sells tours designed by tour operators and earns from commissions. Relations between operators and agents are regulated by agency agreements, which stipulate the amount of remuneration - 5-16% of the cost of the sold tour.

The responsibilities of a travel agent are listed in the agency agreement and typically include:

  • informing about tourist products and selection of tours according to the wishes of customers;
  • preparation and issuance of documents for the tour to tourists (tickets, accommodation voucher, insurance, memo about the features of the route, visas);
  • booking guarantee for all services.

Opening from scratch

A travel agency may exist in different forms. It all depends on the starting capital and the swing of a novice entrepreneur. Be realistic about your options, but be optimistic.

You can go one of four ways:

The initial investment when opening a franchise travel agency is 150,000-450,000 rubles. depending on the size of the city, and you can pay for them in the first six months of work. The main drawback is the setting by the franchisor of unrealistic sales plans, especially for the start-up period. Therefore, you need to either choose a partner who does not assign plans, or change the terms of the contract.

Key opening steps

So, what does it take to open a travel agency?

  1. Registration. A travel agency can operate both in the form of a legal entity and as an individual entrepreneur. It is easier for an individual entrepreneur to register, use what he has earned for personal purposes and stop his activity. This option is ideal for travel agencies at home. In other cases, it is preferable to open an LLC - the level of trust in firms in Russia is traditionally higher than in individual entrepreneurs.

    When choosing a taxation system, it is worth focusing on the simplified tax system with the object "income" (6% rate).

  2. Office organization. For a travel agency, a room (own or rented) with an area of ​​15-20 m 2 is sufficient. The office should be bright and comfortable, have telephone line and internet. You will need to make repairs, thematically arrange the premises, buy furniture, office equipment, stationery. There must be a place on the facade of the building for placement outdoor advertising.

    The location of the travel agency is important. The preferred accommodation option is in a shopping center or business center, in an area with high business activity. It's good if kindergartens, schools, beauty salons are located near the office - usually it is women who initiate the trip and collect all the information about the tours.

  3. Software. Information on tours can be searched on the websites of tour operators or in specialized search engines - Internet resources, in the databases of which information on most tour operators is consolidated. Such systems provide travel agencies with the most complete picture of current offers. The use is paid, but it saves a lot of time.

    The most famous are the following search engines: TOURINDEX (www.tourindex.ru), "Ride" (www.exat.ru) and "TURY.ru" (www.tury.ru).

  4. Choice of direction of work. This is a key moment for starting, on which the further strategy depends on opening a business.

    The following tourist destinations may be preferred:

    personally known and verified;

    coinciding with the specialization of potential employees;

    promising and fashionable types of tourism (eco-tours, beach holidays, extreme sports, etc.).

    You should choose a niche where it will be interesting to work. All subsequent organizational stages will depend on the decision made at this step: recruitment, selection of tour operators for cooperation, search for effective channels for advertising.

  5. Site creation. Before creating / ordering a site, you should decide what function it will perform: representative (a regular business card site), informational with the ability to search for tours or an online store. The best solution in terms of the ratio between price and efficiency is the second option.
  6. Selection of employees. This is one of the main problems when starting a tourism business. Finding a professional with a client base who knows how to work with people is difficult. Such specialists are rare and expensive, but investing in them pays off, so saving on remuneration is not worth it. The salaries of tour sales managers are traditionally calculated: salary and percentage of sales.

    Employees need to be developed: thematic trainings, seminars, regular study tours to selected countries increase the effectiveness of managers.

    On the accountant, especially in the first year of work, you can save money. With small volumes of sales, accounting and reporting can be handled by the businessman himself, using specialized free online services.

  7. Choice of partner tour operators. You can enter into contracts with several tour operators at the same time. For each chosen destination, it is worth concluding agreements with several operators in order to satisfy all possible requests of tourists in terms of arrival dates, hotel level, etc.

    When looking for potential partners, you can use the federal register, which lists all legally operating tour operators, as well as professional ratings, reviews in specialized Internet resources, tourist guides and other sources.

    Main selection criteria:

    the tour operator operates in key tourist destinations;

    fame of the tour operator, positive image, degree of reliability;

    conditions offered to the travel agent (the amount of the agency fee, the frequency of its increase, price offers for tours, etc.).

  8. Advertising. It is necessary to use all available channels with high efficiency.

    They work well: business cards in the checkout area of ​​supermarkets, competent promotion of your own website, useful and beautiful handouts (calendars, metro maps, brochures and books), information on forums and social networks, announcements on information stands in elevators and entrances, preparation of joint programs / publications with local media (print, radio, TV channels).

Profits and prospects

No matter what they say about the year-round demand for tours, about the replacement of beach resorts by ski resorts, but the business is still seasonal - experts note a decline in the market from January to February. In addition, the crisis that the economy is experiencing affects the tourism industry. Find out why you should start your own business in times of crisis.

Is it good to open? What tricks should be used in order not only to work to zero, but also to make a profit?

Analyze the market, study demand, rebuild when external conditions change. Start with interesting outbound destinations, including CIS countries that have seen growth: Vietnam, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Moldova. Organize custom tours.

It is also worth taking a closer look at domestic tourism, the potential of which is huge. A competitive infrastructure has already been formed in some regions of Russia: the Black Sea coast, St. Petersburg, the Golden Ring. The Russian exotic is also promising in terms of tourism: Gorny Altai, Baikal, Kamchatka, the Kola Peninsula, Karelia, Khakassia, ski resorts in the foothills of the Caucasus.

According to the Federal Agency for Tourism, domestic tourism grew by 30% over the past year, 2014.

Lazy rest is going out of fashion, so the future belongs to active tours that combine travel and hobbies: yoga tour, ecotour, photo tour, trekking, jeeping, fishing tours, etc. Agritourism is gaining momentum.

And, of course, a lot is decided by the value for money. Offer discounts, develop bonus programs loyalty. Attract customers with quality service, cooperate only with reliable tour operators - create an image that will work for you in the future.

Watch video interview with CEO company "1001 tour".