Anyone who’s traveled the world knows just how freeing the experience is, and those with an entrepreneurial streak might wonder whether they can find a way to turn their passion into something financially fulfilling.
Running a travel business is a great chance for you to keep your experiences going. You don’t need to feel down when you’re about to catch the flight home. Instead, you can continue to make memories and experience as much of the world as possible. So, how can you turn your passion for travel into a business?
Types Of Travel Businesses
While these are not all the possible travel businesses you can start, they are some of the most popular and can give you an idea about what part of the industry appeals most to you.
Agencies
Travel agencies may not be as popular as they once were, especially since everyone can book their whole vacation over the Internet by themselves. Still, opening a travel agency designed for specific types of travelers could be a fantastic opportunity for you to share your knowledge and help people enjoy the same experiences as you. You can also operate in a specific space or work remotely and confer with clients through Skype.
Tours
Every traveler has a list of things they want to do when they arrive at their destination. However, trying to arrange these activities is not always straightforward. You can help them visit the most famous sites or take part in adrenaline-pumping activities to make their trip the best of their life. However, you may need some certification, so training to become a tour guide should be a priority. You may be able to volunteer as a walking tour guide to gain experience.
Hospitality
People need somewhere to stay while traveling, so opening a hostel or bed and breakfast could be ideal. There are various types of hostels, giving you even more chances to help travelers make the most of their adventure. Party hostels are exactly what the name suggests and are perfect for the city center, while more modest, more relaxed hostels are ideal for the countryside where travelers come to check out the beautiful rural areas.
Influencer
Although influencers have a bad reputation because many associate them with simply taking photographs of themselves, they can spread the word about unknown gems worldwide. Unlike the vapid side of influencers, you can use social media to promote things that matter to you and hopefully work with other brands that share similar values. You can become an ambassador for certain travel brands, which gives you the chance to go wherever you like.
Writing and Photography
Anyone passionate about being creative and traveling can use these skills to enhance their careers as a travel writer or photographer, or even both simultaneously. You don’t need any fancy equipment (and even your phone can take fantastic pictures nowadays), but you should learn how to look for stories in the places you visit. An everyday travelog is one way to promote your travels, but digging deeper and learning more about the history of the places you visit can make your work even more engaging to read.
How to Turn Your Passion Into a Business
Starting a travel business is a lot like starting any other business. However, since you are not always working in your home country, there are a few other issues you’ll need to handle to ensure you do everything above board.
Pick Your Location
Operating a travel business can take you anywhere, but it’s best to have a base from which to run your company. The location depends on what you’re comfortable and familiar with. Could you start a travel business in your home country? You could, but it might make some things, like staying up to date with the local culture, difficult to manage. Another option is to move to the country where you want to operate. Ideally, this is somewhere you’ve visited a lot and spent plenty of time exploring the whole country so you know enough about it.
Determine Your Funding
Starting a business isn’t cheap. You’ll need to determine how you will fund your new business, so seek investment or loans. It’s also worth saving money during your travels (as difficult as that can be). Doing so will make it easier for you to afford the fundamentals of starting a business and can make the first year easier to navigate as you can get all the essentials organized before worrying about more complicated issues later.
Pick Something You Love to Do
Choosing your business should be straightforward. You already know what you enjoy doing, so focusing on that will make it easier to turn your passion into a business. There’s no point in starting a business if you don’t have any experience, so remember that when outlining your business plan. Make a list of the things you’ve enjoyed during your travels and go from there. It could be hiking tours, surf lessons, or helping travelers get around the country.
Learn the Language
While you will deal with travelers who can speak the same language as you, it’s also worth learning the local language if necessary. Even a basic understanding of the language can make things easier and endear you to other businesses. Since it isn’t just English speakers who travel, you should always do as much as possible to make yourself available to all travelers. The more you understand both the local language and other common languages, the easier it will be for your business to succeed.
Get Your Visas
You cannot work without a visa and there is no point in risking it because you assume you won’t get caught. Learning the easiest places to get a work visa can help you find a destination that works for you, but you should also research visa options in other countries, especially if you have a specific place in mind. Of course, if you hold a local passport, you won’t need a visa, so don’t worry about that. If you are freelancing, there could be some tricky laws that are worth understanding to prevent any issues.
Set Up Your Website
A website can help you increase awareness and give potential clients or customers a convenient place to learn more about your business. You can use popular travel templates to make a website that people can use, and you can also include all the relevant information, such as your phone number and prices. Besides your website, you’ll need a social media page (Instagram at the very least) to share quick updates or post photos from your events and activities that can entice more customers.
Plan For Growth
Hopefully, your business will experience a fruitful first year and beyond. In this case, you’ll need to plan for growth. It can be tricky to keep everything organized as a solopreneur, especially when operating in a different country. You can overcome this by investing in service management software that can help you cover a wide range of everyday business essentials without feeling overwhelmed. This approach will also make it easier to predict and prepare for growth as you hire more employees and expand your service offering.
Work With Other Businesses
Many expats can benefit from working together as long as their businesses do not overlap or are considered competitors. When starting your company abroad, it’s worth working with other companies to increase promotion and raise awareness. If you run a surf shop, you can offer discounts for customers staying at the hostel around the corner. If you are a travel writer, working with other creatives could expand your network and introduce you to a wider audience.
Market Yourself
Similarly, you can find ways to market yourself by creating content or taking an old-fashioned approach with flyers and other ideas. Since travelers are more likely to want to try different things, you’ll have an easier job of grabbing their attention. But you need to ensure that what you’re offering is worth their time to ensure they enjoy themselves and recommend it to their friends and other travelers who pass through.
Connect With Travelers
Connecting with travelers is one of the best ways to improve your chances of running a successful business. You can get involved with the local expat community or attend traveler-specific events. If you want to cultivate this community yourself, hosting these events at your hostel or restaurant can be a great way to foster friendships and help people meet new people who could become travel companions and even lifelong friends.
Meaning Business
No matter where you go, you will find someone who uprooted their life and took the risk to launch a business on the other side of the world. While not everyone enjoys success, you could be the next lucky person who takes their passion for travel and transforms it into a successful business. Whether you operate a tour company, host accommodation for weary travelers, or inspire others to follow in our footsteps through travel writing and photography, there are plenty of ways for you to travel for the rest of your life and earn a living at the same time.
