board my trip business plan

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Board My Trip Review: Real or Fake Company?

In this review, we delve into the intricacies of Board My Trip , an MLM company offering travel packages.

We explore its services, income plans, and credibility in the market.

What is Board My Trip?

Board My Trip is an MLM company registered in 2021, based in Surat, Gujarat, India. It offers travel packages to Thailand and Goa, with a focus on providing travel services.

Board My Trip primarily sells travel packages to Thailand and Goa, priced at ₹12,600 each. Additionally, it offers regular packages for ₹525, activation of which qualifies users for higher-tier packages.

The company is purportedly owned by Patel Parulben Vijaybhai, as per its registration details. However, no substantial information is available about the founder or ownership structure.

Additionally, the minimum payout threshold for withdrawals is set at ₹300, ensuring members can access their earnings conveniently and efficiently.

Board My Trip offers multiple income streams, including Fresh Cycle Bonus, Team Bonus, Referral Matching Bonus, Rewards, Club Bonus, Loyalty Bonus, and Re-purchase Bonus, enticing potential investors with lucrative returns.

According to SimilarWeb, it had approximately 40k visitors as of December 2023.

Read: Funngro App Review

Website Profile

Read:  Eopot.com Review

Joining Packages

The joining package for Board My Trip is priced at ₹12,600, granting access to the Eagle Package and its associated benefits. There are two types of packages:

• Eagle Package: Includes travel packages to Thailand and Goa, priced at ₹12,600 each, with activation PV and specific tour durations. It is also called Pattaya tour.
• Regular Packages: Priced at ₹525, these packages activate user IDs with 1 PV and offer 500 B.M.Y.T. Points, serving as a gateway to higher-tier packages and income opportunities. It is also called booster package.

Read:  Stockinfohindi.blogspot.com Review

Income Plan

Here is a detailed breakdown of the income plans and opportunities offered by Board My Trip:

• Earn Rs. 200 for matching 1 PV in both ORGs. Despite matching 20 PV in both ORGs, with a 1 PV ID, you’ll only get Rs. 200, but with 20 PV, earn Rs. 4000.
• For example, if your ID has 1 PV and a matching pair of 1 PV is formed in both organizations, you earn a bonus. The amount increases with higher PV matches.
• Users can earn ₹40 for each matching PV pair in both organizations.
• The daily cap for this bonus is ₹82,000.
• Rewards users for bringing in new members and matching their PV.
• This bonus in Board My Trip varies based on your ID’s PV: from 5% to 25% of your direct downline’s earnings.
• Lifetime rewards are granted based on team PV milestones.
• Earning scope in rewars 15000 to 5.25 crore.
• It has five clubs: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, diamond, and millionaire. its earning scope in 2000 to 10 crore.
• When 10 individuals below you qualify for the Club Bonus, you also qualify for the Royalty Bonus.
• You can get 2% Executive Fund for 10 qualifiers, 1.5% Bike Fund for 10 pairs, 1% Car Fund for 100 pairs, and 0.5% House Fund for 1000 pairs.
• Users receive income proportional to their repurchase volume, encouraging sustained engagement.
• In this, 500BV = 1RP and 1RP = 25 rupees.

Read:  Gofurtures.com Review

Board My Trip Review

Several red flags raise concerns about Board My Trip’s legitimacy:

• Lack of concrete information about the owner or founder.
• No significant reviews or testimonials were found.
• High payout limit and withdrawal service charges.
• Ambiguous business model and reliance on package sales for income.

Here are some green flags about this platform

• Legally registered company under MCA.
• Detailed company profile including director’s name, registration number, and address.
• Clearly stated contact information.
• It is active since 2019.
• Approximately 40k monthly website visitors as per SimilarWeb data.

Board My Trip appears to be a relatively new MLM venture with limited transparency and credibility.

While it offers enticing income opportunities, potential investors should exercise caution and conduct thorough research before investing, considering the red flags associated with the company.

Read: Yauidefy.com Review

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Plan Your Trip With Trello

For your next excellent adventure, create a Trello board for all your plans. Make cards for tasks you need to complete beforehand, as well as activities you want to check out while you’re away.

Get Everybody “On Board”

Plan your trip collaboratively! Comment back and forth to get updates about who’s doing what. Delegate tasks so everyone has a voice in the voyage.

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Attach your itinerary and booking confirmations directly to cards. Expand on any task by adding checklists, descriptions, and relevant links to your cards.

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How to Write a Tourism Business Plan

by Bryan Reynolds | Jul 10, 2023 | Destination Marketing

Starting a tourism business can be an exciting venture, but it’s vital to have a solid business plan in place. Your business plan will serve as a blueprint for your business, outlining your goals, strategies, and financial projections. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write a tourism business plan.

Step 1: Executive Summary

• Start with an executive summary, which provides a snapshot of your business.
• It should include your business name, location, and a brief description of the services you offer.
• This section should also highlight your unique selling proposition – what sets your tourism business apart from the competition.

Step 2: Business Description

• Provide detailed information about your tourism business.
• Describe your target market, the types of tours or services you’ll offer, and your business structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation).
• Also, discuss any partnerships with local businesses or organizations that will enhance your offerings.

Next up is the market analysis.

Step 3: Market Analysis

• This section requires research into the tourism industry in your area.
• Identify your competitors and analyze their strengths and weaknesses.
• Understand your target customers – their preferences, behaviors, and what they value in a tourism experience.

After understanding your market, it’s time to outline your organization and management structure.

Step 4: Organization and Management

Outline your team structure..

• Include the roles and responsibilities of each team member, and provide brief bios if possible.
• If you’re a sole proprietor, describe any outsourced roles (like accounting or marketing).

Step 5: Services or Products

• Detail the services or products your tourism business will offer.
• Whether you’re offering guided tours, travel planning, or other tourism-related services, make sure to describe each offering clearly.
• Explain the benefits of your services and how they meet the needs of your target market.

Finally, let’s talk numbers in your financial projections.

Step 6: Financial Projections

• This section should provide a clear picture of your business’s financial outlook.
• Include sales and revenue projections, a budget, a break-even analysis, and a projection of your cash flow.
• These figures will be crucial when seeking funding or investment for your tourism business.

Why do I need a business plan for my tourism business? A business plan helps you understand your business better, assists in securing funding, and serves as a roadmap for your business’s growth. A company overview is important in the travel and tourism industry. How long should my business plan be? The length of a business plan can vary significantly depending on the size and complexity of the business. However, typically, a business plan ranges from 20 to 50 pages. Who should write the business plan? As the successful business owner, you are the best person to write the business plan. However, you can also hire a professional business plan writer or use business plan software. How often should I update my business plan? It’s a good idea to update your business plan at least once a year or whenever significant changes occur in your business or industry. What if I’m starting a small tourism business and don’t have a team yet? That’s perfectly fine. In your organization and management section, simply focus on your role and any outsourced functions. Do I need to include all these sections in my business plan? Yes, each section plays a critical role in providing a comprehensive view of your business. However, the depth of detail in each section can vary based on your specific business. Can I use my business plan to secure funding? Absolutely. Investors and lenders will often request to see a business plan to understand the viability and potential of your business. A well-crafted business plan is crucial for the success of your tourism business. By following this guide, you’ll be well on your way to creating a comprehensive and effective business plan.

Best Practices when Writing a Tourism Business Plan Template

Writing a business plan for a tourism business involves several best practices that can increase the likelihood of your venture’s success. Here are some key points to consider:

1. Be Clear About Your Business Idea:

• Define your tourism business concept clearly.
• Specify the type of services you will provide, such as guided tours, travel planning, or accommodation booking.

2. Conduct Thorough Market Analysis:

• Identify your target audience and understand their needs and preferences.
• Analyze your competitors, their offerings, strengths, and weaknesses.

3. Create a Unique Selling Proposition (USP):

• Determine what sets your tourism business apart from competitors.
• Your USP could be unique tour packages, superior customer service, or partnerships with local businesses.

4. Detail Your Marketing Strategy:

• Develop a marketing and sales strategy to attract and retain customers.
• This could involve online advertising, social media promotion, collaborations with local businesses, or special offers for repeat customers.

5. Plan Your Operations:

• Outline how your business will operate on a day-to-day basis.
• Include details about logistics, staff requirements, equipment needed, and any regulatory compliance issues.

6. Develop a Financial Plan:

• Prepare a detailed financial plan, including revenue projections, budget, and break-even analysis.
• This section is crucial if you’re seeking investment or loans.

7. Review and Revise Regularly:

• A business plan should not be a static document. Review and update it regularly to keep it aligned with your current business situation and future goals.

Remember, your business plan is not just a document for potential investors or lenders; it’s also a roadmap for your business, guiding your decisions and strategies. By adhering to these best practices, you can create a robust business plan that sets your tourism business up for success.

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Traveling in 2023? Here’s the vacation planner template to help you pack, prioritize, and play

Sr. Content Marketing Manager

Planning a vacation is exciting: researching what you’ll see, where you’ll stay, what you’ll eat. The entire process can overwhelm you with the feeling of boundless potential. A cheap airfare quote pops up in your inbox and suddenly the world is your oyster—where eating oysters in another part of the world is no longer a fantasy.

But before you fashion yourself a modern day Magellan, don’t forget there’s a lot of pesky logistics to handle that can make or break a stress-free vacation. Check out this video to see how Trello can help. 

Create your checklist in the Trello app or on desktop

Planning a vacay with Trello is so easy. Open up this sample board to get started. Hit “Copy board” in the upper-right hand corner to overwrite this trip plan with your own info. 

The first step to planning the best vacation ever begins with a Trello board. Set up your vacation board with two distinct halves: there are lists for the tasks you need to accomplish while planning your vacation, and the lists for everything you want to do once you’ve arrived at your destination.

Start by adding “To Do,” “Doing,” and “Done” lists to your boards, and on the “To Do” list add cards for everything you need to do to get ready for the trip, such as:

• Book flights
• Book lodging (hotels, Airbnbs, etc.)
• Renew passports
• Buy guidebooks
• …etc, etc.

As you tackle a task, move it to “Doing” and attach any relevant links, confirmations, or other attachments. Once the task is complete, drag it to the “Done” list.

The most important thing is to get everything out of your head and onto your Trello board. The last thing you want is a modern-day version of Home Alone, or worse yet, arriving in paradise without a place to stay because you thought Kevin booked it.

On the second half of the board, add a list to plan out all of the activities you want to do on your trip. If you and your group are a bunch of foodies, add a separate list of places to eat and drink. On both the “Activities” and “Eat and Drink” lists everyone you’re traveling with can add cards to keep your bellies full and days packed with fun.

Invite your group to help with planning

Before you can hop on that flight and prepare for take-off, there’s a ton of things to get done. Some of these items are time sensitive, like making sure passports are up to date, and arranging pet care for Sparky.

If you are traveling with family or friends, invite them to the board and delegate tasks by adding them to cards. Everyone can drag their cards from the “To Do” to “Doing” and finally to “Done” as they complete their tasks (way to score an upgrade with those bonus points, mom) and your dream vacation starts to take shape.

Add due dates to cards to make sure these things get done with enough time. Whoever is assigned the card will get a friendly notification nudge 24-hours before the card is due. When it’s taken care of, check off that due date to mark the card as done. It will let your vacation collaborators know that travel to-do is taken care of!

Put all the details in one place

The great thing about Trello is that it allows you to keep your itinerary and all of the important information organized in one place, which means you can take a break from repeatedly digging through your inbox and set your sails to Relaxationville.

