It is worth registering a case as OOO to increase customer confidence. Basic codes OKVED: 79.11. – “Activities of travel agencies”, as well as 79.12 . – “Activities of tour operators.” Other codes:
- 79.90. — “Other booking services and related activities”;
- 79.90.3. – “Activities for the provision of travel services related to booking”;
- 79.90.21. – “Activities of travel agencies in providing excursion tourism services”;
- 79.90.1. – “Activities for the provision of tourist information services.”
The work of travel agencies is regulated by law“On the basics of tourism activities in Russian Federation».
The registration procedure will require $200 and a month of time.
Choosing tourist destinations
Where to start? From developing proposals and searching for tour operators. Tours are divided into domestic and international. More promising direction– international. it is necessary to develop 5-6 basic proposals, and subsequently supplement them.
Selection methods:
- Hire managers who have great experience sales of certain tours, and form corresponding proposal for clients;
- You have personal experience travel. You can safely recommend to customers places you have visited yourself;
- Choose destinations based on an analysis of competitors and market demand (for example, Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, near Europe);
- At your own peril and risk, choose countries and cities that seem promising and interesting to you, and purposefully promote them.
There are agencies that specialize in literally 1-2 areas and work with VIP tours. But to start with this, you will need good publicity and the ability to sell, because preference is always given to travel agencies with experience.
It’s not worth chasing a mass audience by offering 10-20 options at once. Consumers place more trust in highly specialized companies that thoroughly know their business.
IN last years Thematic travel is gaining popularity. Dividing them into categories (children and beach holiday, leisure, ecotourism, medical tourism, etc.), you can attract more attention to your company.
Choosing a tour operator
Profit is very dependent on the operator organizing the tour. Your task is to sell this tour and, if necessary, take over the organization additional services(tickets, excursions).
Agency profit - commissions from the sale of vouchers (5-15%) and bonuses for . Financial relations are negotiated when signing a partnership contract.
A reliable tour operator is an important point. If the client is dissatisfied with the trip, then he will complain specifically to the company that sold the trip. Therefore, try to select 10-12 proven, experienced tour operators in advance, at least two or three for each destination. This is necessary in order to be able to select a trip exactly for the dates that the customer wants. Where to find and how to choose a tour operator?
- Thematic exhibitions;
- Specialized sites ( tourindex.ru, tour-box.ru, sletat.ru).
Among the well-known tour operators in Russia are CoralTravel, Alean, Sunmar, TUI.
Room
It is best to place it in the city center, in a prestigious residential area, in a business center or mall. It is important to attract attention with a bright sign, promotional offers, and creative exterior design.
The office of a small agency takes 30-40 square meters. This is 500-600 dollars for rent per month, and about 1000 $ for repairs.
When decorating the room, pay attention to thematic attributes(bright posters, souvenirs), which should set you in the appropriate mood and entice you to travel. It is worth setting up a comfortable waiting area for visitors with a sofa, coffee table, cooler, and magazines. This will require a cost of $100-150.
Equipment
The arrangement of a travel agency office includes the purchase of furniture, office equipment and the necessary communications:
- Desks and chairs;
- Filing Cabinets;
- Several telephones, personal computers and a laser printer;
- High-speed Internet;
- Software for obtaining information about tours and bookings.
The cost of setting up an office is around $600-700, provided that you purchase used computers and a printer.
Staff
A small business will need two sales managers. It is better to outsource accounting. The services of a system administrator as an outsourcer are also required. You need $1000-1500 for a monthly salary.
Advertising and promotion
So, what does it take to attract clients? Outdoor ones work well (banners and railings), always with a specific indication of the offer. For example, a 20% discount on tours to Egypt and Turkey or advertising a specific tour at a fixed price. Promote yourself on the Internet inexpensively and effectively. Create your website with current offers, advertise it in search engines, actively promote in social networks. It costs about $200-250 per month.
