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A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Start an Online Travel Agency (OTA)

Building a new online travel agency (OTA) can be an exciting and rewarding business venture. While starting an OTA can be an attractive opportunity, it also involves significant challenges and competition.

To succeed in this industry, it’s essential to conduct thorough market research, develop a strong business plan, and focus on providing exceptional customer experiences and unique value propositions. In this article, you will find all the information you need to start an online travel agency.

Boost your travel business with the right technology

You will learn:, state of travel industry in 2024, key travel trends and technologies, customer experience with ai and ar, automation and efficiency in travel business, strategic technology investments, what is an online travel agency (ota), business benefits of starting an online travel agency, key steps to start your online travel agency, difference between an online travel agency, a channel manager and a property management system, what is a travel search engine, a travel booking engine and a metasearch engine, the role of a global distribution network (gds).

• Key statistics on online travel agencies
• Fees and commissions between an online travel agency, a channel manager and a hotel

Latest innovations in the online travel agency industry

How to personalize the booking experience for travelers when running an ota, building a travel application or extending your development team.

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An online travel agency (OTA) is an online platform that allows users to search, compare, and book travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. OTAs act as intermediaries between travelers and travel suppliers, such as airlines, hotel chains, and car rental companies.

OTAs offer customers the convenience of planning and booking their trips online, often providing competitive pricing and a wide range of options to choose from. Some well-known examples of OTAs include Booking.com , Expedia, and Agoda.

These platforms typically make money by charging commissions on each booking made through their websites or apps. OTAs have become increasingly popular in the travel industry, as they simplify the booking process for consumers and help travel suppliers reach a broader audience.

The market of online travel agencies offers several advantages and opportunities:

Growing market

The travel industry has been expanding rapidly in recent years, driven by increasing disposable incomes, globalization, and technological advancements. A new OTA can tap into this growth and cater to the evolving needs of modern travelers.

Niche opportunities

While there are already several large OTAs in the market, there is still ample room for new players focusing on niche markets or offering unique products and services. By targeting specific customer segments or travel experiences, a new OTA can differentiate itself from the competition and build a loyal customer base.

Convenience for customers

OTAs provide a one-stop-shop for travelers, allowing them to search, compare, and book various travel services in a single platform. By starting an OTA, you can offer customers the convenience of planning and booking their trips online, potentially attracting a significant share of the market.

Global audience

Operating an OTA allows you to reach a worldwide audience, expanding your potential customer base and increasing your opportunities for growth.

Flexibility and scalability

An OTA is a largely digital business, making it easier to adapt and scale as the market evolves. You can quickly add new products, services, or partnerships, and expand into new markets or customer segments as needed.

Low overheads

Compared to traditional brick-and-mortar travel agencies, an OTA often has lower overheads, as it doesn’t require physical office space or a large staff. This can result in higher profit margins and increased financial flexibility.

Leverage technology

By starting an OTA, you can take advantage of the latest technology advancements in the travel industry, such as artificial intelligence , machine learning, and big data analytics, to enhance your product offerings, optimize your marketing efforts, and improve customer experience.

Collaboration opportunities

Starting an OTA offers the opportunity to forge strategic partnerships with various travel suppliers, such as airlines, hotels, and tour operators. These collaborations can lead to exclusive deals, improved inventory access, and competitive pricing.

Starting an online travel agency (OTA) can be a rewarding business venture, but it requires careful planning, research, and execution. Here’s a practical guide to help you establish your own OTA:

1. Market research

Conduct thorough market research to understand the current travel trends , competition, and customer preferences in the travel industry. Identify your target audience, their needs, and the niche you want travel company to focus on (e.g., luxury travel, budget travel, adventure travel, etc.).

2. Create a business plan

Develop a comprehensive business plan outlining your goals, target market, competitive analysis, marketing strategy, operational plan, and financial projections. This document will serve as a roadmap for your business and help you secure funding if needed.

3. Legal requirements

Register your travel business, obtain the necessary licenses and permits, and comply with any specific regulations in your region. This may include registering as a travel agent or agency, obtaining insurance, and adhering to consumer protection laws.

4. Establish relationships with suppliers

Build relationships with travel suppliers and businesses such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies, tour operators, and other service providers. You may need to negotiate contracts, commission rates, and access to inventory.

5. Choose a technology platform

Select a suitable technology platform to power your OTA. This may involve purchasing or developing various travel agency software such as a booking engine , custom search engine , hotel inventory management system, travel management solution , integrating with Global Distribution Systems (GDS) or other supplier APIs, and setting up a user-friendly website and mobile app.

6. Design and develop your website and mobile app

Create a visually appealing, easy-to-navigate website and mobile app that showcases your travel agency business plan, products and services. Ensure the platform is mobile-friendly, responsive, and optimized for search engines (SEO).

7. Payment processing

Set up a secure payment processing system to handle online transactions. This may involve partnering with a payment gateway or merchant account provider, and ensuring compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).

8. Marketing and promotion

Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote your OTA and attract customers. This may include search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and public relations efforts.

9. Customer support

Provide excellent customer support to assist travelers with their booking needs, handle inquiries, and resolve any issues. This may involve setting up a dedicated support team, offering multi-channel support (e.g., email, phone, live chat), and providing self-help resources.

10. Monitor and analyze performance

Regularly track and analyze your OTA’s performance using analytics tools and key performance indicators (KPIs). Use this data to identify trends, optimize your marketing efforts, and improve your product offerings.

11. Continuous improvement

Continuously update your travel products, improve your travel website, and mobile app, and refine your marketing strategies based on customer feedback and industry trends.

By following these steps and remaining adaptable to the ever-changing online travel industry here, you can successfully establish and grow your online travel agency.

These travel industry related terms can be confusing. so when discussing how to set up your own OTA, it’s worth looking closely at these terms to understand the differences.

An online travel agency (OTA), channel manager, and property management system (PMS) are distinct components within the online travel business and hospitality industry, each serving a specific purpose:

Online Travel Agency (OTA)

An OTA is a web-based platform that allows customers to search, compare, and book various travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages. OTAs act as intermediaries between travelers and travel suppliers, providing a convenient way for consumers to plan and book their trips. Examples of popular OTAs include Expedia, Booking.com , and Agoda.

Channel Manager

A hotel channel manager is a software solution that enables hotels and accommodation providers to manage their room inventory, rates, and availability across multiple distribution channels (including OTAs, metasearch engines , and direct booking platforms) from a single, centralized interface. The primary function of a channel manager is to simplify and streamline the process of updating room information across various channels, reducing the risk of overbooking or double-booking, and ensuring accurate, real-time data synchronization.

Property Management System (PMS)

A PMS is a software application designed to help hoteliers manage the day-to-day operations of their properties. It typically includes functionalities such as reservation management, yield management , guest check-in and check-out, billing and invoicing, housekeeping management, and reporting. A PMS can also integrate with other systems, such as channel managers and point-of-sale (POS) systems, to enable seamless communication between various aspects of hotel operations.

To sum up, an OTA is a platform for travelers to search and book travel services, a channel manager is a tool for managing room inventory and rates across multiple distribution channels, and a PMS is a system for managing daily hotel operations.

These components often work together to provide a comprehensive solution for managing and optimizing a hotel’s online presence, distribution strategy, and operational efficiency.

[Read also: How to Start Real Estate Busines ]

Travel search engine, travel booking engine, and metasearch engine are distinct terms used in the travel industry, each referring to a different type of online platform or tool:

Travel Search Engine

A travel search engine is an online platform that allows users to search for travel-related information, such as flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages. These search engines typically crawl and index travel websites, aggregating relevant data for users to browse and compare. However, they may not offer the ability to make bookings directly on their platform. Instead, they often direct users to the respective travel suppliers’ websites or other booking platforms to complete the reservation process. Examples of travel search engines include Kayak and Skyscanner.

Travel Booking Engine

A travel booking engine is an online platform or software application that enables users to search, compare, and book travel services directly on the platform. It is typically integrated with various travel suppliers’ inventory systems or Global Distribution Systems (GDS) to provide real-time availability and pricing information. Travel booking engines can be found on travel suppliers’ websites (e.g., airline or hotel websites) or on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia and Booking.com .

Metasearch Engine

A metasearch engine is a specialized type of search engine that aggregates information from multiple travel booking platforms or OTAs, enabling users to compare prices and availability for flights, hotels, and other travel services in one place. Unlike a regular travel search engine, a metasearch engine focuses on collating information specifically from booking platforms and often allows users to book directly through their site or redirects them to the appropriate booking platform to complete their reservation. Examples of travel metasearch engines include Google Flights, Trivago, and TripAdvisor.

Again, let’s recap mentioned terms. A travel search engine helps users find travel-related information by crawling various sources, a travel booking engine facilitates the booking process on a platform, and a metasearch engine aggregates data from multiple booking platforms to enable users to compare prices and availability more easily.

A Global Distribution System (GDS) plays a crucial role in the travel industry as a centralized network that connects travel service providers, such as airlines, hotels, and car rental companies, with travel agencies and consumers. It facilitates real-time inventory management, pricing, and booking of travel services, making the process more efficient and streamlined for all parties involved.

The key roles of a Global Distribution System include:

Inventory management

GDSs store and manage inventory data from various travel service providers, including seat availability on flights, room availability in hotels, and available rental cars. This centralized inventory management enables service providers to update their availability and pricing information in real time, ensuring accurate data for their travel agents, agencies and customers.

Distribution

GDSs act as intermediaries between travel service providers and travel agencies (both online and offline), allowing the agencies to access and book inventory from multiple providers through a single, consolidated platform. This broadens the reach of service providers and simplifies the booking process for travel agencies.

Booking and reservation

GDSs enable travel agencies and consumers to search, compare, and book travel services seamlessly. They provide real-time information on pricing, availability, and booking conditions, allowing users to make informed decisions and complete reservations efficiently.

Marketing and sales

GDSs offer marketing and sales opportunities for travel service providers, as they can promote their services to a vast network of travel agencies and consumers. They can also implement targeted marketing campaigns and offer special deals or promotions to increase their visibility and sales.

Reporting and data analysis

GDSs provide valuable data and insights on booking trends, customer preferences, and market dynamics. This information helps travel service providers and agencies make data-driven decisions to optimize their offerings, pricing strategies, and marketing efforts.

Some of the major Global Distribution Systems in the market include Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport (Galileo and Worldspan). By connecting travel service providers with travel agencies and consumers, GDSs play an essential role in streamlining the booking process, enhancing the visibility of the host agencies and travel services, and improving the overall efficiency of the travel industry.

Key statistics on Online Travel Agencies

Some key statistics that illustrate the scale and impact of OTAs in the travel industry:

Market size

The global online travel market was valued at around USD 765.34 billion in 2019 and was expected to reach approximately USD 983.39 billion by 2023, according to a report by Statista.

Market share

OTAs account for a significant portion of travel bookings. In the hotel industry, for instance, OTAs were responsible for around 39% of total room bookings in the United States in 2019, as reported by Phocuswright.

Key players

The OTA market is dominated by two major players, Expedia Group (which owns brands such as Expedia, Hotels.com , and Vrbo) and Booking Holdings (which owns brands like Booking.com , Priceline, and Agoda). Combined, these two companies accounted for approximately 70% of the U.S. OTA market share in 2019, according to Phocuswright.

Mobile bookings

Mobile devices have become an increasingly important channel for travel bookings. In 2019, around 38% of OTA bookings were made through mobile devices, as reported by eMarketer. This trend is expected to continue as more consumers adopt smartphones and mobile booking apps.

Growth drivers

Some of the key factors driving the growth of the OTA market include increasing internet penetration, rising disposable incomes, and a growing preference among consumers for online booking platforms due to their convenience, pricing transparency, and extensive range of options.

Customer demographics

Millennials and Gen Z travelers are more likely to use OTAs for travel planning and booking, as they tend to be more tech-savvy and value the convenience, choice, and comparison capabilities offered by these platforms.

Fees and comissions between an online travel agency, a channel manager and a hotel

The fees and commissions in the travel industry are typically split among the involved parties, including online travel agencies (OTAs), channel managers, and hotels. Here’s a general overview of how fees and commissions may be distributed:

Online Travel Agency (OTA) commissions

OTAs earn revenue by charging a commission on each booking made through their platform. The commission rate can vary depending on the OTA, the market, and the negotiated terms between the OTA and the hotel. Generally, OTA commission rates range between 15% and 25% of the total booking value. This commission is paid by the hotel to the OTA for facilitating the booking and providing access to their customer base.

Channel manager fees

Channel managers usually charge a monthly subscription fee or a per-booking fee for their services. The fees can vary depending on the channel manager, the number of channels being managed, and the level of service required. These fees are paid by the hotel directly to the channel manager for providing the software and services necessary to manage their inventory and rates across multiple distribution channels.

Hotel revenue

Hotels earn revenue from the bookings made through OTAs, minus the OTA commission and any channel manager fees. The net revenue for the hotel depends on factors such as their room rates, occupancy levels, and the efficiency of their revenue management strategies.

[Read also: Guide to Hotel Revenue Management: Best Strategies and Tips ]

How to avoid an overbooking as an online travel agency

As an online travel agency (OTA), avoiding overbooking is crucial for ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining a good reputation.

Here are some strategies to prevent overbooking:

1. Real-time inventory updates

Make sure your platform is integrated with hotels’ property management systems (PMS) or channel managers to receive real-time inventory updates. This ensures that your OTA displays accurate room availability information, minimizing the risk of overbooking.

2. API integration

Establish a robust API connection with hotels’ PMS or channel managers to facilitate seamless data exchange and real-time synchronization of room availability, rates, and other relevant information.

3. Set booking cutoffs

Collaborate with hotels to establish booking cutoffs, such as a certain number of hours before check-in, to minimize the risk of last-minute overbookings that may not be communicated to the hotel in time.

4. Monitor booking trends

Regularly analyze your OTA’s booking data to identify patterns that could lead to overbooking, such as high demand for specific dates or hotel properties. Use this information to adjust inventory allocations and prevent potential overbooking issues.

5. Use a centralized reservation system

Encourage your hotel partners to use a centralized reservation system or a channel manager, which can help manage inventory across all distribution channels more effectively and reduce the risk of overbooking.

5. Overbooking management policies

Develop clear overbooking management policies and procedures in collaboration with your host agency and hotel partners. This may include providing alternative accommodation, compensating the affected guest, or offering incentives for voluntary changes.

By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce the risk of overbooking as an OTA and provide a better experience for your customers. It’s essential to continuously monitor your booking processes and maintain strong relationships with your hotel partners to ensure a seamless and efficient booking experience for your customers.

The Online Travel Agency (OTA) industry has experienced several innovations in recent years. These advancements aim to enhance user experiences, streamline processes, and stay competitive in the evolving digital landscape.

Some of the latest innovations in the OTA industry include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

OTAs are leveraging AI and machine learning algorithms to provide personalized travel recommendations, enhance customer service with chatbots, and optimize pricing strategies based on customer behavior and market trends.

Mobile-first strategies

As more travelers use smartphones to research and book trips, OTAs are focusing on mobile-first strategies, developing responsive websites, and user-friendly mobile apps. They also utilize mobile-specific features, such as push notifications, to engage with customers and provide real-time updates on bookings.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

OTAs are exploring AR and VR technologies to create immersive experiences for customers, allowing them to virtually explore hotels, attractions, and destinations before booking. This can help users make more informed decisions and enhance the overall booking experience.

Blockchain technology

Some OTAs are exploring the potential of blockchain technology for secure, transparent, and efficient transactions. This technology could enable decentralized booking systems, streamline payment processing, and enhance loyalty programs.

Voice search and booking

With the increasing popularity of voice-activated devices, OTAs are developing voice search and booking capabilities to cater to this growing market segment, making it more convenient for users to search for and book travel services using voice commands.

Sustainable and responsible travel options

As the demand for sustainable and responsible travel options grows, OTAs are integrating eco-friendly accommodations and activities into their platforms, allowing users to make more environmentally conscious choices when planning their trips.

Enhanced customer service

OTAs are utilizing AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants to provide instant customer support, address common queries, and assist with bookings. This enables OTAs to provide 24/7 support without significantly increasing operational costs.

Dynamic packaging

OTAs are offering dynamic packaging, which allows customers to create customized travel packages by bundling flights, hotels, car rentals, and other services. This approach provides more flexibility and personalization for users and can increase customer satisfaction.

These innovations are continually evolving as new technologies and market trends emerge.

[Read also: Digital transformation in the travel industry ]

Personalizing the booking experience for travelers can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and conversions. By implementing these personalization strategies, you can create a more engaging and customized booking experience for travelers, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and conversions:

Data collection and analysis

Collect and analyze data on traveler behavior, preferences, and booking history. This can help you understand their needs, interests, and patterns, enabling you to tailor your offerings accordingly.

Personalized recommendations

Use the collected data to provide personalized travel recommendations, such as hotels, destinations, or activities that align with the traveler’s preferences and interests. Machine learning algorithms can further enhance the accuracy of these recommendations.

Tailored offers and promotions

Send targeted offers and promotions based on the traveler’s booking history, preferences, and search patterns. These could include discounts, upgrades, or special packages that cater to their specific interests.

Customized communication

Personalize your communication with travelers by addressing them by name, acknowledging their previous bookings, and offering relevant content based on their preferences. Ensure that the communication is consistent across all channels, including email, social media, and mobile app notifications.

Allow travelers to create customized travel packages by bundling flights, accommodations, car rentals, and activities based on their preferences. This flexibility can enhance their booking experience and lead to higher customer satisfaction.

Personalized user interface

Personalize the user interface on your website or app to display relevant content, offers, and recommendations based on the traveler’s preferences and browsing history. This can make the booking process more efficient and engaging.

Localization

Adapt your website or app to cater to travelers from different regions by offering language options, displaying local currency, and providing region-specific content and recommendations.

Chatbots and virtual assistants

Implement AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants to provide instant, personalized support to travelers. These tools can answer frequently asked questions, help with booking processes, and offer recommendations based on the traveler’s preferences.

Post-booking personalization

Continue personalization efforts after the booking is complete by providing tailored pre-trip information, such as destination guides, travel tips, and itinerary suggestions based on the traveler’s interests.

Collect feedback

Encourage travelers to provide feedback on their booking experience and preferences. Use this feedback to further refine your personalization efforts and enhance the booking experience for future travelers.

Final words

Starting an online travel agency can be a challenging but rewarding venture. By following these practical steps and leveraging the latest technology and industry trends, you can create a successful business that offers personalized and convenient travel experiences to your customers.

Remember to prioritize customer service, stay up-to-date with industry developments, and continuously innovate to stay competitive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

With determination, hard work, and a commitment to excellence, you can turn your dream of starting your own travel business as an online travel agency into a reality.

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Understanding the Online Travel Agency Business: Partners, Building Blocks, How to Grow

• 10 min read
• 3 Sep, 2020
• 1 Comment Share

Online travel agencies are among the youngest players in the travel market. Since their appearance in the 90s, they flipped travel distribution, became hotels’ biggest enemies , and changed how people research, plan, and buy their trips. And they’re not planning to stop with new startups emerging every year and massive businesses growing even more. Having worked with numerous travel businesses , we can boast that we know a thing or two about building and growing a successful online travel agency. Here we will talk about the ins and outs of the industry, from increasing your inventory to getting the right technology and staying ahead of the competition. But let’s start with the basics.

What is an Online Travel Agency? How OTAs work

An Online Travel Agency or OTA is a website (or app) specializing in selling travel services to customers. There are OTAs that offer hotel rooms, flights, rental cars, vacation homes, tours, or all of those at the same time. They basically are distributors for hotels, airlines, and tour companies that profit by taking a fee for each sale. Here’s how it works.

Airline and hotel distribution network. White lines indicate user interaction and blue lines show the movement of data

OTAs are intermediaries between customers and service providers. Travelers can go directly to the hotel’s or airline’s website but around  44 percent of people go to OTAs to compare prices and see the whole pool of options. OTAs compile their rich inventories by connecting to different partners via APIs - pieces of code facilitating the communication between different software systems. Who are those partners? Hotels . There are different ways for hotels and OTAs to connect: via Extranet , a Channel Manager software , or API connecting with hotels’ Central Reservation Systems . Bed banks or wholesalers . These industry players buy hotel rooms in bulk and sell them to OTAs, travel agents, or even airlines. Here’s more info on the largest bed banks and how OTAs can work with them . Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) . These computer networks dominate travel distribution and store inventories, schedules, and fares for all types of services: from hotels to ferries. Sabre, Amadeus and Travelport are the biggest and just about a necessity if you want to sell flight tickets. You can log into GDS terminals manually or set up an API connection. Airlines via NDC connection . This fairly new way of distribution allows airlines to sell their inventory bypassing GDSs. We previously explained how NDC works in detail, but in short, you’ll need a separate software solution. One more partner allows OTAs to promote their propositions - metasearch engines . Websites like Google Flights or Skyscanner aggregate different flight options. For many OTAs, this is the main source of traffic.