As you book your flights, hotels, rentals, and activities, add important information like addresses, confirmation numbers, and websites to each respective card’s description. You can even attach confirmation emails directly to Trello cards right from your inbox with either the Trello for Gmail Add-on or by forwarding the email to a card’s unique email address .

Now, instead of fumbling through your inbox for your itinerary, you can open your Trello board on your phone and easily access your tickets, tracking numbers, and confirmation details in one location.

Create and share checklists for packing and prep

The unwritten rules of vacation prep are as follows:

• Don’t forget to pack your cell phone charger!
• There’s a reason a hotel’s rates are low.
• Most importantly, you can never have enough checklists.

Expand on a task by adding a checklist to a card. A good example of this is making a packing list card for each person, then adding a checklist to the card with all the items they will need to pack. It’s a great way to never forget your cellphone charger again, so you can stay connected and post all those selfies by the pool to Instagram.

Stay on track with Trello’s Map

As you and your group start planning out excursions, add the location of each adventure to the card. Then, toggle to Trello Map view to see them in all in reference to one another.

You might discover that amazing restaurant recommendation is all the way across town from your Wednesday activities, but a mere blocks from your Thursday jaunts. Easy fix: just swap the dates for each dinner and you suddenly look like a regular old Rick Steves . The most efficient and optimized trip is in sight!

Gotta go mobile

If you haven’t already, make sure to grab the Trello mobile apps for Android and iOS. Not only does this mean that you will have your itinerary and important information always available in the palm of your hands, but Trello’s mobile apps work offline as well.

So when you are flying high in the sky and your chatty aisle buddy has a million must-do’s to tell you about, you can add them right to your board without dropping a dime on inflight wifi. Most importantly, it means that wherever you are in the world you’ll have access to the travel info you need, even without a cell signal.

Finally, there’s no need for you to try out all these tips from scratch. Plan your vacation in a snap using our sample board. It’s free to copy! Grab it here:

Check out the sample board!   Copy and customize it for your own trip.

Trello can’t predict the weather or guarantee your flight won’t be delayed, but it can keep you sane before your trip, or during any unplanned travel disruptions. With your Trello board handy and your trip details organized, you’ll be flying high like a Boeing 777 in no time. Safe travels, and remember: Getting there starts with Trello!

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Travel Agency Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their travel agencies. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a travel agency business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Travel Agency Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your travel agency as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Travel Agency

If you’re looking to start a travel agency or grow your existing travel agency you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your travel agency in order to improve your chances of success. Your travel agency business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Source of Funding for Travel Agencies

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a travel agency are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for a travel agency is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Your travel agency business plan should include 10 sections as follows:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of travel agency business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a travel agency that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of travel agencies.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the travel agency industry. Discuss the type of travel agency you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of travel agency you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types:

• Commercial Travel Agencies : this type of travel agency caters to business travelers. These agencies specialize in tracking down deals for business travelers to help companies manage travel costs.
• Online Travel Agencies : this type of travel agency exists only in cyberspace. They provide clients with the convenience of online booking and discounts that are available only to professional travel agencies.
• Niche Travel Agencies : this type of travel agency provides clients with specialized knowledge of a region.
• Membership Associations : Memberships associations give travelers access to the organization’s travel planning services for the cost of an annual membership rather than charging per transaction. This type of agency offers the most benefit to frequent travelers.

In addition to explaining the type of travel agency you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new location openings, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the travel agency business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the travel agency industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards glamping, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for plenty of luxury camping packages.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your travel agency business plan:

• How big is the travel agency business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your travel agency. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your travel agency business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: sports enthusiasts, soccer moms, baby boomers, businesses, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of travel agency you operate. Clearly baby boomers would want a different atmosphere, pricing and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than businesses.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most travel agencies primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other travel agencies.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes customers making travel arrangements themselves at home. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who travels uses travel agency services.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other travel agencies with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be travel agencies located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What products do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide better travel packages?
• Will you provide products or services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to book your offerings?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a travel agency business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of travel agency that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to regular accommodation and transportation booking, will you offer items such as tour packages and excursions?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the packages you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your travel agency. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your travel agency located next to a heavily populated office building, or highly trafficked retail area, etc. Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers.

Promotions : the final part of your travel agency marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Making your travel agency’s storefront extra appealing to attract passing customers
• Distributing travel brochures outside the travel agency
• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites
• Social media advertising
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your travel agency such as serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the office clean, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 1,000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch a new location.

Management Team

To demonstrate your travel agency’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in the travel agency business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in travel agencies and/or successfully running retail and small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 50 customers per week or 100? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your travel agency, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a travel agency:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment like computers, website/platform, and software
• Cost of marketing materials and maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint or location lease.

Travel Agency Business Plan Summary

Putting together a business plan for your travel agency is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the travel agency business, your competition and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful travel agency.

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How to Create a Business Plan for Your Tour or Travel Company

Do you have the next great tour business or travel company idea, but don’t know how to turn it into reality? You’ve found your niche and even come up with the best tour company name ever, but who do you tell and how do you get started? 

Table of Contents

Why your tour company needs a business plan.

We’ve previously covered topics on how to build your business, but one beneficial, even crucial, practice before you start is to write up a small business plan, one that compiles all the important aspects of your brand in a single 15-20 page document. Having a simple tourism business plan will help you plan for the future and even discover new things about your brand. 

Whether you’re a young entrepreneur building a tour startup in search of investors, or you’re an established tour operator looking to better understand your business and take it to the next level, a tour operator business plan can help guide you in the right direction. 

The Benefits of a Business Plan

As mentioned above, a tour company business plan is a document that outlines all the important aspects of your tour business. From your company goals and objectives, to your team members, and even your financial statements, a business plan is an effective tool for analyzing the ins and outs of your business.

It is the ultimate document used to convince investors and lenders to support your tour company. If you’re not looking for investors, writing a simple business plan for your tour business is still useful practice to align the leaders in your company, discover any shortcomings you might have missed, and plan for future growth.

How to Create a Tourism Business Plan

Now that you understand why having a small business plan is important, you’re probably wondering how to write one. You can use a business plan template, but it’s good to know why you’re including the information it asks for. It’s also acceptable to cater the content of your business plan to suit your unique company, but there are certain sections that investors expect to see, making them beneficial for you to include.

Here is what you need to include in your company’s business plan: 

Executive Summary

One of the most important sections of your business plan will be your executive summary, which serves as a high-level overview of your business, providing highlights of the fundamentals of your brand.

You’ll notice that most, if not all, of the topics covered within your executive summary will have their own dedicated section later on in your business plan. Because the executive summary is typically limited to a single page, leave the nitty-gritty details for their respective sections and use the executive summary as a way to simply introduce the topics to your reader. 

Executive summary topics:

• What is your business and what does it do? Do you host walking tours or provide bicycle rentals? Are you a tour guide or do you run a themed hotel experience? Give the reader a clear understanding of your business concept.
• What are your business goals and where do you envision your company in the future? How do you want to see your business grow?
• What makes your business different from your competitors? Whether you’re renting out a specific product like Segways or providing a service like guided tours, discuss what sets you apart from (and makes you better than) similar businesses in your industry.
• Who is your target audience? Who are you selling to and why are they interested?
• What is your marketing strategy? How do you plan to connect with and convert your customers?
• What is your current financial state? What is your projected financial state?
• What is the purpose of your business plan? Are you looking to secure investors and/or lenders? If so, how much are you asking for? You won’t need to discuss this if your business plan is strictly for your own planning purposes.
• Who is on your team, what are their job titles, and what do they do?

Again, like your business plan as a whole, not all of the topics listed above may be applicable to your business or your specific needs, so include only what you see fit. 

Company Overview

Your company overview should give your reader a detailed understanding of who you are and what you do. This includes technical topics like your business description, structure, and model, but should also cover the heart and soul of your company. That is, not only what you do, but why you do it. Developing your brand story is an important step to branding in the travel and tourism industry .

What is it about running a bungee jumping business, wine tasting tour, or spelunking course that inspires you? What is your company’s mission, vision, purpose, and USP (unique selling proposition)? What are your business goals and objectives, both short-term and long-term? Defining these aspects of your business helps readers, whether investors or your own employees, connect with your business at a deeper level.

Market Analysis

Another important section to include in your business plan for your tour company is a detailed market analysis. Even if you’re creating your business plan for internal use only, conducting market analysis and research is an excellent way to gauge your position within your industry, identify areas of concern, and create an effective marketing strategy using the 7 Ps of Travel and Tourism Marketing .

Things to consider in your market analysis include your target market and demographic, whether your marketing strategy is aligned with your target market, where you want to position yourself in the industry in relation to your competitors, and where you have room to improve. 

Try conducting a SWOT analysis for your tour business to explore your:

• Strengths – what do you do well?
• Weaknesses – what could you do better?
• Opportunities – are there gaps in your industry that you can take advantage of?
• Threats – what external factors affect your chance of success?

Team Summary

Use your team summary section to outline the leaders and key players in your tour company. An organizational chart works well to display this information and will usually explore members of management and other key personnel, their job titles, and their roles and responsibilities. Be sure to address how each person plays/will play an integral role in the success of your tour business or travel company.

Even if your business is very small or you run a sole proprietorship, it’s still worth including a team summary section so that potential investors can get to know who they’re investing in. A team summary adds a human element to your business plan and can help build your readers’ confidence by showing them that they can trust the leaders (even if it’s just you) to bring the company to success.

Financial Plan

Discuss your finances. What is your current financial state, what is your future financial projection, and how do you plan on getting there? If you’re looking for an investment, how much do you need? Include relevant documents, paperwork, statements, calculations, etc. to back up the numbers you’re sharing.

Marketing Plan

Needless to say, tour marketing is one of the most important aspects of your tour business.

Your business plan should have a detailed marketing strategy and promotional tactics, including pricing strategy, advertising channels, and innovative tactics. It should also leverage social media and other tourism-related technology to reach your target market effectively.

Your Business Plan Can Set You Up For Success

Investing the time up front to create a simple business plan for your tour company is worth the effort, and is crucial to becoming a successful tour operator. Going into anything without a plan can be risky, and starting a tour business is no different. 

Once you know how to write a business plan and understand the main components that make one effective, you’ll have an invaluable tool for securing investors and planning your company’s growth in the competitive tourism and travel industry. There’s really no better time than now, so go out there, write a killer business plan, and start the tour business of your dreams .

Written By | Edward Nieh

Edward Nieh is a freelance writer and copy editor working across multiple mediums for clients from various industries. He has a degree in creative writing with a focus on screenwriting for feature films.

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Adventure Excursions Unlimited

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

Adventure Excursions Unlimited (AEU) was formed to provide hard-adventure sport/travel packages with upscale accommodations, gourmet food, and celebrity service providers to wealthy clients. AEU hard adventures include helicopter-skiing, kayaking, white-water rafting, and mountain biking. The founders of AEU are Jordan Stephan (MBA/JD), Jillyn Certo (MBA), and Loren Harlo (MBA). In addition to their MBA status, they are passionate about the activities AEU will offer.

An opportunity exists for two reasons:

• Tourism is a growing industry (4% annually), and within the industry adventure travel is growing at 10%.
• There are few providers of hard-adventure travel to upscale clients.

Virtually all companies that provide “hard” adventure activities appeal to a lower income client. Companies that appeal to a wealthier clientele generally provide “soft” adventure packages. Hard-adventure activities involve difficult physical requirements. They carry a higher level of risk than do “soft” activities. Soft adventure activities may involve some physical exertion, however they involve a low level of risk and can be engaged in by non-athletic people.

The company’s target customers are high income (min. $75,000 for single person), health-conscious individuals interested in popular hard-adventure sports. These are lawyers, bankers, executives, doctors, etc. The major purchasers are located in urban areas within major United States cities. Our customers are more likely to be married. 51% are men and 49% are women.