Costs and profits
When calculating how much it costs to open a travel agency, we get an approximate amount of 4500 $ taking into account payment of rent for three months in advance and advertising for a month. Monthly expenses will be 1700-2000 dollars.
On initial stage you should expect to sell 40-50 tours per month (income 2-3 thousand dollars, net profit - 800-1200 dollars). In six months to a year, it is realistic to reach 150-200 trips in the “peak” months (September, May, August) and net profit in 2500-4000 dollars.
Having collected all the information on how to open a travel agency, you can safely start working. But it will not pay off immediately, and in the first months you sometimes have to work at a loss. Therefore, you need to have a reserve fund and first take on the responsibilities of a manager.
Develop your personal qualities. To become a successful travel agent, you must be sociable, confident and have good internet skills. You must be able to convince clients that you are offering them the best best vacation, whatever it can be.
- Be bold and adventurous. Part of your job may involve selecting and exploring sometimes dangerous and exotic locations.
- Sharpen your communication skills. Your work is connected not only with field research, but also with office duties, when you will have to communicate a lot frequently by phone or using Email. Your level of success depends on your ability to communicate with other people.
- Pay attention to detail. Each person has their own perception of the ideal vacation. Make sure everything from the curtains to the air conditioning on the bus is up to standard, and your customers will return to you again and again.
- Stay organized. You will be dealing with dozens of different routes at the same time. The ability to keep everything in order and meet deadlines will lead you to success.
- Make useful connections. To make money, you need clients. Offer your services to friends and family when it comes to travel and travel agencies. Start making connections today.
Travel a lot. You cannot sell a product well that you are not familiar with. Traveling will help you see things through your clients' eyes and prepare you for unexpected challenges.
- The ability to present information first-hand is priceless. Customers are more interested in first-hand advice, whether it's about service, accommodations or geography. For this reason, many travel agents receive a discount when traveling (after all, for example, hotels benefit from being recommended).
- Knowledge of at least one foreign language will greatly simplify the work.
Check out the data. Before starting your business, familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the market in which you intend to operate.
Become an expert in a particular field. To help your business thrive, you must become a local expert. Have you ever wandered through the bazaars of Istanbul? Or cracked coconuts in the Mekong Delta? Choose a region close to your liking.
- You can include in the list of services visits to specific geographical locations, cruise and group tours, tours based on price level (from luxury to the cheapest and most affordable), certain group tours specialized in hobbies or lifestyles (for example, for vegetarians) .
* The calculations use average data for Russia
A fragment of the book by Yulia and Georgy Mokhov “Travel Agency: where to start, how to succeed” by the publishing house “Peter. Published with permission from the publisher
Do I have enough money to open a travel agency? Should I risk my last savings or not? How long will it take for investments in the tourism business to pay off? 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 business plan for a travel agency? What are the requirements for a travel agency office? How many employees will you have to hire? Where to look for footage? Which tour operators to work with? Which countries do you sell tours to? Limit yourself to a narrow specialization or sell everything? Should we open air and railway ticket offices immediately or later? How to attract clients? How much to spend on advertising? Do tourists have many complaints? And still…
SHOULD I OPEN A TRAVEL AGENCY OR NOT?!
We will try to dispel all your fears and support your desire to open tourist agency. But we guarantee: everything that is written here is a real reflection of the state of affairs in the tourism business, without exaggeration or omission.
Development of a business plan for a travel company.
We offer for your reference a diagram that reflects the main parameters and expense items that can be used when drawing up a business plan travel company(agencies).
1. Travel agency concept
Kind of activity:
- travel agent;
- tour operator;
- mixed activity.
- 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 and accompanying person;
- translation services;
- sale of guidebooks;
- sale of related travel products;
- implementation gift certificates;
- booking and ordering tables in restaurants, tickets for events;
- rental of tourist equipment;
- Car rent.
- by type of tourist destination;
- according to the cost of tours;
- by country;
- by type of tourism.
2. Organizational plan
Travel agency office location:
- center;
- outskirts;
- distance from the metro.
