tourism services business plan

How to Write a Tourism Business Plan

by Bryan | Jul 10, 2023 | Destination Marketing

a person writing a business plan on a computer

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.

people walking outside at a tourism location

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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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?

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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How to create a tour operator business plan in 8 steps

Preparing to Write a Business Plan

Tour operator business plan template, tips and tricks for a strong tour operator business plan.

Wondering how to turn your tour operator idea into a real business? The first step to launching a startup and getting investors onboard is to develop a formal proposal called a business plan . Whether you want to start a travel agency, a walking tour company, or an adventure travel business, you will use a business plan to communicate exactly how you plan to make your idea come to life.

Creating a tourism business plan might sound daunting; in this article, we’ll show you how to do one and offer lots of advice for first-time founders. You’ll be able to use this article as a tour operator business plan template to write your own sample business plan (as an exercise) or to create the real thing.

To more clearly illustrate how to create a tour operator business plan, we’ll use a sample business as we go through each section. Our sample business is a small tour operator startup that specializes in ecotourism in Thailand.

Before you start to create your official business plan, it can be helpful to think through several aspects of your business so that you are fully prepared to address each topic in the business plan template. One excellent preparation exercise is to complete a Business Model Canvas for your company.

The Business Model Canvas encourages you to think critically about your customers, cost structure, revenue streams, marketing strategy, and more. It’s the perfect warm-up for your business plan because you’ll incorporate your Business Model Canvas notes into the actual business plan document. We recommend that you do this exercise with your co-founders, if you have any, and with a whiteboard – you’ll probably make lots of changes as you go!

You can find a printable Business Model Canvas template here .

Your tour operator business plan should contain at least seven sections: an executive summary, a company overview, a description of your services, an analysis of your market, an implementation plan, a team summary, and a financial plan. You might have one or more appendices at the end, if you have additional relevant information to include. The finished product should be formatted nicely and incorporate your company’s logo and branding.

Executive Summary

As the first component of your business plan, the executive summary is arguably the most important section. If you’re pitching your idea to investors, they’re likely very busy people, so you want to grab their attention from the beginning. The executive summary should contain a concise outline of your tour operator company’s objectives and goals, your mission and/or vision statements , your key success factors, and a clear description of your value proposition.

Company Overview

Think of this section as what you would post on the “About” section of your tour operator company’s website. The company overview should explain who your company’s key leaders are, how and when the business started, what the ownership structure looks like (if you have investors, for example), where your office is located, and an outline of your current assets and debts. If you’re in the early stages of your business, this section might be quite short.

Operations Plan

The operations plan is where you describe exactly what your company will offer. What kinds of tours will you sell? Where exactly will you operate? This is the type of information you would list on your website for potential customers or guests to read – but without too much of a sales pitch.

In this section, it can also be helpful to include a description of the full “ life cycle ” of your business. What happens before, during, and after a tour? What steps does the guest complete, and what happens behind the scenes at your company’s office?

Thinking about our Thai ecotourism company, we might illustrate how someone could book a tour perhaps six months in advance on our website. Between booking and arrival, we coordinate accommodation, meals, and transportation with partner providers. When the tour concludes, we offer transportation back to the airport and follow up with a special offer to book another tour with us at a discount.

Market Analysis

This section explores your specific niche within the tourism industry and the geographic location(s) where you plan to operate. Who are your target clients or guests? Who are your main competitors? What trends exist in this facet of the industry? Is the amount of visitors to your location increasing or decreasing?

Try to include statistics from reputable sources whenever you can. Destination marketing organizations, tourism bureaus, and air traffic data, just to name a few, can provide valuable insight and add credibility. This section should leave no stone unturned so that your reader can truly understand your market conditions.

In our ecotourism business in Thailand, for example, we would include information about travel trends in Thailand (like the most popular feeder markets), new air routes, economic trends, the number of new hotels being built, etc. We would also explore the ecotourism market; are more people choosing eco-friendly travel options today compared to five years ago? What companies are the current ecotourism market leaders globally and in Thailand?

Implementation

Now that you’ve explained your business idea and described the market in which you plan to operate, it’s time to outline exactly how you will bring your tour operator business to life. This section should include a SWOT analysis , details about your marketing and pricing strategies, and a sales projection.

In the SWOT analysis , you will explore your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. What does your company offer that nobody else in the market does? What are some potential challenges that you will need to face? Using our ecotourism company example, a threat could be natural disasters – if there are floods or mudslides, our business cannot operate. On the other hand, an opportunity is that more people are interested in eco-friendly travel options.

Your marketing and pricing strategies should be very specific. How will customers find your company? Which online channels will you use? Will you work through travel agents or directly with your customers?

Your pricing strategy should include the exact rates you plan to charge for at least a year in advance. For example, our ecotourism company in Thailand might charge $699 for a package during low season, $899 during high season, and $999 over holiday periods, with rates increasing 5% each year.

We might also offer a 10% discount for advance purchase bookings made at least 6 months in advance and charge a 50% cancellation fee for any reservations cancelled within 3 months of the tour departure date. Based on your pricing strategy, you can create a sales projection that will estimate your company’s sales performance, preferably over the next three years.

Team Summary

After your reader understands what your tour operator business will do, they’ll wonder who is going to make it happen. And if you’re planning to launch a full-fledged tour operator business, you’re probably not going at it alone. The Team Summary section should include a thorough plan for your company’s organizational structure, key leaders, employees, and training processes.

Do you already have a management team in place, or will you need to hire additional leaders? How many employees will you need, and how much will you pay them? And how will you train and develop your employees? The Team Summary should answer all of these questions and provide enough information for potential investors to understand exactly how you plan to staff your business, pay your employees, and ensure all team members are trained properly.

Financial Plan

The financial plan is extremely important to potential investors because they will want to maximize the return on their investment. Your financial plan is essentially a projection of your revenue streams and cost structure for your company’s first five or so years of operation. It will include not only revenue from ticket sales and costs from employee salaries, but also details like tour-operator software costs, insurance, taxes, marketing spend, depreciation of assets, interest on loans, and more.

If you don’t have a finance background yourself, it may be helpful to seek assistance from an accountant or someone who knows the ins and outs of financial modeling.

Additional Information

In an appendix, you can include supporting information or statistics that may be helpful for potential investors, but not essential to your business plan. For instance, you could include a full report on air traffic trends that you used in your Market Analysis section.

Download Your Tour Operator Business Plan Template

Now that you know what a Tour Operator Business Plan should include, below we provide the one we have specially created for you.

Writing a business plan is certainly not an easy task. It’s time consuming and requires a lot of thought, but a well written business plan can lead to significant growth for your company. As you complete your business plan, keep these pieces of advice in mind:

Conduct thorough research on your market . When you pitch your company to investors, you want to be seen as an expert, so learn as much as you can about your competitors and market trends.
Simplify your words and descriptions whenever possible . A business plan is not the place to wow your reader with flowery language – instead, you want your reader to easily grasp your value proposition. Think about writing so that a fifth-grader can understand it. The last thing you want is for your reader to be confused about what your company actually does.
Don’t be afraid to make changes . As you work on your business plan, you might discover that some aspects of your business need to be adjusted for the greater good of the company. After all, the companies that are the most adaptable are the ones that survive!
Get a second opinion (or a third or a fourth). A good test of your business plan’s readability and clarity is to let someone outside your industry read it, like a family member or friend. If they have a lot of questions, you might need to adjust your descriptions or more clearly explain your plans.
Proofread ! Your business plan is a reflection of your company’s values. If your formatting is sloppy and your text is full of typos, your reader might question whether you have the attention to detail necessary to run a successful business.

