Starting a business in the tourism and travel industry
If you genuinely love to travel, you may wonder whether it is something you can make a more significant part of your life or even if you can build your career around something you genuinely enjoy. There are many jobs in the travel industry, such as various airline careers, to choose from. However, when you think about running your own business in or adjacent to the industry, you might assume that the only options are to become a social media influencer. Suppose you're not particularly interested in reorienting your lifestyle around living in a van or globetrotting most of the year and documenting all of it for an audience. In that case, you might think you're out of luck. But the fact is that there are many different ways to start a business in this industry that are more traditional and that still primarily operate in the physical instead of the digital world.
Bed and breakfast If one of your favorite parts of travel is meeting people from all over the world, running a bed and breakfast or another small guesthouse is a great way to bring that into your everyday life. Especially given the current state of the hospitality industry, it helps if you have some leisure and hospitality experience and even more if you enjoy preparing food for others. If you want to break into this industry, you may want to get a year or two of experience working for a similar business under your belt first. However, if that isn't possible, take notice, as plenty of people have successfully opened up B& Bs with minimal or no experience. A great historic home, the ability to cook a terrific breakfast for a crowd, and a genuine interest in people, will all help you succeed.
Vacation rentals If running a bed and breakfast sounds a little more labor-intensive than what you're into, consider vacation rentals. You might think about a beach house, but vacation rentals can include furnished apartments and condos. They can range from a resort to a single room in your home. In addition to looking at your budget, consider what type of travelers you'd prefer to attract as you think about what kind of property to buy and what amenities to offer. Families, luxury travelers, budget backpackers, and digital nomads will all have different expectations and needs. As profitable as vacation rentals of all types can be, it's also critical that people can find your rental in the first place. You can review the best sites for short-term rentals online to help you get an idea of where your listings should be placed for potential vacationers to find.
Local tours Are you a local history buff? Are you into hiking nearby, or do you know all the foodie secrets of your town? If you have an area of expertise that would interest visitors, you could set up a business doing local tours. There are many different ways to approach this. You could do anything from low-cost walking tours of an hour or two for large groups of up to 20 or 30 people to creating full-day or overnight luxury experiences for groups of just four or five. Look for similar tours in and out of your area to get ideas. Consider whom you want your audience to be, whether you want there to be any physical activity involved, that includes walking, and what your price point should be. If anyone in your area is doing something similar, consider how you will differentiate yourself from them.
Domestic or International tours If you're feeling more ambitious, another option is to run multi-day tours within the country or abroad. This is expanding on the local tour idea above, choosing a place and potentially an activity that you have expertise in, and sharing it with others. If you've been going to the same place in France every year for a decade and are fluent in the language, you might be ideally placed to start bringing a small group over. Alternately, maybe you want to teach people about the music scene, the wineries, the history of your state or region, or one you are most familiar with.
The fine print With all the above options, you'll take on a particular responsibility for people's safety. Ensure you fully understand the legalities involved, including your obligations and potential liability. It's a good idea to consult a professional such as an attorney with a background in understanding how these types of businesses operate and what is required.