- rent;
- own premises;
- other.
- showcase office on the first line;
- in the business center;
- in administrative office building;
- in the mall;
- on the first floor of a residential building.
- two jobs, three five jobs;
- one-room, two-room, three-room, more than three rooms;
- free layout (number of meters).
tables with reception places, chairs for employees, chairs for visitors, bedside tables with keys, rack for catalogues, wardrobe, hangers, hanger rack,
board for information and special offers, sofa for visitors, coffee table, safe, blinds, mirror, dishes (for employees, for receiving visitors), frames for photographs and permits, plants.
Office equipment (cost calculation):
computers, telephones, fax, printers (minimum 2 pieces), scanner, copier, TV, CD and DVD player for showing films about countries and resorts, air conditioning, water cooler, first aid kit, watch, stationery, wall map of the world or globe.
Office design project:
- zoning of space;
- design of the premises according to the concept of the travel company;
- floor plan.
3. Competitive environment
Competitors in selected tourist destinations.
Competitors within the radius:
Ready ideas for your business
- building;
- district;
- cities;
- countries (if necessary).
4. Production plan
Staff:
- staffing table;
- wage formation policy;
- training.
Tour sales technology:
- search and booking of tours;
- scheme of interaction with partners;
- processing payment for tours;
- document flow;
- delivery and issuance of documents.
- by season;
- by directions;
- by country;
- by price;
- by target audience.
Travel agency pricing policy.
Features of the tours sold.
Corporate identity development:
- contractor;
- list of required items;
- concept and functions of the site;
- contractor;
- cost and timing of work.
- signboard;
- pillar;
- signs;
- a sign with operating hours and company details.
- booklet;
- Business Cards;
- letterheads.
- budget size for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months;
- advertising media.
6. Legal aspects of opening a travel company
Legal form of a legal entity.
Tax 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 strict reporting forms “Tourist voucher”.
Maintaining accounting(independently, with the assistance of an accountant, consulting company).
Legal support of activities
7. Financial plan
Sources of funds.
Amount and duration of investment.
Initial expenses plan.
Fixed expenses plan.
Income plan.
Payback plan.
8. Conclusion
Long-term development plan.
9.Applications
Approximate costs for creating a travel agency in Moscow,
one-time:
Registration of a legal entity and preparation of necessary permits for travel agency activities: 20,000–25,000
Furniture and office preparation for sales: 50,000–100,000
Office equipment and communications 100,000–150,000
Development of corporate identity 15,000–25,000
Website development and registration 20,000–45,000
Trademark registration 50,000-100,000
Employee training 5,000–30,000
Additional possible costs
Ready ideas for your business
- Purchase of a ready-made tourism business, payment legal services for transaction support
- Payment for premises selection services
- Payment for recruitment services
- Payment for connection services
- Internet and additional telephone lines
- Payment for services of a consulting company
The cost of tours even in the same hotel category 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 season prices for selected destinations with data from 3*, 4*, 5* hotels and compare them with the expected amount of income
Approximate plan of monthly expenses of a travel company in Moscow (rub.)
Office and infrastructure
Wage
Rent of premises 25 m2 - 50,000
Communication services 3000
Internet 5000
Water (cooler) 500
Stationery 2500
Other administrative expenses 6000 Wage personnel
Advertising budget
- Director 35,000 +%
- Manager 19,000 +%
- Manager 16,000 +%
- Secretary-manager 12,000 +%
- Courier 16,000
- Accountant (outsourcing) 10,000
- Cleaning lady 3000
Unforeseen expenses RUB 10,000.
- Legal subscription service RUB 7,000. months
- Payment for the online booking and tour search system is 1200 rubles/month.
- Refilling cartridges 400 rub./month.
Total 241,500 rub. + percentage of salary
Selecting the status of a travel company. Tour operator or travel agent?