Finding the best mix of providers and distributors to keep the prices low and the markup high is the main task for any OTA and how they essentially make a profit. To support that task, an OTA should work like a well-oiled machine. Let's turn our attention to the main elements that help that machine run.

Online Travel Agency building blocks and technology

OTAs are technology-focused businesses. And they appeal to today’s traveler more than traditional travel agents for this exact reason. Most operations in OTAs are automatic, and there are many systems responsible for that. We will cover three mechanisms running in the background of an OTA: its booking and commission engines, and the back office. If you’re a visual learner, watch a series on YouTube from our Travel Technology Competence leader Andrey Chebotarov where he covers all of that. Starting from the customer’s perspective first, let's talk about booking engines - the heart of an OTA that interacts with users on the front and runs all main OTA tasks in the back.

How a booking engine works

A travel booking engine is a software component that processes bookings automatically. That’s just the tip of the iceberg though. In fact, a booking engine is responsible for all the following functions in an OTA.

A booking engine manages search and booking functions on the OTA website

Search rules . A booking engine can be programmed to show search results in a manner that suits you best using search rules. Search rules dictate what products from what suppliers at what price and to what users to show. That and the pricing rules are crucial elements in creating travel personalization . Pricing rules . Many OTAs practice dynamic pricing , meaning that the prices change depending on current demand, competition, season, suppliers, customer acquisition sources, and more. Pricing rules allow you to always choose the most profitable pricing considering all those factors. Booking and ticketing flow . A booking flow is a set of steps leading customers from search to payment. Each supplier has their own booking flow, and your OTA has to adjust to them all, which is a difficult technical and UX task, managed by a booking engine. Note: OTAs can do ticketing only if they’re accredited by IATA. Read how to get IATA accreditation and what the alternatives are in a separate article. This must’ve given you a good enough idea of how the main OTA process - booking - works. Now, let’s talk about the system that helps OTAs generate profit - a commission engine.

How a commission engine works

A commission rules engine is a software component that automatically calculates commission and accordingly - the final price of the booking.

Watch Andrey’s explanation for a detailed look at commission engines

There are two types of commissions used at OTAs - flat fees and adjustable commissions. Flat rates are common but unhelpful for winning the competition. So OTAs write commission rules depending on different factors, namely: Suppliers . If you got a particularly good rate from a supplier, you can set a lower commission, thus making a sale and keeping the margin high. Dates and destinations . You can set a larger commission ahead of high season or a popular event when you know that the demand will go up. Size of a deal . Customers with complex itineraries who bring more revenue than a regular traveler can get a discount. This is often a small price to pay for someone’s satisfaction and loyalty. Traffic source . A common practice is to cut the commission for users on the metasearch website where you’re fighting with competitors for the lowest price, and vice versa - boosting it up for people coming directly to your website. There are tons of factors and their combinations to include in commission rules. To learn the most successful combinations, OTAs can use analytics and tweak rules accordingly, or even automate the engine to always deliver you the best deals. These were two major systems in an OTA, but we also want to briefly cover a few admin processes happening in the background in an OTA’s back office.

What goes into an OTA’s back office

How main modules of the back office interact with each other and the partners

Booking desk . No OTA is fully automated. Many mid- and small-sized ones still rely on over-the-phone or offline bookings, even if customers come from the website. A booking desk is a tool for travel agents to view all bookings on a centralized platform, create custom travel packages, and book using more sophisticated ways, like accessing GDS terminals by hand. Customer relationships and support . Just like with any eCommerce business, it’s typical for an OTA to have a CRM system to keep information about customers. It’s mostly used for marketing, which is the lion’s share of an OTA’s budget. Customer data allows for understanding your client segments better, targeting them with offers they will be interested in, and building trust and loyalty.

Billing and payment processing . The topic of funds settlement often gets confusing, especially considering that the process is different for hotels and airlines, with many extra players joining in. When working with airlines, OTAs use software from industry regulators IATA or ARC . Hotels are often less complicated, but since you mostly get your inventory from third parties, the process requires some smart management and technical finesse. Ideally, all these functions should be automated to allocate your time and human resources to growing the business rather than supporting it. But realistically, you want to automate at least one system to solve the most repetitive tasks.

How to grow an OTA and maintain a competitive edge

There are tons of OTAs in the world and about 70 percent of the market is shared between the two largest players: Expedia Group and Booking Holdings. Expedia Group owns such brands as Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Trivago, and more. And Booking Holdings covers Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, and Rentalcars. You can see the market distribution in detail in this handy infographic . Despite a near oligopoly on the market, travel distribution remains a profitable business to start and run. Today, mid- and small-sized companies have all resources to thrive if they know what OTA success consists of. It’s one or a combination of these three things:

• Niche markets/demographics/regions . The more mainstream an OTA is, the less targeted it can be. Expedia and Booking.com can’t be oriented to every single region of the world, or traveler budget, or specific traveler taste. That’s why having done their research right, smaller businesses can find a niche to serve better than the giants do. Look at hostel-specific OTAs, local websites serving smaller European communities, or OTAs with rare connections to Destination Management Companies .
• Unique user experience . Traveler behavior changes all the time, which means that they have new needs and tastes that need to be satisfied. Tons of travel startups today offer interesting solutions to common problems - some offer subscription travel service, others allow monitoring prices or creating a full itinerary with minimum input from a customer. Unique ideas may take some advanced technological support, but it may benefit in the long run.
• Cheap prices . For 60 percent of travelers , the price remains the most important factor when choosing the itinerary, which means that customers choose a better deal over a brand name. Which is why the main competitive advantage your OTA should have is exclusive prices. Exclusive means previously negotiated with the supplier - not just pulled from the search result of a GDS.

We have a guide to building a marketing and pricing strategy for an OTA , but here are some main points.

Develop your partnerships

Even if you have the most advanced booking engine and a group of skilled agents to close the deals, the customers will leave you for OTAs where the price is simply lower. When connecting to bed banks and GDSs, every agency gets the same list of rooms, flights, and prices, so you have to start by negotiating the best rates with your main suppliers. For example, if your niche is family vacations in Greece, you should research airlines that fly there the most and find a wholesaler with the largest inventory of all-inclusive hotels in the Balkans. You get the idea.

Win the competition on metasearch sites

Skyscanner lists several OTAs with different prices for the same flight

Using acquisition analytics . To know what to promote, you need to know what already performs well and what (and why) doesn’t. The conversion rate is your main indicator that visitors chose a better deal over yours. Learn where it happened by looking at acquisition channels. Using metasearch analytics . Metasearch engines sell reports listing information on their search data, number of competitors (called bidders), and stats sorted by tons of different factors. This is an invaluable source of information to help you better target your offers. Understanding your engines . You will use a few metasearch sites to distribute and they’re rarely the same. Look into their demographics the same way you would consider suppliers.

Advertise and use content marketing

OTAs like Expedia use up to 50 percent of their revenue on marketing. They want to appear on your Facebook feed, remind you about your latest searches in emails, and create viral ads. Trivago’s tagline and pushy sales strategy even birthed a few memes . Get smart with your SEO and landing pages, focusing on keywords that your audience uses in their searches. Deliver useful content that will bring traffic and put you higher on the search page. And use Google ads, which are totally effective if you use specific keywords.

A few final pieces of advice

If you know the right formula and keep iterating, you will succeed. But we won’t lie - there are many challenges in this industry that OTAs face. The coronavirus crisis . The future of the travel industry is still unclear and all players are struggling to stay afloat and find new revenue streams . Joining the market right now is dangerous if you don’t have a strategy for working in the current climate. Some businesses, however, have opportunities to grow - smaller OTAs have a chance to offer more localized travel options to address current customer needs. Here's the take on the future of OTAs by our travel tech competence leader, Andrey:

Invisibility . OTAs should be ready to invest a lot in marketing and promotion. And often, there’s no clear way to what suits your business and customers best. This means analytics that will help you understand what works and what doesn’t are a must. Which brings us to the next point. Technology . Digital distribution thrives on technology. The most successful companies are tech giants with complex booking platforms. Smaller businesses succeed when they have either a digital infrastructure that allows them to work more effectively than competitors or unique customer-facing technology that makes travel shopping better. Whichever route you choose, make sure to invest in great custom technology.

Starting a Travel Business: How to Become a Travel Agent

Briana Morgaine

17 min. read

Updated March 18, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Travel Agency Business Plan Templates

If you’re someone who loves travel, meticulous planning, and helping others have great experiences, consider starting a travel business and becoming a travel agent.

After a sharp drop in international and domestic travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, air travel demand has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Pent-up demand from families who put off trips is driving tourism activity even as fewer travelers cite the pandemic as a major concern. Those tourists are forecast to drive solid long-term growth in the worldwide travel and tourism industry – and plenty of business opportunities for those who can make vacation planning less stressful.

Becoming a travel agent can be fairly inexpensive, as business ventures go, and you can often get away with limited staff and little upfront cost.

That being said, success largely depends on finding the right niche in a fiercely competitive market, given the rise in online direct-to-consumer travel booking sites. So, if you want to be successful, you’ll want to focus a lot of your effort on your market research , branding, and marketing. You’ll need to know who needs your services—your target market—and what they’ll be willing to pay. 

If this sounds right up your alley, keep reading. I’ve interviewed several founders of successful travel agencies for their advice on everything you need to get started, and I’ve also included plenty of links and resources to help you work through the process of starting your own travel business.

• 1. Create a plan for your travel business

Make no mistake: No matter what industry you’re in, a business plan is essential. You may not need a formal business plan if you’re not seeking a loan or investment funding for your business, but don’t skip it. Write a one-page business plan instead.

You can do it in less than an hour. Writing a business plan is scientifically proven to help you grow faster , so don’t skip this step. 

What kind of travel agent are you interested in becoming? If you’re planning to be a home-based travel agent, you’ll want to look into finding a host travel agency where you’ll essentially be an independent contractor. If this is the type of travel business you’d like to start, the business planning process should be fairly straightforward.

However, if you’re looking into starting your own travel business from the ground up, you’ll be looking at a much more lengthy planning process—but you’ll also have more flexibility to build a business that’s all your own.

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A case for starting early

“In starting ADDISON Yacht Charters , we began market analysis and business planning efforts a full year before we launched the company in November 2013,” says owner Scott Bessette.

“During that period, we attended industry events such as regional yacht shows in the Virgin Islands, Antigua, Florida, and Monaco to acquire as full an understanding as possible with regards to what products and services were being delivered to the market, who was delivering those products and services, and who was purchasing those products and services,” he explains.

Starting the planning process early helped Scott hone in on his vision for his business. “In this manner, we determined what our market niche could be, and established whether or not we could compete in the existing market, and what it would take to succeed,” he says.

Scott was able to get a clear sense of where he wanted to take it, and how to tailor his business to best suit the market needs.

What kind of travel agent business plan will you need?

The kind of travel agency business plan you’ll need will vary depending on what kind of funding you’re looking for.

Are you hoping to eventually run a large travel agency, and interested in seeking a loan, or maybe investment from angel investors? You’ll want a formal business plan for a travel agency that contains all the necessary information on your business. Are you more interested in becoming a travel agent using your own savings, without seeking outside investment or loans? A more lightweight one-page plan might be a perfect fit for your business.

Even if you do intend to pitch your business idea to lenders and investors, you can start with a Lean Plan, and flesh out the rest of the info later on.

Whatever your specific reason for writing a business plan for your travel business, the most important thing is that you write one, period. The travel industry is fragmented , and having a clearly defined niche and a plan will help you stand out. Writing a business plan for your travel agency will help you narrow in on what your goals are, and establish a clear, focused vision going forward.

We’ve covered nearly every aspect of writing a business plan here on Bplans, so be sure to check out the links below when you’re ready to get started. We also have several travel industry business sample plans, which will give you an idea of what your business plan should look like.

Resources to help you create a business plan for a travel agency:

• How to Write a Business Plan
• Travel Agency Sample Business Plan
• 2. Conduct market research and find your niche

What kind of travel agency do you plan on starting? Moreover, what kind of travel business does the industry or your local community actually need?

“When you launch a travel business, the most important thing to do is to provide a valuable service,” says Jacquie Whitt, owner of Adios Adventure Travel .

This means doing some market research to find out what kind of travel agent or travel business the market really needs. Is there a niche you can fill? Maybe there’s an opening in the travel market to provide destination adventure honeymoons for young couples who would rather go backpacking than relax on the beach. Think about the people in your local community too—do they need something specific?

“In a saturated luxury travel market, Urbane Nomads had to distinguish itself from more seasoned players from the get-go,” says founder Hajar Ali. “The dual elements of adventure and luxury was an unexplored niche which we filled very well.”

Hajar says of Urbane Nomads: “It was conceived as the kind of travel company that would remain relevant in the age where most travel-related bookings are made online. We specialize in the sort of experiences that can’t be booked online—adventurous trips to non-mainstream destinations, lodges that can’t be booked online—or indeed, by non-travel professionals—and special experiences and access to personalities that would have been impossible without the personal connections.”

What niche are you filling? Start by researching the travel market in general. Find out who the major players are that you’ll be competing against, determine who your ideal customer is, and define what they want.

Resources to help you do market research and determine your niche:

• Practical Market Research Resources for Entrepreneurs
• How to Do Market Research
• How to Create a Unique Value Proposition
• How a Buyer (or User) Persona Can Improve Your Business
• What Is Target Marketing?
• 3. Develop a brand as a travel agent

Once you’ve determined what the market looks like and what specific niche you’ll be filling, it’s important to get down to the nitty-gritty of creating a strong brand image .

As the travel industry is so competitive, having a well-developed brand will help your business stand out. How do you want your customers to feel when they visit your website, view your advertising, or use your services?

Lorne Blyth, Founder and Director of Flavours Holidays, had a very specific vision for her brand. “[At Flavours Holidays], we have been specializing in cooking, Pilates, painting, photography, and language holidays in Italy since 1998,” she says. Lorne’s vision was to create a brand that “gave guests a true taste of Italy.”

“I use that as part of my branding, as we would like to perceive ourselves as being experts on all things Italy,” says Lorne. “That is why our tagline is ‘Passionate, Inspiring, Authentic.’”

Why should customers use your services, rather than just book a trip themselves? What experience can you provide that others can’t?

Do you offer unique services, such as partnerships with the locals of your travel destinations, that customers wouldn’t have access to otherwise? Is your selling point the ease of having someone else plan your trip for you, down to the last detail? Are you all about personal touches and a great customer service experience?

This is the first step to determining your travel business’s brand strategy— determining who you are. We’ve gone in-depth on how to build a memorable brand for your business, so check out the articles below for more information on branding.

Resources to help you brand your travel business:

• The Definitive Guide to Building a Brand
• Your Brand’s Tone of Voice: Why It Matters and How to Craft It
• 4. Deal with the legal side

A travel business is, for the most part, a fairly simple one to set up. Unlike starting a brewery or starting a dispensary , there isn’t a lot of legal red tape when it comes to becoming a travel agent and starting a travel business. 

Determining if you’ll require licensing

In most locations, you won’t need any specific licenses or certifications, but licensing requirements will vary by state and country.

For the U.S. in general, there is no specific license needed to start a travel business; however, state laws vary . In California, Washington, Hawaii, Iowa, and Florida, you’ll need a Seller of Travel license. Canada also has licensing requirements that vary by location, and in the U.K., you’ll need an Air Travel Organiser’s License .

Choosing the structure of your travel business

Beyond specific licenses, there are general licenses that you’ll need before you start any type of business.

First off, choose your business structure . Scott Bessette, owner of ADDISON Yacht Charters, started his travel agency as an LLC , which he says suited his business needs. “Before we considered starting our agency, we determined that a Limited Liability Company was the appropriate structure for what we were trying to achieve.”

Why was an LLC the best choice? “We had no intention of going public, or having to secure formal investment,” he says. “Further, we had a very simple organization structure, so ease of governance and compliance drove our choice of corporate structure.”

However, the business structure you choose will depend largely on your plans for your business, and how you intend to fund it. If for example, you plan to seek outside investment, you may want to look into starting your business as a corporation .

Naming your business and applying for a Federal Tax ID number

You’ll also want to formally name your business (even if it’s just you, becoming a travel agent!), which involves filing a DBA , or a “doing business as.” You’ll also need to apply for a Federal Tax ID number , otherwise known as a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN or FEIN). We’ve covered these topics in plenty of detail, so be sure to check out the links.

Scott also adds that setting up the legal end of things was fairly simple.

“Establishing the legal and licensing requirements was one of the easiest aspects of starting the business,” he explains. “All said, conception and gestation of ADDISON Yacht Charters was long-term, but she was born after only two days of hard labor.”

Resources to help you determine the legal structure and name for your business, as well as other legal considerations:

• The Complete Guide to Choosing Your Business Structure
• The Complete Guide to Registering Your Business Name
• Resources and Tools to Help You Name Your Business
• How to Apply for a Federal Tax ID Number
• How and Where to Obtain Business Licenses and Permits
• Keep Your Startup Safe from Legal Trouble
• 5. Determine your funding strategy

How do you plan to fund your new travel business?

Luckily, your starting costs should be fairly low: You won’t have expensive equipment to buy, and you probably won’t need extensive space in the beginning. If you’re hoping to become a travel agent working out of your own home, you may not even need office space at all. 

However, be sure to have a plan in place for how you will obtain funding. You’ll need funds for marketing materials at the very least; both online, such as your business website , and offline, such as flyers, posters, business cards, and more . Your initial funding budget will also likely go toward any branding or advertising, and you may eventually also decide to rent office space and hire employees, which is a fairly large expense.

Unlike many businesses, there isn’t one tried-and-true path for funding a travel business. From personal funds to venture capital funding, it’s all a possibility.

Many travel agencies are self-funded since they have low initial overhead and can be started fairly easily (though face stiff competition to stand out). “I didn’t get any funding at all, apart from $2,000 borrowed from my dad for the website,” says Brady Hedlund, founder of Life Before Work.

Looking into loans and a line of credit is also a good first move. “We developed banking and relationships with firm lines of credit and support, to ensure that as we started to deliver, funds were available to spend before the client paid the bill,” says Scott of ADDISON Yacht Charters. “ Cash flow is critical to the appearance of a business’s success.”

However, when it comes to financing your travel business, angel investment, and even venture capital funding isn’t completely out of the question. “We formed an LLC to start Project Expedition and closed a $300k seed round in January 2015 to help drive the development of our MVP (minimum viable product),” explains founder Jeremy Clement.

Don Halbert, owner of Costa Rica Vacations , also funded his travel agency through venture capital. “Funding for this venture came from a venture capital company which would later become one of our primary partners,” he explains.

Resources to help you with the funding process:

• How to Get Your Business Funded
• 35 Great Ways to Fund A Small Business
• What Do Venture Capital Firms Want?
• 10 Tips for Finding Venture Funding
• 6. Choose a location and hire employees

Next, you’ll want to make a plan for the logistics of opening your travel business to the public. If you’re starting a travel agency and require office space, this section will likely be more relevant than if you plan to work as a travel agent out of your home. 

How many employees will you need to hire? You may not need any to start, until you decide to expand your operations.

You might also want to look into remote employees , suggests Mike Liverton, CEO and founder of Leavetown Vacations . “While many company employees live and work as home-based ‘Destination Experts,’ our main headquarters are downtown Vancouver,” he says.

Additionally, you’ll want to determine your business location . While foot traffic will likely not be a primary motivator in choosing a business location, you’ll want to pick somewhere that accommodates your space needs as well as reflects your desired brand image.

However, as with employees, you’ll find that a physical location isn’t always an absolute necessity. “We have never booked a client from our hometown,” says Scott.

“We’re a 24/7 business, that cannot be limited to when I am in the office, or more importantly, marginalized when I am not,” he explains. “The ADDISON staff has families, conflicts, and important events in their lives. We constructed and positioned our business to be virtual in nature; to be operational anywhere, anytime. I’ve conducted business from Europe, the Caribbean, from multiple states, and during my children’s sporting events.”

“We didn’t choose our business location, we chose a virtual location,” he adds. Whether or not you choose to go this route will depend on your specific niche and brand; however, it’s certainly an option to consider.

Resources to help you set up your travel business and hire employees:

• How to Choose a Business Location
• 13 Out of the Ordinary Ways to Find the Perfect Business Location
• How to Hire Your First Employee
• A Comprehensive Guide to Creating a Business Website
• 7. Market and launch your travel business

Marketing will likely be where the majority of your initial funding budget goes, as it’s an important area to focus on when becoming a travel agent and starting a travel business. In fact, it’s a good idea to come up with a marketing plan as soon as possible.

