The travel industry has changed dramatically in the last decade. Gone are the days when opening a travel agency meant renting an office and printing brochures. In 2025, agencies can launch digitally first — with global suppliers, AI automation, and white-label platforms available at their fingertips.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur in Switzerland, a freelancer in Europe, or a startup founder anywhere in the world, here’s a step-by-step guide to starting a travel agency in 2025.
1. Decide on Your Business Model
Before you start, clarify your approach:
- Online Travel Agency (OTA) → fully digital, no office, relies on white-label or affiliate tech.
- Niche Specialist → focus on one area (luxury weekends, family trips, wine tours, senior travel).
- Corporate Travel → business trips, meetings, events.
- Hybrid Model → part online, part physical (local office + booking site).
👉 In 2025, the fastest-growing model is digital-first + niche focus.
2. Legal Setup & Compliance
- Register your business (e.g., GmbH in Switzerland, Ltd in EU).
- Check licensing rules (some countries require IATA accreditation, others don’t for WL).
- Set up accounting + VAT compliance.
- Add Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy to your website.
Pro tip: Switzerland allows low-barrier entry for digital startups if you’re using affiliate/white-label models.
3. Choose Your Technology
This is where agencies succeed or fail. Options:
- Affiliate Widgets (easy, free) → flights, hotels, insurance, eSIM.
- White-Label Booking Engines → branded site, your domain, global suppliers.
- API Integrations → custom solutions for advanced agencies.
💡 Example: A weekend travel site from Zurich can start with a white-label booking engine, then expand with APIs for Swiss rail or tours.
4. Build Your Brand
- Pick a memorable domain (e.g., lastminhotels.ch).
- Create a simple but modern website.
- Add visuals: hero image, trust row with partner logos, clear CTA buttons.
- Focus on credibility → professional design, clear contact info, “About Us” story.
Brand trust is critical — people won’t book with a site that looks amateur.
5. Define Your Niche
Instead of competing with Booking.com, focus on:
- Weekend trips from Zurich
- Wine walks in Ticino
- Luxury escapes for couples
- Adventure travel in the Alps
- Senior-friendly travel
👉 Niche = higher conversion + lower competition.
6. Find Suppliers & Partners
In 2025, you don’t need direct airline contracts. Use:
- Travelpayouts (affiliate + WL: flights, hotels, tours, insurance, eSIM).
- SafetyWing (insurance).
- Airalo (eSIM).
- DiscoverCars (rentals).
- Tiqets / WeGoTrip (activities).
These platforms let you start without big upfront costs.
7. Marketing & Customer Acquisition
- SEO Blog/News → publish posts like “Best Weekend Escapes from Zurich”.
- Social Media → TikTok/Instagram for visual storytelling.
- Partnerships → collaborate with local influencers, wine cellars, event organizers.
- Email Marketing → build a subscriber list with weekend offers.
💡 Pro tip: In Switzerland, German-language SEO (“Wochenendreisen Zürich”) is a goldmine.
8. Automate Where Possible
- AI for SEO → generate multilingual content at scale.
- N8N / Zapier → automate lead capture and reports.
- Affiliate dashboards → track clicks, bookings, conversions automatically.
The less manual work you do, the faster you can scale.
9. Scale Step by Step
- Start small (affiliate widgets + blog).
- Upgrade to WL engine once traffic grows.
- Expand niche offers (insurance, eSIM, tours).
- Enter new markets (e.g., DE, FR, IT languages for Swiss users).
10. Revenue Potential
- Affiliate commissions: 3–10% on bookings.
- Insurance/eSIM margins: higher, 15–40%.
- Flight compensation: €600 per claim, high conversion.
- Niche tours: custom markup possible.
Even a micro-agency can generate CHF 5k–20k/month if focused on niche + automation.
Conclusion
Starting a travel agency in 2025 no longer requires massive capital or offices. With white-label platforms, affiliate networks, and AI automation, anyone can launch a professional travel brand quickly and scale globally.
The winners will be those who focus on niches, build trust, and embed essentials like eSIM and insurance directly into the booking flow.