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How to start a successful Travel Agency with or without investment | The Tourism School

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Key takeaways

Business

Business setup: 20-step playbook to start a travel agency (low/no investment → scaling)

Phase 1 — Launch a service business (no/low investment)

Step 1: Pick an SEO-friendly brand/domain name

  • Choose a name that’s easy to find on search engines (SEO + keywords).
  • If you can’t register the exact company name, use the domain/brand name.

Step 2: Register with government (no legal risk)

  • Do Shop Establishment & Commercial Establishment Registration via your state government (typically free and often possible online).
  • You can register from your home address (no need to rent a shop).

Step 3 (optional based on budget): Company registration choice

  • Skip if you don’t want immediate spend.
  • Prefer proprietorship if budget is tight:
    • Can be done via notary (speaker notes no lawyer/CA requirement).
    • Target cost: ₹2,000–₹4,000
    • After registration, open a current account.
  • If budget allows: register as Private Limited (speaker claims higher trust).
  • Speaker does not recommend LLP/LLC.

Step 4: GST (mandatory for travel/B2B)

  • Speaker emphasizes GST is a minimum requirement to work with travel companies / B2B agents.
  • DIY cost target: ~₹1,000; with assistance it may cost more.
  • If applicable, you can file GST Nil (maintain registration without paying tax when no tax is due).

Step 5: Buy/Use a B2B ticketing system (to start booking)

  • Concept: B2B aggregators let small agents book under an umbrella system.
  • Examples cited (not endorsements):
    • Akbar Travels
    • Riya Travels
    • Travel Boutique Online
    • Speaker’s “most reliable” pick: Riya Travels (especially for rates/experience)
  • Pakistan example: Travel Ustad
  • Value proposition:
    • Often slightly better rates vs public online prices (not guaranteed).
    • You can book: air tickets, hotels, tours, travel insurance, etc.
  • Operating rule:
    • Use B2B systems to start, but later reduce dependence by building your own systems.

Step 6: Sell air tickets with clear service fees

  • Set expectations when selling via B2B:
    • Don’t compete directly with public online price comparisons.
    • Add a service charge on top of what you pay.

Step 7: Sell visas (start with tourist visas)

  • Start with tourist visas; avoid student/work visas early.
  • Suggested “easiest” tourist visa (speaker example): “Shengun” tourist visa (likely Schengen context).
  • Example/tie-up mentioned:
    • UAE visa: can be obtainable for < ₹1,000 if executed correctly; charge around ₹2,000.
  • Compliance/financing rule:
    • No guarantees and no pay-after-visa promises.
    • Take money upfront, collect documents, apply.
    • Position earnings as service fee (visa outcome depends on documents).

Step 8: Avoid “hotel-only bargain clients” early

  • Clients who request hotel bookings across many cities/continents may compare rates and waste time.
  • Instead of saying you “only deal in hotels,” avoid the mismatch by qualifying such clients early.

Profit validation checkpoint (KPI / go/no-go test)

After completing steps 1–8:

  • Stay in earning mode for 2–3 months.
  • Target KPI: ₹35,000/month (speaker also mentions ₹30,000/month as a minimum threshold).
  • Decision rule:
    • If you can’t earn even ₹30k/month, speaker advises not to start a travel agency (likely means weak client acquisition or inability to generate demand).
  • Client acquisition emphasis:
    • Early clients often come from acquaintances.
    • If you lack that, ensure you can advertise/get demand before investing further.
  • Speaker notes they teach a free YouTube-driven approach over 2–3 months.

Phase 2 — Build capability, brand, and distribution (after initial income)

Step 9: Hire execution support correctly (operations + team)

  • If you outsource:
    • Hire people strong in accounting and computer usage, not necessarily travel expertise.
    • Ensure registration setup and workflows are correct first.

Step 10: Build your own website (but delay “full transactional build”)

  • Create your own website yourself using free training materials.
  • Important constraints:
    • Don’t build something like Expedia/MakeMyTrip initially.
    • Don’t buy APIs / don’t build full transactional capability until:
      • Income reaches at least ₹1 lakh/month.
  • Hiring rule before scaling tech:
    • Don’t rely on paid teams to build systems if you can’t hire/retain internal capability.
    • Target: at least 2–3 capable people to help you reach ₹1 lakh/month.

Step 11: Get “recognized” (Aata Recognition in speaker’s language)

  • Rationale: recognition improves credibility and helps you become more independent from intermediaries.
  • Mechanism:
    • Earn recognition via the speaker’s described certificate program.
    • Speaker claims global uptake (many students take it monthly).
  • Gatekeeping:
    • Only after recognition should you consider yourself an independent travel agent.

