25 Travel Company Success Stories [2024]
Travel companies sell transportation, lodging, plan trips, and admission to entertainment activities to individuals and groups.
If you love traveling, you can start a company that organizes trips for different people. Choose a niche and ensure travel packages that suit them best.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a travel company:
1. Under30Experiences ($3.6M/year)
Matt Wilson, co-founder of Under30Experiences, came up with the travel company idea after going on a life-changing trip to Iceland. He saw the opportunity to bring his community of young entrepreneurs on similar retreats, and after organizing a successful trip to Iceland, the idea caught on and the business took off.
How much they make: $3.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 5
Under30Experiences is a travel company for people aged 21-35 that runs small group trips around the world, with over 800 five-star reviews on Facebook, Google, and Yelp combined, and nearly hitting $5M in revenue before the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Rayna Tours ($6M/year)
Manoj Tulsani and Kamlesh Ramchandani, founders of Rayna Tours and Travels, started their business a decade ago with no experience in the travel industry. Despite the challenges, they grew their venture into one of the UAE's leading destination management companies, earning over $40 million per year. Their success is attributed to their focus on exceptional customer experience, strategic investments in their own infrastructure, and the use of advanced technology to provide convenient travel services.
How much they make: $6M/year
Current team size: 670
Rayna Tours and Travels, founded by Kamlesh Ramchandani and Manoj Tulsani, began its journey as a small travel counter inside a Dubai hotel, and has now grown into one of the UAE’s leading destination management companies with earnings exceeding $40 million per year.
So... can you actually make money with a travel company?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Flight Expert Bangladesh ($18M/year)
Salman Rashid, Founder & CEO of Flight Expert, came up with the idea for his business after realizing the potential of online travel agencies in Bangladesh. Seeing the decline in revenue in his family's offline-based travel agency, Salman suggested starting an OTA to his father. Despite initial skepticism, Salman recognized the need for better technology, service culture, and the value of brand trust in the industry, leading to the launch of Flight Expert in 2017.
How much they make: $18M/year
How much did it cost to start: $80K
Current team size: 60
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.
4. A Chef's Tour ($600K/year)
Luke, the founder of A Chef's Tour, came up with the idea after realizing his passion for travel and food. He quit his job, flew to Bangkok, and immersed himself in the city's street food culture. After conducting thorough research and finding a local guide, he launched the first food tour and focused on providing exceptional customer service and generating positive reviews to attract and retain customers.
How much they make: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
Current team size: 2
A Chef's Tour, a niche travel business that creates and runs daily street food tours in 12 cities across Asia and beyond, saw revenue of $55,000 per month before Covid-19 forced them into hibernation, but they have since reopened and are rebuilding with plans to expand into new locations in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
So... can you actually make money with a travel company?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. TourScanner ($720K/year)
Simone Semprini, CEO and Co-Founder of TourScanner, came up with the idea for the business while traveling in Brazil and struggling to find activities and tours online. Seeing the opportunity in the growing market for online tours and activities, he developed the concept, connected with co-founders Guillaume Picard and Joseph Dimucci, and launched TourScanner as the first meta-search engine for tours and activities. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, TourScanner has recovered and is now performing better than ever, with a monthly net revenue of $60k and plans to reach $1M ARR in 2022.
How much they make: $720K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 5
TourScanner, a meta-search engine for tours and activities, achieved monthly net revenue of $60k and plans to reach $1M ARR in 2022, utilizing a lightweight business model based on affiliate programs that earned a commission from referrals sent to major travel companies like Viator, GetYourGuide, Musement, and Groupon.
6. Hotels Etc. INC ($3M/year)
Shawn Pigg, CEO of Hotels Etc, came up with the idea for his business when he saw an infomercial for the company. Recognizing the potential in offering true discounts to travelers, he purchased the company and invested his life savings to bring it to life. Since then, he has negotiated over 3,000,000 discounts worldwide, resulting in Hotels Etc becoming a multimillion-dollar company and one of the oldest membership programs on the internet.
How much they make: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $600K
Current team size: 14
How this CEO created a multimillion-dollar membership business offering exclusive discounts on travel and branched off into over 30 categories of discounts for members, negotiating over 3,000,000 discounts around the globe that are not available to the general public and only available to their members.
So... can you actually make money with a travel company?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Golf Trip Junkie ($1.98M/year)
Sean Petersen, the founder of Golf Trip Junkie, came up with the idea for his business while playing a game of golf. As a passionate golfer and traveler, he wanted to combine his two passions into a successful business. From the first successful vacation he planned, Sean realized that helping people enjoy life and de-stress through golf was his true motivation, and that fueled his drive to create a thriving business.
How much they make: $1.98M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 5
Golf Trip Junkie founder Sean Petersen shares how he turned his passion for golf and travel into a profitable business, with average monthly revenue of $165,000, by designing personalized golf vacations for middle-aged men and companies looking for a unique corporate outing experience.
8. Baboo Travel ($600K/year)
Paul Sarfati, the Founder and CEO of Baboo Travel, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the decline of his previous travel company, Bamba Travel, due to the pandemic. Wanting to create a platform that offers customized trips and connects travelers directly with local experts, Sarfati drew inspiration from companies like Evaneos. With his extensive knowledge of the travel industry and a focus on creating a better business model, Sarfati aims to revolutionize the travel industry and provide customers with personalized experiences at better prices.
How much they make: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $515K
Current team size: 5
Baboo Travel's CEO Paul Sarfati successfully launched an easy-to-use travel platform that connects customers with local in-destination travel experts, reaching $180,000 in sales in the first four months of launching through targeted marketing strategies, incorporating growth hacking techniques, and prioritizing content marketing and search engine optimization for long-term success.