After the abolition of licensing for tour operator and travel agency activities in 2007, mandatory public order established only for tour operator activities. Anyone can engage in travel agency activity entity or individual entrepreneur. The only thing that determines the status of a travel agent today is the existence of an agreement with the tour operator, according to which the travel agent, on behalf of and at the expense of the tour operator, sells the tourism product generated by the tour operator. At the same time, the travel agent is obliged to 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 take the necessary legal actions in a timely manner. The fact is that the law establishes a mandatory requirement - all tour operators registered on the territory of the Russian Federation are required to have financial support. Financial security is a guarantee of the tour operator in case of non-fulfillment or improper execution contracts for the sale of a tour product, insurance of its civil liability to consumer tourists.
From funds financial security injured tourists are compensated for the actual damage they suffered, for example, the cost of the tour if it did not take place, or the difference in cost if the vacation time was reduced. Financial support is provided Insurance Company or banker. 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 (entry and exit) and 500,000 rubles. for domestic tourism.
The cost of servicing financial security averages 1–1.5% per year of the amount of security.
Ready ideas for your business
For example, from minimum size financial support for international tourism in the amount of 10,000,000 rubles. the cost of insurance compensation will be 100,000–150,000 rubles. This is the 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 a travel agent’s work when selling tours looks something like this:
- the tour operator enters into an agency (commission) agreement with the travel agent, according to which the agent is instructed to implement (sell) tours generated by the tour operator for a fee;
- a travel agent attracts a client (tourist) and enters into an agreement with him on the sale of a tourism product, receives the documents necessary to register the tour;
- the travel agent sends a request to the tour operator to book specific travel services for the client (tourist), indicating the dates, number and details of tourists, hotel, level of transportation, excursions and other components of the tour;
- the tour operator confirms the travel agent’s request and issues an invoice for payment;
- the travel agent provides the tour operator with the documents (or information) necessary to process the tour (for example, for a visa);
- The travel agent accepts the final payment from the tourist (if paying in cash, he issues cash receipt or strict reporting form);
- the travel agent makes payment to the tour operator minus the remuneration due to him (non-cash Bank transaction or in cash at the tour operator's cash desk);
- the tour operator issues the travel agent with tour documents necessary for the tourist to travel;
- the travel agent issues the tourist documents for the tour and all necessary information tourist;
- the travel agent reports to the tour operator - sends the agent’s report (act) indicating the amount of the tour sale 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 taken into account that the presented diagram reflects only perfect option document flow.
In practice, a travel agent may face various surprises; firstly, the tour operator may refuse to enter into an agency agreement with you and will offer a purchase and sale agreement, as a result your legal status will change, it will be necessary to adapt accounting and document flow;
secondly, when making a payment under a tour operator agreement, you suddenly discover that the invoice has been issued for payment to
another company or, making payment through the tour operator’s cash desk, you will be given a receipt cash order to physical
a person with a “paid” stamp without the organization’s seal.
Travel company staff
The optimal staff for a small travel company looks something like this:
- ¦ leader;
- ¦ manager1;
- ¦ manager2;
- ¦ secretary with an expanded range of responsibilities;
- ¦ courier;
- ¦ accountant and cashier;
- ¦ cleaning lady.
Director.
The head of the travel company is a key figure and decides a large number of issues, both economic and strategic, but in addition to this, it is advisable to have at least two sales managers.
The manager can also be the chief accountant, cashier, sign documents and register 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 during which a specialist can go through all the “seasons” of a travel agency’s work - high, low, “dead” - and learn how to manage a company. If the head - founder of a travel agency has no experience in tourism, this is not a tragedy. It is necessary to invite managers with work experience and, together with them, develop the strategy, assortment, and advertising policy of the company.
Travel company manager.
His responsibilities include: negotiating with clients and partners by phone and in the office, arranging 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 skills (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, sociability, initiative, ability to decide 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 rewarding task, but find out long-term plans this candidate to
the invested effort and money 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 questions general(“How can I get to you?”, “What time do you work until?”), ensures timely ordering of necessary office supplies, household goods, monitors the courier’s work schedule, carries out instructions from the manager, receives visitors and guests of the office. You must understand 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 is ringing at the same time and the client is sitting in the chair.