In addition, more niche markets are evolving. Initially, it will be difficult to compete with experienced providers, especially market leaders. However, AEU’s target market is an exploitable niche and our service is differentiated. AEU’s target market members will have similar activity interests, more disposable income and less sensitivity to price.

AEU will price its services at the top of the market. We will provide a luxury service with prestige value. Our prices will be out of reach for the majority of adventure travelers. Service will be priced based upon luxury competitor prices and the value added of our offering. Providers that offer luxury services similar to ours do so at similar prices. We are competitively priced in the luxury market. Because we appeal to a smaller market, volume will be limited. However, we will be able to capture a higher gross profit margin.

1.1 Objectives

Adventure Excursions Unlimited’s objectives for the first three years of operation include:

• To create a service-based company whose #1 mission is exceeding customers’ expectations.
• Capturing 25% market share of the high-end hard-adventure travel space.
• To develop a sustainable, profitable business.
• To achieve a 35% return rate of customers within the first three years.

1.2 Mission

Adventure Excursions Unlimited’s mission is to provide customers with the highest quality outdoor adventure. We exist to attract and maintain customers. When we adhere to this maxim, everything else will fall into place.

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

Adventure Excursions Unlimited, located in Eugene, OR will offer hard-adventure trips to the upper end of the travel market. AEU will be concentrating on three activities, mountain biking, heli-skiing, and white-water adventures. AEU has chosen these three activities to allow the company to not be restricted by seasons, we will have trips occurring through the year. While AEU’s office is located in Eugene, it will be leading trips throughout the United States, and the world.

AEU expects the first several months will be used to plan trips and train trip leaders. By the end of year one the trips should be in full swing and AEU will be building a solid customer base.

2.1 Company Ownership

Adventure Excursions Unlimited will be a privately held Oregon Corporation. Jordan Stephan, Jillyn Certo, and Loren Harlo will all hold equal number shares of AEU stock.

2.2 Start-up Summary

Adventure Excursions Unlimited’s start-up costs include all the equipment needed for an office, as well as the equipment needed for the mountain bike trips and white-water adventures. Other costs will be marketing fees, website development, insurance and a deposit for the office lease.

The office equipment will consist of four computer systems, DSL router, printer, CD-RW, CPU to be used as an internal server, phones, copier, fax machine and installation of DSL and two phone lines.

The equipment needed for the mountain bike trip will be a fleet of 15 bicycles, a self contained kitchen, shower and toilet system, and bicycle tools.

The equipment for the white-water adventures will include inflatable rafts (and other requisite related equipment), self contained kitchen set up, portable shower and toilet facilities, and lots of dry bags.

The marketing costs are for the brochures and advertisements. AEU will also incur costs in the development of our website. Lastly, insurance will be a large start-up expense.

AEU will position itself as a niche service provider within the hard-adventure market. It will offer high-quality travel packages for extreme sporting trips. To begin AEU will offer six trips: helicopter-skiing trips to Canada, India, and New Zealand, white-water rafting trips to New Zealand and Costa Rica, and a mountain biking trip along the Great Divide from Montana to New Mexico.

The target market will be made up of young professionals who work and play hard. These people can afford to play expensively, and are willing to buy time in the form of our services. AEU will serve the hard-adventure niche market as a top quality, full-service provider. AEU defines quality by the unique aspects of the services offered. Those aspects include booking group or custom trips, assistance with passports, providing top-of-the-line equipment and supplies, and a superior service offering with access to better terrain, luxury accommodations, entertainment, celebrity exposure, and gourmet food.

The tours to be offered are as follows:

• Mountain Biking : This event will take place on the Great Divide trail from Montana to New Mexico and is designed for the serious biker that appreciates a few of life’s comforts along the trail. Showers and gourmet meals will be provided, along with entertainment. All excursions will maintain a staff to client ratio of 1:2.

A comprehensive map system has been created by Adventure Cycling and is currently available for purchase. The map clearly indicates the route, places to camp, stores for food and laundromats. Leadership training for the guides will be developed in-house using some outside material. There are many similar organizations that will be good sources of information. The products needed for this trip are for the most part already manufactured. One item that needs to be designed and built is a privacy compartment for the solar shower. This will be designed by Jordan and manufactured in-house. A cookbook collection of simple recipes, including some personal favorites, will also be assembled. Professional cooks will be provided, and flown in if necessary.

• Heli-skiing : Helicopter skiing has become a popular alternative to resort skiing. It offers uncrowded access to the best terrain. For those who like to get off the beaten path heli-skiing is for them. AEU has planned annual and custom trips to three destinations. Everything will be taken care of for the customer. Transportation, lodging, transfers and skiing is included in the package. Although our trips are planned at peak ski seasons, mother nature cannot be predicted. In the event that the weather is too treacherous to ski the trip will be postponed. An in–house travel consultant will accompany each group and take care of all check-in and transfer issues.

AEU will not send clients to places we ourselves would not go. All service providers will be top-notch professionals with accomplished backgrounds. They will be medically trained, and evaluated for knowledge and ability to ensure safety and high-quality service. If they fail, at any time, to meet our rigid standards of quality, they will not be used. If quality falls, another provider will replace them. These activities take place outside of the United States and therefore we will hire local guides to accompany our professional guides and service providers.

• White-water Sports : New Zealand and Costa Rica were chosen for these ten day long hard-adventure excursions. There can be a maximum of ten people per group. Annual trips will be planned to each location, but for large enough private groups, custom trips can be planed. As with the heli-skiing trips, local guides will be used in addition to our own. The abroad trips will be a cooperative effort in-house, as well as local guides in the host countries. The choice to seek outside consulting for the trips abroad is due to each countries different legal and regulatory climate. The potential subcontractors and guides are individuals currently in the industry in their respective countries.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

Travel industry is an upward growth industry. There are several reasons for this increase. First, a relative healthy domestic economy over the last several years and the devaluation of currency in other regions has made travel less expensive for U.S. residents. Pleasure travel has increased by 3.2% in 1999 and is predicted to grow 2.0% in 2000. Second, the healthy economy has increased business, which in turn boosted domestic business travel 4.8% in 1999 with an estimated increase of 3.6% in 2000.

Adventure travel is a growing segment of the travel industry. One theory of the recent increase in extreme sports has to do with the strong competitive nature of younger Americans. Statistics show that 8,000 U.S. companies (that offer adventure packages) generated $7 billion in 1999. There also has been a 66% increase in executive participation between 1996 and 2000 (or an increase of 2,000 participants)(La Franco, Robert. Forbes, Feb 9, 1998 v161 n3 p168(3)).

Some quick facts:

• Adventure travelers: More than 50% of the U.S. adult traveling population, or 147 million people, have taken an adventure trip in their lifetime (98 million in the past five years). Thirty-one million adults have engaged in hard-adventure activities like white-water rafting, scuba diving and mountain biking. An additional 25 million engaged in both a hard- and soft-adventure activity. Six-percent of those who participated in adventure trips spent more than $2,500.
• Activities most commonly participated in during adventure vacations: camping (85%), hiking (74%), skiing (51%), snorkeling or scuba diving (30%), sailing (26%), kayaking or white-water rafting (24%), and biking trips (24%).
• Biking vacations: Twenty-seven million travelers with customers that tend to be young and affluent. Ages 18-34 and one-fourth are from household’s w/annual income of $75,000 or above.

4.1 Market Segmentation

AEU’s target customers are high income (min. $75,000 for single person), health-conscious individuals interested in popular hard-adventure sports such as skiing, white-water sports and mountain biking. The major purchasers are located in urban areas within these United States cities.

Customer Location (within the United States):

• Pennsylvania

Hard-adventure travelers are more likely to be men. Therefore, AEU’s primary target market for hard-adventure sports is men between the ages of 18-34. However an increasing number of hard-adventure travelers are women (some statistics suggest that women comprise 49% of the hard-adventure market). Men, on average, spend more than women on their adventure travels.

Customers will be reached through traditional marketing communication methods. Information has been located relating to specific profiles of both hard- and soft-adventure travelers, where they live, work, what they do, etc. Research suggests that many of our target customers, and travelers in general, are Internet savvy. As such, the Internet will serve as an appropriate and effective medium of communication. Many adventure travelers purchase over the Internet or buy through travel agents. Purchase decisions are influenced by the amount of disposable income held, family issues, and the economy of a given year.

AEU will be targeting two specific groups:

• High-income health-conscious individuals.
• Young, active “trustafarians.”

The common elements between these two groups are money and a love for adventures. Group one has a lot of money from income that they earn. Group two has a lot of disposable income because the money was given to them, typically by members of their family. The second group, the trustafarians, is a very small group relative to the first group.

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

AEU will promote/position itself as a differentiated provider of luxury hard-adventure travel, and will price accordingly within the chosen service niche.

AEU is targeting this special population for several reasons:

• This segment, up until now, has been underserved.
• This market segment traditionally spends a fair amount of money on adventure trips.
• This target segment seems to be willing to pay a premium for a top-shelf adventure excursion.

Methods of communication will include direct mail, magazine advertising, personal selling and WWW presence. Continuous magazine advertising will be costly. Initially the use of direct mail, and personal selling will be employed. These methods of communication will be tailored to reach our target segment.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

As operations progress, AEU will continue to measure our progress relative to competitors and to the growth of the market(s) in which we operate. Though the primary target market has been defined, there may be new possibilities to serve additional segments. As the product is defined, and the strategy differentiation is defined based on competitive strengths, AEU will be better able to determine whether adjustments in positioning are necessary. Access to important information concerning the market, competitors, etc., is available. However it is not free. For the purposes of this project, we feel it is unnecessary to incur additional expense.

The marketing strategy will be to develop long-term relationships with customers. We will keep a database from which to obtain important demographic and psychographic information. As the business becomes profitable, plans will be implemented to expand. There is virtually no limit to the number and variety of trips AEU can provide. Trips can take place on every continent and in most countries. The goal is to establish AEU as an international provider of top-of-the-line hard-adventure travel.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

Strengths and weaknesses of the competitors:

Companies that offer higher-priced, more luxurious packages generally provide a “soft” adventure. The activities are more along the lines of sightseeing and low-risk alternatives. The advantages these companies have include established reputations, extensive knowledge of the industry, and key personnel and management. Some have been in operation for more than twenty years. They are familiar with local service providers and have established strategic relationships.

Disadvantages to us:

• It will be difficult to price ourselves competitively when we first enter the market.
• Many of AEU’s activities are seasonal. Recurring revenue will depend upon successful trips in various regions of the world. For example, ski trips will end in April in North America. AEU will then have to move ski operations to places like Las Lenas, Argentina.
• The weather for a given year is hard to predict. Poor conditions will threaten the success of trips. Unforeseen occurrences such as inadequate snowfall could effect the viability of activities such as skiing and white-water sports.

Closely related competitors:

Abercrombie & Kent: A well-established, international travel provider. Their focus is mainly on “soft” adventure packages such as safaris, river tours (e.g. Amazon), trekking, sightseeing, etc. However they do offer a “Connoisseur” line of packages. These are generally priced starting from $4,000-7,000. Some of their packages include white-water activities and hiking, however most are touring packages.

Competing or substitute products:

There are many activities and types of travel available to people contemplating a vacation. Theme parks, motorhome trips, and cruises are just a few. Substitutes could include less expensive, self-planned trips, trips geared towards soft-travel, adventure trips involving hunting or fishing as primary activities, or exclusive adventure trips such as personal submarine tours of the Titanic or a trip around the world in a Leer Jet. Many activities that take place outside and involve some level of risk could be seen as hard-adventure competition.