For Don, the idea that you must spend money to make money drove the marketing strategy behind Costa Rica Vacations.

“Our ‘lesson learned’ in starting up our agency was primarily the realization that your Google Adwords budget can single-handedly determine your success when starting out in this normally competitive market,” he says.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that all your advertising efforts should revolve around paid advertising, however. Plenty of your focus should go into social media marketing and guerrilla marketing tactics.

“I started out eight years ago running backpacking trips to Thailand, advertising using only lean, guerrilla marketing tactics,” says Brady Hedlund of Life Before Work. “I created an itinerary and website and hit the streets of western Canada to promote my new company.” Since his target demographic was 18-30-year-olds looking for an ‘adventure party tour,’ he went to university campuses and handed out flyers and posted signs advertising his travel agency.

“I didn’t get a single call for over a year,” he explains. “I honestly had no idea what I was doing at the time, but eventually, the business picked up and began to grow at an exponential rate. Flash forward eight years, and we now have a team of 35 full-time staff operating in 18 countries.”

Your marketing strategy will, as with all aspects of starting a travel business, be largely dependent on your specific niche, the demographic you are after, your budget, and your bandwidth as a business. That being said, combining both paid advertising with other guerrilla tactics (both online and offline) will likely serve you well.

Resources to help you market and launch your travel business:

• How to Write an Effective Marketing Plan
• 20 Marketing Tools Every Small Business Owner Should Try
• A Beginner’s Guide to Google AdWords for Small Business
• How to Have the Best Opening Day Ever
• Words of advice: Final tips from entrepreneurs who have started successful travel businesses
• “We searched for quite some time to find an underwriter that would provide us with general liability insurance, due to the amount of risks involved in adventure travel…This is a tricky product when it comes to insurance, but it’s obviously a very important piece of the pie.” – Brady Hedlund, Life Before Work
• “From the beginning, I have built up relationships with various individuals in Italy to help recruit staff for the villas used during our vacations. This varies from local cooks to tour guides to drivers. The little touches along the way, from booking flights for guests to getting the transport back to the airport, all adds up as every little bit helps to create the perfect experience for my guests.” – Lorne Blyth, Flavours Holidays
• “It’s important that your business partners share your values. I work with people in South America who are now my friends. We’re not in it for the money; we enjoy our jobs and if we can ‘eke’ out a living, all the better.” – Jacquie Whitt, Adios Adventure Travel

Business plan template and travel agency resources 

By now it should be clear that starting a travel agency requires a strategic approach and lots of planning. But don’t worry if it feels overwhelming. At Bplans, we have a full library of business planning resources to help you get started. You can browse through our free collection of over 500 real business plan examples , or download our free business plan template to help your travel business take flight. 

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Bri Morgaine is a seasoned content marketing leader with a decade of experience in copy editing, social media operations, and content strategy— having honed her skills at industry giants like Palo Alto Software and Andreessen Horowitz.

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7 Steps to Start an Online Travel Agency Business

We live in the startup era, where budding entrepreneurs are passionate about turning their dream project into a lucrative business. Launching a travel agency business can be equally rewarding and intimidating in this booming entrepreneurial era. According to a study, 71% of businesses fail within 10 years of their operation. Turning your business idea into a travel company and getting it off the ground might seem challenging. But it would be best to start with proper planning, make appropriate financial and legal decisions, and much more to keep it operational.   

Online travel agencies or OTAs are the most dominant players in the travel market, with a share of $561 billion in 2021. OTAs are one-stop-shop to search and book everything from flights and accommodations to excursions, making it hassle-free for travelers to book for their upcoming trips. A new research by Statista predicts that by 2025, the OTA market is expected to reach $833.5 billion.   

7 Steps to Start an Online Travel Agency Business  

Owning an OTA business in 2022 is lucrative as 81% of travelers heavily rely on OTAs to search and book for their upcoming trips. Let’s now dive into the top 7 steps that you need to take to start your travel agency business. This post can be a blueprint for launching your online travel agency.  

1. Develop a Business Plan  

Your online travel agency business plan will be a roadmap for establishing your idea. The document will showcase every aspect of your business- company goals, vision, business strategy, financial plan, products or services, your target audience, marketing strategy and strategic partners: These can be suppliers and tech as well.   Developing a business plan will keep you on track with your vision. Also, to stay competitive in the constantly evolving travel market, you need to revise your business plan constantly.  

 2. Identify your Niche Market 

Since the travel industry is highly dynamic and competitive, you need to identify and choose which travel market do you want to target. Start with market research to understand your potential customer needs. In this step, you must focus on:  

• Target audience travel behavior and preference  
• Types of travel products such as hotels, flights, excursions, cruises, etc. to sell  
• Finding niche travel markets  

Why is it essential to find your niche to start an OTA business?   

Well, the competition is fierce with brands like Booking.com, Tripadvisor, Kayak, Expedia, and much more. You need to stand out and compete efficiently in the travel market. And this can be possible by being an expert in your niche and answering every trip-related question the modern traveler asks.  

According to a research some of the booming travel niches that your business can dive into are:  

• Adventure travel  
• Healthcare tourism  
• Eco-friendly or sustainable tourism  
• Gastronomy tourism  
• Wellness and spiritual tourism  
• Heritage and cultural tourism   

Recommended: Five Ways World Travel And Tourism Industry Digitalizing Journeys

3. Find the Right Mix of Partners and Inventory Suppliers

The next step is to develop fortifying partnerships that can help your business grow. During the early stage of your startup, you need to work with multiple suppliers or providers to sell your travel products and make money through commissions.  

Let’s say your niche is heritage and cultural tourism in Italy. To sell your travel products and grow effectively, you must connect with a wholesaler with the largest hotel inventory, airlines, and other travel services. Talk to various providers, suppliers, compare their prices, services, and the commissions you might earn and then decide on the partnership.

4. Organize your Tech Platform 

With a business plan, niche and partners in place, it’s time to build a technology platform. Focus on these five main tech platforms:  

• Search engine for customers to book   
• Booking engine for automation of OTA workflow  
• Back office for business operations  
• Commission engine   
• Recommendation engine to enhance customer experience  

It is difficult to work independently, and that’s why it’s ideal to integrate booking engine and other third-party APIs (flight search, hotel booking by suppliers, NDC, hotel mapping , car rental booking, payment gateways, CRMs) to your website for a hassle-free user experience. 

5. Register your Online Travel Agency Business

This is a crucial part of your business. With major tasks off your plate, it’s time to make your travel business legal by registering with the government.  

Here is the checklist to do so:      

• Choose your business name  
• Apply for licenses and permits as per your local laws    
• Apply for business insurance    

Invest in accounting software   

6. gain accreditation.

Accreditation will make your travel agency business credible. Obtain accreditation from IATA, ARC or any other reputed travel organization, contracts from GDS . This accreditation will review your industry experience, finances and even provide training and support to flourish successfully.  

Recommended: How Can IATA Travel Pass Help Countries Reopen Borders?

7. Financial Plan  

To successfully start your online travel business, you will need sufficient capital.   

There are different ways of funding capital. Some of them are:  

• Personal savings  
• Credit cards  
• Money from family and friends   
• Venture capital  
• Angel investors  
• Crowdfunding  
• Small business loans and grants  

A combination of these funding sources can help you get off the ground. To secure this capital, you need to have a financial plan of how much money you need to raise and how your business will make a profit.   

You are now set to take off your online travel agency business with these essential steps. It can be daunting initially, and your startup might have roadblocks, but stay dedicated and remember these steps to start and grow your new business seamlessly.  

About Vervotech:

Vervotech is a leading Hotel Mapping and Room Mapping API that leverages the power of AI and ML to quickly and accurately identify each property listing through the verification of multiple parameters. With one of the industry’s best coverage of 98% and an accuracy of 99.999%, Vervotech is quickly becoming the mapping software of choice for all leading global companies operating in the travel and hospitality industry. To learn more about Vervotech and the ways it can enhance your business in the long run contact us: [email protected]

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REFERRAL PARTNER AGREEMENT

THIS REFERRAL FORM EXECUTED BY REFERRAL PARTNER WITH COMPANY AND BETWEEN VERVOTECH SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED, HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT FIRST FLOOR, FLAT NO. 101, E BUILDING, RICH WOODS, PLOT NO. 150, SECTOR 11, PCNTDA, CHIKHALI, PIMPRI CHINCHWAD, PUNE, MAHARASHTRA, 411019, IN, (“THE COMPANY”) AND YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL REFERRAL PARTNER OR ANY SOLE PROPREITOR, PARTNERSHIP, LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP, PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY OR PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY OR ANY OTHER BUSINESS ENTITY EXECUTING THE REFERRAL FORM (“THE REFERRAL PARTNER”) IS GOVERNED UNDER THE TERMS OF THIS REFERRAL PARTNER AGREEMENT (“AGREEMENT”). PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY. BY CLICKING “ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO” REFERRAL PARTNER AGREES TO THE AGREEMENT APPLICABLE TO THE REFERRAL FORM.

REFERRAL PARTNER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS READ THIS AGREEMENT, UNDERSTANDS IT, AND AGREES TO BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS, AND IF THE REFERRAL PARTNER IS A PERSON WHO IS SIGNING ON ITS BEHALF HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO DO SO AND THE COMPANY DOES NOT HAVE ANY LIABILITY TOWARDS VERIFYING THE AUTHORITY OF THE PERSON WHO HAS SIGNED THE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE REFERRAL PARTNER.

APPOINTMENT REFERRALS

Appointment. Company hereby appoints Referral Partner, and Referral Partner hereby accepts such appointment, as Company’s non-exclusive referral partner for the marketing and promotion of Services and the referral of leads for the sale of Services, as further set forth in this Agreement.

Scope of Authority Referral Partner's sole authority shall be to (a) market and promote Services as set forth in this Agreement, and (b) provide sales leads to Company for Company to contact in its sole discretion. The Parties agree that Company will directly enter into agreements with customers for the provision of Services to such customers.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE REFERRAL PARTNER

Prior to undertaking any solicitation efforts of a prospective customer or client ("Prospect”) relating to the services or products or offerings of the Company as set out at https://vervotech.com/vervotech-affiliate-program ("Services”), Referral Partner shall submit a referral form, in a format shared by the Company ("Referral Form”), for written approval of the Company. The Referral Partner agrees to provide the necessary information, data and materials as may be requested by Company in respect of the Prospect. Referral Partner shall fill out a Referral Form and shall provide Company with the names of the Prospect to which Referral Partner intends to refer to the Services). If the Prospect is a large business entity, Referral Partner shall specify the name of division of such large entity in the customer list.

If a Prospect is approved by Company as a potential customer, Company will confirm such acceptance or rejection of such Prospect in writing via email to Referral Partner (“Referral Date”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Company will be entitled to accept or reject a Prospect at its own discretion, without providing any justifications or reasons in relation to the same. For the avoidance of doubt, Company reserves the right to decline to enter into a transaction with any prospect for lack of creditworthiness or for any other reason. Prospect which are not approved by Company are considered out of scope of Referral Fee. In the event Company does not notify Referral Partner of acceptance of the Prospect, it shall be deemed to be rejected.

In case Company notifies Referral Partner of its approval of a Prospect, the Referral Partner will provide assistance to the Company in establishing contact between the Prospect and the appropriate contact at Company, without any additional costs.

If the foregoing activities result in the Prospect entering into and executing a formal customer agreement with Company (hereinafter, a “Qualifying Transaction”), Referral Partner shall be entitled to a Referral Fee subject to receipt of amount invoiced to the customer for sale of Services through Qualifying Transaction (hereinafter, a “Qualified Sale”) and subject to the other conditions set forth under this Agreement; provided, however, that such Qualifying Transaction is consummated no later than six (6) months following the Referral Date.

A Prospect may not qualify as such, if, as on the Referral Date: (a) it is an existing customer of Company; (b) it has previously been contacted by Company, Company’ s affiliates or any other agent, reseller, vendor who markets Company’ s products and services; (c) it has previously been introduced or referred to Company as a potential prospect by a third party or (d) it is parent, subsidiary or affiliate of Company.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE REFERRAL PARTNER

Limited Authority Referral Partner will make no representations, warranties or guarantees on behalf of Company. Referral Partner has no authority to distribute or resell Services, or to make any commitments, agreements, or to incur any liabilities whatsoever on behalf of Company. Company will not be liable for any acts, omissions to act, contracts, commitments, promises or representations made by Referral Partner hereto. Referral Partner's activities under this Agreement shall be at its own cost and risk. Referral Partner shall not, without prior approval from Company, submit proposals, accept orders, negotiate and conclude contracts, and/or alter, vary or modify in any manner any of the terms and conditions of Company' s offer/ proposal / contract.

Assistance. Referral Partner shall make best efforts in performance of its responsibilities under the Agreement and provide reasonable support to Company.

Quarterly Meetings. Referral Partner agrees to meet, either in person or via teleconference, no less frequently than once every calendar quarter to discuss the status of the relationship contemplated herein and emerging opportunities and as directed by Company from time to time.

Training. Company shall have no obligations to provide the Referral Partner any training regarding the Services. Upon request of Referral Partner and in case the Referral Partner is an organization, Company shall make good faith efforts to provide sales training focused on the marketing and promotion of Services to Referral Partner employees, at REFERRAL PARTNER’s own cost.

Subcontracting. Referral Partner shall not subcontract any of its obligations under this Agreement.

Competing Products and Business Practices. During the term of this Agreement, Referral Partner shall promptly inform Company of Referral Partner promotion, marketing, or distribution of any product or service offering similar functionality to Services. Referral Partner (a) shall conduct its business under this Agreement in a manner that reflects favorably upon Company, Services, and Company's goodwill and reputation, (b) shall not engage in illegal, deceptive, misleading, or unethical trade practices, and (c) shall not, and shall not permit any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or any of its or their respective directors, officers, managers, employees, independent contractors, representatives, or agents to, promise, authorize, or make any payment, or otherwise contribute any item of value, directly or indirectly, to any third party and in each case, in violation of the applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law.

Data Protection and Privacy. In the performance of the services set forth herein Referral Partner may receive or have access to personal data of the Company and its personnel. Referral Partner agrees to comply with the terms set forth in this Agreement, in its collection, receipt, transmission, storage, disposal, use and disclosure of such personal data. Referral Partner agrees to ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, including but not limited to laws, rules and regulations related to personal data protection and data privacy. To the extent the Referral Partner will share any personal data with the Company, the Referral Partner shall be responsible for obtaining informed consent from such individuals for the processing of their personal data. The Referral Partner agrees to take all necessary steps to ensure compliance, including but not limited to executing appropriate contractual agreements as may be necessary as per applicable laws.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Representations and Warranties. Referral Partner represents and warrants that (a) it has the full corporate right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder, (b) the execution of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations hereunder does not and will not conflict with or result in a breach (including with the passage of time) of any other agreement to which it is a party, and (c) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Party and constitutes the valid and binding agreement of such Party, enforceable against such Party in accordance with its terms. Referral Partner further represents and warrants that it shall comply with all applicable data privacy laws while performing its obligations under the Agreement, and that it has all rights necessary to provide the Referral Form to Company for Company’s use pursuant to this Agreement. Referral Partner specifically represents and warrants that it has procured from all data subjects whose personal information it is disclosing to Company an explicit consent to disclose their personal information to Company for use in contacting them for marketing and/or other business purposes.

GENERAL DISCLAIMERS- EACH OF COMPANY AND REFERRAL PARTNER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT, IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN, IT HAS NOT RELIED UPON ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND THAT NEITHER PARTY HAS MADE ANY REPRESENTATIONS, ASSURANCES, OR PROMISES THAT COMPANY WILL RECEIVE ANY NEW REFERRED CUSTOMERS OR NEW BUSINESS OR THAT REFERRAL PARTNER WILL RECEIVE ANY REFERRAL FEES AS A RESULT OF THIS AGREEMENT. COMPANY DISCLAIMS ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES REGARDING THE SERVICES, WHICH ARE PROVIDED AS-IS, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, ORAL OR IN WRITING, ARISING UNDER ANY LAWS, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO ERROR-FREE OPERATION, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

In consideration of the Services provided by the Referral Partner in accordance with the Agreement, Company will pay to the Referral Partner as per the Referral Fee specified below, which shall be Company’ s sole payment obligation.

Referral Fee: For any invoices issued pursuant to Qualified Sales received by Company from customer during the referral period, Company shall pay Referral Partner a Referral Fee as per the % (mentioned on the referral Page) of the amount actually collected by Company from customer as a one-time Referral Fee.

Company shall make payment of undisputed invoice raised by Referral Partner within Sixty (60) days of the date of Company' invoice to customer for the Qualified Sales.

Company shall not pay or reimburse Referral Partner for any expenses related to this Agreement, unless expressly agreed to by Company in writing, before such expenses were incurred.

Limitation on Referral Fee:

Company will not pay more than one (1) Referral Fee in connection with any given Qualified Sales.

Referral Partner will receive the Referral Fee only as one-time fee.

Referral Partner will not be entitled to receive any Referral Fees for any subsequent services which are beyond the first transaction.

A renewal of a Qualified Sale shall not be considered a new Qualifying Transaction and shall not entitle Referral Partner to any Referral Fee.

Referral Fee shall be paid only when the actual invoicing amount have been collected from Qualified Sales. Referral Partner shall not be entitled to receive payment of Referral Fees for Qualifying Transactions remaining unpaid.

LICENSES AND OWNERSHIP

Company Marks. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and solely for the purposes hereof, Company grants to Referral Partner a non-transferable, non-exclusive license, without right of sublicense, to use the Company trademarks, service marks, and logos as approved by Company (the “Company Marks”) to perform its obligations set forth in this Agreement. The use of all Company Marks, including placement and sizing, shall be subject to Company’s then-current trademark use guidelines, if any, provided by the Company. If the Company Marks become, or in Company’s opinion are likely to become, the subject of an infringement claim, Company may at its option modify or replace the Company Marks and require Referral Partner to cease use of the allegedly infringing Company Marks. Referral Partner shall promptly provide Company with samples of all materials that use the Company Marks for Company’s quality control purposes. If, in Company’s discretion, the Referral Partner’s use of the Company Marks does not meet Company’s then-current trademark usage policy, Company may, at its option, require Referral Partner to revise such material and re-submit it under this Section prior to display, or release of further materials bearing or containing such Company Marks. Except for the right to use the Company Marks set forth above, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to grant to Referral Partner any right, title or interest in or to the Company Marks, and all right, title, and interest in and to the Company Marks shall be retained by Company. Referral Partner acknowledges that Company asserts its exclusive ownership of the Company Marks and the renown of the Company Marks worldwide. Referral Partner shall not take any action inconsistent with such ownership and further agrees to take all actions that Company reasonably requests to establish and preserve its exclusive rights in and to the Company Marks. Referral Partner shall not adopt, use, or attempt to register any trademarks or trade names that are confusingly similar to the Company Marks or in such a way as to create combination marks with the Company Marks.

Company Materials. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and solely for the purposes hereof, Company grants to Referral Partner a non-transferable, non-exclusive license, without right of sublicense, to distribute the Company Materials exactly as provided to Referral Partner by Company to perform Referral Partner’s obligations under this Agreement.

Ownership. As between Referral Partner and Company, Company retains all right, title, and interest to (a) the Company Marks, (b) the Services, any of its products, material or pre-existing intellectual property rights (c) the high-level description of the Company Products and the Company Materials, and (d) all Intellectual Property Rights related to any of the foregoing. There are no implied licenses under this Agreement.

No Intellectual Property Rights. Parties agree that no intellectual property rights are conceived or developed under this Agreement. If any intellectual property rights are conceived or developed, the intellectual property rights will vest with Company, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

CONFIDENTIALITY

In connection with this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means all data and information of a confidential nature of Company disclosed by Company to the Referral Partner under this Agreement, as well as information that Referral Partner knows or reasonably should know that the Company regards as confidential, including business practices, software, technical information, future product/services plans, programming/design techniques or plans, know-how, trade secrets, prospects, customers, end users suppliers, development plans or projects, and services. Confidential Information may be communicated orally, in writing, or in any other recorded or tangible form.

Confidentiality. Referral Partner shall maintain in confidence all Confidential Information disclosed to it by the Company. Referral Partner shall not use for any purpose outside the scope of this Agreement, or disclose to any third party such Confidential Information except as expressly authorized by this Agreement. To the extent that disclosure is authorized by this Agreement, the Referral Partner shall obtain prior agreement from its employees, contractors, agents, and consultants to whom disclosure is to be made to hold in confidence and not make use of such information for any purpose other than those permitted by this Agreement. Referral Partner shall use at least the same standard of care as it uses to protect its own most confidential information (and in no event less than reasonable care) to ensure that such employees, contractors, agents, and consultants do not disclose or make any unauthorized use of such Confidential Information. Referral Partner shall promptly notify the other upon discovery of any unauthorized use or disclosure of the Confidential Information. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the obligations set forth in this section 7 shall survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement for perpetuity.

