Starting a Tour Company

[Mark Viergutz]

I'm looking to begin a new career as a tour operator. Actually, a culinary tour operator. I've been researching it exhaustively for several years and have identified the areas I want to specialize in and the kinds of tour offerings I want to sell. I've also come up with some new markets within this cultural travel niche to develop. Plus, I've compiled a slew of marketing resources and ideas.

In spite of all this, what are the immediate obstacles one faces to get a company like this up and running, besides working capital? How much time can I expect to transpire between beginning my marketing efforts (of carefully designed product offerings) and when to start seeing results, i.e. income being generated?

I'd like to partner with someone who'll share my vision and see the value in my ideas. What's the best way of finding someone like this without disclosing too many of my unique concepts and markets to penetrate?

I'd thoroughly love any feedback, or networking, from other members of this group.

Thanks.

[Donna Hamilton]

Hi Mark,
Starting a new company (whatever the niche) is tough slog in the early days, for sure.
When we began our tour company we did heaps of 'famils' (familiarisation trips), and to our horror a few of the folks we entertained, later designed similar tours! Of course there is nothing illegal with that, but it happens. Phrases and marketing terms get re-used, and the list goes on...
If you've got a 'something' which is absolutely unique [like us with our own sheep farm & historic connection with the area we live], then no-one can compete for that.
Outside influences like Swine flu, 911, Bali bombings, etc. impact on tourism. Unfortunately, New Zealand has been suffering quite a down-turn over the past several months.
...good on you though! (I'd love to know exactly what you're going to do!!??) I'm starting a new inclusion for our tour very soon, so are in a similar boat to you.
Good Luck!
Donna
Auckland's Eco-tour & Farm visit

[Mark Viergutz]

Hello Donna:

Thanks for replying to my post. It would seem that the tour business has more in common with the the television business than I expected. I had a partner, here in southern California, and we tried to pitch numerous concepts for programs, only to see several of them stolen. In some cases including the titles, too. But, there's a major difference between the tour business and the television industry. Instead of pitching one program designed for one or two networks to one program director, marketing tours enables an international sales staff of thousands of travel agents to sell one's tours, for a commission, too. It's a much better business model.

I'll stop by your website and see what you're up to.

Cheers.

Mark

[[e-mail]]

We were lucky enough to work 10+ years for another tour operation before we began. I would suggest (as I do to the many folks who contact us looking for careers as tour guides) joining a few tours run by operators who are likely to be your closest competitors. This is money well spent as you'll see first-hand how they're run and what type of client they attract. This will help you fine tune your offerings. You can also (discreetly) do a bit of marketing to the clients about your future plans, finding out what they like and didn't like about the program you're on. Once you've pulled the trigger on your operation, word-of-mouth is the best (but slowest of course) means of growing your program so make sure you're well capitalized so you can be patient and not tempted to take short-cuts or do wild discounting to get some volume. Sadly, the comments about your ideas being "borrowed" are too true -- we've seen text from our website cut-pasted into the websites of operations started after we began CycleItalia in 1998 and had spies sent by other operators join us as paying clients. There are no secrets in this business...at least not for long!

[Mark Viergutz]

Hello Larry:

Thanks for the feedback. As a TV producer, I've also had several show ideas, and even show titles. All one can do is move forward, stay true to one's intentions, and offer the best service and value for the targeted consumers. All of which, and more, I intend to do.

Cheers.

Mark

[Paul]

oh.. I've also been looking into starting a tour company myself.. what should be the key things I need to have to start one? Do I need to have that application for booking flights?