Own business: opening a travel company. Step-by-step instructions on how to open a travel agency from scratch How to start working in a travel agency

* 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;
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:

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:

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:

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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 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

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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

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, 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-fulfillment or improper fulfillment of the contract for the sale of a 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:

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;
the 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 tour;
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;
the tour operator confirms the application of the travel agent and issues an invoice for payment;
the travel agent transfers to the tour operator the documents (or information) necessary for processing the tour (for example, for a visa);
the travel agent accepts the final payment from the tourist (in cash, issues a cash receipt or a strict accountability form);
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);
the tour operator issues to the travel agent the documents on the tour necessary for the tourist to travel;
the travel agent gives the tourist documents on the tour and all the necessary information to the tourist;
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;
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 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 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.

Travel company courier payroll options

1. Salary 12,000–15,000 rubles, payment for a travel 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 conclude a formal contract, bear full financial responsibility for the money 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.

49 people are studying this business today.

For 30 days this business was interested in 346537 times.

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“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 tourism business is good because you can open a travel agency with minimal investment and no 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.

Tourism business: who is who

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 tour operators and travel 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- 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 tour operators and travel agents are regulated by agency agreements, which stipulate the amount of remuneration - 5-16% of the cost of the tour sold.

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.

We open a travel agency from scratch: we take into account experience and financial capabilities

A travel agency can 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.

How to open a travel agency: step by step instructions

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

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).
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 a telephone line and the Internet. You will need to make repairs, thematically arrange the premises, buy furniture, office equipment, stationery. On the facade of the building there should be a place for 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.
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).
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.
Site creation. Before creating / ordering a site, you should decide what function it will perform: representative (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.
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.
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;

popularity 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.).
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).

How to open a profitable travel agency from scratch?

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 profitable to open a travel agency? 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 those in the CIS countries that have recorded 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 loyalty programs. Attract customers with quality service, cooperate only with reliable tour operators - create an image that will work for you in the future.

Watch the video interview with the CEO of 1001 Tour.

The idea of organizing your own business in the tourism sector can be a profitable investment. Demand for such services is currently growing all over the world, and the fact that with a small investment of money you can end up making a significant profit attracts start-up businessmen to engage in just such a type of activity. How to open a travel agency from scratch so that it is profitable and quickly pays off the invested funds - we will analyze in detail all the necessary steps for its formation and prosperity.

So how do you start a travel business? The first step should be to draw up a business plan, which will contain all the necessary actions for its organization, as well as a miscalculation of the necessary investments, a projected payback period and the amount of monthly profit.

Step-by-step instructions on how to open a travel agency contains the following items:

analysis of market saturation and the possibility of opening in a particular region;
obtaining information about existing competitors, their main advantages and disadvantages;
registration as a private enterprise or LLC;
choosing the location of the agency's office, drawing up a lease agreement, buying premises or deciding to place the agency itself at home;
determination of the main types of services provided;
acquisition of the necessary org. appliances and furniture;
search and recruitment of personnel;
conclusion of contracts with tour operators;
organization of advertising;
opening.

Consider the most significant stages of how to open a travel agency from scratch in Russia.

Tourist infrastructure

Registration and paperwork

Registration of a travel agency includes the following steps:

choice of organizational form (it can be either an individual - an individual entrepreneur, or a legal entity - most often an LLC);
selection of a suitable company name and legal address;
the registration process, after which you will be issued a government certificate;
purchase of a cash register, its registration and registration at the place of provision of services.

In the event that, having wondered how to organize a tourism business from scratch, you choose the form of management of an LLC, then you will need to determine the size of the authorized capital, as well as formalize the founders. The minimum amount of the authorized capital must be at least 10 thousand rubles and is subject to distribution among the founders of the LLC.

Room location

How to open a travel agency from scratch in order to attract as many potential buyers as possible to it? One of the answers to this question is the convenient and advantageous location of your office. The main options that will be most beneficial for you are the following:

in high traffic areas. These may be areas in which organizations are located, other offices - the city center, its more lively areas. On the one hand, in such places, office rent is more expensive than in less crowded places, but then you will have to spend more money on advertising the business;
inside the shopping center. This option is also very beneficial in terms of a large flow of people. In addition, it can cost you less than renting a separate building or premises;
in sleeping areas. The flow of people in such places is somewhat less, but by renting a room near public transport stops or facing a busy road, it is quite possible to ensure that your company will be in sight. Then the presence of those wishing to use the services will be considerable;
The most budget option for the location of the office is to organize it at home. How to open a travel agency at home, is it really possible? Recently, when using the Internet you can get acquainted with the services of various companies, discuss over the phone aspects of what kind of vacation the client prefers, this option is often used by novice businessmen. Of course, for this you still need to allocate a separate room in your house or apartment, equipping it accordingly. As practice shows, this option, with skillfully organized advertising and other marketing moves, can generate income even more than those firms that pay expensive rent for an office in the city center.