Exceptions. The obligations of confidentiality contained in this section 7 shall not apply to the extent that it can be established by the Referral Partner by competent proof that such Confidential Information:

was already known to the Referral Partner, other than under an obligation of confidentiality, at the time of disclosure by the Company;

was generally available to the public or was otherwise part of the public domain at the time of its disclosure to the Referral Partner;

became generally available to the public or otherwise became part of the public domain after its disclosure, other than through any act or omission of the Referral Partner in breach of this Agreement; or

was disclosed to the receiving Party, other than under an obligation of confidentiality, by a third party who had no obligation not to disclose such information to others.

Authorized Disclosure. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the Referral Partner may disclose Confidential Information (a) to the extent required by law or any governmental authority, or (b) on a “need to know” basis under an obligation of confidentiality to its legal counsel or accountants, provided, that such Referral Partner shall to the extent practicable (and except to the extent it would jeopardize the filing or prosecution of letters patent) use commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Company in securing confidential treatment of such information required to be disclosed. Prior to disclosing any Confidential Information under this section 7 Referral Partner shall take reasonable steps to give the Company sufficient notice of the disclosure request for the Company to contest the disclosure request.

Referral Partner shall indemnify, defend, and hold Company harmless from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, costs, fees, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from or arising out of any Claims based on allegations that (a) Referral Partner breached any obligations including with limitation Confidential Information, representation or warranty contained herein, or has breached any applicable laws, rules and regulations, or (b) Referral Partner made a representation or warranty regarding Company or the Services that is inconsistent with the written high-level description of Services provided to Referral Partner by Company, or is otherwise unauthorized by Company.

Indemnification Procedure. An indemnifying party hereunder shall be liable for any costs and damages to third parties incurred by the other party which are attributable to any such Claims, provided that such other party (i) notifies the indemnifying party promptly in writing of the claim, (ii) gives the indemnifying party the sole authority to defend, compromise or settle the claim, with prior approval of the Company and (iii) provides all available information, assistance, and authority at the indemnifying party’s reasonable request and at the indemnifying party’s reasonable expense to enable the indemnifying party to defend, compromise, or settle such claim. Any indemnifying party hereunder shall diligently pursue any defense required to be rendered hereunder, shall keep the indemnified party informed of all significant developments in any action defended by the indemnified party, and shall not enter into any settlement affecting the indemnified party’s interests without the prior consent of the indemnified party.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

COMPANY SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO REFERRAL PARTNER OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT DAMAGES INCLUDING TOWARDS COSTS OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS, LOST PROFITS OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES, HOWEVER CAUSED, AND WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), PRODUCTS LIABILITY OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER COMPANY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY, THE MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF COMPANY FOR DIRECT DAMAGES FOR ANY REASON SHALL BE LIMITED TO AMOUNTS PAID BY COMPANY IN RESPECT OF THE QUALIFYING SALE . THESE LIMITATIONS WILL APPLY NOTWITHSTANDING THE FAILURE OF THE ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY REMEDY.

NON-SOLICITATION OF PERSONNEL

The Referral Partner shall not engage or hire as an employee or engage as independent contractor, Company’ s employees or independent contractors during the term of this Agreement and for a period of one (1) year following expiration or termination of this Agreement except as may be mutually agreed in writing.

TERM AND TERMINATION:

Term. The term of this Agreement shall be one (1) year from the Effective Date unless terminated earlier in accordance with the provisions of this Section. This Agreement shall renew automatically for additional one-year terms unless one Party provides the other written notice no later than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the then-current term of the Agreement of its intention to allow the Agreement to expire at the end of such term.

Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement for cause resulting from the material breach of this Agreement by the other Party by providing the breaching party written notice of such material breach and the intention to terminate for cause. The Party receiving such notice shall have thirty (30) days to cure such material breach. If at the end of such thirty (30) day period, the breach has not been cured to the reasonable satisfaction of the Party seeking to terminate the Agreement, the Agreement shall terminate.

Termination for Convenience. Either Party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon ninety (90) days’ written notice.

Effect of Termination; Duties of the Parties Upon Termination. Upon any termination or expiration of this Agreement, Referral Partner shall (a) refrain thereafter from representing itself as a promoter or marketer of Company Products, or as a referral partner of Company, (b) immediately cease all use of any Company Marks, and (c) return to Company the Company materials and Confidential Information and all tangible items in Referral Partner’s possession or under its control containing Confidential Information of Company. Upon any termination or expiration of this Agreement, Company shall return to Referral Partner all tangible items in Company’s possession or under its control containing Referral Partner’s Confidential Information. Upon any termination or expiration of this Agreement, all licenses granted under this Agreement shall terminate.

Survival. Any clauses which by their very nature survive termination of the Agreement, will survive.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Construction. The Parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the singular shall include the plural and vice versa, and the terms “include” and “including” shall be deemed to be immediately followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The captions and headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience and reference only and in no way define or limit the scope or content of this Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation of its provisions.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution: This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the India, without reference to its conflict-of-laws principles. The Parties shall resolve any difference or dispute arises out of this Agreement by way of negotiations. If such negotiation process fails, then all disputes arising from or related to this Agreement shall be resolved before exclusive jurisdiction of courts in Pune, India.

NOTICES: All notices including hereunder shall be given in writing by hand delivery, courier service or email at the addresses set forth below:

If to Company

If to REFERRAL PARTNER

Attention: Sanjay Ghare

Email: [email protected]

Address: 3rd Floor, Amar Tech Centre, Sakore Nagar, Viman Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411014

Non-Waiver: A party's failure or delay in enforcing any provision of the Agreement will not be deemed a waiver of that party's rights with respect to that provision or any other provision of the Agreement. A party's waiver of any of its rights under the Agreement is not a waiver of any of its other rights with respect to a prior, contemporaneous or future occurrence, whether similar in nature or not.

Captions: The captions in the Agreement are not part of the Agreement, but are for the convenience of the parties. References to Sections are to sections of this Agreement.

Counterparts. Any documents signed in connection with the Agreement may be signed in multiple counterparts, which taken together will constitute one original.

Severability: In the event any term of the Agreement is held unenforceable by a court having jurisdiction, the remaining portion of the Agreement will remain in full force and effect, provided that the Agreement without the unenforceable provision(s) is consistent with the material economic incentives of the parties leading to the Agreement.

Relationship between the Parties. The relationship of Referral Partner and Company is that of independent contractors. Regardless of the use of the word "partner" in the title of this Agreement, neither Party is, nor shall be deemed to be, a partner, joint venturer, agent, or legal representative of the other Party for any purpose. Neither Party shall be entitled to enter into any contracts in the name of or on behalf of the other Party, and neither Party shall be entitled to pledge the credit of the other Party in any way or hold itself out as having authority to do so. No Party shall incur any debts or make any commitments for the other, except to the extent, if at all, explicitly provided herein.

Assignment. Referral Partner shall not assign or transfer this Agreement, in whole or in part, whether by operation of law or otherwise, or delegate any of its obligations hereunder, without the express written consent of Company. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Parties. Any assignment in violation of the foregoing shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement and shall be null and void.

Force Majeure. Neither Party shall be liable for any failure or delay in fulfilling the terms of this Agreement due to fire, strike, war, civil unrest, terrorist action, government regulations, acts of nature or other causes which are unavoidable and beyond the reasonable control of the Party claiming force majeure.

Entire Agreement. The Agreement constitutes and contains the complete, final and exclusive understanding and agreement of the Parties and cancels and supersedes any and all prior negotiations, correspondence, understandings, and agreements, whether oral or written, between the Parties respecting the subject matter thereof. Parties agree that, their engagement with each other is on non-exclusive basis and either Party is free to appoint any third party for performance of their respective obligations.

Electronic Record. This Agreement is an electronic record in the form of an electronic contract formed under Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules made thereunder and the amended provisions pertaining to electronic documents / records in various statutes as amended by the Information Technology Act, 2000. This Agreement does not require any physical, electronic or digital signature. This Agreement constitutes a legally binding document between the Subscriber and the Company.

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Referer's Information:

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Pravin Mahadik

Chief Financial Officer

Pravin Bandu Mahadik is an ICMAI fellow and accomplished Cost and Management Accountant (CMA) with over a decade of experience in accounts and finance.

As a leader, Pravin has worked across various financial domains, including commercial operations, accounts and finance, auditing, taxation, MIS, transfer pricing, and export management.

He consistently introduces and implements systems to fortify financial control and improve Vervotech’s net organizational efficiency.

Marvel Puri

Chief Revenue Officer

As chief revenue officer (CRO), Marvel is responsible for every process at Vervotech that generates revenue. He has been instrumental in connecting different revenue-related functions, from sales, customer success, pricing, and revenue operations. His focus-driven approach to improving sales performance, and creating great product and pricing strategy, and delivering customer satisfaction has helped Vervotech to acquire 100 clients within a short stint of 2 years.    

With the experience of over 15+ years in sales and business development at SaaS-based organizations, Marvel has flourished throughout his career by creating and leading experienced and diverse teams. To Marvel, growth has not only been to hit quotas but is broad and holistic: open new paths to revenue and build the processes to get there.

Ganesh Pawade

Ganesh is a Problem Solver and a Thought Leader. Throughout his 13 yrs professional journey, he helped businesses to identify their platform areas, define solutions and architecture, and make a more technically-informed decision on their current and future business as well as the technology roadmap.

His passion for good code often results in him being engaged in animated discussions with his team of architects and engineers, pushing them to think beyond what is possible. His specialties include Solution Architecture, Full stack specialist, AWS, Azure and Google cloud.

Dharmendra Ladi

Dharmendra Ladi has been instrumental in positioning Vervotech as the “World’s Best Mapping Provider” and is focused on transforming how the industry presents accommodation data to its customers. With his 14+ years of experience in travel and innovative technologies, he is the principal architect behind designing Vervotech’s AI-driven products that are today helping its clients worldwide do business seamlessly.    

He leads new product development. Under his leadership, Vervotech has is credited with going from 0 to 100 customers within 2 years of business establishment. Dharmendra is also an inspiring thought leader, and regularly speaks at large scale events, webinars and has been interviewed by multiple media houses.

Sanjay Ghare

CEO & MD

Sanjay brings over 16+ years of entrepreneurial, general management, and senior executive experience with proven expertise in business development, corporate strategy, and product & program management. Sanjay, being an Industry veteran, and an influencer, leads and drives Vervotech’s vision of “Organizing World’s Accommodation Data.” Before he founded Vervotech, he was a VP of Tavisca Solutions, where he took the started SaaS division and grown with customers in  more than 15 countries.    

With his business acumen, Sanjay is on the trajectory of revolutionizing the accommodation data segment. He’s also a member of the Forbes Technology Council and often puts actionable growth strategies into perspective in his Forbes column.       

Anurag Mittal

Chief Marketing Officer

Anurag Mittal is a seasoned technology executive who has led multiple marketing teams at SaaS-based organizations. At Vervotech, Anurag is responsible for marketing and strategy formulation and setting up a growth-oriented marketing & prospecting team. Anurag comes with an experience working with Organizations like Deloitte and ACCELQ, where he led the marketing initiatives for their SaaS product lines and has worn many hats including devising marketing strategies for business growth, managing GTM with alliances and partners, conceptualizing and orchestrating marketing campaigns, end-to-end event management, and demand generation activities to deliver a qualified sales pipeline.    

He has been strategic face for the launch of Vervotech’s website and digital presence and have led several winning campaigns that has led to successful brand development and customer acquisition.    

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Rohit Shukla

Chief Product Officer

As Vervotech’s Chief Product Officer, Rohit is responsible for the product strategy and teams working to advance Vevotech’s position as a leading accommodation data company for OTAs, bed banks, DMCs, and Tour operators.

Rohit has been in the technology space for the last 15+ years, working with companies at different stages of growth within Travel, E-commerce, and FinTech Industries. In his previous roles, he drove product strategies for start-ups and SMEs and was instrumental in building platforms and product lines that generated $900 million in revenues and half a million paid customers. The products included flights, hotels, car rentals, activities & vacation packages.

Archana Garg

Financial Advisor

Archana has more than 15 years of experience in finance and operations management. Archana is proven leader in building and scaling companies as a result of her focus on financial strategy and operational excellence. She is motivated by understanding the customers she serves, and providing value at all levels of a business while building strong relationships with her colleagues.

She is a Chartered Accountant and is responsible for driving the Vervotech’s overall financial strategy, including the growth plans. Her experience navigating high growth companies, developing new business strategies and overall operational mindset delivers meaningful results for growth stage of Vervotech.

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How to Start a Tourism Business from Scratch

Dreaming of starting your own tourism business? Imagine leading exciting tours, sharing beautiful destinations with others, and building a business around your love of travel. But how do you begin?

In this guide, we'll show you the essential steps to get your tourism business off the ground. We'll explore practical strategies and key considerations to help you turn your passion for travel into a successful business venture. Get ready to embark on an entrepreneurial journey and learn how to start your tourism business, one step at a time.

1. Start with Market Research

Conduct thorough market research to identify your target audience, competition, and potential niches in the tourism industry.

Market research helps tourism businesses identify their target markets. This involves understanding potential customers' demographics, interests, and preferences.

For example, research may reveal that a particular destination is popular among adventure-seeking millennials, while another attracts retirees looking for relaxation.

Here's how to research the market:

• Identify Target Audience : Determine the demographics, interests, and travel preferences of potential customers.
• Utilize Online Tools : Use Google Trends, social media insights, and travel forums for data on popular destinations and trends.
• Analyze Competitors : Research competitors’ offerings, strengths, weaknesses, and customer reviews.
• Attend Trade Shows : Gain insights into industry trends and network with professionals.
• Test Concepts : Run pilot tours and gather feedback before full-scale launch.

2. Create a Business Plan

Create your own business plan from your market research. What should it include? A comprehensive business plan outlining your business goals, strategies, financial projections, and marketing strategies.  

Create your own tour business plan with these steps:

• Set Clear Goals : Outline specific, measurable objectives for your business.
• Outline Strategies : Define key strategies for operations, customer service, and tour development.
• Financial Projections : Include startup costs, revenue forecasts, and break-even analysis.
• Marketing Plan : Identify your target audience and marketing channels.
• Market Analysis : Summarize findings about customer needs and competitors.
• Operational Details : Describe daily operations, staffing, and tour schedules.
• Risk Management : Identify potential risks and mitigation strategies.
• Sustainability Practices : If relevant, include eco-friendly operational plans.
• Funding Needs : Detail required capital and potential funding sources.
• Exit Strategy : Plan for future business transitions or sale.

3. Choose a Legal Structure

Choosing the right legal structure for a tourism business is crucial. Sole proprietorships and partnerships are simpler but have personal liability.

LLCs offer balance, while corporations provide extensive liability protection, but involve complexity.

Here's what you can do.

• Evaluate Liability and Complexity : Consider sole proprietorships and partnerships for simplicity with personal liability, LLCs for balanced liability protection and ease of operation, and corporations for extensive liability protection but with more complexity.
• Assess Ownership and Taxes : Choose a structure based on the number of owners, preferred tax treatment, and financial practices.
• Plan for Growth : Select a structure that aligns with your future growth plans and scalability.
• Understand Legal Implications : Recognize how each structure affects legal responsibilities and operational procedures.
• Consult Experts : Seek advice from legal and financial professionals to make an informed decision.

4. Obtain Business Licenses and Permits

Obtain the necessary licenses and permits required for your tourism business, which may vary by location and the type of services you offer.

• Research Local Requirements : Investigate the specific licenses and permits required in your area and for the type of tourism services you plan to offer.
• Check with Government Agencies : Contact local, state, and federal agencies to understand all regulatory requirements.
• Prepare Documentation : Gather all necessary documents, such as identification, business plans, and insurance proof, required for the application process.
• Apply in a Timely Manner : Submit your application well before your planned start date to avoid any delays in launching your business.
• Stay Updated on Renewals : Keep track of expiration dates and renew licenses and permits as needed to ensure continuous compliance.

These steps help ensure that your tourism business meets all legal requirements and operates smoothly.

5. Select a Location

Choosing the right location for a tourism business is crucial. It can affect visibility, accessibility, and target customers.

Here are some points to consider:

• Consider Proximity to Attractions : Select a location close to popular tourist destinations or areas of interest to attract more customers.
• Evaluate Accessibility and Visibility : Ensure the location is easily accessible by public transport or has ample parking, and is visible and easy to find for tourists.
• Understand Local Regulations : Research local zoning laws and regulations to ensure your business can operate smoothly in the chosen area.

6. Acquire Resources

Secure the necessary resources, such as vehicles, equipment, technology, and skilled staff, to deliver your services effectively.

• Invest in Essential Equipment : Invest in the necessary vehicles, equipment, and technology tailored to the type of tours or services you offer.
• Hire Qualified Staff : Recruit skilled and experienced staff to ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Utilize Efficient Technology : Adopt relevant technology solutions for bookings, operations, and customer management to streamline your business processes.

7. Develop Branding

Develop a strong brand identity, including a memorable name, logo, and tagline that resonates with your target audience. Strong brands not only attracts customers but also foster loyalty and trust.

• Craft a Unique Brand Identity : Select a name, logo, and tagline that embody your business's spirit and appeal to your target market. Tools like Canva for design, Shopify 's Business Name Generator for name ideas, and Looka for logo creation can be very helpful.
• Ensure Brand Consistency : Maintain a uniform brand appearance and tone across all platforms. Use tools like Adobe Spark for creating consistent marketing materials and Buffer for cohesive social media management.
• Leverage Brand in Marketing Strategies : Base your marketing efforts on your brand identity to strengthen your market presence. Tools like Hootsuite for social media management and Mailchimp for email marketing can integrate your branding into various marketing channels effectively.

Branding is the guiding compass that will shape your marketing strategies, customer interactions, and the overall reputation of the business in the competitive world of tourism.

8. Boost Online Presence

Create a professional website and establish a strong online presence through social media, online advertising, and search engine optimization (SEO).

• Create a User-Friendly Booking Website : Use platforms like WordPress or Squarespace to build a website that showcases your tours, optimized for mobile users.
• Use Social Media Wisely :
• Instagram & Pinterest : Post beautiful photos and videos of destinations.
• Facebook : Share updates and ads, and engage with customers.
• Twitter : Tweet quick updates and respond to customer inquiries.
• YouTube : Upload virtual tours and customer testimonials.
• Optimize for Local Search Engines (SEO) : Improve your website's ranking in local search results, like 'near-me' searches, by using relevant keywords and creating quality content.
• Try Online Advertising : Use Google Ads for targeted advertising to reach potential clients.
• Keep Content Fresh : Regularly update your website and social media with new and engaging content.

9. Expand Marketing Strategies

Implement marketing strategies to attract tourists, such as content marketing, partnerships with travel agencies, and targeted advertising.

• Engage in Content Marketing : Develop and share engaging content such as travel blogs, videos, and social media posts that highlight your tours and destinations.
• Collaborate with Travel Agencies and Resellers : Build partnerships with travel agencies and tour resellers to expand your market reach and visibility.
• Utilize Targeted Advertising : Employ targeted online advertising through platforms like Google Ads and social media to attract specific customer demographics.
• Partner with Local Hotels and Accommodations : Establish partnerships with local hotels and accommodations to create joint packages or promotions.
• Connect with Tour Affiliates : Work with affiliate marketers who can promote your tours to their audiences for a commission. TicketingHub gives this option to tour operators and even enables resellers to track their own bookings in a dashboard.

10. Build Tour Packages

Design and package your tour offerings, considering factors like itinerary, pricing, inclusions, and customer experience.

• Design Attractive Itineraries : Create engaging tour itineraries that cover key attractions and unique experiences.
• Set Competitive Pricing : Determine pricing that offers value to customers while remaining competitive in the market.
• Define Package Inclusions : Clearly specify what is included in each package, such as meals, transportation, and entry fees.
• Focus on Customer Experience : Ensure each tour package offers a memorable and satisfying customer experience.

11. Choose a Booking and Reservation System

Set up an efficient booking and reservation system to manage bookings, payments, and customer information.

Why do you need a booking system?

• Streamline Bookings and Payments : Automates the booking process, making it easier for customers to book tours and for businesses to manage payments.
• Organize Customer Information : Centralizes customer data, enabling better customer relationship management and personalized service.
• Improve Operational Efficiency : Reduces manual workload, minimizes errors, and enhances overall operational productivity.

