Tourism is developing in Russia at a fantastic rate. People began to live better, incomes increased, which means that the field of activity for firms working in this area has also expanded.
How to start a tourism business? Like any other, with cost and income planning. In the article we will talk about what the business plan of a travel agency should contain, how to competently organize a business, form an assortment of tours, and choose partners.
Choice of direction of work
This is the first thing you will have to deal with. All currently operating companies can be divided into two groups: those that organize and implement their own tours, in a word - tour operators, and those that specialize exclusively in selling offers from domestic and foreign companies, that is, travel agents.
Of course, it is more profitable to work according to the first option, but the risks are higher. In addition, the initial capital required is very large. Therefore, it is safer and easier to start activities with the implementation of ready-made tours of reputable tour operators. The organization of a tourism business in this case will require much smaller investments from you, you can start with a capital of 200 thousand rubles (of course, this is the minimum figure).
A travel agent is a kind of intermediary between a large company and a buyer. But this does not mean that you should sell tours strictly at the price determined by the tour operator. For example, the organizer of a tour to America offered you a route worth 80,000 rubles for implementation on the condition that you take 10 percent of the tour price for yourself. You are selling a ticket in your city, where there are no similar offers, more expensive, say, for 100 thousand rubles. The benefit is obvious - your income increases.
Travel business. Where to begin?
After you have decided on the direction of work, you should register your company. You can create a legal entity, or you can function as an individual entrepreneur. As practice shows, for work in the field of tourism, it is still better to give preference to LLC. The key point in such activities is the trust of customers in the company they choose, and people trust legal entities more than individual entrepreneurs.
A fee of 4,000 rubles is charged for registering an LLC, and you will also have to make a seal (another 400-600 rubles) and certify the constituent documents with a notary (about 1,000 rubles). The authorized capital must be at least 10,000 rubles, at least half of it you must transfer to an account opened with a bank (you will also have to pay about 500 rubles to open an account). Upon registration, the company will be assigned OKVED 53.30 “Activities of travel agencies”. Thus, the minimum amount that you will spend on the registration procedure is 6,000 rubles.
License and taxes
What else do you need to open a travel agency? Previously, a license was required, but since 2007, compulsory licensing has been abolished. Therefore, it remains only to choose the object of taxation. The work of travel agencies falls under the simplified tax system. Two objects are offered at your discretion: income (6 percent rate) or income minus expenses (15 percent rate). The second option should be chosen only if a large share of the costs is expected.
Room selection
This step should be done before the registration process. Yes, you will not be registered if the company does not have a legal address. Of course, it is best to locate the agency's office in the city center, but focus primarily on financial opportunities. Pay special attention to the design and furnishings of the room. Essentially, a travel company sells promises, “air”, a person gives money now and receives a service later, so you should create an atmosphere of confidence that the savings go into safe hands.
Office equipment
Do not forget about office equipment: the office must be equipped with a computer with Internet access (one is enough for a start), a telephone, a printer, a fax - without all this, work cannot be organized. The cost of furniture will also be rather big. A computer desk costs at least 6,000 rubles, a swivel chair costs about 3,000 thousand, you will also need to purchase chairs for clients, a sofa to wait in case there is a queue, a coffee table where booklets, leaflets, etc. will be placed.
On average, the cost of buying furniture will be 30-60 thousand rubles. You will need to spend about 50 thousand rubles on office equipment (with conservative estimates). Yes, your own travel company is expensive! The business plan should also contain a calculation of the monthly costs of maintaining the office, which will include the cost of stationery, utility bills, Internet payments, telephone bills, and more.
Choice of partners
Finding the tour operators you want to work with is what you need to open a travel agency, among other things. Today, there are many operators on the market that organize tours to various destinations. An important point: you need to work only with trusted companies.
Many entrepreneurs who are just starting the development of the tourism business make a serious mistake. They strive to cooperate with tour operators offering tours at the lowest prices. As a rule, such firms are unreliable. To avoid unpleasant moments, choose companies that have already established themselves in the market.
Be sure to find out which tour operators have offices in your city. Working with them, you will get rid of many troubles. All documentation turnover is carried out at the main office, if you have a representative office, you can directly give documents, which is very convenient.
Recruitment
The business plan of the travel agency must include information about the staff and payroll. A small company may consist of only four people: a director, a manager, an accountant and a janitor. When combining functions, the staff can be even smaller.