Now that you have all the tools to create a great tour operator business plan, it’s time to get to work!

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Adrienne Fors is the founder of Strategic Stays, a consultancy specializing in tech solutions and copywriting for short-term rental businesses and boutique hotels. She was previously a Market Manager at Expedia, and she graduated from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Adrienne is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota and enjoys traveling and playing tennis.

Mize is the leading hotel booking optimization solution in the world. With over 170 partners using our fintech products, Mize creates new extra profit for the hotel booking industry using its fully automated proprietary technology and has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue across its suite of products for its partners. Mize was founded in 2016 with its headquarters in Tel Aviv and offices worldwide.

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Step-by-step guide to creating a tour operator business plan [template included]

By Kevin Tjoe — 13 Jan 2022

Business plan Business set-up

Updated July 2023 – Ready to take the plunge and launch that tour company or adventure travel business you’ve been envisioning? Before you start welcoming guests, the best first step is always to build a detailed business plan.

A tour operator business plan is more than just a formality; it is the compass that will navigate your business’s journey. A well-structured business plan for a tour operator provides the framework for transforming your vision into a thriving and sustainable business. It will help you clarify your goals, streamline your operations, and make informed decisions.

Let’s explore the immense value of a clear tour operator business plan as well as the most important elements to consider in this comprehensive document.

Why create a business plan?

Crafting a business plan allows you to lay the groundwork for your tour operator business effectively. Whether you plan to help travelers make travel plans or to provide amazing tourism experiences, your business plan will serve a couple of key purposes:

You can hit the ground running with a plan in place, and goals to work towards in the long term.
You’ll have a quality business case to use if you’re applying for loans or grants.
You can point your start-up resources, such as cash flow and staff, where they’ll provide the most benefit. This is particularly important if you’re starting with a tight budget.
You’ll also have a ‘roadmap’ to help you navigate through the inevitable challenges, obstacles, and surprises in business!

Key elements of a tour operator business plan

In order to understand how to set up a tour operator business, you’ll first need to learn the key elements of a tour operator business plan.

How to set a tour operator business plan

1. Business overview

This section of your tour operator/ tour agency business plan provides a holistic snapshot of your company, offering readers a clear understanding of your business’s identity. Ideally, it should include the following:

Business Name: Your business name should resonate with your target audience, conveying the essence of your offerings and the unique experiences you promise to deliver. Ensure it is memorable, evocative, and future-proof.
Location: Detail the physical location of your tour operator business. Your location can influence your target market and the types of tours you can offer. Be specific about your base of operations and, if applicable, mention any satellite offices or future expansion plans.
History: Describe the story behind your tour company’s inception. Share the passion and inspiration that sparked your journey into the travel and tourism industry, and ensure that it aligns with your brand values.
Ownership Structure: Clarify the legal structure of your tour operator business. Are you a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation? Describe the ownership arrangement and highlight the key stakeholders involved in the venture.
Assets and Debts: Provide an overview of your company’s assets and debts. This includes tangible assets such as vehicles, equipment, and office space, as well as intangible assets like intellectual property and brand equity. If applicable, disclose any outstanding debts or financial obligations that may impact your business’s financial health and ability to grow.

2. Market analysis

Start by defining your target market. Are you catering to adventure-seeking travelers, history enthusiasts, or nature lovers? Consider their demographics, interests, and spending behavior. Research industry trends and analyze competitors to gain insights into their strengths and weaknesses. This will help you identify opportunities and potential gaps in the market that your business can fill.

In addition, study the external factors that could impact your business, such as seasonal fluctuations, economic conditions, and any regulatory requirements specific to the tourism industry.

3. Tour offerings

Crafting compelling and diverse tour offerings is at the heart of your tour operator business. Consider the unique experiences and attractions your target market seeks. Develop a range of tour packages that cater to different preferences and budget levels.

Your tours should not only showcase the best of the destination but also provide memorable and immersive experiences. Whether it’s organizing guided city tours, thrilling adventure expeditions, or cultural explorations, your offerings should reflect your passion for travel and your commitment to creating unforgettable memories for your customers.

Use your tour operator/ tour agency business plan to emphasize what sets your tours apart from the competition. Whether it’s exclusive access to hidden gems, knowledgeable guides, or sustainable practices, highlight the value that customers will gain from choosing your services.

4. Marketing strategy

Successful businesses have strong brands, so your business plan should set out branding guidelines . Consider the following key elements when coming up with a strategy that will guide how you should start marketing your tour business:

Branding Guidelines: Outline your branding guidelines, including your brand’s visual identity, mission statement, core values, and brand voice. Emphasize consistency across all touchpoints, from your website and social media platforms to your tour brochures and customer interactions.
Advertising Channels: Identify the advertising channels that best align with your target audience and budget. Consider a mix of online and offline channels to reach potential customers effectively. Online channels may include pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, display ads, and sponsored content on travel websites. Offline channels could involve partnering with local travel agencies, and tourism boards, or participating in travel trade shows and events.
Social Media Channels: Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with travelers and building a loyal community around your brand. Engage users with captivating visual content, compelling storytelling, and interactive posts that evoke a sense of wanderlust. Utilize platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to share breathtaking photos, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and testimonials from satisfied customers.
Customer Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage satisfied customers to share their stories and feedback on platforms like Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and your website. Positive reviews build credibility and serve as powerful social proof, enticing potential travelers to choose your tours with confidence. Respond promptly and graciously to all reviews, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Content Marketing: Create valuable and informative content that educates travelers about your destination, highlights unique aspects of your tours, and offers travel tips and insights. Utilize blog posts, videos, podcasts, and downloadable guides to establish your tour operator business as a trusted authority in the travel industry.
Partnerships and Collaborations: Consider strategic partnerships with complementary businesses in the travel and hospitality industry. Collaborate with local hotels, restaurants, and activity providers to create enticing package deals that appeal to travelers seeking a holistic experience. This is especially important if you are considering creating an international travel agency business plan, as collaborations can help broaden your reach.

5. Operations and management

The operations and management section of your tour operator business plan delves into the practical aspects that keep your business running smoothly and efficiently. This nitty-gritty exploration ensures that every aspect of your tour company is well-organized, legally compliant, and focused on delivering exceptional experiences to your customers.

Here are the key components to include in this section:

Business and Legal Structure: Clearly outline your chosen business and legal structure. Whether you are operating as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited liability company (LLC), or a corporation, this information provides a framework for your business’s governance and responsibilities.
Risk Management and Workplace Health & Safety Plans: As a tour operator, the safety and well-being of your guests are paramount. Detail your risk management procedures and workplace health & safety plans to mitigate potential hazards and ensure a secure experience for travelers. Assess the risks associated with different tours and activities, develop contingency plans, and implement safety protocols that align with industry best practices.
Terms and Conditions: Craft comprehensive and transparent terms and conditions for your tour offerings. Clearly communicate cancellation policies, refund procedures, and any limitations or requirements for participants.
Staff Scheduling and Training: Outline your staff scheduling procedures to ensure smooth operations and optimal customer service. Consider investing in staff training programs that equip your team with the knowledge and skills to offer insightful commentary, excellent customer care, and handle unforeseen situations professionally. Furthermore, you can optimize the utilization of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) tool to help you gauge the potential productivity of your staff and business.
Reservation System: In the digital age, a robust and secure reservation system like Rezdy is vital for streamlining your booking process for both you and your customers. Invest in a reliable booking software that allows real-time availability updates, secure payment processing, and automated customer confirmations.

