How to Start a Travel Agency Business

If you're interested in starting your own travel agency, you may find that this is one of the easiest businesses to start, even for those new to the travel industry. Often, this business requires very little training to start and even less start-up cash. Some people have even been able to start their businesses for less than $500. Once you get your business up and running, you may find getting customers easy too. There's always someone interested in booking a hotel, taking a cruise, or jetting off for a last-minute vacation.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Call your state's Department of Licensing, and ask whether or not you need a special license to start a travel agency business. Many states do not require such licensing. If your state does require you to obtain a travel agency license, expect to pay a fee for it.
2. Obtain a general business license for the area in which you live or plan to operate your business. Most cities and towns require such licensing of all businesses, even if they are home based.
3. Find a host agency to work with, such as Dugan's Travel or Nexion. A host agency can allow you to book travel for your customers using its established accounts. You will earn commissions for your bookings, but you should expect to pay a percentage of your commissions for the privilege of booking through its accounts.
4. Get training to ensure the success of your travel agency and avoid common pitfalls. Remember, one mistake could cause your clients major inconvenience, so you'll want to know exactly what you're doing before you start booking travel. You could take an online training course or classes at a brick-and-mortar school, but many host agencies offer free training when you sign on with them. The Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN) offers training information, as does the National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA).
5. Advertise your new travel agency business. Shout news of your grand opening on travel-based messaged boards and search engines. Put up flyers and take out newspaper ads, and establish a website.
6. Begin to book reservations for your clients using the Internet and your telephone. Most travel suppliers make it easy for agents to contact them, as they want their business. If you work with a host agency, you'll probably receive a list of suppliers, complete with contact information, to make your job easier.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to get a leg up on the competition, which can be fierce, consider starting a niche travel business. You could market yourself as an agent specializing in such things as singles' travel, senior travel, honeymoons or adventure vacations.