tourism based startup ideas

• Increase Online Bookings

17 Innovative Tourism Business Ideas and Trends for 2024

In This Article: Trends to Inspire Your Tours and Activities

Gig-Tripping, Bleisure, and Skip-Gen Travel: From eco-conscious adventures to immersive culinary experiences, what are some of the top travel business ideas likely to appeal to travelers in 2024? And how can tour businesses capitalize on them?

It’s that time of year again; when we take a deep dive into the research into travel and tourism trends for the year ahead so you don’t have to. As well as scouring the travel press, talking to our partners, customers and contacts, and racking our own brains here at Rezgo, we’ve picked highlights from several influential research reports into tourism business trends for 2024. 

Even if you’re getting into the tour operator industry, there’s a lot of reasons to be optimistic. Read on to learn the tourism trends you can use to start your tour business in 2024.

Reasons to be cheerful about tourism in 2024

These findings were backed up by UNWTO’s latest Tourism Confidence Index survey of travel professionals. It found that “67% of tourism professionals indicating better or much better prospects for 2024 compared to 2023.”

According to the UNTWO, reasons to be optimistic in 2024 include:

• An uptick in the reopening of several source markets and destinations in Asia
• An increase in Chinese outbound and inbound tourism
• More travel to and around the Middle East and Africa through a unified tourist visa implemented by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries
• Strong outlook for travel to Europe, for example for the Paris Summer Olympics, and from the United States, backed by a strong US dollar

On the flip side, according to UNWTO findings, “Persisting inflation, high interest rates, volatile oil prices and disruptions to trade can continue to impact transport and accommodations costs in 2024.” In addition, if you have been having difficulties finding staff, you’re not alone. Many tourism businesses continue to face challenges filling vacancies to help them meet the steadily rising demand from travellers.

Overall though, 2024 promises an exciting array of tourism trends that cater to diverse interests and preferences. Let’s take a look at travel and tourism business ideas for 2024, with a focus on ideas for tours, events, activities and attractions that your travel business could use to attract new and existing customers alike. 

Trending tourism business ideas for 2024

1. sustainable tourism and ecotours.

According to the UNWTO report, many travellers will consider “sustainable practices and adaptability” when making their travel plans in 2024. They are not only interested in booking with tour companies that do business in a sustainable way, but they also want to travel in an eco-friendly way, seek out eco-friendly places to stay and book activities and tours with a sustainability element. This is backed up by Arival’s “ The 2024 U.S. Tour Taker ,” which found that nature tours and other “ecotours” are in high demand from US travelers in particular. 

Booking.com’s trends report for 2024 prompted the online travel marketplace to predict that ”the world of travel is poised for a sustainable makeover,” as travellers seek out eco-friendly places to stay and activities and locations with a sustainability element. TravelPulse reported that many travelers increasingly look to travel off season and seek out less well-known destinations to do their bit to try to decrease overtourism.

So-called “ecotours” let tourists enjoy a vacation while also learning about environmental and sustainability issues in a particular location. Some enable people to do something tangible to help, such as volunteering to plant trees or help to restore habitats. Many travelers these days also seek out “small footprint” or socially-responsible travel. This may not be an ecotour as such; it could just mean they favor tour companies that take steps to minimize the impact of their tours or incorporate a social responsibility element. Booking.com’s  Sustainable Travel Report 2023 found that 76 percent of travelers want to travel more sustainably in 2024. 

2. Train travel

From the “Flying Scotsman” to the “Orient Express,” there are few more romantic ways to travel than by train. However, train travel continues to overlap with other trends in our list, as it becomes more popular as a way to travel more sustainably by reducing car and air travel, traveling slower (unless we’re talking train travel in Japan) and for longer, as well as traveling to more countries on the same trip. Train travel as both a means to travel and see more of a destination continues to increase in popularity. Euromonitor International found that in 2024, “the fastest growing travel category worldwide is rail transport at 35.6 percent over 2023-2024.”

Train travel can also offer scenic views, comfortable travel with spacious seats, sleeping accommodations for longer or overnight trips, the opportunity to socialize with other travelers, and convenient access to city centers. Again overlapping with other trends, train travel also offers more immersive travel experiences and lets travelers see more of a country while mixing with locals. Many countries and rail companies, especially in Europe, offer passes that let travelers visit multiple places in one trip without leaving the ground.

3. Food and drink experiences 

Many of the reports we looked at highlighted culinary experiences as a trend for 2024. After all, who doesn’t like a good meal or drinks with friends? Many travellers want to combine their love of food with their love of travel. Food tours allow travellers to savour the authentic flavours of a destination while discovering, and literally getting a taste for, its cultural heritage. Activities such as cooking classes let travelers enjoy an even more immersive culinary experience. 

While winery tours have long been a favourite travel activity for wine lovers, an explosion of craft beer, vodka, gin and other drink producers provides a multitude of other opportunities for drink-related tours activities. They can cater as much to enthusiasts looking to indulge in the finer things in life, as true connoisseurs. Booking.com found that 78 percent of travellers want to experience new foods, and half go to the length of organizing trips around specific restaurants or dishes, including iconic dishes of particular destinations. And keep an eye on “wild-feasting”—a new trend where you not only eat locally-grown ingredients but forage for, and even cook, them in the wild.

4. Sports tourism

Sport is a passion for many people around the world, and travelers often like to combine their love of a particular sport or sports team with their passion for travel. In 2024, Europe hosts the Paris Summer Olympics and the soccer UEFA Euro 2024, while soccer lovers often travel to see their favourite team in England, Spain, Germany and the top European leagues. However, even smaller teams get a look in. The Netflix show Welcome to Wrexham has put the small Welsh town on the map after Hollywood stars Rob Mcelhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought the local soccer team.

As well as events like the Olympics, there are also annual events that attract global interest, such as the Super Bowl, the Tour de France and Formula One, which also has a hit TV show, Formula 1: Drive to Survive . A sporting, or other, event can provide a reason for people to visit a particular location, even if they don’t have tickets, to sample the atmosphere and explore the sights. 

5. Tours and experiences with locals

Immersing oneself in the local culture is made possible through tours or experiences led by knowledgeable locals. These insiders offer unique insights, hidden gems, and authentic encounters that enhance the overall travel experience. They help meet a growing demand for more immersive experiences that take travelers inside a location and culture and deepen their understanding of it. Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report  found that many travellers will prioritize experiences (85%), exploring the unknown, trying local food, and learning about the local culture.

Indigenous experiences are still a growing trend. Countries around the world, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, are making an increased effort to reverse past wrongs when it comes to treatment of Indigenous peoples, while also empowering Indigenous communities to take a lead in areas like travel and tourism. 

6. Transformational trips

A buzz phrase you heard a lot of in 2023 was “transformational retreat,” and 2024 looks likely to continue the trend. Booking.com’s 2024 travel trends report prompted them to label 2024 as a year that reinforced that “travel isn’t just an escape, but a catalyst for experiencing our best lives.”

A transformational trip is a travel experience designed around a specific activity, personal goal, or mental or physical health need. They can include retreats that cater to people who want to undergo a significant personal or spiritual transformation, or at least get away from it all in order to return refreshed. Retreats and activities include meditation, yoga, therapy, workshops, and other experiential practices. Most promote self-awareness, personal growth, and positive change, typically taking place in a secluded and peaceful setting and led by experienced facilitators or coaches. 

Wellness vacations have been a growing tourism business trend for some time, with demand accelerated by the pandemic. Tours that offer people the chance to pamper themselves and generally recalibrate are likely to be extremely popular for the foreseeable future.

7. Quiet travel

Not everyone is looking for a transformational outcome from their vacation; many simply want to unwind and enjoy some quality “me time.” Continuing the 2023 trend, many people still want to unplug and undertake a “digital detox.” They could be seeking respite from “doom scrolling” through social media and news feeds on their digital devices, or they just want a break from the glowing screens so prevalent in their day-to-day. 

Trips that encourage travelers to leave their devices at home will be popular, whether to a wellness retreats that bans or discourages digital devices, or an out-of-the-way destination that makes electronic communication extremely difficult. As well as digital detoxing, an example of a trend that is still going strong is forest bathing. This involves becoming immersed in nature to enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It can be as simple as going for a long walk through a forest, or sitting by a lake and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural surroundings. Research has shown that forest bathing can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and even boost the immune system and reduce blood pressure and heart rate.

8. Skip-gen travel

Deloitte’s “2024 travel industry outlook” report found that the baby boomer generation is getting back into the swing of things when it comes to traveling. This could be a factor in the emergence of a trend towards “skip generation trips” or skip-gen travel. This is when grandparents take their grandkids on vacation as a way for these two generations to bond and create some memories. Boomers can have more disposable income and more time, and parents with kids that can travel in this way appreciate the chance to travel on their own or just enjoy a break at home. All-inclusive resorts and other places with lots of activities for different generations are popular skip generation trips.

9. Solo travel 

Of course, not everyone has a posse to travel with or wants to travel with others. Solo travel continues to be very popular and has moved from a niche to a mainstream market. A Skyscanner report found that 40 per cent wanted to travel solo for mental health wellness reasons, while singles and divorcees ranked highly for being ready to take a solo trip. The report concludes: “There is no longer any stigma attached to taking a trip on your own, and many tour companies cater specifically to this market.”

Arival ’s 2024 U.S. Tour Taker report found that the preference for independent travel increases with age, with 38 percent of people over 55 preferring to go it alone, compared with 26 percent of the 18-34 group. ​This indicates that older, more experienced travelers, who are often more affluent, prefer small group and independent travel. ​Women travelling on their own or with other women also continues to be a growing trend, with a number of tour operators dedicated to women-only trips.

10. Frontier travel

While it may sound like something out of the script for the TV show Westworld , frontier travel is a new travel trend for 2024 that takes travelers into wilder, more unusual destinations off the beaten track. This could mean grand adventures like following in the footsteps of great explorers across the Drake Passage to Antarctica or up Everest. Or it could mean taking a guided group trip to hike to and camp in a remote location or journey down a river by kayak or canoe.

These trips need a certain element of adventure and excitement, challenging travelers to get out of their comfort zone. This ties in with the transformational trip trend above, as people seek experiences that they will not only remember forever, but that could change them forever.

11. Hush trips, workcations, and micro-cations

In our 2023 report we highlighted the trend toward “hush trips” (when remote workers take a workcation without telling their boss) and workcations, when people travel abroad with the intention of combining a vacation with work. This kind of travel continues to be popular, and accommodation providers—from hotels to Airbnb apartments—often boast of dedicated work areas and other facilities for remote workers.

Many such trips are “micro-cations,” short trips often taken close to home, often at the last minute. The micro-cation trend has continued to grow for the last few years, as people look for quick, convenient, and often budget-friendly getaways that don’t require a lot of planning. When you combine the acceptance of remote working among many more employers with a large number of people who left the office behind and didn’t miss it for a second, you have an opportunity to create workcation and hush trip experiences for digital nomads and remote workers.  

12. Traveling for “bleisure”

The tourism industry and travel press do love a good old portmanteau to describe the latest trend. Hot on the heels of workcations, the related trend of “bleisure” shows no sign of letting up. Bleisure is a name coined to describe the trend of business travellers tacking on some leisure time to the end of business trips or just taking their family along with them. Where a workcation is often a longer trip designed around work, the growth of bleisure trips reflects the fact that as business travel bounces back, people still want as much vacation time as they can get. 

Deloitte’s “2024 travel industry outlook” report found that corporations are more concerned with costs than COVID now, but “trips to build client relationships and support team collaboration remain key to business success.” In fact, the report found that “US corporate travel spend is still likely to finally pass the pre-pandemic line within the next year.”

13. Set-jetting

If you’ve ever wanted to visit the set of your favourite movie or TV show, you’re not alone. A top travel trend for 2023 that is continuing in 2024 is “set-jetting,” when travelers visit destinations primarily because they were featured in a popular movie, TV show, or book. According to research, 39 percent of travelers have booked trips to places featured on shows or movies ( Expedia ). While people have long been drawn to iconic movie locations, perhaps the earliest example of mass set-jetting was New Zealand’s tourism industry getting a huge boost after the country played a leading role in the “Lord of The Rings” movies. Fans of the “Outlander” books and TV series have also been making pilgrimages to Scotland to see the country that provides the backdrop for their favourite show.

People don’t just want to visit the actual physical set and filming location, but also just the cities or countries featured in a particular production. Popular shows where the location is as much the star of the show as the actors, such as “The Crown” (England,) “Emily in Paris” (Paris,) and “The White Lotus” (Sicily), have been credited with triggering a surge in demand for particular locations and experiences relating to the shows, such as a themed tour. And tour companies like Black Tomato have jumped on the trend to offer set-jetting itineraries .

14. Destination dupes

The economic upheaval we saw through 2022 and 2023 looks set to continue through 2024, . Inflation and cost of living rises mean while the desire to travel is still strong, many travelers will still have at least one eye on their budget. This has led to a new trend called destination dupes,  when people seek out trips to locations that offer similar experiences to well-known or preferred locations, but that are more cost-effective. 

Hotel giant Marriott commissioned a survey of over 14,000 travellers , and over 25 percent said they were choosing destination dupes in 2024. Examples of dupes include someone who lives in the US choosing a Canadian lake resort over an Italian Lakes destination. Here’s a good guide to popular holiday swaps for 2024 .

15. Coolcations

In the wake of rising temperatures and an increase in the number and intensity of wildfires in parts of North America, Europe and around the world, keeping cool is likely to be top of mind for many travelers in 2024—even among those who typically seek out the sun for their vacation.

Enter the “colocation.” Marriott’s survey found that over half of respondents would be considering climate change when planning their trips. Fifty-six percent said they were more interested in cooling down than baking in the sun. This makes areas like northern Europe a popular destination dupe as people look for similar attractions, such as culture, scenery, etc., to the hotter locations they might have chosen in the past but with a cooler climate.

16. Gig tripping

Just as the trend of people taking trips to sports and other events has grown, so too has this travel trend that is music to the ears of the travel industry. For example “swifties” from around the world are flocking to Taylor Swift concerts abroad, especially if tickets in their home country, especially the US, are hard to come by. CN Traveler called this the Swift Effect, as people travel to one-off gigs to see their favourite performer, as well as established (Glastonbury in the UK and Coachella in the US) and new (Untold in Romania) multi-day music festivals.

17. Sleep retreats

As we highlighted in our 2023 trends, everyone likes a good night’s sleep, especially on vacation, and the travel industry is waking up to the opportunities offered by a rise in “sleep tourism.” This trend continues to grow. Some travelers simply want a relaxing holiday with a comfortable bed and in an environment conducive to getting plenty of rest. For example, the Park Hyatt New York offers a stay in their  One Bedroom Sleep Suite by Bryte . Others are taking advantage of a growth in technology geared towards helping people get their eight hours a night, and are booking “sleep retreats.” Swedish bed brand Hastens opened a branded Sleep Spa , and the  HOTEL de LËN offers guests a “regenerative sleep experience.” Good night, sleep well.  

These are just a selection of travel business trends for 2024 that could open up new opportunities for your tour business. For example, we haven’t even touched on how technology is changing the travel industry. And don’t forget traditional travel experiences, or in-destination activities. The Arival report highlighted that sightseeing tours, “hop-on, hop-off” experiences, and other tried and tested travel experiences and ways of seeing the sights are still going strong.

How to take advantage of innovative tourism business ideas

In an ever-evolving landscape of travel and tourism, the trends for 2024 reflect a desire for authenticity, sustainability, and immersive experiences. From eco-conscious adventures to culinary escapades and everything in between, travelers are spoilt for choice when it comes to exploring the world in new and exciting ways. Embracing these trends promises to enrich the travel experience and create lasting memories for adventurers of all kinds.

The key to taking advantage of these innovative tourism business ideas and other tourism industry trends is to always be thinking of your next profitable business opportunity. Here are a few ways to keep on top of what’s new and interesting in the travel business:

Maintain an ideas file

Include those “out there” trends that seem absurd the first time you hear them. Think about some recent innovations that would have been dismissed with a laugh not that long ago: Self-driving cars, passenger space travel, drone deliveries… Even that Holy Grail of futuristic inventions, the personal jetpack, is getting closer to reality. All but the most outlandish trends are worth tracking in case there’s a germ of an idea for a new business opportunity in there.

Listen to your audience

Hang out in online travel discussion forums, on social media, and in other places where travelers gather to swap notes and ideas or express needs and dreams. You might uncover a new business idea no-one else has come across yet.

Follow your competitors

Monitor what your direct competitors and others in the tourism business are up to. Subscribe to every industry newsletter you can, including those of your competitors, to keep up with emerging trends and help with your business idea generation.

Solicit customer feedback

Be proactive in asking your customers for feedback. Don’t just ask them what they liked and didn’t like about their experience with your company; ask them if there’s anything they would like to do that they currently can’t. 

Invest in the right booking system

It goes without saying that every tour operator should offer online booking and take a mobile-first approach. Not doing both of those things makes taking advantage of the above trends very difficult. The customer experience starts the moment they enter your website. Online booking enables them to easily browse, book, and pay for tours anytime and from is anywhere. Learn more about how Rezgo booking software is  tailor-made for adventure companies.

At Rezgo, we always have our ear to the ground when it comes to the latest tourism trends and business opportunities. The Rezgo booking system is a comprehensive platform that enables you to become a more

Written By | Rob Mathison

Rob Mathison is a Vancouver-based freelance writer focusing on tech, travel, digital marketing, and education. He is a co-author of The Complete Resident’s Guide to Vancouver.

Previous Article Promoting Travel Products With Google Things To Do

Next Article Rezgo Update 12.15: Powered Up Price Tiers, Meta Pixel Tracking, And More

Related Posts

Articles , Increase Online Bookings , Tourism Trends

Articles , Increase Online Bookings , Marketing Strategies

Your marketing mix: the 7 ps of travel and tourism marketing.

Articles , Increase Online Bookings , Tourism Best Practices

Advantages and disadvantages of online travel agencies (otas), search the blog.

• All Categories
• Tourism Trends

Most Popular Articles

• 17 Innovative Tourism Business Ideas and Trends for 2024 93 views
• How to Create a Business Plan for Your Tour or Travel Company 21 views
• Your Marketing Mix: the 7 Ps of Travel and Tourism Marketing 11 views
• Smart Strategies: How AI in Tourism Can Transform Marketing and Customer Service 8 views
• Mobile booking trends to watch for in 2024 5 views

I have read and agree to the Rezgo Privacy Policy

GET STARTED

Sign-up for a free demo.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmo tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Schedule A Demo

We earn commissions if you shop through the links below.  Read more

21 Tourism and Travel Business Ideas

Back to Business Ideas Categories

Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on July 21, 2022 Updated on July 4, 2024

The tourism industry is massive and diverse, offering many opportunities for sharp entrepreneurs. You could start a travel agency, a campground, a hotel, or a concierge service. Explore many more excellent tourism and travel related business ideas in our list below.

1. Travel Agency

If you love to travel and are always planning your next trip, starting a travel agency might be the perfect career choice. It’s a great way to share your love and knowledge of travel, and it can be very lucrative.

If you have the resources, starting a travel agency business can be a breeze. But first, you need to identify your target market. Will you focus on domestic or international travel? A lot of Americans go on short trips for vacation or business purposes, providing an opportunity for travel agencies to earn money. Once you find your niche and draw up a business plan, you should work on establishing your brand and promoting it to find clients.

2. Nightclub

Do you enjoy late nights on the town? If so, starting a club might be right up your alley. Before you open your club, it’s important to know that the industry is heavily regulated, especially when it comes to alcohol consumption. You’ll need to meet both state and local regulations and licensing requirements so it’s best to inquire about the details from your local authorities first.

Next, it’s a good idea to research the market and find out what other clubs in your area are offering. You’ll have to innovate and come up with a unique selling proposition and a creative marketing plan for your club to attract customers. With these in place, your club can be very profitable.

3. Travel Photography

Are you an amateur photographer who loves snapping great images? Photography in the US is an $11 billion industry expected to see steady growth in the coming years, so now would be a great time to stretch your entrepreneurial wings and give it a shot. You could focus on travel photography, if that’s your passion, and give the world beautiful photos while also seeing the world. You can capture landscapes, people, cultures, customs, and history.

Assuming you already have a professional-level camera, you’ll just need some great editing software and to build a website showing off your portfolio and listing your prices and services. Instagram and Pinterest are perfect social media networks for showing your travel photography.

If you’ve stayed in an Airbnb, you probably know how sweet it is to have a home away from home! This is why the homestay segment of the hotel and lodgings market has seen explosive growth in recent years, with Airbnb leading the way. Renting out your home as an Airbnb is an easy and flexible way to earn income, whether you’re looking for a little extra money or to build a serious business. 

The first step is to make sure your home or apartment can be rented out for short-term stays. In many areas today, there are laws either banning Airbnb rentals or limiting them to a certain share of local units. If your home clears that hurdle and is in an area with some tourist appeal, you’re already halfway there. If your apartment fails to meet one of these requirements, you might want to look into purchasing a home or apartment in an appealing destination, which you could then develop into a successful Airbnb. 

Whichever approach you choose, the most important step is delivering fantastic service to your guests. If you can achieve Superhost status, you’ll be well on your way to Airbnb success.

5. Translation Business

Demand for translation services is expected to grow as more companies seek to capture or increase their share of the global market. Translation businesses help translate documents, localize travel and city guide websites, and interpret speech, including sign language. If you’re thinking of starting a translation business, you’re not alone. But if you have the skills and the right talents and tools, you could edge out the competition. 

In this internet age, finding translators who can work remotely across the globe has become easier. Promoting diversity among your staff could also be good for your business because you’ll be able to offer translation services for more languages. Do the paperwork to register your business, keep yourself updated with the latest technologies, promote your services, and you should be able to gain traction as soon as you start operating.

6. Bed and Breakfast

Many Americans still prefer to stay in a traditional B&B for the unique hospitality, homemade food, and fascinating local insights. When starting a B&B, it’s important to be aware of the latest industry trends. For example, many guests prefer a facility that offers live entertainment or is located close to tourist attractions. It’s also to your advantage to research the market and see what features and services are being offered by the competition. Be innovative in coming up with ways to differentiate your business. Running a bed and breakfast is not easy, but it can be very rewarding if you play your cards right. 

7. Glamping

A decade ago nobody had heard the word glamping, which is short for “glamorous camping”. Today it’s a nearly $3.1 billion global industry and among the fastest-growing segments of the travel and hospitality market, expected to more than double by 2030. If you have a bit of land in an appealing location, or have the funds to purchase such a plot, you could start your own glamping business and make a good living offering luxury experiences to discerning travelers.

There will be some serious work involved. In addition to acquiring the property, you’ll need to outfit it with all the bells and whistles — from tents and teepees to high-end beds, furniture, lighting and air-conditioning and heating units. If your location is on the water, you could boost your revenue by also offering sailboats, canoes, kayaks, and more. But before you get started, this is a new and fast-evolving industry, so it’s best to take the time to research the market and learn the latest trends before diving in.

8. Jet Ski Rental

Do you like having fun out on the water? Well, so does everybody else! That’s why starting a jet ski business is almost always a great idea. The global personal watercraft market is worth $1.6 trillion and expected to expand an impressive 50% by 2027. Right now is a great time to start a jet ski business, bring good times to your community and ride the market expansion to great success. 

Getting there will require a significant investment. You’ll need to spend about $25,000 to get your first few jet skis, plus a rental facility on the water and permits and licensing fees. Of course, you’ll also need to live near an appealing body of water, preferably one that’s enjoyable for more than a few months of the year. Finally, you will want to get good insurance, because jet skis are as dangerous as they are fun.

Once that’s all settled, just start advertising on local outlets and events, posting on relevant social media groups and online vacation platforms. You’ll have your first few customers in no time, and soon be cruising toward success.

9. Campground

Do you love the outdoors? If so, setting up a campground could be the perfect way to start your entrepreneurial journey. The recent study found that an estimated 84.8 million Americans went camping in 2023, and 5.5 million of those were first-time campers.

Your biggest challenge in starting a campground is likely to be finding a suitable location. The most visited campgrounds in the US are in state parks, near bodies of water, surrounded by wilderness, or in the mountains. Once you find an ideal campsite, you’ll need to comply with licensing, zoning, and other legal requirements. Before you launch your business, it’s wise to research the market and find out what other campgrounds are offering. With careful planning and a creative marketing strategy, your campground can give competing sites a run for their money.

10. Pet Sitting

You’d probably never guess that pet sitting is a $2.4 billion industry , but it is indeed. People love their pets, and will spend whatever it takes to ensure they’re taken care of when they are away. The pet sitting market is projected to see impressive growth through 2030, so if you’re an animal lover, now is the perfect time to start your own pet sitting business and ride that wave to serious profits. 

The first step is to decide which type of pets you’ll care for. Do you have more experience with dogs or cats? Are you OK with snakes? Pigs? Once you’ve got that nailed down, you’ll just need to buy some pet toys and supplies and offer your services on a gigs site like TaskRabbit. It’s a good idea to reach out to friends, family and work-related contacts and acquaintances. If you’re able to generate an initial client or two from your own personal network, and provide them with great service, you’ll have a strong reference to promote your services and start building a successful business.

11. Spa Salon

If you’re a massage therapist or esthetician, you could open a beauty salon, nail spa, luxury spa, massage studio, or even a mobile spa, and make people feel better while making a good living.  

You will likely need to get licensed, which can take some doing, and deliver excellent services to compete in an increasingly competitive and saturated market. Another crucial aspect will be location — your spa should be somewhere with steady traffic. Or you could go the mobile spa route and make house calls, bringing your massage and therapeutic services to your clients. This is more convenient for them, which means you can charge a higher rate, despite having lower overhead.

There are many elements to consider for your spa business, but what is not in doubt are your chances of success if you’re determined and can deliver healing services.

12. Scooter Rental

With gas prices going up, more and more Americans are turning to cheaper, more eco-friendly options for their commute and for seeing the city. Scooters cost less than cars and run on electricity. Over the past decade, Americans took a third of a billion trips on shared bikes and scooters. That’s a huge number, and it’s expected to increase sharply in the next few years. Considering this, a scooter rental business is a smart choice.

But first, it’s important to understand that scooters are used primarily as a transport option for short distances. Setting up this kind of business requires a huge upfront investment because you might have to purchase some scooters, unless you can lease them. You’ve need to make sure you have all the necessary permits and insurance in place before opening.

Once you have everything you need, it’s a good idea to work on a marketing plan. You can use social media, print ads, and word-of-mouth to get the word out about your new venture.

13. Party Bus

Ready to party? As the pandemic recedes, everybody’s getting back out there to have a good time. For a lot of people that means renting out a party bus and dancing and drinking the night away while cruising down the streets.

Starting your own party bus business will require considerable investment. The major cost will be, of course, the bus itself. Hopefully you’ll be able to find a reliable one at a reasonable price and then deck it out with all the trimmings, from a bar and disco ball to a DJ booth and more. Once you’ve done some marketing and gotten the word out you’ll be able to charge as much as $700 per night, so it shouldn’t take too long before you see a major return on your investment. 

Just be sure to get all your licenses, permits and insurance — the last thing you want is for the party to get parked on the curb.

14. Car Rental

With some hard work and determination, you could start your own car rental business and provide travelers the transport they need while grabbing your share of a growing $30 billion US market .  

Keep in mind that this is a competitive industry, which means you’ll need to find ways to stand out, such as with deep discounts or a unique selection of cars. Speaking of which, you’ll also need to lay out a sizable investment to get your initial fleet of four to five cars. Finally, it’s crucial that you meet all the licensing and insurance requirements or your business could face severe fines, or worse.

But if you’re able to clear these hurdles, there’s a good chance your car rental business will soon be cruising down easy street.

15. Boat Rental

Who doesn’t love a day out on the water? There are so many things to do. from skiing and tubing to cruising, socializing, swimming and just taking in the sun. That’s why boat rentals are a $5.3 billion US industry expected to see smooth sailing and steady growth in the years ahead. If you like spending time outdoors, you could start your own boat rental business and help people enjoy their time off while making a good living. 

There are several possible constraints. For one, you should live near a sizable body of water, and find an available access point or marina to base your operations. Second, you’ll likely need to accept the seasonal nature of this line of work, which in most areas of the US will only bring in revenue for 6-7 months of the year. Finally, getting started will require a significant investment, as appealing, rentable boats do not come cheap. 

But if you’re OK with all this, and able to acquire the necessary permits and insurance, once you start putting boaters on the water you’ll be cruising straight toward success.

16. Bike Rental

As travel regains steam and more workers return to the office, demand for bike rental for last-mile connections is sure to increase. If you’re thinking of starting your own business, a bike-share outfit or bike rental shop could be a great option. The US bike rental industry is projected to grow in the next five years amid a bike-share boom, driven in part by environmental concerns.

There are a few things you need to consider before starting a bike rental business. Is there a market for bike rental in your area? What kind of bikes should you offer? How many bikes should you start with? You will find the answers to these questions as you research the market. It is also important to comply with all the legal and regulatory requirements and to come up with a good marketing plan. One option is to place bike docks near subway stations and major bus stops.

17. RV Rental

RVing , or traveling in a recreational vehicle, is a popular way of exploring the US with family and friends. It’s showing no signs of slowing as more than 70 million Americans are expected to go on road trips in an RV they rent, own, or borrow, according to the RV Industry Association. You could start an RV rental business and tap into this exciting travel market.

You can either invest in a fleet of RVs, which would require a hefty investment, or you can just list your RV on an online marketplace like Outdoorsy. Before setting your rates, it’s a good idea to scope out the market and find out what your competitors are charging. You’ll have to factor in insurance and other costs in order to make a profit.

Finally, it’s important to keep your RVs well-maintained to attract customers, most of whom prefer to rent out new units. With all this in place, your RV rental business will making good money in no time.

18. Kayak Rental

As more people explore the outdoors in a post-pandemic world, a kayak business makes sense. It’s an eco-friendly way to help travelers enjoy their time off while getting some exercise and enjoying the great outdoors. The global kayak accessories market size was $164.2 million in 2020 and will touch $214 million by 2027. So, why not start a kayak rental business now?

Aside from offering kayaks for rent, you could also also offer apparel and helmets, storage bags, seats, life jackets, and safety gear. Selecting the location of your shop is important. It will have to be near the coast, a river or a lake, and with steady foot traffic. You’ll need a substantial investment to set up your shop. Finally, it’s a good idea to promote your business and let people know about your offerings.

Considering all the ride-sharing apps out there, you might be surprised to learn that old-school taxis are not only surviving, but doing quite well. The US taxi and limo market is worth more than $41.7 billion and expected to see steady growth in the coming years. If you enjoy driving and meeting new people, starting a taxi business might be the right move for you. 

Getting started will require some real effort and investment. You’ll need to buy a reliable car, if you don’t already have one, plus reliable insurance and all the necessary permits. In some cities the car hire license can be a major expense, for instance a New York City taxi medallion costs $80,000. In other places, like $300 in Cleveland, not so much. Once you’ve all set up, it’s a good idea to build a website so people can find you, and you might want to offer an app as well, as most car services nowadays offer on-demand ordering. 

Finally, get creative with your marketing to stand out in a competitive market, provide excellent service and steady driving to your first few clients, and the good reviews and revenues should start pouring in.

20. RV Park

The wanderlust spirit and a rise in road-tripping have amplified the allure of RV travel. Capitalizing on this trend, starting an RV park presents a golden opportunity in the travel business sector. Such parks cater to a growing demographic of explorers seeking the comfort of their RVs while embracing the freedom of the open road. With the right amenities and a strategic location, an RV park can be a haven for both short-term travelers and long-term nomads.

Location is paramount, ideally near popular tourist spots or natural attractions. Additionally, ensuring modern facilities, security, and possibly offering unique experiences or events can differentiate your park from competitors. As travel patterns evolve, an RV park can offer travelers a blend of adventure and convenience, making it a profitable and sustainable business venture.

21. Tour Operator

Tour operator business thrives on curating unique experiences, offering tailored packages, and ensuring travelers get the best out of their journeys. Unlike general travel agencies, tour operators control and manage the specifics of the trip, right from itinerary planning to the on-ground execution. This means creating partnerships with local businesses, ensuring safety standards, and offering a seamless travel experience to clients.

In today’s digital age, a tour operator’s success doesn’t just hinge on local networking, but also on a strong online presence. Reviews, testimonials, and digital marketing strategies play a pivotal role in attracting potential customers. Whether one chooses to cater to adventure seekers, history enthusiasts, or luxury travelers, the key is to differentiate, maintain high service standards, and keep evolving with the dynamic travel industry.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Travel Agency
• Travel Photography
• Translation Business
• Bed and Breakfast
• Jet Ski Rental
• Pet Sitting
• Scooter Rental
• Boat Rental
• Bike Rental
• Kayak Rental
• Tour Operator

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Featured resources.

12 Profitable Lake Business Ideas to Start Today

Esther Strauss

Published on December 1, 2022

Fresh air, peace of mind, scenic views, and lots of fun — that’s lake life in a nutshell, which is why so many people want to take part. ...

37 Profitable Summer Business Ideas for a Hot Season

Carolyn Young

Published on July 21, 2022

Summer means taking a break, enjoying outdoor leisure, going to a summer camp, and BBQ’ing in the backyard. For smart entrepreneurs, it alsome ...

21 Profitable Beach Business Ideas for a Sunny Future

David Lepeska

So you live near a beach. Lucky you! You can go swimming or walk barefoot in the sand any time you like. Even better, you could also start abusiness ...

No thanks, I don't want to stay up to date on industry trends and news.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to content

• Try Tactyqal

50 Travel & Tourism Business Ideas

Introduction

Wanderlust! The urge to travel, explore new places, and experience different cultures is deeply rooted in the human spirit.

As the world becomes more interconnected, the travel and tourism industry continues to thrive, presenting numerous opportunities for entrepreneurial minds.

In this blog post, we’ll embark on an exciting journey, exploring 50 creative business ideas that cater to the ever-growing demand for unique and memorable travel experiences.

Accommodation

1. tiny house rentals.