12. Develop Customer Service Guidelines

Develop excellent customer service protocols to ensure tourists have a positive experience and receive timely support. Tourism businesses strive to provide personalized assistance to travelers.

This involves understanding the unique needs and preferences of each customer and tailoring services accordingly.

Here are suggestions for what these protocols could include:

• Personalized Interaction : Training staff to recognize and adapt to individual customer preferences, tailoring services like tour customization accordingly.
• Prompt Communication : Establish standards for swift and clear communication with customers across various channels (email, phone, social media).
• Comprehensive Training for Staff : Develop thorough training programs focusing on customer interaction, problem-solving, and knowledge about destinations and services offered.
• Effective Feedback System : Set up a process for collecting and responding to customer feedback, using insights to improve services and address concerns promptly.
• Emergency Response Protocol : Includes guidelines for handling emergency or unexpected situations, ensuring customer safety and satisfaction.

In wrapping up our guide to starting a tourism business, remember that your journey is filled with opportunities and challenges. Key steps like market research, choosing the right business structure, getting licenses , and picking the right location lay the foundation for your success.

Focus on creating appealing tour packages, setting up an easy booking system, and building a strong brand and online presence. Don't forget the importance of having a skilled team and providing excellent customer service to make each tourist's experience memorable.

Stay adaptable and responsive to market changes and customer needs. With determination and a well-planned approach, you're well on your way to launching a successful tourism business that delights travelers and stands out in the market. Good luck on your exciting new venture!

FAQ Section

1. how do i start my own tour company.

To start your own tour company, follow these steps:

• Research the Tourism Sector : Understand your market sector, focusing on local tourism and high-demand areas like guided winery tours or airport transportation services.
• Develop a Unique Selling Proposition : Identify what sets your tour company apart from others in the local tourism community.
• Secure Operating Capital : Gather the necessary funds, possibly from business partners or potential lenders, to cover business costs and operating capital.
• Handle the Legal Stuff : Obtain a tour operator license, register your business to trade legally, and ensure you have proper insurance, including liability insurance.
• Set Up a Business Bank Account : Separate your personal and business finances.
• Create a Strong Brand Story : Use free social networking sites, like Facebook page, to build your site's online presence and connect with your customer base.
• Plan Your Services : Whether it's guided tours, rental houses, or transportation services, ensure they align with local tourism needs and safety regulations.

2. How does a tourism company work?

Tourism companies operate within the hospitality industry, providing guided tours, package deals, and transportation. It generates revenue by offering these services directly to customers or through collaboration with local bed and breakfasts and other business owners.

Success relies on understanding customer needs, offering a personal touch, and efficiently managing operating and monthly costs.

3. How do you plan a tourism business?

Planning a tourism business involves:

• Market Analysis : Spend time understanding leisure capacity and preferences within your local tourism body and the broader market sector.
• Financial Planning : Calculate business costs, including potential rental fees, and plan for enough operating capital to cover your business until it grows to attract more business.
• Operational Planning : Consider viable business options, from guided winery tours to airport transportation services. Ensure compliance with all local safety regulations.
• Marketing Strategy : Utilize applicable online directories and review platforms to enhance your tourism company's online presence. Consider purchasing ad space or creating an executive summary to attract new customers.
• Network and Collaborate : Connect with local tourism communities, engage with other tour guides, and explore partnerships for package deals.
• Legal and Regulatory Compliance : Register your business, understand the necessary legal stuff, and secure a tour operator license and proper insurance.

Do I need prior tourism industry experience to start my own tourism business?

While prior experience can be beneficial, it's not always necessary. A passion for travel and a willingness to learn and adapt are equally valuable. You can gain experience and knowledge through research, networking, and relevant courses.

How can I secure funding for my tourism business, especially if I'm just starting out?

Securing funding can be done through various means, including personal savings, loans, grants, or seeking investment from partners or investors. Creating a solid business plan and financial projections can help attract funding.

What marketing strategies are most effective for promoting a new tourism business?

Effective marketing strategies include building a professional online presence, leveraging social media, collaborating with travel influencers or agencies, and offering promotional deals or packages. Identifying your target audience and crafting compelling content are key to successful marketing.

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Speak a New Language With Confidence on Day 1

Complete Guide to Traveling and Building a Business Online

In the past 12 months, I’ve traveled to over 20+ countries in Europe, Asia, North, Central, and South America, and I did it while running a business online.

There seems to be a trend of online entrepreneurs who are advocating this travelpreneur movement of being able to run your business online, while you travel.

I’ll be honest, it’s not as easy as it looks. In many cases, it can be a hassle having to deal with time zone differences, jet lag, and even loneliness.

But if experiencing freedom, diverse cultures, and learning new languages is on top of your priorities, then the pros far outweighs the cons of travelpreneurship.

The big question that all of us have is: how do we do it in the first place?

How do we get to the point of being able to start and run our businesses, while being able to have the freedom to travel the world ?

I get how flashy and hoo-rah this may sound. But it can be done, and it’s more doable than ever to start a location-independent business today.

*Note: The following are not the only businesses you can start to work and travel. They are from my experience, the most effective, easy to start, and profitable.*

Let’s go over the 5 types of location-independent businesses you can start.

1. Coaching & Consulting

This is the most common approach people take, especially when you’re first starting out.

It’s cheap, if not free to start, fast to get going, and of course, you can run it anywhere you’d like in the world. This does however require constant communication with clients you have, so it may limit you to certain places with similar time zones as your clients.

You can be doing anything from marketing consulting, business coaching, copywriting, to even teaching languages , depending on your skillsets. All skills that can be acquired with dedication, within a matter of months from the comfort of your home.

Related: Ultimate Guide to Learning Anything Faster

Here’s 5 basic steps to get you started in the realm of consulting:

• Skill-set: Determine your current skills or what you would like to become an expert in the market place.
• Ideal client: Visualize and write down who your ideal client would be. Where are they from, what type of business are they running, and what would it be like to spend an entire day with them golfing? Get very clear on this, as the type of clients you attract will determine the success of your business.
• Position yourself: How you brand and position yourself online (and offline) is everything when it comes to attracting better clients.Think about how you are different rather than just better, and why your “ideal client” should care. Everything from your headshot, testimonials, pricing, and your messaging should be tailored to captivate your ideal client.
• Talk about it: This includes online and offline. Go to industry events, build authentic relationships, and follow-up. And do the same thing online. Start your own blog, podcast, or youtube channel to start share your opinion in the marketplace and start delivering value to those in your industry. Get noticed, and clients will follow.
• Get creative: If you want to take it up a notch, get creative with how you reach out to clients. I wrote a piece that shares how to get 30 consulting offers in 30 days using Angel.co, and you can get just as creative by thinking of different ways to hack the system.

2. Information Products & Programs

Information products are often the transitionary step that many consultants or coaches take in order to scale their businesses. This is what I did with my blogging course.

This is because you can only serve so many clients with the limited time we have, and information products allows us to serve an unlimited number of people online.

Essentially, you are transitioning your service business into a product.

Most of us get stuck here because we’re not exactly sure what information products are nor how they work.

Information products can range from ebooks, audio books, online courses, masterminds, or a membership program. The list is endless, and so are the opportunities. My friend Natalie Sisson goes deep on this topic

And the best part about information products is that you’re no longer trading time for money .

So how do you build information products? This one is more complicated to provide a step-by-step approach, since there’s multiple information products you can create, each with different approaches.

However in general, the starting process works like this:

• Figure out your expertise: It’s the same routine we went through with consulting. In the information industry, you are the product, which means you have to carve out a niche, where you can be recognized as being world-class. But more importantly, different.
• Build a community: The difference between building an audience versus a community, is that an audience will rarely buy what you have to offer, but a loyal community will buy everything you have to offer. Find a way to build your community by getting your voice out there through blogging, podcasting, or sharing videos. Take the extra hour of your time to make sure it’s the best content you can put out there.
• Build your first offering: Before we answer this question, it’s important to emphasize that you should know exactly what your audience is struggling with. Is it to lose weight? Make more money? Have more freedom? When you’ve figured this out, and only then, should you think about which offer you should put out. This could mean writing an ebook, creating an online membership program, or recording an online course that people can purchase.
• Free or premium: Some may disagree with this point, but I’ve always found it best to go either free or premium in everything I do. This is what most of the top performers in the industry does as well, where 99% of their content is free through their channel (blog, podcast, or video) and charge for a premium offering that dedicated members can join. ‍

There’s a few reasons why this works:

a. Your positioning yourself as a premium player, by charging premium prices.

b. You’re eliminating the budget-constraint individuals, who are more often than not, difficult to convince of the value of your offering.

c. You don’t need a lot of customers. When you’re first starting out, it’s easy to assume that you’ll need to accumulate thousands of customers before you have a real business. But when you’re charging $1,000 or even $2,000 to join your program, your focus shifts towards delivering results to a smaller number of quality customers willing to take action.

d. You can give away more of your best content for free. By deciding not to lock your content away, you have the opportunity to provide more value for your users and as a result, attract more quality customers.

5. It’s selling time : Last, but not least, we need to get our product into the hands of our customers. In the information industry, when you’re selling a product with a higher price point, you need a different approach of acquiring customers.

This topic is a blog post in itself, but to generalize: the two popular methods that most use are:

• Webinars: This is by far the most popularized method, and it’s because you’re able to spend an hour or more interacting with the attendees, building a connection and sharing the benefits of your offering. It’s hard to say no after receiving over an hour of value!
• Video series : Another way to go about it is through a free video series, that your audience can opt-in to. Check out Brendon Burchard’s method of doing this with his Expert’s Academy . To sum it up, your attendees will receive a 3-part video series relating to your offering released during a period of time, usually 1–2 weeks. Then the product will be open for sale for a limited time, which can induce a sense of urgency for the buyers.

Keep in mind that both strategies require an immense amount of value that is given to potential customers first, before making any kind of sale.

3. E-Commerce

When you first hear the word E-Commerce, it can be difficult to correlate this with independence or freedom because of the need to fulfill physical goods. But with the right partnership, it’s more than possible.

For example, drop shipping is a matchmade in heaven for travelpreneurs around the world.

Drop shipping is when you partner with a supplier, and list their merchandises for sale online, where they ship the product directly to your customer for you once the sale has been made.

That’s all there is to it.

No large upfront investment. No inventory. No risk.

All you need now is an internet connection as you travel the world, to start growing your business!

Now I want to clarify the benefits and weaknesses of drop shipping in order to make sure you’re aware of both sides of the table.

The Benefits of Drop Shipping

There are a number of reasons you should consider drop shipping:

a. You Don’t Need Buckets of Money: Drop shipping makes it amazingly easy to get started selling online. As mentioned, not much inventory is needed initially, yet you can still offer thousands of items to your customers.This is a huge point because most entrepreneurs never start because of the initial investment required to fund their business.

b. Convenience & Efficiency : Fulfillment can be a huge pain, and even more so if your goal is to travel while running your business. With dropshipping you don’t have to worry about fulfillment, and you can concentrate your focus on marketing, customer service, and operations, etc.

c. Mobility: With all the physical fulfillment issues handled, you’re free to operate your business anywhere you can get an internet connection.

d. Scaling isn’t an issue — This is a great problem to have if your business can arrive to this point eventually. But for most businesses, 2x the order equals 2x the effort required to fulfill them. By leveraging dropshipping suppliers, most of the work to fulfill will be borne by the suppliers, allowing you to expand faster with minimal work.

As mentioned, drop shipping is not all roses and flowers.

Let’s talk about the downsides of drop shipping.

Weaknesses of Dropshipping

a. Low Margins: Low margins are the biggest disadvantage to operating in a highly competitive dropshipping niche. Because it’s so easy to get started — and the overhead costs are so minimal — many merchants will set up shop and sell items at rock-bottom prices in order to grow revenue. They’ve invested so little in getting the business started so they can afford to operate on minuscule margins.

b. Inventory Issues: Wwhen you’re sourcing from multiple warehouses, which are also fulfilling orders for other merchants, inventory changes on a daily basis. While there are ways you can better sync your store’s inventory with your suppliers’, these solutions don’t always work as well as you’d think and suppliers don’t always support the technology required.

c. Supplier Errors : Even the best dropshipping suppliers make mistakes fulfilling orders — mistakes for which you have to take responsibility for to your customers. If you’re working with mediocre suppliers, this will cause an endless amount of frustration, which can be detrimental to your business’s reputation.

Note: I’d recommend checking this guide on dropshipping by Shopify if you’re interested in digging deeper.

4. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketers often get a bad rep in the online industry. Words such as “scam” or “sketchy” may be brought up in the same sentence.

Of course, this doesn’t apply to all affiliate marketers. It’s often a small bunch of internet marketers that represent this crowd.

But affiliate marketing done right, can be a great business and revenue stream, while providing you the location-independence you desire.

A few benefits include:

• You don’t need to create your own product
• You don’t need a lot of capital to start
• You can work anywhere you want ‍

Few steps to get started:

• Choose what type of product you want to be selling. I recommend picking an industry you know or are passionate about
• Get your website up and running. You can go with good ol’ Wordpress for this or use a platform like Shopify to get it up. Take a look at this quick guide to get your website running in 5-minutes on Wordpress.
• The next step involves getting traffic. This could mean paying for traffic (buying ads), building your own email list through content creation, such as blogging or podcasting, or you could buy an email list (although I’d highly caution this approach)

5. Software

Many tech entrepreneurs, from San Francisco to New York have been embracing this movement of travelpreneurship.

Joel Gascoigne is an advocate of building a remote team around the world, and still does with his company Buffer.

This is also a personal vision of mine, as we start to grow Rype , where we matchmake language learners with native speakers to reach conversation fluency faster .

Some people question the effectiveness of this practice, due to the difficulties of building and maintaining team culture within the company.

Personally, I think remote working is the future , but I understand it’s not for everyone nor for every company.

With that said, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when building a remote team for your tech company.

1. THINK OUTPUT

The biggest shift I’ve found when working remotely is the ability to focus on the only thing that matters: results.

I’m a huge fan of focusing on output because it forces our team to prioritize our focus on tasks that will have the biggest impact.

Systems such as ROWE (Results Only Work Environment) are being introduced to promote output work cultures, where employees are evaluated on performance, not presence. It has been implemented in companies such as Best Buy and Gap, where they’ve seen: 20% improvement in productivity, 90% decrease in turnover rates, and increased customer satisfaction.

2. GET SMART

Now that we’re focused on results, we need to set the right goals and metrics for ourselves.

Creating goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely are the 5 most important factors to consider.

If you’re a coder, you could set a goal to release a certain feature in the next week. If you’re selling, it could be calling 50 people a day with a target to close 10 per week.

There’s no better feeling than waking up each morning and having a clear target for exactly what you’re going to accomplish that day, week, or month.

3. COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE

The caveat to working remotely is that we miss out on 70% of nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, voice tones, and eye contact.

Working from other sides of the world, communicating the smallest things are a must. You can adopt tools such as HipChat or Slack to keep in regular and consistent contact with your team in an informal manner. It allows me to be myself and have more natural flowing conversations.

The beauty of building a business online is that it has forced me to articulate everything I communicate. Seven-hundred and fifty-word long emails have to be shortened to 300 word emails, while getting the same message across.

This has helped me keep my writing short and concise, which has transferred over to my speaking skills as well. 

4. CREATE A COMPANY BULLETIN BOARD

Create a “bulletin board” that allows each team member to see what everyone else is working on. I would recommend tools like Basecamp, Asana, Trello or Pivotal Tracker to get you started.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own tasks, that we forget what’s happening with the rest of our team members. From my experience, the most common form of miscommunication and arguments occur over not knowing what the other team member is doing.

It also helps me understand what the high-level priorities are for the company, and allows me to assign tasks to any team member without having to bug them about it.

5. REGULAR FEEDBACK

It’s difficult to know if your work is producing the impact that your team members expect when working. You can never have too much feedback, because we can always improve our work, become better team members, and have greater impact.

Creating a formalized structure early on, such as bi-weekly feedback sessions or even monthly, will keep team members aware of how they can continuously improve their work.

Now I can’t tell you which of the methods I’ve listed is going to be the best one for you, because each of them have their strengths and weaknesses.It depends on your skillsets, what you’re passionate to learn about, and what you envision your business and lifestyle to be about.

Are you more interested in impact and influence? Then coaching or creating training programs for other people might be your thing.

Do you have a knack for building great technology, and have an idea for an app? Then you can explore the software app route.

Or maybe you have no desire to create your own product or service, and simply desire the freedom of making money online. Then affiliate marketing could be the winner.

Keep in mind that as you evolve, that you would be able to accumulate these different income streams, and you’re certainly not limited to just one.

For example, as a coach or consultant, you could be better off creating information products in order to scale your business.

Or you may sell other people’s products to earn an affiliate commision, while you are running your e-commerce business.

Whichever option you decide to dive into, I wish you the best of luck, and I hope to run into you one day in a cafe somewhere around the world.

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Online Travel Industry: Growth Statistics, Business Ideas & Future Opportunities

For any aspiring entrepreneur not yet fixed on a business idea, online travel industry offers abundance of business opportunities. In fact, with almost 10% year-to-year growth, it is one of the most rapidly growing ecommerce industries. From online travel booking platforms to travel assistant mobile apps, online local guide search engines to online travel QA communities, there are numerous business ideas that aspiring entrepreneurs can capitalize on to begin a successful business journey.

We studied the online travel business ecosystem to  introduce you with several online travel businesses, their growth, and opportunities for new players in this growing ecommerce sector. Learn all these facts in the infographic below.

Bonus Reading:

Here are some studies that will offer you highly-detailed insights on setting up a new online travel business.

• Online Travel QA Portal
• Online Travel Booking Platform
• Activity, Local Guide Search & Trip Planning Website
• Online platform to Rent Campsites

Want to consult experts before starting your online travel venture

Want more insights to level up your knowledge?

We create future-focused content to help you stay updated. Follow us on Twitter to get notified about latest tips, trends and product updates.

Disclaimer: The Blog has been created with consideration and care. We strive to ensure that all information is as complete, correct, comprehensible, accurate and up-to-date as possible. Despite our continuing efforts, we cannot guarantee that the information made available is complete, correct, accurate or up-to-date. We advise - the readers should not take decisions completely based on the information and views shared by FATbit on its blog, readers should do their own research to further assure themselves before taking any commercial decision. The 3rd party trademarks, logos and screenshots of the websites and mobile applications are property of their respective owners, we are not directly associated with most of them.

Author: FATbit Chef

FATbit Chef is the official broadcaster of everything that happens inside FATbit. Count on the invisible reporter for detailed analysis based posts, new service additions, and other brand related updates.

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Date: December 18, 2023

Online Travel Agency Business Models

“Online travel agency business models” What are these?! Business models that determine how a company generates revenue through the travel and tourism sector, similar to a blueprint. The global online travel market size is expected to generate a revenue of 691 billion U.S. dollars by 2026.

When identification and consolidation of fragmented offers, technological innovations, marketing and advertising techniques , merges with consumer needs, a travel agency would have achieved their first target. Further enhancement and sustenance will depend on their resilience and ability to keep in tune with the changing times. Looking to transform your website into a revenue-generating online travel agency business model? Hop into our blog and grasp the details on how to conduct SWOT analysis and formulate strategies for generating revenue through the models.

6+ Online Travel Agency Business Models

To attract customers and succeed in this competitive industry, innovative travel agencies offer customized vacation packages, booking, activities, and audiovisual guides. To generate large revenues from their services, most travel platforms employ a variety of business models suiting their objectives.

MakeMyTrip, established in India with a focus on generating revenue from travelers, has achieved remarkable success in a short period of time. Within one year of its inception, the company has established a substantial customer base of over 200,000 satisfied individuals, with daily sales of over 3,000 flight tickets, 300 hotel room nights, and 50 holiday packages.

To learn more on their case study, check out the link .

Let’s get to know some well-known business models that the travel industry keep implementing,

1. Advertising Model

Newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and any other medium where the advertising revenue for the survival of the business. These traditional ways have long been associated with the advertising business model. But, today, most of the online consumers are reluctant to the traditional ways of advertising. Advertising will never go out of style, even as the market becomes more competitive and ad space becomes more valuable. 

In the digitalized era, hotels and clients are featured on the website through pages, advertisements, or suggestions and this is considered to be the current advertising model. The client pays the travel website a fee when a user clicks on the link and visits the client’s website (Cost per click – CPC). Another source of income is a cost per thousand impressions (CPM) fee, which is paid by the client based on the number of views.