Secretaries are also tasked with filling out questionnaires, recording and registering incoming and outgoing mail, and responding to corporate emails, ICQ, and Skype.
As a rule, a secretary is hired after several months of starting a travel company, when the phone is constantly ringing and clients demanding attention come to the office.
Courier
A very important and responsible position. With the strength (legs) of this person, money, passports, documents must get to the tour operator. Therefore, when choosing a candidate for this position, be guided by: simple rule: a person must be checked by everyone possible ways- call your previous place of work, confirm the correspondence of your place of registration and place of residence, call home phone and communicate with relatives and ask for recommendations. These measures are not unnecessary. The problems that may arise due to the actions of the courier are, without exaggeration, catastrophic - loss of foreign passports and documents, theft of funds that the courier transports daily. Most the best option- this is a relative or acquaintance, but, unfortunately, such candidates are not always found.
Accountant-cashier,
undoubtedly, necessary specialist, but the cost of its services is too high for a small travel agency (in Moscow from 30,000 rubles). Therefore, most travel agencies use the services of law firms or an external accountant. Such a personnel solution allows you to reduce accounting costs by at least three times.
Remuneration and bonus schemes in the tourism business
In the tourism business there is a general trend towards increasing 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.
Options for calculating salaries for a tourism manager
The tour is considered sold when 100% payment is made.
1. Interest-free system: salary 22,000–30,000 rub.
2. Salary + interest:
Salary 10,000–15,000 rub. + 10% of 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 revenue from sold tours, divided among all managers.
Salary 18,000–20,000 rub. + 5% of tours sold by the manager.
Salary 18,000–20,000 rub. + 10% of all tours sold, divided between all managers.
3. Planned system: fixed salary is paid when the plan is fulfilled; for example, from 50,000 rub. (this refers to the company's income, not the total cost of the tours). If the plan is exceeded by more than 50,000 rubles. + 10%, more than 100,000 rub. + 15%, over 250,000 + 20%.
During the low season (January, February, May, June) the plan is 50%. In this case, the previous fixed salary is paid.
If the plan is not met, with the exception of the low season, there is a system of fines:
- ¦ the first month - no penalties, an analysis of the reasons associated with the decrease in sales is required;
- ¦ second month and beyond: 40,000–49,000 rubles. – 10% is withheld from the fixed payment (30,000–39,000 rubles – 20%; 20,000–29,000 rubles – 30%).
In the first months after the opening of a travel agency office, a planned payroll system, as a rule, is not used.
Options for calculating wages for a travel company courier
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 increased sales volumes, it is customary to give couriers a bonus of 20–30% of their salary. The courier is an important employee of the travel agency, so it is better to pay extra on time, issue bonuses and work calmly.
On the market you can find offers from courier companies that deliver documents anywhere
cities, they enter into a formal agreement and bear full financial responsibility for cash and documents in the parcel.
Options for calculating the salary of a director of a travel company
1. Salary from 40,000 rubles.
2. Salary 18,000–20,000 rub. + 1–5% of monthly income
agency after deducting expenses.
3. 12,000–15,000 rub. + 5–10% of monthly income after deducting expenses.
This was just a small fragment of the book by Yulia and Georgy Mokhov, “Travel Agency: Where to Start, How to Succeed,” published by Peter Publishing House.
Tourism is a profitable and promising business sector, which you definitely won’t regret taking up. This case will allow you to learn a lot of useful and important information, meet many interesting and useful people, as well as inexpensively travel around the world on “hot” packages. Let's look at how to open a travel agency from scratch and what you will need for this.
Introduction
If you decide to enter the travel business, then you should distinguish between the concepts of a tour operator and a travel agency.
- The tour operator draws up his own route, books transport, hotels and resolves all organizational issues.
- A travel agency sells tours from tour operators, receiving a percentage for it.