Distribution Channels and Partnerships: Consider the distribution channels that will help grow your bookings and expand your market reach. Will you collaborate with online travel agencies (OTAs) or travel agents to promote your tours? Explore partnerships with local businesses, such as hotels and restaurants, to create enticing package deals.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): A well-organized CRM system enables you to build lasting relationships with your customers. Implement CRM software to keep track of customer interactions, preferences, and feedback. Personalize your marketing efforts and start building customer loyalty through targeted promotions and personalized offers.

6. Financial plan

The financial plan is a key component of your tour operator business plan. It outlines your revenue streams, costs, and projected financial performance over time. A well-structured financial plan demonstrates the viability of your business and helps you secure funding if needed.

Start by estimating your startup costs, including equipment, licenses, marketing, and initial staff training. Calculate the expected cash flow, factoring in the seasonality of the tourism industry. Identify the pricing strategy for your tours, ensuring that it covers your expenses while remaining competitive in the market.

Create financial projections for at least the first three to five years, considering both conservative and optimistic scenarios. This will enable you to anticipate potential challenges and make informed decisions that will help you with growing your tour business.

Remember to regularly review and update your financial plan as your business progresses. Monitoring actual financial performance against projections will help you make timely adjustments and stay on track towards achieving your business goals.

Ready to start building your business plan as a tour operator?

Download the free all-in-one checklist for easy reference.

Getting your tour business off the ground

Now that you have an effective business plan in place, it’s important to ensure your business has the right software.

Online booking software for tour operators like Rezdy is designed to equip your business for success. It includes multiple features integrated into the system, which allows you to reduce your overall admin duties. Some of these tools include real-time availability to avoid double bookings, automatic customer updates and reminders, and secure payment processes.

Furthermore, Rezdy also offers a channel manager platform that connects your business to thousands of resellers instantly. Joining Rezdy Marketplace is as simple as listing your products and setting your commission rates. From there, you can let resellers on the platform promote and sell your services to their customers.

Set your business up for success with Rezdy

Set your business up for success with a FREE 21-day trial or alternatively, book a demo to learn more about Rezdy and our products!

If you enjoyed this article then make sure to follow the Rezdy blog . There are a lot of marketing tools and tour operator tips designed with businesses like yours in mind.

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

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

Published: July 13, 2023
By: Yellowbrick

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

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

Spotting the Opportunity

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

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

Carving Your Unique Niche

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

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

Constructing a Comprehensive Business Plan

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

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

Arranging the Financial Framework

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

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

Jumping Through Legal Hoops

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

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

Crafting a Magnetic Brand

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

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

Building a Strong Online Presence

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

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

Launching and Marketing Your Venture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tour Operator Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

If you’re looking to create a tour operator business plan, you’ve come to the right place!

Over the past 25 years, the PlanPros team has helped over 1 million entrepreneurs and business owners write business plans….and many of them have started and grown successful tour operator businesses. Below is an example of a business plan for a tour operator business.

Tour Operator Business Plan Example

Below is our tour operator business plan template and sample plan created using our free ai business plan generator :

I. Executive Summary

Company overview.

At PanoramaQuest Adventures, we specialize in providing meticulously curated adventure tours that promise unparalleled experiences in the breathtaking landscapes of Prescott. Our company stands out due to our unparalleled dedication to delivering tours that deeply resonate with our clients’ personal interests and desires. We are situated in Prescott, where we have the privilege of accessing some of the most coveted natural wonders. Our tours are crafted with a focus on exclusivity and personalization, ensuring each itinerary is as unique as our clients. Our local guides enrich every tour with their extensive knowledge of the region, making each adventure not just a journey, but a story filled with rich narratives about the history, flora, and fauna of the area.

Success Factors

Our success at PanoramaQuest Adventures is attributed to our exceptional tour arrangements, innovative use of technology, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability. These factors have not only set us apart in the competitive landscape but have also fostered a strong connection with eco-conscious clients. Our exceptional local guides, personalized itineraries, and the educational component of our tours have significantly contributed to our accomplishments to date, establishing us as a leader in delivering experiences that are both adventurous and enlightening.

Industry Analysis

The adventure tourism industry is witnessing a significant upswing, driven by a growing inclination towards unique and eco-friendly travel experiences. This trend is particularly pronounced in areas like Prescott, known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities. The industry’s growth is further fueled by technological advancements that enhance customer experiences and operational efficiencies. However, the competitive landscape is becoming increasingly crowded, making innovation and sustainability key differentiators for businesses looking to capture the attention of eco-conscious travelers. In this context, PanoramaQuest Adventures is well-positioned to leverage these industry dynamics, thanks to our focus on personalized, sustainable adventure tours and the use of technology to streamline our operations and enhance our offerings.

Customer Analysis

Our target customers are individuals and groups with a passion for adventure and a deep appreciation for nature. They are typically eco-conscious travelers who value experiences that are not only thrilling but also sustainable and educational. Our clients seek personalized adventures that go beyond conventional tourism, looking for opportunities to connect with nature in a meaningful way. This demographic is willing to invest in high-quality, unique travel experiences that align with their values of environmental stewardship and personal growth. Catering to this audience, PanoramaQuest Adventures designs tours that fulfill these desires, setting us apart in the marketplace and driving our customer acquisition and retention strategies.

Competitive Analysis

Direct Competitors: – AdventureCo: Offers a wide range of outdoor activities but lacks the personalized and educational focus of our tours. – NatureExcursions: Specializes in nature tours but with less emphasis on sustainability and local culture. – EcoTrails: Focuses on eco-friendly tours but does not provide the same level of customization and personal attention that we do.

Our competitive advantage lies in our unique approach to curating adventure experiences that are deeply personalized and imbued with local knowledge and sustainability. Unlike our competitors, we combine adventure with education and environmental stewardship, providing our clients with experiences that are both enriching and responsible.

Marketing Plan

Our marketing strategy revolves around highlighting our unique offerings in adventure tours, including personalized itineraries, local expertise, and a commitment to sustainability. We offer a range of products and services tailored to the preferences of our target market, with pricing structured to reflect the premium value of our unique, customized experiences. Our promotions plan is focused on leveraging social media, local advertising, and email marketing to reach our target audience. We emphasize the uniqueness of our tours, the expertise of our guides, and our dedication to sustainability in all our marketing materials, aiming to attract clients who share our values and are looking for exceptional adventure travel experiences.

Operations Plan

Our operations are centered around delivering exceptional customer service, meticulously planning and coordinating tours, and efficiently managing day-to-day administrative and financial tasks. Key operational processes include managing customer inquiries, designing and updating tour packages based on market research, coordinating with local vendors, and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards. Our milestones include expanding our tour offerings, implementing cutting-edge technology solutions for operational efficiency, and achieving significant growth in customer satisfaction and financial performance. Through continuous improvement and a focus on operational excellence, we aim to solidify our position as a leader in the adventure tourism industry.

Management Team

Our management team is composed of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in the travel and tourism industry. This includes experts in tour planning, customer service, marketing, and financial management, all of whom share a passion for adventure and a commitment to sustainability. Our collective expertise ensures that PanoramaQuest Adventures operates at the highest standards, with a focus on delivering unparalleled experiences to our clients while maintaining a strong and sustainable business model.

