Business Idea: Start A Travel Agency in 2026
Are you a passionate traveler with entrepreneurial skills? Then starting a travel agency can be a great career choice for you.
As a travel agency, you'll be responsible for linking travelers to providers of all the travel and tourism-related services such as accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, tour guides, local adventure, etc.
Starting an online travel agency is a lot easier than you might think. You'll need to perform market research, get a few necessary certifications (such as your IATA number), study competition, build a website, and do proper marketing.
To maximize earnings, negotiate discounts from the industry service providers, and charge travelers within the market rate.
Revenue & Profitability
How much do travel agencies make?
- On average, successful travel agencies report $2.19M/year in revenue.
- 100% of travel agencies report being profitable.
Learn more about how much money travel agencies make.
Startup Costs
How much does it cost to start a travel agency?
- It can cost as low as $100 to start a travel agency.
- It can cost as high as $100,000 to start a travel agency.
Learn more about the costs of a travel agency.
Examples Of Successful Travel Agencies
Successful travel agency businesses and case studies
How a first-time founder grew the first-ever online travel agency in Bangladesh to 700+ airlines and one million-plus hotels worldwide, with a 50% increase in revenue in October 2021 compared to pre-Covid sales and aiming to hit break-even by March 2022.
Find out how Lillian Rafson started a travel agency that plans surprise getaways around the United States and sent 25,000+ travelers to 100+ destinations nationwide since launching in 2016, with a business model that takes a 20% service fee for planning trips and earns commission on hotel reservations.
See full list of successful travel agencies.