Tripadvisor is an aggregator website that consolidates hotels, travel destinations, user reviews, and so on. By establishing its base on advertising business model, it has acquired a solid reputation. Currently, more than one billion+ users are visiting the site in a month across 8 million countries. To know more on this, check out the link

2. Merchant Model

The merchant model is all the transaction between the property owner and the OTA. Here, the property owner sells the rooms to the OTA at a lower price than the standard, which the OTA sells to the customers and earns revenue. This model aims at selling rooms in bulk without any standardization of the guest profile.

Expedia, a frontier travel-based directory website curating details that includes vacation packages, flights, attraction, and more. The organization runs based on three business models including merchant model, agency model, and advertising model. Among which, the merchant model contributed 64% of its revenue in 2021. To read more on this, click here .

3. Agency Model

The revenue model for the agency is based on per-room revenue. The property owner decides on the prices at which the rooms are sold, and the property owner is solely responsible for the rooms’ maintenance and customer service. Once the guest has checked out of the hotel, the property owner is responsible for paying the commission. This model appears to be financially unprofitable, but it is transparent. This makes it easier for both property owners and customers to trust and rely on the company for their reservations. Property owners find it safe to put their trust in the platform in order to increase their revenue. 

Booking.com, a leading online travel marketplace has generated a revenue of $11 billion+ as of 2021-2022. The agency model followed by the organization has the major contribution to the revenue. But, to make a note of, oBooking.com has shifted from the agency model to merchant model. To explore on this, check out the site .

4. Subscription Model

In this model, hotels and resorts partner with travel agencies and users can view descriptions and contact information for the hotels on the website. Customers prefer to plan their entire trip from the comfort of their own homes, so airlines, local taxis, and other businesses have partnered with these agencies. Customers tend to book vacations only once or twice a year, so subscriptions are a necessary revenue stream for any travel startup.

5. Partnership Model

This model is all about partnering with social travel platforms, which can provide a much-needed recurring revenue stream. On social media platforms, users interested in visiting a specific destination can get advice, descriptions, and reviews from other travelers. Due to this, many online travel agencies and booking platforms are looking to partner with these social travel platforms with large communities in order to grow their customer base and stay ahead of the competition. 

6. Peer-to-Peer Networks

This works on the concept of sharing. Here, the websites aim to foster a sharing economy by connecting travelers with property owners who are willing to rent rooms or houses for the duration of their stay. They provide a booking portal for these rooms and charge both the buyer and the seller a commission. They are more popular than vacation packages because they provide affordable and flexible travel options.

Reputed Travel Agencies and Their Business Model,

• TripAdvisor – Advertising Model
• Booking.com – Agency and Merchant Model
• Expedia – Merchant Model
• MakeMyTrip – Subscription Model
• Airbnb – Peer to Peer
• Vrbo – Peer to Peer

Strength and Weakness of Travel Industry (SWOT Analysis)

Strengths are the aspects through which you can understand the market advantage and can be used in leveraging the market plan.

Some strengths of the travel industry are,

• A well- constructed website projecting the quality of service you offer
• The safety services that you offer in and around your environment would attract more tourists to your place
• Offering different types of accommodations for various categories of tourists
• Offering quality services and products would bring in more customers
• Providing traveling convenience with strong infrastructure, roads, airport, and other amenities would attract more tourists to that place

Weakness would always make it harder to maximize the opportunities and vulnerable to threats. Every travel agency would have inherent weakness, referring only to the internal issues.

Some weakness of the travel industry are,

• Tourism is a combination of different businesses, and the main objective should be the growth of the travel industry. Since different businesses have their own goals, it is essential to have good and professional management skills. If not managed properly, it is quite difficult to achieve your goals
• If you have lack of innovation and creativity in different categories like transport, luxury, restaurants, etc. and if a coherence is missed among them then, it would affect the growth of the industry
• Providing less quality services
• High employee turnover as the employees are engaged more with less pay
• Less investment for training and developing the employees
• Still depending upon traditional/conventional marketing strategies, though the technology development is growing every day

Opportunities

Opportunities are external, and they provide the company all possibilities to take advantage of them. It is essential to choose the most potential opportunity and is also critical.

Some opportunities of the travel industry are,

• Instead of offering collective services to your customers, try offering personalized services which would make your customers appealing 
• Choose an unusual spot, establish a good place which would attract more tourists
• Be very cautions about the environment, ensure to establish an eco-friendly environment attracting tourists 
• Implementing the best suitable online marketing strategies would increase your visibility and bring in more tourists

Threats are also external to the travel agency. It could be a pandemic, a new competitor, natural disasters, conditions that would change your local community, bad economy and more. Any of these would affect the industry and would freeze its ability to explore opportunities and grow.

Some threats of the travel industry are,

• The lockdown or shutdown of the business during the pandemic Environmental issues affect the industry and even the tourism industry is affecting the environment
• Political chaos creates marketing uncertainty
• Economic recession has created a great impact on the industry
• Highly competitive industry
• Your competitor would have affiliated with a large industry franchise

How a Travel Agency Needs to Understand the Industry?

Understanding the market.

• The industry being a competitive one, and already the leading players have conquered the market by growing their share. It is essential to establish your travel agency with a specific niche to stay afloat.
• If you are a new travel agency, you have to work hard to gain tourists’ trust
• Need to put a lot of effort to improve the visibility of your travel agency
• You can be destination specific, here, you target a region and offer some unique deals and services that are not provided by the dominating service providers
• Pricing is the main consideration for travelers. Most of the travel agencies compete by price, and it is also essential that you surpass the leading OTAs in terms of pricing
• You can narrow down your travel agency strategies by focusing on specific region, budget-friendly, various packages, family/solo travelers and more
• Establishing your travel website with satisfying user experience by offering unique and powerful engine like non-interlined flights, creating quite complex itineraries with multiple stops
• Understanding the market also includes analyzing your competitors. Examining their products and services, would help in pinpointing your lags and the areas that need improvements

Investigating On Your Target Audience

• Investigate and recognize who your travelers are? Understand their demographics, which would help in narrowing down the strategies 
• Look for the travelers’ search patterns while booking tickets/hotels. Collect information on how travelers’ approach travel websites? This would help you in understanding the distribution channels
• Analyzing how often your target audience travels? / how price sensitive they are?. This information would help you to narrow down and implement the suitable strategies to attract more costumes to your travel agency
• This would help in understanding your audience’s behavior and also creating a user persona would help in approaching them with your team 

Revenue Boosting Strategies For Your Travel Agency Business

To help your travel business to function out of the box and to generate more revenue, here, are some strategies that you can implement today—or plan for once your business is up and running

• Implement customer referral programs, this would generate more revenue by attracting more tourists
• Increase your visibility in the social media platforms
• Offer personalized discounts and packages after analyzing your tourists
• Encourage your customers to leave reviews
• Know your audience properly
• Develop a great relationship with your customers by engaging them
• Create a blog room, from where readers can get to know about beautiful destinations and also about the fascinating experience of other travelers

Drive Conversions and Boost your Business with Expert Travel Website Development.

Choose the model that is right for your online travel agency.

These are some of the most common online travel agency business models, but there are many variations and combinations of these models in the travel industry. The choice of business model depends on factors such as the agency’s goals, target audience, and the types of travel services offered. Plan towards establishing an optimized travel business by keeping in mind the factors that have been discussed in this article.

Do you have an innovative idea for establishing your travel business? Are you confused about deciding a suitable business model? or planning for a travel web app?

Do contact ColorWhistle for professional assistance by sending a message or call us at +1 (210) 787-3600, we’ll get back to you at the earliest. We provide services tailored to your requirements that suit your business model.

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How to start a Tour Operator business in 2024: A step-by-step guide

By Brieanne Biblow

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There are so many benefits of being a tour operator , but taking the first step to start your own tour company? That can feel daunting. Like any start-up business, there are lots of pieces that need to come together before you welcome your first customers. With countless resources out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’ve asked yourself “How do I start an online tour operator business?” We’re here to give you more than just a few tips on starting a travel and tour company. Dive into our practical step-by-step guide on how to start your own tour company.

How to start a Tour Operator business in 2024

1. choose a business niche, 2. register your tour company, 3. design your tour, 4. build relationships  , 5. market your tour, 6. launch your tour, choose a business niche.

Find your passion

The first step to becoming a tour operator is to know what you’re passionate about. If you survey a handful of happy tour guests, do you know the number one thing they’ll say makes a difference between a good tour and a tour they’ll recommend to all their friends? A passionate tour guide.

Your passion for cooking could translate into delicious food tours, or your love of the outdoors could turn into hiking tours, even a passion for all things spooky could transform into starting a ghost tour business. So, take some time to find your passion that you can’t wait to share with others every day.

Evaluate your city

Once you have your passion in mind, it’s time to take a look at your city. Is it a popular tourist destination? Is there anything that’s not being explored? While passion is key, it’s equally important to identify if there’s an opportunity. Passion without opportunity is just a hobby. Check in with your local tourism board to see if they have any market research reports that outline the opportunities and challenges in the industry.

Dig into travel and tourism trends

The travel and tourism industry, like any industry, can see larger trends in pop culture trickle down and open up entirely new business opportunities. Your potential customers are being influenced by trends, so why not do some research, incorporate ones that feel like a fit for you, and watch more bookings roll in.

Some 2024 tourism trends that will be influencing travelers:

• Multi-generational tours : Post-retirement boomers will be looking to travel with their entire families. So creating a tour offering that has something for the whole family could be a great idea.
• Cultural connection : More and more, savvy travelers are always looking for something truly authentic to the destination they’ve traveled to. That doesn’t mean you have to be the authentic expert. Instead, think about exploring opportunities to partner with other start-up businesses in your community that could add this element to your tour offering.
• From screens to reality: Keeping a pulse on popular TV shows and movies can be a great way to come up with unique tour ideas that can target new customers for your business.

Identify your target market

Now that you have innovative tourism ideas , you need to map out what your ideal potential customer looks like. Think about the types of people that will be attracted to your tour.

• What’s their age demographic?
• Where are they coming from?
• What language(s) do they speak?
• What interests do they have?

Who your customers are will determine many of the decisions you make later. This information will also be crucial when you create your marketing strategy. So, take the time to get to know your target market.

Research your competitors

Having found your tour idea and evaluated the market in the previous section, you’re almost ready to register your tour company. But first, you’ll need to research your competition, so you know what you’re up against. Head to Google and search simple like “tour operators near me” and ask yourself:

• What are they doing well?
• Where are their gaps?
• What are their price points like?

Then, find ways to differentiate yourself and stand out.

Register your tour company

With your research complete, now is a good time to consider your options for registering your business. Go to your local tourism board and find out the requirements for starting a tour company in your area. Here are some of the legalities you might have to go through.

Name your tour business

The first thing you need to do is name your business. Your tour name will be used in all of your documentation. Make sure your name is both memorable and descriptive. The most important is if the website domain is available. If your name checks all the boxes, go to your local Registrar of Companies to get it approved and then purchase your domain.

Register your business

Now that you have a name you’re ready to make things official by registering your business. There are different options for how you register— sole proprietorship, partnerships, corporations. Speaking to a small business accountant is a great idea to understand the tax implications of each option. Then, evaluate the pros and cons of each before you make your decision.

Get your business license and permits

Once you’ve registered your business, you’ll need to get a local business license. Check in with your local municipality to do this. You might need to obtain additional permits and licensing based on where you are operating and if you have any vehicles.

Purchase liability insurance

Protect your business, yourself, and your guests by getting liability insurance. Accidents happen, that’s a given. But to ensure that you aren’t held personally liable, you’ll want to meet with an insurance company to learn about what coverage your business needs. Some commonly required in the tourism industry are:

• Commercial General Liability (CGL)
• Property Insurance
• Accounts Receivable Insurance

Register as a tour guide

If you are guiding, you might need to complete a course to become a licensed tourist guide. This allows you to take tourists around a designated geographical area. To find out if you need to register as a guide, check in with your local tourism board.

Open a business bank account

Now that you have a business license, you’ll want to open a corporate bank account. This will help you keep track of all your expenses and revenue and make accounting a lot easier.

Design your tour 

Write your business plan

With all the legalities taken care of, it’s time to write your business plan.

A business plan is a document that holds all of your ideas. It’s your roadmap that helps you determine how you’ll move forward. Include your company description, market analysis, partnership opportunities, and small business goals . It should also include your marketing plan, operations plan, and a list of your vendors, products, and services. It should also contain a variety of financial projections for your first 1-5 years of business. Remember: it’s okay if you don’t have all the answers right away, but it’s good to know what to focus on as you grow.

Side note: once you get up and running, you should learn how to develop a strategic plan to help you reach your ultimate vision for your tour operator business.

Create your Unique Selling Proposition

With your business plan in hand, it’s time to lock down your unique selling proposition.  This explains what makes your tour better than the competition. It’s the benefit that travelers can only get by booking with you — like that you provide ethical travels & tours .  You should be able to define this in one sentence.

Set your tour pricing

Now that you’ve evaluated your market it’s time to determine the value of your tour and choose what you will charge. It’s important to consider your operating costs and market value as well as what you think customers are willing to pay. This part often feels overwhelming for a lot of start-up businesses, which is why we’ve created our free Tour Operator Costing Sheet .

Craft your brand story

Now comes the fun part—it’s time to create a compelling story for your tour. Make sure it has a definite beginning, middle, and end. Find themes that you can carry through the entire experience. A clear narrative makes your tour more memorable.  The goal is to have your guests telling their friends all the neat things they learned in the weeks that follow.

Design a tour logo

Once you’ve created a story for your tour, it’s time to design your brand around it. The first step is to create a logo. Your logo is the visual representation of your business. It will be used in all of your marketing collateral. You can choose to work with a graphic designer, or give free tools like Canva a try. Lookin for some inspiration? Check out more ideas for branding your business .

Build a travel website

Alright! You’re finally ready to create an online presence for your business . This is how many travelers will find you when researching their trips. If you don’t know how to build a website you have a few options; you could hire a contractor, or try your hand with tools like: Wix , Squarespace , or WordPress . Whatever you choose, make sure your website works with online booking system (like Checkfront 😉).

Set up an online booking system

You don’t just want travelers to find you online; you want them to make, and pay, for reservations right on your website. To do this, you need an online booking system . Your booking system can also be used to process your in-person and over the phone reservations. Here are a few links that will help you find the platform that’s right for you.

• What is an Online Booking System?
• How to Create an Online Booking System in 24 Hours (or Less)
• Start Using Checkfront’s Booking System for Free

Build Relationships 

Talk to other tour guides

When starting a business, many entrepreneurs think they need to do everything on their own. This can lead to loneliness and frustration. But, you don’t have to do it alone. Many guides would be happy to share their knowledge with you. Go out and build relationships with other operators in your city, who aren’t direct competitors. Online communities like Tourpreneur are an invaluable resource for tour operators at any stage of their business.

Connect with the local tourism community

Take any opportunity you have to build relationships with local business . While it’s difficult to walk into a room full of strangers and feel like an outsider, you won’t regret pushing yourself to meet other business owners. You’ll feel connected to people in the same boat as you and get a lot from the relationships you make. Just don’t forget to give back. Here are a few key relationships you should build locally:

• With your local city council
• Your local tourism or destination management organization (DMO)
• Your local tourist information office
• Hotel front desks and tour desks

Market Your Tour

With your target market defined and your marketing strategy ready to go, it’s time to get the word out about your amazing business! From online travel agents to social media to email marketing, we’ll cover it all:

List your tours on OTAs

Make it easy for travelers to find you by listing your tour on online travel agents (OTAs). OTA’s like Viator, Expedia Local Expert, Google Things To Do and GetYourGuide already have experience in digital advertising and have built up a mass following. While they will take a commission from your sales, they also have a significant amount of marketing spend at their disposal that your business can benefit from.

Think about it like selling vegetables — while you could set up a booth at a local farmer’s market, you’ll probably get far more customers by selling in a grocery store.

Implement SEO best practices

Now that you’re tour is listed with a couple online travel agents, it’s time to start driving traffic to your website. The best long-term strategy to do so is through search engine optimization (SEO). You can use SEO best practices to optimize your site for Google and other search engines. One of the best things to do is to SEO optimize your product descriptions . That way when someone searches for something related to your tour, your website shows up in search results.

Buy Google Adwords

While SEO is great, it’s a long-term strategy and can takee time to crawl up Google or Bing’s search rankings. To get immediate results you can buy AdWords. Instead of waiting for Google’s algorithm to show your website on the results page, you bid on specific keywords related to your business so your site shows up on top of the page.

Start email marketing

With steady visitor traffic coming to your website, you’ll want to capture their emails so you can stay in touch with them. Email marketing is a powerful tool when done right but it will take some work to stand out in your customers’ inboxes. Our Complete Guide to Email Marketing for Tourism Operators is a great place to start.

Get on Facebook and Instagram

Social media is where your customers are likely spending most of their time online, so you should be there, too. Creating a Facebook page and Instagram account will let you connect to your customers, post pictures of your tours, and make your company information easy to share and recommend. Plus, you can use Facebook Messenger or Instagram’s Direct Messages to answer questions and use the ad network on both platforms to help more people discover your tour.

Launch Your Tour

Host Your Friends and Family

As you prepare for a successful business launch , you’ll want to do a few test runs. We recommend a pre-launch buzz campaign or hosting a few friends and family first. Think of it as your dress rehearsal. Go through the tour from start to finish and collect as much feedback as you can. Once you feel confident that you’ve worked out the kinks, you’re ready to launch! 

Final thoughts

Building your own tour business is no easy feat. From designing a tour and evaluating your market, to building relationships, your brand, your online presence, and getting those first customers through the door. There’s a lot of pieces to put together. However, following this step-by-step guide and your intuition you’ll have a successful tour operator business in no time.

Want to get your tour business off to a running start?

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BUSINESS STRATEGIES

11 travel business ideas to get you started

Starting a business  in the travel industry can be a lucrative opportunity where you’ll provide travel services to individuals and groups looking to get away, celebrate a milestone or travel for work. As people increasingly prioritize experiences over material goods, demand is consistently on the rise  for travel-related services. The consistent demand makes a travel business an appealing recession-proof business idea  as well. 

11 travel business ideas to inspire you

Here are eleven travel business ideas  to help you choose the right niche.

Travel agency services

Adventure travel planning

Luxury travel planning

Cruise planning services

Business travel management

Destination wedding planning

Cultural and historical tours

Family vacation planning

Eco-friendly travel services

Solo travel planning

Group travel packages

01. Travel agency services

Provide comprehensive travel planning services, including itinerary creation, accommodation bookings and transportation arrangements. This type of service is usually on a commission basis, earning you a percentage of the total travel cost.

02. Adventure travel planning

Specialize in planning adventurous trips, such as hiking expeditions, wildlife safaris and extreme sports vacations. This niche can attract clients seeking unique and exciting travel experiences.

03. Luxury travel concierge

Offer premium travel concierge services for high-end clients, including luxury accommodation, private transportation and exclusive experiences. This niche can be lucrative but requires attention to detail and a network of luxury service providers.

04. Cruise planning services

Focus on planning cruise vacations, including cruise line selection, itinerary planning and shore excursions. Cruises are popular among various demographics, providing a broad client base.

05. Business travel management

Specialize in managing corporate travel needs, including booking flights, accommodations and coordinating business events. This type of service requires a strong understanding of business travel requirements. This can be a great scalable business idea , as you can work with multiple businesses around the world or big corporations with multiple locations.

06. Destination wedding planning

Provide destination wedding planning services, helping couples organize and execute their dream weddings in exotic locations. This niche combines travel planning with event coordination.

07. Cultural and historical tours

Design and organize tours focused on cultural and historical experiences, catering to travelers interested in learning about different cultures and exploring historical landmarks.

08. Family vacation planning

Tailor travel packages for families, including child-friendly accommodations, activities and transportation. This niche can be rewarding, catering to families looking for stress-free travel experiences.

09. Eco-friendly travel services

Differentiate your business by offering eco-friendly travel solutions, appealing to clients with a focus on sustainable and responsible travel practices.

10. Solo travel planning

Cater to solo travelers by providing customized itineraries, safety tips and group travel opportunities. Solo travel is a growing trend, and this niche can tap into a lucrative market segment.

11. Group travel packages

Create and organize group travel packages for various interests, such as culinary tours, wellness retreats or photography expeditions. This niche can attract like-minded individuals looking for shared travel experiences.

How to get started with your travel business idea

Apply your industry knowledge and experience.

Develop a deep understanding of various travel destinations, accommodations, transportation options and industry best practices, depending on the travel services you offer.

Choose your specialization or niche

Consider specializing in a specific travel niche or industry to provide tailored services. This can help you gain a professional reputation in a particular niche, attracting repeat business and new clients. Pro tip: Create a business plan  to map everything out.

Build a professional network

Establish connections with travel service providers, hotels and other industry professionals to enhance your offerings. Consider creating a website  to expand your online presence and market your travel services.