Offer a unique and eco-friendly accommodation experience by renting out tiny houses in scenic locations. Tiny houses are not only charming but also appeal to travelers seeking a minimalist and sustainable lifestyle.

2. Glamping Retreats

Combine the luxury of a hotel with the adventure of camping by setting up glamorous camping sites in picturesque natural settings. Provide luxurious tents, high-end amenities, and personalized services for a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience.

3. Homestay Network

Create a platform that connects travelers with local hosts, allowing them to experience authentic cultural immersion by staying in a family’s home. This concept promotes cultural exchange and provides an affordable alternative to traditional accommodations.

4. Treehouse Resorts

Tap into the childlike wonder of tree-dwelling by constructing eco-friendly treehouse resorts. These unique accommodations offer guests a chance to reconnect with nature while enjoying modern amenities.

5. Houseboat Rentals

Capitalize on the growing trend of water-based accommodations by offering houseboat rentals in scenic waterways or coastal regions. Houseboats provide a unique way to explore destinations while enjoying the comforts of home.

Transportation

6. electric bike tours.

Offer eco-friendly and active tours of cities or natural landscapes using electric bikes. This concept appeals to travelers seeking sustainable and engaging ways to explore their destinations.

7. Luxury Coach Service

Provide a high-end transportation service for travelers seeking comfort and convenience. Offer luxurious coaches with amenities like Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, and gourmet snacks for long-distance travel or city tours.

8. Vintage Car Rentals

Cater to the nostalgia and charm of classic automobiles by offering vintage car rentals. This unique transportation option can be a hit with travelers seeking a retro experience or those attending special events.

9. Private Aviation Services

For affluent travelers, offer private aviation services, such as charter flights, helicopter tours, or private jet rentals, providing a luxurious and convenient way to travel.

10. Campervan Rentals

Capitalize on the growing trend of road trips and van life by offering campervan rentals. These versatile vehicles allow travelers to explore destinations at their own pace while enjoying the freedom and convenience of a mobile home.

Tours and Activities

11. virtual reality tours.

Leverage the power of virtual reality (VR) technology to offer immersive tours of destinations, historical sites, or even outer space. This innovative concept appeals to tech-savvy travelers and those seeking unique experiences.

12. Food Truck Tours

Combine the love for food and exploration by organizing tours that guide participants through the local food truck scene, sampling diverse culinary offerings along the way.

13. Experiential Workshops

Offer hands-on workshops that teach travelers new skills or crafts, such as pottery, painting, dance, or cooking classes, allowing them to immerse themselves in the local culture while acquiring new knowledge.

14. Adventure Sports Tours

For thrill-seekers, organize tours that incorporate adventure sports like rock climbing, zip-lining, surfing, or skydiving, catering to travelers seeking adrenaline-pumping experiences.

15. Sustainable Ecotours

Promote responsible tourism by offering sustainable eco-tours that educate travelers about conservation efforts and sustainable practices while exploring natural wonders and wildlife habitats.

Food and Beverage

16. pop-up dining experiences.

Create unique and temporary dining experiences by setting up pop-up restaurants in unconventional locations, such as rooftops, abandoned buildings, or scenic outdoor spaces.

17. Craft Brewery Tours

Tap into the growing popularity of craft beer by offering guided tours of local breweries, providing insights into the brewing process and allowing visitors to sample unique flavors.

18. Farm-to-Table Dining

Collaborate with local farmers to create a farm-to-table dining experience, offering fresh, locally sourced ingredients and promoting sustainable food practices.

19. Wine Tasting Tours

Organize tours that take visitors through local wineries, vineyards, and tasting rooms, providing an educational and indulgent experience for wine enthusiasts.

20. Street Food Tours

Guide travelers through the vibrant street food scene of a destination, introducing them to authentic local flavors and culinary traditions while exploring the city’s cultural fabric.

Retail and Souvenirs

21. artisan marketplace.

Curate a physical or online marketplace that showcases unique and handcrafted products from local artisans, providing travelers with authentic souvenirs and supporting local economies.

22. Sustainable Fashion Line

Tap into the growing demand for ethical and sustainable fashion by creating a clothing line using eco-friendly materials and promoting fair labor practices. Offer stylish and responsible travel apparel and accessories.

23. Personalized Photo Books

Offer a service that creates personalized photo books, allowing travelers to capture and preserve their journey’s memories in a beautifully curated keepsake.

24. Local Artisan Workshops

Organize workshops where travelers can learn from local artisans and create their own souvenirs, such as pottery, jewelry, or woodcarving, providing a hands-on experience and a unique keepsake.

25. Virtual Museum Tours

Leverage technology to offer virtual tours of museums, allowing travelers to explore exhibits and collections from anywhere in the world, catering to those seeking cultural experiences without the need for physical travel.

Technology and Apps

26. travel planning app.

Develop a comprehensive travel planning app that assists users in researching destinations, booking accommodations and activities, and creating personalized itineraries based on their preferences and interests.

27. Augmented Reality City Tours

Enhance the traditional city tour experience by incorporating augmented reality (AR) technology, overlaying historical information, interactive visuals, and storytelling elements onto the real-world environment.

28. Language Translation Earbuds

Offer innovative language translation earbuds that provide real-time translation, enabling travelers to communicate effectively and break down language barriers during their journeys.

29. Travel Insurance Comparison Platform

Create a user-friendly platform that compares and recommends the best travel insurance options based on specific trip details, destination, and traveler needs, ensuring peace of mind for adventurers.

30. Contactless Payments for Tourism

Develop a contactless payment solution specifically designed for the tourism industry, allowing travelers to make secure and convenient payments for attractions, tours, and services without the hassle of carrying cash or cards.

Wellness and Relaxation

31. yoga retreats.

Offer immersive yoga retreats in serene locations, combining physical and spiritual practices with healthy cuisine, meditation sessions, and access to natural surroundings for a holistic wellness experience.

32. Digital Detox Getaways

Create a sanctuary for travelers seeking to disconnect from technology and reconnect with themselves by offering digital detox getaways in remote or nature-focused destinations.

33. Spa and Wellness Resorts

Establish luxurious spa and wellness resorts that provide a tranquil escape, offering various treatments, fitness programs, and healthy dining options for travelers seeking rejuvenation and self-care.

34. Mindfulness Retreats

Organize mindfulness retreats that combine meditation, yoga, and other mindfulness practices with scenic locations and expert guidance, catering to travelers seeking inner peace and personal growth.

35. Forest Bathing Experiences

Capitalize on the growing interest in the Japanese practice of “Shinrin-yoku” or forest bathing by offering guided nature walks and immersive experiences that promote relaxation and connection with the natural world.

Sustainable Tourism

36. eco-friendly tour operator.

Establish an eco-friendly tour operator that prioritizes sustainability and minimizes the environmental impact of travel. Offer responsible tours that support local communities and promote conservation efforts.

37. Upcycled Lodging

Create unique accommodations by repurposing and upcycling materials from various sources, such as shipping containers, abandoned buildings, or recycled materials, promoting sustainable and innovative lodging options.

38. Carbon Offset Travel Services

Offer a service that calculates and offsets the carbon footprint of travelers’ trips by investing in verified carbon offset projects, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.

39. Sustainable Souvenir Marketplace

Establish an online or physical marketplace that curates and sells sustainable souvenirs, locally made products, and ethical handicrafts, promoting responsible consumption and supporting local artisans.

40. Eco-Tourism Consultancy

Provide consulting services to travel companies and destinations, helping them implement sustainable practices, reduce their environmental impact, and promote responsible tourism initiatives.

Niche Experiences

41. pet-friendly travel services.

Cater to pet owners by offering pet-friendly accommodations, activities, and travel services, allowing furry companions to accompany their owners on adventures.

42. Accessible Travel Solutions

Create travel solutions that cater to individuals with disabilities or special needs, offering accessible accommodations, transportation, and tailored experiences that ensure comfort and inclusion.

43. Genealogy Tourism

Tap into the growing interest in ancestry and family history by offering genealogy tourism services, assisting travelers in tracing their roots, visiting ancestral homelands, and connecting with their heritage.

44. Dark Tourism Experiences

For those interested in the macabre and historical tragedies, offer curated tours and experiences focused on dark tourism sites, such as battlefields, cemeteries, and sites of significant historical events.

45. Culinary Immersion Tours

Organize in-depth culinary immersion tours that go beyond traditional food tours, allowing travelers to fully immerse themselves in the local food culture, from farm visits to cooking classes and dining with local families.

46. Literary Tours

Create literary-themed tours that take book lovers on a journey through the settings of famous novels, visiting locations that inspired authors, and exploring the literary heritage of destinations.

47. Spiritual Pilgrimage Tours

Offer guided tours to sacred sites and spiritual destinations, catering to travelers seeking personal growth, spiritual enlightenment, or a deeper connection with their faith or beliefs.

48. Astro-Tourism Experiences

Capitalize on the growing interest in astronomy and stargazing by offering astro-tourism experiences, including dark sky observatories, guided night sky tours, and stargazing retreats in remote locations with minimal light pollution.

49. Adventure Wedding Services

Cater to adventurous couples by offering unique and memorable wedding experiences in stunning outdoor locations, such as beach ceremonies, mountain elopements, or adventurous honeymoon packages.

50. Gaming and Esports Tourism

Tap into the rapidly growing gaming and esports industry by offering tailored travel experiences for gaming enthusiasts, including attending major gaming events, visiting gaming-themed attractions, or participating in gaming-related activities and competitions.

• The travel and tourism industry offers a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs to tap into unique niches and cater to diverse traveler interests.
• From accommodation options like tiny houses and treehouses to experiential tours and sustainable tourism initiatives, the possibilities are endless.
• Technology plays a crucial role, enabling virtual reality tours, augmented reality city experiences, and innovative travel planning apps.
• Wellness and relaxation-focused offerings, such as yoga retreats and mindfulness getaways, cater to travelers seeking rejuvenation and self-care.
• Niche experiences like pet-friendly travel, accessible tourism, and dark tourism experiences cater to specialized interests and needs.
• Sustainable and eco-friendly practices are becoming increasingly important, with opportunities in eco-tourism consultancy, upcycled lodging, and carbon-offset travel services.

Q: What are some unique accommodation ideas for travelers? A: Tiny house rentals, glamping retreats, treehouse resorts, and houseboat rentals offer unique and memorable accommodation experiences for travelers seeking something out of the ordinary.

Q: How can technology enhance the travel experience? A: Technology can enhance the travel experience through virtual reality tours, augmented reality city experiences, language translation earbuds, travel planning apps, and contactless payment solutions for tourism.

Q: What are some sustainable tourism business ideas? A: Sustainable tourism business ideas include eco-friendly tour operators, upcycled lodging, carbon offset travel services, sustainable souvenir marketplaces, and eco-tourism consultancy services.

Q: What are some niche travel experiences that cater to specific interests? A: Niche travel experiences include pet-friendly travel services, accessible tourism solutions, genealogy tourism, dark tourism experiences, culinary immersion tours, literary tours, spiritual pilgrimage tours, astro-tourism experiences, adventure wedding services, and gaming and esports tourism.

Q: How can wellness and relaxation be incorporated into travel business ideas? A: Wellness and relaxation can be incorporated through yoga retreats, digital detox getaways, spa and wellness resorts, mindfulness retreats, and forest bathing experiences, catering to travelers seeking rejuvenation and self-care.

Related Posts

Priyanka transitioned from being a trendsetting fashionista to an influential business blogger. With an innate passion for style and an astute entrepreneurial mindset, Priyanka carved her own path in the digital landscape, captivating audiences with her unique blend of fashion-forward insights and astute business acumen. Through her posts, she shares her expertise on emerging trends, fashion industry analysis, and valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

You may also like

How to Generate Ideas with the SCAMPER Technique?

• Startup business ideas

15 Business Ideas That Help The People And The Planet

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Download WP Travel

Please enter your email to download WP Travel and also get amazing WP Travel offers and Newsletters.

51 Tourism and Travel Business Ideas to Start in 2024

Home » Blog » 51 Tourism and Travel Business Ideas to Start in 2024

The travel and tourism business provides a wide range of services with the following different ideas to make sure that every traveler finds the right trip.

Most travelers or customers are looking for a beautiful adventure journey to fulfill their achievements. 

So, the travel business spends a lot of effort applying several techniques to build relationships with customers and local communities peoples.

The travel industry wants to become a top expert on changing travel experiences by focusing on smart marketing and customer happiness which help people go on the memorial journey and never forget.

Table of contents

Overview of the travel and tourism industry, 1. adventure tourism company, 2. tour guides business, 3. eco-tourism resort, 4. accommodations and breakfast business, 5. wellness retreat center, 6. cultural immersion tours, 7. vehicles rental business, 8. sustainable travel agency, 9. travel photographs business, 10. wildlife safari, 11. boutique hotel chain, 12. language learning travel program, 13. pet-friendly accommodations, 14. health tourism agency, 15. travel blogging/ vlogging, 16. adventure the sports events, 17. destinations wedding planning, 18. outdoor education programs, 19. cultural exchange programs, 20. digital travel marketplace, 21. historical recreation events, 22. luxury train journeys, 23. sustainable farm stays, 24. adventure training courses, 25. wildlife conservation tours, 26. travel safety consulting, 27. travel technology solutions, 28. virtual reality travel experiences, 29. cultural heritage preservation, 30. family adventure travel, 31. backpacker hostel chain, 32. outdoor adventure gear manufacturing, 33. destination accessibility consulting, 34. sustainable tourism certification, 35. adventure sports instructions.

• 36. Agritourism Experiences 

37. Adventure Travel Media Production

38. travel tech startups, 39. pet transportation services, 40. remote work retreats, 41. art and culture tours, 42. community tourism initiatives, 43. sustainable travel education, 44. water taxi services, 45. glamping resort, 46. sustainable souvenir shop, 47. coffee shop, 48. event planning, 49. translation services, 50. culinary tourism agency, 51. medical tourism, comparison of travel business ideas concepts, identity your passion and expertise, research the market trends, evaluate competitor landscape, assess resource requirements, seek mentorship and advice, the travel and hospitality industry, small tourism business ideas concepts, frequently asked questions.

The travel and tourism industry is very broad and includes many different types of action to connect travelling for work, pleasure and other reasons. 

You can explore and test the best travel agency themes to find the one that perfectly fits your suitable business concepts.

The travel business creates jobs, builds infrastructures and shares culture between local communities and travelers which helps to the growth of the world travel economy.  

The tourism industry serves a wide range of travelers, from backpackers on a budget to tourists who want to live a luxurious life.

The way of travelers study schedules, and book their trips has improved with the technology change so, travel agencies take more ideas and features to attract more customers.

You can Get WP Travel Pro to add features to your travel website.

51 Tourism and Travel Business Ideas

Nowadays, most of the travel business than just opening travel agencies. Many tour business plans can make travel and tourism businesses more profitable. Let’s explore some travel business techniques.

The adventure tourism company organizes adventure trips like hiking, rock climbing, and rafting which is considered as popular travel business ideas to start in 2024.

This company specializes in leading outdoor adventure experiences for tourists and people who like thrills and nature.

If you want to open a travel agency currently to find ways to start and grow your travel business, then choosing the ready-made travel plugin saves a whole lot of time, effort, and resources.

You can try WP Travel, trusted by 6000+ travel business owners to launch their travel booking website right away without any hassle of a highly paid bunch of developers and coding stuff.

First, you have a business idea but don’t have any money to invest in it – at least in the beginning phase. 

If you want to be successful, you should know lots of places where you can start your business.

If you are in out the cities areas it is best for your Eco-tourism business. It helps to promote and utilization of safe and responsible tourism that reduces bad environmental effects and encourages the well-being of local communities. 

For those people who want to use their home as a business like a homestay, or motel. This is best for accommodations and breakfast . 

You have to make it popular to get a lot of travelers to come, and you need to give them a great experience.

Most people become increasingly aware of their physical and mental well-being, you can start the wellness retreat centre to provide physical and mental health sessions and classes.

Traveler are curious about the local community traditions, and religions. So, you have to provide the travel experiences with a deeper, more supportive and more authentic connection to the destination.

It is the easy way to operate the travel business by tasting local foods, joining in cultural events, and selling your travel-related local products.

Several travelers and tourists depend on cars to get around when they want to travel in local areas. For this purpose, a Car Rental is the best choice for running the travel business.

This business suits you if you have any skill and knowledge with care and motorbike.

The sustainable travel industry plays a vital role in promoting ethical and ec-conscious tourism behaviour in the travel field.

If you love nature wildlife and ecosystems, the sustainable travel business is environmental conservation.

Let’s launch your travel booking website today!

Trip photography companies are one of the apparent choices if you are a solopreneurship. You have the option and freedom to travel, take pictures and make money as a travel photographer.

In addition, if you’re truly skilled, you may earn a lot of money through the different photography websites.

Wildlife safari offers tourists unique and memorable moments and provides them to watch wild animals in their native environments.

If you have knowledge about wildlife or work in any park or zoo it helps you to grow the travel business.

Boutique hotel companies help you to work in a unique atmosphere design and decor, giving visitors a pleasant break from regular accommodations which helps to grow your travel business.

Most travelers learn the other country and community languages, which helps them survive there easily. 

You can start different country language tutorials to earn money for the growth of your travel business. 

You can build your hotel, motel and rooms suitable for customers’ pets. That helps you get more booking chances and get the best reviews and ratings.

Health tourism companies connect tourists with specialist medical treatments and health services that may not be accessible in their home countries.

You have to provide advanced medical treatments, or special surgeries to travelers when they are in any health issues.

Travel blogging/vlogging is often regarded as one of the famous travel business ideas to earn a living . You can write or create travel-related content and make vlogs where you can earn money. Also, it supports travelers in finding out the best destinations.

You can organize adventure sports tournaments and competitions to support the travel industry and grow your travel business. 

Destination weddings offer couples stunning and romantic settings, like tropical beaches, historic sites, green parks or mountain hills. 

These beautiful places provide wedding, and party events and make memorable memories for couples and their guests.

You can link with colleges and schools to offer educational trips focused on nature and sustainability.

A cultural exchange program offers you a variety of benefits within the travel business, promoting culture, understanding, and teamwork between people of different countries.

You can create a platform that connects travelers with local guides. Today most travel companies connect on digital platforms and promote their business. 

The historical recreation events provide an engaging and informative experience for travelers. You can create a project related to historical events and promote your travel business.

Luxury train travel provides travelers with comfort and luxury, offering well-appointed rooms, soft furniture, and helpful services. 

Where you can provide sleeping accommodations for elegant dining cars and lounges. 

Sustainable farm stays on of the travel business where you can provide the accommodations on working farms. 

Like in Pokhara, where you can fishing the fish in a pond and then you have it with other food items.

Adventure training classes provide several benefits to the travel business, like teaching individuals seeking outdoor experiences, skill development, and personal growth. 

Wildlife supports guide tours, conversion, and engaging activities, customers gain the value of nature, the risks facing wildlife, and the role of conservation in saving natural environments. 

You can provide wildlife conservation tour packages to wildlife photographers and travelers.

Provides risk assessment and safety training for travelers to earn money and growth the travel business. 

Travel technology solutions have many tasks, like booking management, planning, and handling the payment process. 

It helps you to book hotels, plane tickets, and other services which improve your travel business.

It has many benefits for your travel business, like making decisions easier, accessibility, and improving marketing and training.

It helps travel agencies with personalization, saving travel costs, and making them a valuable asset for the travel industry.

Cultural heritage protection makes society better in different ways, by promoting cultural education and identity, driving economic growth, supporting intercultural understanding, and community empowerment.

You can add the family-friendly adventure vacation travel package to promote your travel business.

Establish budget-friendly accommodations for travelers as they feel like their home.

Manufacture equipment for outdoor adventure tours and travel and sell them to travelers and travel agencies.

This a smart way to make destinations more inclusive, profitable and long-lasting in the global tourist market, which is good for everyone involved with the destinations.

You have to certify businesses committed to sustainability in the travel markets.

For travelers or adventurous persons, you can teach outdoor activities like surfing or skiing.

36. Agritourism Experiences 

 You offer the tourists or visitors farm tours and agricultural experiences.

Establish the travel media productions to produce content focused on adventure travel.

Travel tech companies are very important for innovation, competition, and change in the travel industry. Where you can develop innovative solutions for the travel business.

Provides transportation services for travelers or customers’ pets. 

You have to host retreats for digital nomads and remote workers to build your travel business.

Travel companies, travelers and target communities can benefit from art and culture trips. It makes them very useful in the tourism industry’s desire to provide sustainable travel experiences.

Support the local communities through the establishment the travel companies.

It is a strong way to encourage responsible tourism, empower the people and communities, protect nature and cultural assets make the tourism business more sustainable in the long term.

You can offer water taxi services to your customers depending on where you are for travel business to work.

Making the glamping resort to a tour business can provide unique experiences, and help the business stand out in the market. So, it is suitable for you to start the travel business.

Operating a sustainable souvenir shop in the travel business, including promoting sustainable consumption, preserving cultural heritage, and protecting the environment for the tourism industry’s long-term sustainability.

As a place where travelers can stop and relax in a friendly and fun environment, a coffee shop helps the travel business’s overall success and sustainability of the travel business.

Another business model, corporate event planning plays a pretty good role in the travel business. You will be responsible for designing unique corporate events as an event planner.

Translation services are another popular choice for travlers and other people who want to run their own travel business. 

This skill will also support you when you have to deal with people from outside your business. 

It helps food tourism and cultural exchange because agencies put travelers in touch with the unique tastes and cooking customs of places all over the world.

In recent times, medical tourism is one of the feasible travel business ideas, that has grown in popularity all over the world. Most the people are interested in both modern medicine and natural, traditional treatment options. 

Explore the features and pricing of top tour operator software

It is the idea for tourism industry owners to choose the best travel business concepts, we have made a table that compares different travel business ideas based on capital requirement, potential profitability, and global market sizes.

Over time, the market size of the travel business might change. We request everyone to review individual businesses’ market size change log for better understanding.

This data is taken from trusted and relevant sources.

How do you choose the best travel business ideas?

The best travel industry ideas for your company depend on your goals, hobbies, and market opportunities.

There are several things to choosing the best travel business idea to ensure its viability and potential for success.

These are some steps to help you to choose the best tour business ideas.

You can think about the parts of the travel business that interest you the most and your experiences. 

If you want success in travel business, make a business around which you are most interested and fulfill your requirements. 

Most travel businesses keep up with the latest trends to find out about the needs of the market and customers, new fields, and area growth with potential. 

Always find out the gaps or underserved markets where you can fulfil the customer’s needs by taking something new and valuable. 

The travel industry analyzes your competitors for your business and includes both direct and indirect competitors. You can figure out how can make your business stand out and provide extra value to attract customers.

While opening the travel business you think about the startup costs, running the business, following the government rules and regulations, and technology needs.

You can focus on seeking guidance from mentors, people who work in the industry, or business advisers who have experience in the travel industry. 

These ideas and suggestions can help your business to improve its business plan and raise your chance of success.

The travel and hospitality field meets the needs of travelers, tourists and guests. 

It includes everything from transportation and lodging to dining, pleasure and recreational activities.

These are the main components of the travel and hospitality industry business.

• Transportation Services
• Accommodation 
• Food and Beverage Services
• Attractions and Entertainment
• Travel agencies and tour operators
• Travel Technology and Online Booking Platforms
• Hospitality Services and Facilities Management

The travel and hotel industry is made up of many different types of companies and services that all play a part in the travel economy and travel experience. 

These companies work together to meet the needs and expectations of travelers. 

The travel and hospitality industry has unique experiences, and they help to target economic growth and development within destination fields.

Useful for you: Future of Travel and Tourism Industry

Small tourism companies that offer unique experiences and target specific groups in the travel industry can be very profitable.

In the competitive travel market, small tourism companies can provide excellent customer service. Small tourism businesses can provide the best services at low prices.

These are some technics for starting a small travel and tourism business.

• Culinary Tours
• Adventure Tourism
• Ecotourism and Sustainable Tours 
• Cultural Immersion Experiences
• Bike or Segway Tours
• Photography Tours
• Wellness and Yoga Retreats

These are just a few small tourism and business ideas that people who want to start their own business. 

In the tough travel market, small tourism companies can stand out by catering to specific groups of people, providing different events, and giving great customer service.

If you want to start a small travel business, WP Travel is the best travel plugin . You can also try WP Travel Pro to add more features and functionalities to your websites.

The best business for travel and travel depends upon different factors. These are some best tourism businesses: Tour Operators, Travel agencies, Luxury Travel Companies, and Transportation Companies.

A good tourism business must provide a memorable experience for your customers . Therefore, it‘s important to keep this in mind while you are starting a travel business.

The 3 positives of the tourism industry are boosting the revenue of the total economy, providing several jobs, and developing the infrastructures of the tourism field.

Yam Bahadur Chhetri is a content writer and vivid contributor to the WordPress community and a WordPress enthusiast with an experience of 7+ years in the relative field. He also loves to develop WordPress Themes, Plugins, and custom WordPress development for clients.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Get WP Travel Pro

Create Stunning , SEO friendly and Fully functional Travel website within minutes . No Coding Required !

Suitable for any

• Travel Agency
• Tour Booking Services
• Travel Bloggers

Drive more Sales and Revenues from today !

$ 99 99 USD per year

📢 Santa has sent the gift for Christmas and New Year sales on all WP Travel Pro plans. 🛍️ Use coupon code "XMAS_NEWYEAR2024" at checkout.

Related posts

WP Travel version (4.0.0) pre release

500+ Free Guest Posting Websites To Submit Guest Post in 2024

WP Travel Pro: Massive Change in Pricing & Add-ons

Wp travel modules.

Need more features to save your time and to boost your travel business? WP Travel Pro comes with more powerful modules . While our core travel plugin provides almost all the features that a travel and trekking websites generally needs, our add-ons boost it’s capacity further to make it the best travel engine on WordPress. Whether you want to add new payment method to your site or brush up your trekking listings with beautiful maps show casing your trips, we have all your imagination covered. See all our add ons below to boost your travel website’s features further.

Weather Forecast

Import Export

Partial Payment

Connect with wp travel to join the travel conversation, documentation →.

Explore More

Customer Support →

We are here to help.

Facebook Group →

User Community Forum

Follow On Twitter →

Connect with us on Twitter

18 Companies & Startups Revitalizing Travel in 2024

You may also like: 

• Top Travel Industry Trends
• 20 Disruptive Transportation Startups
• 6 Important Hospitality Trends

The travel industry was one of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic.

In 2023, global tourism recovered, jumping back to  84% of pre-pandemic levels . Also, global travel and tourism revenue is expected to grow from $927.3 billion in 2024 to $1.1 billion by 2028. 

However, the industry as a whole isn't expected to recover  until 2027 .

Despite that, some travel startups are still growing exponentially.

Check out this list of companies that are looking to revitalize the travel industry in 2024 and beyond.

1. TravelPerk

5-year search growth : 172%

Search growth status : Exploding

Year founded : 2015

Location : Barcelona, Spain

Funding : $530M (Series D)

What they do : TravelPerk is a travel management platform designed to simplify business travel. It offers a centralized platform for booking, managing, and analyzing business travel, with features such as real-time booking, expense management, and travel policy enforcement.  The company aims to reduce the time and cost associated with business travel while providing a seamless and enjoyable experience for travelers.

In 2023, revenue grew 70% and gross profit 90% year over year as annual booking volumes reached $2 billion. The company also raised an additional $104 million in January 2024 at a valuation of $1.4 billion. 

2. SafetyWing

5-year search growth : 9,800%

Year founded : 2017

Location : Palo Alto, California

Funding : $47.1M (Series B)

What they do : SafetyWing is an insurtech company that focuses on digital nomads. Their flagship, "Nomad Insurance," is accepted across several different countries (ideal for travel). SafetyWing also offers a B2B "Remote Health" product that provides coverage for remote teams. In 2023, SafetyWing grew revenue to $20.3 million and served over 25,000 customers . 

5-year search growth : 99x+

Year founded : 2019

Location : Singapore, Singapore

Funding : $67.3M (Series B)

What they do : Airalo is an alternative to using multiple SIM cards while traveling. Specifically, the company offers over 190 affordable "eSIMs" that can be switched over with a few clicks. eSIMs aren't supported by all smartphones, but they are becoming an increasingly common feature in newer models. The SIM company recently raised $60 million in its most recent series B funding round. 

4. Roadsurfer

5-year search growth : 900%

Location : Munich, Germany

Funding : $33.9M (Series Unknown)

What they do: Roadsurfer rents customized camper vans in 13 European countries and, most recently, the United States. In addition to the core rental service, the startup offers a number of optional add-ons for each trip, like kitchen cutlery. Each plan also includes an insurance policy. Today, the company has 70 stations across Europe and North America .

5. YouLi (YouLive to Travel)

5-year search growth : 22%

Search growth status : Peaked

Year founded : 2016

Location : Melbourne, Australia

Funding : $200K (Angel)

What they do : YouLi is an all-in-one travel management software for organizing group trips and company retreats. The software includes a number templates for different types of travel itineraries. The software also has a member's area that travelers can use to manage and pay for their trips.

6. PickYourTrail

5-year search growth : 23%

Search growth status : Regular

Year founded : 2014

Location : Chennai, India

Funding : $3M (Series Unknown)

What they do : PickYourTrail is a platform for booking entire trips online (including flight, road transportation, and lodging). The startup reports that 46,000 people have used the service to date.

5-year search growth : 400%

Location : New York, NY

Funding : Undisclosed

What they do : Tracki is a travel tech startup that provides real-time GPS tracking solutions for individuals, families, and businesses. Their products range from portable GPS trackers to asset trackers and pet trackers, which can be easily monitored through their mobile app or web platform. The app has more than 500,000 downloads on the Google Play Store.

8. Very Local Trip

5-year search growth : 300%

What they do :  Very Local Trip connects travelers with local tour guides. In other words, the startup is a focused version of Airbnb's "Experiences" feature. Currently, the startup offers experiences all over the world in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. 

5-year search growth : 3,233%

Year founded : 2018

Location : Madrid, Spain

Funding : $200.6K (Seed)

What they do : Holafly is an eSIM startup that offers international data plans for travelers. The company partners with local providers in different countries and offers unlimited data plans for a fixed time period. Currently, the startup operates in 160+ countries with 1 million customers worldwide. 

5-year search growth : 6%

Location : New York, New York

Funding : $181M (Series D)

What they do :  Away is a DTC travel brand. Often called the “Warby Parker for suitcases,” the company keeps overhead costs low by selling direct-to-consumer. Away's product line includes travel luggage, sleep masks, travel pillows and blankets, and compression socks.

5-year search growth : 284%

Location : Denver, Colorado

What they do : GOTRAX is an electric scooter company that provides affordable and eco-friendly transportation solutions for urban dwellers. With a range of electric scooters for adults and kids, GOTRAX offers a convenient and cost-effective way to navigate through busy city streets.

12. Lodgify

5-year search growth : 217%

Year founded : 2012

Funding : $36.6M (Series B)

What they do : Lodgify develops software that helps property owners manage their vacation rental properties. The all-in-one website includes features to manage bookings, accept reservations, and synchronize across different platforms, including Airbnb, Vrbo, and Expedia.

13. Bobobox

5-year search growth : 325%

Location : Badung, Indonesia

Funding : $13M (Non-Equity Assistance)

What they do : Bobobox is a technology-based hospitality startup that provides affordable and accessible capsule hotels for travelers in Indonesia. The company utilizes an app-based platform that allows customers to book and manage their stays, as well as access various hotel amenities and services.

Bobobox aims to revolutionize the hospitality industry in Indonesia by offering affordable and convenient lodging options that cater to the needs of modern travelers. The app has generated more than 1 million downloads on the Google Play Store. 

5-year search growth : 10%

Location : Bucharest, Romania

Funding : $1.8M (Seed)

What they do : Questo is a mobile app for iPhone and Android that gamifies city exploration. Users embark on "quests" to discover interesting spots and learn about local lore. Each quest is designed by a local "creator." The app currently offers quests in over 500 cities to more than 400,000 players. 

15. Bespoke

5-year search growth : 8,700%

Location : Tokyo, Japan

Funding : $2.5M (Series B)

What they do :  Bespoke  has developed an AI-powered chatbot designed for multilingual guest services. Their software provides hotel guests with answers to hotel-specific questions, local recommendations, and restaurant reservations. Bespoke was used by the Japanese government during COVID-19 to communicate critical health and safety updates to residents and travelers.

16. Tailos (Formerly Maidbot)

5-year search growth : 14%

Location : Austin, Texas

Funding : $50K (Series B)

What they do :  Tailos , formerly Maidbot, manufacturers a housekeeping robot (named Rosie) designed to clean hotels and commercial buildings. Rosie takes on "dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks", in order to reduce injuries to staff while increasing productivity and consistency.

17. TasteAtlas

5-year search growth : 1,400%

Location : Zagreb, Croatia

What they do : TasteAtlas is a food and travel startup that provides a comprehensive guide to traditional dishes, drinks, and ingredients from all over the world. The platform offers a database of authentic food recommendations and local restaurants to help travelers discover new cuisines and experiences. Additionally, TasteAtlas allows users to create their own food maps and share their culinary discoveries with others.

18. Roame Travel

Search growth status : Exploding 

Year founded : 2023

Location : San Francisco, California

Funding : $500K (Pre-Seed)

What they do : Roame is a free award travel search engine that finds available flights that qualify for credit card points and miles redemption. Currently, Roame provides search results for 16 airline loyalty programs and 200 airlines . Users can upgrade to a premium membership to access the SkyView feature, a search function that finds flights within a 90-day search window. 

That wraps up our list of travel startups growing despite the hardships of the pandemic.

The trend away from traditional hotels and towards short-term rental properties, RVs, and campsites accelerated this year as more people work remotely and seek a change of scenery.

There is also a notable shift towards AI and automation, as hotels seek to cut costs and increase efficiency.

Find Thousands of Fast-Growing Startups With Our Platform

• Inspiration
• Top Startups

30 Top Travel Startups to Watch in 2024

| Written by

The travel industry was hard hit by the pandemic, with travel startups facing sharp declines in demand at pivotal stages of their business. The companies that are thriving today are those that have quickly adapted to meet the ever-evolving needs of travelers.