Another alternative is to do nothing. Consumers do not have to vacation. They may opt to spend the money they would have otherwise spent on a vacation on something else.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

Adventure Excursions Unlimited will be going after the upper-end of the hard-adventure market. This market up until now has been underserved, there are hard-adventure tour companies, but none that are catering to the high-end spectrum. With the adventuring traveling industry steadily increasing, AEU sees a unique opportunity.

AEU’s main objective in its marketing and sales activity is to make the impression on prospective customers that AEU offers a higher level of service relative to any other provider of hard-adventure tours. This will be communicated through all of the different media that we use. If AEU can make the impression that our trips are truly different and superior, then our research indicates that there will be steady demand.

Once AEU has clients signed up and participating on our trips, it will rely on superior customer attention and service to impress and retain clients for future trips. Developing long-term relationships will be the key to steady growth.

5.1 Competitive Edge

The competitive edge in our services is the access we provide to popular “hard” adventure sports without the budget constraint of typical travelers. That is, most travelers are looking to spend less than “hard” adventure sports without the budget constraint of typical travelers. The majority of providers cater to these people. Adventure Excursions Unlimited intends to use the same service providers but provide more exclusive trips. Accommodations will be primarily in small luxury hotels and resorts. Meals will be exceptional, more like gourmet cuisine. In addition, the adventure activities will be better than average because the clients have more money. They won’t get stuck with people they don’t like; they will get access to the best terrain, sections of rivers, etc. AEU’s activities are very popular. AEU’s target market has no problem spending $4,000 per week on heli-skiing. Moreover, they generally make this type of activity an annual event.

5.2 Sales Strategy

The sales strategy is to create long-term relationships with customers through superior service. The intent is to initially target the primary customer group. This group has been defined as persons who have purchased, or are likely to purchase, a “hard-adventure” vacation for over $2,500.

The trips planned are designed with the wealthy adventure traveler in mind. Later marketing efforts may include trips geared towards corporate clients, Eco-tourism or hard-adventure trips for people who want to spend less money. Target customers will be identified through standard research methods. There are a number of publications available that contain profiles of Adventure travelers.

Methods by which we will contact customers will depend on results of marketing/sales research. We will likely use trade or special interest magazines, direct mail, Web-based communication, and personal selling. In addition printed materials will be made available to customers through travel agencies that cater to the adventure target market. Initially, service will be introduced regionally, and possibly nationally. Sales will be extended into the global market within a few years of operation.

Our services are seasonal. Recurring revenue will be dependent upon successful trips involving a variety of activities offered year-round. We hope to promote out of season services through frequent customer contact and our own publication, most likely a magazine of some sort. We will review up-and-coming trips, offer highlights of past trips and try to do other creative articles, giveaways, customer profiles, etc.

Most sales will occur at the retail level. The sales that occur between customers and travel agencies will be discounted appropriately, approximately 15%. Transactions will occur as the result of customer contact in response to communication efforts. In addition, AEU will engage in personal selling.

5.2.1 Sales Forecast

The following charts and table shows AEU’s expected sales forecast.

5.3 Milestones

Adventure Excursions Unlimited will have several milestones early on:

• Business plan completion. This will serve as a roadmap for the organization. While AEU does not need a business plan to raise capital, it will be an indispensable tool for the ongoing performance and improvement of the company.
• Set up the office. This will be the main/only office located in Eugene, OR.
• Develop the training program. This program will be used to train the leaders of our trips.
• Completion of first trip.
• Completion of twentieth trip.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

Jordan Stephan, VP, Corporate Council, Business Development, and Mountain Biking Activity Supervisor : Jordan received his Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA. While there, he was president of the Washington and Jefferson Cycling Club and Team for two years. He completed his Master of Business Management/Doctor of Jurisprudence, joint degree program at Willamette University where he has served as the secretary of the Environmental Law Society, and chairperson for the Willamette University Public Interest Law Project (WUPILP). As chairperson, Jordan supervised twenty-five staff members and raised $14,000. Jordan has also managed a bicycle shop for two years. Following graduate school, Jordan worked for Counterclaim.com where Jordan did business development, organizational development, and other management activities. He is responsible for all logistics on the mountain bike trips.

Jordan’s expertise in mountain bike trip logistics comes from years of cycle touring. Jordan has cycled across the country and around the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Vermont. Jordan has also done a great deal of backpacking, backcountry hiking and snowshoeing. He has served as a consultant on many long-distance bicycle tours in the United States and abroad. In addition to his role as logistical planner, Jordan will be responsible for part-manufacturing for the mountain bike trips as he has manufacturing expertise from several years of design and improvement experience with outdoor gear.

Jordan’s extra curricular activities are based upon his love for the outdoors. He has been a competitive cyclist and runner for the last five years. He competes in cycling road races, endurance mountain bike races, and road/trail running races up to half-marathons. His current favorite activity is the duathlon or run/bike/run events. He would like to combine his experience and education with his love for the outdoors. The AEU business concept is a reflection of this desire.

Jillyn Certo, VP, Human Resource Manager/Corporate Trainer, and Ski-trip Coordinator : Jillyn graduated with two Bachelor of Science Degrees, one in corporate and industrial fitness and the other in occupational safety, from Oregon State University in 1991. Jillyn completed her MBA work at Atkinson Graduate School of Management in 1998. She has six years experience in the field of safety. After Atkinson Jillyn worked at Nike as a human resource specialist. Her interests include scuba diving and downhill skiing. Jillyn has competed in track & field as well as in horse shows and barrel racing. Along with her interest in sports, Jillyn has a variety of experience with business and pleasure travel. Jillyn will supervise the training of our leaders.

Loren Harlo, Marketing Manager and White-water Adventure Coordinator : Loren is twenty-seven years old. He received his Bachelor degree in psychology from Western College and graduated Magna cum Laude. He will complete his Master of Business Administration degree (with an emphasis in marketing) in 1998. Following graduate school, Loren worked for Burley Cooperative as a marketing manager. Loren has been active in athletics for twenty-years. He played football at the grade school, high school and college level, as well as basketball, track and field, and competition karate. He is an avid outdoorsman with a passion for water sports, skiing, hiking, hunting and fishing. He has recently taken up kayaking. Loren gained self-employment and management experience as an independent contractor for the Union Pacific Railroad. He has also managed and operated a small restaurant. He has always planned to own his own business and realized, while working independently, that he needed the knowledge of business management that an MBA program could provide.

Though the founding members intend to take an active role in the operation of AEU, additional management will be sought out. AEU is open to assistance from experienced managers associated with venture capital providers.

6.1 Personnel Plan

The following table shows the personnel plan for AEU.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

The following subtopics will provide more financial information.

7.1 Projected Cash Flow

The following chart and table indicates projected cash flow.

7.2 Important Assumptions

See the following table for general assumptions.

7.3 Break-even Analysis

This Break-even Analysis table and chart, below, project the figures for monthly sales break even.

7.4 Projected Profit and Loss

The following table indicates the projected profit and loss.

7.5 Projected Balance Sheet

The following table will indicate the projected balance sheet.

7.6 Business Ratios

Business ratios for the years of this plan are shown below. Industry profile ratios based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 4725, Tour Operators, are shown for comparison.

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10 Best Travel TRIP PLANNER APPs To Have in 2024

In a fast-paced world where the stress of work and school is overwhelming, we all need a break to de-stress our minds. Traveling is one good way to take your mind off of stressful things – a breather. And a scheduled vacation gives you something to look forward to.

Whether it’s a local trip alone, a family holiday, or a getaway with your best friends, it just excites you to wish the day would come faster. 

10 Best Trip Planner Apps in 2024

The freeform app.

• TripIt: Travel Planner

Hopper – Flight & Hotel Deals

• Sygic Travel Maps Trip Planner

Roadtrippers: Trip Planner

Tripadvisor, travelspend: track travel expense & trip budget, tripcase – travel organizer app, travel planning apps for your next trip.

The Freeform app is an endless whiteboard that lets users add information from a variety of websites, photos, videos and files.

Because the boards are kept in iCloud, they can be accessed from any device anytime inspiration hits. While you and your travel companions plan your dream trip, the specifics can be shared with several individuals working together on the same whiteboard, making them an ongoing work in progress.

The Freeform app is free to iPhone users on iOS 16.2, iPad users on 16.2, and Mac users on Ventura MacOS Venture 13.1. 

Download the brand-new app here .

Read our full post: Apple Launches New Travel App Freeform – What to Know

Wanderlog Trip Planner App

Wanderlog is your all-in-one destination for planning future trips, sharing travel guides, and blogging past trips.

Its trip planning features are incredibly flexible: you can research destinations and activities, organize reservations by connecting your email, and map out a day itinerary with start/end times. You can also add notes and links all throughout.

Everything is stored offline so you can access your itinerary when traveling abroad. For road trips, it calculates the time and distance between places and exports them to Google Maps (and there are no limits to the number of stops you have on a trip!).

Plus, there’s a fun social component: collaborate with friends on itineraries, write your own travel guide, and blog about past trips. Wanderlog is available on the web and on your smartphone, so you can seamlessly plan while at home and on-the-go.

iOS  /  Android

TripIt: Trip Planner App

If you need any help organizing the dozens of itineraries, TripIt is the app for you. Users simply need to forward your flight, hotel, restaurant, and car rental confirmation emails to [email protected] and the app will create a free master doc for each of your trips. The best thing about this app is that you can get access to your itinerary anywhere, even without an internet connection. 

In addition, the Pro version will find you alternative routes for canceled flights and send out notifications for delayed flights, cancellations, and more from the airlines. 

iOS / Android

Rome2rio is a versatile travel planning app that simplifies the process of finding and booking travel options. It’s a handy tool for travelers seeking to explore various transportation choices between destinations. Rome2rio offers users a comprehensive view of travel options, including flights, trains, buses, ferries, and even driving directions.

Key features of Rome2rio include:

• Route Information: The app provides detailed information on different routes, including estimated travel times, costs, and the number of transfers required.
• Booking Integration: Users can book flights, train tickets, and other transportation options directly through the app, streamlining the booking process.
• Map Integration: Rome2rio integrates with maps, allowing users to visualize their travel routes and explore nearby attractions.
• Multi-Modal Travel: It offers options for combining various modes of transportation, making it easy to plan complex journeys.
• Accurate Pricing: The app provides real-time pricing information, helping users make informed decisions based on their budget.
• Offline Access: Rome2rio offers offline access to previously searched routes, which can be handy when traveling without a data connection.

Hopper is an amazing trip planner app to have on your phone. The app predicts airfares up to 1 year in advance, with 95% accuracy. It analyzes over billions of flight prices and hotels within the day – telling you whether to book your trip now or wait for just a little longer.

Here’s how it works: Key in your destination and a color-coded calendar will display the cheapest and most expensive date to fly. The app will then recommend you to either book the flight now or sit it out and wait for airfare to get cheaper. Also, you can filter predictions to custom-fit your trip – remove long layovers, extra fees, restrictions, and more. 

And if you worry about missing out the cheap flight bookings, don’t be! Hopper will send you a notification when fares have dropped to its lowest point.

SYGIC Travel Maps Trip Planner

Sygic Travel Maps , the new version of Sygic Trip Planner, is the first travel app to display all of the attractions and places a traveler needs to see and visit on a single map.

Sync your trips with the Sygic Travel app and find hidden gems in all cities you visit. The app boast a large database that allows you to find the best hotels, tourist attractions, museums, restaurants, bars, and stores wherever you go.

This mobile app also let you download offline maps and guides, which come in helpful when traveling to remote locations with poor or non-existing Wi-Fi.

