Starting an online traveling agency

Hello, I'm thinking about starting an online traveling agency where I could sell hotel room, flights, vacations packages,... etc.

How can I integrate with GDS providers like Amadeus and Sabre? Do I have to sign contracts?
What is the difference between Amadeus and Expedia?
Is there a better solution for me as I'm not going to invest a lot of money?

I appreciate your help. Thank you

 

This is a highly competitive niche with a lot of major players that probably have way more leverage in brokering deals than you do. I'd suggest a site with travel-related content as an alternative.

 

Almost any idea is a highly competitive niche, unless I invented a unique thing, and in this case I would need a sponsor with a lot of money for marketing

 

I disagree. There are underserved niches being jumped on every day. I would say US soccer was (and still is?) a fairly non-competitive niche. Its currently one of the biggest trending stories in the country and could be a highly competitive niche by the next World Cup in 2018.

 

I completely agree with @Jake Rigdon as there's already a ton of large players who dominate this market place.

It's hard for me to advise you while knowing this, but I'd suggest just creating an affiliate site that provides leads to other major companies.

 

It is evergreen niche, though it is very tough to get in it. Especially now when the algorithms are not very friendly. I personally would suggest to try local travel and tourism first, then try to expand the business. Hitting global market directly will be mission impossible without huge financial backup.

 

I would like to hear your suggestions

 

I think it is better to get hotels/airlines through a company like "Expedia" and target the domestic market. Or do you have another suggestion?

 

If you're determined to go the "agent" route, then try making connections with local hotels that aren't on expedia or hotels.com. Then, maybe put together packages with nearby restaurants?

 

yes thats true since there are a lot of top notch players out there it will be nearly impossible to advice you on this. Introducing and affiliate program will certainly allow you to make some cash through the traffic you get. However since you are into travelling check out Elucid Gent for tips

 

My idea is to be an affiliate but to control the process, to get hotel rooms from expedia for example and sell them from my website

 

Wow, I cannot think of a more competitive niche. Not only are there a ton of big players like Travelocity, Orbitz, etc., etc., but the airlines and major hotels are trying to compete with them by offering deals directly to consumers. If I were forced to go into such a market, I would try to carve out a niche in either a specific, underserved geography or dealing with a specific type of traveler (e.g., adventurer or senior citizen, etc.)

 

Maybe I don't understand your point, but why would people go through a middle-man when they could just go directly to Expedia?

 

Honestly unless you've got some serious connections, this isn't the best thing to go into. Perhaps you could do it locally first, as in make your website about where you're from, and then suggest different hotel rooms/restaurants etc?

You could do well in a specific town, make the tourists want to come there and go through your website to do it.

 

good idea, thank you

 

Well if you need help setting up Telemarketing for your Customers and Business then Contact me and we can setup this for you and for this some startup money will be required to Lease Office Space like $3k - $5k which is much cheaper than Western Countries.

 

i tried the idea 2-3 years ago , but failed

you need really big budget for that just to launch something usefull, unless you use one of those 10$ autopilots which have 100.000 copies online.

 

what are the 10$ autopilots !!!

 

I agree with Jake. You have to cut out the middle man to be profitable in this field and making connection with your local hotels is the best way to do it. However, I think unless you can send them visits in large volume, they (local hotels) won't lower the price for you easily thus cutting out your selling point.

I believe what Mark means is the traveling agency website crap that is on Flippa or other website market place.

 

Maybe you could put together custom itineraries or city tours that guide people along a well-conceived experience?