From work retreats to staycations, innovation is the name of the game. These top travel startups are promoting tourism by making it more convenient, more eco-friendly, and simply more fun. There are plenty of opportunities for any entrepreneur, particularly as the public gets their second wind to get back out there and start exploring.

Best Travel Startups to Follow

Every year, new startups pull to the forefront of their industry through exciting innovation and industry-disrupting business models. We’ve rounded up the top travel startups of 2024 that startup lovers, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs should follow.

Disclaimer: With so many exciting travel companies launching and growing worldwide, we aren’t able to cover them all. Furthermore, the startups that are listed below are not officially ranked and are listed in no particular order.

Investors—Looking for Venture-Worthy Startups?

Systematic helps you discover, research, and connect with investment-ready companies. Join today to expand your portfolio.

• Location: San Francisco, California
• Founder(s): Francis Davidson, Lucas Pellan, Martin Picard
• Founded In: 2014
• Funding: Post IPO-Equity, $839.6 Million
• Investors Include: Principal Global Investors, BlackRock, Moore Capital

Sonder taps into a growing demand for unique places to stay. The company has a number of luxury properties in popular destinations around the world. What makes the company even more special is that the staff has adapted services based on how people travel today. Travelers can check-in, request towels, and get recommendations on what to do — all from their phones.

2. TravelPerk

• Location: Barcelona, Spain
• Founder(s): Avi Meir, Javier Suarez, and Ron Levin
• Founded In: 2015
• Funding: Series D, $530.3 Million
• Investors Include:  SoftBank Vision Fund, Greyhound Capital, General Catalyst

TravelPerk is a travel platform that helps business travelers manage their travel and expenses as well as book business trips with ease. The platform suits businesses of all sizes and streamlines the process of finding, booking, and planning business travel.

• Location: Singapore
• Founder(s): Ahmet Bahadir Ozdemir
• Founded In: 2019
• Funding: Series A, $67.3 Million
• Investors Include: Plug and Play , GO Ventures, Rakuten Capital

Airalo is providing a more flexible phone alternative no matter what country you’re in. Their eSIM store is the first of its kind, offering affordable, local rates for eSIM compatible phones, tablets, or PC computers. Customers never have to worry about carrying several SIM cards, changing their phone number, or losing communication capabilities with Airalo eSIM cards.

4. Tripsider

• Founder(s): Olga Bortnikova, Ivan Bortnikov
• Founded In: 2018
• Funding: Seed, $1 Million
• Investors Include:  Liqvest, Mission Gate, Starta

Next on our list of top travel startups is Tripsider , an app that matches people with the right trip based on everything from their interests to their budget. The company compares the algorithm to that of a dating app, taking into account values, past experiences, and goals to match people with a travel expert via text or phone call. Experts have resources to help travelers officially confirm their bookings, removing one more thing for vacationers to worry about.

5. BabyQuip

• Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Founder(s): Fran Maier
• Founded In: 2016
• Funding: Seed, $10.7 Million
• Investors Include: Moai Capital, How Women Invest, SBI Investment

BabyQuip is a travel startup with a new take on the gig economy – providing a platform for baby gear rentals for traveling families. BabyQuip delivers all the necessary gear to wherever a family needs it – the airport, a hotel, or even the grandparents’ house. The company will tailor the equipment to each client’s needs, whether it’s a full-size crib, car seat, stroller, or anything else.

6. The Hotels Network

• Founder(s): Juanjo Rodriguez, Laura Martinez Celada, Marc Rollan Serrano
• Funding: Series B, $15.2 million
• Investors Include: Seaya Ventures, Elaia, 4Founders Capital, NFX

The Hotels Network is a platform that serves as a method of growth for hotels using technology to attract and convert online visitors to paying customers by creating a unique, personalized, and predictive user experience. Hotels can use the platform to compare reviews, pricing, analytics in order to create more impactful marketing campaigns.

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Founder(s): Steve Domin, Tom Bates, Vincent Pastor
• Founded In: 2017
• Funding: Series B, $56.2 Million
• Investors Include: Index Ventures , Benchmark , Kima Ventures, Blossom Capital, et al.

Duffel is an online platform for travelers to find, book, and manage flights from a myriad of airlines. Working in tandem with airlines to provide a better customer experience, Duffel provides travelers with real-time pricing and availability to make booking a trip easier than ever.

• Location: Madrid, Spain
• Founder(s): Dennis Vilovic, Leonard Cremer
• Funding:  Series B, $11 Million
• Investors Include:  All Iron Ventures, Durable Capital Partners, Madrona Venture Group

Troop is a travel technology company that utilizes data to help corporations plan in-person meetings. Leveraging the power of science and technology, Troop makes planning in-person meetings for their Fortune 500 companies sustainable, safe, and secure.

9. roadsurfer

• Location: Munich, Germany
• Founder(s): Christoph Niemann, Markus Dickhardt, Susanne Dickhardt
• Funding: Series Unknown, $28.9 Million
• Investors Include : Lawrence Leuschner, Heartcore Capital, 10x Group, et al.

roadsurfer rents RV campers to outdoor lovers in Europe and America. The company stands for freedom and offers a number of perks to its customers, including unlimited mileage, a free second driver, road assistance, and flexible rebooking options. For anyone who dreams of getting away from it all and experiencing van life for a few months, this company is connecting people to the vehicles they need to hit the road.

10. Pickyourtrail

• Location: Chennai, India
• Founder(s): Hari Ganapathy, Srinath Shankar
• Funding: Venture, $3 Million
• Investors Include: Kumar Vembu, Vinay Ahuja, Girish Mathrubootham, Kunal Shah

Pickyourtrail is India’s largest online holiday booking platform for DIY travelers. People come here to customize their vacations by building unique itineraries from the ground up. The platform takes into account people’s interests, timelines, and budgets before crafting travel that will mesh with the individual’s tastes. The company also works with a number of tourism boards in popular locations, such as Iceland, Japan, and New Zealand, to create more streamlined experiences for all customers.

• Founder(s): Johannes Siebers, Michael Siebers, Rasmus Porsgaard
• Funding: Series E, $199.8 Million
• Investors Include: Venture Stars, Prime Ventures, EQT Ventures, et al.

Holidu is a website where vacationers can book accommodations at the lowest price. It was started by the founders after trying to find a place to stay in Portugal, only to find that many of the same properties were listed on different sites at different prices. Their platform makes it possible to search and book rental properties without having to worry if there was a better deal out there.

12. Whimstay

• Founder(s): Alexander Alioto, Ben Jamshahi, Kamesh Jasani, Noel Russell
• Funding: Seed, $10 Million
• Investors Include:  Talent Resource Ventures 

Whimstay is designed for last-minute travelers who want great deals. The app and website helps property owners and hosts match their unsold nights with travelers, so everyone can benefit from the search engine. The company is built on the premise that many of our favorite travel moments are entirely unplanned, and the platform boasts up to 60% savings off the original costs of rental properties.

13. Scenset

• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Founder(s): Eli Bressert, Tamar van de Paal
• Funding: Seed, $5 Million
• Investors Include:  Cavalry Ventures, Project A Ventures

Next on our list of the best travel companies is Scenset . Most people take just under 3 weeks to book a trip, and while some people may love piecing it all together, most just want to just get it over with. Scenset personalizes your vacations with end-to-end planning with the help of travel curators. The team is there so travelers don’t have to skip from site to site, and these experts often deliver experiences that travelers would never have without their interference.

14. Boom Supersonic

• Location: Englewood, Colorado
• Founder(s): Blake Scholl, Joe Wilding, Joshua Krall
• Funding:  Series Unknown, $700 Million
• Investors Include:  Momentum Ventures, Prime Movers Lab, Caruso Ventures

Boom Supersonic is attempting to cut down on travel time by as much as half with supersonic jets. Travelers have the option of going from Tokyo to Seattle in as little as 4.5 hours (compared to 8.5 hours in a standard passenger plane). The company offers more than 500 transoceanic routes, allowing more people to test their boundaries and explore the world.

• Location:  Paris, France
• Founder(s): Aziza Chaouachi, Mario Moinet, Yassine Ben Romdhane
• Funding: Convertible Note, $22 Million
• Investors Include: Prime Ventures

Leavy allows people to live anywhere they’d like, if only for 24 hours or less. Though it was founded before the pandemic, the company is tapping into the idea of travel and affordability. The platform pairs customers with people willing to share their homes and pays cash to anyone who will open the door. While accommodation amenities vary, the barebones feature of Leavy is opening the door to people who might not have been able to afford travel otherwise.

• Location: Bucharest, Romania
• Founder(s): Alexandru Govoreanu
• Funding: Seed, $1.8 Million
• Investors Include: Early Game Ventures, Sparking Capital

Questo is a gaming app for travelers designed to help them explore cities and towns in an unusual way. So if an individual in London wanted to hunt down Jack the Ripper, they’re whisked away on an exciting quest, gathering clues in real time while learning about history at the same time. Games range depending on destination, so you can uncover the Midici conspiracy in Florence or discover the ghosts of Glasgow.

• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Founder(s): Naren Shaam
• Founded In: 2013
• Funding: Series E, $476 Million
• Investors Include: Lazard Asset Management, Stack Capital, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, et al.

Omio is a transportation app that gives travelers an easy way to travel long distances. It’s not designed for getting around a city but rather suggests nearby airports and train routes that would make it possible to cover serious ground at the drop of a hat. It helps travelers visualize the best routes to take based on everything from speed to price. Travelers can also access tickets on their phones for trains and planes, adding an extra layer of convenience.

18. Surf Air Mobility

• Location: Hawthorne, California
• Founder(s): Cory Cozzens, David Eyerly, Liam Fayed, Reed Farnsworth, Scott Craig Porter, Sudhin Shahani, Wade Eyerly
• Founded In: 2012
• Funding: Debt Financing, $563.7 Million
• Investors Include: IVP, Troy Capital, Sway Ventures, et al.

Surf Air Mobility is an environmentally friendly company that’s introducing the world to zero-emission flying with the help of electric vehicles. With more than 910 million tons of carbon on the line, the company is starting with existing aircraft. The staff replaces the standard engine with an electric version as a means to decarbonize the travel industry.

19. SafetyWing

• Location: Silicon Valley (Palo Alto, California)
• Founder(s): Hans Nyvold Kjellby, Lona Alia, Sarah Beyahte Sandnes, Sondre Rasch
• Funding: Series B, $47.1 Million
• Investors Include: Creandum, Alma Mundi Ventures, Kinnevik, et al. 

SafetyWing describes its products as insurance for nomads, by nomads. The company makes it possible for people outside their home country to get the medical help they need, including treatments needed for COVID-19, should they become ill or injured while abroad. People can even purchase insurance while they’re in a foreign country.

20. Wanderlog

• Founder(s): Harry Yu, Peter Xu
• Funding: Seed, $1.7 Million
• Investors Include: Y Combinator , Abstract Ventures, General Catalyst

Wanderlog is a free travel app that makes it possible for travelers to build and map their vacations. Designed for trips of all kinds, including the open road, it’s a way for people to keep all of their details organized so they know where they are, what they’re doing, and where they’re going at all times. Drive times, reviews, and reservations can all be tracked in one handy place, making it less likely that something will go wrong along the way.

• Founder(s): Oskar Bruening, Ruzwana Bashir
• Funding: Series C, $119.9 Million
• Investors Include : Eric Schmidt, 12 BF Global Ventures, Cathay Innovation, et al.

Peek helps tourism businesses book more people by offering handy software to take payments, market their services, and manage reviews. So far, the company has powered more than $1 billion in experiences (e.g., paddleboards, pottery classes, rafting, etc.). Their customers love the easy-to-use platform that makes it possible to both generate and track business.

• Location: New York, New York
• Founder(s): Anthony Menna, Greg Ramey, Mike Petrakis
• Funding:  Series A, $17 Million
• Investors Include:  Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Corazon Capital, Alumni Ventures

Batch  is designed specifically for bachelor or bachelorette parties. It helps the core planner track the details of the trip, so everyone can have a smooth experience. Trying to coordinate anything on a group trip like this can be an exercise in futility, but the app accounts for any number of scenarios, making it possible for people to have more fun before, during, and after the trip.

• Location: San Diego, California
• Founder(s): Breanne Acio, Jessica Shisler
• Founded In: 2020
• Funding: Seed, $3.1 million
• Investors Include: Crescent Ridge Partners Ventures, Storyteller Overland, Backstage Capital, et al

Sēkr is a mobile platform for outdoor lovers, making it easier, safer, and more communal to plan a trip and dig into the Great Outdoors. The company has more than 50,000 campsites included in its platform, making it the nation’s largest database of free campsites and local events. People can use it to learn more about what they can really expect at each site, and to connect to virtual friends with similar interests.

24. Point.me

• Founder(s): Adam Morvitz, Tiffany Funk
• Funding: Series A, $12 Million
• Investors Include:  Thayer Ventures, RiverPark Ventures, Plug and Play

Next up on our list of top travel startups is Point.me . With so many different types of airline miles and points out there, it can be difficult for travelers to keep track of all their rewards. As a result, they often end up losing out on their benefits, or cashing them in for a fraction of what they’re worth. Point.me scours the internet to find the absolute best deals for travelers who want to get the most from each and every point.

25. AvantStay

• Location:  Los Angeles, California
• Founder(s): Reuben Doetsch, Sean Breuner
• Funding: Private Equity, $686 Million
• Investors Include: Saluda Grade, Bullpen Capital, Capital One Ventures

AvantStay is a booking platform with unique properties that can be used for personal or commercial use alike. These are luxury rentals that feature unique amenities, including stunning interior design for groups. Excellent for family and company retreats or just a fun weekend trip between friends, AvantStay makes it possible for travelers to hammer down accommodation details and organize additional excursions as well (e.g., spa treatments, wine tastings, etc.).

26. Spotnana

• Founder(s): Sarosh Waghmar, Shikhar Agarwal
• Funding: Series B, $116 Million
• Investors Include:  ICONIQ Growth, Durable Capital Partners, Blank Ventures

Spotnana designs software to connect partners, suppliers, and providers, all in service of improving the booking experience for travelers. The idea is to unbundle travel, making it possible for travelers in the future to get anything they need without the hassle. The core values are freedom and trust, reintroducing choice to the traveler so they feel comfortable making any and all of their arrangements online.

27. Life House

• Founder(s): Rami Zeidan, Yury Yakubchyk
• Funding: Series C, $230 Million
• Investors Include: Tiger Global Management, Sound Ventures, Global Founders Capital

Life House is a vertically integrated operating system built for boutique hotels. It specifically supports three functions: hotel technology for operators, hotel management for owners, and hotel branding and positioning. With Life House’s powerful software, boutique hotels gain a suite of tools that can help streamline processes and increase their profitability.

28. Kindred

• Founder(s): Tasneem Amina, Justine Palefsky
• Founded In: 2021
• Funding: Series A, $22.8 Million
• Investors Include: Andreessen Horowitz, New Enterprise Associates, Bessemer Venture Partners

Kindred is a home-swap platform that connects travelers with other members to trade spaces or travel with credits they can earn by using the platform. With Kindred, hosts receive complimentary hosting essentials like towels, sheets, and lockboxes as well as free professional cleaning before and after guest stays. 

29. Hotelverse

• Location: Mallorca, Spain
• Founder(s): Rafael Bover, Fermin Carmona
• Funding: Seed, $3.92 Million
• Investors Include: Sabadell Venture Capital, Plug and Play

Hotelverse leverages technology to create an innovative booking experience for travelers. On the platform, users can explore hotel facilities, customize their room, do a flyover of their hotel, and book a room — all virtually using a realistic, 3D model. 

• Location: Vancouver, Canada  
• Founder(s): Connor J. Wilson 
• Founded In: 2020 
• Funding: Angel Investment, CA$1.1 Million

Pilot is a travel planning platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Using its free app, travelers can plan and collaborate with friends on trips by creating itineraries, planning routes, importing travel documents, and obtaining travel visas — all on one platform. Plus, the app works both online and offline thereby ensuring travelers can access important travel information at any time. 

What are travel startups?

Travel startups today are largely companies that lean on innovation to get noticed in a saturated landscape. Because we’re more reliant than ever on our devices, many of the companies on this list have tech that will drive tourism across the globe.

Whether by reducing carbon emissions, offering health insurance by phone, or making it easier to split costs, travel startups are tackling the small and big issues that stop travelers from fully committing to a trip.

What does the future of the travel industry look like?

The future of the tourism industry will be controlled by everything from global emissions to public health. However, based on the most popular startups today, one of the major trends is based on how people book their travel and how the details are managed. Travel is likely to become more customizable, more affordable, and less damaging to the environment.

What are some travel startup ideas?

Travel startup ideas are often born from personal experiences that people have with their own bookings. So maybe you have a difficult time scheduling a trip on a regular weekend. This leads to an idea that helps vacationers travel without having to take vacation time from work.

Or maybe you take your inspiration from global headlines. If gas prices rise drastically in your area, you can start an app that helps people take a staycation they’ll never forget.

How do you start a travel startup?

Beginning a travel startup will mean sketching out a business model with details about how you’ll monetize your idea and how much capital you’ll need to get started. You’ll need to know what kind of staff you’ll need, how much you can pay them, and what kind of collaboration will be needed to hit your milestones. From there, you’ll likely need to approach investors and secure funding.

The TRUiC Team

TRUiC’s team of researchers, writers, and editors dedicate hours to ensure startupsavant.com’s articles are actionable and accessible for both startup founders and startup enthusiasts. From launching a startup to growing your venture, you can trust that our information is an up-to-date and reliable source.

You Might Also Like…

• How to Travel Like a Local: Citycatt Origin Story
• Meet the Film Producer that Knows the Secret to Instagrammable Vacations
• LOVU: The First Romance Travel App on the Market

Further Reading

• What Is a Startup? July 2, 2024
• 80 Best Startup Ideas to Make Money in 2024 July 10, 2024
• How to Start a Startup in 10 Steps (2024 Guide) July 18, 2024

Topics to Explore

• Startup Ideas
• Startup Basics
• Startup Leadership
• Startup Marketing
• Startup Funding

Browse Tags

• Privacy Policy

22 Profitable Small Business Ideas in The Tourism Industry

Last Updated on May 31, 2024 by The Digital Travel Expert

Finding the best small business ideas might appear challenging initially, but with strategic foresight and groundwork, launching a business to augment your earnings—or transition into full-time entrepreneurship—becomes feasible. You might have a concept in mind already, but if you’re seeking guidance despite feeling prepared and enthusiastic, consider exploring the following categorized compilation of creative small business ideas to kickstart your journey.

Table of Contents

What Do Good Small Business Ideas Have in Common?

Great small business ideas in the travel and hospitality industry share the commonality of requiring minimal and straightforward training, allowing entrepreneurs to quickly grasp essential skills and start operations efficiently. They also typically demand low initial investment, enabling individuals to enter the market without significant financial burdens.

Furthermore, profitable small business travel niches from home often don’t involve the management of inventory or supplies, streamlining operations and reducing complexities associated with stock management and procurement. Additionally, they tend to operate entirely online, offering services remotely, which broadens their reach and eliminates the need for a physical presence, further reducing overhead costs.

Moreover, small online business ideas can be sustained with a lean team, minimizing employee expenses and allowing for greater flexibility in operations and decision-making processes. This aspect enhances the business’s adaptability to fluctuations in demand and market conditions, contributing to its long-term viability and success.

Important to know : Easy small business ideas from home or office based in the travel and hospitality industry share these five characteristics that make them accessible and viable ventures.

1) Require minimum and easy training : They typically demand minimal and uncomplicated training, allowing entrepreneurs to quickly acquire the necessary skills to operate.

2) Require low starting costs aka small capital : These ideas often entail low starting costs, enabling aspiring business owners to enter the market without significant financial barriers.

3) Don’t necessarily require handling inventory or supply management : Many of these businesses don’t involve managing inventory or supply chains, streamlining operations and reducing overhead costs.

4) Are online based aka remote presence : They rely heavily on online platforms, granting them a remote presence and facilitating access to a global customer base.

5) Can sustainably run by few people which reduces employee expenses : These ventures can be efficiently managed by a small team, minimizing the need for extensive employee hiring and thereby reducing payroll expenses.

22 Most Successful Small Business Ideas in the Travel and Hospitality Industry

1. Local Tour Guide Service

Requires knowledge of local attractions, history, and culture. Digital marketing skills needed include SEO for local search optimization, social media marketing to showcase experiences, and collaborating with travel influencers. Target audience: tourists and travelers. Average capital needed: $500-$2,000 for permits, marketing, and equipment.

2. Boutique Hotel

Requires property or leasing arrangement, interior design, and hospitality management skills. Digital marketing skills include SEO for hotel bookings , social media marketing for brand awareness, and influencer partnerships. Target audience: tourists seeking unique accommodation. Average capital needed: $50,000-$500,000 for property acquisition or renovation.

3. Airbnb Management Service

Requires knowledge of property management and customer service. Digital marketing skills needed for SEO to optimize listings, social media marketing for property promotion, and travel influencer collaborations for endorsements. Target audience: property owners seeking rental income. Average capital needed: $1,000-$5,000 for marketing and software tools.

4. Food Tour Business

Requires culinary knowledge and local connections with restaurants. Digital marketing skills include SEO for local food searches, social media marketing for travel and food experiences, and influencer partnerships. Target audience: food enthusiasts and tourists. Average capital needed: $1,000-$5,000 for permits, marketing, and tasting samples.

5. Online Travel Agency (OTA)

Requires a website, booking software, and knowledge of travel destinations. Digital marketing skills needed for success are SEO for tourism businesses , social media marketing for brand awareness, and influencer collaborations for endorsements. Target audience: travelers seeking accommodation and activities. Average capital needed: $5,000-$50,000 for website development, software, and marketing.

6. Language Translation Service

Requires fluency in multiple languages and translation software. Digital marketing skills include SEO for language services, social media marketing targeting multicultural audiences, and influencer collaborations with language influencers. Target audience: travelers needing language assistance. Average capital needed: $500-$2,000 for software and marketing.

7. Adventure Travel Company

Requires outdoor expertise and safety certifications. Digital travel marketing skills needed include SEO for adventure destinations, social media marketing to showcase experiences, and influencer partnerships. Target audience: adventure seekers and outdoor enthusiasts. Average capital needed: $5,000-$20,000 for permits, equipment, and marketing.

8. Destination Wedding Planning Service

Requires event planning experience and vendor connections. Digital marketing skills include SEO for wedding destinations, social media marketing for showcasing venues, and influencer collaborations with wedding influencers. Target audience: couples planning destination weddings. Average capital needed: $2,000-$10,000 for marketing and vendor deposits.

9. Pet-Friendly Accommodation

Requires pet-friendly property and knowledge of pet care. Digital marketing skills needed include SEO for pet-friendly searches, social media marketing targeting pet owners, and influencer partnerships with pet influencers. Target audience: travelers with pets. Average capital needed: $1,000-$5,000 for pet amenities and marketing.

10. Camping Equipment Rental Service

Requires inventory of camping gear and logistics for delivery. Digital marketing skills include SEO for camping equipment searches, social media marketing showcasing camping experiences, and influencer collaborations with outdoor enthusiasts. Target audience: campers and outdoor adventurers. Average capital needed: $5,000-$20,000 for inventory and marketing.

11. Vintage Travel Photography Studio

Requires photography equipment and studio space. Digital marketing skills needed include SEO for photography services, social media marketing showcasing travel photography, and influencer partnerships with travel photographers. Target audience: travelers seeking unique photography experiences . Average capital needed: $2,000-$10,000 for equipment and studio setup.

12. Wellness Retreat Organizer

Requires knowledge of wellness practices and event planning. Digital marketing skills include SEO for wellness retreats, social media marketing showcasing wellness experiences, and influencer partnerships with wellness influencers. Target audience: individuals seeking holistic wellness experiences. Average capital needed: $5,000-$50,000 for venue rental, instructors, and marketing.

13. Local Handcrafts and Souvenirs Shop

Requires sourcing local products and retail space. Digital marketing skills include SEO for local souvenirs, social media marketing showcasing handmade items, and working with influencers and successful travel bloggers . Target audience: tourists seeking authentic souvenirs. Average capital needed: $1,000-$10,000 for inventory and marketing.

14. Bed and Breakfast

Requires property or leasing arrangement and hospitality management skills. Digital marketing skills needed include SEO for bed and breakfast searches, social media marketing showcasing accommodations, and influencer partnerships. Target audience: travelers seeking cozy accommodations. Average capital needed: $10,000-$100,000 for property setup and marketing.

15. Historical Tours

Requires historical knowledge and tour guiding skills. Digital marketing skills include SEO for historical tours, social media marketing showcasing historical sites, and influencer partnerships with history enthusiasts. Target audience: history buffs and tourists. Average capital needed: $500-$5,000 for permits and marketing.

16. Niche Travel Blogging

Requires writing skills and travel experience. Digital marketing skills needed include SEO for travel content , social media marketing for audience engagement, and influencer collaborations with fellow travel bloggers. Target audience: travel enthusiasts seeking tips and inspiration. Your blog post content should address travel pain points . Average capital needed: $100-$1,000 for website setup and marketing.

17. Hostel or Backpacker Accommodation

Requires property or leasing arrangement and budget-friendly amenities. Digital marketing skills include SEO for hostel searches, social media marketing showcasing hostel experiences, and influencer partnerships with budget travel influencers. Target audience: budget-conscious travelers. Average capital needed: $10,000-$100,000 for property setup and marketing.

18. Scuba Diving Courses

Requires scuba diving certification and equipment. Digital marketing skills include SEO for scuba diving courses, social media marketing showcasing diving experiences, and influencer partnerships with adventure enthusiasts. Target audience: individuals interested in diving certification. Average capital needed: $5,000-$50,000 for equipment and marketing.

19. Artisanal and Food Tasting Tours

Requires culinary knowledge and local food connections. Digital marketing skills include SEO for food tasting tours, social media marketing showcasing food experiences, and influencer partnerships with food bloggers. Target audience: This travel niche attracts food enthusiasts and tourists. Average capital needed: $1,000-$5,000 for permits, tastings, and marketing.

20. RV Rental Service

Requires a fleet of RVs and logistics for rental management. Digital marketing skills include SEO for RV rentals, social media marketing showcasing RV experiences, and influencer partnerships with travel bloggers. Target audience: travelers seeking flexible accommodation. Average capital needed: $50,000-$500,000 for RV fleet and marketing.

21. Ethical Wildlife Tours

Requires knowledge of wildlife conservation and tour guiding skills. Digital marketing skills include SEO for wildlife tours, social media marketing showcasing ethical travel practices , and influencer partnerships with wildlife enthusiasts. Target audience: eco-conscious travelers. Average capital needed: $1,000-$10,000 for permits and marketing.

22. Travel Insurance Brokerage

Requires knowledge of insurance policies and regulatory requirements. Digital marketing skills include SEO for insurance searches, social media marketing educating on the importance of travel insurance, and influencer partnerships, and working with travel bloggers . Target audience: travelers seeking insurance coverage. Average capital needed: $5,000-$20,000 for licensing and marketing operations.

How Best Can You Define the Right Small Business Idea in Tourism?

Evaluating the perfect business idea before investing funds and time is crucial because it determines the success and sustainability of the venture. Without thorough evaluation, there’s a higher risk of financial loss, wasted time, and potential failure.

This step demands a comprehensive analysis as it involves assessing market demand , competition, feasibility, and alignment with personal goals and capabilities. Given the significant investment of resources and the potential long-term commitment, taking the time for careful evaluation minimizes risks and increases the likelihood of a successful business venture.

Here are four steps to consider when you want to start a business in the travel and hospitality sector.

1) Evaluate Your current skill set and unique personal strengths and experience.

Determining the best small business idea in the travel and hospitality industry requires a thorough assessment of your current skill set and credentials. Consider your expertise in areas such as customer service, event planning, or digital marketing, as well as any relevant certifications or qualifications you possess. For example, if you have experience in hotel management and a degree in hospitality, starting a boutique hotel or bed and breakfast might align well with your skills and background.

2) Be clear about the goals of your small business.

Next, clarify the goals of your small business to ensure alignment with your aspirations and objectives. Determine whether you aim to generate passive income, pursue a passion project, or build a scalable venture with growth potential. For instance, if your goal is to provide unique travel experiences while supporting local communities, launching a sustainable tourism business that promotes eco-friendly practices could be an ideal fit.

3) Research thoroughly your location and identify its unique selling point.

Study your location extensively to identify opportunities and challenges specific to your area and determine what business concepts are most feasible there. Make sure you understand your travel destination’s unique selling point . Analyze factors such as tourist attractions, local demographics, competition, and regulatory requirements. For instance, if your town is known for its scenic landscapes and outdoor activities, starting an adventure travel guide service or a glamping site might cater to the preferences of visitors seeking immersive experiences in nature.

4) Choose if you want to run an online-based business online or mortar and brick office.

Finally, decide whether you want to run your travel business online or in person, considering the advantages and limitations of each approach. Evaluate factors such as market demand, scalability, overhead costs, and your preference for flexibility or face-to-face interactions. For example, if you have strong digital marketing skills and prefer a location-independent lifestyle, launching an online travel agency or developing a virtual travel experiences platform could be a strategic choice.

What are The types of Business Forms?

Here’s an overview of each type of small business structure applicable to both travel businesses and any other ventures you choose to invest in.

1. Sole Proprietorships

• Sole proprietorships are the simplest form of business structure, owned and operated by a single individual.
• The owner has full control over decision-making and receives all profits but also bears full responsibility for any debts or liabilities.
• It’s easy and inexpensive to set up, requiring minimal legal formalities, but the owner’s personal assets are at risk in case of business losses or legal issues.
• Common examples include freelancers, consultants, and small retail businesses.

2. Partnerships

• Partnerships involve two or more individuals who share ownership and management responsibilities, as well as profits and losses.
• There are two main types: general partnerships, where partners share equally in profits and liabilities, and limited partnerships, where some partners have limited liability.
• Partnerships are relatively easy to establish and offer flexibility in management and decision-making, but they also entail shared risks and potential conflicts among partners.
• Common examples include law firms, accounting firms, and small medical practices.

3. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)

• LLCs combine elements of partnerships and corporations, offering limited liability protection to owners while allowing flexibility in management and taxation.
• Owners of LLCs, known as members, are protected from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
• LLCs can choose to be taxed as pass-through entities, like partnerships, or as separate entities, like corporations, providing tax flexibility.
• Setting up an LLC involves filing articles of organization with the state and drafting an operating agreement outlining management structure and member responsibilities.

4. Corporations

• Corporations are legal entities separate from their owners, known as shareholders, who own shares of stock in the company.
• Corporations provide shareholders with limited liability protection, safeguarding their personal assets from business debts and liabilities in most cases.
• They have a more complex structure, with a board of directors overseeing major decisions and officers managing day-to-day operations.
• Corporations are subject to more regulatory requirements and taxation, including double taxation on corporate profits and dividends, but they offer opportunities for raising capital through the sale of stock.
• Common examples include large corporations like Google, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola.

Each business structure has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice depends on factors such as liability protection, taxation, management preferences, and long-term growth plans. Consulting with legal and financial professionals is advisable when selecting the most suitable structure for a specific business.

How to Create a Business Plan For Your Small Tourism Business

A business plan includes key elements that need to be understood both by the shareholders and potential future investors:

1. Executive Summary : This succinctly summarizes the entire business plan, outlining the company’s mission, goals, and strategies. It’s important as it provides a snapshot of the business and serves as a quick reference for stakeholders.

2. Company Description : This section provides an overview of the business, including its history, structure, and legal status. It’s crucial for understanding the nature of the business and its place in the market.

3. Market Analysis : This involves researching the industry, target market, and competitors to identify opportunities and threats. It’s important for understanding the travel market dynamics and formulating effective strategies.

4. Organization and Management : This outlines the organizational structure, key personnel, and their roles. It’s essential for demonstrating the team’s capabilities and ensuring clarity in decision-making processes.

5. Products or Services : This details the products or services offered by the business, including their features, benefits, and unique selling points. It’s important for showcasing the value proposition and differentiation in the market.

6. Marketing and Sales Strategy : This outlines how the business plans to attract and retain customers, including pricing, distribution channels, and promotional activities. It’s crucial for generating revenue and building brand awareness. Having profitable small business ideas in mind is a good thing, but showing how your tourism small business idea will generate sustainable revenue is what will motivate potential investors to inject a considerable amount of funds.

7. Funding Request : This section, if applicable, specifies the funding needed to start or grow the business and how it will be used. It’s important for securing investment or loans to support the business’s operations and growth.

8. Financial Projections : This presents the financial forecasts, including income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets. It’s important for assessing the financial viability and sustainability of the business.

After coming up with one among the many possibly viable small business ideas, you will need to create a business plan for a travel company:

1. Begin with a comprehensive market analysis, researching the travel industry, target demographics, and competitors.

2. Clearly define the company’s mission, goals, and unique value proposition in the executive summary.

3. Detail the range of travel services offered, including tour packages, transportation, accommodation, and any additional offerings.

4. Develop a robust marketing and sales strategy, outlining how the company will attract customers through online and offline channels , partnerships, and promotional activities.

5. Provide financial projections, including startup costs, revenue forecasts, and break-even analysis, to demonstrate the business’s financial viability and potential for growth.

6. Finally, review and refine the business plan regularly to adapt to market changes and ensure alignment with the company’s objectives and strategies.

FAQ s| Tourism Business Ideas Small Business To Start

What is the most successful small business to start.

The most successful small business to start varies based on individual skills, interests, and market conditions. However, businesses in sectors like e-commerce, digital services, and niche consulting tend to have a high potential for success due to low overhead costs and broad market reach.

What is the easiest business to start right now?

The easiest business to start right now depends on factors like your skills, interests, and resources. Generally, service-based businesses with low overhead costs, such as consulting, freelancing, or online tutoring, are often considered relatively easy to start.

Which business is best to start for beginners in the tourism industry?

