Travel agency launch checklist

01 — Market and offer

Choose one traveler and trip typeName who you serve, what they are trying to book, and which cases you will decline.

Run five problem interviewsCapture current workarounds, expensive mistakes, decision anxiety, and buying triggers.

Write one operating promiseDefine the outcome, service boundary, response expectation, and why you are credible.

Compare employee, host, and independent pathsModel support, control, supplier access, economics, compliance, client ownership, and exit.

Map relevant jurisdictionsList business, worker, customer, advertising, contracting, and client-money locations.

Verify registration and disclosuresSave official links, forms, requirements, exemptions, renewal dates, and checked dates.

Choose the business structureReview liability, taxes, paperwork, ownership, location, and growth with qualified help when needed.

Draw the money flowTrace traveler payments, suppliers, refunds, host remittance, commissions, advisor payouts, bank, and books.

Write the client lifecycleMap inquiry, qualification, proposal, authorization, booking, change, travel, reconciliation, and follow-up.

Test a normal booking and a disruptionUse realistic data, a cancellation or date change, a refund, and an adjusted commission.

Create the monthly closeReconcile booking records, processor and bank balances, refunds, supplier amounts, and commissions.

Assign a system of recordName where clients, trips, bookings, authorizations, payments, commissions, tasks, and accounts live.

Pilot the smallest credible stackTest no more than three options with the same scenario, permissions, reports, and export.

Choose one fast and one compounding channelPair conversations or partnerships with search content, referrals, or another durable asset.

Set a ninety-day decision dateDefine pass, revise, and stop thresholds for qualified calls, proposals, bookings, workload, and cash.