It also has a dedicated section to worldwide places of interest for travel business. Get location information for individual cities, countries, continents, or the entire planet.

The app is available in 18 languages.

iOS / Android iOS

Planning on a cross-country road trip ? Roadtrippers is the app for you! Not everyone is fond of waiting long hours at the airport while sitting through your red-eye flight. Hit the road with your friends instead.

Roadtrippers provides everything you need to know on your road trip. Just enter your starting point, destination, and let the app do its work for you! From camping sites to rest stops, outdoor activities, exciting adventures along the way that you didn’t know existed. This app is the perfect buddy for your road trip regardless of your mode of transportation – a sedan, a rental car, or a huge family RV.

Most of us dream of going to places! But planning an amazing trip to places we have not been to is pretty hard as you don’t know where to stay, what to do, places to eat, and adventures to try. We mostly rely on recommendations, most of which are not even right, that we find online. 

TripAdvisor has over millions of travel recommendations on hotels, top dining spots, must-do experiences, and treasured gems to over 8 million destinations at your perusal. It is an all-in-one app that lets you book tables at restaurants and compares low prices on hotels and flights.

You can also follow friends and travel experts for advice that match your interests, watch videos, and read articles. In return, you can share your experiences, reviews, and helpful guides for other users too!

Setting up a budget for your trip is easy, however, sticking to it is hard. TravelSpend will help you with that. It starts with entering your budget and expenses over multiple days so you don’t go overboard. The app helps you in sticking to your budget effectively.

Being in another country is not a problem at all: enter your expenses in any currency and the app will automatically convert it to your home currency.

Track your travel expenses whether going on a solo around-the-world trip or backpacking holiday with your best friends. The app allows you to share your trip with your friends and track your expenses together. Pay debts, split bills, and check your balances – all in the app!

TripCase, a comprehensive travel organizer app, has emerged as a popular choice among travelers seeking a streamlined and efficient way to manage their journey details.

Here’s a breakdown of its key features and functionalities:

Centralized Itinerary Management : TripCase allows users to consolidate all their travel details, including flights, hotels, and car rentals, into a single, easily accessible itinerary.

Real-time Flight Alerts : The app keeps travelers informed with up-to-the-minute notifications on flight statuses, including delays, cancellations, and gate changes.

Itinerary Sharing : TripCase offers a sharing option that enables users to send their travel plans to friends, family, or colleagues.

Travel Directions and Maps : To aid navigation in unfamiliar locations, the app provides directions and maps.

Nearby Recommendations : TripCase offers recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and other services close to the traveler’s location.

Document Storage : For added convenience, the app allows users to store essential travel documents digitally, ensuring that important information like passport details, visas, and insurance policies are readily available.

Customizable Notifications : Users can customize their notification preferences, choosing what types of alerts they receive and how they are notified, tailoring the app to suit individual needs and preferences.

iOS / Android 

Hi, great List. I couldn’t travel without my Apps! I have one App you could check out =) Its called ” ATM Fee Saver” and it gives a list with all ATMs and their fees and limit. I found it super helpful and it really helped me to save some money. Best regards, Charlotte

Thank you for your suggestions! Those apps are very useful and various

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Creating the Perfect Business Plan for Your Travel Agency

Writing an effective e-commerce business plan for a travel agency is an important step in the success of the business. This blog post will provide insight into the key components of an effective business plan, and the necessary steps to create the perfect plan for your travel agency. Additionally, the blog will provide tips on how to write an effective business plan, and how to make sure it sets your company apart from the competition.

When reading this blog post, you will learn:

• How to understand the purpose of a business plan
• Strategies for researching the travel industry
• Techniques for outlining the goals and objectives of your business
• Tactics for understanding your target market
• Steps for setting up your financial plan
• Tips for analyzing your competitors
• Approaches for crafting a marketing strategy
• Ways to identify your business strengths and weaknesses
• Processes for creating an operational plan
• Strategies for establishing a risk management plan
• Steps for writing a summary of your business plan
• How to finalize your business plan

Introduction: Understanding the Purpose of a Business Plan

Writing an effective e-commerce business plan is essential to the success of any online business. A business plan outlines the goals and objectives of your e-commerce business, as well as how you plan to achieve them. It is also a great way to get investors and potential partners on board with your business.

Researching the Travel Industry

Before you begin writing your plan, it is important to do some research on the travel industry. Consider factors like the current state of the industry, trends, and potential challenges that you may face. This will give you a better understanding of what you need to do to succeed in the industry.

Outlining the Goals and Objectives of Your Business

Once you have done your research, you can begin outlining the goals and objectives of your business. This is an important step, as it will help you determine your strategy and give potential investors a clear understanding of what you are trying to accomplish.

Understanding Your Target Market

In order to create an effective e-commerce business plan, you need to have a clear understanding of who your target market is. Consider factors like age, gender, location, and interests. Knowing your target market will help you create a more targeted marketing strategy.

Setting Up Your Financial Plan

The next step is to set up your financial plan. This includes determining how much money you will need to get your business off the ground, as well as creating a budget and forecasting your financial needs for the future.

Analyzing Your Competitors

Analyzing your competitors is an important part of creating your e-commerce business plan. Look at what they are doing right and wrong, and use this information to create a competitive advantage for your business.

Crafting a Marketing Strategy

Once you have a clear understanding of your target market and your competitors, you can begin crafting a marketing strategy. This should include a combination of online and offline marketing tactics that will help you reach your desired audience.

Identifying Your Business Strengths and Weaknesses

Before you begin writing your business plan, it is important to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your e-commerce business. This will help you create a comprehensive plan that takes advantage of your strengths and addresses your weaknesses.

Creating an Operational Plan

An operational plan is a key part of any e-commerce business plan. This plan outlines how your business will run on a daily basis, including tasks, roles, and responsibilities.

Establishing a Risk Management Plan

No business plan is complete without a risk management plan. This plan should include steps to minimize risk and mitigate potential losses.

Writing a Summary of Your Business Plan

Once you have created your plan, you should write a summary that outlines the main points of your business plan. This should include a brief description of your goals, objectives, target market, financial plan, and marketing strategy.

Finalizing Your Business Plan

The final step is to review and finalize your business plan. Make sure that it is clear, concise, and contains all the necessary information. Once you are happy with your plan, you can begin taking action to get your e-commerce business up and running. Below we answer common questions entrepreneurs have about these topics.

1. Introduction: Understanding the Purpose of a Business Plan

What is the purpose of a business plan.

The purpose of a business plan is to inform the startup and growth planning process, which is in turn meant to inform the eventual go/no-go decision. This is the purpose of the business plan, and it's the purpose that matters.

Business plans don't exist to predict the future or to be a crystal ball of perfect knowledge. They exist to provide the best-possible information to the founder to inform their decision. If the business plan provides that information, then it has served its purpose.

How can a business plan help entrepreneurs reach their goals?

A business plan helps an entrepreneur reach their goals by creating a roadmap that provides a clear direction. A business plan outlines the key components of a company, including its mission, vision and values, as well as its goals and objectives. It also provides a detailed description of how the company will operate, along with a time frame for achieving its goals. An entrepreneur can use a business plan to keep track of their company's progress and make necessary adjustments along the way.

2. Researching the Travel Industry

What are the most popular destinations for travelers in the industry.

When you answer this question, keep in mind that your strategy shouldn't be to just list travel destinations. Instead, you want to use the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and knowledge. You can do this by sharing travel tips and insights, as well as discussing the benefits and attractions of these travel destinations. You can also provide suggestions for itineraries or activities to make the most of a trip to these destinations. By doing this, you'll be able to demonstrate your expertise, and you'll also be able to position yourself as an authority in your industry.

What types of services or amenities do travelers in the industry expect?

Whether you're an entrepreneur in the travel industry or not, a great way to think about this question is to picture your ideal customer. What services would you like to have if you were traveling? Think about what you value the most when you're on the go, and translate that into your business. A great way to stand out is to provide things that your customers would enjoy. Think about the little things that can make a big difference, like wifi and charging stations. Those things can make a big difference when you're on the road and trying to get things done.

3. Outlining the Goals and Objectives of Your Business

What are the long-term goals of your business.

In order to answer the question, "What are the long-term goals of your business?" an entrepreneur should consider their company's vision and mission statement. An entrepreneur should also consider the direction their company is heading and how they plan to get there. In addition, an entrepreneur should think about how their business will evolve over time and what they hope to achieve as a business owner.

What are the short-term objectives you want to achieve?

As an entrepreneur, short-term objectives are all about aligning your short-term goals with your long-term vision. For example, if you want to create a sustainable business that will last for decades, then you need to think about how you're going to take the first steps toward that goal. Likewise, if you want to grow your business rapidly in the next two years, then you need to determine how you're going to scale your operations to meet that goal.

The short-term objectives you want to achieve should align with your long-term vision for the business. For example, if your long-term vision is to create a sustainable business, then your short-term objectives should be focused on building sustainable practices in your business. If your long-term vision is to grow rapidly, then your short-term objectives should be focused on aggressive growth goals.

4. Understanding Your Target Market

Who is your target customer.

Every business needs to have a target audience, in order to succeed. An entrepreneur needs to identify what the core values are, what the business is offering, and who would be interested in it.

As a business owner, you should take a moment to think about your different marketing efforts, and how they are targeting different audiences. If you want to reach more customers, you should be thinking about what different demographics you are not reaching, and how you can target them.

What are the needs and wants of your target customer?

Entrepreneurs should think about answering the question, "What are the needs and wants of your target customer?" by considering the following: are you trying to create a product for a niche audience or for a larger audience? If you're making a product for a niche audience, then you'll want to pay closer attention to their needs and wants. If, on the other hand, you're making a product for a larger audience, then you'll want to look at trends and gather data from a wider group of people.

5. Setting Up Your Financial Plan

What are your financial goals for the next 5 years.

I would suggest that entrepreneurs think about what they want to achieve in the next 5 years, then set goals that will help them achieve these. For example, you may want to create a new product, or expand your business to another market. Once you've decided what you want to achieve, you can then set milestones that will help you reach these goals. For example, you may want to develop a prototype of the new product within 12 months, then launch it within 18 months. Setting goals and milestones will help you get where you want to be in five years time.

How much money do you need to save each month to reach your goals?

An entrepreneur should be honest and realistic when answering this question. It's important to remember that you can't save money if you don't have any coming in, so make sure to take that into account. You should also take monthly expenses into account, such as your rent or mortgage, utilities, and food. Finally, remember to account for any unexpected expenses that may come up during the month. By being realistic and honest about your monthly expenses, you will be able to figure out how much you need to save each month in order to reach your goals.

6. Analyzing Your Competitors

What are the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

Competitors are not just the competition but also the source of inspiration. If you can't find any competitive edge, look at your competitors' flaws and work on them. Weaknesses are just areas that need improving'they're opportunities.

What strategies do your competitors use to reach their target customers?

One strategy competitors use is to have a social media presence. Many businesses have active Instagram and Facebook accounts that they use to market their brand and reach new customers. This is a great strategy because it's free and easy to use. If you're competing with a business that uses this strategy, you need to find a way to reach your target customers in the same way. One way to do this is to create a Facebook or Instagram account for your business and post regularly. This will help you reach the same audience as your competitors and help you get your brand out there.

7. Crafting a Marketing Strategy

What are our target markets and how can we reach them.

For entrepreneurs, it is important to have a clear vision of the business and where it is headed. This can help them determine who their target customers will be. Once they know this, they can begin to develop a marketing strategy to reach those customers. This may include advertising, social media, or other types of outreach. By having a clear vision and a plan for reaching customers, entrepreneurs can successfully grow their business.