For beginners in the travel and hospitality industry, a travel consultancy or a travel niche blogging /vlogging business can be ideal due to their low barriers to entry, minimal startup costs, and potential for remote operations.

What’s the cheapest small business to start?

The cheapest small business to start varies depending on factors like industry, location, and personal skills, but typically service-based businesses requiring minimal equipment or inventory, such as consulting or freelancing, tend to have lower startup costs.

Why do Small Business Ideas for Teens matter?

Small business ideas for younger aka future successful entrepreneurs are important for parents who want to educate future entrepreneurs because:

1. Hands-on Experience : Engaging in small business ventures provides teens with practical, hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, allowing them to learn valuable skills like financial management, marketing, and customer service from a young age.

2. Creativity and Innovation : Encouraging teens to explore business ideas fosters creativity and innovation as they brainstorm unique product or service concepts, develop business plans, and experiment with different strategies to attract customers.

3. Financial Literacy : Running a small business teaches teens important financial literacy skills , including budgeting, managing expenses, tracking revenue, and understanding profit margins, which are essential for long-term financial success.

4. Problem-Solving Skills : Entrepreneurship involves overcoming challenges and solving problems, and by starting their own businesses, teens learn how to navigate obstacles, adapt to changing circumstances, and find creative solutions to problems they encounter.

5. Confidence and Independence : Successfully launching and managing a small business can boost teens’ confidence and sense of independence, empowering them to take initiative, set goals, and pursue their passions with determination and resilience.

Overall, business ideas for teenagers provide a valuable educational opportunity for parents to instill important entrepreneurial skills and mindset in their children, preparing them for future success in both their personal and professional lives.

More resources on business ideas to explore

Recommended For You!

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Small Business Trends

15 innovative travel business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs.

As the world finally opens up for business, the beleaguered travel industry is getting its groove back. Not surprisingly, this is attracting a number of small business owners to explore travel business ideas.

What Are Travel Businesses?

Travel businesses primarily revolve around providing diverse services that facilitate and enhance the experience of traveling.

These services can range from arranging lodging accommodations, vehicle rentals for transportation, curated excursions, and immersive activities that allow travelers to deeply engage with the local culture.

While the travel sector primarily focuses on the logistics of transportation and lodging, it deeply intertwines with the broader tourism industry.

Together, they aim to create memorable experiences for tourists, catering to their varied preferences and ensuring a smooth journey from start to finish.

READ MORE: Build A Travel Business You Can Sell With These 5 Tips

Be sure to check out Income Hub’s article, “7 Travel Business Ideas Trending With Low Startup Costs,” after you’re done reading:

The Travel and Hospitality Industry

The unanticipated global pandemic wreaked havoc on the travel and tourism sector. Consequently, and for a prolonged two-year period, businesses worldwide faced unprecedented challenges as international and domestic movements came to an almost complete standstill.

However, there’s renewed optimism that this is the year the industry will make a triumphant comeback. The continued prevalence of flexible working arrangements has given birth to a new category of travelers – those combining work with leisure.

Responding to this change, the travel industry is innovating to integrate work-friendly environments, such as co-working spaces within hotels or resorts.

Furthermore, a significant shift towards sustainable travel is becoming increasingly evident. Today’s travelers are not just satisfied with basic eco-friendly initiatives. They are actively seeking out holistic, sustainable travel experiences.

This encompasses everything from choosing accommodations that practice waste reduction, opting for transportation methods with a smaller carbon footprint, to prioritizing dining options that serve vegan dishes and use locally-sourced ingredients.

Why You Should Consider Starting Your Own Business In Travel

From a commercial standpoint, this is perhaps the best time to start your own business in travel.

Let’s take a look at the factors that make this a lucrative business opportunity.

• Potential to earn more: As traveling regains popularity, there are abundant opportunities to increase your income.
• Choose your domain: Another great thing about starting a travel-related business is you have plenty of options to explore. For example, you may choose to specialize in a domain such as travel photography or travel consulting based on your interest.
• Do without an office: Thanks to digitalization, a number of small travel businesses have gone completely online. This saves these online business owners both time and money.
• Partner with other service providers: As a business owner in this sector, you don’t have to venture out alone. You can easily tie up with other service providers and offer a better deal to your customers.
• Low startup cost: Many small businesses prefer the travel industry because of the low startup cost. Depending on the scale you have in mind, you can keep your business profitable.

READ MORE: Small Business Ideas for Beginners

Our Methodology to Choose the Best Travel Business Ideas

When exploring travel business ideas, it’s crucial to choose concepts that are not only viable in the current travel market but also resonate with the entrepreneur’s interests and capabilities. Here’s the methodology we used to evaluate potential travel business opportunities:

Market Demand and Travel Trends (Rating: 9/10)

Assessing the current and emerging trends in the travel industry was our starting point. We focused on business ideas that cater to popular travel trends, such as eco-tourism, adventure travel, or luxury experiences.

Niche Market Opportunities (Rating: 8/10)

We looked for niches within the travel sector that offer unique opportunities. This includes specialized tour services, niche accommodation options, or catering to specific traveler demographics.

Low Initial Investment and Overhead (Rating: 7/10)

Considering the startup costs and ongoing operational expenses was crucial. We prioritized travel business ideas that require minimal initial investment and have manageable overhead costs.

Flexibility and Lifestyle Fit (Rating: 8/10)

The travel industry often allows for flexibility in terms of operation. We selected ideas that can adapt to the entrepreneur’s lifestyle, whether they seek full-time engagement or part-time involvement.

Profitability and Revenue Streams (Rating: 8/10)

Evaluating the potential for profit and diverse revenue streams was key. We looked for travel business ideas with a clear path to profitability, including opportunities for ancillary services and upselling.

Scalability and Expansion Potential (Rating: 7/10)

The potential for scaling and expanding the business was another important factor. We considered travel business ideas that can grow over time, either through geographical expansion, franchising, or diversifying services.

Personal Passion and Expertise (Rating: 8/10)

Finally, aligning the business with personal interests and expertise in travel is vital. We focused on ideas that match the entrepreneur’s passion for travel, enhancing their dedication and satisfaction.

By applying these criteria, we aimed to identify travel business ideas that not only promise profitability and market relevance but also align with the entrepreneur’s passion for travel and lifestyle preferences.

Popular Travel Business Ideas

Today, the travel business goes beyond setting up an agency. Thanks to customers who continue to look for better options, there are a number of profitable travel business ideas. Let’s explore some of these in detail.

1. Tour Guide Business

This is the ideal business idea if you don’t have the capital to invest in your business – at least not in the initial phase. To succeed, you should have knowledge about the location where you operate. You should also be based in a place that draws enough travelers.

2. Bed and Breakfast Business

If you want to turn your home into a business location, a bed and breakfast is the right option for you. To make it popular with many travelers, you need to offer a truly great experience. This includes having a real passion for hosting different people and making them feel comfortable during their stay.

3. Car Rental Business

Many travelers rely on cars to move around when they travel. For this reason, a car rental is the most obvious choice for many of these travelers. If you have experience with automobiles and their maintenance, this business can work for you.

4. Scooter Rental Business

Many leisure travelers prefer using scooters, especially when the weather is great outdoors. To be able to start this business, you should have at least 3-4 scooters. You should also have in-depth knowledge about scooters.

5. Travel Photography Business

If solopreneurship is your calling, starting a travel photography company is one of the obvious choices. As a travel photographer, you have the flexibility and freedom to travel, take pictures and make money. Moreover, if you’re truly talented, you can make a lot of money through the various stock photography websites.

6. Translation services

Another popular option for those who want to run their business independently is translation services. And this skill will come in handy when you are contending with customers coming from the outside. As such, your ability to converse fluently in more than one language is especially useful when you are in a busy town that sees a lot of travelers.

7. Medical Tourism

In recent years, medical tourism has become widely popular in various parts of the world. In addition to the modern medical sciences, many people are interested in holistic, traditional treatment options. It goes without saying you need to have the right credentials to be able to start this lucrative business.

8. Adventure Trips

Adventure tourism is a niche within the travel industry. Extremely popular with young people, it is a great service-based business. Generally, you will have to gain experience and credentials to start this type of business.

9. Event Planning

Another business model that pays pretty well is corporate event planning. As an event planner, you will be responsible for designing unique corporate events. Be that as it may, this is not a one-person business. You will need a personal assistant and some extra manpower to succeed.

10. Travel Blogging

Making money through their travel blog is a full-time job for a number of travelers. Therefore, if you have the passion to write and document your adventures, you can turn yourself into a social media influencer. Of course, competition on social media platforms is quite fierce, but with good content, you can easily stand out.

More Great Ideas for Traveling Businesses

With several options to choose from, zeroing in on the best travel business idea may seem challenging. The trick is to focus on where your passion truly lies. Let’s explore some more ideas for your business.

11. Coffee Shop

Travelers all over the world need coffee to keep themselves energized. A coffee shop, therefore, is a great idea to attract a client base. Your choice of location will matter greatly when you set up your shop.

12. Glamping Business

Glamping brings glamor to the fun outdoor activity of camping. The idea is to create a sophisticated ambiance for campers. Of course, you need a great location and the right services in place to succeed with this.

13. Kayak Tours

Many adventurous travelers enjoy kayaking. But since bringing a kayak is often not an option for them, they have to rely on local businesses. Fortunately, this is where you can make a difference and make money through adventure sports.

14. Water Taxi Service

Depending on the location, you can offer water taxi services to your customers. This business requires you to make a small capital investment.

15. Travel Agency

Setting up an agency is a great idea if you have the adequate knowledge and manpower to cater to your customer demands. Meanwhile, if you lack the manpower, you can work as an independent operator or partner with a major travel company.

READ MORE: How to Start a Travel Agency

Comparison of Popular Travel Business Ideas

To better assist aspiring entrepreneurs in selecting a suitable travel business venture, we’ve compiled a table that compares various business ideas based on their startup capital requirement and potential profitability:

Technological Adaptations in the Travel Business Landscape

As the travel industry continues to evolve, it is undeniable that technology-driven innovations are at the forefront of this transformation. From the emergence of smart hotels and immersive AR/VR experiences to the convenience of contactless solutions and the precision of AI-powered personalization, travelers are witnessing a revolution that promises a more seamless and efficient journey.

Here’s a closer look at some of these cutting-edge advancements :

• Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality Tours: While VR provides an immersive experience where users feel like they are in a different location, AR enhances real-world views by overlaying them with digital elements, such as historical information or interactive exhibits. Both these tools allow potential travelers to explore and interact with a location or accommodation before making a booking, offering an enriched pre-travel experience.
• Contactless Technology : Given the hygiene concerns post-pandemic, the adoption of contactless payments, check-ins, and digital room keys has increased, ensuring safety and convenience for travelers.
• AI-Powered Personalization : To enhance customer experience, businesses are increasingly leveraging Artificial Intelligence. AI tools analyze past travel behaviors to recommend tailor-made travel packages, ensuring a more personalized journey for each traveler.
• Environmental Monitoring Tools : With the rising emphasis on sustainable travel, some innovative platforms now offer real-time data on the environmental impact of travel choices. This can cover carbon footprints, energy consumption, and waste production, allowing travelers to make more informed, eco-friendly decisions.
• Mental Well-being Focus : Recognizing the pandemic’s toll on mental health, travel packages often include mindfulness and wellness components. Retreats, yoga sessions, and mental well-being workshops are becoming popular inclusions in travel itineraries.
• Smart Hotels: The concept of “Smart Hotels” encompasses automated room settings, robot-assisted services, integrated mobile apps, energy efficiency systems, and personalized guest experiences, revolutionizing the stay experience for travelers.

How Do You Start Your Own Travel Business?

Launching a travel business begins with a concrete vision and a meticulously detailed business plan. It’s pivotal to understand that while some niches in the travel segment might be lucrative, they may also demand a considerable initial financial outlay.

Thus, potential entrepreneurs should thoroughly evaluate their financial standing and possibly gravitate towards business models that are more budget-friendly, especially if initial capital is a concern.

Beyond finances, it’s crucial to introspect and understand the intrinsic motivations pushing one towards this industry.

Is it a passion for travel, an interest in other cultures, or the thrill of entrepreneurship? Recognizing this driving force can guide the business’s direction and ethos.

Image: Envato Elements

© Copyright 2003 - 2024, Small Business Trends LLC. All rights reserved. "Small Business Trends" is a registered trademark.

BUSINESS STRATEGIES

11 travel business ideas to get you started

Starting a business  in the travel industry can be a lucrative opportunity where you’ll provide travel services to individuals and groups looking to get away, celebrate a milestone or travel for work. As people increasingly prioritize experiences over material goods, demand is consistently on the rise  for travel-related services. The consistent demand makes a travel business an appealing recession-proof business idea  as well. 

11 travel business ideas to inspire you

Here are eleven travel business ideas  to help you choose the right niche.

Travel agency services

Adventure travel planning

Luxury travel planning

Cruise planning services

Business travel management

Destination wedding planning

Cultural and historical tours

Family vacation planning

Eco-friendly travel services

Solo travel planning

Group travel packages

01. Travel agency services

Provide comprehensive travel planning services, including itinerary creation, accommodation bookings and transportation arrangements. This type of service is usually on a commission basis, earning you a percentage of the total travel cost.

02. Adventure travel planning

Specialize in planning adventurous trips, such as hiking expeditions, wildlife safaris and extreme sports vacations. This niche can attract clients seeking unique and exciting travel experiences.

03. Luxury travel concierge

Offer premium travel concierge services for high-end clients, including luxury accommodation, private transportation and exclusive experiences. This niche can be lucrative but requires attention to detail and a network of luxury service providers.

04. Cruise planning services

Focus on planning cruise vacations, including cruise line selection, itinerary planning and shore excursions. Cruises are popular among various demographics, providing a broad client base.

05. Business travel management

Specialize in managing corporate travel needs, including booking flights, accommodations and coordinating business events. This type of service requires a strong understanding of business travel requirements. This can be a great scalable business idea , as you can work with multiple businesses around the world or big corporations with multiple locations.

06. Destination wedding planning

Provide destination wedding planning services, helping couples organize and execute their dream weddings in exotic locations. This niche combines travel planning with event coordination.

07. Cultural and historical tours

Design and organize tours focused on cultural and historical experiences, catering to travelers interested in learning about different cultures and exploring historical landmarks.

08. Family vacation planning

Tailor travel packages for families, including child-friendly accommodations, activities and transportation. This niche can be rewarding, catering to families looking for stress-free travel experiences.

09. Eco-friendly travel services

Differentiate your business by offering eco-friendly travel solutions, appealing to clients with a focus on sustainable and responsible travel practices.

10. Solo travel planning

Cater to solo travelers by providing customized itineraries, safety tips and group travel opportunities. Solo travel is a growing trend, and this niche can tap into a lucrative market segment.

11. Group travel packages

Create and organize group travel packages for various interests, such as culinary tours, wellness retreats or photography expeditions. This niche can attract like-minded individuals looking for shared travel experiences.

How to get started with your travel business idea

Apply your industry knowledge and experience.

Develop a deep understanding of various travel destinations, accommodations, transportation options and industry best practices, depending on the travel services you offer.

Choose your specialization or niche

Consider specializing in a specific travel niche or industry to provide tailored services. This can help you gain a professional reputation in a particular niche, attracting repeat business and new clients. Pro tip: Create a business plan  to map everything out.

Build a professional network

Establish connections with travel service providers, hotels and other industry professionals to enhance your offerings. Consider creating a website  to expand your online presence and market your travel services.

Choose a legal structure for your business

Decide on the legal structure of your business, such as a sole proprietorship , LLC  or corporation . Ensure you comply with any regulations or licensing requirements in the travel industry.

Determine your pricing strategies

Choose your pricing model, whether it's service fees, commission-based or a combination. Research local market rates and competitors to ensure your pricing is competitive and reflective of the value you provide.

Travel business examples (built on Wix) to inspire

Wanderlust adventures.

This travel agency offers a variety of adventure travel packages, including hiking, wildlife safaris and cultural experiences.

Luxe Life Ventures

A premium travel concierge service providing exclusive luxury travel experiences for discerning clients.

CruiseDreams Planning

Specializing in cruise vacation planning, CruiseDreams helps clients find the perfect cruise experience tailored to their preferences.

Travel business ideas FAQ

What types of travel services can i offer in my travel business.

The travel industry offers a wide range of services. You can consider offering general travel planning, adventure travel, luxury travel concierge, cruise planning, business travel management, destination wedding planning, cultural and historical tours, family vacation planning, eco-friendly travel services, solo travel planning and group travel packages.

How can I attract clients to my travel business idea?

What equipment and supplies do i need to get my travel business idea off the ground, how do i determine pricing for my travel services, how can i ensure the safety of my clients during their travels, how can i differentiate my travel business idea from competitors, how can i expand my travel business idea as it grows, other business ideas to consider.

Service business ideas

Businesses to start with little money

Unique business ideas

Online business ideas

Low-cost business ideas

Side business ideas

Outdoor business ideas

Home-based businesses

Mobile business ideas

Consulting business ideas

Freelance business ideas

Reselling business ideas

Business ideas for couples

Rental business ideas

Small town business ideas

Wedding business ideas

Print on demand business ideas

Music business ideas

Finance business ideas

Cleaning business ideas

Marketing business ideas

Art business ideas

Tech business ideas

Restaurant business ideas

Fitness business ideas

AI business ideas

Related Posts

How to start an LLC in Colorado in 7 steps

How to start an LLC in Arizona in 7 steps

How to make money as a consultant in 2024

Was this article helpful?

Your Passport to Success: A Comprehensive Guide to Launching a Tourism Business

• Published: July 13, 2023
• By: Yellowbrick

Setting foot into the vast landscape of the tourism industry might seem like attempting to scale Mount Everest. However ,  bear in mind , just like any mountain , t his behemoth can be conquered step by step . Wrapped in this guide is your trusty sherpa, ready to guide you through the precipitous path of launching a tourism business. Brace yourself for an exhilarating expedition, interspersed with pearls of wisdom, as we unfold the blueprint for your entrepreneurial success.

Resting on our laurels isn’t an option when there’s an entire landscape to be explored. The tourism industry, much like an uncharted terrain, necessitates a thorough exploration. Having a comprehensive game plan will prevent you from losing your bearings amid the wilderness . So, fasten your seatbelts and put on your thinking caps; it’s time to traverse the exciting topography of creating a successful tourism business.

Spotting the Opportunity

In the buzzing beehive of business , identifying a distinctive honeycomb  – or rather , a unique   opportunity – is the cornerstone of entrepreneurial success . Now, don’t get caught with your pants down thinking it’s a cakewalk; it demands a discerning eye for detail and a pulse on what consumers are hankering for. Initiate your quest by examining your surroundings. What seems absent? What exclusive offering can you bring to the table that others haven’t?

Once the spark of an idea ignites,  it’s crucial to fan its flames to ensure its sustainability . The flash-in-the-pan ideas might create an initial buzz but they’re like shooting stars, fading away as quickly as they appear. To avoid this pitfall, conduct an in-depth market validation. It’s akin to checking the depth of the river before taking the plunge – you wouldn’t want your business to flounder due to a lack of demand . So, roll up your sleeves and dive headfirst into market research to substantiate your idea’s feasibility.

Carving Your Unique Niche

Now that you’ve got a winning idea in your arsenal, it’s time to etch out your unique niche . While it’s easy to get lost in the crowd in an industry as broad as tourism, having a distinct identity can help your venture stand out. It’s about not just being another face in the crowd , but the one that turns heads and commands attention .

Tailoring a unique business proposition is like threading a needle – it requires precision and a clear understanding of what you’re capable of delivering. Consider your strengths and how they can be leveraged to provide a unique experience for your customers. Remember, t he aim is to create a service that’s as unique as a fingerprint ,  an offering that’s distinctly yours and resonates with your target audience . This is your golden ticket to carve out a successful space in the tourism industry.

Constructing a Comprehensive Business Plan

A solid business plan is akin to a well-crafted blueprint ; it lays down a firm foundation and guides your venture’s growth. Think of it as the ‘master plan,’ containing the DNA of your business – everything from your mission and objectives to financial forecasts and marketing strategies.

First off, you’ll need to define your business model . In other words, decide how you’ll earn your bread and butter. Will you focus on luxury travel, budget packages, adventure tourism, or cultural experiences? Furthermore, pin down your target audience . Who will be lining up to avail of your services? Young globetrotters, retired explorers, corporate clients, or thrill-seekers? Understanding your clientele is half the battle won.

Arranging the Financial Framework

Finance is the lifeblood of any business. Ensuring you have your ducks in a row when it comes to funding is absolutely vital . Whether you’re bootstrapping, seeking investors, or applying for loans, having a robust financial plan is crucial.

Start by determining your startup costs – the price tag for getting your venture off the ground. Then, l ay out a clear projection of your revenue and expenses for the first few years . By doing so, you’re not just shooting in the dark but are well-prepared for the financial challenges ahead. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Jumping Through Legal Hoops

The legal aspect of setting up a business might seem like a minefield, but don’t fret. It’s simply about understanding what’s required and ensuring all the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted. You’ll need to select a business structure , r egister your business name , and obtain necessary licenses and permits .

While it might seem like you’re climbing a legal mountain, taking it one step at a time can make it manageable. It’s worth considering seeking professional help to navigate this complex terrain. A misstep here could cost you heavily, so proceed with caution.

Crafting a Magnetic Brand

Creating a compelling brand is akin to crafting a magnet ; it should attract your target audience and resonate with them on a deeper level. Your brand is more than just a logo or a tagline; it’s the embodiment of your business’s personality, values, and promises.

To create a brand that turns heads, you must understand what makes your business tick . What’s your story? What are your core values? How do you want to be perceived by your audience? By answering these questions, you can shape a brand that is both authentic and appealing.

Building a Strong Online Presence

In the digital age, having an online presence is not a luxury but a necessity . It’s like your open-for-business sign that’s visible globally. A captivating website, active social media profiles, and a strategic SEO plan are vital components of your online presence.

A website is your digital storefront ,  and social media platforms are your public forums . They offer an opportunity to engage with your audience, showcase your services, and build trust. On the other hand, SEO can help your business get discovered by potential customers. It’s like having a well-lit billboard on the internet highway.

Launching and Marketing Your Venture

Finally, it’s time for the curtain-raiser – the launch of your venture . However, simply opening your doors won’t get the cash registers ringing; you’ll need a robust marketing strategy to put your business on the map .

A successful marketing plan isn’t just about big-budget advertising campaigns. It’s about identifying the most effective channels to reach your audience, creating engaging content, and fostering relationships with your customers. Remember, word of mouth is a powerful tool in the tourism industry . A satisfied customer can be your most effective marketing agent.

Splash Your Unique Colors Onto the Vast Canvas of the Tourism Industry

Embarking on the trail of the tourism business, as you’ve journeyed through this guide, is undoubtedly more marathon than sprint. Yet, w ith the perfect blend of preparation , vision , and undying tenacity , this intricate maze can be traversed to emerge as a beacon of entrepreneurial success . This guide has endeavored to be your trusty torchbearer, illuminating the vital steps to morph your fledgling business idea from an abstract thought to a concrete, profitable venture.

From identifying golden opportunities to that euphoric moment of launching your venture, it’s paramount to remember:  the journey carves the entrepreneur just as much as the destination . It’s the blend of grit, the relentless grind, those fleeting moments of despair punctuated by exhilarating peaks of triumph, that crafts the entrepreneurial spirit.

But here’s the best part:  your journey doesn’t have to end with this guide . Oh, no. Picture this; an opportunity to splash your unique colors onto the vast canvas of the tourism industry, guided by expert hands. Exciting, right? Well, that’s not just a dream anymore.

Cue the drumroll, please… Enter the world of tourism from the comfort of your living room. Yes, you read that right! In this era of high-speed digital connectivity, your journey of learning and discovery is just beginning.

A treasure trove of knowledge and expertise lies within your reach, awaiting exploration. We’re talking about navigating unique paths in the tourism sector, all without leaving your home. It’s a game-changer!

To top it off, Yellowbrick ,  in collaboration with the renowned New York University ( NYU ), presents an online Hospitality and Tourism Industry Essentials Course . Guided by seasoned faculty from NYU and industry insiders, this program is designed to steer you through the winding corridors of establishing a successful tourism business.

This all-encompassing program, delivered entirely online, dives deep into the ocean of the hospitality and tourism industry. The program features  six online course modules , with each course taking approximately 3-5 hours. It’s thoughtfully broken down into digestible lessons that students can complete at their own pace. The cherry on top?  A non-credit certificate of completion from the globally-recognized NYU to amplify your professional portfolio upon successful completion .

With this guide as your compass and the opportunity to enroll in an insightful online course, you’re primed to carve your path to success in the tourism industry. It’s an exciting vista waiting to be adorned with your unique imprint.

So, what are you waiting for? The clock is ticking , and the stage is set for you to dive in and bring your dream tourism business to life . Remember, the essence of success lies not just in reaching the summit but in relishing the climb and embracing growth. So, here’s to your future success as a thriving tourism tycoon. Godspeed!

Enter your email to learn more and get a full course catalog!

• Hidden hide names
• Hidden First Name
• Hidden Last Name
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More from Yellowbrick

Effective CG and Live-Action Integration in Films

Explore the exciting world of filmmaking through our comprehensive guide on CG and live-action integration in films. Discover roles, techniques, and career opportunities.

Top Advanced Shading Techniques in Animation

Unlock the full potential of your animations with advanced shading techniques. Master light, shadow, and color to create stunning, immersive visuals.

Photorealistic Lighting Techniques in Animation

Master photorealistic lighting in animation and boost your career. Learn about the roles, techniques, and advantages of mastering this vital skill for the animation industry.

ABOUT YELLOWBRICK

• Work at Yellowbrick
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

STUDENT RESOURCES

• Scholarships
• Student Login
• Beauty Business Essentials
• Beauty Industry Essentials
• Ecommerce Essentials
• Fashion Business Essentials
• Fashion Industry Essentials
• Footwear Business Essentials
• Gaming & Esports Industry Essentials
• Global Sports Management
• Hospitality Industry Essentials
• Music Industry Essentials
• Performing Arts Industry Essentials
• Product Design Essentials
• Sneaker Essentials
• Streetwear Essentials
• TV/Film Industry Essentials
• UX Design Essentials

©2024 Yellowbrick · All Rights Reserved · All Logos & Trademarks Belong to Their Respective Owners

• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• Accelerate your Career
• Job Openings
• #StandWithUkraine
• Staff Augmentation
• Managed Dev Teams
• Tech Recruitment
• Custom IT Staffing
• 🇬🇧 | HomeFlow
• 🇬🇧 | Touch Stay
• 🇬🇧 | Glasscubes
• 🇬🇧 | Made (acq. by Next)
• 🇬🇧 | PWN (acq. by PGi)
• 🇫🇷 | Platinium Group
• 🇺🇸 | Litera Microsystems
• 🇺🇸 | Fortune 500 Firm
• 💸 Risk-Free Trial

16 Less-Known Travel and Tourism Startups Around the World

Explore the unconventional with these 16 unique travel startups globally. Discover new places, experiences, and innovative solutions reinventing the tourism industry. Start your journey here!

Join 2000+ tech leaders

A digest from our CEO on technology, talent and hard truth. Get it straight to your inbox every two weeks.

Your business email*

No SPAM. Unsubscribe anytime.

Travelers are ready to get out and explore, according to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council . Venture capitalists recognize the opportunity – over the last ten years, they have fueled travel startups with $19 billion in funding.

We choose top disrupting travel and tourism startups to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with insights on what it takes to hit it big in the industry. Rather than including top-tier players like Tripadvisor 🌴, we aim to explore some lesser-known startup travel companies which are gaining market traction lately.

Check out our list of innovative tourism startups that make big waves now.

1. Touch Stay

Whether you have 5 properties or 500, Touch Stay digital guidebooks help you easily create and share property information to deliver the best guest experience. From practical accommodation information and inspirational content, to automated (and free!) SMS and email messaging, Touch Stay guidebooks give guests everything they need to know before, during and after their stay. Spend less time answering guest questions and focus on growing your short term rental business with Touch Stay.

Touch Stay was founded by Andy McNulty and Joe Jones – two serial travellers who kept on encountering the same issue over and over again: an absence of clear communication with their rental accommodation hosts.

2. Beyond Pricing

Beyond Pricing is a revenue management solution for short-term rental managers and owners to get, grow, and keep revenue, established by Ian McHenry and David Kelso in San Francisco in 2013.

The startup provides vacation rental owners with an automated AI-based pricing solution. The service analyzes market data in real-time and adjusts pricing recommendations to maximize revenue. Beyond Pricing claims their solution to increase revenue by up to 40%.

The company has raised $3.5 million in investments. They were funded by Plug and Play, Amicus Capital, Resolute Ventures, and Bullpen Capital, among the others.

• Beyond Pricing was included in Phocuswright’s 25 hottest startups list for 2019.
• The startup was covered by The Wall Street Journal, Time, CNN, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, Mashable.

3.  Coindrum

Coindrum is converting foreign coins into duty-free vouchers.

A self-service machines provider founded by Lukas Decker in Dublin.

The startup offers a neat solution for those travelers who find themselves left with pockets full of basically useless coins after leaving the currency zone. They are offered to deposit foreign change into one of the Coindrum machines placed inside the airport area. In exchange, a tourist gets a voucher to spend in a duty-free zone. This also benefits duty-free retailers by making the non-spenders spend.

Coindrum received $2 million in funding. Among their investors were co-founders of Ryanair and Hostelworld.

• Coindrum won the 2018 top travel startups award.
• Last year, the startup was selected for the Retailtech Hub program in Munich to provide their machines to Germany’s key retailers.

4. Crowdvision

CrowdVision  is a leading automated pedestrian analytics and insights company.

A UK-based early-stage company founded by Fiona Strens and Anders Johansson in 2011.

Crowdvision provides an automated real-time computer vision technology that analyzes crowds at the airport using video cameras and machine learning. The solution allows to prevent bottlenecks and achieve smooth passenger flow throughout the terminal.

• In 2018, Crowdvision received an investment of an undisclosed amount from Amadeus Ventures. Prior to this, the startup was backed by Oaktree Capital, Plug and Play Tech Center, Angel CoFund, and Beacon Capital.
• Among the airports using Crowdvision technology are London Heathrow, London City, Stansted and Jersey airports, as well as Tokyo’s Narita and Chicago O’Hare airports.

5. Culture Trip

Culture Trip is your trusted shortcut to booking travel that’s good and makes you feel good.

One of the hottest travel startups geared towards those who are looking to dive deep into the local culture. The company was founded in 2011 by Kris Naudts in London. In subsequent years, they expanded their presence to New York and Tel Aviv and established a network of over 300 local authors across the globe.

Culture Trip is a hybrid of a magazine and a travel platform that delivers exclusive local content, recommendations, and overviews on culture and art. They aim to inspire travelers to explore the world through local cultures and creativity.

In 2016, the startup secured $20 million in funding from PPF Group. A further investment of $80 million boosted the company’s growth in 2018.

• Forbes named Culture Trip as one of the fastest-growing startups.
• In 2018, they were awarded by Red Herring Top 100 Europe, British Media Awards, the Sunday Times Fast Track Disrupters to Watch awards.
• This year, Culture Trip was named among the hottest startup travel companies by the Europas Awards.

Doerz is a real-life experience with the city locals.

The company is in business since 2016. Doerz was launched by Tomi M. Virtanen in Turku, Finland.

The startup was born from the idea of exploring the foreign city from the inside – by doing stuff and going places with the locals. Doerz is a social platform where verified local experience providers offer to share their daily real-life activities. You can find yourself ice-fishing on a forest lake, cooking pea soup in a Finnish student dorm, composing a song with a local musician – the list goes on.

• Currently, their ambassadors’ network covers 14 cities in Finland, Estonia, Germany, France, and Italy.
• Doerz has raised €127.448 on Seedrs.
• The startup is in partnership with Finnair and Viking Line.

7.  Evaneos

Evaneos is the leading online marketplace for tailor-made tours. Plan your trip with the expertise of a local travel agent in the destination.

Evaneos is a French tours and travels startup founded in 2009 by Eric La Bonnardière and Yvan Wibaux.

The startup has created the world’s first online platform aimed to connect tourists directly with local travel agents. Evaneos platform provides access to 1,300 local agencies and features 8,000+ ready-made, customizable itineraries to 160 destinations. The startup serves over 30,000 tourists across the globe.

• Evaneos has raised about $109 million in funding. Among the investors are Serena Capital and Fonds Ambition Numérique.
• Their solution has received positive reviews by National Geographic, Daily Mail, Wanderlust, TechCrunch, The Guardian, and other media.

Itinari is helping travelers tread off the beaten track.

A Brussels-based trip startup aimed to help people around the world discover and share some lesser-known local attractions. Italy-born entrepreneur Nicolas Casula founded the company in 2017.

Itinari is a media platform featuring exclusive travel articles that reveal some hidden gems across the globe. The contributors’ network covers more than 40 European countries. Here you can also find articles on some niche local activities like horseback riding in Kazakhstan or Parisian pet cemetery exploration.

The startup has raised €830k in funding.

Hopper’s innovative technology helps travelers save up to 40% every time they travel.

Take Skyscanner startup idea, add some advanced predictive analytics, and you’ll get Hopper. This cheap flights startup was co-founded by former Expedia engineers Frederick Lalonde and Joost Ouwerkerk in Montreal, Canada.

Hopper is a mobile app designed to automate travel-related prises monitoring. Its AI-driven algorithm processes million of prices daily and predicts how prices will change up to a year in advance. The user then gets a suggestion on when they should book a trip or wait, and when there will be the best time to make a purchase.

The startup has raised over $184 million and is valued at $780 million. Among their investors are Citi Ventures, Brightspark, OMERS Ventures, and Accomplice.

• As of today, Hopper app has exceeded 40 million installs, becoming one of the fastest-growing travel booking startups .
• In 2019, the startup was featured in the world’s most innovative companies list by Fast Company for the second year in a row.
• Hopper is the 2018 People’s Voice Webby Award They also won the 2016 Google Play Award in the category of Standout Startup.

