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:

1. The current travel agent is looking for trusted operators with whom he concludes a contract for further cooperation.
2. The travel agent studies the proposals offered by the tour operator to the smallest detail and begins to look for customers.
3. If one is found, then the travel agent concludes an agreement with him and submits an application for booking services with the operator.
4. The tour operator accepts the application and, which must subsequently be paid.
5. After that, the funds received by the travel agent, minus the established commission (as a rule, it is 10-15%), are transferred to the account of the tour operator.
6. The tour operator transfers all the necessary documents to the agent, who subsequently issues all the information to the tourist.
7. After 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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Tourism is a profitable and promising business area, which you will definitely not regret doing. This business will allow you to learn a lot of useful and important information, meet a lot of interesting and useful people, and also travel around the world inexpensively on "hot" trips. Consider how to open a travel agency from scratch and what you need for this.

Introduction

If you decide to enter the tourism business, then you should distinguish between the concepts of a tour operator and a travel agency.

1. The tour operator makes his own route, books transport, hotels and solves all organizational issues.
2. The travel agency sells tours from tour operators, receiving a percentage for this.

Travel company is a great and profitable business

You will start your business as a tour operator - this is the easiest and most inexpensive way. A travel agency can sell different tours from different tour operators - usually there are no restrictions on this. Tours can be both international and domestic.

How to open a travel agency

Don't know how to start the opening procedure? With registration in the tax. You can register as an individual entrepreneur and as an LLC. IP allows you to save time and simplify the reporting system, but LLC opens up more opportunities for the client.

Then you will need to come up with a name, preferably directly or indirectly related to travel. Of course, you can name a travel agency after your wife or your beloved dog, but this is unlikely to bring him popularity. It is better to choose something themed. You will also need to select a location, hire staff and launch an advertising campaign.

room

As an office, a small room of about 20 square meters with 2-3 employees is suitable for you - this is quite enough in most cases. It is better to choose an office in a crowded, passable place in the city center. Be sure to make a good repair in the room, install comfortable furniture, order a high-quality sign. Wealthy people who appreciate comfort and coziness book trips, so you should not save on comfortable armchairs and sofas.

For office equipment you only need computer equipment

Equip comfortable tables for your employees, buy computers, armchairs, various stationery, shelving, etc. You will also need a copier, printer and fax machine. Pay special attention to the Internet - the channel must be of high quality and stable.

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 prospects for 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 over 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 the interest of the target audience, as much as possible.

The business plan should include the costs of:

• paperwork (registration, license to provide services, certificates, franchising);
• rent of office space;
• marketing campaigns, advertising;
• salary payments, including contributions to the 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 either 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 the contract) are negotiated, and contextual advertising (when when you enter keywords in the line of the search service, it is your site that appears in 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 business activities, you will need to indicate the legal address of the 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, you will receive additional information support and financial insurance from the parent organization and exclude additional advertising costs.

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 the remuneration of employees and the corresponding monthly deductions to state funds for 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 the possible costs and risks and after monitoring the market in the provision of travel agency services have come to the conclusion that your company will compete with existing companies, feel free to get down to business!

* 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?!.

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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;
• realization of 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:

• center;
• 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):

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:

• staffing;
• payroll policy;
• training.

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:

Ready-made ideas for your business

• 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):

• booklet;
• Business Cards;
• letterheads.

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 of a legal entity.

Taxation system.

Drawing up a lease agreement.

Required permits depending on the type of tourism activity.

Trademark registration.

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 of 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 the 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

Ready-made ideas for your business

• Purchase of a ready-made tourism business, payment for legal services to support the transaction
• 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

Rent of premises 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, a mandatory state procedure was 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. In this case, the travel agent must comply with a number of requirements established by law, 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 fact is that the law establishes a mandatory requirement - all tour operators registered in the territory of the Russian Federation are required to have financial security. 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 the minimum amount of financial security 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 travel agent's application 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 a cash receipt or a strict accountability 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, no bad habits, presentable appearance, competent Russian speech, communication skills , 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
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 in 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,

certainly a 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.