Services provided

One of the first and important stages of the process of how to open your travel agency from scratch is the choice of the direction of the type of activity, as well as the range of services provided. The list of possible ones included in the package of tourist services is as follows:

organization of delivery of the client to the place of rest (air flight, travel by car, etc.);
delivery from the place of arrival to the hotel (transfer);
resolving issues related to hotel accommodation and, in particular, food;
organization of related services (excursions, additional events);
delivery of the client to the station (airport) and back to the place of departure.

The tourism business itself can have the following directions:

excursion tours;
tours aimed at rest or recreation of children;
beach vacation;
organization of treatment (mainly preventive direction);
business tours;
shopping tours;
educational trips;
gastronomic tours.

It is worth noting that your future travel agency as a business will get the more opportunities for its profitability, the more services you can provide. This is mainly due to the fact that in this way the circle of potential customers increases. At the same time, do not forget about the quality of your work - positive feedback from people who have used the services of your company can be a good advertisement in the future.

Having chosen the premises for the location of the office, first of all, it will be necessary to repair and decorate it (if necessary). At the same time, it is important to remember that the services of travel agencies are mainly used by wealthy people, and comfort and cozy atmosphere are very important for them. You can add some elements of company attributes, photos of countries and places that your client can visit to the interior of the agency.

From furniture and office equipment you will need the following:

tables and chairs for company employees;
computers or laptops;
printer (this can be a monoblock that combines the functions of a printer, scanner and fax);
telephone;
stationery;
Internet equipment. It is worth noting that in the work of a travel agency, the speed of the Internet is very important, as well as its constant availability, because most of the operations performed by the company's employees will be carried out with the help of it;
furniture for clients. For starters, it can be a comfortable sofa, armchairs and a table.

Resort hotel

Recruitment

After equipping everything necessary for working in the premises and carrying out repairs, you can begin to recruit staff.

When dealing with the question of how to become a travel agent at home, you may not even hire employees at first, providing services in person. In this case, you can somewhat reduce the cost of buying furniture for employees, and, as an option, use the one available in the house if it is of good quality and condition.

One of the important points of the question of how to become a travel agent from scratch is the selection of personnel who can most profitably present the services provided by your company and convince the person who comes to you to become a client. In this regard, when selecting employees, the following points should be considered:

if possible, employ people who already have experience in this field - such a person will not need to be additionally trained and explained the principle of work;
future employees of the company should look neat, communicate politely, competently and correctly;
employees of your travel agency should be fluent in computer programs, be a confident Internet user.

After the selection of employees, it will be necessary to officially employ them by concluding employment contracts with them.

Conclusion of contracts with tour operators

An equally important point on how to open your own travel agency from scratch is the conclusion of agreements with tour operators.

One of the distinguishing features of a travel agency from a tour operator is that the agency, when providing services and selling ready-made tours to customers, already offers a ready-made package - that is, it cooperates only with the tour operator. The tour operator, on the other hand, contacts hotels, airports, train stations, tour agencies, and in case of any violations of the contract (provision of improper services, discrepancy between the declared service and the actual service, problems with the delivery of customers), it is he who bears legal responsibility.

As a rule, it is better to enter into agreements with several operators that offer trips to different parts of the world and will satisfy any age category of customers and will meet their financial capabilities.

After you start working on the sale of a certain tour, you will return its cost to the tour operator, and receive direct profit from the sales margin. The markup in most travel agencies is about 10-15% of the cost of the tour and, as a rule, this is quite enough to recoup the investment and receive a monthly income.

Marketing activities and ways to increase income

Having considered the main points of what is needed to open a travel agency, one cannot fail to mention the need for marketing moves that consist in advertising and promoting your business. Of these, the following are worth noting:

advertising in the media - television, radio, print publications (especially pay attention to popular magazines);
outdoor advertising. This is, first of all, the design of the facade of your office space, a bright sign that glows at night, you can also install billboards and banners in other areas of the city;
Internet advertising. In addition to all the possible options for online advertising, it is imperative to create your own website, one that will contain all the necessary information for customers - a list of possible tours, their basic conditions, payment, organizational issues. It would be nice to separately provide the opportunity to write reviews about the work, because the comments of grateful customers will help attract even more people who want to use your services;
providing regular customers with discounts and bonuses;
control over the quality of services provided and prompt response to problems that have arisen in order to quickly solve them and, as a result, receive positive emotions for vacationers.