Grabr is a monetize your free luggage space.

A San Francisco-based startup is on the market since 2015. The project was launched by Russian-born spouses Artem Fedyaev and Daria Rebenok.

The startup idea was to create an “Uber for international shopping”. As a result, they have developed an international peer-to-peer courier service linking shoppers and travelers.

On Grabr, you can drop a link to the desired item from Amazon or any other online store and get a delivery offer from a traveler heading to your destination. As a tourist, you can pick delivery requests at your destination and earn some money for delivering their items.

• In total, Grabr has raised about $14 million. The company was backed by SignalFire, Founders Fund, and Foundation Capital.
• The startup was recognized by the EyeforTravel’s Startup Awards .

11. LuggageHero

Luggage Hero is a luggage-storage startup co-founded by Jannik Lawaetz and Kristian Loekkegaard in Copenhagen (2016).

LH business model is as simple as can be – book online, then drop your suitcase at the nearest LuggageHero partner store in your destination. Today, their network of luggage storage locations covers 45 cities across the US and Europe, with more cities joining in 2022.

• The startup has secured $1.45 million in its 2019 funding round. Their investors include Nordic Eye, Danish Growth Fund, and Innovation Fund Denmark.
• LuggageHero was covered by the New York Times, Forbes, Evening Standard, Lonely Planet.

Panzly is the first flight insurance for delays or cancellations with automatic and immediate payouts.

Panzly is a young Ukraine-born travel insurance startup headquartered in London. The project was created by Ukrainian developers Alex Gayduk and Anton Nesterenko in 2018.

Plane cancelation is never fun, but Panzly founders have decided to make it less stressful. They developed the first flight insurance app with an immediate claim-free payout to the passengers whose plane has been canceled. The service triggers compensation automatically in the event of a two-hour delay.

• Panzly was featured in the 2019 top innovative travel startups by British Airlines, and 2019 top most promising new travel startups by Insurance post.
• They also entered the top 5 Disrupt Launchpad & Awards at 2019 Travel Technology Europe (London).

Questo turns city exploration into a game.

A Romanian travel app startup was established by Alex Govoreanu in 2017 in Bucharest.

Questo is an app that makes real-world city exploration even more fun by mixing traveling and casual gaming. It enables tourists to discover new places while solving augmented puzzles, quests and completing story missions. You can choose either outdoor urban quests or indoor quests in the local castles, museums, etc.

The game is available in 40 cities across Europe.

The startup has secured a seed round of funding from investors, bringing its valuation to $1.5 million.

14. Routehappy

Routehappy finding the comfiest flight.

RH is a NY-based flight booking startup founded by Robert Albert in 2011.

There’s more to a good flight than an affordable price and a convenient schedule. Legroom and a reclining seat, Wi-Fi, snacks and drinks, outlet access, and other small things make a big impact on your comfort during a flight.

Routehappy holds an exhaustive dataset of plane types, seat layouts, and other assessments for flights over the world. You can choose the most comfortable option according to your preferences or based on the overall “happiness points”.

15. SeeVoov

SeeVoov is the first interactive video trip planning platform.

An Israeli travel planning startup co-founded by Asaf Toker and Yosi Golan in 2016.

The startup has raised $400,000 in funding from investors.

• In 2019, SeeVoov was among the top 10 travel technology startups for the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) startup competition.
• The company won the ITB China 2019 Tourism Innovation Startup award.
• Their partners include Samsung, SmartAir, Israir, Pruvo.

16. TravelPerk

TravelPerk is the next-generation business travel platform pioneering the future of business travel.

An award-winning corporate travel startup designed to handle all the business trip management issues. The company was founded in 2015 by three experienced entrepreneurs – Avi Meir, Ron Levin, and Javier Suarez. They are headquartered in Barcelona.

TravelPerk has delivered a free tool that enables users to book and manage travel fast, within the corporate policy, and under budget.

• TravelPerk has gained €65.3 million in funding. The startup is backed by investors from Slack, Trello, Twitter, and Spark Capital.
• Among their partners are Lufthansa, Uber, TransferWise, Farfetch, etc.

🔔 Hire top PHP developers in Ukraine .

You may have noticed geographic diversity in our best tourism startups list. These flourishing travel tech startups represent 12 countries across the world. It looks like blurring international boundaries is at the very core of the tourism startups scene.

If you’re looking to join the travel startups 🦄 unicorn club with your own project, you may consider going offshore and offloading a part of web or mobile development of your project to remote developers. Contact us with your business-related question and our expert team would be happy to provide you with professional assistance on hiring the best tech talent and setting up a remote team in Ukraine.

Related Posts

• Top IoT Companies and Startups You Should Know
• Exploring the Rise of Food Startups
• 30 Best Travel Apps for Android and Iphone on the Market
• Discover Top Companies that Outsource to Romania

Tags: adventure , booking , destinations , experiences , hospitality .

IT Entrepreneur

Hello. I’m Julian from Bali, Indonesia. I have a concept/idea for rural tourism in Indonesia. Pandemic covid19 makes many small-medium enterprises, especially in the tourism sector, get a big impact. I’m looking for a team that can help us to develop our platform. I have 365 members (tourism players), and many rural spots for tourism (diving, surfing, agriculture, culture experience, etc). Also, I want to join the travel startups unicorn club. Thanks!

Hi Julian, Are you thinking to implement this idea in India?

We are young Egyptians we going to start up a new tourism service online. I would like to know how and the way to transfer our business from just a start up company to bring investors to invest in ?

Hello, thanks for the interesting write up. I’m not sure how often you update this blog but we’ve just launched another interesting travel planning and booking platform, http://www.travelplanbooker.com . We’d appreciate all the feedback you can about our site but in general our aim was to simplify travel planning and removing the time consuming process of booking on Silo travel websites. We like to think our platform is user-friendly, adaptable and best of all it enables customers to book transportation, accommodation as well as rental cars and attractions, from a variety of suppliers, all in one place. Please check it out

35+ creative travels and tour ideas for your tourism business

By Kevin Tjoe — 7 Feb 2022

business ideas   customer experience   marketing

Updated August 2023 – Are you weary of the monotonous 9 to 5 routine or feeling confined to your desk on a glorious day? Whether you’re aiming to break free from the grind or seeking to elevate your tourism business to new heights, the realm of possibilities awaits. Within the vast expanse of the tourism industry lies the canvas for an incredible business venture. It’s not just about forging a lucrative business, but about channeling your passion into a travel-related venture that resonates with your know-how and aspirations.

Amidst this landscape of opportunities, the spark of a great business idea can set the stage for crafting a truly profitable business. If you’re prepared to infuse your love for experiences with strategic thinking, get ready to unveil over 35 exciting tours and travel business ideas in our latest compilation. Your journey toward a rewarding and unforgettable business experience begins here.

Getting into the tour operator industry

The tourism industry is such a rewarding one to work in. As a tour or activity operator, you can spend your days with great people, share your special part of the world and even raise awareness of important cultural or environmental values.

Of course, even if you don’t directly run tours and activities there are many different ways to build an amazing career in tourism. You could run a travel-related business. For example, if you’re a travel photographer, you could run your own travel photography business. Some other type of business ideas are souvenir shops, hiking gear rentals, running a travel blog or becoming a travel blogger, or even providing catering for tour and activity operators.

Staying open-minded will help you find your ideal niche in the industry and help you achieve your goal of becoming an entrepreneur within the tourism space!

5 tourism business ideas to get started with

When you offer travel tours, you’re offering an enjoyable journey of some kindled by an experienced guide. Some of the hottest tours and travels business ideas right now include:

• Walking tours and bike tours
• Snorkeling tours
• Tours that take into account growing wine and food tourism trends , such as Hideaway Private Tours , Black Swan Tours , Darwin Gourmet Tours , and Mullarkey Tours
• Ghost or haunted location tours
• Scenic guided tours, such as Italy Pass Tours , Wineglass Bay Discovery Tours, Meteora Thrones , and Bruny Island Safari

There may also be a gap in your local area for a niche tour guide business. For example: if your hometown was the birthplace of a famous musician or even a centuries-old famous cuisine, there could be a perfect opportunity to tap into that interest!

Keep in mind there are two big growth areas to consider when it comes to offering tours for the modern traveler:

• Sustainable and ecotourism, because guests increasingly want to minimize their environmental impact when traveling. Find out more about proactive steps that sustainable tour operators can take here
• Culturally and socially responsible tours , where guests look for a genuine experience connecting with local people and practices

2. Activities

Tourism activities can encompass a vast array of options from the relaxing to the extreme! These could involve physical activities, connection with natural environments, or even incorporate virtual reality. Unique experiences such as hot air balloon rides are also an option for relaxing activities that involve a thrilling side to them. You could also consider more recent technology that people might be itching to try out, such as jet boarding , flyboarding,  and indoor skydiving . There may also be an opportunity to offer intentionally tech-free experiences – such as a retreat with no mobile reception where people can unwind!

Here are some other popular tourist activity ideas:

• Escape room experiences 
• Glowing art rooms or VR rooms
• Themed corporate retreats  or glamping
• Modern summer camps or school camps
• Survival or bushcraft trips
• Fitness or wellbeing retreats

There are two big notable areas to consider for tour operator activities. Think about:

• Activities that are family and group friendly , which are becoming popular within the travel industry as social restrictions ease.
• Accessibility . Tourism business owners should be actively looking for ways to support equal access so everyone can enjoy their activities – as best as possible for the activity in question.

3. Attractions

As a travel software provider , we can say with certainty that experiential travel is huge right now. Considering that experiential tourist attractions have both local and long-distance appeal for travelers, they offer an impressive amount of opportunities for growing tourism businesses. These can range from heritage attractions and natural formations to cutting-edge art exhibitions.

Here are more relevant ideas for building an attraction that guests will be keen to visit:

• Amusement parks 
• Niche museums and art galleries
• Festivals with amazing settings
• Garden and maze experiences
• Instagram-worthy photo rooms and experiences , such as Selfie Factory or Happy Place
• Magic shows,  such as Gentleman Magician
• Farms, petting zoos , and horse riding such as Sun Valley Mares and Swan Valley Wagon Tours

Nostalgia and retro appeal are also big right now in attractions, with everything from arcade games to Australia’s ‘ big things’ providing popular. Travelers are increasingly looking to explore the road less traveled and find novel experiences. So – even if you’re in a small regional area you could get in on the action by embracing the bizarre, weird, and wonderful!

4. Shuttles

As interstate and international travel resumes, there will be demand for airport transfers, shuttles , and unique transport options to and from accommodation. You might tap into the wedding transportation market, or offer fun journeys for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties. Consider how you’ll separate your shuttle service from the rest with either a unique form of transport, added options like food and drink, or a distinctive driver who adds to the experience. You might consider offering:

• An airport shuttle business
• Traveler shuttles to accommodate tour and travel bookings
• A party bus or ferry
• Specialist pet or luggage delivery
• Unique transport such as tuk-tuks, school buses, or a custom limo 
• Premium shuttle services .

It’s also worth considering the notable events in your area and how people might want to travel to these. Guests may get excited about a festival bus that transports them from the city to the festival site complete with karaoke, as just one example!

5. Charters & equipment hire

Travelers love charter services because they can have a luxurious or far-flung experience without having to buy all the equipment or vehicles themselves! There are numerous forms of rental businesses you could run such as self-driven charters, car rentals, or equipment hire. You could even go a step further by providing an experienced skipper or pilot as part of the product package. Ideas for modern charter businesses include:

• Party yachts for relaxed island days
• Fishing charters 
• Houseboat charters
• Private river cruise charters
• Hovercraft charters
• Kayak,  rafting, small boat hire , or paddle board
• Helicopter or small plane charters

For tour guides looking at how to run a charter boat business , it’s a great idea to promote the destination as well as the charter experience itself as the two go hand in hand.

A great charter experience is almost always about the escape from the everyday. It’s something guests are willing to splurge on, so be sure to consider ways you can elevate the experience. You can achieve this by offering optional extras and added services. If you are wondering how to sell tour packages with your charter service, extra bonuses like drink options, catering, entertainment, and DJs can help to boost your revenue.

6. Luxury vacation operators & Travel agency business

Guests love Luxury Vacations because they are money-rich but time-poor. They want to draw on the experience and expertise of their trusted travel agent or operator to discover the finest travel arrangements, boutique properties & off-the-beaten-track destinations. However, they may not have the time to research the thousands of options available to them. And because they may well only visit these destinations only once in their life and want to be sure they get the greatest possible experience. They’ll want the security of knowing they will be well looked after whilst visiting far-off countries with different languages and customs with which they are not familiar.

A great example of one such Luxury Vacation Operator is  The Luxury Peru Travel Company . Their services provide guests with a chance to discover one of the Seven Wonders of the World – Machu Picchu – in absolute luxury.

Building your tours and travels business ideas in the tour operator industry

If you have a brilliant business idea in mind, then you may be raring to put the wheels in motion. There will be a few things to think about as you build out your business idea, such as finding the best name for your business , developing your business plan , and deciding how you’ll take bookings securely online with real-time availability. One big advantage in the tourism industry is also the ability to partner with resellers , distributors, and other tourism and travel businesses to grow your bookings faster.

Rezdy supports you with both online bookings and a distribution platform  developed specifically for the experiences industry. We’re also here to support you as you start your business – simply register for your free 21-day trial or book a demo with the Rezdy team to see how we can help your business.

You can also explore our Resources section to find industry-specific guides across business operations, marketing, and more, with a range of free ebooks available to help you save time and increase your bookings. If you enjoyed this article – 35+ tours and travels business ideas – then make sure to follow the Rezdy blog . There are a lot of marketing tools and tour operator tips designed with businesses like yours in mind.

Create your business ideas with Rezdy

Enjoy a free 21-day trial to take a look around and see if we are a good fit for your business.

No obligations, no catches, no limits, nada

Markets & Segments

How the severe weather in Europe is impacting tourism

Attracting the Chinese traveler: seizing opportunities in a global landscape

European tourism trends that are taking shape and shifting the industry

This free sheet contains 100 accelerators and incubators you can apply to today, along with information about the industries they generally invest in.

This free sheet contains all the information about the top 100 unicorns, including their valuation, HQ's location, founded year, name of founders, funding amount and number of employees.

This free Notion document contains the best 100+ resources you need for building a successful startup, divided in 4 categories: Fundraising, People, Product, and Growth.

Top 38 Tourism Startups in 2024

Description

Have you ever wondered who is on the list of Tourism companies with the highest growth rates?

You’re not alone.

There are hundreds of companies in this space, and it can be difficult to keep track of them all.

We've decided to take a deep dive and put together a list containing 38 fast-growing Tourism startups that have top-tier venture capital funding.

38 Tourism Startups

Everything you need to raise funding for your startup, including 3,500+ investors, 7 tools, 18 templates and 3 learning resources.

Information about the industries, countries, and cities they generally invest in.

Information about their valuation, HQ's location, founded year, name of founders, funding amount and number of employees.

List of startup investors in the FinTech industry, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.

List of startup investors in the BioTech, Health, and Medicine industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.

List of 250 startup investors in the AI and Machine Learning industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.

1) GetYourGuide

GetYourGuide is a website that allows you to schedule tours, sights, and activities all around the world.

Details of the startup:

• Country: Germany
• State: Berlin
• City: Berlin
• Started in: 2009
• Founders: Johannes Reck, Martin Sieber, Tao Tao, Tobias Rein
• Number of employees: 501-1000
• Funding: $886,168,933
• Funding rounds: 12
• Number of investors: 35 (Citi, SoftBank Vision Fund, Battery Ventures, Temasek Holdings, Spark Capital)

You can find their website here .

Klook is a booking platform for travel and leisure that connects passengers with experiences and attractions.

• Country: Hong Kong
• State: Hong Kong Island
• City: Central
• Started in: 2014
• Founders: Bernie Xiaokang Xiong, Eric Gnock Fah, Ethan Lin
• Number of employees: 1001-5000
• Funding: $721,500,000
• Funding rounds: 7
• Number of investors: 13 (Goldman Sachs, OurCrowd, SoftBank Vision Fund, Sequoia Capital China, TCV)

3) Tourlane

Tourlanea is an online planning and booking tool that assists tourists in researching and purchasing multi-day trips.

• Started in: 2016
• Founders: Julian Stiefel, Julian Weselek
• Number of employees: 251-500
• Funding: $101,000,000
• Funding rounds: 5
• Number of investors: 10 (Sequoia Capital, Spark Capital, HV Capital, DN Capital, Nathan Blecharczyk)

Sherpa is a travel technology startup that helps businesses to include travel requirements into their offerings.

• Country: Canada
• State: Ontario
• City: Toronto
• Started in: 2015
• Founders: Ivan Sharko, Max Tremaine
• Number of employees: 11-50
• Funding: $11,013,612
• Funding rounds: 3
• Number of investors: 11 (True Ventures, Relay Ventures, Plug and Play Tech Center, Golden Ventures, Globalive Capital)

KKday is a global e-commerce travel company that links tourists with unique local experiences.

• Country: Taiwan
• State: T'ai-pei
• City: Taipei
• Founders: Ming Chen
• Funding: $107,000,000
• Funding rounds: 6
• Number of investors: 12 (Monk’s Hill Ventures, AppWorks, CDIB Capital, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, MindWorks Capital)

6) Blacklane

Blacklane is a global chauffeur service that provides safe, environmentally friendly, and stress-free transportation.

• Started in: 2011
• Founders: Frank Steuer, Jens Wohltorf
• Funding: $102,967,714
• Funding rounds: 9
• Number of investors: 11 (Daimler, btov Partners, Mutschler Ventures AG, Recruit Strategic Partners, RI Digital Ventures)

BYHOURS is the first hotel booking site for microstays.

• Country: Spain
• State: Catalonia
• City: Barcelona
• Started in: 2012
• Founders: Christian Picard, Christian Rodriguez, Guillermo Gaspart, Hugo Palomar
• Funding: $18,473,397
• Number of investors: 18 (Verve Ventures, Desafía, DILA Capital, Angel Ventures, Naviswiss)

8) TourRadar

TourRadar is a website that allows you to compare and book multi-day trips in over 200 countries around the world.

• Country: Austria
• State: Wien
• City: Vienna
• Started in: 2010
• Founders: Shawn Pittman, Travis Pittman
• Funding: $66,500,000
• Number of investors: 14 (TCV, Speedinvest, Cherry Ventures, Endeit Capital, Hoxton Ventures)

9) Limehome

Limehome transforms commercial buildings into chic apart-hotels that are managed through their technology platform for business and leisure tourists.

• State: Bayern
• City: Munich
• Started in: 2018
• Founders: Josef Vollmayr, Lars Stabe
• Number of employees: 51-100
• Funding: € 36,000,000
• Number of investors: 4 (HV Capital, Lakestar, Picus Capital, Global Growth Capital)

The All-In-One travel platform aims to bring all aspects of the travel experience together on a single platform.

• State: Niedersachsen
• City: Osnabrück
• Founders: Anja Niehoff, Hans Knöchel, Hendrik Scherer, Leon Braun, Niklas Kling, Torben Pretzel
• Funding: $690,000
• Funding rounds: 2
• Number of investors: 2 (EXIST, Seedhouse)

11) Comtravo

Comtravo is a travel and tourism company that focuses on travel management, business travel, and online reservations.

• Founders: Jannik Neumann, Michael Riegel, Simon Schmincke, Slobodan Utvic
• Number of employees: 101-250
• Funding: € 38,500,000
• Funding rounds: 4
• Number of investors: 14 (Deutsche Bank, Project A Ventures, Creandum, btov Partners, M12)

12) Evaneos

Evaneos is a web platform that connects travelers with local agents to help them plan, estimate the cost, and book customized vacations.

• Country: France
• State: Ile-de-France
• City: Paris
• Founders: Eric La Bonnardiere, Yvan Wibaux
• Funding: $109,067,752
• Number of investors: 7 (Bpifrance, Isai, Partech, XAnge, Serena)

13) Roadsurfer

Roadsurfer is a campervan rental company with more than 13 locations around Germany and in Paris.

• Started in: 2017
• Funding: € 24,000,000
• Funding rounds: 1
• Number of investors: 4 (HV Capital, Heartcore Capital, 10x Group, Darian Shirazi)

90% of startups fail. Learn how to not to with our weekly guides and stories. Join 40,000+ founders.

14) MyRealTrip

In South Korea, MyRealTrip is a prominent tours and activities startup.

• Country: South Korea
• State: Seoul-t'ukpyolsi
• City: Seoul
• Founders: Donggun Lee, Minseo Baek
• Funding: $62,045,628
• Funding rounds: 8
• Number of investors: 12 (Altos Ventures, Tekton Ventures, Primer, Partech, Mirae Asset Venture Investment)

15) HolidayMe

HolidayMe is an online site that provides clients in the Middle East with on-demand tailored vacation solutions.

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• State: Dubai
• City: Dubai
• Started in: 2013
• Founders: Digvijay Pratap, Geet Bhalla
• Funding: $39,000,000
• Number of investors: 9 (Accel, InnoVen Capital, Algebra Ventures, Global Ventures, Gobi Partners)

16) Musement

Musement is a travel companion that lets you book tickets for activities and attractions in over 1000 destinations all over the world.

• Country: Italy
• State: Lombardia
• City: Milan
• Founders: Alessandro Petazzi, Claudio Bellinzona, Fabio Zecchini, Paolo Giulini
• Funding: $16,465,762
• Number of investors: 4 (360 Capital, P101, Italian Angels for Growth, Micheli Associati)

17) Exoticca

Exoticca creates an internet platform to make booking vacation easier.

• Founders: Jesus Rodriguez Fernandez, Marti Guasch Mercade
• Funding: € 21,500,000
• Number of investors: 13 (K Fund, Kibo Ventures, Claret Capital Partners, Milano Investment Partners, Sabadell Venture Capital)

18) Withlocals

Withlocals is a peer-to-peer marketplace where locals give travelers their experiences and services.

• Country: The Netherlands
• State: Noord-Brabant
• City: Eindhoven
• Founders: Marijn Maas, Willem Maas
• Funding: $16,523,026
• Number of investors: 4 (INKEF Capital, Horizon 2020, Keen Venture Partners, Digital Equity)

19) Aviasales

Aviasales.ru is a website that allows you to look for airline tickets online.

• Country: Thailand
• State: Phuket
• City: Phuket
• Started in: 2007
• Founders: Konstantin Kalinov
• Funding: $10,000,000
• Number of investors: 1 (iTech Capital)

ADQ is a holding corporation that owns a number of large businesses.

• State: Abu Dhabi
• City: Abu Dhabi

21) Bidroom

When compared to other booking services, Bidroom is the world's first no-commission hotel booking platform, offering up to 25% reduced room pricing.

• State: Noord-Holland
• City: Amsterdam
• Founders: Casper Knieriem, Michael Ros
• Funding: € 21,000,000

22) Kiwi.com

Kiwi.com is an online travel technology company with a database of over 800 air and ground carriers from around the world.

• Country: Czech Republic
• State: Jihomoravsky kraj
• Founders: Jiri Hlavenka, Jozef Képesi, Oliver Dlouhý
• Funding: $2,072,420
• Number of investors: 3 (General Atlantic, Impulse Ventures, Jiri Hlavenka)

23) TakeMe Co., Ltd.

TakeMe provides merchants with a "All-in-One" payment platform for our pre- and post-pay value added services, allowing them to quickly digitally transform.

• Country: Japan
• State: Tokyo
• City: Tokyo
• Founders: Lu Dong
• Funding: ¥1,336,299,002
• Number of investors: 14 (DNX Ventures, Beenos Partners, Kotaro Chiba, The Norinchukin Bank, JTB Corp.)

24) Skitude

For skiers and resorts, we create a digital ecosystem.

• Country: Norway
• State: Oslo
• Founders: David Huerva, Marc Bigas, Victor Oliva
• Funding: $26,780,868
• Number of investors: 8 (Draper B1, Investinor, The Crowd Angel, IESE Business School, Norselab)

Rezdy is an online activity reservation system.

• Country: Australia
• State: New South Wales
• City: Sydney
• Founders: Hugo Sterin, Simon Lenoir
• Funding: A$9,550,000
• Number of investors: 7 (Equity Venture Partners, Sydney Angels, Leon Kamenev, Bailador, Grand Prix Capital)

ixigo.com is an online travel site in India that makes all of your vacations easier.

• Country: India
• State: Haryana
• City: Gurgaon
• Started in: 2006
• Founders: Aloke Bajpai, Dharmendra Yashovardhan, Rajnish Kumar
• Funding: $35,500,000
• Number of investors: 6 (Sequoia Capital India, MakeMyTrip.com, SAIF Partners, Fosun RZ Capital, Micromax Informatics)

27) TravelTriangle

TravelTriangle allows travelers to book a customized vacation itinerary with a local travel agency.

• State: Delhi
• City: New Delhi
• Founders: Prabhat Gupta, Sanchit Garg, Sankalp Agarwal
• Funding: $47,900,000
• Number of investors: 10 (Bessemer Venture Partners, InnoVen Capital, SAIF Partners, Fundamentum, RB Investments Pte. Ltd.)

28) RailYatri

RailYatri's mission is to provide standardized and high-quality travel experiences in India.

• State: Uttar Pradesh
• City: Noida
• Founders: Kapil Raizada, Manish Rathi, Sachin Saxena
• Funding: $16,123,940
• Number of investors: 7 (Blume Ventures, Nandan Nilekani, Helion Venture Partners, Google Launchpad Accelerator, Omidyar Network)

29) Tripoto Travel Private Limited

The world's largest travel community and marketplace platform is based in India.

• Founders: Anirudh Gupta, Michael Pargal Lyngdoh
• Funding: $8,000,000
• Number of investors: 15 (500 Startups, 3one4 Capital, Chiratae Ventures, Neeraj Arora, Chiratae Ventures)

30) IntrCity

In both metro and tier-2 cities, today's tech-savvy Millennial consumers have grown up using Ola and Uber Apps for transportation and have a limited tolerance for substandard digital experiences. Consumers are wanting more convenience, cashless/contactless digital customer services, and a better on-ground experience, which can only be offered by connecting these through technology. Our technology enables smooth intercity travel using the only two true alternative modes of transportation: buses and trains. Our passengers can expect comfort, safety, and punctuality from IntrCity SmartBus. We achieve these objectives through well-defined quality standards, standardized bus configurations, and our own mobility technologies.

• Founders: Kapil Raizada, Manish Rathi

31) MeTripping

MeTripping is a smart travel search engine that assists travel agents in making trip decisions while also addressing indecision and iteration.

• State: Karnataka
• City: Bengaluru
• Founders: Varun Gupta
• Funding: $850,000
• Number of investors: 8 (Capital A, Acsys Investments, Shravan Gupta, KPB Family Trust, Arali Ventures)

32) Happyeasygo Group

HappyEasyGo.com is a travel website.

• City: Haryana
• Founders: Boris Zha
• Funding: $49,596,151
• Number of investors: 14 (58.com, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Ventures, Korea Investment Partners, CITIC Capital Holdings)

33) Yolobus

Yolobus provides intercity bus and mobility services, ensuring that passengers have a pleasant and safe travel.

• Started in: 2019
• Founders: Danish Chopra, Mukul Shah, Shailesh Gupta
• Funding: $4,100,000
• Number of investors: 2 (Nexus Venture Partners, India Quotient)

Tujia is a website that allows people to book vacation rentals.

• Country: China
• State: Beijing
• City: Beijing
• Founders: Luo Jun, Melissa Yang
• Funding: $755,000,000
• Number of investors: 12 (GGV Capital, Qiming Venture Partners, MSA Capital, CDH Investments, HomeAway)

Vacasa is a vacation rental management company that specializes in assisting homeowners with the purchase, management, and sale of their holiday homes.

• Country: United States
• State: Oregon
• City: Portland
• Founders: Cliff Johnson, Eric Breon
• Funding: $634,500,000
• Number of investors: 5 (Silver Lake, NewSpring, Riverwood Capital, Level Equity Management, Assurant Growth Investing)

36) Harvest Hosts

Harvest Hosts is a membership organization that invites self-contained RVers to stay for free overnight.

• State: Colorado
• Founders: Don Greene, Kim Greene
• Number of employees: 1-10
• Funding: $37,000,000
• Number of investors: 1 (Stripes)

37) AvantStay

AvantStay is a technology-driven hospitality firm that specializes on group travel experiences.

• State: California
• City: Los Angeles
• Founders: Reuben Doetsch, Sean Breuner
• Funding: $26,000,000
• Number of investors: 11 (Abstract Ventures, F-Prime Capital, Bullpen Capital, Blue Ivy Ventures, 3L Capital)

Medium is a social publishing platform that brings people together to share their thoughts and opinions on important topics.

• City: San Francisco
• Founders: Biz Stone, Jason Goldman
• Funding: $132,000,000
• Number of investors: 20 (Andreessen Horowitz, SV Angel, Spark Capital, Science, Betaworks)

90% of startups fail. Learn how not to with our weekly guides and stories. Join +40,000 other startup founders!

An all-in-one newsletter for startup founders, ruled by one philosophy: there's more to learn from failures than from successes.

100+ resources you need for building a successful startup, divided into 4 categories: Fundraising, People, Product, and Growth.

• Business Management

12 most innovative sustainable travel and hospitality start-ups

May 20, 2021 •

5 min reading

In response to consumer concerns over sustainability and to give industry players an edge in an increasingly competitive market, hotels, airlines, booking agents and tour operators —among others— have been developing a host of innovative sustainable travel start-ups.

In fact, sustainable innovation has become so sought-after that in July, in the midst of the pandemic, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)— the UN agency responsible for promoting sustainable, accessible and inclusive tourism—launched a startup competition to identify particularly promising new businesses. The competition attracted more than 10,000 participants from 138 countries; winners were announced in February . As UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said, “The winners show the power of new ideas for transforming our sector.” Winning startups will receive support to develop their ideas further through guided mentorship programs with Amadeus, Google, IE University and FarCo.

EHL's Innovation Village

EHL has been at the forefront of innovation in the hospitality sector for years and in 2009, launched an incubator for the development of new concepts. The initiative was so successful, that nine years later, EHL’s own Innovation Village was launched with the goal of supporting entrepreneurship and disrupting the hospitality industry, with a particular emphasis on sustainability. Over the years, the Village has evolved into a dynamic learning and experimentation center for students and a source of research and talent for companies.

Showcasing the sustainable travel and hospitality start-ups launched at EHL 

One-StepUp , an initiative founded by Jeanne Guerlais to encourage businesses to rethink packaging and reduce the use of plastic that is polluting oceans, soils and compromising the health of future generations. The firm works only with European companies to find alternative packaging solutions including, for example, bags made from compostable cellulose and homecompostable certified hot beverage cups. R-PET is the direction that the food industry is taking to go further. Today the start-up with a team of 3 is providing big company names in Switzerland such as Manor.

I am not saying that this is the end of plastic, but our wish is to find a strategy for a sustainable management of plastics in the sense of a circular economy. - Jeanne Guerlais, One-StepUp

• With a team of 12, Swiss start-up KITRO uses AI provide food waste data collection and analysis to companies. By providing an automated overview of their waste stream, KITRO enables businesses us to make targeted changes to increase efficiency and reduce waste and cost.
• Initially supported by EHL during a pilot program that started in 2012, Beelong was founded in 2014 to bring greater transparency, traceability and sustainability to the food industry. Today, the firm works with food companies and caterers concerned about the future of our planet and who want to gain greater insight into the environmental impact of the foods they’re sourcing.

Providing simple environmental information is key to helping our society move towards a greener future, and the current lack of transparency on food products is what drives me to raise awareness on the major environmental issues of our actual diets. The EHL incubator provides us the perfect environment to carry out our mission. - Charlotte de La Baume, Beelong

Sustainable travel and hospitality start-ups

Meeting a growing demand for authentic travel experiences.

Sustainable innovation reaches far beyond the boundaries of EHL, with exciting new start-ups launching all the time. Among the hottest areas in sustainable innovation is experiential tourism. While the pandemic has created pent-up demand to travel, the social isolation that people have endured during the past year means they’re looking forward to not just touring cities and relaxing on beaches but connecting with people. And a growing number of startups are responding to that desire for authentic connection. Here are a few examples; there are dozens more.

• French start-up Partasam recently launched  com , a collaborative platform that allows travelers to get in touch with locals for tips and advice. Within six months, the multilingual platform already registered members from more than 25 countries.
• Tastemakers Africa brings together artists, chefs, musicians and creative entrepreneurs to host tours and activities that go beyond stereotypical safaris and allow visitors to discover music, arts and cuisine.
• The B-Certified, Barcelona-based online startup Authenticitys designs local experiences that drive social change.
• I Like Local runs tours in 19 countries across Asia and Africa with the goal of creating a source of sustainable income for guides and hosts while providing travelers with off-the-beaten track experiences including family homestays with indigenous communities, cycling, crafts and cooking.
• And Fair Voyage is on a mission to make sustainable travel easyby connecting travellers with verified local companies

While the pandemic has given operators plenty of time to rethink their business objectives and reinvent themselves, a number of them are responding to travelers’ desire to stay close to home and avoid air travel. For example, a new British operator founded  Byway specializing custom journeys by train, boat and bike to off-the-beaten corners of Europe.

And banking on people’s desire to share their experiences with their social networks, the Portuguese company Live Electric Tours provides self-drive experiences in electric vehicles equipped with internet and camera, which allows travelers to keep friends and family up to date if not bring them along on a virtual tour.

Start-ups helping airlines to reduce and offset carbon emissions

In response to the increased pressure on airlines to reduce and offset their carbon emissions, most airlines have adopted zero-net emissions targets and are working to develop alternative biofuels. A number of start-ups are facilitating that transition.

• Since 2006, Toulouse-based OpenAirlines has been supporting reduced fuel consumption for airlines by using big data from flight recorders to optimize flight paths.
• Bulgarian startup  CO2 Cards offers a carbon-offsetting solution enabling online travel agencies, car and delivery services, for example, to calculate the carbon footprint of their clients’ orders and integrate offsetting options into their ticketing systems.