If you decide to open a travel company, then you may have many questions that can only be answered by specialists with a sufficient level of knowledge and experience. Alas, there are not so many experts in this industry. At the same time, it is very important that all issues related to the organization of this business be resolved as soon as possible with maximum availability and correctness. Otherwise, you will simply give up on your idea, since starting a travel agency from scratch is quite difficult without the necessary amount of information.

We collect documents

Opening a business in the field of tourism services requires certain documents. What do you need:

1. Statement that you have state registration.
2. The charter of the company in two copies.
3. Establishment decision.
4. An original document proving that you have paid for the registration. It may or may not be a receipt.
5. The founding agreement, as well as a request that will allow you to receive a copy of the articles of association.
6. A letter of guarantee from the owner of the premises at which the company is registered.
7. An original document that confirms the payment of the state fee for obtaining a copy of the articles of association, as well as the foundation agreement, for example, a payment order or a receipt.

When thinking about how to open a travel agency from scratch, you should first collect all the listed papers. At the same time, it must be remembered that the application for registration must be certified by a notary and signed by the applicant. After all, it is he who is responsible for the correctness and reliability of all information.

If you open IP...

If you decide to register as an individual entrepreneur, then you must provide:

Where is the best location for an agency office?

Not everyone decides to start their own business in this area. So, how to open a travel agency from scratch without spending a lot of money? Here you can not do without outside help. Of course, not only money plays a decisive role. It is also very important where exactly the office of your company will be located.

While all the documents are being processed, you can start looking for a room. In order to open a travel company, you will need a room of no more than 20 square meters. There should also be a personal line for connecting telephones and the Internet. So, where is the best place to locate an office:

• City center. If you want to attract more customers by providing travel agency services, then the main street of the village can be an ideal place. The best place is located in a commercial or residential building on the ground floor. However, it should be remembered that the cost of renting such a room will be very high.
• Business center. Placing an office in this building can also have a positive impact on your business. Indeed, in addition to outside visitors, employees of the business center can become your customers. The only negative is that you will not be able to place outdoor advertising and a sign.
• Shopping centers. If you decide to open your office here, then you will find a large number of clients. However, renting a space in a popular shopping center can cost you a decent amount.

• Sleeping areas. Here, a new travel company may be one of a kind. Plus, you can save on rent. The only downside is that you have to put in a lot of effort to get your agency noticed. To do this, you can use any marketing strategy.

We select the right staff

Many entrepreneurs who decide to start a business in this particular area often do not fully realize that the staff for such work must be selected carefully. After all, the human factor in this matter plays an important role.

The agency is based precisely on the well-coordinated work of the team. And for success, personnel must be selected with special attention.

Who do you need

1. System Administrator.
2. Accountant.
3. Sales Manager.

It is worth noting that the staff should be gradually increased if the travel agency grows. Experts recommend hiring two sales managers. After all, they are the driving force behind your work. Managers promote your tourism product in the market. In addition, sales managers must be able to communicate with people. You should not hope that employment exchanges will offer you real masters. It is better to do an independent search for a free candidate.

First steps towards success

So, opening. Ideally, a travel agency requires a thorough study of the entire algorithm for creating a business plan. You don't have to be a professional in a particular industry. To begin with, you should carefully study the structure of this activity from the inside and make an analysis of the real situation of organizations that have been providing such services for more than one year.

To make it clear to you, let's look at a diagram that contains all the components needed to create a business plan and open a travel agency. It can be divided into several points that are interconnected. Moreover, each stage plays an important role at the very beginning of the activity. That is why it is simply impossible to miss any of the points.

Company concept

The business plan of a travel company begins with this point. The concept of the company should fully reflect the type of activity. For example, an organization may be or provide mixed services.

In addition, all documents must fully reflect all possible activities of the company. For example, the sale of tickets for railway and air transport, travel insurance for clients, visas, limousine orders, and transfer services.

We determine in advance the list of services

Before you open a travel agency from scratch, you need to decide on the list of services. At the request of clients, the company must provide an interpreter and a guide. The ideal option is an employee who speaks several foreign languages ​​​​perfectly and is able to act as a guide. At the same time, the guide should know all the interesting places that are worth visiting for vacationers.

A travel agency can purchase everything you need for the trip. Traveling for tourists in this case will be even more pleasant. After all, they do not have to think about purchases and try to predict all the minor troubles. It should be noted that representatives of travel companies very often practice such a service as booking tables in a restaurant. Its vacationers can visit immediately upon arrival.