Depending on the range of services provided, the number of clients, the presence of branches, the monthly profit can start from 50 thousand rubles per month, and its upper threshold will depend only on the efforts you have made in developing the business.

As practice shows, capital investments in the organization and opening of a travel agency pay off in less than one year.

* 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

SHOULD I OPEN A TRAVEL OFFICE OR NOT?!.

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:

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):

Earn up to
200 000 rub. a month, having fun!

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Office Equipment (Cost Calculation):

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 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

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?

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

Ready-made ideas for your business

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

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;
the 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 tour;
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;
the tour operator confirms the application of the travel agent and issues an invoice for payment;
the travel agent transfers to the tour operator the documents (or information) necessary for processing the tour (for example, for a visa);
the travel agent accepts the final payment from the tourist (in cash, issues a cash receipt or a strict accountability form);
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);
the tour operator issues to the travel agent the documents on the tour necessary for the tourist to travel;
the travel agent gives the tourist documents on the tour and all the necessary information to the tourist;
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;
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.

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.

Travel company manager.

travel agency secretary

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

Accountant-cashier,

Wage and bonus schemes in the tourism business

Tourism Manager Salary Options

The tour is considered sold at 100% payment.

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

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 travel 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.

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".

49 people are studying this business today.

For 30 days this business was interested in 346537 times.

Profitability calculator for this business

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

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

What attracts people to this job? High salaries, constant travel ... For many, the life of a travel agent seems like a real fairy tale. But at the same time, almost no one dares to take any decisive steps towards the fulfillment of their dreams. Do you want to be among them? Then this article is for you!

Step 1. Training

Interested in how to become a tour operator, you first need to figure out where and how you will be trained.

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

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

If you want to get the maximum of useful practical information and get to work as soon as possible, it would be more logical to enroll in a special operator training school. Here you will learn how to become a tour operator, get an overview of travel destinations, sales and booking systems, marketing, etc.

Step 2. Obtain certification

Work as a tour operator is impossible without obtaining certification. For your future clients, this will be proof of your competence and deep knowledge of the specifics of your activities. Therefore, you will be much more trustworthy.

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

Step 3. Obtaining a license

If you want to have your own travel agency, it is better to register the business with a legal entity (CJSC, LLC, etc.). But for those who want to become a travel agent (that is, an intermediary between a travel agency and its clients), it will be enough to register as an individual entrepreneur - PBOYUL. To obtain a license, you will need to pay a state fee of 1300 rubles.

You should be aware that the license to sell and pre-book air travel is issued separately. Certification conditions are dictated by the Federal Aviation Rules. At the same time, certain requirements are imposed on the premises, staff, security and reservation systems. If you intend to sell not only tours, but also air tickets, you will need to conclude an agreement with the airline and obtain this certificate.

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

Step 4. Choosing a tour operator company

Perhaps this is the most important step. The travel agent can independently choose which of the many operators to cooperate with. When choosing, you should take into account the amount of remuneration, the reputation of the company in the market and the convenience of work.

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

A variety of conferences and fairs are also held in the workshop format by professional travel publications (Tourism Business, Banco, Turinfo, the Travel Expert consulting group, etc.). The atmosphere at the workshop, as a rule, is more relaxed and businesslike than at exhibitions. There are more opportunities to meet partners, discuss important issues and tune in to work.

Step 5. Conclusion of the contract

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

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

Step 6 Advertise

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

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

Own business: opening a travel company. Step-by-step instructions on how to open a travel agency from scratch How to start working in a travel agency

Development of a business plan for a travel company.

1. The concept of a travel agency

2. Organizational plan

4. Production plan

8. Conclusion

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

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

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

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

Travel company staff

Director.

Travel company manager.

travel agency secretary

Courier

Accountant-cashier,

Wage and bonus schemes in the tourism business

Tourism business: who is who

We open a travel agency from scratch: we take into account experience and financial capabilities

How to open a travel agency: step by step instructions

How to open a profitable travel agency from scratch?

Registration and paperwork

Room location

Services provided

Recruitment

Conclusion of contracts with tour operators

Marketing activities and ways to increase income

Development of a business plan for a travel company.

1. The concept of a travel agency

2. Organizational plan

4. Production plan

8. Conclusion

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

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

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

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

Travel company staff

Director.

Travel company manager.

travel agency secretary

Courier

Accountant-cashier,

Wage and bonus schemes in the tourism business

Step 1. Training

Step 2. Obtain certification

Step 3. Obtaining a license

Step 4. Choosing a tour operator company

Step 5. Conclusion of the contract

Step 6 Advertise

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

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