Contributing Beyond Education

Keep reading

Revenue growth management in food service: What you should think about

Jul 08, 2024

SIF 2024: Investment leaders discuss ESG investing challenges

Jul 04, 2024

Why time management is important for CEOs and executives

Jun 21, 2024

This is a title

This is a text

• Bachelor Degree in Hospitality
• Pre-University Courses
• Master’s Degrees & MBA Programs
• Executive Education
• Online Courses
• Swiss Professional Diplomas
• Culinary Certificates & Courses
• Fees & Scholarships
• Bachelor in Hospitality Admissions
• EHL Campus Lausanne
• EHL Campus (Singapore)
• EHL Campus Passugg
• Host an Event at EHL
• Contact our program advisors
• Join our Open Days
• Meet EHL Representatives Worldwide
• Chat with our students
• Why Study Hospitality?
• Careers in Hospitality
• Awards & Rankings
• EHL Network of Excellence
• EHL Hospitality Business School
• Route de Berne 301 1000   Lausanne 25 Switzerland
• Accreditations & Memberships
• Privacy Policy
• Legal Terms

© 2024 EHL Holding SA, Switzerland. All rights reserved.

50 Best Travel and Tourism Business ideas

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Hospitality, Travel & Tourism

The  travels and tourism industry is a major source of income for most States in the United States of America and of course most countries of the world. The travels and tourism industry provide jobs directly or indirectly to countless numbers of entrepreneurs all over the globe.

The opportunities that is available in the industry cuts across service deliveries and product sales, amongst others.The industry is open to both big time investors who have the financial capacity to invest in the aviation industry and also aspiring entrepreneurs who just want to make a living but don’t have start – capital.

Here are 50 thriving and profitable business ideas in the travel and tourism industry that an entrepreneur or investor who is looking towards starting a business can choose from;

Best Travel and Tourism Business ideas

Tourist guide.

One of the travel and tourism related businesses that an entrepreneur can successfully start with little or no money is to become a tourist guide. All that is required to successfully launch this type of business is to ensure that you can speak at least one or more foreign languages.

This could be English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese or German. Furthermore, you must also know the terrain pretty well.

Once you are certain that you can effectively translate or interpret, then all that is expected of you to do is to position yourself in places where you can have access to tourists. This could be in a  hotel lobby (you would have to negotiate with the hotel manager ) or via referrals from a travels and tours company.

Restaurant and Bar

Restaurant and bar is yet another business that is part of the business value chain of the travels and tourism industry. Although, most tourists may prefer to eat the food they are familiar with, but it wouldn’t be out of place if you could also include some local delicacy as part of the food you sell in your restaurant.

The truth is that some tourists make it mandatory to try out the local delicacies of the community they are visiting. So, ensure that you include local delicacies as part of the food you sell in your restaurant if your restaurant is located in a tourist town.

Hotel and Lodge (Motel, Inn et al)

Of course, it is a must for visitors to look for places to lodge when they visit any town. Unless they have a host who is ready to accommodate them for the duration they stay for. So, hotel and lodge is a very vital  business that is needed in tourist towns .

As a matter of fact, before tourists visit a tourist town, part of their findings will be how to locate the nearest hotel and lodge in the town. The truth is that if a tourist town lacks standard hotels and lodges, then they are likely to attract fewer visitors (tourists).

So, as an investor, if you are looking towards starting a travels and tourism related business, then one of your options is to invest in hotels and lodge. Or better still,you can  start a bed and breakfast business .

Taxi and Bus Shuttle Business

Taxi and bus shuttle business is another fantastic travels and tourism related business idea that thrives pretty well in a tourist town. Of course, tourists would want to move together from one tourist site to another hence the need for a bus shuttle services.

The bus shuttle could also help transport them (tourists) on arrival from the airport to their hotels and also from their hotels to the airports on their departure. Taxi is also ideal for couples, an individual or a group of 3 or 4 persons.

Vehicle Rental Business

Rental business  is yet another travels and tourism related business that is viable and profitable in a tourist town. There are several stuffs that tourists could rent when they visit tourist sites. It could be a car, scooter, speed boat, canoe or even horse, donkey or camel.

The bottom line is to conduct your market survey to know what tourists may likely need in the tourist town that they aren’t able to bring along when they are visiting. Once you have an idea of the stuff that is needed by tourists, then all you need to do is to purchase enough quantities of the stuffs and then position your business in a place that will be visible to tourists.

Photography Business

Photography business is an added business venture in the value chain of travels and tourism industry. Although, most tourists would always travel with their cameras to capture beautiful sites and moments albeit in an armature manner, but if they have the option to  make use of a professional photographer , they would gladly embrace it.

So, one of the business ideas that is suitable for a tourist town is the photography business. If you are a  professional photographer , you can consider opening your own photography business. That is if you live in a tourist town or you can partner with a travels and tours company to become one of their official photographer.

Souvenir Shop

Souvenir shop is yet another travels and tours business idea that is highly profitable in any tourist town. Loads of visitors would prefer to buy local crafts, unique gifts or native wears, et al from a tourist town as a mark of remembrance.

Subsequently, if you are looking for a travels and tourism related business to setup in a tourist town, then you can consider opening a souvenir shop that will be stocked with local crafts and native wears et al. Just ensure that your souvenir shop is well located and looks attractive.

Night club is another business idea in the business value chain of the travels and tourism industry that an investor or entrepreneur who is looking towards starting business in the industry should consider starting. This type of business can do pretty well in a tourist town.

This type of business is profitable, but it may not thrive in all tourist towns, especially smaller towns with quiet lifestyle. So before you venture into nightclub business, ensure that you have conducted a thorough feasibility studies and market survey to be sure that the business will thrive.

Luggage Delivery Services

Another travels and tourism related business idea that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the industry should consider starting is luggage delivery services.

Luggage delivery business is all about helping travelers to avoid the hassles of baggage merry-go-round waiting and security checks. As a matter of fact luggage delivery services go the extra mile to provide luggage for their customers. All the customer need to do is just to pack their traveling clothes and other belongings that they are traveling with inside the luggage.

What the luggage Delivery Company does is to take and store the luggage on their behalf. They also help in encoding the contents online so that the owner can update its contents against another trip.

Coffee Café

Coffee café is yet an extra business idea that an entrepreneur who is looking towards making money from the business value chain of travels and tourism industry should consider starting. As a matter of fact, there is hardly any airport where you are not going to find a coffee café. The truth is that,  coffee café businesses  do pretty well in a tourist town.

So, if you are looking towards starting a travels and tourism related business, then one of your options is to  open a coffee shop  in and around the airport if you have the opportunity to. Location is key for this type of business except you want to operate a mobile /cart coffee shop business.

Start a Welcoming Service

Another easy to establish travels and tourism related business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the industry should consider starting.

Welcoming services is all about welcoming tourists to a tourist town and in turn giving them useful information and of course package of coupons, samples from local businesses, and other opportunities that are available in the town. This type of business is one of the travels and tours business that an entrepreneur can successfully start with little or no start – up capital.

So, if you are looking for a business to start, then you should consider starting a welcoming services business; it is a cool way of earning money.

Start Language Translation Services

Language translation services is yet another thriving and profitable business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the travels and tourism industry.

All that is required to successfully launch this type of business is to ensure that you can speak at least one or more foreign languages; it could be English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese or German and of course other local languages.

So, if you are looking towards  earning income from the business value chain  of the travels and tourism industry, then you should consider starting a language translation services. One good thing about this type of business is that you can successfully start it with little or no start – up capital.

Start a Limousine Service

Another travels and tourism related business idea that an entrepreneur who is tinkering with starting a business in the industry should consider starting is a limousine services. This type of business is all about making limousine available to transport tourists from one location to another.

In most cases, celebrities are the major clients for this type of business. So if you are looking towards starting a business in the travels and tourism industry, then one of your options is to start a limousine services business . You can as well add other exotic cars to your flit of cars for this business.

Start a Self – Service Laundromat Business

Self – service Laundromat business is yet another means of earning income from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the industry should consider starting.

As the name implies, a self-service laundry or coin wash / laundry or Laundromat is a laundry facility where people come in to personally wash and dry their clothes; technically, customers provide their own labor and still pay the for  making use of the laundry equipment  available.

Although the laundry industry can be said to be a competitive industry, but it does not in any way stop entrepreneurs who are creative to still make headway in the industry. It is indeed a profitable business especially when the business is located an area that tourists visits. No doubt a busy city with growing population is highly suitable for Laundromat.

Car Rental Services

A  car rental service  is another cool travels and tourism related business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards earning income from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry can successfully launch. A car rental service is all about making cars available for rent to those who may need cars for one purpose or the other.

So, if you are looking towards starting a travels and tourism related business, one of your options is to go into car rental services.

If you live in busy cities like Tokyo, Las Vegas, Milan, and Lagos et al then you should consider starting a car rental services business; this type of business is highly thriving and profitable in busy cities and places with huge influx of tourists.

Jet Ski Rental Services

Another travels and tourism related business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business should consider is Jet Ski rental services. The truth is that starting a rental business is one of the easiest ways to start out as an entrepreneur -especially if you can’t afford to go through the challenges involve in the productions of goods.

So, if you live around any beach where people either ski for fun or for sports, then you should consider starting your own Jet Ski rental business.

You can indeed make cool cash from this line of business with little effort if you are well positioned.  Jet Ski rental business  can only be restricted to a certain geographical area, which is why before starting this type of business, you must ensure that you are in a place where this type of business thrives basically because there is a beach and people visit the beach.

Start a Travels and Tourism Related TV Program

Another profitable and thriving business idea in the travels and tourism industry that an entrepreneur who intends starting a business in the industry should consider starting is to start a travels and tourism related TV show. Everyone who intends travelling to a location as a tourist need all the information they can lay their hands own as regards the destination they are heading to.

One thing is certain, if your TV program is well organized and well – packaged to address key issues as it relates to the travels and tourism industry, then you will surely attract large viewership and of course mouthwatering sponsorship deals from major players in the value chain of the travels and tours industry in your country.

It is a cool way of making money, but you must always be your toe when it comes to developing interesting, trendy and useful contents for the TV program.

Start a Security Related Radio Talk Show

Of course it is more expensive to buy slots on TV than it is for radio. As such, if you are looking towards starting a travels and tourism related talk show and you don’t have the finance to purchase airtime on TV, then going on radio is your best options.

The truth is that, if your radio talk show is well organized and well – packaged to address key issues in the travels and tourism industry and useful tips about key tourists destinations, then you will sure attract large listenership and of course mouthwatering sponsorship deals from major players in the travels and tourism industry in your country.

It is a cool way of making money, but you must always be your toe when it comes to developing interesting and useful contents as it relates to travel and tourism for the radio talk show.

Start Blogging on Travels and Tourism Related Topics

Another means of earning income from the business value chain of the travels and tourism industry that an entrepreneur can successfully launch with little or no start – up capital is to start blogging on travels and tourism related topics.

It is interesting to note that there are loads of people out there who are making millions annually from blogging. If you are a travels and tourism professional or someone who has sound knowledge in the travels and tourism industry, one of the businesses that you can consider starting is to start blogging on travels and tourism related subjects.

The truth is that if your blog has useful and helpful contents, you will attract loads of traffic and if you have loads of traffic on your blog, you can easily secure good advertising deals from stakeholders and other businesses in your blog. Just ensure that you update your blog regularly with trendy and useful travels and tourism tips and you will continue to attract traffic.

Go into the Publication of Travels and Tourism Magazine (Travel Guide)

There are several businesses that an entrepreneur can launching the value chain of travels and tourism industry and one of them is to start publishing travels and tours magazines. Information is key in any industry and all you need to do to be able to gain ground with this type of business is to ensure that you have relevant contents in your magazine per time.

Part of the information that you should make available in your travels and tours magazine are, the prices of tickets for various airline companies, list of hotels, tourist locations, the various business opportunities in the industry, the latest trends, news and information as it relates to the industry, and advisory services to investors who are looking towards investing in the travels and tourism.

Start a Private Escort Firm

Another money spinning business that an entrepreneur who is interested in earning revenue from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry should consider starting is a private escort firm.

Private escort firms provides security for individuals most especially tourists and visitors who wants to move from one locations to another with valuables, and huge amount of cash et al and also for transport companies and haulage companies as well.

So if you are looking towards starting a travels and tourism related business, then one of your options is to start a private escort firm. It is important to state that you would need to apply and obtain license and permits from the appropriate authority in your country.

Supply Bodyguards to Tourists

Another profitable and of course thriving business that an entrepreneur who is interested in earning money from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry should consider starting is to start supplying bodyguards to tourists especially celebrities who are visiting tourist locations.

In order to successfully launch this type of business, you should be able to maintain a rich network of bodyguards. Because whenever you are called to supply them, you should be able to quickly summon them within a short period of time.

Start a Travels and Tourism Consulting Business

Travels and tourism consulting business is yet another thriving and profitable business in the travels and tourism industry. If you have robust qualification and experience, one of the travels and tourism related business you can successfully start is a travels and tourism consulting business.

There are several clients you can work for as a travels and tourism consultant. Your clientele base will range from corporate organizations, to government agencies and from individual tourists to businesses in the travels and tourism industry. It is a cool way of earning good income from the industry.

Open a community Museum (Arts and Culture)

If you are interested in arts and culture, one of the travels and tourism related business ideas that you should consider starting is to open a community museum; a place where the art and culture of your community will be preserved.

If you are considering  starting this type of social enterprise , then it will be to your advantage to partner with your local government and perhaps institutions of higher learning in your city or community. Aside from the revenue that you will generate from visitors and tourists, you can also receive grants and funding from donor agencies, individuals, corporate organizations and from the government of your country

Organize Carnivals and Other Related Events in Your Community

Another interesting means of earning money from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry that an entrepreneur should consider starting especially if you are good with organizing events is to start organizing carnivals and other related events in your community especially if your community attract tourists and visitors on a regular basis.

If your events are well packaged, you can successfully get financial support and sponsorship deals from your local government, corporate organizations that operate within your community and from individuals who are interested in the event you intend organizing.

Taxi / Cab Services

Taxi / cab services is yet an added means of earning money from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business should consider starting. With just a car, an entrepreneur can successfully launch his or her tax business.

As a matter of fact with hard work and dedication, a serious minded entrepreneur can grow his taxi business from just one taxi and to fleet of taxis covering an entire city or state. Taxi business is a profitable business in the united states of America and in most countries of the world where tourist visits on a regular basis.

Airport Bus Shuttle Services

An airport bus shuttle service is still an option to consider. As you can start an airport shuttle business and still make loads of profit. Airport shuttle service is all about transporting passengers / tourists and their luggage within the airport, or from their hotels to the airport and vice versa.

Depending on the kind of permit you obtained to operate your airport shuttle, you would need to acquire standard and comfortable automobile for this kind of service.Of course, you need to put people with disabilities into consideration when making plans on the kind of shuttle bus or cars to purchase.

All you need to do to get started with pursuing this line of business is to make enquiries from the airport authority in your areas to know if private companies are allowed to run a shuttle bus service in the airport and the rules and regulation governing shuttle bus operators.

Start an Airline Company

Starting an airline company is yet another thriving and profitable business that an entrepreneur who is interested in starting a big time business in the travels and tourism industry you should consider. This might sound interesting, but the truth remains that this kind of business sure is very capital intensive.

This is as a result of the high maintenance fee that is involved and what have you. If you are a big time investor and you have been a lover of aviation, and want to build a business around the industry, then you can start an airline company. You may look at getting loans from banks, individuals, as well as angel investors, as you look to launch out.

Ticketing and Reservation Services

A Ticketing and reservation service is perhaps one of the most popular money – spinning business in the travels and tourism industry that an entrepreneur who is interested in starting a business in the industry should consider starting.

Once people scale through the difficult hurdle of getting a visa, the next thing they begin to consider or rather putting in their expense budget would be tickets. It is for this reason that the business is a very profitable one. You too may consider cashing in on the industry by starting a ticketing and reservation business.

In starting this business, you will need a great wealth of knowledge. That is why you can begin to look at having ticketing deals and stuff like that.

Helicopter Transportation Services

Another thriving and profitable travels and tourism related business that an investor who is looking towards starting a business in the industry should consider starting is helicopter transportation services. There are times when people will need to hire helicopters for official and pleasure use.

This is why there are several helicopter transportation services available. This is one of the reasons why you can look at starting a helicopter transportation services. Do note that starting this type of trade doesn’t come easy as you would need thousands, upon thousands of dollars. Hence, you would need to first sit and run your analysis before launching this type of business.

Start a Travel Agency

Another highly thriving and profitable travels and tourism business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the industry should consider starting is a travel agency. Travel agencies render services that cover all aspect of traveling.

They help their clients in securing visas, purchase flight tickets,  book hotels, book taxi cabs  and bus shuttle services and of course make arrangement for site seeing amongst other services.

So, if you are looking towards starting a business in the travels and tours industry, then one of your options is to start a travel agency. It is a cool way of making money from the industry and with little start – up capital a serious minded entrepreneur can successfully launch this type of business.

Travel Directory

If you are looking towards leveraging on the travels and tourism industry to earn money, then one of your options should be to develop travel directory. A directory is a comprehensive listing of several businesses and services within a particular sector.

The truth is that people usually search for any available information they can lay their hands on especially when they are about embarking on a journey hence the need for travel directory. You can make your travel directory available both offline and online so as to give your potential clients the options to choose what best suits them.

Start a Business That Organizes Excursions for School Children

It is the tradition in most schools especially primary and secondary school to take their students on excursion once in a while. Excursion is an avenue where students travel out of their schools to get first hand experiential learning.

So if you are good with organizing trips and you are looking towards making money from the travel and tourism industry, then one of your options is to packaged excursion trips for schools. If you are good at marketing, you will be able to seal business deals with lots of schools in and around your community.

Start a Coaching Center to Prepare Students for Finance Related Certification Exams

It is the practice for students who want to write professional exams to attend coaching center in order to prepare effectively for their exams.

If you are academic incline, then one of the businesses you should consider starting in the travels and tourism industry is to open a coaching center where students attend lectures in preparation for travels and tourism related certification exams such as IATTA certifications and other ticketing related certifications et al.

It is a cool way of making money and you will definitely attract loads of students if the success rate (those who become chattered) is much in your coaching center.

Build and Sale Customized Travels and Tours Related Software Applications

Developing and selling of travels and tours related software applications is yet another cool way of making money from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry.

If you are a software developer, then you should consider developing customized software applications geared towards simplifying business processes in the travels and tourism industry, software applications that will help simplify processes in the industry.

You can as well work with your client to develop tailored software application that suits perfectly into their business. In marketing your product, you would have to go out of your way to convince stakeholders in the industry to patronize you.

Open an Online Hotel Booking Sites

Another means of earning good income from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry is to open an online hotel booking site.

What you need to do is to ensure that you network with hotels in your country and even outside your country to get them listed on your site and most importantly, you should agree with them one the commission or percentage cut you will get when a customer book their hotel through you.

Start a ‘Travel Now Pay Later’ Scheme

There are loads of people who are finding it difficult to save – up for vacation hence they’ve been procrastinating when it comes to going on vacation. If you are looking towards starting a travels and tourism business that can help such people why you earning good returns, then you should consider starting a Travel now Pay Later Scheme.

Travel no pay later scheme is business that helps people make all the necessary travel arrangement and also foot the bills for the journey while they spread the payment for over a period of time as agreed. Of course they payment will attract some form of interest and you should only target those that have the capacity to pay.

Start a Charter Flight Service

Another thriving and profitable business venture that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the travels and tourism industry should consider starting is a chatter flight service business. No doubt there are loads of people out there who can  afford to charter private jets  for as long as they want it.

So, if you are looking towards starting this type of business, then you should target such clients. Although this type of business is highly capital intensive especially if you own the jets, but at the same time it is a profitable business.

There are loads of religious worshipers out there who are willing to give up anything to go on a pilgrimage journey just for the purpose of visiting religious sites. For example, it is the practice for Christian folks to visit Jerusalem and also it is the practice for Muslim folks to visit Mecca to perform religious rites et al.

So if you are looking towards starting a business in the travels and tourism industry, then one of your options in to start a pilgrimage travelling company. Of course you can only concentrate on one religion, so if you are a Christian, your best option is to work with Christians and if you are a Muslim, your best option is to work with Muslims.

Start the Rental of Canoes and Speed Boats

Another thriving and profitable business venture that an entrepreneur who is interested in starting a business in the travels and tourism business should consider starting is to start the rental of canoes and speed boats.

If you live in the Caribbean or a riverine area that attracts tourists, one of the travels and tours related business idea that you should start is to start renting canoes and speed boats to tourists. It is a cool way of earning money but you must ensure that you have lifejackets and other safety measure in place if you intend starting this type of business.

Start a Boat Cruise Business

Boat cruise business is yet another money – spinning travels and tourism related business that an entrepreneur who is interested in starting a business in the industry should consider starting. One of the ways tourists catch fun is via boat cruise and if they have the opportunity to purchase tickets for a boat cruise they will. Although this type of business is capital intensive, but it is highly profitable.

Organize Tours for Musicians

Another thriving and profitable business venture that an entrepreneur who has good organizational skills should consider starting is to start organizing tours for musicians.

All you need to do to get started is to ensure that you have more than a handful of cities where you are certain there are loads of fans that will be willing to pay to listen to a musician under your company; it could be cities in different countries and it could cities within a country. It is a cool way of making money but you must work with others to achieve success in this type of business

Organize Trade Delegation Trips

If you have good organizational skills, one of the travels and tourism related business that you can successfully launch is to start organizing trade delegation trips for business people and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Trade delegation trips involves taking aspiring entrepreneurs and business people from one country to another country for the purpose of understudying different industries and businesses and also to network with local business men and women in the host city / country.

So if you are looking towards starting a travels and tourism related business, then one of your options is to start organizing trade delegation trips. Just ensure that you work with the chambers of commerce and industries in your country; they are your major clients.

Organize Student Exchange Program

Another travels and tourism related business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the industry should consider starting is organizing student exchange programs. There are loads of students who are more than willing to travel out of their country to participate in international programs.

It is an avenue for them to network and socialize with international students. It is a cool way of making money but you must work hard to ensure that students get value for their monies.

Organize International Retreats for Corporate Executives

No doubt there are corporate organizations who take their executives on international retreats in a regular basis and in most cases that work with organizations that help them arrange such programs. So if you are good with organizing trips, one of the travels and tourism related business that you can successfully start is to start organizing international retreats for corporate executives.

Of course should be able to convince them of what they stand to gain if they patronize your services; your value proposition should be worth the while if you want corporate organizations to pay for your services. It is indeed a cool way of making money.

Organize Travels and Tours Expos / Fairs

There are loads of players in the travels and tourism business value chain who are looking for platforms to showcase and market their goods and services to their target market. One of such platforms they can leverage on is travels and tours fairs / expos; a place where entrepreneurs and organizations in the industry can attend to promote and market their goods and services.

So if you are good at organizing events and if you are interested in starting a business in the travels and tours industry, then one of your options is to start organizing travels and tours fairs / expos.

You can organize this event at a city level, state level, national level and international level. The truth is that, if the fair / expo is well organized, you will sure attract not just startups in the travels and tours industry, but also major players in the industry.

Start the Rental of Horse and Camels

Another easy means of earning money from the value chain in the travels and tourism industry is the rental of horses and camels. If you have visited a beach or you have been to the desert, you will realize that tourists pay to ride these animals. This type of business is easy to start, but you must ensure that your camels and horses are well kept and trained.

Organize International Conferences

If you are looking towards making money from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry, then one of your options is to start organizing international conferences targeted towards a particular industry.

You can decide to start organizing international conferences for international players in the travels and tourism industry. The truth is that, if you conference is well publicized; you will sure attract participants from different countries of the world.

Start a Ferry Business

Another travels and tours related business idea that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a business in the industry should consider starting is a ferry business. If you live in a riverine area or in an island, then you should consider investing in this type of business.

Start a Scooter Rental Business

Lastly, another small scale business that an entrepreneur who is looking towards making money from the business value chain in the travels and tourism industry should consider starting is the rental of scooters.

The travels and tourism industry indeed has a lot to offer. However, before you start, you have got to make it a point of duty to carry out all the necessary research that you would need to become the best in all that you do in no time at all.

Related Posts:

• 50 Best Ways to Make Money Fast While Traveling the World
• 50 Business ideas for Tourist Towns You Can Start Today
• How to Start an Immigration Consulting Business
• How to Start a Private Tour Guide Business
• How to Start a Self Catering Accommodation Business

44 Travel & Tourism Business Opportunities You Can Start Today

We put together 44 potential business ideas you can build around the tourism industry !

Check out the list.

1. Build an iPhone app

The iPhone is the most popular mobile device in the world. It has changed how we interact with information, entertainment, and communication.

The iPhone has also changed the way we interact with each other. Since its release in 2007, it has become a staple in most people’s lives. It is more than just a phone; it is a tool for staying connected to friends and family and creating new connections.

The iPhone app market is an ever-changing landscape of innovation: it’s not just about making something that works well; it’s about creating something that stands out from the crowd.

It would help if you had something that appeals to your audience to succeed in this market. This can be as simple as ensuring your app has a catchy name or as complex as developing an entire brand identity around your app’s functionality.

How much you can make: $150 — $2,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $6,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

Payment.co, an app built on top of the Stripe payment gateway for creating card-present charges, has grown to process over $70M in volume annually since launching in 2015, with the app collecting a 1% service fee on every single charge.

2. Start a RV rental business

An RV rental business involves acquiring a fleet of recreational vehicles to rent out as campers for travelers and vacationers.

As an RV rental business owner, you supply motorhomes equipped with living essentials for road trips and outdoor getaways.

With flexibility around RV classes from luxury to budget rates, building inventories and customizing rental packages can create diverse revenue streams.

For hospitality-inclined founders seeking an accessible franchise, an RV rental company presents a promising venture as pandemic-weary travelers prioritize domestic trips focused on flexibility and the outdoors.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $250,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

ROAMERICA, a campervan rental company founded by Taylor Hood and Gretchen Bayless who quit their full-time jobs to focus on their business and have expanded their fleet quickly to meet the demand of adventure-seeking customers, with most of their web traffic coming from organic Google searches and a focus on social media and brand awareness.

3. Start an airbnb management company

An Airbnb management company manages every aspect on behalf of an owner and manages a complete day-to-day running of a rental property.

The services offered by the Airbnb management company include: marketing a property, optimizing financing, meeting and greeting guests, repairs, maintenance, and cleaning.

An Airbnb management company fee structure is generally based on commission, flat rate, and guaranteed income.

Airbnb management companies can easily increase the Rental Income by a minimum of 30% to 50% without compromising guest experiences.

To become an Airbnb property manager, one should be able to find homeowners who will be interested in the services offered by you. Airbnb property managers can make an average annual salary of $55,000 or $27 per hour.

How much you can make: $35,000 — $270,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

HostButlers is Ireland's first professional property concierge service for short-term rentals on Airbnb, boasting over 200,000 hosted guests and profitability from month 5.

4. Start a ticketing platform business

A ticketing platform business allows individuals or organizations to sell tickets to events online. This can include concerts, sports games, festivals, and more.

The ticketing platform handles all aspects of ticket sales, from setting up the event and ticket options to processing payment and distributing the tickets.

To run a successful ticketing platform business, it is essential to have a user-friendly website and a reliable ticket distribution system. Then, establish partnerships with event organizers and venues to expand the number of events available on the platform.

Marketing efforts to reach potential customers and regular updates to the platform to improve the user experience can also help drive sales. Overall, a ticketing platform can be a lucrative business opportunity for those with a strong understanding of the events industry and a knack for building and maintaining client relationships.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $1,500,000/month

GreenRope, a self-funded CRM and marketing automation platform with over 1,000 customers in 20 countries, was built organically and focused on creating a positive, customer-centric culture without outside investment, with an all-in-one interface solving challenges in managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations.

5. Start a travel agency

Are you a passionate traveler with entrepreneurial skills? Then starting a travel agency can be a great career choice for you.

As a travel agency, you'll be responsible for linking travelers to providers of all the travel and tourism-related services such as accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, tour guides, local adventure, etc.

Starting an online travel agency is a lot easier than you might think. You'll need to perform market research, get a few necessary certifications (such as your IATA number), study competition, build a website, and do proper marketing.

To maximize earnings, negotiate discounts from the industry service providers, and charge travelers within the market rate.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Marissa Daniels runs a successful travel agency, Spread Your Wings Travel, that hit $100,000 in sales within a year of launch and provides payment plan options for its all-inclusive vacations, and she hopes to help 100 families supplement their income through the business.

6. Start a travel agency

7. Start a travel agency

8. Start a wedding rental business

Do you love wedding planning and looking for a business idea to turn your passion into profits? Starting a wedding rental business can be a great idea.

Your role as a wedding rental business is to supply all equipment and accessories to make the occasion colorful and memorable for attendees and the wedding couple. If you are starting a wedding rental business, focus on building relationships with wedding planners and event companies. Remember often couples visit wedding venues before even contacting a rental company. Being in contact with wedding venue business owners could get you repeat business.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 305 days (?)

Photobooth Supply Co. offers a profitable business opportunity through their sleek and portable photo booths, with up to 97% satisfaction rate and a focus on customer experience, in a fast-growing event industry where photo booths are exploding.

9. Start a food delivery business

In today’s busy lifestyles and schedules, cooking is no longer a priority to many. People like to order-in food from their nearest restaurants or food joints and enjoy a meal in the comfort of their homes.

The food delivery business is like a courier service through which restaurants deliver food to their customers.

You can offer retail food delivery services to restaurants within your locality if you have a truck. Customers order through a restaurant or grocer’s website, and the owners contact you to deliver.

How much you can make: $14,000 — $1,800,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)

Food Fleet grew over 160% in just one year and managed over 20 million in sales for its clients, securing multiple contracts with the likes of Sodexo, Levy Restaurants and more, due to its understanding of catering client needs and its advanced turnkey and design services.

10. Start a mobile photography business

Want to start your own photography business? You're not alone. With the rise of social media and photo-sharing, blogging, and online retailing, it's never been easier to start making money behind your camera.

There are photographers shooting weddings, creating images for ad campaigns, freelancing for magazines, touring the world, taking photographs of destinations — the list is endless!

To start mobile photography , research the target audience and determine which specialization area is more lucrative. Invest in high-quality, professional cameras, lenses, and a computer with professional software photo-editing software.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 200 days (?)

11. Start a tour company

Starting a tour company is a great way to bring your love of travel to life. You can share your passion with others and help make their dream vacations come true!

There are many types of tour businesses, so choosing something you are passionate about and knowledgeable about is best. Here are a few of the most popular tour companies to start:

• Food & Drink Tours
• Adventure & Sporting Tours
• Sightseeing & Historical Tours
• Shopping Tours
• and many more!

It’s also essential to determine what mode of transportation you want for your tour company, as this will determine the initial startup costs needed for your company.

To get started, find out if you need a license to operate in your state. Some states require tour companies to be licensed, while others do not. If you are required to be licensed, talk with the licensing agency to find out what steps must be taken before you can apply for that license.

How much you can make: $3,750 — $500,000/month

How Jessica Baumgart founded a successful food tour business in Denver, which broke even and started making a profit after just three months, generating $20,000/month in revenue from offering different food tour experiences.

12. Start a travel agency

13. Start a virtual events business

It is no secret that the 2020 global pandemic changed how we interact and engage. Today, more meetings and events take place online than ever before. According to statistics , the trend of virtual events is not slowing anytime soon. Corporates and entertainment sectors plan to organize more virtual events in the coming decade.

Thus, starting a virtual events business can be a great idea.

A virtual event is where attendees experience the event and its content online rather than being physically present. A virtual events business ideates, plans, organizes, executes, and coordinates virtual events on behalf of its clients. A virtual events business also develops creative ideas that make the virtual events unique and memorable.

To start and operate a successful virtual events business, you must possess broadcasting and audience psychology skills and be ready to learn and deal with new technologies. The good news is that you have multiple platforms where you can run virtual events.

How much you can make: $20,000 — $897,000/month

How long does it take to build: 220 days (?)

Entire Productions is a fast-growing event and entertainment production company with an emphasis on experience design, primarily working with corporate clients including many Fortune 500 companies in the tech and pharma industries, boasting a growth of 148% and a goal of reaching $20M annual mark.

14. Start a surprise travel agency

Are you looking for a scalable side hustle idea and one that allows you some flexibility?

A surprise travel agency is a good option that will enable you to choose a friendly niche market.

Besides, a surprise travel agency lets you gain exposure and experience while it is an opportunity with unlimited income potential.

If you love sharing travel recommendations and always find the best local spots when you visit a new city, this will be ideal for you.

How much you can make: $15,000 — $550,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $250 (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 7 hours/week

Whisked Away Surprise Travel is a curated travel service for clients overwhelmed by the planning process, with revenue growth exponentially increasing each year since its launch in March 2017.

15. Start an amazon business

Looking for a lucrative way to leverage the power of ecommerce? Consider starting an Amazon business. An Amazon business allows you to sell products directly on the world’s largest online marketplace.

You'll need to source or create products to sell, manage inventory, and handle customer service. It's not just a plug-and-play operation—meticulous product research and competitive pricing strategies are essential to stand out.

Amazon offers programs like FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon), which handles storage, shipping, and even customer returns, allowing you to scale with less hassle. The upfront work involves choosing products that meet market demand, optimizing listings with compelling content, and preparing for logistics.

Intrigued by the potential? An Amazon business offers a substantial opportunity to generate income with access to a global customer base. If properly managed, it’s a business model that could transform your financial future.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $120,000/month

Felony Case, a Toronto-based company designing unique iPhone cases, started as a small shop on Etsy and has grown to become an internationally recognized fashion iPhone case brand sold in top tier retailers like Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew, Indigo, Urban Outfitters, Revolve, Free People, and made over half a million dollars in revenue last year.

16. Start a travel rewards app

A travel rewards app is a special mobile app that helps you earn points and rewards while traveling. These apps are designed to be used by frequent travelers who are looking to benefit from their travels.