What resources do we have to support our marketing strategy and how can we best utilize them?

Entrepreneurs should think about their customer personas. What do their customers want, and how will they get them there? The best resources are the ones that help you achieve your marketing goals. In my business, I am able to utilize my customer service team as a resource for my marketing efforts. I can ask them for testimonials and quotes for blog posts and social media posts, for example. They are a great resource for customer service questions and can help you achieve your marketing goals.

8. Identifying Your Business Strengths and Weaknesses

What are your business's top 3 strengths.

As an entrepreneur, you should always focus on your business's strengths and not its weaknesses. This is the best way to lure in potential customers and investors. If you have a weak spot, you can always try to improve upon it later, but if you focus too much on what's wrong with your business, you'll scare off any potential buyers.

What are your business's top 3 weaknesses?

Being a small business, our top three weaknesses are lack of diversity in our marketing, the inability to be everywhere at once, and the small pool of talent. As a small business, we need to do everything ourselves, and there's only so many hours in the day. When it comes to marketing, we know we can improve in a variety of ways, but we only have so many hours in the day. We are always looking for ways to improve and diversify our marketing, but it takes time.

The second weakness is that we can't be everywhere at once. We do our very best to be in as many places as possible, but we know there are still places where people can't find us. It's difficult being a small business because there are always things you can improve on.

9. Creating an Operational Plan

How will the operational plan be structured and organized.

An entrepreneur should think about answering the question, "How will the operational plan be structured and organized?" by creating a detailed and organized plan. An entrepreneur should always have a detailed and organized plan for their business. This will help them stay on track and reach their goals. They should also be ready to explain this plan to others. This will help them gain support and momentum for their business.

What steps need to be taken to ensure effective implementation of the operational plan?

The operational plan is the roadmap that takes you from the current state to where you want to be. The key to implementing the plan is to break it down into small, achievable milestones. Once you have those milestones, you want to make sure you track progress so that you can make mid-course corrections as needed.

10. Establishing a Risk Management Plan

What strategies should be used to identify and assess potential risks.

An entrepreneur should think about answering the question, What strategies should be used to identify and assess potential risks? by asking themselves, To whom do I owe money? It is important to know who you owe money to in order to assess the risk of not being able to pay them back. This is a serious risk that you need to identify and assess. You could get sued or go bankrupt if you don't pay back what you owe.

How should resources be allocated to mitigate identified risks?

A great way to mitigate risk is to diversify your portfolio. The more you can invest in different areas, be it products and services, or even geographically, the less volatile your business will be in the event something goes wrong. To put it in terms of a financial investment, if you have only $10,000 in stocks, and one of them drops by 50%, then you've lost half of your money. If, on the other hand, you have $10,000 invested in ten different stocks, and one of them drops in value by 50%, then you've only lost 5% of your money. By diversifying, you're spreading out your risk, and making it much less likely that any one event will be able to tank your business.

11. Writing a Summary of Your Business Plan

How does your summary accurately reflect the contents of your business plan.

The question of how a summary reflects the business plan is a pretty common question. The summary is the first thing people will read, and it's important that the summary is engaging and that it gives a good idea about the contents of the plan.

My advice is to start with a draft of the summary and then create a draft of the plan. Compare the two drafts and see where your summary is too long, where it doesn't quite get to the point, and where it is not as clear as it could be. Then, trim down your summary until it gets to the point quicker while still capturing the essence of the plan. You can also show this to people who are familiar with the industry or your specific idea.

What key points should you focus on when summarizing your business plan?

The key points you include in your business plan summary should be the same as the key points you include in your business plan. Instead of writing a summary, just write the plan. It's a good rule of thumb to follow because it forces you to make a plan that is clear, concise, and effective. It's easy to get lazy and write a summary, but it's always better to take the time to write a good full plan and then include a summary.

12. Finalizing Your Business Plan

Have you considered the potential risks and rewards of your proposed business plan.

No matter how well prepared you are, there will always be some risk involved in any business venture, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't pursue it. As you strive towards success, there will always be moments of doubt, but most of them will result from your own insecurities, not from your business plan. The best thing you can do when asked about the risks involved in your business plan is to stress how prepared you are for them, and how you've made sure to mitigate them.

What type of feedback have you received from potential investors or advisers?

I'm always looking for opportunities to hear from potential investors and advisers, as I have something very specific in mind for my business. I'm looking for the best way to build a solid foundation that supports my current business, and also provides room for growth. When potential investors or advisers respond, I'm looking to see which methods they're suggesting that might help my business reach the next stage of growth. I'm also looking to see if they've suggested anything that might prevent my business from growing, or that might be harmful in some way. I'm always looking for the best feedback to help me continue to make my business the best it can be.

Key Takeaways:

• A business plan is an essential document for any business, outlining the goals and objectives of the venture.
• Research into the travel industry should be conducted to gain a better understanding of the market.
• A well-defined target market should be identified and tailored to as part of the business plan.
• A financial plan should be established that outlines potential sources of income and expenditure.
• Analyzing competitors and identifying business strengths and weaknesses should be done to craft an effective marketing strategy.

Creating a business plan is an essential part of starting and growing a successful business. By following the steps outlined above, you can create a well-structured business plan that outlines your goals and objectives and provides direction for your business. A business plan is not just a document, but a living tool that helps to keep your business on track and guide its growth. By taking the time to research, plan, and analyze your industry, target market, competitors, and financials, you can develop an effective business plan that will be the foundation of your business.

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10+ Free Itinerary Templates in Google Docs, Excel, & Word

Content Partnership Specialist

June 5, 2024

There are a lot of things that go into planning a trip.

From scheduling flights, booking hotels and car rentals, planning activities, and ensuring all of them fit within your timeline and budget too!

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or simply someone looking to create an organized travel schedule for your upcoming trip, then you should consider using an itinerary template. 

Itinerary templates help you organize your activities, manage your time , calculate your expenses, give you a breakdown of all your important travel information before a trip, and help you make the most out of your business trip or vacation. 

Head over to the sections below to find out what makes a good itinerary template, and discover 11 free templates you can use to help you plan your next trip! 🏝️

What is an Itinerary Template?

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An itinerary is a document that outlines all of the details of your trip, from your flight and hotel reservations to your planned activities and budget, to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

That said, trip planners should turn to itinerary templates to give you ready-to-use and organized fill-in-the-blank pages that you can use for every type of trip. 

Itinerary templates can help business and leisure travelers:

• Save time, plan more effectively, and provide an organized format for all the important details of their trip
• Have a digital planner to keep track of all the details they need to consider when planning their travel, such as dates and locations, transportation and accommodations, and activities
• Get quick access to all of the necessary details in one place
• Help manage last-minute changes more effectively

Think of these free itinerary templates as your personal travel agent assistant. They’re there to assist you with planning the most important parts of your trip, so you spend more time enjoying the moment than worrying about what’s next and how you’re getting there.

Creating a detailed travel itinerary is beneficial if you’re visiting a new city or country you’ve never been to before. 

11 Travel Itinerary Templates

Traveling for work? 

This Business Travel Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you get all your important travel details and work schedules, all in one place. 

Easily notate your travel dates, hotel information, flight number, and other important information in an organized and easy-to-follow format in ClickUp Docs . If you have multiple travel plans or want to keep your past and future travel itinerary docs in one place, then simply add nested pages under one Doc to keep everything neatly organized and accessible.

And because ClickUp Docs allow you to have full control of sharing permissions and privacy, you can keep your pages private to protect your personal information or securely share them with selected people via a link.

Best of all, ClickUp is available on the mobile app , so you can take your itinerary template wherever you go and access it any time of the day.

Use this free travel itinerary template to streamline your business travel planning process and establish a consistent standard itinerary that you can use again and again.

Planning a road trip or exploring a new city?

Whatever type of vacation you’re planning for, this Vacation Planning Travel Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you create a visual roadmap of your planned activities.

With this free travel itinerary template, you’ll be able to plan your destinations, use ClickUp Custom Fields to add important details such as hotel addresses, type of activity, hours of operation, travel time, accommodations, reservations, and so on to ensure you’re on the right track to hit all the spots you have planned to visit on your trip!

Additionally, this template allows you to visualize your road trip itinerary in Map view, as shown above, and other views in ClickUp, such as List, Embed Board, and Doc view. Each custom view offers a unique look at your travel itinerary to help you visualize and organize your plans in the best way that works for you. 

Use these vacation planning templates to give you the structure and organization you need to plan your next trip and have a stress-free getaway!

Streamline your travel planning with ClickUp’s Trip Planner Template ! Say goodbye to the chaos of scattered details and hello to a centralized hub for all your trip essentials. From flights to accommodations, activities to budgets, this template has you covered. Save time by organizing everything in one place and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

With customizable features like custom statuses, fields, and views, you can tailor the template to suit your specific needs. Collaborate effortlessly with friends and family to create the ultimate travel experience. Whether you’re jetting off for a quick getaway or planning a work trip, this template provides the tools you need for a successful trip.

Set your budget, research destinations, create itineraries, and finalize details all within ClickUp’s intuitive platform. Track progress, assign tasks, and monitor productivity with ease. From start to finish, ClickUp’s Trip Planner Template empowers you to plan your dream trip efficiently and effectively.

Whether you’re born with natural event planning skills or perhaps someone who’s looking to get better at it, this Event Planning Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you plan your next events with ease!

This event planning itinerary template includes three highly visual ClickUp Views that can be customized for any need, from organizing and scheduling event dates on a List and Board to drag-and-drop planning on a Calendar.

Each view provides pre-built Custom Fields, which allow you and your team to add important details, such as progress percentage bars, payment status, due dates, budget status, and more. You can also create Custom Task Statuses to help identify the stage each task is, keeping everyone in the loop on where each task stands at all times. 

You can download the app on your mobile device to access your tasks regardless of your event’s location, and use this itinerary template to help you become a pro at planning events and start managing all of your business operations, teams, and event planning —all in one place. 

Sometimes, it’s best to take things day by day, especially when your workload and to-do lists are getting out of hand. 

Seize the day and stay productive (and motivated) by turning to the 24 Hours Itinerary Template in ClickUp to guide you when creating your daily schedule!

This free itinerary template includes pre-built Custom Fields and Custom Task Statuses to help you easily plan and visualize your daily tasks. And because those features are fully customizable, you can edit and add whatever fields and statuses work best for your workflow.

Use this template to assist you with daily planning , so you easily view all of your to-dos, stay focused on what’s on your plate each day, and make the most of every day!

Meetings are a great way to sync with people in real time.

However, without a proper agenda, you might forget to discuss important matters, lose control of the meeting flow, and veer off track, leaving the attendees with more questions than answers or thinking, “this could’ve been an email.” 😅

Don’t let that happen to you! 

Whether you’re hosting a face-to-face or virtual meeting, having a prepared agenda beforehand keeps your meetings productive and helps make the most of your attendee’s time— the free Agenda Template by ClickUp can help you prep for your next meeting.

This template provides you with sections for your meeting details, participants, and so much more. And because this template is available ClickUp Docs, you can easily format the page to support any type of meeting , embed links to add more details to your agenda, and easily share it with your team before the meeting so they can come prepared with insights or questions. 

Use this itinerary template to help you plan and keep your next meetings productive! 

Planning a conference and need a conference agenda template ?

This Conference Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you create, visualize, and manage your events all in one centralized place.

This template offers pre-built views, such as Box, Calendar, and List view, and Custom Fields and Custom Task Statuses to allow you to create your ideal itinerary for your event. Moreover, you can add custom tags to your tasks to add another layer of organization to your itinerary and add new Custom Fields to keep your tasks as detailed as possible as you plan your live or virtual conference events .