A travel company is an excellent 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 where to start the opening procedure? From registration with the tax office. You can register as an individual entrepreneur or as an LLC. An individual entrepreneur allows you to save time and simplify the reporting system, but an 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 beloved dog, but this is unlikely to bring him popularity. It's better to choose something thematic. You will also need to choose a premises, hire staff and launch advertising campaign.
Room
Suitable for office use small room an area of about 20 square meters with 2-3 employees - this is quite enough in most cases. It is better to choose an office in a crowded, walkable place in the city center. Be sure to do good repair indoors, install comfortable furniture, order a quality sign. Travel is booked by wealthy people who value comfort and coziness, so you shouldn’t skimp on comfortable chairs and sofas.
To equip your office, you only need computer equipment
Equip your employees comfortable tables, buy computers, chairs, various office supplies, shelving, etc. You will also need a photocopier, printer and fax. Pay special attention to the Internet - the channel must be of high quality and stable.
Read also: How to open a recreation center (camp site)
Staff
In order to open a travel agency from scratch, you will need qualified personnel who understand the specifics and know how to convince people. It is best to recruit people who have work experience, have a pleasant voice, good appearance and goodwill. Typically, tour managers receive a minimum wage + a percentage of sales from each tour, which encourages them to work more and with better quality. To begin with, you will only need two or three managers who can cover the main areas of tourism.
Where to take tours
Now let's move on to the question of where to actually look for tours. To begin with, you will need to enter into an agreement with 6-8 tour operators, of which 3-4 should work in key areas. Usually the agency receives 5-15 percent of the cost of the trip. At the first stages, your earnings are minimal, but after you sell 10-20 trips, your commissions will increase significantly. All operators want to sell more, so it is beneficial for them to work with permanent agencies that implement their programs.
You will need computers in order to access operator tour databases. The most common ones are tour-box and tourindex. Access to them is paid, but you can easily pay for the annual subscription by selling 3-5 tickets.
Search for clients
Any means are good for finding clients. Be sure to create your own website - now most tourists look for tours via the Internet. Indicate your contact information, main routes, and price range. Create a newsletter for registered users via Viber or mail, use website promotion services and contextual advertising.
- In the media (local radio, television, newspapers, magazines).
- On social networks in your city.
- Classic outdoor advertising (banners, boxes, leaflets, billboards).
A travel agency sells tours that are designed and provided by a tour operator
Don’t forget about classic marketing techniques: offer discounts, make promises Better conditions for attracting customers, create a discount program. You can launch an advertising campaign several weeks before the opening - this will only fuel interest in your company.
Profitability
Unfortunately, ready business We cannot provide a travel agency plan - in this business everything is quite individual and depends on the specific city. But it is still possible to give approximate figures.
To open an office you will need approximately 400 thousand rubles. This amount includes furniture and office equipment. Renting a room for a year will cost you about another 400,000. Add here advertising, other expenses and taxes - another 100,000 per year. Staff salaries based on 2 managers – 250 thousand per year (excluding interest, net rate). In total, you will need approximately 1.15 million rubles to open.
In this article we will look at how to become a tour operator and touch on some points that need to be taken into account by those who want to enter this exciting business. It should be noted that the tourism industry in Russia is in the final stage of structuring. The final distribution of tourism market participants into wholesalers and retail players (tour operators and agents) is taking place.
According to experts, within 5 years, 10-15 tour operators will operate on the main destinations, and the number of travel agencies will not exceed 2500-3000, instead of 12,000 today. Development largest companies is happening now at the expense of the mass of profits, and not at the expense of the norm. The threshold for entry into the tour operator business has increased significantly, which significantly complicates the possibility of the emergence of new serious participants.
If three years ago launching a tour operator company could cost 4-5 million dollars, now the same thing will require about 20 million dollars.
The amount required to create a leading company in tourism can reach up to $100 million. At the same time, the profitability of this business itself has decreased, which is about 1-2%.
What is needed when creating a tour operator?