If you love to travel but have never been able to afford it then this might be the first step to turning your dream into a reality. By making a travel rewards app you can earn handsome money by monetizing that app.

Creating a travel rewards app sounds like a complicated task. But it can be much easier than you think. You don't need travel industry experience or an office in Silicon Valley to design something that gives people more ways to earn rewards on their everyday purchases.

How much you can make: $150,000/month

How long does it take to build: 800 days (?)

AwardWallet is a loyalty program tracking website which has grown to over $150,000 in monthly revenue, and since launch has retained users mainly through word of mouth due to its superior product in the space.

17. Start a luggage storage business

Short on space but big on travel? A luggage storage business addresses the perennial problem of tourists needing a safe place to store their bags while they explore their destinations.

In simple terms, a luggage storage service offers secure, short-term storage solutions for travelers' belongings. Customers can drop off their bags and head off bag-free to enjoy their activities.

The appeal of this idea lies in its low start-up costs and high convenience factor. Many travelers would gladly pay a fee to avoid lugging heavy bags around. By partnering with local businesses like cafes and hotels, you can minimize overhead costs and ensure a steady flow of customers.

Consider this: with the growing trend of remote work and digital nomadism, the demand for flexible travel solutions, including luggage storage, is only set to rise. Starting a luggage storage business isn't just about providing a service; it's about meeting an essential need within the bustling travel industry.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $100,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $9,999 (?)

Bounce CEO Cody Candee shares his experience co-founding a successful short-term storage marketplace which generated over $100k in annualized revenue within the first seven months of operation, expanding to new cities and offering more options such as delivery.

18. Start a souvenir shop

A souvenir shop is a retail store that sells items that are typically associated with a particular place or event. These items can range from t-shirts and hats to postcards and magnets.

To start a souvenir shop, you must find a suitable location, such as a busy tourist destination or a famous shopping center. You will also need to purchase inventory, such as souvenirs and other novelty items, and attractively display them. You may also need to invest in marketing materials, such as signage and social media advertising, to attract customers.

To operate a souvenir shop, you must keep track of your inventory and restock as needed. You should also keep track of your sales and expenses to ensure your business is profitable. Customer service is also essential in this type of business, as you will interact with people from different parts of the world.

Overall, a souvenir shop can be a fun and rewarding business idea for those who enjoy interacting with people and showcasing unique products. If you are interested in starting your souvenir shop, do thorough research and seek advice from experienced business owners. Good luck!

19. Start a tour company

20. Start a museum tours business

Step into the world of history and culture with a museum tours business. In simple terms, this idea involves organizing guided tours of local museums, offering enriched experiences that go beyond regular visits.

Your role will be to create engaging itineraries, collaborate with museum staff, and provide insightful narratives that captivate your audience. This business not only lets you share your passion for art, history, and culture but also builds meaningful connections with your community and tourists alike.

Consider the research and preparation required, such as learning about exhibits, obtaining necessary permits, and marketing your services effectively. The appeal lies in the ability to educate while entertaining, making every tour a memorable adventure.

If guiding curious minds through relics of the past sounds appealing to you, a museum tours business could be an exciting and rewarding avenue to explore.

How much you can make: $250,000/month

Meet Museum Hack: The NYC-based company that made $2.8 million in revenue in 2018, offering renegade tours of the world's best museums through VIP, fast-paced, story-based, and social events, and now adapting to social distancing with online storytelling workshops.

21. Start a hotel consulting business

A hotel consulting business provides professional advice to investors or individuals interested in the hospitality industry. Another role of a hotel consultant is analyzing the hospitality industry and advising the hotel and resort owners on how to build a thriving business.

To start and operate a successful hotel consulting agency, focus on gaining industry knowledge and earning years of experience in hotel management.

How much you can make: $500,000/month

Boyd Hollow Resorts is launching a 5-star boutique resort and event center based on a fiction book that will be the first of many Villages to be built around the world, with over 200 event inquiries received before launching.

22. Start a taxi cab company

Tax services provide an essential service, including 24-hour availability and preparedness to offer transportation. The taxi cab business is earning huge profits, given the growing urban population.

To start a good taxi service, conduct market research and analysis so you understand your competition and define your unique selling proposition. Before starting the tax business, ensure you have a valid driver's license and an insurance policy.

Albert Williams grew a $3.5 million transportation company, The Best Deal, from a niche transportation sector; he attributes the company's success to providing excellent service and committing to continuous learning.

23. Start a tourist guide business

There's no denying the profitability of a tourism business. If you know the state and cities well, starting a tour guide business can be a very lucrative idea. All you need is a license, and you can soon start working as a tour guide.

Listed are the steps on how to start a tour guide business.

• Register your tour guide name business
• Obtain necessary licenses
• Open a bank account for business transactions
• Organize your business operations
• Start to promote and get clients

How much you can make: $200 — $54,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

Serial entrepreneur Nico Jacquart shares how he and his partner validated and grew a global food tour company with tours in more than 50 cities worldwide, experiencing year on year growth of 100%.

24. Start a restaurant

If you love cooking and are passionate about entrepreneurship, starting a restaurant can be a fun and lucrative business.

To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You will need a chef to inspect the food and line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve the customers. No matter the restaurant type, you need great culinary and business skills to make your dream come true.

If you plan to open a restaurant , gain insight from consumer preferences and focus on serving modern consumers what they need.

How much you can make: $124,998 — $2,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

One Life Meals is a Toronto-based healthy meal delivery service that made 14,500 meals per month and generated $130k in monthly sales in 2018 through their one-on-one consultation, lean protein and seasonal veggies-based meals, and their focus on the client experience.

25. Start a bar

The “bar” business idea involves opening and operating a bar or nightclub that serves alcohol and provides entertainment for customers. To run this business, you must secure a location, obtain necessary licenses and permits, and stock your bar with various drinks and supplies. You may also need to hire staff to help with serving drinks, managing the music and lighting, and maintaining the establishment’s cleanliness.

One of the benefits of running a bar is that it can be a very lucrative business, as people are often willing to pay a premium for a night out with friends or to enjoy live music or other forms of entertainment. Additionally, a well-run bar can attract a loyal customer base and build a reputation as a popular destination in the community.

To succeed in this business, it is important to have a strong understanding of the local market, and what types of drinks and entertainment will be most appealing to your target audience. You should also be prepared to put in long hours and work on evenings and weekends, as this is when most bars are busiest.

Overall, the “bar” business idea offers the opportunity to create a fun and profitable business that can become a central hub for socializing and entertainment in the community.

How much you can make: $3,500/month

Denver Pub Crawl is a US-European hybrid experience for tourists and locals run by Tyler, with operations that not only were able to scale around variables like capacity and number of attendees, but also managed to grow his team from two part-time members to a team of four, including a paid intern, while answering the question of what the future looks like: continuing to push, grow, and create.

26. Start a car rental business

Starting a car rental business can be a profitable venture for those interested in the auto industry.

Retail and corporate are the main segments within the car rental industry. Retail car rentals focus on individuals who rent cars for shorter periods, while corporate car rental targets companies that want to transport clients or employees.

If you are starting a car rental business , target airports, hotels, railway stations, commercial offices, and other high-traffic areas.

Market your business, hire employees who will manage the operations and keep records, and purchase business insurance for both cars and employees.

How much you can make: $870 — $10,000/month

How long does it take to build: 135 days (?)

27. Start an aerospace company

The aerospace company’s business idea involves developing, producing, and maintaining aircraft and spacecraft. This includes commercial planes and military jets to satellites and space stations. To run an aerospace company, you will need a team of highly skilled engineers and technicians who have expertise in aeronautics and astronautics. You will also need access to advanced technology and equipment, such as computer-aided design software and testing facilities.

There are several benefits to running an aerospace company. First and foremost, you will significantly contribute to aviation and space exploration. You will also have the opportunity to work on exciting and innovative projects that have the potential to change the world.

Additionally, the aerospace industry is lucrative, with high demand for aircraft and spacecraft worldwide. Overall, the aerospace company business idea offers a unique and challenging opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs passionate about advancing the frontiers of aviation and space travel.

28. Start a night club

Night clubs are entertainment venues comprising dance floors, light shows, and a stage for playing live music or featuring DJ music. Humans enjoy dance, and many societies incorporate dance as a prominent aspect of entertainment, socializing, and progression.

Thus, a nightclub is one of the best nighttime business ideas you can start today. Every city has its picks for the most prominent nightclubs, bars, and dance floors.

29. Start a coffee shop

Starting a coffee shop is an exciting and rewarding venture. It's a business that can be started with relatively little capital, and there are many ways to make it profitable. Coffee shops feature a low-cost stock but are profitable businesses.

If you plan to open a coffee shop, you may purchase a franchise, buy an existing business, or start from scratch. Whichever the decision, ensure a strategic location and renovate the space to create an inviting atmosphere. Develop a fantastic offering and begin marketing the business even before you open.

How much you can make: $3,000 — $15,000/month

New Zealand-based Fernweh is a subscription service that offers subscribers a new coffee roaster featured in the country each month, delivering coffee, tasting notes, and a story about the producer in a unique package for around $40 a month.

30. Start a limo service

Starting a limo service business can be lucrative and rewarding for aspiring entrepreneurs. The idea behind this business is to provide luxury transportation services to individuals and groups, typically for events such as weddings, proms, corporate events, and airport transfers.

To run a successful limo service, you must invest in a fleet of luxury vehicles, such as limousines, town cars, and SUVs. You will also need to hire experienced drivers who are knowledgeable about the local area and have a clean driving record. Additionally, it’s important to have a reliable dispatch system to handle reservations and ensure timely pick-ups and drop-offs.

One of the main benefits of running a limo service is providing your clients with a high-end, luxury experience. Your business can differentiate itself by offering top-of-the-line vehicles and exceptional customer service, leading to repeat business and referrals. Another benefit is the flexibility to choose your own schedule, as most limo services operate on an as-needed basis.

Starting a limo service can be a fulfilling and lucrative business opportunity for those passionate about providing excellent transportation services to their clients.

31. Start a laundromat

The first laundromat opened in the United States in 1887. It was invented by the entrepreneur Josephine Cochrane, who was frustrated with having to wash her family’s laundry by hand.

The laundromat is a self-service facility that provides washing and drying machines for personal use. There are many different types of machines available, including coin-operated ones and those that require a card. They also provide various types of detergents and fabric softeners for use with the machines.

A laundromat can make a lot of money if it is in the right location and has the right prices.

How much you can make: $9,300 — $100,000/month

Pick My Laundry, India's on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning service provider has developed a mobile app and website serving almost 50,000 customers in its first year after signing up 100 third-party laundry services and franchising its model with over 50 franchises across more than 15 Indian cities.

32. Start a jet ski rental business

Are you looking for a business you can start within the coastal locations? A jet ski rental business can be excellent if you target areas that attract water sports tourists. According to industry experts, the global market size for the water sports gear market will reach $55.2 billion in the next decade.

Therefore, starting the ski jet rental business can be a profitable business. To venture into the ski rental business, you may start alone or consider starting as a franchise partner. For an absolute beginner in this industry, a franchise would be advisable.

33. Start a talk show

A talk show is a live or prerecorded broadcast where a host asks the guests questions, the most popular format being interview-based ones. Talk shows are usually syndicated for airing on radio and/or television stations.

Talk shows can also be described as podcasts, where listeners subscribe to certain podcast channels to get entertainment, news, and educational content.

34. Start a tourist bodyguard business

The tourist bodyguard business idea involves providing personal security services to tourists visiting a particular city or country. This could include accompanying tourists on tours, providing transportation, and acting as a general security presence for tourists who may feel vulnerable in an unfamiliar place.

To start this business, you will need to have experience in security and possibly hold a license or certification in the field. Having a background in tourism or customer service may also be helpful, as you will be interacting with tourists regularly.

In terms of operating the business, it will be essential to establish relationships with local tour operators and other tourism-related businesses to secure clients. You should also have a plan in place for handling emergencies and be able to communicate effectively with tourists and local authorities.

For business success, it will be essential to provide high customer service and ensure tourists feel safe and secure while under your care. Ensuring security involve conducting thorough risk assessments and having contingency plans for various scenarios.

Overall, the tourist bodyguard business idea offers a unique opportunity to provide a valuable service to tourists while tapping into the growing demand for personal security services.

35. Start a museum

36. start an airport bus shuttle services.

An airport bus shuttle service transports people and luggage to and from or within airports. An airport shuttle service can be profitable to operate.

If you plan to start an airport bus shuttle, focus on building alliances and partnerships with companies and local businesses that will supply you with customers.

37. Start an airline

38. start a helicopter transportation service, 39. start a travel directory.

An online travel directory is a website that serves as a one-stop shop for all your travel needs.

It provides travelers with a vast selection of trusted reviews and tips to help people travel across the globe with ease.

These directories usually offer a comprehensive database of destinations, including hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, and travel agents, among others.

One of the significant benefits of these directories is that they allow users to add destinations from their travel agent’s listings or local business listings based on reviews and testimonials from fellow travelers.

This feature helps users make informed decisions about their travel plans by providing them with a wealth of information on various destinations.

Additionally, online travel directories tend to have an active community of users who share their travel experiences and offer valuable insights and tips.

This community-driven approach to travel planning ensures that users get reliable and up-to-date information that can help them plan their trips with confidence.

Overall, online travel directories are an excellent resource for anyone looking to explore the world, whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a first-timer.

They offer a wealth of information on various destinations, making it easy to plan a memorable trip that meets your unique preferences and budget.

How much you can make: $7,000 — $250,000/month

40. Start a school field trip business

41. start a hotel booking platform.

The explosively popular Airbnb and countless similar services have proven that the market for home and apartment rentals is growing rapidly.

As an entrepreneur who loves travel, you see an opportunity to extend this model to hotels.

That’s why you start a hotel booking platform where travelers can search for and book accommodations worldwide.

The market size of the online hotel booking platform industry worldwide amounted to nearly $518B in 2020 .

Starting a hotel booking platform can be so interesting as an idea that can proliferate. It doesn’t require any license, no inventory — only mobile phones, an internet connection, and some motivation to succeed.

42. Start a private jet business

A private jet is an aircraft designed to transport small groups of people. Private jets offer a controlled, flexible experience, which commercial flights cannot provide. Demand for private jet charter services has soared, creating a business opportunity for entrepreneurs.

Business people, celebrities in the entertainment industry, and politicians are some people using private jets more often. If you are interested in aviation and looking to start a business, you may consider the private jet sector.

Your options include becoming a private jet pilot, buying and selling private jets, a private jet service center, or a private jet charter service.

43. Start a speed boat rental business

Boat hiring and boat rental services are tapping into the booming tourism sector. Water activities have become a significant tourist attraction, especially in coastal areas. Thus, boat hiring and rental are among the most attractive maritime business opportunities.

44. Start a student exchange program

With BigCommerce, you have incredible tools at your fingertips to create the ultimate growth engine for your business.

Combine sleek storefront designs with powerful marketing tools and unrivaled 24x7 phone support, our platform has everything you need for success and flexibility in the competitive online marketplace.

Stop settling for low conversion rates and get started with BigCommerce today.

Start Your Free 15-Day Trial of BigCommerce Now

Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.

Join our free newsletter to get unlimited access to all startup data. We just need your email:

Check your email

If there's a Starter Story account associated with that email you'll get an email with a link to automatically log in. The link will expire in 15 minutes.

Your existing password still works, should you want to log in with it later.

With Starter Story, you can see exactly how online businesses get to millions in revenue.

Dive into our database of 4,418 case studies & join our community of thousands of successful founders.

Join our free newsletter to get access now. We just need your email:

Top Tourism App Ideas That Startups Can Steal To Shape Their Business

Using a travel app inseparable from modern travel and holiday is experience. While you travel, a great travel app comes as more than a problem solver, it almost becomes a constant companion.

Do you want to dive into the tourism industry with a unique or instantly engaging travel app idea? Well, this is the time to brainstorm some tourism app ideas. When you consider things to include in a travel app, new app ideas will help you.

Top 9 Tourism App Ideas in 2023

Here we are going to showcase some of the best travel app development company to develop your startup.

1) Travel App for Cost Saving Itinerary

Is it not common to many of us that we end up cancelling a trip just because the travel expenses are really not affordable? Well, to address this travel app developers can build a travel app that helps people to stick to the most cost-saving itinerary.

The app can help you save extra days by suggesting time-saving journeys, alternate routes, and various deals and discounts. You can plan every bit of the travel cost for the entire trip.

2) A Socialising App for Travellers

People still interact, ask questions and post helpful information on travel forums and discuss their trips. People also make travel posts on regular social media platforms. By taking this idea further one can build a social media app exclusively for travelers and help them stay connected with each other, talk about and share travel experiences, ask questions, provide information, share images, reviews, and itinerary.

Since there are already similar kinds of travel apps, you need to focus on a travel niche in particular. To make the app even more interesting, you should integrate travel itinerary, GPS-based maps, reviews, rating and itinerary-oriented features.

3) Travel Payment App

As mobile payment apps continue to get popular, a dedicated payment app with all specific features required by travelers on the go can be very helpful. From digital travel card integration as well ride booking features to currency converter, a travel payment app can be loaded with a range of helpful features that travelers need. Are you thinking how to build a travel app that instantly gets traction? Well, consider this tourism app idea.

Many hotels and restaurant chains offer travel cards and the app can integrate them to help use these cards for payments on the go. The dedicated payment app for travelers will also help global travelers in respect of country-specific rules and currencies.

Read More: Best Trending Startup Mobile App Ideas

4) Tour Guide App

A tour guide app can provide detailed information about a city and its multiple locations as well as sights. The same app can also provide details about the local cuisines and the particular experiences you should try.

The app apart from telling you about the must-visit places, history of locations, tickets and other information can also show a list of exquisite restaurants and their delicacies. The app can also showcase traveler reviews.

If you want to start considering travel app development costs, this simple idea can help you build an app with minimum cost burden. There are many mobile app development company india that can offer you a really lucrative budget while maintaining top notch quality.

5) Translation and Language Help App

This is already a well-known travel app idea that you need to develop further. You can incorporate a lot of new language options, features like voice-over and voice translation.

Such an app should also be able to scan an image and convert any text within the image into the native language. Finally, it will be more helpful if you offer offline access to translation features for travelers on the go.

6) Weather Forecast App for Travelers

Consider building an app that provides real-time forecasts on weather of travel destinations. This can be of immense help to travelers making trips in faraway places and places with the different weather condition.

The app should provide detailed information about the specific weather condition, temperature, perspiration, and rainfall. The app should also suggest the kind of wearables you should carry for such places.

7) App for Accessing Local Public Transport

When you travel in a new place you get cheated often by cab drivers and you end up hiring cabs when local transport is available nearby. To help with this lack of knowledge about a new city and its local public transportation, you can come with a traveler-friendly app.

The same app should also help the user with information on car-sharing, bike rental, inter-city or inter-state bus services, train routes and various passes. The app should also inform the user about the specific places and stops they should visit and the ones they already visited.

8) Deal Finder App for Travelers

A travel experience is hardly complete without shopping. This is why travelers always look for offers, deals, and discounts. You can address this need of travelers through a dedicated deal finder app.

When travelers download the app on their devices, they start getting messages and notifications on lucrative deals, new arrivals, discounts, local shopping trends, and special offers.

9) Restroom and Gas Station Finding App

Getting informed about the right facilities on the road such as gas stations, restrooms and garages are really important for travelers. This is why you can build an app to offer this helps to travelers. The same app should also inform the travelers on trains and flights on the next flights or train stations and options to take different routes.

Such an app should also inform about places on the go where you can fill your bellies with traditional delicacies and places of interest where you can stop for a while in case you have time. Such apps are especially helpful when you are travelling with your family and kids.

You may like this: How to Build an App Like Airbnb ?

At a time when everything in our lives became digital, travelers are likely to go for travel apps for their on-the-road needs. All these travel or tourism app ideas clearly explain how today’s travelers try to find almost every kind of help during travel right on their mobile devices. These ideas just offer a brief outline and you can always extend these tourism app ideas with unique features. You can hire mobile app developers in India for your next travel app project and get the best of expertise and competitive rate.

Take a look at

Frequently Asked Questions

• How Mobile App Benefits Travel and Tourism Industry? The use of mobile apps has transformed the travel and tourism industry in recent years, making it more convenient and accessible for travellers. Several ways in which mobile apps benefit the travel and tourism industry include Convenience, Real-time updates, Personalization, Reviews and recommendations, Contactless payments and Sustainability.

Travel apps make money through various means such as commission on bookings, advertising, premium features, and partnerships with travel companies.

Rate This Post

Written by Atman Rathod

Atman Rathod is the Founding Director at CMARIX InfoTech, a leading web and mobile app development company with 17+ years of experience. Having travelled to 38+ countries globally and provided more than $40m USD of software services, he is actively working with Startups, SMEs and Corporations utilizing technology to provide business transformation.

Hire Dedicated Developers

Ready to take your business to new heights? Our team of dedicated developers is here to make your dreams a reality!

Related Blogs

Why Should You Choose Laravel For Your SaaS Business Apps?

Using a travel app inseparable from modern travel and holiday is experience. […]

How to Integrate AI into an App- From Scratch to Finish

Have an interesting project let's talk about that.

• Discovery Platform
• Innovation Scouting
• Startup Scouting
• Technology Scouting
• Tech Supplier Scouting
• Venture Clienting
• Startup Program
• Trend Intelligence
• Business Intelligence
• All Industries
• Industry 4.0
• Manufacturing
• Case Studies
• Research & Development
• Corporate Strategy
• Corporate Innovation
• Open Innovation
• New Business Development
• Product Development
• Agriculture
• Construction
• Sustainability
• All Startups
• Circularity
• All Innovation
• Business Trends
• Emerging Tech
• Innovation Intelligence
• New Companies
• Scouting Trends
• Startup Programs
• Supplier Scouting
• Tech Scouting
• Top AI Tools
• Trend Tracking
• All Reports [PDF]
• Circular Economy
• Engineering
• Oil & Gas

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Discover 5 Top Sustainable Travel & Tourism Startups

Curious about new technological advancements in the travel industry? Explore our analysis of 630 global sustainable travel and tourism startups & scaleups & learn how their solutions impact your business!

The travel industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic . To come out strong from this crisis, it is important for you to stay ahead of the technology curve as this strengthens your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the travel industry . This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked sustainable travel & tourism startups.

Global Startup Heat Map: 5 Top Sustainable Travel & Tourism Startups

The 5 travel startups you will explore below are chosen based on our data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and relevance of technology, among others. This analysis is based on the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform , covering over 1.3 million startups & scaleups globally.

The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 5 startups our Innovation Researchers curated for this report. Moreover, you get insights into regions that observe a high startup activity and the global geographic distribution of the 630 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.

Click to download

Get in touch!

Green Tickets creates a Sustainable Travel Planner

Although traveling helps broaden people’s horizons and get to know different cultures, it is a major contributor to climate change. Therefore, startups develop planning solutions to provide travelers with sustainable alternatives, reducing the toll on the environment. Such solutions include sustainable ticket search, carbon offsetting, and CO2 calculations to lower the carbon footprint of the tourism sector.

Dutch startup Green Tickets develops sustainable route planning solutions for travel within Europe. The startup’s ticket suggestion platform allows users to compare the sustainability of the routes they choose. Among the factors that the startup includes are the mode of transportation and time of day. Moreover, Green Tickets offers eco traveling tips, giving tourists an opportunity to plan their trip more sustainably.

Tripian personalizes Sustainable Travel

It is evident that the travel industry needs to adapt to the changes brought by the changing public concern about climate change. To support travel companies adapt to the tourists’ demands, startups develop personalized and sustainable solutions. Utilizing technologies such as AI and data analytics, these solutions improve customer experience and retention.

Canadian startup Tripian provides a trip planning platform to personalize related content and services. The platform uses AI to show customers personalized travel recommendations based on their profiles. Additionally, the platform offers a route planner and location-based recommendations, thereby accommodating the preferences of green tourists.

CO2 Cards reduces Carbon Offset

When it is impossible to avoid a carbon footprint, carbon offsetting solutions compensate for the carbon dioxide (CO2) created through supporting environmental projects such as reforestation. To further advance this effort, startups develop carbon offsetting initiatives to balance travel-related emissions. These solutions promote green tourism to support the growing sustainability movement.

Bulgarian startup CO2 Cards offers a carbon-offsetting solution for online travel agencies. The solution consists of an application programming interface (API) that calculates the carbon footprint based on customers’ orders and integrates carbon offsetting options in the companies’ ticketing systems. This helps travel agents secure the trust of environmentally-minded customers and reduce the net carbon footprint of the travel industry.

Jet-Set Offset focuses on Sustainable Air Travel

Air travel is one of the biggest contributors to growing CO2 emissions. Although sustainability-wise, any other mode of transportation is more preferable than air travel, it sometimes is the only option. To reduce the impact of passenger flights, startups provide carbon offsetting solutions for individuals and businesses, sometimes in collaboration with environmental organizations.

Jet-Set Offset is a US-based startup offering mileage-based carbon offsetting solutions for businesses and individual contributors. The startup gives human resource (HR) departments and travel managers a platform to offset employee air travel emissions. By providing a solution for mileage-based donations, Jet-Set Offset helps companies reach their sustainability goals in an easy way.

MURMURATION tackles Over-tourism

Popular destinations often suffer from an excessive influx of tourists, particularly during peak holiday seasons. This has a negative impact on local communities, visitor experience, and the overall condition of the destination. To tackle over-tourism, startups develop data-driven solutions that utilize satellite data to help local governments preserve their communities and attractions.

French startup MURMURATION provides a sustainable tourism solution based on satellite imagery to travelers and travel agencies. Flockeo , the startup’s platform, utilizes satellite data to identify the number of tourists at a given destination. Empowered by this data, travel agencies and tourists themselves have the opportunity to pursue alternative destinations, thereby lessening the negative impact of over-tourism.

Discover more Travel Startups

To keep you up-to-date on the latest technology and emerging solutions, we provide you with actionable innovation intelligence – quickly and exhaustively. You can download one of our free Innovation Reports and discover new business opportunities or save your time & let us look into your areas of interest. We provide you with an exhaustive overview of new startups, scaleups & emerging technologies that matter to you.

Discover our Free Travel Report 21 pages

Get free updates on Global Startups, Technologies & Trends!

Join 25k subscribers.

Business Email

Get our  free newsletter  on technology and startups.

Protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Your Name Business Email Company

Travel 21 pages report

Artificial intelligence.

First & Last Name Business Email Company

Mobility 22 pages report

Leverage our unparalleled data advantage to quickly and easily find hidden gems among 4.7M+ startups, scaleups. Access the world's most comprehensive innovation intelligence and stay ahead with AI-powered precision.

Get in touch

Your Name Business Email Company How can we support you?   (optional)

Protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google  Privacy Policy  and  Terms of Service  apply.

Schedule a call

Top 15 travel startups transforming the tourism industry

Updated Jun 03, 2024 • 18 min read

In this article

Top tourism startups to watch in 2024

The travel industry has experienced a significant transformation in the past decade, and a lot of that progress can be attributed to the emergence of innovative travel startups. Some of these startups have introduced groundbreaking technologies and services that have revolutionized the way travelers explore the world.

Keeping an eye on these up and coming companies will help your finger remain on the pulse of the industry as it evolves. Here are some of the most interesting and transformative travel startups around today, with substantial funding and unique ideas that could change the industry as we know it.

Acai Travel

Acai Travel offers an arrangement of language model-based travel operation optimization solutions suited to travel management companies, online travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and call centers — promising a 60% reduction in average handle time for the latter.

Business model

The company offers three solutions named Blueberry, Raspberry, and Strawberry. These are all set to be released at the beginning of 2024.

Blueberry is an artificial intelligence-based travel agent assistant that can be integrated with a CRM to help answer questions on behalf of agents, increasing their productivity. The company states that their data intelligence tool can digest all of the necessary information from a client company's Google Drive folders and SharePoint sites to produce relevant answers.

Raspberry is an artificial intelligence tool for automating incoming chat and email replies. Acai Travel promises more than 40% increase in agents' productivity on new reservations. The system works more as a co-pilot, rather than a completely automated response tool, meaning that agents are always in control.

Strawberry is an AI tool that reads and understands GDS systems and can translate them to the travel agent's preferred language. The tool is supposed to help local agents book, change, and cancel bookings no matter where their customer is from or what GDS they are using.

Funding, investors, and plans for future

Acai Travel received $500,000 in funding from investors, and managed to become one of PhocusWire's 25 Hot Startups for 2024. It also got support from Cornerstone.

Atlys is a mobile visa application app that aims to make the process of applying for visas easier and quicker. Currently it covers 233 countries and promises to reduce your application time to around four minutes, which is an enticing offer for both leisure and business travel purposes.

As the company founders state, the process is as follows: users login, choose their destination, upload their documents, and Atlys does everything else for a fee. And since most countries require the same set of documents for visas, the app saves users' uploads to make it easier for them to apply for other visas in the future, making travel management way simpler.

The app offers step-by-step guidance throughout the entire process, and allows customers to apply from anywhere in the world. Atlys also uses encryption to protect user data.

Atlys received around $5 million in seed funding and $12 million in Series A funding from investors. It plans to use it to enhance its offerings for travelers, expand its customer base, and add top talent to its team.

Boddy is a startup platform that aims to provide travelers with physical and digital wellness experiences on the go.

Boddy partners with various fitness and wellness operators and distributes their services directly, or through their strategic partners, whether it's an OTA or an insurtech company.

Boddy helps business travelers manage their workout routine no matter where they are.

Users can pay for subscriptions to gyms, fitness centers, and other wellness spaces in the city of their choosing (or any featured city in Europe if they are a Premium user). Once the user books a chosen spot and visits the gym of their choosing, all they need is to check in using the Boddy mobile app.

Boddy received €2.5 million in funding from investors and plans to expand its reach by diversifying options of fitness and wellness experiences, and forming new partnerships in the insurance, corporate travel, and digital health fields.

BookingData

BookingData is a travel technology startup that aims to empower third-party ancillary partners of airlines to present private, highly targeted offers directly to selected traveler profiles, increasing conversion and improving airline revenue.

The startup founders state that while airlines have always actively retailed first-party ancillaries (delivered by the airline itself, like extra luggage), third-party ancillaries like hotels and car rentals don’t get the same attention — they are usually featured as a couple of links at the bottom of a webpage with a less than 0.3% conversion.

At the same time, airlines hold invaluable insights about their passengers, and that travel data may be extremely useful to their ancillary partners (hotels networks or car rental services, for example). The idea behind BookingData is to provide tailored, private offers directly from ancillary business partners to passengers.

It works as follows: airlines let their ancillary providers select various traveler profiles to whom they want to make a private offer through the BookingData platform. After that, the offer is presented to the passenger via the airline communication channel with a direct link to the ancillary partner. These personalized offers then boost their conversion rates.

BookingData itself earns by taking a share of a commission that the ancillary partner pays to the airline after conversion.

The startup received €600,000 in funding from investors and plans on using said funding to expand their collaborations with various third-party providers in the travel industry.

BTP Automation

BTP Automation is a SaaS enterprise solution for automating the corporate hotel sourcing process. The travel startup promises overall reduction of up to 10% in hotel spend, a significant reduction in hotel program management labor through BTP’s automation capabilities, and full visibility into hotel programs and compliance.

The idea behind BTP Automation came from understanding the process behind hotel programs in the travel industry.

Each year, corporations negotiate rates, room-night commitments, and other terms with hotel networks to implement a company-wide hotel program. What that means is that typically, hotel programs remain static, regardless of market conditions, up until the next year.

However, the startup founders recognized that compliance to these terms, on average, is less than 50% — often, reservations aren't booked through the proper channel, the wrong rooms and properties are booked, and so on. All of that leads to costly out-of-compliance hotel bookings, which is a huge issue within the business travel sphere.

The solution BTP Automation came up with is an all-in-one data-driven hotel sourcing platform that can automatically and dynamically initiate or renegotiate hotel RFPs (requests for proposal), as well as identify corrective compliance actions to aid companies' expense management.

With $2.5 million gained in funding from various investors, BTP Automation has won awards from PhocusWire, Skift, and Business Travel News. The startup already works with over 200 companies on its platform, and plans to expand further.

Dharma is a travel company that plans and sells trips hosted by influencers and famous people. The startup’s offerings include Manchester football derby travel experiences with legendary ex-player Eric Cantona, and an "Emily in Paris" vacation in partnership with Netflix.

All tours on Dharma have pre-determined dates and itineraries, meaning that guests only have to choose the vacation that suits them best and book it. The options vary from hotel retreats in Puerto Rico to animal tracking in Chad and cost from around $1,500 to $4,000.

Dharma has received $10 million in funding from investors. The company's team are now working to launch a new travel platform that will allow the medium- and large-scale creators to plan and promote trips to their communities, meaning they'll probably expect to raise some extra funding for that too.

Grazzy provides hourly employees in the travel industry (and other industries as well) with an easy tipping system that allows them to access their money the same day. The founders of the startup aim to improve financial wellness for front line workers and reduce the costs of recruiting and retaining for hotels, bars, restaurants, and salons.

Grazzy doesn't require any app installation or account creation — guests just scan a QR code, offer quick feedback, choose the tip amount, and select a payment method. Tips can be distributed directly to employee-connected debit cards via ACH bank transfer or through payroll.

The system also automatically reports the tip to the taxing services, ensuring security, and provides an in-built analytics tool.

The startup received $6.8 million in funding from investors, and is looking to grow further. It also has landed some big partnerships. Hotel Equities, for example, decided to implement Grazzy across its 300+ hotels’ network.

Greether is a platform that connects female travelers with paid local women (or "greeters") who can act as tour guides, personalize their travel experiences, and, most importantly, ensure their safety during the trip.

The startup travel company reports that their greeters are now available in more than 90 countries and more than 450 cities.

Travelers are connected to their greeters before the trip even begins. Greeters, who are trained by the company to act as local experts, provide recommendations and establish a rapport, and then meet travelers on arrival. Then they become their "local besties", accompanying travelers during their trip and providing guidance on local customs and safety measures, as well as other useful travel info.