Financial Plan

To achieve our growth goals, PanoramaQuest Adventures requires strategic investment in marketing, technology, and operational infrastructure. This funding will enable us to expand our tour offerings, enhance our operational efficiencies, and increase our market reach, ultimately leading to increased revenue and profitability. Our financial strategy is designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of our business while maximizing returns for our investors.

Below is an overview of our expected financial performance over the next five years:

	FY 1	FY 2	FY 3	FY 4	FY 5
Revenues	$4,080,963	$4,418,990	$4,785,016	$5,181,360	$5,610,533
Direct Expenses	$1,834,032	$1,927,467	$2,025,662	$2,128,861	$2,237,316

Gross Profit (%)	55.1%	56.4%	57.7%	58.9%	60.1%
Other Expenses	$103,153	$106,282	$109,507	$112,829	$116,252

Depreciation	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600
Amortization	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Interest Expense	$31,200	$31,200	$31,200	$31,200	$31,200
Income Tax Expense	$731,142	$815,654	$908,266	$1,009,704	$1,120,757

II. Company Overview

PanoramaQuest Adventures is a vibrant new Tour Operator based in the heart of Prescott, AZ. As a local tour operator, we have observed a gap in the market for high-quality tour services and are here to fill that void. Our mission is to provide unparalleled experiences for our customers, ensuring they have unforgettable adventures in and around Prescott.

At PanoramaQuest Adventures, we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of products and services tailored to meet the needs of every traveler. Our offerings include customized tours that cater to the unique preferences of our clients, transportation arrangements to ensure seamless travel experiences, accommodation reservations at the best places, and guided tours and activities that bring the beauty of Prescott to life. Additionally, we provide travel insurance and assistance to guarantee our customers’ peace of mind while exploring with us. Our goal is to create hassle-free, memorable travel experiences for all our clients.

Our operations are strategically located in Prescott, AZ, allowing us to serve our customers with ease and efficiency. This location not only enables us to offer tours and experiences that showcase the best of Prescott but also positions us as a convenient choice for locals and visitors alike seeking adventure and exploration in the area.

PanoramaQuest Adventures stands out from the competition for several reasons. Our founder brings to the table a wealth of experience from previously running a successful tour operator, which ensures that we are well-versed in the intricacies of the travel and tourism industry. Furthermore, our commitment to providing superior tour arrangements and experiences makes us the preferred choice for those looking for quality and memorable adventures in Prescott.

Since our inception on January 4, 2024, PanoramaQuest Adventures has been on a steady path of growth and accomplishment. We are a Limited Liability Company, which underscores our professional commitment to our business and our customers. Among our key achievements to date are the development of our company name and logo, which have become symbols of quality and trust in the local tourism industry. Additionally, we have secured a prime location for our operations, further solidifying our presence in the market and our commitment to being at the forefront of offering exceptional travel experiences in Prescott, AZ.

III. Industry Analysis

The Tour Operator industry in the United States is a thriving sector, with a current market size estimated at over $12 billion. This industry encompasses a wide range of businesses that organize and conduct tours for individuals and groups, covering various destinations and activities.

Market research projects significant growth in the Tour Operator industry in the coming years, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 5% expected over the next five years. This growth is driven by factors such as increasing disposable incomes, growing interest in experiential travel, and the rising popularity of adventure tourism.

These trends bode well for PanoramaQuest Adventures, a new Tour Operator serving customers in Prescott, AZ. As more travelers seek unique and immersive experiences, there is a growing demand for specialized tour operators that offer personalized and off-the-beaten-path adventures. By tapping into this trend, PanoramaQuest Adventures is well-positioned to capitalize on the expanding market and carve out a niche for itself in the industry.

IV. Customer Analysis

Below is a description of our target customers and their core needs.

Target Customers

We will target local residents seeking to explore their own backyard with fresh eyes and a sense of adventure. This demographic is often eager to discover hidden gems within their vicinity and participate in unique local experiences. By focusing on this segment, we will tailor our adventures to highlight the unparalleled beauty and intrigue of Prescott, ensuring our tours resonate deeply with those who call this area home.

Adventure-seeking tourists and outdoor enthusiasts will also form a significant portion of our customer base. These individuals are drawn to Prescott for its natural beauty, including its expansive trails, scenic landscapes, and outdoor recreational activities. We will offer specialized tours that cater to varying levels of adventure and exploration, ensuring each guest experiences the thrill of discovery and adventure that Prescott has to offer.

In addition to local residents and outdoor enthusiasts, we will also focus on serving educational institutions and corporate groups looking for team-building activities and educational excursions. These tours will be designed to foster teamwork, leadership, and learning in an outdoor setting, providing a unique alternative to traditional classroom or office-based team-building exercises. This approach will not only broaden our market reach but also enhance our contribution to community development and corporate wellness.

Customer Needs

PanoramaQuest Adventures caters to the growing demand for high-quality tours among residents who crave exceptional experiences. Customers can expect meticulously planned journeys that not only meet but exceed their expectations for adventure and exploration. The focus on quality ensures every aspect of the tour, from the destinations chosen to the comfort of transportation, is top-notch.

In addition to offering high-quality tours, PanoramaQuest Adventures understands the value of providing personalized experiences. Customers have diverse interests and preferences, which the company accommodates by offering customizable tour options. This flexibility allows individuals to tailor their adventures, whether they seek the thrill of outdoor activities or the tranquility of scenic landscapes, ensuring their needs and desires are fully met.

Recognizing the importance of knowledgeable guidance, PanoramaQuest Adventures ensures that all tours are led by experienced and passionate guides. These professionals enhance the customer experience by sharing insightful information and ensuring safety throughout the journey. Customers can rely on these guides to discover hidden gems and engage in meaningful interactions that enrich their overall experience.

V. Competitive Analysis

Direct competitors.

PanoramaQuest Adventures’s competitors include the following companies.

HomeTowne Cruise & Tour Center offers a variety of travel services, including cruise bookings, guided tours, and customized vacation planning. They cater to a wide range of customers looking for both luxury and budget-friendly travel options. Their price points vary significantly based on the type of travel package, destination, and duration of the trip, providing flexibility to meet the budget needs of various customers.

HomeTowne Cruise & Tour Center operates primarily within the Prescott area but has a reach that extends to international destinations through their cruise and tour partners. This geographical flexibility allows them to serve a broad customer base. The company’s key strengths include a personalized approach to travel planning and a wide selection of travel options. However, their reliance on third-party providers can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in the quality of the customer experience.

Cruise Planners – Randi Coleman Meltzer specializes in cruise vacations but also offers a range of related travel services such as hotel bookings, flight reservations, and land tours. They work with a diverse set of customers, from individuals and families to groups, looking for seamless vacation planning. Pricing is competitive, with options for various budget ranges, including exclusive deals and discounts on cruises.

Located in Prescott, AZ, Cruise Planners – Randi Coleman Meltzer serves customers both locally and nationally, leveraging their affiliation with American Express to offer special perks and benefits. The company’s strengths lie in its comprehensive and tailor-made travel solutions and strong customer service. However, their focus on cruises might limit options for customers interested in other types of travel experiences.

Prescott Ebike Rentals & Tours focuses on providing electric bike rentals and guided tours around the Prescott area. They offer unique outdoor recreational experiences, targeting customers interested in eco-friendly transportation and exploring local sights. Their pricing is transparent and competitive, providing hourly, half-day, and full-day rental options to accommodate different schedules and budgets.