And if you need help getting started, no problem. It comes with a Getting Started Guide to help you get familiarized with the template and serve as a guide to help you plan your next event !

A meeting agenda is a must, especially for board meetings. 

The Board Meeting Agenda Template in ClickUp offers pre-built Custom Fields to help board members and leadership create a high-level and organized meeting agenda, and run productive meetings. You may also add single or multiple assignees to each task and subtask to clearly note who’s responsible for completing the task or presenting the topics and check them off the list as each task or topic has been discussed to easily track and note what is yet to be completed.

Use this itinerary template to help you create an organized meeting agenda , keep everyone in the loop ahead of the meeting, and promote open discussion among all participants, which can lead to stronger decisions and better outcomes.

If you’re an Excel user, then this template is for you.

Microsoft Excel offers a handy Vacation Itinerary template that you can use to organize all of your trip details. Whether you want to start a road trip itinerary with friends or a personalized itinerary of your full trip, this trip itinerary template includes entries for flight information, lodging, emergency contacts, activities, and so on. 

Once you’ve filled out the template with the details of your trip, simply save it on your computer or print it to take a physical copy of your itinerary with you or leave a copy for your friends and family while you’re away on your vacation.

If you like keeping things simple when planning your trips, then this travel itinerary template will work for what you need.

This template allows you to add and edit your travel details, such as destinations, transportation, lodging, and what you need to pack for your trip, in organized tables in Google Docs (where you can also connect to Google Sheets). 

This is one of the many customizable templates that’s free to download. Save it on your computer or print a copy to take with you!

Keep your business trips as stress-free as possible by creating a detailed flight itinerary, meeting schedule, and more all on one page. Use Microsoft Word’s Business Trip Itinerary template to keep track of important dates, departure and arrival times, destination addresses, phone numbers, travel time, and other notes about each item on your itinerary. 

There are several types of itinerary templates for different occasions. The most commonly used and sought templates are for business trips, vacations, event planning, and global and domestic travels.

And while there are many types of itinerary templates out there, the best ones offer the following basic elements: 

• Have clear and concise language
• Organized and easy-to-read format
• Customizable and easy to edit
• Easily accessible and sharable 

And if you need to shift your plans around due to unexpected changes, a solid travel itinerary template should offer the flexibility to let you make changes without compromising the flow of your trip. It also shouldn’t require you to start your travel itinerary from scratch.

Ultimately, these templates should help you create a personalized travel itinerary, save time, and stay organized to help you become a better planner.

Start Planning Your Next Trip with Travel Itinerary Templates

When it comes to planning trips, having an itinerary is key.

But we get it. Making a detailed itinerary can be quite time-consuming. That’s why using an itinerary template can be such a great tool! Stay organized and use the templates we provided above as a starting point for creating your own customized itinerary for your upcoming trips and events.

And if you’re a fan of customizations, then you’ll click well with ClickUp. 

It offers a fully customizable platform with hundreds of features and templates to give you the power to create a personalized experience, connect all your notes and work together, and build a workflow and itineraries that work for you.

Get access to ClickUp’s customizable templates for free today, and start getting excited about planning your next event! 

Bon voyage! 👋

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Why Every Travel Advisor Needs a Business Plan…And How to Start One

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When you venture out on a trip by car, plane, or cruise ship, the operator uses a map or GPS for directions, right? The most effective way to get from point A to point B is by setting a clear pathway in advance and planning for any potential obstacles. This is equally true in running a travel agency business. Having a solid business plan helps you steer your time, energy, and resources from where you are now to where you want to be. We spoke to a few travel advisors who recently had the experience of learning from small business experts about the importance of creating a business plan for their travel agency. Here is what they had to say. A critical tool of empowerment “A business plan is important in that it helps you get a clear overview of your goals and objectives for your travel agency. Having a travel agency business plan is truly essential, whether starting a new agency or having been in the business for years … I think of it as a blueprint that will help me navigate through the travel industry, all while achieving my goals of doing the one thing that I love the most, and that’s helping my clients make memories,” says Gwen Johnson, CTC, owner and travel advisor, GMN Vacations, LLC. Paula McDonald, owner and travel advisor, of Family 1 st Travelers, LLC, says: “A business plan is not just a document; it's your compass, blueprint, and guiding star. It's the tool that empowers you to define your goals, identify your audience, and navigate through challenges.”

McDonald is experienced in the task of creating a business plan. She already had a business plan in place for her agency before participating this summer in a program to help travel advisors develop one. But she says she reviews it often, and the course facilitators encouraged her to revisit her goals. She has a clear understanding of why every travel advisor needs a business plan, which she eloquently shared with us.

“Having a business plan is crucial for travel advisors for several compelling reasons,” explains McDonald. “For example, it provides a roadmap for travel advisors and outlines specific goals, objectives, and strategies, giving a clear sense of direction. The business plan ensures the advisor focuses efforts and resources on activities aligning with the vision. It is essential to determine the business's financial stability and growth, and set realistic expectations for growth and profitability.  “A business plan challenges travel advisors to define their target market and niche. Knowing who the ideal customers are helps tailor services and marketing efforts to meet their needs and preferences. A business plan outlines marketing strategies, which are essential for attracting clients. “Additionally, with a business plan, travel advisors can allocate resources wisely. A well-structured business plan reflects professionalism and commitment. Without a business plan, a travel advisory business may lack direction and struggle to reach its full potential.”  What to include in the plan A well-thought-out business plan sets you up for success. There are several components to include in a winning business plan that - when crafted with deliberation, understanding, and commitment - can help travel advisors fast-track their sales and income.

As for what to include in a business plan, the mission statement clearly defines what your business is, what you offer, and what differentiates your products/services from others in the marketplace. The marketplace analysis section delves into who your target customer(s) are, including demographics (such as age, economic status, where they live, their travel styles), their hobbies, what motivates them, etc. Also key is to identify what the growth potential is for reaching that target audience within your sphere of influence. The financial section is crucial. This includes a plan that sets sales goals that are clear and realistic; pinpoints where target customers will come from; describes sales activities to reach the objectives of the business; addresses staffing needs and costs; and lays out monthly and yearly cash flow projections. The marketing component is critical. It is the roadmap to organize, execute, and track marketing strategies. This includes the different types of marketing tactics (such as website, email, social media posts and ads, events, word-of-mouth, and co-op marketing with suppliers); how to implement them; what it will cost; and how to track results and make relevant adjustments. The executive summary of a business plan is positioned first in the final document, but is often written last. It provides a short summary of the agency’s mission, growth goals for the coming year(s), and how those goals will be achieved. There are many courses led by small business associations and business coaches, both online and in person, that travel advisors can tap into for help in crafting a great business plan. Local community colleges often have classes, as well. And some travel industry partners assist in this regard, which is perhaps the most effective approach, since they understand the travel industry inside and out. Travel advisor aha moments Leigh Lee, owner and travel advisor, Our Next Adventure Travels, had an aha moment during the process of creating her business plan. It was “when one of the instructors told us to think outside the box and think how your business can be different. If it is a niche, then you can charge more because not everyone can do what you do. I always plan trips for my mom, who is a disabled veteran, and I realized that I love helping people who have disabilities. This is when I realized my passion for travel and my passion for helping people with disabilities can come together to make a successful business.

“This program made me realize that I have a niche market, and I have more value to offer to my clients because of my education and training.” Exactly the opposite, Johnson says: “When I was building my business plan, my aha moment was when I realized I didn't have to limit myself to a specific niche. I'm passionate about creating a memorable experience for my clients, and technology has helped me make that happen. For example, the digital itinerary product I use includes a chat feature that allows me to automate tasks and provide a more personalized touch.”

There are no correct or incorrect answers. Wherever the business planning process leads is valuable and unique to each travel advisor, and to achieving the business of their dreams. McDonald’s aha moment was “realizing the importance of understanding our target audience intimately. This ‘aha’ moment went beyond knowing that our focus was on our travelers; it meant diving deep into their unique needs and preferences. Through extensive market research and customer surveys, we unearthed invaluable insights. We discovered that the travel community sought convenient travel options and experiences catering to all age groups. This revelation led us to develop tailored packages incorporating activities for our business partners who travel with family and our families traveling with children, parents, and extended family members. This ‘aha’ moment fundamentally keeps us focused on the fact that we are in the business of creating unforgettable travel memories and experiences.”   

And their challenges As many of her peers would undoubtedly agree, Johnson describes: “The most challenging part of a travel business plan for me is the financial section. I’ve never been a fan of crunching numbers, but I understand how important it is to have a solid financial plan in place. The travel industry has so many factors that can affect the demand for travel, and it is constantly changing; therefore, you must be prepared for anything, including economic conditions, natural disasters, and competition. A strong financial plan will help you weather the storms.” For Lee, the challenge was “finding the statistics that supported the need for travel agents that assist people with disabilities. I needed to see the numbers before I changed my whole business around to mostly serve people who have disabilities. I overcame this obstacle by reaching out to other travel agents who have been in the travel business longer. The second thing was looking at my sales in the last year, and realizing I could have done more sales if I had written this business plan sooner.” McDonald explains that, for her, the most challenging aspects in creating the business plan “were undoubtedly patience and learning about our target audience. Developing a business plan requires careful thought, research, and deliberation. Creating a business plan is a process that can take time, as it lays the foundation for the entire venture. We overcame that by establishing a structured timeline and task list, allocating specific timeframes for each business plan section. Setting a structured time helped manage expectations and prevent the urge to rush through the process. Regular check-ins and progress reviews with the team ensured we stayed on track while allowing necessary adjustments.”

McDonald also describes: “Understanding family and corporate travelers' nuanced needs and preferences was a complex task. It required in-depth market research, customer surveys, and the flexibility to adapt as new insights emerged. This process demanded keen attention to detail and a willingness to listen and learn from our potential clients. We overcame that by investing time in market research and conducting thorough surveys to gather valuable data. We also directly talked with families and business owners through focus groups and individual interviews to better understand their travel desires and needs. This hands-on approach provided invaluable insights for our business plan, ensuring it was finely tuned to cater to the specific needs of our target audience.”

Take the first step How do you begin the considerable task of formulating a business plan? Just take the first step. “Start by envisioning where you want your travel business to be, then break it down into achievable milestones,” suggests McDonald. She also stresses: “Remember, patience is key. Building a thriving travel advisory business takes time. Take the time to research, learn, and refine your plan. Each adjustment brings you one step closer to your vision. And don't be afraid to seek guidance. Connect with mentors, attend workshops, and engage with the travel community. Their experiences can offer invaluable perspectives and steer you away from common pitfalls.”  FROM THE SPONSOR: This summer, Carnival Cruise Line conducted a nationwide "Your Winning Plan" roadshow and competition for travel advisors. The educational initiative gave travel advisors the opportunity to learn from business experts from the U.S. Small Business Association, while at the same time competing for $20,000 worth of prizes. Carnival encouraged the participating advisors to develop business plans with a tool created in cooperation with America’s Small Business Development Centers, a partner of the U.S. Small Business Association. The advisors were then invited to submit their plans and compete for cash to use toward implementing them. More than one thousand plans were submitted during the program. One of the semi-finalists will be named as the grand prize winner when celebrated entrepreneur Daymond John, star of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” helps to conclude the series at a grand finale event in Houston on September 27. Carnival President Christine Duffy will join John during the event to discuss tips for entrepreneurial success, and he will name the grand prize winner during an onstage celebration. For more information call 800-CARNIVAL or visit  www.goccl.com  or  www.carnival.com .

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I've worked on cruise ships for years. I always see passengers make these 13 mistakes.