Step 12: Get GDS/CRS for ticketing independence

  • Build distribution capability:
    • Acquire Global Distribution System (CRS) under your company name.
    • Examples in India:
      • Amey US
      • Galileo
    • Speaker preference: buy Galileo for more benefits.
  • Outcomes:
    • Enables your own ticketing and potential fare reduction.
    • Also supports booking hotels (via top systems + add-ons).

Step 13: Begin paid advertising (after you’ve earned)

  • Advertising timing:
    • Before: promotion was free.
    • After: start spending on ads.
  • Suggested channel (most effective per speaker):
    • GoogleGroups.com (speaker asserts it works)

Steps 14–16: Create niche travel products + become destination-specific expert

Step 14: Create a “real product” by region

  • Pick a region and go deep using focused mappings like:
    • Hajj/Umrah → Saudi Arabia
    • Europe/Canada → Canada/Europe
    • Thailand, Australia, Italy/Switzerland → focus accordingly
  • Airline + hotel concentration rule:
    • Focus on only 2–3 airlines tied to your destination.
    • Match supplier coverage to those airlines/hotels; avoid too many suppliers.

Step 15: Compliance/licensing split

  • 15A: Hajj/Umrah
    • Apply for the appropriate license after you have “dough” (capital).
  • Other destinations:
    • Build destination packages yourself (don’t rely on “supplier claims”).
    • Avoid trying to cover the entire world end-to-end.

Step 16: Build expertise and protect it from client-driven scope creep

  • Example: If you become expert in Australia, clients may later ask about Thailand.
  • Don’t become expert in everything:
    • “Stick to your product.”
    • Don’t switch destinations because clients ask.

Step 17: Pre-purchasing with hotels/airlines (only when scaled)

  • Idea: pre-buy inventory to get lower rates.
  • Gate conditions per speaker:
    • Wait until income reaches ₹5 lakh/month.
    • Have at least 5 trustworthy/happy employees.
  • Execution consequence:
    • Without team strength, pre-purchasing becomes risky/impractical.

Phase 3 — Build B2B distribution + reduce intermediaries

Step 18: Convert to a transactional selling model (without buying APIs)

  • Use expertise-based sales.
  • Upgrade your site into a transactional website when you already have:
    • Destination/product expertise
    • A website base
  • Avoid buying paid APIs if airlines provide APIs for free.

Step 19: Build your own B2B network (sell “API-like” access)

  • Strategy:
    • Build systems where other agents can buy small access (speaker analogizes to “API selling”).
    • Focus on B2B network revenue.
  • Organizational tactic:
    • Don’t open branches/franchises/separate offices in multiple cities.
    • Instead:
      • Multiply employees and office size, not cities.
      • Use trusted remote representatives (“digital industry” approach).
  • Goal:
    • Keep distribution global without physical expansion overhead.

Step 20: Scale distribution and revenue partnerships

  • If the B2B system works:
    • Build hotel partnerships (or open your own)
    • Seek GSA from airlines
    • Take fixed ticketing commitments from airlines
  • Growth outcome statement:
    • As B2B agents start buying from you, your “name” and opportunities grow.

Key metrics / KPIs and targets explicitly mentioned

  • Monthly earning targets (Phase 1)
    • ₹35,000/month desired KPI after steps 1–8
    • If not reaching ₹30,000/month, speaker advises against starting
  • Income threshold to enable transactional tech
    • Wait until ₹1 lakh/month before buying APIs / fully transactional model
  • Pre-purchasing gate
    • Wait until ₹5 lakh/month and have ≥ 5 employees
  • Agency scale claim (later-stage)
    • “2,300 to 400 agents” mentioned as part of distribution scale

Concrete examples / case references used

  • Historical company examples to justify “you can start now”:
    • Cox & King (started 1758)
    • Fara Travel (started 2021, speaker context: Jan 1, 2025)
    • MakeMyTrip (success example of early-age start)
  • B2B ticketing system examples:
    • Akbar Travels, Riya Travels, Travel Boutique Online (speaker suggests Riya is most reliable)
    • Pakistan: Travel Ustad
  • Visa/product examples:
    • Tourist visa focus: Schengen context via “Shengun”
    • UAE visa: < ₹1,000 acquisition (execution dependent); charge ~₹2,000
    • Speaker note: charging ₹100 for Hajj early is not viable

Presenters / sources mentioned

  • Tourism School (speaker; full name not provided)
  • Company examples referenced (not as endorsements):
    • Cox & King, Fara Travel, MakeMyTrip
  • B2B system providers cited:
    • Akbar Travels, Riya Travels, Travel Boutique Online, Travel Ustad
  • CRS/GDS cited:
    • Galileo, Amey US
  • Advertising platform cited:
    • GoogleGroups.com

Original video