Choose a legal structure for your business

Decide on the legal structure of your business, such as a sole proprietorship , LLC  or corporation . Ensure you comply with any regulations or licensing requirements in the travel industry.

Determine your pricing strategies

Choose your pricing model, whether it's service fees, commission-based or a combination. Research local market rates and competitors to ensure your pricing is competitive and reflective of the value you provide.

Travel business examples (built on Wix) to inspire

Wanderlust adventures.

This travel agency offers a variety of adventure travel packages, including hiking, wildlife safaris and cultural experiences.

Luxe Life Ventures

A premium travel concierge service providing exclusive luxury travel experiences for discerning clients.

CruiseDreams Planning

Specializing in cruise vacation planning, CruiseDreams helps clients find the perfect cruise experience tailored to their preferences.

Travel business ideas FAQ

What types of travel services can i offer in my travel business.

The travel industry offers a wide range of services. You can consider offering general travel planning, adventure travel, luxury travel concierge, cruise planning, business travel management, destination wedding planning, cultural and historical tours, family vacation planning, eco-friendly travel services, solo travel planning and group travel packages.

How can I attract clients to my travel business idea?

What equipment and supplies do i need to get my travel business idea off the ground, how do i determine pricing for my travel services, how can i ensure the safety of my clients during their travels, how can i differentiate my travel business idea from competitors, how can i expand my travel business idea as it grows, other business ideas to consider.

Service business ideas

Businesses to start with little money

Unique business ideas

Online business ideas

Low-cost business ideas

Side business ideas

Outdoor business ideas

Home-based businesses

Mobile business ideas

Consulting business ideas

Freelance business ideas

Reselling business ideas

Business ideas for couples

Rental business ideas

Small town business ideas

Wedding business ideas

Print on demand business ideas

Music business ideas

Finance business ideas

Cleaning business ideas

Marketing business ideas

Art business ideas

Tech business ideas

Restaurant business ideas

Fitness business ideas

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Business tourism 101: All you need to know

What is business tourism.

• To participate in internal meetings at different office locations
• To meet business partners (clients or suppliers)
• To go to conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, and other local or international business events
• To take part in company retreats or incentive trips

Why is business tourism important?

• Better understand common goals, needs, and challenges
• Work together more efficiently
• Easily share knowledge and ideas
• Achieve important breakthroughs and solve problems faster

See how to save money on business travel

What are the different types of business tourism, traditional business traveling, incentive trips, conference and exhibitions, how has business tourism evolved over the years.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

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21 Tourism and Travel Business Ideas

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Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on July 21, 2022 Updated on October 2, 2023

With the pandemic winding down, countless Americans are getting back to traveling! That means now is a great time to establish a travel-related business and build a steady income. The tourism industry is massive and diverse, offering many opportunities for sharp entrepreneurs. 

You could start a travel agency, a campground, a hotel, or a concierge service . Explore many more excellent tourism business ideas in our list below.

1. Travel Agency

If you love to travel and are always planning your next trip, starting a travel agency might be the perfect career choice. It’s a great way to share your love and knowledge of travel, and it can be very lucrative. US travel agencies are rebounding strongly from the pandemic and expect a 38% increase in revenue in 2022. Looking ahead, the market is expected to grow steadily through 2026.  

If you have the resources, starting a travel agency business can be a breeze. But first, you need to identify your target market. Will you focus on domestic or international travel? A lot of Americans go on short trips for vacation or business purposes, providing an opportunity for travel agencies to earn money. Arranging tours and outings for international visitors is also possible now that the US has eased travel requirements. Once you find your niche and draw up a business plan, you should work on establishing your brand and promoting it to find clients.

2. Nightclub

Do you enjoy late nights on the town? If so, starting a club might be right up your alley. Nightclubs and music venues are part of the US bars and nightlife industry, which suffered a sharp decline during the pandemic. But now that people are hitting the town again the market is set to grow 14% and exceed $28 billion in revenue in 2022. 

Before you open your club, it’s important to know that the industry is heavily regulated, especially when it comes to alcohol consumption. You’ll need to meet both state and local regulations and licensing requirements so it’s best to inquire about the details from your local authorities first. Next, it’s a good idea to research the market and find out what other clubs in your area are offering. You’ll have to innovate and come up with a unique selling proposition and a creative marketing plan for your club to attract customers. With these in place, your club can be very profitable.

3. Photography

Are you an amateur photographer who loves snapping great images? Photography in the US is an $11 billion industry expected to see steady growth in the coming years, so now would be a great time to stretch your entrepreneurial wings and give it a shot. You could focus on travel photography, if that’s your passion, and give the world beautiful photos while also seeing the world. 

Assuming you already have a professional-level camera, you’ll just need some great editing software and to build a website showing off your portfolio and listing your prices and services. With a bit of talent and determination, you could be snapping your way to success in no time!

If you’ve stayed in an Airbnb, you probably know how sweet it is to have a home away from home! This is why the homestay segment of the hotel and lodgings market has seen explosive growth in recent years, with Airbnb leading the way. Renting out your home as an Airbnb is an easy and flexible way to earn income, whether you’re looking for a little extra money or to build a serious business. 

The first step is to make sure your home or apartment can be rented out for short-term stays. In many areas today, there are laws either banning Airbnb rentals or limiting them to a certain share of local units. If your home clears that hurdle and is in an area with some tourist appeal, you’re already halfway there. If your apartment fails to meet one of these requirements, you might want to look into purchasing a home or apartment in an appealing destination, which you could then develop into a successful Airbnb. 

Whichever approach you choose, the most important step is delivering fantastic service to your guests. If you can achieve Superhost status, you’ll be well on your way to Airbnb success.

5. Translation Business

Demand for translation services is expected to grow as more companies seek to capture or increase their share of the global market. In the US, more than 10,000 new jobs for interpreters and translators are expected each year through 2030. Translation businesses help translate documents, localize travel and city guide websites, and interpret speech, including sign language. If you’re thinking of starting a translation business, you’re not alone. But if you have the skills and the right talents and tools, you could edge out the competition. 

In this internet age, finding translators who can work remotely across the globe has become easier. Promoting diversity among your staff could also be good for your business because you’ll be able to offer translation services for more languages. Do the paperwork to register your business, keep yourself updated with the latest technologies, promote your services, and you should be able to gain traction as soon as you start operating.

6. Bed and Breakfast

Many Americans still prefer to stay in a traditional B&B for the unique hospitality, homemade food, and fascinating local insights. The US bed and breakfast market was worth $1.7 billion in 2021 and expected to rebound strongly from the pandemic after the lifting of travel restrictions. If you’ve been thinking of opening your own bed and breakfast, now is a great time.

When starting a B&B, it’s important to be aware of the latest industry trends. For example, many guests prefer a facility that offers live entertainment or is located close to tourist attractions. It’s also to your advantage to research the market and see what features and services are being offered by the competition. Be innovative in coming up with ways to differentiate your business. Running a bed and breakfast is not easy, but it can be very rewarding if you play your cards right. 

7. Glamping

A decade ago nobody had heard the word glamping, which is short for “glamorous camping”. Today it’s a nearly $3 billion global industry and among the fastest-growing segments of the travel and hospitality market, expected to more than double by 2030. If you have a bit of land in an appealing location, or have the funds to purchase such a plot, you could start your own glamping business and make a good living offering luxury experiences to discerning travelers.

There will be some serious work involved. In addition to acquiring the property, you’ll need to outfit it with all the bells and whistles — from tents and teepees to high-end beds, furniture, lighting and air-conditioning and heating units. If your location is on the water, you could boost your revenue by also offering sailboats, canoes, kayaks, and more. But before you get started, this is a new and fast-evolving industry, so it’s best to take the time to research the market and learn the latest trends before diving in.

To attract customers, your glampground needs to be among the most appealing in your area.

8. Jet Ski Rental

Do you like having fun out on the water? Well, so does everybody else! That’s why starting a jet ski business is almost always a great idea. The global personal watercraft market is worth $1.5 trillion and expected to expand an impressive 50% by 2027. Right now is a great time to start a jet ski business, bring good times to your community and ride the market expansion to great success. 

Getting there will require a significant investment. You’ll need to spend about $25,000 to get your first few jet skis, plus a rental facility on the water and permits and licensing fees. Of course, you’ll also need to live near an appealing body of water, preferably one that’s enjoyable for more than a few months of the year. Finally, you will want to get good insurance, because jet skis are as dangerous as they are fun.

Once that’s all settled, just start advertising on local outlets and events, posting on relevant social media groups and online vacation platforms. You’ll have your first few customers in no time, and soon be cruising toward success.

9. Campground

Do you love the outdoors? If so, setting up a campground could be the perfect way to start your entrepreneurial journey. Camping is one of the most popular US pastimes in the US. Despite the pandemic, the number of US campers increased to 48 million in 2020, as outdoor activities were deemed safer than indoor recreation. 

Your biggest challenge in starting a campground is likely to be finding a suitable location. The most visited campgrounds in the US are in state parks, near bodies of water, surrounded by wilderness, or in the mountains. Once you find an ideal campsite, you’ll need to comply with licensing, zoning, and other legal requirements. Before you launch your business, it’s wise to research the market and find out what other campgrounds are offering. With careful planning and a creative marketing strategy, your campground can give competing sites a run for their money.

10. Pet Sitting

You’d probably never guess that pet sitting is a $2.6 billion industry, but it is indeed. People love their pets, and will spend whatever it takes to ensure they’re taken care of when they are away. The pet sitting market is projected to see impressive growth through 2027, so if you’re an animal lover, now is the perfect time to start your own pet sitting business and ride that wave to serious profits. 

The first step is to decide which type of pets you’ll care for. Do you have more experience with dogs or cats? Are you OK with snakes? Pigs? Once you’ve got that nailed down, you’ll just need to buy some pet toys and supplies and offer your services on a gigs site like TaskRabbit. It’s a good idea to reach out to friends, family and work-related contacts and acquaintances. If you’re able to generate an initial client or two from your own personal network, and provide them with great service, you’ll have a strong reference to promote your services and start building a successful business.

11. Spa Salon

Countless travelers love to relax with a day at the spa, which is why this is a growing $17 billion US industry. If you’re a massage therapist or esthetician, you could open a beauty salon, nail spa, luxury spa, massage studio, or even a mobile spa, and make people feel better while making a good living.  

You will likely need to get licensed, which can take some doing, and deliver excellent services to compete in an increasingly competitive and saturated market. Another crucial aspect will be location — your spa should be somewhere with steady traffic. Or you could go the mobile spa route and make house calls, bringing your massage and therapeutic services to your clients. This is more convenient for them, which means you can charge a higher rate, despite having lower overhead.

There are many elements to consider for your spa business, but what is not in doubt are your chances of success if you’re determined and can deliver healing services.

12. Scooter Rental

With gas prices going up, more and more Americans are turning to cheaper, more eco-friendly options for their commute and for seeing the city. Scooters cost less than cars and run on electricity. Over the past decade, Americans took a third of a billion trips on shared bikes and scooters. That’s a huge number, and it’s expected to increase sharply in the next few years. Considering this, a scooter rental business is a smart choice.

But first, it’s important to understand that scooters are used primarily as a transport option for short distances. Setting up this kind of business requires a huge upfront investment because you might have to purchase some scooters, unless you can lease them. You’ve need to make sure you have all the necessary permits and insurance in place before opening.

Once you have everything you need, it’s a good idea to work on a marketing plan. You can use social media, print ads, and word-of-mouth to get the word out about your new venture.

13. Party Bus

Ready to party? As the pandemic recedes, everybody’s getting back out there to have a good time. For a lot of people that means renting out a party bus and dancing and drinking the night away while cruising down the streets. Party buses are part of the $8 billion US limousine industry, and expect strong growth as people schedule long-delayed parties, gatherings, and nights on the town.

Starting your own party bus business will require considerable investment. The major cost will be, of course, the bus itself. Hopefully you’ll be able to find a reliable one at a reasonable price and then deck it out with all the trimmings, from a bar and disco ball to a DJ booth and more. Once you’ve done some marketing and gotten the word out you’ll be able to charge as much as $700 per night, so it shouldn’t take too long before you see a major return on your investment. 

Just be sure to get all your licenses, permits and insurance — the last thing you want is for the party to get parked on the curb.

14. Car Rental

As people book long-delayed holidays in the wake of the pandemic, car rentals are booming, with global revenues expected to double by 2027. With some hard work and determination, you could start your own car rental business and provide travelers the transport they need while grabbing your share of a growing $50 billion US market.  

Keep in mind that this is a competitive industry, which means you’ll need to find ways to stand out, such as with deep discounts or a unique selection of cars. Speaking of which, you’ll also need to lay out a sizable investment to get your initial fleet of four to five cars. Finally, it’s crucial that you meet all the licensing and insurance requirements or your business could face severe fines, or worse.

But if you’re able to clear these hurdles, there’s a good chance your car rental business will soon be cruising down easy street.

15. Boat Rental

Who doesn’t love a day out on the water? There are so many things to do. from skiing and tubing to cruising, socializing, swimming and just taking in the sun. That’s why boat rentals are a $5 billion US industry expected to see smooth sailing and steady growth in the years ahead. If you like spending time outdoors, you could start your own boat rental business and help people enjoy their time off while making a good living. 

There are several possible constraints. For one, you should live near a sizable body of water, and find an available access point or marina to base your operations. Second, you’ll likely need to accept the seasonal nature of this line of work, which in most areas of the US will only bring in revenue for 6-7 months of the year. Finally, getting started will require a significant investment, as appealing, rentable boats do not come cheap. 

But if you’re OK with all this, and able to acquire the necessary permits and insurance, once you start putting boaters on the water you’ll be cruising straight toward success.

16. Bike Rental

As travel regains steam and more workers return to the office, demand for bike rental for last-mile connections is sure to increase. If you’re thinking of starting your own business, a bike-share outfit or bike rental shop could be a great option. The US bike rental industry, valued at nearly $800 million, is projected to grow in the next five years amid a bike-share boom, driven in part by environmental concerns.

There are a few things you need to consider before starting a bike rental business. Is there a market for bike rental in your area? What kind of bikes should you offer? How many bikes should you start with? You will find the answers to these questions as you research the market. It is also important to comply with all the legal and regulatory requirements and to come up with a good marketing plan. One option is to place bike docks near subway stations and major bus stops.

17. RV Rental

RVing , or traveling in a recreational vehicle, is a popular way of exploring the US with family and friends. It’s showing no signs of slowing as more than 70 million Americans are expected to go on road trips in an RV they rent, own, or borrow, according to the RV Industry Association. You could start an RV rental business and tap into this exciting travel market.

You can either invest in a fleet of RVs, which would require a hefty investment, or you can just list your RV on an online marketplace like Outdoorsy. Before setting your rates, it’s a good idea to scope out the market and find out what your competitors are charging. You’ll have to factor in insurance and other costs in order to make a profit.

Finally, it’s important to keep your RVs well-maintained to attract customers, most of whom prefer to rent out new units. With all this in place, your RV rental business will making good money in no time.

18. Kayak Rental

As more people explore the outdoors in a post-pandemic world, a kayak business makes sense. It’s an eco-friendly way to help travelers enjoy their time off while getting some exercise and enjoying the great outdoors. Sales of kayaks and accessories are expected to see steady growth and reach nearly $300 million by 2027. So, why not start a kayak rental business now?

Aside from offering kayaks for rent, you could also also offer apparel and helmets, storage bags, seats, life jackets, and safety gear. Selecting the location of your shop is important. It will have to be near the coast, a river or a lake, and with steady foot traffic. You’ll need a substantial investment to set up your shop. Finally, it’s a good idea to promote your business and let people know about your offerings.

19. Taxi Business

Considering all the ride-sharing apps out there, you might be surprised to learn that old-school taxis are not only surviving, but doing quite well. The US taxi and limo market is worth more than $66 billion and expected to see steady growth in the coming years. If you enjoy driving and meeting new people, starting a taxi business might be the right move for you. 

Getting started will require some real effort and investment. You’ll need to buy a reliable car, if you don’t already have one, plus reliable insurance and all the necessary permits. In some cities the car hire license can be a major expense, for instance a New York City taxi medallion costs $80,000. In other places, like $300 in Cleveland, not so much. Once you’ve all set up, it’s a good idea to build a website so people can find you, and you might want to offer an app as well, as most car services nowadays offer on-demand ordering. 

Finally, get creative with your marketing to stand out in a competitive market, provide excellent service and steady driving to your first few clients, and the good reviews and revenues should start pouring in.

20. RV Park

The wanderlust spirit and a rise in road-tripping have amplified the allure of RV travel. Capitalizing on this trend, starting an RV park presents a golden opportunity in the travel business sector. Such parks cater to a growing demographic of explorers seeking the comfort of their RVs while embracing the freedom of the open road. With the right amenities and a strategic location, an RV park can be a haven for both short-term travelers and long-term nomads.

Location is paramount, ideally near popular tourist spots or natural attractions. Additionally, ensuring modern facilities, security, and possibly offering unique experiences or events can differentiate your park from competitors. As travel patterns evolve, an RV park can offer travelers a blend of adventure and convenience, making it a profitable and sustainable business venture.

21. Tour Operator

Tour operator business thrives on curating unique experiences, offering tailored packages, and ensuring travelers get the best out of their journeys. Unlike general travel agencies, tour operators control and manage the specifics of the trip, right from itinerary planning to the on-ground execution. This means creating partnerships with local businesses, ensuring safety standards, and offering a seamless travel experience to clients.

In today’s digital age, a tour operator’s success doesn’t just hinge on local networking, but also on a strong online presence. Reviews, testimonials, and digital marketing strategies play a pivotal role in attracting potential customers. Whether one chooses to cater to adventure seekers, history enthusiasts, or luxury travelers, the key is to differentiate, maintain high service standards, and keep evolving with the dynamic travel industry.

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• Travel Agency
• Photography
• Translation Business
• Bed and Breakfast
• Jet Ski Rental
• Pet Sitting
• Scooter Rental
• Boat Rental
• Bike Rental
• Kayak Rental
• Taxi Business
• Tour Operator

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How virtual tourism can rebuild travel for a post-pandemic world

The Faroe Islands is just one destination using new technologies to create a virtual tourism experience Image:  Knud Erik Vinding/Pixabay

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.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Virtual and Augmented Reality is affecting economies, industries and global issues

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, virtual and augmented reality.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the travel and tourism industries;
• Businesses in this sector must build infrastructure and practices that allow people to travel safely in a post-pandemic world and support local communities that benefit from tourism;
• Augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies can offer alternative ways to travel the world and an exciting new model for the industry.

The tourism industry has hit a nadir owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will continue to feel the effects for at least the first three quarters of 2021 – according to a recent UN report , tourist arrivals globally in January 2021 were down 87% when compared to January 2020.

Travel will prevail over post-pandemic anxiety, making it incumbent on the aviation and tourism industry to build safer infrastructure and practices that take care of travellers’ well being.

Have you read?

International tourism is set to plunge by 80% this year – but some regions could recover more quickly, how global tourism can become more sustainable, inclusive and resilient, virtual reality adds to tourism through touch, smell and real people’s experiences.

After a year thwarted by the pandemic and with the future not looking too upbeat for the industry at this juncture, tourism business owners should look at alternative modes of interaction for holidaymakers that can also aid the people and economies who depend on tourism.

The COVID-19 pandemic has noticeably hastened the testing and rollout of forward-looking technologies. Technology has not only enabled citizens globally to interact with loved ones, but also helped industries such as healthcare, information technology, education and many more to work remotely.

In the last few decades, technology has helped travel and tourism industries increase their reach through travel booking websites, videos, blogs and travel photography. Digital tools and content are a vital source of information for vacationists organizing their next holiday or creating a destination wish list. Whilst remote or virtual tourism has been a futuristic theme within industry forums for some time, the world today, shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, might now be ready to accept it.

A human-centric design that draws insights from cognitive behaviour, social psychology, neuroscience and behavioural economics applied with cutting edge technologies such as augmented, virtual or mixed reality (AR, VR, MR) could be a game-changer. AR, VR and MR can enable a seamless, uninterrupted interactive experience for viewers from their own private space. The design principles will create a frictionless digital user experience and construct a positive perception of a tourist destination.

There have been previous attempts to achieve this feat: if you are an aqua sightseer, you might be aware of a documentary exploring the Great Barrier Reef . Through an interactive website, one can view the clear, tranquil currents of the Pacific Ocean and the biodiversity of the reef, and experience the sounds of a healthy coral reef. Another much-discussed VR experience is Mission 828 which allows you to take a virtual parachute jump from the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Official Tourist Board of the Faroe Islands has also crafted a virtual experience to entice post-pandemic visitors from across the world.