• I've worked on cruise ships for over six years, so I've seen many passengers make mistakes.
• Missing the ship at port or booking excursions with outside operators could be costly and risky. 
• If you don't set your phone to airplane mode, you may rack up overseas roaming charges.

After over six years working on ships for a major cruise line , I've witnessed tons of travel blunders that prevent guests from having the best possible experience.

Here are 13 common mistakes I see travelers make:

Not reading the fine print can lead to conduct issues later

Passengers usually come on the ship excited for a good time, and for many, this involves a drinks package . And with lots of drinks can come rowdiness. 

I've come across a few troublemakers who had no idea that smashing Champagne glasses in the hot tub could get you booted off the ship.

Every passenger consents to a hefty conduct policy when they book the cruise, so make sure to read through it to know what's prohibited on board.

Make sure to put your phone on airplane mode to avoid expensive roaming charges

Cellular rates at sea can sneak up on you, and you can easily rack up a $500 roaming bill. 

Even if you're not actively on your phone, most are still using data, so make sure to put yours on airplane mode to avoid roaming charges.

Really, just turn your phone off unless you're using it to take photos or access the ship's WiFi.

Many passengers don't take advantage of the different dining options on board

I often see passengers eat all three meals at the buffet every day. I know some people just really love the self-serve option, but it surprises me how many guests have no idea what's included with their trip.

Many times, the biggest shock to most first-time cruisers is that the dining room is included on most ships. Yes, this means a sit-down meal where you can order seven appetizers, five entrées, and 12 extra cookies for a midnight snack.

There are also so many spots with free food around most ships, like a pizza station, 24-hour ice-cream machine, and small cafés. Just be aware that specialty dining, like the steak house , might cost extra.

Leaving your room key behind is more of a hassle than you'd expect

It is not just a room key — it's your onboard credit card, ticket on and off the ship, and identification for the week.

Everything is connected to that card, so make sure to set up your information online ahead of time so you can start swiping the moment you get on board.

Security will scan it when you pass through the gangway to know who is on or off the ship, so it's especially important to have it on port days.

If you lose it, report it to the service desk immediately to ensure that no one else spends your money.

Many guests don't know they can bring their own wine on the ship

While many people think no outside alcohol is permitted on the ship, many major cruise lines allow passengers over the age of 21 to bring a bottle or two of wine on boarding day, so you can stop smuggling drinks in empty mouthwash bottles.

Some terminals will even sell wine to boarding travelers. If you buy alcohol in a port, you'll usually have to check it upon reentering the ship, and it'll be delivered to your room on the last night.

Missing the all-aboard time on port days is an expensive mistake

In my years of working cruises, I have seen more than a handful of guests miss the ship.

Although this is a huge fear for most passengers, it usually happens to avid cruisers — people who have been to the port many times before sometimes assume the all-aboard time is always the same.

But this time varies by cruise, and it's stated on multiple signs at the exit gangway, in the daily planner, and in the captain's announcement.

Also, always triple-check whether the all-aboard time is based on the ship's clock or the local time.

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If you miss the ship, you'll often have to get yourself to the next port, which can be very pricey.

Passengers miss out on discounts by not booking their next cruise while still on the ship

Booking a future vacation while on a ship can get you bigger discounts on cruises , access to new itineraries not open to the general public yet, and a lot of onboard credit.

These booking appointments are usually filled up by the last few days of the cruise, so head there at the beginning of your stay for more deals and no wait.

Booking a tour with an outside operator can be risky

Although it might be a lot cheaper to book your tours independently, it's also a lot riskier. 

Excursions booked through the ship are with verified operators. Most cruise lines will wait for the ship's tour to return before leaving the port, even if it's hours late. 

But this is not the case if you book on your own, and running through the port to find the ship sailing away is probably not the excursion you're looking for.

Immediately removing the automatic gratuity affects many staff members

On most cruise ships, there is a preset daily gratuity charged per passenger unless it's removed at the guest-services desk.

I see so many people come on board and immediately remove the charge, but this fee is usually split between your housekeeping, dining, and cleaning staff. It is essential to their jobs and affects their livelihoods.

I'd recommend waiting until the end of the cruise to make sure you're happy with the service instead of removing it on day one. You can also increase or decrease the amount instead of cutting it. 

Packing prohibited items can lead to a headache

As confident as you are that you can sneak on your portable iron, I seriously advise against packing anything that's not allowed on board. 

Security scans your bags on embarkation day, and if a prohibited item — like an iron, a bottle of vodka, or a candle — is found, they will hold your bag.

Your luggage won't be delivered to your door, and you may have to wait several hours until security contacts you, brings you to the holding area to search the bag, and confiscates the item until the end of the cruise.

Prepare your necessary travel documents to avoid trouble at ports

Cruise ships travel all over the world, so check if you need specific visas or documents based on your nationality.

You are responsible for knowing and bringing your own paperwork. If you don't have the right documents, you might not be able to get off at a port or, even worse, be allowed back on the ship.

I saw this happen when traveling to India with many American guests, a handful of whom didn't realize they needed a visa.

Dressing down on formal night can limit your dining options

Even though walking through the promenade in shorts is your choice, many guests aren't aware that there's usually a formal evening on most cruises.

Most passengers don evening gowns and suits on formal nights, and I've met cruisers who wished they would've packed at least one nice item — besides their Margaritaville shirt, of course.

Passengers not formally dressed on this evening usually aren't allowed to eat in the ship's main dining rooms, though the buffet is open to everyone.

It's worth learning the difference between port and starboard

Different announcements will direct passengers to either the port side or starboard side of the ship, so it's best to brush up on the jargon before your vacation.

Port is the left side of the boat and starboard is the right, always configured facing the front of the ship.

Just remember that "port" and "left" are both four letters. You'll thank me later.

This story was originally published on June 28, 2021, and most recently updated on June 7, 2024.

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Travel insurance

Best travel insurance companies of June 2024

Amy Fontinelle

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 2:16 p.m. UTC June 7, 2024

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Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

WorldTrips is the best travel insurance company of 2024 , based on our in-depth analysis of travel insurance policies. Its Atlas Journey Elevate plan gets the top score in our rating because of the extensive coverage it provides for the price. It offers best-in-class emergency medical and evacuation benefits, as well as high limits for baggage insurance.

Best travel insurance of 2024

• WorldTrips : Best travel insurance.
• Travel Insured International : Best for emergency evacuation.
• TravelSafe : Best for missed connections.
• Aegis : Cheapest travel insurance.
• Travelex : Best for families.
• AIG : Best for add-on coverage options.
• Nationwide : Best for cruise itinerary changes.

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our travel insurance experts evaluate hundreds of insurance products and analyze thousands of data points to help you find the best trip insurance for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
• 567 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Travel insurance quotes comparison

Best travel insurance companies, best travel insurance.

Top travel insurance plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, why it’s the best.

If you’re looking for the best travel insurance for international travel , WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey Elevate plan gives you $250,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage. This plan is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority. It also has $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage. 

See our full WorldTrips travel insurance review .

Pros and cons

• $250,000 in primary medical coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
• Primary damage or loss baggage coverage of $500 per item, up to $2,500.
• 5 optional upgrades, including pet care, adventure sports and rental car damage and theft.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Customer reviews

WorldTrips has a rating of 4.27 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 428 reviews of policies purchased through the travel insurance comparison site since 2008. 

Heidi’s expert take:   “WorldTrips offers primary coverage for emergency medical expense and for baggage damage or loss. This means the insurer will pay for your claim first and then seek recovery from any responsible third party, such as your health insurance provider, airline or homeowners insurance company (if your belongings are stolen). Travel insurance with secondary medical coverage might be cheaper, but then you’d have to file claims with third parties yourself, before you could turn to your travel insurance for help.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for emergency evacuation

Travel insured international.

Top travel insurance plan

If you’re traveling to a remote area, consider Travel Insured International’s Worldwide Trip Protector. It has the best travel insurance for emergency evacuation of travel insurance policies in our rating. This top travel insurance plan provides up to $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits.

• Only plan in our rating that offers $150,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• $500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
• Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
• Missed connection benefit of $500 per person is only available for cruises and tours.

Travel Insured International has a rating of 4.39 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 3,402 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Heidi’s expert take:   The Worldwide Trip Protector plan provides rare non-medical evacuation benefits of up to $150,000. If you’re traveling to an area at risk of a political, security or national disaster, this emergency evacuation coverage could help get you back to safety. Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe offers good travel insurance for missed connections , with $2,500 in missed connection coverage for each person on the plan.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
• Most expensive of our best-rated travel insurance plans.
• No “interruption for any reason” coverage option.
• Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

TravelSafe has a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 1,506 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Heidi’s expert take:   “If you miss out on prepaid vacation plans because you didn’t make a connecting flight, you’ll be glad for the $2,500 missed connection coverage. Some policies only provide missed connection coverage for cruises and tours, but TravelSafe Classic doesn’t impose that restriction.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Cheapest travel insurance

Go Ready Choice by Aegis has the most affordable travel insurance of the best-rated travel insurance companies in our rating. This is based on the average cost of seven international trips of varying lengths and values for travelers of different ages.

See our full Aegis travel insurance review .

• Cheapest of our best trip insurance plans.
• Pet care benefit of $500 under travel delay benefits.
• Low emergency medical and evacuation limits.
• Low missed connection benefit of $500 per person for cruises and tours only.
• Low baggage and personal items loss benefit of $500 per person.

Aegis has a rating of 4.06 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 1,111 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2013.

Heidi’s expert take:   “If you’re looking for a  budget travel insurance policy , Go Ready Choice may fit the bill. It has comparably low coverage limits, but if you have health insurance that will cover you on your trip, its $50,000 in secondary medical coverage may be sufficient.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for families

Top-scoring plan

Travelex Insurance Services has the best travel insurance for families because you can add kids aged 17 and younger to your Travel Select plan at no additional charge.

See our full Travelex travel insurance review .

• Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
• Robust travel delay coverage of $2,000 per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
• Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
• Low emergency medical coverage of $50,000 per person.
• Non-medical evacuation is not included.
• Low baggage delay coverage of $200 requires a 12-hour delay.

Travelex has a rating of 4.43 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 2,048 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Heidi’s expert take:   “If you’re traveling with kids, a Travelex policy will cover them, too. The number of children you can add to your policy is unlimited and they’ll get travel protection at no additional cost.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for add-on coverage options

Travel Guard Preferred from AIG allows you to customize your policy with a host of available upgrades, making it the best traveler insurance for add-on options . These include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings.

There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million. This is a good option if you’re looking for foreign travel health insurance.

See our full AIG travel insurance review .

• Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your travel insurance policy.
• Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
• Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
• $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
• Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Heidi’s expert take: “You can add riders to your AIG travel insurance policy to maximize your coverage. Choose from these bundles: adventure sports, medical, pet, quarantine, security and wedding. You may also want to add “cancel for any reason” coverage and rental vehicle damage coverage.”  Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for cruise itinerary changes

Nationwide’s Choice Cruise is good travel insurance for cruises . It has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion.

Choice Cruise also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay when you’re taking a cruise or tour. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.

See our full Nationwide travel insurance review .

• Benefits for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
• Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
• Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.
• Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
• Travel medical coverage is secondary.
• Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
• No “cancel for any reason” upgrade available.

Nationwide has a rating of 4.02 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 570 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2018.

  Heidi’s expert take: “This plan has protections for cruisers when it comes to prepaid expenses. But its emergency medical coverage is secondary, which means you’d have to file medical claims with your health insurance company first. Since U.S. health insurance won’t help you at sea, you may want to look for cruise travel insurance with primary medical coverage instead.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Compare the best travel insurance plans

Via Compare Coverage’s website