This company operates exclusively in Prescott, AZ, capitalizing on the region’s scenic beauty and appeal to outdoor enthusiasts. Prescott Ebike Rentals & Tours excels in offering personalized and engaging local tours. However, their niche market focus and reliance on favorable weather conditions could be seen as limitations compared to more diversified travel service providers.

Competitive Advantages

At PanoramaQuest Adventures, we pride ourselves on offering superior tour arrangements compared to our competition. This commitment to excellence is rooted in our unique approach to curating experiences that resonate deeply with each traveler’s personal interests and desires. We understand that the essence of adventure lies in the details, which is why we meticulously plan every aspect of our tours to ensure they exceed expectations. From exclusive access to some of Prescott’s most coveted natural wonders to personalized itineraries that cater to the individual preferences of our clients, our tours are designed to deliver unparalleled experiences. Our knowledgeable guides, who are locals with extensive expertise in the region’s history, flora, and fauna, enhance the journey by bringing each destination to life with rich storytelling and insights.

In addition to our exceptional tour arrangements, we possess a competitive edge through our innovative use of technology and commitment to sustainability. We leverage cutting-edge tools to streamline booking processes and enhance tour experiences, making adventure more accessible and enjoyable for our clients. Our dedication to preserving the natural beauty of Prescott is evident in the eco-friendly practices we embed in our operations and the educational components we incorporate into our tours. This not only positions us as a responsible choice for eco-conscious travelers but also enriches our tours by fostering a deeper connection and appreciation for the environment among our clients. With PanoramaQuest Adventures, clients can expect a blend of adventure, education, and sustainability that sets us apart in the travel and tourism industry.

VI. Marketing Plan

Our marketing plan, included below, details our products/services, pricing and promotions plan.

Products, Services & Pricing

PanoramaQuest Adventures offers a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of each traveler. At the heart of their offerings are Customized Tours, which allow clients to build their dream vacations with the guidance of experienced professionals. These tours are designed to cater specifically to the interests and desires of the traveler, ensuring a personalized experience. The average selling price for these Customized Tours depends on the duration, destination, and specific requests made by the client, but generally starts around $500 and can go up significantly based on the intricacies and luxury level of the tour.

In addition to Customized Tours, PanoramaQuest Adventures facilitates Transportation Arrangements for their clients. This service is crucial for a seamless travel experience, connecting various points of interest with ease and comfort. Whether it’s airport transfers, car rentals, or private chauffeur services, PanoramaQuest ensures that all transportation needs are handled efficiently. Prices for Transportation Arrangements vary depending on the type of transportation and distance covered, with airport transfers starting from $50 and upwards.

Understanding the importance of comfortable and convenient lodging, PanoramaQuest Adventures also takes care of Accommodation Reservations. From luxury resorts to cozy bed and breakfasts, they can book a wide range of accommodation options to suit any preference and budget. The cost of this service is reflective of the accommodation’s standard and location, with hotel reservations starting at around $100 per night.

For those looking to explore their destination with local insight, PanoramaQuest Adventures provides Guided Tours and Activities. These tours are led by knowledgeable guides who can offer in-depth information about the history, culture, and natural beauty of the area. Activities can range from hiking and biking to cultural tours and wine tastings. Prices for these guided experiences start at $75 per person, varying based on the activity’s nature and duration.

Last but not least, recognizing the importance of safety and peace of mind while traveling, PanoramaQuest Adventures offers Travel Insurance and Assistance. This essential service covers unexpected events such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and luggage loss. The cost of Travel Insurance and Assistance starts at $25, depending on the length of the trip and coverage level chosen by the traveler.

In summary, PanoramaQuest Adventures stands out by offering a full suite of travel services tailored to individual needs and preferences. Their dedication to creating memorable, hassle-free experiences is reflected in their diverse offerings and competitive pricing.

Promotions Plan

We at PanoramaQuest Adventures understand the importance of effective promotional methods to attract customers in the competitive tourism industry. Our primary aim is to offer unique and unforgettable experiences to our guests in Prescott, AZ, ensuring they leave with lasting memories and a desire to return. To achieve this, we will employ a multifaceted promotional strategy that encompasses both traditional and digital marketing efforts.

Firstly, online marketing will serve as the cornerstone of our promotional efforts. We will leverage the power of social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, to showcase our adventure tours through captivating imagery and engaging content. By sharing customer testimonials and live-action videos of our tours, we expect to build a strong online presence that resonates with our target audience. Additionally, we will optimize our website for search engines to ensure potential customers easily find us when searching for adventure tours in Prescott, AZ. Email marketing campaigns will also play a crucial role, keeping our subscribers informed about upcoming tours, special promotions, and company news.

Beyond online marketing, we will engage in community events to foster local support and awareness. Participating in local festivals, trade shows, and other community gatherings will allow us to connect directly with residents and visitors, offering them a personal glimpse into the exciting experiences we offer. Collaborations with local businesses, such as hotels and restaurants, will further expand our reach, providing mutual benefits through co-promotional efforts.

To enhance our visibility, we will also implement a referral program that rewards customers for bringing new adventurers to us. This word-of-mouth marketing strategy will complement our online efforts, creating a network of satisfied customers who are eager to share their positive experiences with friends and family.

Press releases and media outreach will be utilized to gain coverage in local and regional publications, highlighting our unique offerings and special events. This media attention will not only enhance our credibility but also attract a broader audience interested in adventure tourism.

Lastly, we will offer introductory discounts to first-time customers, encouraging them to experience our tours at a reduced rate. These promotions, combined with our high-quality service, will ensure that first-time visitors become repeat customers.

Together, these promotional methods will ensure that we at PanoramaQuest Adventures become a leading tour operator in Prescott, AZ, known for delivering exceptional adventure experiences. Through a balanced mix of online marketing, community engagement, and strategic partnerships, we expect to attract and retain a loyal customer base eager for adventure.

VII. Operations Plan

Our Operations Plan details:

The key day-to-day processes that our business performs to serve our customers
The key business milestones that our company expects to accomplish as we grow

Key Operational Processes

To ensure the success of PanoramaQuest Adventures, there are several key day-to-day operational processes that we will perform.

Respond promptly to customer inquiries through email, phone calls, and social media platforms.
Manage bookings, cancellations, and rescheduling requests efficiently.
Gather and analyze customer feedback to improve service offerings.
Design and update tour packages based on market research and customer preferences.
Coordinate with local vendors and service providers for accommodation, transportation, and activities.
Ensure all required permits and permissions for tour locations are obtained and up to date.
Develop and execute a marketing strategy to reach target customers through various channels, including social media, email marketing, and local advertising.
Maintain an engaging and informative website with up-to-date information on tours, pricing, and special offers.
Collaborate with local businesses and tourism boards for cross-promotion opportunities.
Track daily revenues and expenses to manage cash flow effectively.
Prepare and review financial reports monthly to assess financial performance and make adjustments as necessary.
Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal tax requirements.
Recruit, train, and manage staff to ensure high levels of customer service and safety standards.
Schedule staff efficiently to cover all tours and customer service needs.
Conduct regular staff meetings to review performance, gather feedback, and communicate any changes in operations or policies.
Regularly review and update safety protocols for all tours and activities.
Ensure all equipment used is maintained and meets safety standards.
Stay informed of and comply with all local regulations affecting the tour operator business.
Utilize technology to streamline booking and payment processes for customers.
Implement systems for tracking customer interactions, preferences, and feedback to personalize service and enhance customer satisfaction.
Analyze operational data to identify trends, opportunities for improvement, and areas of success.

