Would you like to run your own travel agency?

For anyone who has worked in travel the next step is to become a licensed travel agent and start your own travel agency.

Many people set out to start their own business but one of the most important factors with business is to do your homework!
You may have worked for 12 months in a travel agency as a consultant or you may have worked for 12 years, either way if you want to set up your own agency you are going to need to know more about travel than just domestic and international ticketing.

Managing your own agency can be incredibly exciting, rewarding and a lot of fun, but if you don’t know the fundamentals of operating a business then you are possibly setting out on a rocky path.

Every person is different and the pathway to achieving success is different for each, but there are a few significant things that every person must have. These include:

• An understanding of the legal and ethical requirements of running a travel agency
• Knowledge of the financial aspects of setting up a business
• Clear objectives and a plan for building the business
• A knowledge of the critical elements needed for operating in the travel industry

Without these things, and the planning and preparation that go into starting any business, your travel agency might not get off the ground.

Consider the story of Don and Margaret, a husband and wife team from South Australia. Don had no previous experience in travel while Margaret had been working as a consultant for eight years. When Don and Margaret decided to set up a travel agency business neither of them had any previous business experience, but they thought with Margaret’s background they’d be able to get by. However, after trying to stumble their way through the set up, learning from their mistakes as they went, they realised they made a fatal flaw—they hadn’t planned properly and they hadn’t done any study on setting up a business. It cost them their savings and their dream. Looking back, what would they have done differently? Both agreed, without hesitation, that they would have undertaken a course and learnt more about the business aspects before diving into their own travel agency.

The Travel Agent Licensing & Starting A Travel Business Course gives you an insight into what you need to know before setting out. The course, written by a travel agent who runs a travel business, teaches you about the legal and ethical requirements, cost structures and how to generate an income from your agency, the resources you will need and how to plan for staff, the systems you will need to set up, how to negotiate agency deals, the marketing approaches you need to consider and where to source brochures.

Career opportunities include: Travel Agent, Freelance Travel Consultant, Travel Agency Manager

Industries include: tourism, travel.

Download the relevant information on Travel Agent Licensing below:

Travel Agents Licensing Guide

Also, you can visit the Department of Fair Trading, which provides information on applications and licensing in NSW. Note: the regulations for applying for a Travel Agent's Licence changed with the Travel Agents Act 2006, which now applies to all states and territories in Australia.

About Travel Agent Licensing

You should also check the Travel Compensation Fund website regarding compulsory insurance:

Travel Compensation Fund website