Читать книгу Start & Run a Tour Guiding Business - Barbara Braidwood Susan Boyce & Richard Cropp - Страница 39

If you are going to run your own tour operation, you will need to find a travel agency to work with. You may deal directly with airlines and hotels in some states and provinces, but in others it is illegal to accept money for travel unless you are either a registered agency yourself or are working under an existing agency’s license. (For more information on working with a travel agency, see chapter 11; on laws and registration procedure, see chapter 15.)

The days of the general full-service travel agency are not over. However, the complexity of the industry today has spawned thousands of agencies specializing in particular areas and types of travel. It is to your advantage to focus on those agencies that best represent what you are aiming for. If you want to put together a tour of England, don’t go to an agency specializing in African safaris. Keep in mind that the contacts of the travel agency you have chosen will make all the difference to the quality of your tour and to the amount of money you make. If you are going after a certain kind of client, a specialized travel agency may be able to do a better job at a better price than a full-service agency. The specialized agency will have clearly defined target markets and will aim its marketing at these potential clients. This will work to your advantage as you try to fill seats for your tour.