PanoramaQuest Adventures expects to complete the following milestones in the coming months in order to ensure its success:

Launch Our Tour Operator Business : This involves the initial setup, including creating a compelling brand, developing a user-friendly website, establishing a social media presence, and setting up necessary business operations like accounting and customer service systems.
Obtain Necessary Permits and Licenses : Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations by acquiring all necessary permits and licenses required for operating tours in Prescott, AZ, and surrounding areas. This might include permits for accessing national parks, wilderness areas, and other regulated spaces.
Build Relationships with Local Vendors and Partners : Establish partnerships with local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and transport services. These relationships will be crucial for offering package deals, enhancing customer experiences, and managing costs effectively.
Hire and Train Staff : Recruit a team of experienced guides, customer service representatives, and operational staff. Implement a training program that emphasizes safety, customer service excellence, and local knowledge to ensure a high-quality customer experience.
Launch Marketing Campaigns : Develop and launch targeted marketing campaigns aimed at attracting our initial customer base. This includes leveraging social media advertising, local tourism boards, travel forums, and partnerships with local businesses to increase visibility.
Conduct Pilot Tours : Before fully launching, conduct a series of pilot tours to gather feedback, adjust itineraries, and ensure every aspect of the tour meets high standards. This will help in refining the product offering and improving customer satisfaction.
Implement a Customer Feedback System : Establish a mechanism to collect and analyze customer feedback systematically. This will be vital for continuous improvement, addressing any issues promptly, and adapting to changing customer expectations.
Achieve Operational Efficiency : Streamline operations to reduce costs and improve customer service. This might include optimizing tour schedules, improving booking systems, and enhancing supply chain management for any products sold or used during tours.
Reach $15,000/Month in Revenue : Develop and execute strategies to grow revenue through increasing tour bookings, upselling additional services, and expanding the customer base. Regularly review financial performance against targets to ensure the business is on track.
Expand Tour Offerings : Based on customer feedback and market demand, gradually introduce new and unique tour experiences to attract a broader audience and encourage repeat business. This could involve thematic tours, exclusive access tours, or seasonal events. By systematically achieving these milestones, PanoramaQuest Adventures will mitigate risks, build a solid foundation for its business, and set the stage for long-term success in the competitive tour operator industry.

VIII. Management Team

Our management team has the experience and expertise to successfully execute on our business plan.

Management Team Members

PanoramaQuest Adventures management team, which includes the following members, has the experience and expertise to successfully execute on our business plan:

Jayden Taylor, President

Jayden Taylor’s expertise in the travel and tourism industry is both extensive and impressive. With a solid track record of running a successful tour operator in the past, Taylor has demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate the complexities of the tourism sector. His leadership skills, combined with a deep understanding of market dynamics and customer preferences, make him an invaluable asset to PanoramaQuest Adventures. Taylor’s previous experience has honed his capabilities in strategic planning, operations management, and customer service excellence, laying a strong foundation for steering PanoramaQuest Adventures towards achieving lasting success in the adventure travel market.

IX. Financial Plan

Funding requirements/use of funds.

To accomplish our growth goals, PanoramaQuest Adventures needs $312,000 in funding. Key uses of this funding will be as follows:

Capital Investments
Location Buildout	$8,000
Furniture	$20,000
Equipment	$50,000
Machines	$30,000
Computers	$10,000

Non Capital Investments
Working Capital	$100,000
Initial Rent/Lease	$12,000
Staff Salaries for the First 3 Months	$45,000
Initial Marketing and Advertising	$25,000
Supplies	$5,000
Insurance	$7,000

Financial Projections

financial projection tour operator business plan

5 Year Annual Income Statement

		FY 1	FY 2	FY 3	FY 4	FY 5
Revenues
	Revenues	$4,080,963	$4,418,990	$4,785,016	$5,181,360	$5,610,533


Direct Costs
	Direct Costs	$1,834,032	$1,927,467	$2,025,662	$2,128,861	$2,237,316






	Salaries	$72,814	$75,023	$77,299	$79,644	$82,060
	Marketing Expenses	$6,067	$6,251	$6,441	$6,637	$6,838
	Rent/Utility Expenses	$6,067	$6,251	$6,441	$6,637	$6,838
	Other Expenses	$18,203	$18,755	$19,324	$19,911	$20,515


	Depreciation	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600
	Amortization	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

	Interest Expense	$31,200	$31,200	$31,200	$31,200	$31,200

	Net Operating Loss	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Use of Net Operating Loss	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Taxable Income	$2,088,978	$2,330,440	$2,595,046	$2,884,869	$3,202,163
	Income Tax Expense	$731,142	$815,654	$908,266	$1,009,704	$1,120,757

	Net Profit Margin (%)	33.3%	34.3%	35.3%	36.2%	37.1%

5 Year Annual Balance Sheet

	FY 1	FY 2	FY 3	FY 4	FY 5

Cash	$1,389,529	$2,907,095	$4,594,665	$6,477,994	$8,244,559
Other Current Assets	$350,295	$379,310	$410,728	$431,780	$467,544


Intangible Assets	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Acc Amortization	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0


Fixed Assets	$118,000	$118,000	$118,000	$118,000	$118,000
Accum Depreciation	$23,600	$47,200	$70,800	$94,400	$118,000


Preliminary Exp	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0




Current Liabilities	$164,388	$172,583	$181,191	$186,807	$196,130
Debt outstanding	$312,000	$312,000	$312,000	$312,000	$0


Share Capital	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Retained earnings	$1,357,835	$2,872,622	$4,559,402	$6,434,567	$8,515,973

5 Year Annual Cash Flow Statement

	FY 1	FY 2	FY 3	FY 4	FY 5

Net Income (Loss)	$1,357,835	$1,514,786	$1,686,779	$1,875,165	$2,081,406
Change in Working Capital	($185,906)	($20,819)	($22,810)	($15,435)	($26,441)
Plus Depreciation	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600	$23,600
Plus Amortization	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0



Fixed Assets	($118,000)	$0	$0	$0	$0
Intangible Assets	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0



Cash from Equity	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Cash from Debt financing	$312,000	$0	$0	$0	($312,000)



Cash at Beginning of Period	$0	$1,389,529	$2,907,095	$4,594,665	$6,477,994

What Is a Tour Operator Business Plan?

A tour operator business plan is a document that outlines the strategies you have developed to start and/or grow your tour operator business. Among other things, it details information about your industry, customers and competitors to help ensure your company is positioned properly to succeed. Your tour operator business plan also assesses how much funding you will need to grow your business and proves, via your financial forecasts, why the business is viable.

Why You Need a Business Plan for your Tour Operator Business

A business plan is required if you are seeking funding for your tour operator business. Investors and lenders will review your plan to ensure it meets their criteria before providing you with capital. In addition, a tour operator business plan helps you and your team stay focused. It documents the strategies you must follow and gives you financial projections you should strive to achieve and against which you can judge your performance.

Tour Operator Business Plan Template PDF

Download our Tour Operator Business Plan PDF to help guide you as you create your business plan for your own tour operator business.

Sample Business Plans
Transportation, Logistics & Travel

Travel Agency Business Plan

Are you a travel enthusiast and want to establish your own travel agency?

Well, if yes, then it’s an exhilarating journey of stepping into a world brimming with adventure and discovery.