When drawing up a business plan for a tour operator, you must remember not to save on such things as technology, advertising and personnel. The technological base is the main expense item and takes up at least a third of your investment. Without a technological base, starting an operator business is pointless. The tour operator's base should be built on a booking system operating through a website or large online services. For successful activities Tour operators need sustainable sales channels. When choosing an operator, travel agent dealers do not last resort pay attention to such criteria as manufacturability, convenience and reliability of interaction with a partner. Due to this special meaning acquires a website, which is both the face of the company and the main working tool.
There should be an online tour booking procedure that includes good system reservations, a guarantee of hotel rooms and a quota of seats on a flight. All this, in turn, implies investing significant funds on deposits. The amount of investment required will be determined by your relationship with your host and hoteliers. Usually, new hotels are ready to make concessions to attract a flow of tourists. But the most popular options are only possible with prepayment.
Size commitment(booking quotas in hotels with 100% responsibility of the tour operator) can range from 45 to 95 percent of the planned transportation volumes.
The host
When answering the question of what it takes to become a tour operator, we must not forget about the need for an established host infrastructure. If the issues of receiving your tourists and the quality of their service on site are not thought through, there is a risk of losing control over the financial flow. Therefore, it is important to choose the right partner company in the host country. It is best to look for host partners among local large incoming tour operators.
Most large Russian agencies create joint ventures on a parity basis with the host party. This allows each participant to feel like the owner of the business and increases the level of work efficiency. In addition, this allows you to enter into profitable contracts with hotels. The combined structure of the Russian and host companies contributes to an increase in tourist flow. And hoteliers provide exclusive conditions and discounts.
Benefits of a broad profile
Companies involved in related or related businesses also enjoy some advantage in areas of mass demand. Thus, integration into hotel business or purchasing vehicles. Optimal structure a multi-industry company must include several independent divisions, which can be united on a thematic or geographical basis.
It is also necessary to take into account that today a travel agent needs universal suppliers of tourism products. When choosing how to become a representative of a tour operator, agents today do not want to disperse volumes and focus only on the largest universal suppliers. As a result, agents, receiving bonuses, benefits and support from the operator, become partners for him. Therefore, it will work best to rely on diversified activities based on the principle of complete travel service.
When planning how to become a tour operator in Russia, it is also necessary to take into account market growth by region. Today it is no longer possible to ignore the regional market, because the days of the main flow of tourists from Moscow and St. Petersburg are over. Therefore, it is necessary to create a network of company representative offices in other Russian cities. When launching a branch network and working with the retail chain, build a centralized operation of financial, advertising and technological functions.
Organization of a travel agency
When organizing an agency business, you should take care of a favorable office location and personnel. If your office is located in a crowded area and has a bright, visible sign, you will have more clients. Trained and experienced personnel also play a very important role. Tourism is a very personalized business, and most clients go to specific people, to specific managers. It should be noted that in the retail sector there is also a concentration of tourism business. Travel agencies today are actively networking.
Networkers account for up to 15 percent of retail sales of travel packages.
Moreover, in the near future this trend will intensify and it will become more difficult for independent agencies to survive. Therefore, it makes sense for small agencies to participate in a network project. Of course, online brands will have to establish themselves in the market for a long time. Therefore, when launching a network product, it is necessary to build centralized network management, including in relation to suppliers of tourism products. Independent travel agencies need to implement the concept of complete travel service, which involves a full range of services, including booking transportation.
In general, in Russia the tourism and ticketing business is developing autonomously, but by doing just one thing, firms miss out on a lot of income. By engaging in ticket sales, tour operator and agency companies achieve a return on their investment much faster. According to statistics, the cost of a ticket office pays off in three to four months, for a travel agency - in six months, for a tour operator - in a year.
The threshold for entry is much lower than for a tour operator - from 30 thousand to 60 thousand dollars. If you have a clientele and experienced staff, the payback period can be reduced. The main risk for the agency business is the convergence of tour operators and service consumers through online sales technology.