Notwithstanding the fact that there is no dearth for both online/offline travel agencies, entrepreneurs trying to carve a niche for themselves in this overly competitive field should always play safe. Be it for a newbie or an established player, stiff competition is the order of the day.
Such a market condition calls upon businessmen to come up with certain strategic moves that will make their travel business stand out from the rest. Sparing you the ‘also ran’ title, below are certain actionable pointers that will help your travel business gain an edge over your competitors.
1. A Concrete Plan of Action
Any business proposition calls for a well-thought-after plan and a travel business is no exception to this primary requirement. While keeping a close watch on every small detail, you as an entrepreneur should look into the market specifications that govern your tour-planning business. If your plan is to establish a home-based travel agency, you need to tie up with a host travel agency which will provide you with the status of an independent contractor. Alternatively, if you want to set up an online travel business, you should have a well-designed website that compels visitors to sign up with you.
2. Show Security and Get Customer Trust
Given the primary motive of your travel business is to stand apart from your competitors, you can support your travel website with an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate provides a higher level of security to your web and e-commerce applications by employing the encryption technology. The SSL certificate encrypts the online information, securing it from the malicious intentions of hackers.
An array of affordable and trusted SSL brands like GeoTrust, Thawte, Comodo, Symantec, GlobalSign and RapidSSL are listed on this site. All these products coming with a reasonable price tag secure your travel website with a 2048-bit CSR encryption protection. The moment an SSL certificate is in place, your travel portal can display the free and secure site seal. This can boost your travel business by garnering the trust and confidence of your tourists.
3. Implement Safety Measures Concerning Sensitive Customer Data
In addition to signing up for an SSL certificate, you need to go a step further to secure the confidential information of your customers. It is the need of the hour for your travel agency to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) guidelines. Adhering to these rules will ensure that the corporate card details of all your tourists are encrypted and made unreadable to unwarranted users.
Another safety measure that your travel agency should look implement is to request an Attestation of Compliance (AOC). This is proof that your travel business meets all the PCI standards. This certificate goes on to imply that your agency gives utmost importance to data security. It is also an indication that your travel business has passed the prescribed security audits and checks by the PCI Quality Security Assessor.
4. Meet The Legal Requirements
It is indeed a simple task to set up a travel agency. However, entrepreneurs should meet certain requirements as per the law of the land. Certifications and licenses are some of the legal requirements that your business should meet. Additionally, you should also come up with a formal name for your business along with applying for a Federal Tax ID number.
5. Money Matters
Planning a travel agency involves a lot of thought revolving around your funding requirements. In the event you plan to set up a brick and motor travel agency, you need to manage your funds through…
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