9. Pack Up + Go ($6.6M/year)
Lillian Rafson came up with the idea for Pack Up + Go during her travels in Riga, Latvia, where she met two women on a surprise vacation with a European travel agency. Realizing there was no similar service in the United States, Lillian decided to become a surprise travel agent herself. With a $50 investment in the domain, Pack Up + Go was born and has since sent over 25,000 travelers to 100+ destinations across the US.
How much they make: $6.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
Current team size: 30
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.
10. CuddlyNest ($2.8M/year)
Ritesh Raj, the co-founder and COO of CuddlyNest, came up with the idea for the accommodation booking platform after years of traveling to over 100 countries and realizing the pain points of finding diverse types of accommodations. Alongside his co-founder, they decided to create a centralized platform that offers all kinds of properties for all types of travelers. Since its launch, CuddlyNest has raised over $14 million in funding and has plans for continued growth and expansion.
How much they make: $2.8M/year
Current team size: 72
CuddlyNest has become the only online travel agency that offers all types of accommodations in one platform, with inventory currently including over 4 million properties of all types in 80k+ cities, and is expecting to hire more than fifty new employees in the coming months.
11. ANTHONYKDO INC ($120K/year)
Anthony's passion for filming and moving led him to create films that were appreciated by his audience. As he gained more recognition, he started receiving requests to create films for others. After his first successful client project, he was convinced of his entrepreneurial potential.
How much they make: $120K/year
Current team size: 0
A nomadic Canadian filmmaker started their creative business six years ago and now has over two dozen loyal clients scattered across six different countries, earning between $7000-15000/month, with a website built on WIX and no traditional marketing approach, relying on word of mouth and social media, they operate like an agency these days aiming for more meaningful work.
12. ToursByLocals ($97.3M/year)
How much they make: $97.3M/year
Current team size: 290
ToursByLocals offers customized private tours in over 190 countries with 1700 handpicked tour guides, serving more than 220,000 customers worldwide.
13. Intrepid Travel ($520M/year)
How much they make: $520M/year
Current team size: 1260
Intrepid Travel is the biggest adventure tour operator that generates $43 million in annual revenue, offering more than 1,150 sustainable and experience-rich trips worldwide and, since 2002, raising over AUD 12 million for 135 charities worldwide through The Intrepid Foundation.
14. Blue Sky Luxury Travels ($5M/year)
How much they make: $5M/year
Current team size:
Blue Sky Luxury Travels is a multi-million dollar, ultra-luxury travel agency that offers worldwide services, including weekly rates ranging from $10,000 to more than $1 million for their network of luxury villas, private islands, and yacht charters.
15. RoundAbout Travel ($6M/year)
How much they make: $6M/year
Current team size: 1
This case study features Australia's first round-the-world airfare specialist, which generated $900,000 in revenue during its first year and has since expanded to five brands, accumulating over $50 million in annual revenue, all started by a 23-year-old who quit his job as a travel agent.
16. Heaven Himalaya ($120K/year)
Sanjib Adhikari, co-founder of Heaven Himalaya, was inspired by his childhood fascination with the Himalayas and a desire to promote the region's beauty. With no prior experience in the tourism business, Sanjib and his brother launched the company during the COVID pandemic, focusing on designing trekking and tour packages to Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and India. They are now looking to expand their offerings and partnerships while optimizing their online presence through SEO and social media channels.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
Current team size: 6
Heaven Himalaya, a tourism business that specializes in trekking and peak climbing tours, has managed to drive traffic to their website through SEO and social media channels, and has learned to stay calm and composed while waiting for the results.
17. Gifted Travel Network ($500K/year)
How much they make: $500K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100K
Current team size: 22
Gifted Travel Network generated $30 million in sales from travel reservations made using their credentials in 2019, promoting travel entrepreneurship through offering professional development programs, exemplary service and a supportive community.
18. Envi Adventures ($516K/year)
Corey Rust, founder of Envi Adventures, came up with the idea for his air tour business after realizing the potential in offering scenic flights over Multnomah Falls in Oregon, a highly visited tourist spot with heavy traffic. Despite facing initial skepticism, Rust started the business with minimal funds, creating a basic website and social media presence to generate interest. After a long search for an airplane, he finally found one and obtained the necessary approvals to launch his business, which has since experienced significant growth, reaching a revenue of over $30,000 per month in its second year.
How much they make: $516K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
Current team size: 3
Envi Adventures, a Troutdale, Oregon-based air tour business, grew from making $7,000 in a month in its first year to over $30,000 a month in its second year, using Instagram and influencer marketing to create an interactive, personalized experience for guests.
19. Total Travel Solution ($240K/year)
Nishan Rajakaruna, the CEO & Founder of Total Travel Solution in Sri Lanka, came up with the idea for his travel agency after reading a tea-export company's brochure that mentioned being a "total tea solution." He decided to create a company called Total Travel Solution and partnered with a leading travel agent in Spain, which changed his life and made TTS a successful company. Despite challenges in the tourism industry, TTS remains a leading travel agency in Sri Lanka.
How much they make: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 5
Total Travel Solution is a 6-figure (USD) company that sells the best quality Sri Lanka and Maldives tour packages to tourists from all over the world, generating a sales revenue of about USD 2 million from 2012 to 2018 while maintaining their growth through honest, trustworthy, and high-quality services.
20. Tripadvisor ($1.37B/year)
How much they make: $1.37B/year
Current team size: 2956
Tripadvisor is a global travel advice network with over 1 billion reviews and recommendations from almost 8 million companies that generated 902 million U.S. dollars in global revenue in 2021, representing a 49% increase from the previous year.
21. I Want That Flight ($360K/year)
How much they make: $360K/year
Current team size:
Case study of an entrepreneur who built a flight comparison script and has grown profit margins to $110,000 per month.
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- Access to our founder directory
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- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
