How to Start Online Travel Agency in the Philippines

Venturing into the business world is one of the most crucial decisions anyone should make. If you love traveling, starting an online travel agency in the Philippines might be for you. This business involves offering a tour package in the Philippines and even booking accommodations and flights for your customers.

But how do you start an online travel agency in the Philippines? To find out, read our guide below.

Step By Step Process on How to Start Online Travel Agency in the Philippines

1. Develop A Travel Agency Business Plan

First off, you should develop a business plan. It is the initial phase for any business startup wherein you will decide if you’re putting up your travel agency or acquiring a travel franchise. During this phase, you should develop a business description, determine your target market, and estimate the startup cost to prepare your finances.

2. Choose Your Partners

The next step is to choose your business partners based on the services and tour package in the Philippines you’re going to offer. When selecting partners like airlines and hotels, you should evaluate their charges to determine your markup and potential income.

Also, since you’re new in the field, it is ideal to use platforms where you can book flights and accommodation and even process the passports of your customers. By doing so, you only need to pay the subscription fee until you get familiarized with the business.

3. Apply For Permits and Licenses

After you’ve figured out everything, it is time to apply for permits and licenses. To legally operate and maximize your potential earnings, you should register your travel agency business at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It only applies if you’re doing business at home or by yourself.

However, for partnerships or corporations, you should register your business at the Security of Exchange and Commission (SEC). For more details on starting a travel agency in the Philippines, read R.A. 1478.

4. Set Up Your Office

While online travel agencies transact online, it is better to have an office at home or by renting a space. It gives your business more credibility and attracts more clients, knowing that your travel agency business has a physical office.

For instance, you can turn a vacant room in your home into an office and acquire the equipment needed for a travel agency business, such as a computer, printer, photocopy machines, landline phone, and CCTV cameras. You can also set up a small lounge for walk-in clients, especially for those who would avail of tour packages for big groups.

5. Workforce Planning

Since most business startups usually have the owner as the sole staff, you should do workforce planning. If you do everything from contacting your partners to finding customers, hiring one to two staff is necessary for the future to continue growing your business.

But if you don’t have the budget yet to pay full-time staff, you can outsource jobs from freelance workers. It gives you more time, allowing you to focus on other matters and expand your business.

6. Offer Popular Tour Packages

During the first phase of business planning, you must have known what tour package in the Philippines to offer. However, with many options available, it is frustrating to manage everything as a novice in the field. So as other successful businesses do, it is better to focus first on the most popular tour packages, such as Boracay, Coron, Palawan, Cebu, and other famous tourist spots in the country.

You can also offer tour packages near your area, so it would be easier for you to contact partners. By focusing on popular tour packages, you will have a higher potential of attracting customers even if you’re starting.

7. Start Marketing & Advertising

Lastly, good marketing and advertising strategy are essential to establish your business and increase brand awareness. Apart from offering popular tour packages, you’ll have a better edge than your competitors if your social pages and website are optimized, making your business more visible to your target market.

Conclusion

Overall, an online travel agency in the Philippines can be tricky at first. But once you have processed the legalities and understand what tour package in the Philippines to offer to your customers, you can certainly earn big with a travel agency business.