Travelport , Cox and Kings, Thomas Cook, Visaonnet.com Franchisee Model is it for you?

If you have got 300-500 sqft retail space and passion to be a travel manager. Then why not start your own travel agency. Till date the world of travel business is considered very shady with various commission structure in place creating large value chain with multiple hands before actual goods reach to customers. With launch of online sites things have changed and travel industry is transforming.

But with people like Reliance Retail starting up travel desks is it suitable for you to get into value chain with travel port or Cox & King Franchisee kind of model.  Though it will help you  get into with leveraging established brand name. Things you should decide before joining in

# Pressence or availability of footfall in area where your operations will be. The players are banking on your pressence to be in retail mall or market where 70% of your business to derieve out of walk-in customers.

#You should look at existing competition in and around the area. If even if you have 2 existing travel agents in area still it would not be a bad idea. As first examine travel agents location. Most of the travel agents i have seen are based on 1st or  2nd floor of business complexes. This often states a statement for me they are banking on 70% phone based sales and 30% walk in customers.

#The area you are opening your business has potential for air travel or not. If very low income group people are around than its not the best of the idea as trust me non of the travel agents are banking on selling hotel rooms.

# You are looking at working capital of 50K per month. With just 2 employees.

Travel is one of the industry which is not going to die and evolve according to people s requirement. You are looking at starting a business which in indian terms can be passed on from generation to generation or sold after 3-5 years of working with good return on investment.