Imagine a human-centric designed, interactive space online that makes a destination accessible and so real for a sightseer with sound captured by electro-acoustics researchers. You could view holiday sites in a video or through self-navigation using voice or joystick controls, interact with people using video-calling platforms, travel through the streets of said location, eavesdrop on local music and much more. This could be stitched together in a single platform individually or in silos on the internet and further enhanced by setting up physical experience tourism centres locally. Such a setup would allow tourist guides, artisans, craftspeople, hoteliers and transport business to create their own digital and virtual offerings and interact with possible customers.

Here’s how it might look: a vacationer starts their experience from the time their flight commences. The plane descends to the destination runway and pictures of the vicinity from the aircraft window pane are captured. The airport signage welcomes passengers and directs them to a pre-booked taxi. The vacationer gets to choose their first destination and travels through the streets in a chauffeur-driven car whose interactions en route become part of their cherished memories. On arrival, a tourist guide walks you through the destination all controlled with just a tap on your gadget. During the sightseeing, you hear random people speaking, posing for photographs and more. You take a photo to post on social media, go shopping and negotiate with a local vendor to purchase an artwork and get it delivered to your door. You learn how a local dish is prepared and get familiar with local customs.

A virtual platform could even provide an opportunity for people to explore areas that are affected by or fighting terrorism. For example, imagine seeing the diverse wildlife and snow leopard of the Gurez Valley, in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It doesn’t stop there: if thought through, one could experience travelling to the South Pole, space and beyond. It could also serve as a learning portal for students to understand geographies, culture, art and history.

With technology improving lives globally, virtual tourism could reignite the tourism industry and its people and help build a more sustainable economic model. As a human-centric platform, it can establish local tourist guides, artisans and others as global citizens in the tourism industry.

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Sri Lanka Tourism attends EWPC 2024 to gain global wedding experiences

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The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau jointly collaborated with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau recently, participating in the Exotic Wedding Planners Conference (EWPC) 2024, alongside key industry participants.  This marked the first-ever presence of Sri Lanka at this renowned event, showcasing the country’s potential as a premier destination for weddings and events. The EWPC series is renowned for promoting networking, education, and business opportunities within the global wedding planning industry.  The 2024 conference drew in a diverse array of stakeholders, including leading wedding planners specializing in destination weddings, event planners, and suppliers. This year’s event focused on exploring new trends, developments, and innovations that enhance the scope and experience of weddings and events worldwide.

A highlight of the conference was the captivating presentation by Thisum Jayasuriya - Chairman Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, which captured the attention of approximately 400 participants from around the globe. During the business-to-business (B2B) sessions, the Sri Lanka counter attracted numerous wedding planners eager to learn more about hosting destination weddings in the picturesque island nation. As part of its commitment to nurturing these promising connections, Sri Lanka Tourism is planning a familiarization tour for potential wedding planners met during the conference. This initiative aims to showcase the diverse facilities and offerings that Sri Lanka can provide for memorable destination weddings. “With its rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and warm hospitality, Sri Lanka is poised to emerge as a top choice for couples seeking unique and unforgettable wedding experiences. The successful participation in EWPC 2024 highlights Sri Lanka’s commitment to becoming a leading destination for weddings and events on the global stage,” added Jayasuriya.

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Portland’s Airbnb Fiasco Shows Why Regulation Often Fails

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Destinations around the country are trying to crack down on Airbnb and other short-term rentals. From megalopolises like New York and Los Angeles to vacation destinations like Aspen, Colorado, and Honolulu, local governments are attempting to limit the effect that short-term rentals have on their communities in areas like the availability of affordable housing for locals and safety for visitors.

But enacting restrictions on Airbnbs is one thing. Enforcing such regulations in the real world is another. And few cities demonstrate the perils of trying to put the home-sharing genie back in the bottle better than Portland, Oregon.

10 years of trial and error

A decade ago, Portland began requiring owners of short-term rentals to get a license for their property. However, Airbnb failed to remove listings that didn't comply with this law, so in 2019, Portland demanded that the platform offer better data sharing to allow it to check its registry of licensed rentals against properties actually on the platform.

Yet a scathing report from The Oregonian newspaper in 2023 revealed that local officials lacked the staff and technical expertise to use the data Airbnb provided, leaving many unlicensed rentals illegally operating on Airbnb.

In an email, Scott Karter, audit and accounting manager for the city of Portland’s revenue division, said the number of currently operating unlicensed rentals on Airbnb is believed to be "several hundred and possibly over 1,000."

"As we work through this process, we will be able to get a more accurate figure. We are still in the early stages of this process with Airbnb," Karter said.

Airbnb added a required permit number field to its listings in December 2023. A follow-up report from The Oregonian found that hundreds of rentals added bogus permit numbers, including eight properties that simply used the example number on the Airbnb website.

“There are some individuals who work hard and creatively to circumvent the permitting process,” Karter said.

The city of Portland isn't penalizing hosts or Airbnb for noncompliance because it lacks the resources to identify which properties lack licenses and which haven’t had theirs approved. The upshot is a vacation rental Wild West, with some hosts following regulations, others avoiding them, and guests largely clueless about whether their rental is operating illegally.

Housing and safety

Portland housing advocates have been waiting 10 years for the city to enforce the rules it established to minimize the impact of short-term rentals.

Lauren Everett, an organizer with Portland Tenants United, says it doesn’t make sense to pass bond measures and take other steps aimed at increasing affordable housing “while allowing people to use houses as hotels.”

Illegal Airbnbs, like those currently operating in Portland, sap housing supply at a time of dire need, according to Everett. The city’s lackadaisical enforcement approach means fewer available homes for residents.

“It has become a way for people to extract rent without worrying about tenants' rights,” Everett says.

Another issue driving attempts at regulation is safety. Portland’s official short-term license process involves a safety inspection. Yet to speed up permit processing, the city has performed only 14 of these inspections since 2019, according to The Oregonian report. That means that the vast majority of rentals are operating with no local safety oversight.

The dangers of unregulated short-term rentals were highlighted last year in Montreal when a fire at an illegal Airbnb killed seven people. Montreal, like Portland, has struggled to enforce its short-term rental policies, even after stricter regulations were introduced following the deadly fire.

A cautionary tale

Portland was one of the first major cities in the U.S. to require registration of short-term rentals like Airbnb. Ten years later, it is struggling to enforce these regulations. And it's hardly alone.

The city of Santa Barbara, California, recently hired a team of special investigators to crack down on illegal rentals, which the team estimated there are about 1,300. The enforcement team collected $595,000 in fines from 40 properties in its first year.

Los Angeles also requires short-term rental operators to obtain a license with the city. But according to a report from the McGill University School of Urban Planning, nearly half of the city's Airbnbs were operating illegally in 2022.

The similarities between these efforts to regulate short-term rentals suggest that cities need to focus on how regulations will actually be enforced. Otherwise, illegal rentals will proliferate, irritating local communities and those hosts who are complying with the law.

And some suggest Airbnb should be asked to shoulder more of the burden.

“Airbnb is making money off these communities,” Everett says. “They should be the ones paying for enforcement.”

How to maximize your rewards

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20,000 Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.

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Traveler technology, travelers’ embrace of technology continues to evolve.

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In past years, Phocuswright fielded Traveler Technology surveys in the US and Europe, plus a global study in 2019, focused primarily on measuring the rise of mobile device usage for shopping and booking and the influence of social media on destination and purchase decisions.​​

Nowadays, mobile devices are ubiquitous and the influence of social media on travel decision making is well understood. But travelers’ relationship with technology continues to evolve, with the latest tech-driven services and hardware devices delighting, frustrating and even unsettling travelers young and old.​​

This updated Travel Technology study will measure U.S. online travelers’ usage and perceptions of cutting-edge technology including generative AI, virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things, digital identity and robotics . It will aim to understand travelers’ satisfactions and concerns with the increasingly common technology used in planning, booking and experiencing travel today.​

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• How much do travelers trust these technologies? Why or why not?​

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• Best overall
• Best for expensive trips
• Best for exotic trips
• Best for annual plans

How we reviewed travel insurance for seniors

Best travel insurance for seniors of may 2024.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

Reaching your golden years doesn't mean your adventures have to end. In fact, in this stage of life, you'll hopefully have more time and resources to travel. But as a senior citizen, you'll want to ensure you have travel insurance that covers any health-related issues arise while you travel.

Our top picks for the best senior travel insurance

• Best overall: Allianz Travel Insurance
• Best for expensive trips: John Hancock Travel Insurance
• Best for exotic trips: World Nomads Travel Insurance

Best for annual plans: Travel Guard

How we rate the best senior travel insurance companies »

Compare travel insurance for seniors

Your health gets more unpredictable as you age, which makes travel insurance more important for seniors. Unfortunately, it's also more expensive. The best travel insurance for seniors won't have too steep of a price hike compared to rates for younger travelers. It will have high coverage limits for emergency medical coverage, trip cancellations, and and emergency medical evacuation. It's also important that your travel insurance offers pre-existing condition waivers , ideally at no extra cost to the traveler. 

Here are our picks for the best travel insurance coverage for seniors in 2024.

Best overall: Allianz

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Good option for frequent travelers thanks to its annual multi-trip policies
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Doesn't increase premium for trips longer than 30 days, meaning it could be one of the more affordable options for a long trip
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Some plans include free coverage for children 17 and under
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Concierge included with some plans
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Coverage for medical emergency is lower than some competitors' policies
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Plans don't include coverage contact sports and high-altitude activities
• Single and multi-trip plans available
• Trip cancellation and interruption coverage starting at up to $10,000 (higher limits with more expensive plans)
• Preexisting medical condition coverage available with some plans

Allianz Travel Insurance is one of the most widely recognized names in travel insurance, and it stands out as one of the top travel insurance providers for seniors. It offers a wide range of policies covering medical treatments overseas and emergency medical transport.

Allianz also provides options for varying trip lengths. Its annual multi-trip policies , for example, cover any trip you make during your policy period, even if they aren't yet planned, making it an excellent option for seniors who vacation multiple times per year.

Read our Allianz Travel Insurance review here.

Best for expensive trips: John Hancock

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers 3 travel insurance plans
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Cancel for any reason rider available
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Affordable travel insurance premiums
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Reviews of claims process are mixed
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Buyers may not get specialty coverage for sports equipment and other high value items
• Trip cancellation for 100% of the trip cost
• Trip interruption insurance for up to 150% of the trip cost
• Emergency medical coverage of up to $250,000 per person
• Medical evacuation coverage of up to $1,000,000

John Hancock Travel Insurance plans for seniors offer some of the best coverage available. It provides generous maximum benefit amounts while still offering affordable prices.

Each plan includes coverages like trip cancellation, emergency accident, and emergency medical, with the option to add benefits like CFAR (cancel for any reason) . Plus, getting a free online quote is a quick and straightforward process.

Read our John Hancock Travel Insurance review here.

Best for exotic trips: World Nomads

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Coverage for 200+ activities like skiing, surfing, and rock climbing
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Only two plans to choose from, making it simple to find the right option
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. You can purchase coverage even after your trip has started
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. If your trip costs more than $10,000, you may want to choose other insurance because trip protection is capped at up to $10,000 (for the Explorer plan)
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't offer coverage for travelers older than 70
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) option
• Coverage for 150+ activities and sports
• 2 plans: Standard and Explorer
• Trip protection for up to $10,000
• Emergency medical insurance of up to $100,000
• Emergency evacuation coverage for up to $500,000
• Coverage to protect your items (up to $3,000)

World Nomads Travel Insurance is a great choice for active senior citizens under 70 who want comprehensive travel insurance. The key difference between World Nomads and many other providers is that it covers 200+ adventurous activities like scuba diving, mountain biking, surfing, skiing, and even bungee jumping. In addition, World Nomads' trip cancellation and emergency medical coverage includes COVID-19-related issues. Many other insurers are excluding that type of coverage now.

For adventurous senior citizens over the age of 70 years, World Nomads suggests working with its partner, TripAssure .

Read our World Nomads Travel Insurance review here.

Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost and trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip cancellation coverage of up to 100% of the cost, for all three plan levels
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. CFAR covers up to 75% of total trip costs (maximum of $112,500 on some plans) 
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Medical coverage of up to $500,000 and evacuation of up to $1,000,000 per person
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes COVID coverage 
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Above average baggage loss and delay benefits
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High medical evacuation coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Premiums may run slightly higher than competitors

Travel Guard is a well-established and highly rated name in the travel insurance industry. It offers three main coverage options to choose from, and in general its policies have above-average coverage for baggage loss and baggage delays, plus high medical evaluation coverage limits.

• Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost
• Trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost
• Preexisting medical conditions exclusions waiver must be purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment
• Annual travel insurance plan and Pack N' Go plan (for last-minute trips) available

Travel Guard  offers comprehensive insurance plans for shorter and longer trips. One of its more unique offerings is its Travel Guard Annual Plan.

This annual travel insurance comes with standard coverage benefits (trip delay, baggage loss, etc.) and substantial coverage amounts, which is important for seniors who travel multiple times per year. Travel Guard also offers a preexisting medical condition waiver, meaning those with certain medical issues can still gain coverage.

Read our AIG Travel Guard Insurance review here.

Understanding travel insurance for seniors

Before diving into the specifics, it's essential to understand what travel insurance is and why it's particularly important for senior travelers. The best travel insurance offers financial protection against unexpected events affecting your trip, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost luggage.

Types of coverage

• Medical Coverage: Ensures your medical expenses are covered in case of illness or injury.
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage: Provides reimbursement if your trip is canceled or cut short due to unforeseen events.
• Baggage Coverage: Covers loss, damage, or theft of personal items during your trip.

Benefits of travel insurance for seniors

• Peace of Mind: Knowing you're covered in case of emergencies can make your travel stress-free.
• Financial Protection: Shields you from potentially overwhelming medical costs and trip cancellations fees.
• Assistance Services: Many plans offer 24/7 assistance services, providing help whenever and wherever you need it.

Making the most of your plan

After choosing a plan, it's crucial to understand your policy fully and know what services are available to you in case of an emergency.

Understanding your policy

• Read the fine print and understand the claims process to avoid surprises.

Emergency assistance services

• Familiarize yourself with the emergency assistance services offered by your plan and keep all necessary contact information handy.

How to pick senior travel insurance

It's wise to compare several different travel insurance policies for the best coverage and pricing, as premiums vary widely between insurers and depend on factors like your age and travel destination.

That said, some of the more essential coverages to look for if you're a senior citizen include:

• Travel medical coverage - This coverage will pay for your medical bills outside the US.
• Medical evacuation coverage - If you're injured or become sick while traveling, this coverage will transport you to the nearest hospital or even back home if your condition necessitates it.
• Preexisting conditions - Coverage for known health conditions. You'll need to purchase travel insurance within a certain time period from when you book your trip to qualify for a preexisting condition waiver .
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) - The name says it all! It'll cost extra and you'll need to purchase insurance early, but it's the most comprehensive trip cancellation coverage you can get. Note that CFAR insurance usually only covers up to 75% of your trip fees.
• Trip cancellation insurance - This coverage provides reimbursement for your prepaid and nonrefundable costs if you cannot make your trip due to an unforeseen event.
• Baggage delay insurance - This coverage will reimburse you for essentials like toiletries and clothes if your bags are delayed.
• Lost luggage insurance - This coverage will reimburse you up to a specified amount if your bags get lost en route.

Of these, the most critical to note are whether or not your policy covers preexisting conditions and the limits for travel medical insurance and emergency medical evacuation.

Some insurance companies offer a waiver that will cover preexisting conditions. You'll have to follow the requirements for adding a waiver to your policy, like insuring the entire cost of your trip. Or purchase the policy within a specific time after making your first trip deposit payments.

You'll also want to find a policy with high maximum limits for travel medical and emergency medical evacuation coverage. These types of expenses can be substantial, so you want to have appropriate coverage.

When comparing senior travel insurance options, we looked at the following factors to evaluate each travel insurance provider:

• Coverage limits: We looked at each travel insurance company's coverage amounts for benefits like medical emergencies and trip cancellation.
• Flexibility: We looked at how customizable a policy is, so you can choose what your travel insurance policy covers .
• Coverage for preexisting conditions: Preexisting conditions are one of the more critical factors for travel insurance for senior citizens, so we looked at travel insurance companies that offer the best coverage for preexisting conditions.
• Price: We compared travel insurance providers offering reasonable basic and comprehensive coverage rates.
• Benefits geared towards seniors: We compared travel insurance companies that offer solid coverage for senior citizens, like medical evacuation, COVID-19 coverage, and trip cancellation.

You can read more about our insurance rating methodology here.

Seniors should look for travel insurance policies that offer comprehensive medical coverage, including for preexisting conditions and emergency medical evacuation. They should also consider policies with higher coverage limits to ensure adequate protection. Additionally, seniors should seek travel insurance plans that provide 24/7 assistance services, as well as coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, and baggage protection.

The cost of senior travel insurance coverage can vary depending on your age, overall health, state of residence, travel destination, and length of your trip. However, assuming all other factors are the same, you'll pay more for travel insurance at 70 than at 30.

All travel insurance companies, except World Nomads, included in this guide offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions as long as you buy your policy within the qualifying period from when you placed your trip deposit.

Allianz is the best travel insurance for seniors due to its wide array of medical coverages and emergency medical transport. Allianz also offers multi-trip insurance policies , which could make sense for seniors who travel frequently.

In some instances, travel insurance companies will have age eligibility restrictions, often only insuring people 80 years old and younger.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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National News | Biden to travel to North Carolina to meet with…

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National news | biden to travel to north carolina to meet with families of officers killed in deadly shooting.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings wipes away tears as he speaks at a press conference in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 30, 2024, regarding the shooting that killed four officers during an attempt to serve a warrant on April 29. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Debris surrounds a home, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, where a shootout between a suspect and officers occurred on Monday, in Charlotte, N.C. Police say a shootout that killed four law enforcement officers and wounded four others began as officers approached the home to serve a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Debris covers the lawn of a home from Monday’s standoff with police in Charlotte, N.C. on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Police in North Carolina say a shootout that killed four law enforcement officers and wounded four others began as officers approached the home to serve a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings pauses at a press conference in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 30, 2024, regarding the shooting of four officers during an attempt to serve a warrant on April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings listens to a question during a press conference in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 30, 2024, regarding a shooting that killed four officers during an attempt to serve a warrant on April 29. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings leaves a press conference in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 30, 2024, regarding a shooting that killed four officers during an attempt to serve a warrant on April 29. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Rev. Raymond Johnson, of Marion, S.C., arranges flowers on the lawn of the home on Galway Drive in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 30, 2024 where a shootout between a suspect and officers occurred during an attempt to serve a warrant on April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

The president is scheduled to visit Wilmington across the state that day and is planning to add a stop in Charlotte to meet with local officials and the families of officers shot Monday while serving a warrant, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The four officers were killed when a task force made up of officers from different agencies arrived in the residential neighborhood in the city of 900,000 to try to capture 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr. on warrants for possession of a firearm by an ex-felon and fleeing to elude in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Hughes was also killed.

Four other officers were wounded in the shootout, and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a 40-caliber handgun and ammunition were found at the scene. Those killed were identified as Sam Poloche and William Elliott of the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Officer Joshua Eyer; and Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks.

After the attack, Biden expressed his condolences and support for the community, calling the slain officers “heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harm’s way to protect us.”

“We must do more to protect our law enforcement officers. That means funding them – so they have the resources they need to do their jobs and keep us safe. And it means taking additional action to combat the scourge of gun violence. Now,” Biden said in a statement, calling on leaders in Congress to pass a ban on assault weapons, among other gun control measures.

Also on Wednesday, a local police chief said that an officer from his force who was shot Monday underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. David W. Onley, the police chief of Statesville in the Charlotte metropolitan area, expressed condolences Wednesday and “unwavering solidarity with our law enforcement brethren during this difficult time,” according to a statement released by his office.

One of the four officers injured in the attack was Cpl. Casey Hoover of the Statesville Police Department, who served on the task force. He was shot in his upper torso — an area unprotected by his bulletproof vest.

Hoover was taken by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to a Charlotte hospital, where he underwent surgery. Onley said the officer, who has worked for the Statesville police for eight years, is now stable and is expected to make a full recovery and “exemplifies the bravery and resilience of our law enforcement community.”

Law enforcement officers were still investigating Wednesday, attempting to determine a precise timeline of events and whether Hughes acted alone or with a second shooter.

Hughes’ criminal record in North Carolina goes back more than a decade. It includes prison time and convictions for breaking and entering, reckless driving, eluding arrest and illegally possessing a gun as a former felon, according to state records.

The attack was the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement in one incident since five officers were killed by a sniper during a protest in Dallas in 2016.

___ Miller reported from Washington.

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