The core purpose of Greether is to empower female travelers and to provide job opportunities for women around the world. Both are huge social issues, and the startup choses to answer them by creating a new community of female travelers and locals, enriching the experience of both groups.

If we were to speak in terms of success, while the funding is unknown, this year Greether became one of 12 top travel startups chosen for Expedia's Open World Accelerator program.

That means the startup founders are receiving business and technology development support, a non-equity grant, and access to Expedia Group and travel industry experts for mentorship and coaching. Greether also was among the finalists of UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge.

Jerne is a SaaS web platform designed to become a direct channel that connects creators/influencers and travel experience providers.

The goal of this sort of online marketplace is to assist in managing relationships and commercial agreements, controlling and monetizing user generated content, and tracking affiliate sales and ROI. Currently the online platform supports 5,000 creators and travel experience providers.

Influencers can sign up on the platform either for free (or for approximately $5-$10 monthly for extra features) and promote their services to experience providers. Providers, on the other hand, can search and filter influencers based on their goals, monitor their content, and analyze ROI.

While the exact funding for the startup is unknown, the platform has already had some successes, like partnering with Forbes Travel Guide to give properties streamlined access to vetted influencers, and becoming one of Phocuswire's 25 Hot Travel Startups for 2024.

Hotelverse is a startup that offers "Digital Twin" technology — realistic and interactive 3D models of hotels. These models are designed to be immersive, so travelers can get a better idea of what room they're booking, which elevates the overall customer experience.

As the founders state, Hotelverse's technology aims to change the hospitality industry by disintermediating hotel sales, using a proposition that can't be replicated by intermediary channels. At the same time, it also improves product knowledge to attract consumers.

There is no need for the Hotelverse team to visit a hotel to render the "Digital Twin" — their technology requires minimal content, like emergency plans and certain room specifications.

When the set-up process is complete, the startup enables integration of its Digital Hub into the hotel's website through an HTML-snippet, and from that moment the "Digital Twin" can be utilized. The startup also promises that their solution won't slow down hotels' websites.

Hotelverse is transforming the customer experience, letting travelers book rooms by viewing them first as 3D models. Hotelverse states that their solution increases the average time spent on a room’s page by 10%, and the conversion rate by 30%, meaning more hotel bookings and a more stable revenue flow.

Hotelverse received €2 million in funding from investors, and its founders were included in Forbes Top 100 creatives list. For now the startup is focusing on short-term conversions to reach €150,000 in contracted monthly recurring revenue by the first quarter of 2024, with emphasis on the Spanish and Caribbean travel markets.

In the long term, Hotelverse plans to reinforce its commercial presence in the U.S. by further enhancing their business offerings.

Kindred is a booking platform offering affordable vacation rental options to its members by empowering them to swap homes with other users. Currently, the booking platform supports more than 5,000 homes in more than 50 cities spread across North America and Europe.

Kindred allows members to earn one night of travel for each night they rent their apartment. That enables users to either swap houses for the same period of time, or host their homes while they are away to earn nights for later. Users also get one night’s stay for each five days their home is available on Kindred.

Members of the booking platform receive complimentary guest kits with towels and sheets, plus $100,000 host protection to ensure security. The company also organizes a video call before a stay is confirmed, so users can approve or disapprove each member. All of the homes that serve as vacation rentals get cleaned before and after the stay by a professional cleaning service.

The Kindred service costs $35 per night at maximum, and members have to pay for the cleaning. Even with that in mind, the opportunity to pay zero rent seems enticing. The company provides case studies of their members' stays, which are often six or seven times cheaper than stays in similar apartments for renting.

The booking platform has already landed $7.75 million in seed funding, followed by another $15 million of Series A funding from various investors. The founders state that by April 2023, the platform had achieved 5,000 nights swapped and received 20,000 membership applications.

Pebble is a California-based startup in the transportation field, offering an all-electric travel trailer that is supposed to be "the world's smartest" recreational vehicle — Pebble Flow.

Pebble Flow is a lightweight electric travel trailer that fits up to four people. It comes with a 45 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery, 1 kW of rooftop solar batteries, Starlink support, AC and DC charging capability, and also regenerative charging capability that sends electrons back into the battery while towed.

The trailer itself has a kitchen with microwave and refrigerator, bedroom, bathroom, and a workspace, so owners can travel long distances comfortably and spend up to 7 days off-grid. It also comes with a smart app, and can hitch itself to a car. The Flow starts from $109,000.

Earlier in 2023, the transportation startup received around $13 million in funding from investors. The current travel trailer is an Alpha version, with Beta in development, yet the startup expects to start shipping the finished product by the end of 2024.

Point.me is a flight search engine that helps with travelers' expense management by enabling them to book flights with their airline and credit card rewards for significantly lower point costs. In its promotional video, the startup promises to reduce point costs by up to 12 times, maximizing the value of travel loyalty programs for users.

The company founders also mention that it has employed 55 travel industry professionals who know everything about points and the best ways to benefit from them.

Point.me's real-time metasearch engine pulls data from over 40 travel web sources, compiles the results, and enables users to compare airline tickets and other transportation options in a simple and convenient way.

The travel startup offers two services: "Self-serve" and "Concierge". The first one refers to using the search engine to find suitable tickets yourself, while the latter offers an one-on-one interaction with a specialist, who will search for the best flights that can be booked with users’ points and handle every step of the booking process.

The standard Self-Serve plan will cost a traveler $129 annually, while Concierge comes at a price of $200 for one person.

The travel startup received $12 million in funding from investors. It fills a very specific niche in the market, looking to grow further by expanding the functionality of the core service.

The Host Co.

The Host Co. aims to turn short-term vacation rentals into an all-in-one hospitality service by adding instant concierge amenities like spas and chefs to in-rental shopping. The startup positions itself as the "easy button" for hospitality upsells and promises to add up to 30% to the revenue stream.

The Host Co. connects travelers with curated local experiences, automates property owners' offerings, and manages their in-home gift shops. The idea behind the online platform is to let guests choose their own travel experiences during their stay at the vacation rental, while driving extra sales for the owners.

First, the owner sets up their shop page and adds local vendors (pre-found by The Host Co.) of their choosing. Then, when someone wants to purchase something, The Host Co. notifies both the vendor and traveler, allowing the owner to relax. Whenever guests order something, the owners earn up to 10% of the sale. The premise is ideal for leisure and business travel hosts looking to open up new revenue channels.

The travel startup received $2.1 million in funding from investors. Its founders are (in their own words) “laser-focused on being the best retailing partner”.

Weeva is a SaaS platform that aims to make sustainability simpler and more accessible for travel companies. It does that by enabling travel businesses to measure their sustainability in four major fields: conservation, commerce, community, and culture — all with the help of a catchy 360-degree UI, in-built guides, and a reporting system.

The travel startup’s idea came in April 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the African safari industry. As the company founders express, "We saw lodges shutting down, conservation efforts drying up, and friends losing their jobs."

Because of this, the founders were keen to support the travel industry to become more sustainable and resilient. The result is a complete support system for operationalising and managing sustainability.

The software offers to measure 18 parameters spread across the aforementioned four fields of sustainability, ranging from "Nature Protection" and "Cultural Heritage" to "Ethical and Inclusive Labor".

The business model is designed to help travel companies keep track of these parameters and analyze their success in reaching sustainability goals. The system also offers advanced analytics and reporting tools to help with expense management and other sustainability challenges.

Currently the travel startup has received around $10 million in funding from investors. The founders now plan to introduce conversational and generative AI capabilities to the company's software toolkit.

The travel industry is in a constant process of transformation, with fresh startup companies receiving promising levels of funding often at the center of that.

From promoting sustainability and ensuring security for female travelers to simplifying the process of applying for visas — new travel startups have a lot to offer, so you should certainly keep an eye on them in 2024. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll be your partners in collaboration, or maybe they will inspire you to try something new in your very own business.

Related articles

9 niche travel agency examples

Top 14 tourism and travel technology trends for 2024

Founder & CEO

Alex loves travel and tech and founded Zoftify to help travel companies use technology more effectively. Before this, he worked in tech consulting, where he led international mobile development teams.

Read other articles

What is a travel startup?

Travel startups are fresh new companies that usually have a unique offering and mostly rely on investments from major sponsors. And, luckily, there are lots of sponsors out there, like New Enterprise Associates, Bullpen Capital, Prime Ventures, Lead Edge Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Target Global, and Sabadell Venture Capital.

A travel startup's proposition can be anything, as long as it is innovative and helpful — from providing unusual luxury rentals and new means of transportation (like unlimited mileage car rentals), to creating a novel way for organizing company retreats.

For example, Point.me promises travelers the best possible deals for their airline and credit card rewards: it's a fairly unique offer that is backed by $12 million in funding from multiple investors, and that is even before Series B funding.

What makes travel startups stand out from traditional travel companies?

Travel startups not only bring a certain service or product to the industry, but they also bring innovation and new ways of doing things, whether it is an approach or a travel technology. Occasionally, they even have the power to shake up the leisure and business travel landscape entirely.

While it is a known fact that the vast majority of travel startups (and startups in general) never succeed, we've compiled a list of fresh, promising companies that have gained significant recognition and funding already.

What are the most interesting startups in the travel industry right now?

Some of the top travel startups to watch in 2024 include Atlys, Greether, and Weeva. Each one is trying to accomplish something fairly new, whether it is in the field of travel sustainability or visa applications. These startup companies are bringing a fresh wave of innovation to the travel industry, and have already received substantial funding and recognition.

Vacation Rentals and Luxury Trips: Travel Startups Raise $106 Million

Justin Dawes , Skift

July 21st, 2024 at 8:00 AM EDT

Niche vacation rental platforms are still raising money, just not quite as often as during pandemic times.

Justin Dawes

Travel Startup Funding This Week

Each week we round up travel startups that have recently received or announced funding . Please email Travel Tech Reporter Justin Dawes at [email protected] if you have funding news.

Short-term rental platforms have not been raising money in 2024 quite as often as last year . But they made a bit of a comeback this week with two niche platforms getting nearly $50 million in funding. 

One is a growing platform for renting camper vans — interestingly, a much smaller U.S. competitor shut down in the last year for lack of funding. The other is for renting “handpicked” vacation rentals in Europe, a startup founded by several former Airbnb employees.

Six travel startups announced fundraises in the past week totaling over $100 million. 

Indie Campers: $38.1 Million

Indie Campers , a platform for renting RVs and camper vans, has raised $38.1 million (€35 million). 

Indico Capital Partners led the round, with support from Cedros Capital and GED Ventures.

The Lisbon-based startup says it rents 7,000 of its own vehicles as well as others owned by individual and professional hosts. The vehicles are available in Europe, Oceania, and North America. 

The funding will go toward developing the digital platform, adding new products and services, hiring, and expanding globally. 

Planned: $35 Million

Planned , a sourcing and booking platform for events, has raised $35 million in series B funding.

Drive Capital led the round, with support from Outsiders Fund and two other undisclosed firms.

The company has now raised a total of $65 million.

Montreal-based Planned said the funding will go toward expanding AI-powered capabilities, global expansion, and adding travel booking capabilities.  

( See Skift’s story .)

Landfolk: $11.2 Million

Landfolk , a vacation rental platform founded by former Airbnb employees, has raised $11.2 million (€10.3 million) in series A funding.

EIFO led the round, with support from SEED Capital and Heartland.

Denmark-based Landfolk says it helps owners rent their vacations homes during the majority of the year when they normally would sit empty. The company says there are 1.3 million vacation homes in northern Europe, and 85% of them are unused for an average of 300 days per year. 

The startup has more than 3,000 homes in its portfolio in Denmark, Norway, Germany, and Sweden. The tech platform includes connections with cleaning companies so that owners can automate housekeeping.

The funding will go toward expanding into other European markets, improving product automation, and increasing marketing. 

Namma Yatri: $11 Million

Moving Tech Innovations, the startup behind Indian mobility apps Namma Yatri and Yatri Sathi , has raised a pre-series A funding round of $11 million.

Blume Ventures and Antler co-led the round, with support from Google and other investors.

The Namma Yatri app allows consumers to book rides with auto rickshaws, taxis, and public transport. It’s available in several Indian cities including Bengaluru and Delhi. Yatri Sathi, an app based on the same model, is managed by the West Bengal government for consumers in that region.

Rather than taking a cut of each ride price, the company charges a fee to drivers: 90 Indian rupees ($1.07) per day for the unlimited plan, and they are only charged for the day if they complete at least one ride. Riders pay drivers directly for the service.

The company says this model keeps prices down for all parties, as compared to other rideshare apps.

Essentialist: $10 Million

Essentialist , a members-only travel agency focused on luxury trips, has raised $10 million in series A funding.

IRIS Ventures led the round, with support from a group of angel investors.

Spain-based Essentialist says it offers travel packages for nearly 1,000 destinations worldwide. The startup said it has a network of more than 200 travel and lifestyle editors that review and update 2,500 recommendations on an ongoing basis. The annual membership fee is $2,600 per household, according to the startup’s website. The company also offers corporate memberships.

The funding will go toward marketing, product curation, strengthening the tech platform, and growing its consumer and business-to-business products.

TurnStay: $300,000

TurnStay , a payments platform for travel companies in Africa, has raised $300,000 (5.4 million South African rands). 

The investment comes from DFS Lab and DCG. 

South Africa-based TurnStay says its platform is able transfer a foreign customer’s payment to the African travel company in a way that minimizes transaction fees, using various features including determining the least expensive intermediaries for each individual transaction. Clients can also embed the TurnStay product on their own websites, meant to improve the payment experience and increase direct bookings.

The startup said payments fees can be much higher for African businesses, especially when an online travel agency is involved. The company says its product has reduced costs by 70% for some clients.

“The average merchant spends 12% of revenue on getting paid — often, this can be the difference between making a profit or a loss and dramatically affects the viability of many businesses in a sector that employs over 6 million people in Africa,” said James Hedley, TurnStay co-founder, in a statement.

Skift Cheat Sheet

Seed  capital is money used to start a business, often led by angel investors and friends or family.

Series A  financing is typically drawn from venture capitalists. The round aims to help a startup’s founders make sure that their product is something that customers truly want to buy.

Series B  financing is mainly about venture capitalist firms helping a company grow faster. These fundraising rounds can assist in recruiting skilled workers and developing cost-effective marketing.

Series C  financing is ordinarily about helping a company expand, such as through acquisitions. In addition to VCs, hedge funds, investment banks, and private equity firms often participate.

Series D, E, and, beyond  These mainly mature businesses and the funding round may help a company prepare to go public or be acquired. A variety of types of private investors might participate.

Skift India Report

India is booming. Discover the subcontinent’s most important travel news here every Tuesday-Thursday.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: business travel , funding , luxury , payments , short-term rentals , skift india report , the prompt , travel technology , vcroundup

Photo credit: Indie Campers operates in Europe, North American, and Oceania. Indie Campers

Here’s the full list of 28 US AI startups that have raised $100M or more in 2024

For some, AI fatigue is real — but clearly venture investors haven’t grown tired of the category.

In the first half of 2024 alone, more than $35.5 billion was invested into AI startups globally , recent Crunchbase data found. Five of the six venture rounds of more than $1 billion raised in the first half of 2024 were raised by AI companies.

Many other AI startups were able to raise mega-rounds of more than $100 million. U.S. startups raised two of the billion-dollar rounds in the first half of this year and nearly two-thirds, 64%, of the mega-rounds.

Here are the U.S.-based AI companies that raised $100 million or more so far in 2024:

• Hebbia, $130 million: Andreessen Horowitz led the round for Hebbia that closed July 8 . The startup, which uses generative AI to search large documents, also raised money from Peter Thiel, Index Ventures and Google Ventures and garnered a $700 million valuation.
• Skild AI, $300 million: Pittsburgh-based Skild AI announced a $300 million Series A round on July 9 that valued the company at $1.5 billion. The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coatue and Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Expeditions with participation from Sequoia, Menlo Ventures and General Catalyst, among others. Skild AI builds tech to power robots.
• Bright Machines, $106 million: BlackRock led a $106 million Series C round into Bright Machines that closed on June 25. Nvidia, Microsoft and Eclipse Ventures, among others, also participated. The startup makes both smart robotics and AI-driven software and has raised more than $437 million in total funding.
• Etched.ai, $120 million: San Francisco-based Etched.ai raised a $120 million Series A round on June 25. The round was led by Primary Venture Partners and Positive Sum with participation from Two Sigma Ventures, Peter Thiel and Kyle Vogt, among others. Etched.ai is working to make chips that can run AI models faster and cheaper than GPUs.
• EvolutionaryScale, $142 million: New York-based EvolutionaryScale is developing biological AI models for therapeutic design. It raised a $142 million seed round that closed on June 25. The round was led by Lux Capital, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, an angel investor and former head of AI at Y Combinator. The company was founded in 2023.
• AKASA, $120 million: Healthcare revenue cycle automation platform Akasa announced a $120 million round on June 18. The San Francisco-based startup has collected $205 million in total funding and has raised from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Costanoa Ventures and Bond in prior rounds.
• AlphaSense, $650 million: New York-based AlphaSense raised a $650 million Series F round that was announced on June 11. The round was led by Viking Global Investors and BDT & MSD Partners with participation from CapitalG, SoftBank Vision Fund and Goldman Sachs, among others. AlphaSense is a market intelligence platform founded in 2008. The company has raised more than $1.4 billion in venture funding and was most recently valued at $4 billion.
• xAI, $6 billion: Elon Musk’s xAI raised a jaw-dropping $6 billion Series B round on May 31 from investors, including Sequoia, Valor Equity Partners and Fidelity, among others. The startup is building an AI platform that will “accelerate human scientific discovery” and is valued at an equally stunning $24 billion.
• Scale AI, $1 billion: Scale AI, a startup that provides data-labeling services to companies for training AI models, raised $1 billion in May. The Series F round was led by Accel with participation from Tiger Global, Spark Capital and Amazon, among others. San Francisco-based Scale AI has raised more than $1.6 billion in total and is currently valued at nearly $14 billion.
• Suno, $125 million: AI-music creation platform Suno raised $125 million in a Series B round that closed on May 21. The round values the Cambridge, Massachusetts, startup at $500 million. Founder Collective, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Matrix participated in the round in addition to former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and former head of AI at Y Combinator Daniel Gross.
• Weka, $140 million: Silicon Valley-based Weka created an AI-native data platform and raised $140 million in a Series E round that closed on May 13. The funding was led by Valor Equity Partners with participation from Qualcomm Ventures, Nvidia and Hitachi Ventures, among others. The startup was valued at $1.6 billion.
• CoreWeave, $1.1 billion: New Jersey-based GPU infrastructure provider CoreWeave raised $1.1 billion in a Series C round that closed on May 1. Coatue led the round with participation from Fidelity, Altimeter Capital and Magnetar Capital, among others. CoreWeave was launched in 2017 and is valued at $19 billion.
• Blaize, $106 million: AI computing platform company Blaize raised $106 million in a Series D round that was announced on April 29. The round had participation from investors, including Temasek, Franklin Templeton and Bess Ventures, among others. The company was founded in 2010 and has raised $242 million.
• Augment, $227 million: Palo Alto-based Augment raised $227 million for its AI coding assistance startup. The startup’s Series B round was announced on April 24. Lightspeed Venture Partners, Index Ventures and Sutter Hill Ventures participated in the round, which valued the startup just shy of $1 billion.
• Cognition, $175 million: Founders Fund led applied AI lab startup Cognition’s $175 million round that closed on April 24. This round came just about a month after the firm raised a $21 million Series A round in March from Founders Fund and numerous other investors, including Ramp co-founder Eric Glyman, Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison, and DoorDash co-founder Tony Xu. The company was founded in November 2023 and is already valued at nearly $2 billion.
• Xaira Therapeutics, $1 billion: San Francisco-based AI drug discovery startup Xaira Therapeutics raised a $1 billion Series A round . Foresite Capital and ARCH Venture Partners led the round that was announced on April 23. Sequoia, NEA and Lux Capital participated in the round, among many others.
• Cyera, $300 million: Coatue led the recent $300 million Series C round into AI-powered data security platform Cyera that closed on April 9. The round valued New York-based startup at $1.4 billion. Sequoia, Redpoint and Accel also participated in the round, among others.
• Celestial AI, $175 million : Celestial AI, founded in 2020, is building an optical interconnect technology platform for data centers and AI solutions and raised a $175 million Series C round on March 27, which brought its total funding amount to $338 million. The round was led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund with participation from M Ventures, Temasek and Tyche Partners, among others.
• FundGuard, $100 million: FundGuard is a New York-based startup offering an AI-powered investment accounting operating system that raised $100 million at a $400 million valuation . The Series C round closed on March 25 and was led by Key1 Capital with participation from Hamilton Lane, Blumberg Capital and Team8, among others.
• Together AI, $106 million: Salesforce Ventures led Together AI’s $106 million Series A round that valued the company at $1.2 billion. Together AI is a platform designed to help create infrastructure and open source generative AI for developing AI models. NEA, Kleiner Perkins and Lux Capital also participated in the round, among others. The round was announced on March 13.
• Zephyr AI, $111 million: Fairfax Station, Virginia-based Zephyr AI raised a $111 million Series A round that closed on March 13. Revolution Growth, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, EPIQ Capital Group and investor Jeff Skoll all participated in the round. The startup, founded in 2020, uses AI to enhance drug discovery and precision medicine. It has raised $129.5 million total so far.
• Glean, $203 million : AI-driven enterprise search startup Glean raised $203 million in a February 27 round that valued the startup at $2.2 billion. The Series D round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Kleiner Perkins with participation from Sequoia and Databricks Ventures, among others. The Silicon Valley-based startup has raised more than $350 million in venture funding and its founder, Arvind Jain, was recently interviewed on TechCrunch’s Found podcast.
• Figure, $675 million: Silicon Valley-based AI robotics startup Figure raised a $675 million Series B round that closed on February 24. The round valued the startup at nearly $2.7 billion. Nvidia, OpenAI and Microsoft participated in the round, among others. The startup was founded in 2022 and has raised more than $850 million.
• Abridge, $150 million : Pittsburgh-based Abridge, which uses AI to transcribe medical conversations, raised a $150 million Series C round that closed on February 23. The round was led by Redpoint and Lightspeed Venture Partners with participation from USV, IVP and Spark Capital, among others. This round brings the six-year-old company’s valuation to $850 million.
• Recogni, $102 million: The company designs high-output but low-power AI interface solutions, and it raised a $102 million Series C round on February 20. The round was led by GreatPoint Ventures and Celesta Capital. Pledge Ventures, Mayfield and DNS Capital also contributed to the round.
• Lambda, $320 million: San Francisco-based deep learning infrastructure company Lambda raised $320 million in a Series C round that was announced on February 15. The round was led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund with participation from Gradient Ventures, Mercato Partners and T. Rowe Price, among others. Lambda has raised more than $900 million in venture capital and was most recently valued at $1.5 billion.
• Magic, $117 million: AI coding startup Magic raised a $117 million Series B round that closed on February 12. The round was led by NFDG Ventures with participation from CapitalG and angel investor Elad Gil. The San Francisco-based company has raised more than $145 million in total capital.
• Kore.ai, $150 million: A startup building conversational AI for enterprises, Kore.ai raised a $150 million Series D round that was announced on January 30. FTV Capital led the round into the Orlando, Florida-based company. Nvidia, Vistara Growth, and NextEquity Partners participated as well, among others. Kore.ai was founded in 2013 and has raised more than $223 million in funding.

This piece has been updated to correct Glean’s current valuation.

More TechCrunch

Get the industry’s biggest tech news, techcrunch daily news.

Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.

Startups Weekly

Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.

TechCrunch Fintech

The latest Fintech news and analysis, delivered every Tuesday.

TechCrunch Mobility

TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.

What Kamala Harris has said about AI, tech regulation, and more

With President Joe Biden dropping out of the race, Vice President Kamala Harris may become the Democrats’ new nominee. In announcing his plans, Biden offered his “full support and endorsement…

Joe Biden drops out of presidential race

U.S. President Joe Biden has announced he no longer plans to seek reelection, a decision that follows weeks of growing pressure from some Democratic Party supporters, including high-profile tech investors…

Made by Google 2024: Pixel 9, Gemini, a new foldable and other things to expect from the event

Google is expected to announce four Pixel devices: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Premium, running Android 15.

WazirX halts trading after $230 million ‘force majeure’ loss

WazirX, one of India’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has “temporarily” suspended all trading activities on its platform days after losing about $230 million, nearly half of its reserves, in a security…

Featured Article

From Yandex’s ashes comes Nebius, a ‘startup’ with plans to be a European AI compute leader

Subject to shareholder approval, Yandex N.V. is adopting the name of one of its few remaining assets, an AI cloud platform called Nebius AI which it birthed last year.

Bethesda Game Studios employees form a ‘wall-to-wall’ union

Employees at Bethesda Game Studios — the Microsoft-owned game developer that produces the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises — are joining the Communication Workers of America. Quality assurance testers at…

CrowdStrike’s update fail causes global outages and travel chaos

This week saw one of the most widespread IT disruptions in recent years linked to a faulty software update from popular cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Businesses across the world reported IT…

Unpacking how Alphabet’s rumored Wiz acquisition could affect VC

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is in advanced talks to acquire cybersecurity startup Wiz for $23 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. TechCrunch’s sources heard similar and…

Microsoft says 8.5M Windows devices were affected by CrowdStrike outage

Around 8.5 million devices — less than 1 percent Windows machines globally — were affected by the recent CrowdStrike outage, according to a Microsoft blog post by David Weston, the…

Some Black startup founders feel betrayed by Ben Horowitz’s support for Trump

Trump is an advocate for a number of policies that could be harmful to people of color.

Strava’s next chapter: New CEO talks AI, inclusivity, and why ‘dark mode’ took so long

TechCrunch sat down with Strava’s new CEO in London for a wide-ranging interview, delving into what the company is prioritizing, and what we can expect in the future as the company embarks on its “next chapter.”

Lavish parties and moral dilemmas: 4 days with Silicon Valley’s MAGA elite at the RNC

All week at the RNC, I saw an event defined by Silicon Valley. But I also saw the tech elite experience flashes of discordance.

Tracking the EV battery factory construction boom across North America

A wave of automakers and battery makers — foreign and domestic — have pledged to produce North American–made batteries before 2030.

Faulty CrowdStrike update causes major global IT outage, taking out banks, airlines and businesses globally

Security giant CrowdStrike said the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, as businesses anticipate widespread disruption.

US cyber agency CISA says malicious hackers are ‘taking advantage’ of CrowdStrike outage

CISA confirmed the CrowdStrike outage was not caused by a cyberattack, but urged caution as malicious hackers exploit the situation.

These startups are trying to prevent another CrowdStrike-like outage, according to VCs

The global outage is a perfect reminder how much of the world relies on technological infrastructure.

CrowdStrike outage: How your plane, train and automobile travel may be affected

The CrowdStrike outage that hit early Friday morning and knocked out computers running Microsoft Windows has grounded flights globally. Major U.S. airlines including United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air…

Twitch reinstates Trump’s account ahead of the 2024 presidential election

Prior to the ban, Trump’s team used his channel to broadcast some of his campaigns. With the ban now lifted, his channel can resume doing so.

M&A activity heats up with Wiz, Graphcore, etc.

This week, Google is in discussions to pay $23 billion for cloud security startup Wiz, SoftBank acquires Graphcore, and more.

CrowdStrike’s rivals stand to benefit from its update fail debacle

CrowdStrike competes with a number of vendors, including SentinelOne and Palo Alto Networks but also Microsoft, Trellix, Trend Micro and Sophos, in the endpoint security market.

CrowdStrike chaos leads to grounded aircraft — and maybe an unusual weather effect

The IT outage may have an unexpected effect on the climate: clearer skies and maybe lower temperatures this evening

The CrowdStrike outage is a plot point in a rom-com 

There’s a man in Florida right now who wants to propose to his girlfriend while they’re on a beach vacation. He couldn’t get the engagement ring before he flew down…

What we know about CrowdStrike’s update fail that’s causing global outages and travel chaos

Here’s everything you need to know so far about the global outages caused by CrowdStrike’s buggy software update.

From the Sphere to false cyberattack claims, misinformation runs rampant amid CrowdStrike outage

This serves as an example for how easy it is to spread inaccurate information online during a time of immense global confusion and panic.

Last chance today: Secure major savings for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024!

Today is the final chance to save up to $800 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 tickets. Disrupt Deal Days event will end tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT. Don’t miss out on…

Paytm loss widens and revenue shrinks as it grapples with regulatory clampdown

Indian fintech Paytm’s struggles won’t seem to end. The company on Friday reported that its revenue declined by 36% and its loss more than doubled in the first quarter as…

Fandango founder dies in fall from Manhattan skyscraper

J. Michael Cline, the co-founder of Fandango and multiple other startups over his multi-decade career, died after falling from a Manhattan hotel, New York’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information tells…

Researcher finds flaw in a16z website that exposed some company data

Venture capital giant a16z fixed a security vulnerability in one of the firm’s websites after being warned by a security researcher.

Apple Vision Pro debuts immersive content featuring NBA players, The Weeknd and more

Apple on Thursday announced its upcoming lineup of immersive video content for the Vision Pro. The list includes behind-the-scenes footage of the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, an immersive performance by…

Elon Musk is now a villain in Joe Biden’s presidential campaign

Biden centering Musk in his campaign is a notable escalation, considering he spent most of his presidency seemingly pretending the billionaire didn’t exist.

More From Forbes

5 chatgpt prompts to find profitable startup ideas you can start today.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

5 ChatGPT prompts to find profitable startup ideas you can start today

ChatGPT can come up with business ideas fast. Using it is an advantage for any entrepreneur looking to start up or go in a new direction. Don’t waste its wisdom. ChatGPT won’t start your business for you. It can’t replace your genuine interest, passion and old-fashioned hard work, but it can uncover routes forward you might never have thought of on your own.

Use these prompts for innovative ideas based on solid reasoning. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through.

Find profitable startup ideas: ChatGPT prompts to use today

Find audience pains.

Defining who your startup will serve is step number one. Perhaps you already serve this audience with another service, you’re a member of this audience yourself, or you just know a lot of people with specific things in common. Defining an audience means you can pin down a pain that your startup can address. No pain, no profit. Get ChatGPT’s help with finding both.

“I’m starting a business and want to clearly define my target audience and their associated pains. Acting as a business coach, ask me questions, one by one, about the type of people I am familiar with or already have in my network. Ask me to describe them, then move to asking me what pains they have that I know about. After seven questions, provide a description of this audience and list their top 20 problems. My job is to pick the top three, which will form the basis of the next steps, which will be generating startup ideas. Do not generate any startup ideas until I say so.”

Set your parameters

You have the problems you want to solve for a certain group of people. But make sure your business doesn’t cause problems for you. The next step is to define your parameters, to find ideas that fit the bill. Before starting Coachvox I created 7 rules for my next business , including that it had to be location-independent, focused on personal development, good for the planet and the potential to be a $100million business. Make your rules before generating ideas.

Biden Vs. Trump 2024 Election Polls: Trump Expands His Lead—As More Democrats Pressure Biden To Drop Out

Today’s nyt mini crossword clues and answers for saturday, july 20, ukraine’s lonely t-72s might be the rarest tank of the war.

“Now we will define the parameters that the business ideas we generate should comply with. Acting as a business analyst, ask me questions about what kind of startup I want to begin, with questions about its potential, location, delivery and industry. After 7 questions, create a set of 7 parameters (also known as rules or boundaries) that the business ideas we create must adhere to. Don’t create the ideas until I say, only the rules.”

Solve the problem

Here’s where we combine the two prompts so far. Find ways of solving your target audience’s top three problems within the boundaries you just defined. Ask ChatGPT to run the experiment and see what comes out. As you read the list, picture yourself running that business. Imagine announcing it to your network. Visualize working on it every day. See what kind of feelings you have when reading the words.

“Your task is to combine (i) the target audience description and (ii) the top three problems identified with (iii) the parameters outlined, to create 6 [add adjectives, e.g. innovative and exciting] startup ideas that solve one or more of the problems within the parameters. For each idea, the title should be a value proposition aimed at the target audience, followed by a short description of the startup and what it does.”

Filter bad ideas

In theory, you have 6 good ideas. Keep these in mind for later. But first, a thought experiment. ChatGPT can present weird and wacky ideas as well. It can give you ones that are bad. Ask for what ChatGPT thinks are terrible ideas, and they will get your brain working in a different way, which might spark ideas for some good ones of your own. The ideas will also help you avoid pitfalls.

“Let’s try a thought experiment. Your task is to combine (i) the target audience description and (ii) the top three problems identified with (iii) the parameters outlined, to create 6 terrible startup ideas. They should be really bad, with no chance of working. Have some fun with coming up with awful ideas and present them as a value proposition aimed at the target audience, followed by a short description of the startup and what it does.”

Link ideas to revenue

You have six good ideas and six bad ones. Now get into the details of your favourite, and figure out how you make a lot of money. Using this prompt you explain which you like and why, and get ideas on how the idea turns into revenue. Figure out capacity, pricing and sales copy, and start generating interest straight away. You don’t have to build anything right now, you need expressions of interest from potential buyers.

“From the ideas you suggested, let’s explore these ones further: [specify which you want to expand]. For each one, suggest the offer. Your task is to create a description of what is for sale, the absolute perfect customer, the reason someone should buy, and how it’s delivered in terms of time or other resources. Include the potential for how much money I could make in my first year. This will help me pre-sell the startup before I have built it, and give me motivation to begin.”

Generate startup ideas that make money with 5 ChatGPT prompts

ChatGPT is your high-powered, endlessly patient ideation assistant that wants to help you make a success of whatever you start. These prompts will find profitable startup ideas you can work on today. Define an audience and understand their pains, then specify parameters so you build your dream company. Find ideas that solve the problem, filter out bad ones for good measure, and link your favourite ideas to revenue by unpacking the offer and the next steps. Start a business and see what’s possible. There’s no good reason not to.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.