But in the midst of this excitement, it’s necessary to lay the groundwork for a successful business out of a hobby. It demands a strategic roadmap – writing a proper travel agency business plan .

So, our travel agency business plan serves as the compass that directs you through all the intricacies of the industry and helps you pay attention to every detail of the business plan.

As you delve into this step-by-step guide, you can explore how to write your own business plan that sets the stage for sustainable growth and leaves a mark on potential investors or readers.

Without further ado; let’s dive into the art of crafting your travel agency business plan.

Key Takeaways

Create a compelling executive summary for your travel agency’s identity, vision, mission statement, and core values.
Showcase your business goals, market opportunities, and marketing plan to attract potential investors or partners.
Highlight the range of travel services you’ll provide, including specialized offerings that place your agency ahead of competitors.
Give valuable insights into everyday business operations, from booking management to customer service protocols.
Provide a detailed financial plan to illustrate a clear understanding of your travel agency’s financial health and expected growth trajectory.
Thoroughly analyze the industry and competitive landscape to uncover the latest trends and customer preferences.
Utilize modern and cost-effective business plan software for writing and maintaining business plans.

Why do you need a travel agency business plan?

In reality, every established or emerging business requires a well-written business plan. It is not just a document; it’s a strategic blueprint, offering you a roadmap to make informed business decisions.So, starting your travel agency business greatly benefits from having a well-thought-out business plan like any other business.

Attracting Investors

Whether you’re looking to secure a loan or attract potential investors, a detailed business plan is truly helpful. It shows your agency’s capital cost & revenue potential and summarizes the profitability for angel investors.

Strategic Direction

An actionable plan provides a comprehensive view of your travel agency’s goals, offered services, and strategic steps you will take to achieve success. Also, it indicates a thorough understanding of your target audience and top competitors.

Risk Mitigation

Drafting a professional business plan serves as a foundation for a successful business and helps you identify potential risks & challenges in the market. Through careful planning, you can create effective strategies to overcome obstacles.

Operational Guidance

A well-crafted business plan offers an internal guide that ensures your team understands and aligns with the overarching business objectives, encouraging a cohesive and immersed work environment.

Now, let’s move forward to write a successful business plan for a travel agency.

How to write a business plan for a travel agency?

1. get a business plan template.

Before you start writing a travel agency business plan, it’s highly advisable to get a business plan template first!

It’s like having a valuable toolkit for your business planning endeavors. It not only streamlines the business plan writing but also ensures that you describe all the essential sections.

It offers a structured framework that helps you organize your thoughts effectively to draft a strategically sound business document according to your specific needs and preferences.

Beyond that, a quality business plan template lays the foundation for a comprehensive, professional business plan that highlights your business idea and vision to attract potential investors.

If you’re in search of a polished template, consider Upmetrics’ sample business plan template and ensure that you won’t overlook any essential points in your plan.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free travel agency business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

Fill in the blanks – Outline
Financial Tables

2. Draft an Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first and foremost section of any business plan. It offers a quick overview of your entire travel agency business plan.

If your first few pages are compelling enough, potential investors or loan officers will find the document intriguing and delve further into your plan.

Your executive summary should be clear, concise, and engaging if you’re looking for investors or loan sanctions, as it will grab their attention and make a strong impression.

To draft an effective summary, start with a concise description of your travel agency business, covering its name, concept, location, objectives, and unique aspects. Refer to the below example:

Next, explain what sets you apart and share insights about your service offerings, target market, and ideal customer base. Also, highlight marketing materials, current trends, and potential growth opportunities.

Lastly, give a summary of critical financial figures in terms of projected revenues, profits, and cash flows for the initial 3-5 years. From that, you can address funding needs and resources.

A business plan is a professional, living document that you should update regularly to reflect changes in your business.

3. Provide a Company Overview

Now, it’s time to draft a company overview section that provides a more detailed description of your travel agency.

It could be commercial travel agencies or online travel agencies. Share your agency’s founding story and the individuals behind its inception.

Try to explain your business legal structure(S-Corp, Limited Liability Company, or sole proprietorship), and describe the physical location of your travel agency.

Subsequently, highlight your vision and mission statement in this section to define your identity and core values. This serves as a brand story that your customers can connect to.

Take reference from the below example describing the mission statement of the travel agency:

Internally we intend to create and nurture a healthy, exuberant, respectful, and enjoyable environment, in which our employees are fairly compensated and encouraged to respect the customer and the quality of the service we intend to provide.
In addition, follow-up will be mandatory to ensure customer satisfaction and make any improvements as recommended by the customers in the future.
We seek fair and responsible profit, enough to keep the company financially healthy for the short and long term and to fairly remunerate employees for their work and effort.

Discuss a little bit more about your business background information and how your travel agency works. Try to give answers for when you start your business and how you have set your office space.

In addition, highlight any milestones you have accomplished, such as the number of clients served, positive reviews, new travel agency openings, etc.

4. Conduct an Industry and Market Analysis

An industry and market analysis section is one of the most important ones in your travel agent business plan. It explores your specific niche within the industry and the geographic background where you wish to operate.

So, take some time to go further and find more accurate information, such as who are your target customers & top competitors, what are the current trends, and whether the tourism market is increasing or decreasing.

Market Size and Growth Potential

Conduct a complete market analysis to study the market size and explore growth potential areas for travel agencies. Assess the total revenue generated within the travel industry and identify the emerging trends.

Customer Analysis

Examine your target market in detail, including demographics, travel behaviors, and customer preferences. Understand your ideal clients and tailor your services to satisfy their specific needs.

Do thorough customer research and understand how your target audience plans and experiences trips. This can help better customize packages and offerings to meet your clients’ needs.

Want help writing a target customer segmentation for your travel agency business? Use Upmetrics AI writing assistant now and easily draft your business plan sections:

Competitor Analysis

As a travel agent, assemble a list of direct and indirect competitors in the travel agency industry. You can consider both classic brick-and-mortar travel agencies and online travel agencies.

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each competitor, including service offerings, tour packages & quality, customer reviews, and marketing strategies.

Understanding these competitor factors will help you determine areas where your travel agency can differentiate itself and stand out in the competitive landscape.

Execute a SWOT analysis to find internal strengths & weaknesses of your travel company and external opportunities & threats in the travel industry.

Take reference from the below example showing a SWOT analysis for an XYZ travel agency business:

SWOT analysis for an travel agency business

Based on SWOT analysis, formulate strategies to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate threats to outline competitive advantage.

Some extra tips for drafting this section of your travel company business plan:

Use reputable sources to gather data, including industry reports, market research studies, and surveys.
Be specific and provide detailed info wherever possible.
Include charts and graphs to demonstrate your key points.
Keep your target audience in mind while documenting the business plan.

5. Propose Your Service Offerings

Next, define the scope of your service offerings and clarify how they meet the diverse needs of your clients.

It must be informative, precise, and client-focused, as it is a detailed breakdown of different services that your travel company offers your customers.

As a travel agency, detail your service offerings, such as bookings, accommodations, vacation packages, international/domestic trips, custom-made business trips, or any cruise bookings.

Effectively disseminate your travel services with a detailed description of what it entails, service specifications, precise pricing plans, or any client reviews.

Here, you can take a reference from the below example to illustrate travel agency services:

1 . Guided Tours

Our guided tours are led by knowledgeable local guides who provide valuable insights into the culture and history of each destination.

Price: Varies by destination, starting at [$50] per person

Specifications: Group sizes are limited to 15 people, and tours typically last 2-3 hours.