Why is it needed

Those who have already started the tourism and hotel business, without fail, draw up all the necessary documents if their client receives a passport. In addition, they readily provide an accompanying or personal guide.

Very often a person who travels abroad does not know a foreign language. As a result, this can make it very difficult for a vacationer to communicate with the local population. To prevent this from happening, many turn to a travel agency for help and hire an interpreter. It is worth noting that the company must provide a specialist in the field of foreign languages ​​at the first request of vacationers.

Scheme of execution of all main stages

Before you open a travel agency from scratch, you need to clearly imagine how it operates. Many did not fully work out their plan and as a result simply could not engage in this type of activity. Let's see how the technology for the implementation, promotion and development of a tourist product is built using the example of a specific trip:

1. To begin with, it is worth determining the supply and demand in the tourism services market.
2. Write a detailed description of the service that the agency will offer to its clients.
3. It is necessary to develop and design the content of all processes of the company's services.
4. Work out the route in detail.
5. Develop a general travel plan.
6. It is mandatory to draw up a list of services that the client can use immediately upon arrival at their place of rest.
7. A full study of the route along which the tour will take place should be carried out.
8. After that, an analysis of the designed tour should be carried out.
9. Then prepare all the documentation.
10. Do not forget about control. It is better to choose the most efficient method.
11. After the development of the route itself and the preparation of all documentation, advertising, various marketing moves and promotion methods should be dealt with. This will make your product popular.
12. It is important to choose the right method of sales, as well as methods for receiving payments from customers.
13. Of course, before selling, you should calculate the cost and final price of the tourist product.
14. Only after all this, sales begin, and then control over the quality of services provided and the process of customer service.

Travel agency from scratch: pros and cons

Everyone who wants to work in the field of tourism services is faced with a choice: start everything from scratch or purchase a ready-made business. At the same time, many forget that both the first and second options have their drawbacks.

A travel agency created from scratch has more advantages than a bought out company. You do not have to fight the old order, to win your respect from subordinates. In addition, many travel agencies that sell are unprofitable. As statistics show, 90% of those organizations that are put up for sale can be considered complete bankrupt. However, starting a business from scratch also has its drawbacks. First of all, you will have to spend a lot of effort and, of course, time to develop routes, settle in a new premises and develop a client base. In addition, you will need investors to open a business in this area.

How much to invest

Opening a travel agency from scratch is a business that requires large investments. So how much money will it take? Let's calculate:

1. First of all, you need to register as a legal entity - from 25 thousand rubles.
2. To make repairs to the premises and purchase furniture - from 75 thousand rubles.
3. Install computers and office equipment - from 60 thousand rubles.
4. Develop your own corporate identity and solve the issue of printing - from 10 thousand rubles.
5. Create a company website - from 35 thousand rubles.
6. For other expenses, as well as for connecting telephones and the Internet - from 50 thousand rubles.

The result is a decent amount: about 255 thousand rubles. This is an approximate cost estimate for a travel company with three employees and an office in Moscow. In other regions, the cost will be much lower. It is worth remembering that the specified amount is required only for the beginning. Starting a business in this area is expensive. In addition, you will have to spend about 150 thousand rubles a month. Therefore, initially you should have in stock from 500 to 700 thousand rubles. The travel agency will begin to make a profit only after three months. If there is no such amount, then investors will help. To open a business in this area, it is mandatory to have initial capital.

Most important: market entry

The success of your enterprise depends not only on a well-located office, professional employees, but also on advertising. A lot of money should be invested in this part. Only good advertising can attract potential customers to you. Everyone needs to know about your travel agency. So, everything is ready and you celebrated the opening. The travel agency is ready for normal work. But where do you get clients?

Do not expect a large stream of people wishing to relax right away. To develop a small base of tourists, you need to spend a little time. If you approached the matter correctly, then they will soon talk about you. As you know, people are more willing to believe their friends and acquaintances than advertising. That is why it is very important for you at this stage to treat your customers with attention.

There is another option. You can open an agency based on franchising. An already well-known brand does not require promotion, and it will be much easier for you. After all, it does not require much effort in terms of advertising. How to proceed? You decide.