December 20, 2012
Fundamental Steps When Setting Up a Travel Agency in the Philippines
If you are looking for a great way to earn money, consider starting a business in the tourism industry. This can be ideal simply because there will always be people who will desire to travel, whether alone or with loved ones, just to relax and enjoy. So, to begin an entrepreneurial career in this interesting field, follow these steps:
First, register your new business.
When having your entrepreneurial venture registered in the Philippines, you first have to go to the Department of Trade and Industry or DTI. Well, that is if you want to be the sole proprietor of your travel agency. However, if you are about to go for a corporation or partnership, then you should go to the Securities and Exchange Commission. After doing so, you should then acquire a Barangay Clearance and proceed to your local municipality. Apart from these steps, you must visit the Bureau of Internal Revenue to get a Certificate of Registration of COR as well as the authority to print receipts. Lastly, have an appointment with the Department of Tourism so that you can be officially accredited.
Second, find the right location.
Your future travel agency should be in the right location so that you can easily grab the attention of both local and foreign customers. So, make sure that you consider your target market when choosing a specific place of business. Also, you should think about your starting budget so that you need not break the bank just to launch a presentable tourism office. As an example, you can set up your workplace in a crowded area, most particularly those that are accessible to the employed audience since the latter can be ideal prospects for your travelling-related entrepreneurial venture.
Third, be trained on online reservation procedures.
In today’s innovative society, it is a must to be flexible and proficient in terms of applying or implementing tourism procedures. For instance, you and your future staff may consider undergoing a professional training in terms of handling travel bookings online. How are you going to cater to a bulk of requests and queries when most of your functions are Internet-based? What is an ideal software for holiday reservations, especially those that come from other countries? These are vital processes that can only be efficiently fulfilled by your future business through appropriate training.
Fourth, partner with other tourism-related agencies.
This is a must if you want to be quickly known to the world of tourism. First, you have to tie up to an IATA-affiliated travel agency to have easy access to the international market. For a great start, you can partner with at least three companies that are part of this prestigious organisation, which literally means International Air Transport Association. Doing so assures you that you need not worry about issuing tickets for cross-country flights. Additionally, you must make allies with credible airlines and shipping lines in order to give customers high-quality vacation services.
Be mindful of these steps to successfully start a Philippine-based business that can give you guaranteed profit and utmost fun!
About the Author
Founded in 1989, Regus aims to provide high-quality serviced offices to their clients. Aside from their Philippine workplaces, they also have commercial spaces for rent in Switzerland, Korea, Nigeria, and other countries.
Filed under Business by Sarlyn
