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Fxdome · 04-12-2006, 08:48 PM

Hello Everyone,

I currently have a company that is basically a sitting duck without the proper investment www.worldhostagency.com . I have build this company already for couple of months now, had a few signups etc. To make thing as short as possible this company is a travel host Agency. I have build the site and the Windows Application by myself. This Service/company allows people to become Travel agents at home. They can book Vacations, Air, Cruises, Rail anywhere in the world with this Software that I have created. The way this company makes money is by charging a monthly fee and getting a certain % every time someone books for there clients. Currently the market is very good as I do not have that much competition at all. Also the software it's self makes it a much better for agents to book fares compared to the competition. Currently we are asking about 100+K from investor so that we can get all other proper licenses so we can get recognized, advertise in Travel Agent and travel magazines, Home business Mags and so on. If you are interested in this new venture please contact me at sales@worldhostagency.com or you can post or PM me

Thank You for your time.

jdoc · 04-14-2006, 12:16 AM

A few questions:

1) Does your software consolidate quotes from the various existing packages (Sabre, Galileo, etc.) so that it's all through one program? If so how did you connect with them without being a recognized travel agency first?

2) Will you cover your home agents for insurance? Will they be recognized as travel agents in the industry?

3) I take it you're not recognized with IATA yet, and that's one of the things you want to do with the investment. What other licenses/designations do you need?

4) What tools are there for all-inclusive packages, and are they U.S. focused or do you have access to other tour operations around the world (eg. Sunquest, Transat, etc. in Canada)?

You are definitely not alone in this space: Google "home travel agent" and you will see what you're up against. From what I've seen, you have the advantage of no large up front fees (which can range from a couple of hundred dollars to well over ten thousand) to get started, which is what nearly all your competition has. That said, your no monthly payment commission split is low by industry standards.

Travel agents are being squeezed to as low as a few bucks commission per flight/hotel/etc. thanks to online operators who have virtually no marginal costs. I really think you're going to find it hard to attract/retain people. I would suggest you think about finding ways to get them to add value (ie. become personal travel consultants, not just commission driven agents). If agents want to survive they have to morph from salespeople into personal consultants who save people the time of having to search the net to find the best deal, take care of all the little details before, during and after trips, etc. If you create a program for them to implement and find new niches in such an oversaturated market, then you will greatly improve your value proposition to your target customers.

Fxdome · 04-14-2006, 12:49 AM

Hello, jdoc

The software connects right into Sabre, Galileao etc GDS systems. Also we have our RSP # ARC and we have are True ID from OSSN ( Same as IATA and maintained by IATA ) http://www.ossn.com/true_registration.asp We currently are registered to sell many tour operations all around we currently use Sabre vacations ( Vax Vacationaccess http://www.vaxvacationaccess.com . We do understand that we are not alone in this business, but we do know we have something better that we can offer to the industry (Travel Agents Brick & Mortar and the home agent ( E-agent ) . We have also designed a script that all agent will have there own site and the proper links so they can Implement in there sites. With that in mind they can sell online and offline. My program is very unique , We have added email Marketing, Email Service, Sales reports Client Database system, Agent Database systems and all other report systems in that Program tracking sales and marketing. The great thing about the software is that Travel Agents have everything they ever wanted in one platform. As for insurance we do not provide that as of yet but it will be a plan for the future. Also they will be recognized as travel agents in the industry after they get a certain amount of sales as Iata requires if they are intrested. The current completion is not bad at all compared to other Home business etc.

Thanks for the input

jdoc · 04-14-2006, 11:18 AM

Sounds like you're already on your way. What percentage of the $100K do you need for licensing, and what are those licenses?

Your marketing sounds very traditional (and expensive). Think about the online channels out there to get your message out and start there. It's a lot cheaper. I'm not an expert in that field, but you can ask for others on this board to help you out there.

Search for travel/travel business blogs and befriend the authors. Get them to write about your unique opportunity from the hundreds of other home based offerings out there. Start signing up to travel forums and establish yourself on them, having a link to the site in your signature (you should add it here too). If you're going to pay for advertising look at the adword cost for variants on 'home travel agent'. Also look into advertising costs on the popular blogs/travel sites (I'd focus on consuming facing ones so that you can attract new people to the industry from people who love to travel). All this will cost a fraction of what it would to get a few full page ads in travel mags, and is way more likely to generate business for you.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck!