International Travel Agency Business Plan

ATI provides individual and group travel to leisure and corporate clients. Services and products provided by ATI include travel consultation, pre-arranged tours, custom packages, reservations for lodging, rental cars, rail passage, etc. ATI seeks to differentiate itself as the premier adventure travel agency in the greater Woodville area.

3.1 Service Description

ATI is a full service agency and sells standard travel agency goods and services, including airfare and travel packages. Additional services include assistance with passports, providing access to top-of-the-line equipment and supplies, and a superior offering that includes access to better than average terrain and activities, accommodations, and entertainment. The value added of ATI’s offering is its knowledge and expertise, competitive rates, and specialty focus on adventure travel, which translates into increased satisfaction for the customer.

Adventure travel is divided into two categories, hard and soft adventure. Both hard and soft adventures involve active and athletic activities. Hard adventure activities, as the name suggests, generally consist of activities that involve risk and athletic competence. Soft adventure activities are less physically demanding and more passive than their hard adventure counterparts. Economic indicators suggest that an increased demand for adventure travel services exists. ATI can position itself as a niche service provider within the travel and tourism market and offer high quality travel packages for various sporting trips. ATI will serve the adventure travel market as a top quality, full service provider. All suppliers with whom ATI will deal will be top-notch professionals with accomplished backgrounds. If suppliers fail, at any time, to meet our rigid standards of quality, they will not be used.

3.2 Competitive Comparison

The travel agency market is competitive, and technology, namely the Internet and Computerized Reservation Systems (CRS), has changed the way travel agencies operate. The Internet gives agencies and individuals the ability to perform travel related research. Discount air fare brokers have taken advantage of the Internet by offering tickets on line at discounted rates. This has increased price competition. Computerized Reservation Systems have increased the speed and efficiency of the agency to customer transaction. They have also increased the start-up costs for travel agencies who wish to be competitive. Moreover, industry competition and the increased number of travel options available have made it necessary for smaller travel agencies to establish themselves as specialists in one or more types of travel. ATI has done this by positioning itself as an adventure travel specialist. ATI has not identified a direct competitor in the greater Woodville area. However, a travel agency does not have to be an adventure travel specialist to book an adventure travel trip. Therefore, ATI will compete with other Woodville area travel agencies as they offer alternatives to adventure travel, have the ability to arrange adventure travel themselves, and have the advantage of established relationships with clients.

3.3 Sales Literature

Brochures for travel locations, rental car companies, entertainment, etc. are obtained from the wholesale houses and service providers with whom ATI deals. Brochures for ATI are handled by a local graphic arts company and are mailed to potential customers upon request. Additional literature such as direct mail, print ads, and sales promotion materials will be utilized as needed. ATI will maintain a database from which customer/contact information will be drawn.

3.4 Fulfillment

ATI has established relationships with providers of travel related products and services. Two major airlines have been selected as our primary ticket providers in part because they do not cap the agent’s profit on tickets. This allows us to capture the 10% margin on ticket sales that was for many years the industry standard. Market research has enabled us to identify and establish working relationships with service providers around the world. ATI has been able to identify opportunities to capture margins of up to 25% from certain parties. Sourcing will be continuously evaluated. ATI will take advantage of trade shows, travel industry publications, and other sources of industry related information to monitor the quality of its offering.

3.5 Technology

ATI will rely on a Computerized Reservation System (CRS) for all client reservations. The CRS enables travel agencies to identify what the customer is looking for and make that information available quickly. It also increases the speed and efficiency with which ATI can communicate with suppliers. In addition, the CRS makes customer data storage and retrieval relatively simple. ATI will also make use of the Internet for market research and communications.

3.6 Future Services

ATI may in the future open agencies at additional locations. In addition, as the adventure travel market reaches maturity, ATI may participate in additional segments of the travel market. ATI is researching the market to identify potential opportunities for future sales. ATI’s long-term goal is to establish itself as an internationally recognized provider of top-of-the-line adventure travel. This goal does not prohibit ATI from participating in additional segments. It does, however, provide a corporate focus and a differentiated offering.