2. Accommodation Booking

We offer a range of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to charming bed and breakfasts, ensuring our clients have a comfortable stay.

Price: Varies by location and accommodation type, starting at [$100] per night

Specifications: Accommodations are vetted for quality, safety, and comfort.

Not only that, describe any specialized services in your travel agency business plan template that set your travel agency apart so investors can quickly understand your business scope.

In addition to planning & booking, highlight additional services (trip consultations, wedding planning, speaking at industry events, providing training to other travel agents) and mention third-party partners(if any).

6. Outline a Sales and Marketing Plan

Comprehensive sales & marketing efforts can help your business grow by leaps and bounds. Carry out market analysis and develop clear sales and marketing strategies for reaching your target customers.

For travel agency businesses, explain your preliminary approach and promotion tactics to acquiring either local or international customers.

Also, discuss affordable/high-quality travel packages you provide, their prices, and hassle-free transactions at the point of sale. Here are some of the sales and marketing strategies for travel agencies:

Unique selling proposition

Emphasize the agency’s capability to offer personalized customer service, a variety of communication modes, and 24/7 customer support. Present exclusive access to unique destinations, experiences, and special perks.

Pricing Strategy

Implement a flexible and competitive pricing plan that caters to a diverse client base. It allows the agency to adapt to market dynamics, provide value to customers, and uphold a profitable business.

Take reference from the below example written using Upmetrics’ travel agency business plan template:

Pricing Strategy for travel agency business

Offline strategies

Create visually appealing brochures and distribute print materials to local businesses, travel agencies, and strategic locations. Implement a referral program and try to provide discounts or exclusive festive offers.

Social Media Marketing

Utilize social media platforms(Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) to highlight travel packages, engage with the target audience, and build a community around travel enthusiasts.

Content Marketing

Create a content marketing strategy comprising blog posts, travel guides, and visually appealing content to encourage potential customers to consider your agency for their travel needs.

Collaborations

Partner with local businesses, hotels, and travel-related service providers to promote your service offerings. Attend travel fairs, trade shows, or community events to network with potential clients.

7. Introduce Your Team

The management team section offers an opportunity to showcase your strength as a travel agent. It should include a thorough plan for your travel agency’s key managers, employees, or sub-travel agents.

Mention their roles & responsibilities or relevant experience in the related fields or travel agency industry. Also, highlight their expertise that contributes to your agency’s success.

Try to break down overall payroll expenses, such as how much their compensation, commission split, base salary, or whether you will give any bonuses or benefits to your employees.

average salary of travel agency employees

If you need to hire employees or a travel agent, emphasize how many individuals you will need and how much you will pay them.

This can provide brief details to the investors and help them understand what exactly you plan to staff your agency and pay your employees.

If applicable, you can also design an organizational chart for your travel agency. This can help you demonstrate who your key members are and what roles they serve in your travel agency.

8. Outline Business Operations

Now, it’s time to develop an in-depth look into the day-to-day functions of your travel agency. Paint a picture of seamless operations and ensure that your business runs smoothly.

Describe the entire operational cycle of the tour business, including staffing, how bookings are managed, customer service procedures, technology used, and safety measures for handling unforeseen circumstances.

Include the below subsections in your travel agent business plan operations section:

Highlight the number of employees required, and opening hours, and briefly outline the responsibilities of each team member and training programs. Refer to the below example written using Upmetrics AI assistant :

Customer Service Procedures

From pre-travel assistance to emergency response, prioritize customer satisfaction, efficient techniques, and effective client communication to ensure a positive and stress-free travel journey.

Equipment & Technology

Explain what kind of equipment & technology you will need to run your travel agency. Include a brief idea of how you will reach some travel agency milestones and look forward as your business grows.

You might consider below things:

Office equipment(Telephone, fax, or scanner)
Travel agency website
Booking tools
Itinerary builders
Customer Relationship Management(CRM)
Invoicing and payment processing tools

9. Prepare Financial Plan

Currently, you are in a business planning stage, but dedicating some time to putting together the most realistic financial projections is very crucial.

Having a well-structured and in-depth travel agency financial plan will help you show the tentative spending as well as the revenue forecasts and budgets if your travel company is seeking funding from investors.

In this section, you will need to make a few assumptions that will greatly affect the financial statements of your agency. Take a look at the below table to make important assumptions:

assumptions that affect the financial statements of travel agency

Mention all the below financial aspects in your travel agency business plan:

Income statement (Profit and loss statement)
Cash flow statement
Balance sheet
Sales forecast
Break-even analysis
Business ratios
Investment strategies
Exit strategy

From the above financial statements, you can identify the startup funding needs and evaluate the funding resources for your agency, such as bank loans, angel investors, crowdfunding, or personal savings.

Well, keeping a realistic financial report in your hand not only helps you demonstrate your agency’s fiscal health but also emphasizes its sustainability.

However, calculating all the financial elements from scratch can be overwhelming. But don’t worry; consider Upmetrics’ financial forecasting tool .

All you have to do is fill in all the details you have and let the tool calculate financial factors, and create visual reports for you. No manual data entry, placing Excel formulas, or designing graphs—nothing.

Here’s an example of a projected balance sheet for the next 3 years using Upmetrics:

projected balance sheet example of travel agency business

Download a travel agency business plan template

Need help writing your travel agency business plan from scratch? Well, here you go; download our free travel agency business plan template now and get started.

This modern, user-friendly business plan template is specifically designed for travel agencies. With a step-by-step guide and example, it helps you write a professional plan without missing any crucial steps.

Simply import data into your preferred editor and start writing!

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Start preparing your business plan with AI

Finally! With the help of our sample business plan template, you know how to write a travel agency business plan. So, you are one step closer to starting your travel agency business confidently- pretty exciting, right?

But you know what else is more exciting? Your business planning process can be even smoother than this. Yes, you heard it right; it’s possible with the help of Upmetrics AI Assistant.

So, don’t wait, and start planning now !

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where can i find a free travel agency business plan template.

There are various online platforms where you can find free travel agency business plan templates. Consider a reputable business planning website—Upmetrics, which offers free templates to help you get started.

What should be included in a travel agency business plan?

A comprehensive travel agency business plan should include below key components:

Executive summary
Company overview
Market research and industry analysis
Services offered
Sales and marketing strategy
Management team
Operational plan
Financial plan

How often should i update my travel agency business plan?

It is advised to regularly update your travel agency business plan to reflect changes in the market, industry trends, and business growth. Review and update your plan at least once a year or more often if there are significant changes in your business.

What financial projections are necessary for a travel agency business plan?

Make sure that you include the following financial factors in your travel agency business plan:

Startup costs
Revenue projections
income statement (Profit and loss statement)
Projected cash flow

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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How To Start A Tourism Business: Actionable Insights For 2021 & Beyond

Business Management

Are you researching how to start a tourism business?

Since COVID, there are new considerations for travel businesses looking to enter the market, whether they focus on adventure travel , wellness retreats, or organizing local trips. For example, you will have to put careful thought into how you approach safety, insurance, branding, and marketing for your company.

To take some of the unknown out of the process, we have gathered some helpful insights for you. As with any start-up, there are many moving parts to bring together before you reach the point of lift-off.

Overall, you need to have a clear strategy, a good business idea, and be willing to put in the work.

How To Start A Tourism Business: Step-By-Step Instructions

1. formulate a plan for your business.

First, you need to develop a clear business plan .

Before setting the entity up, you’ll need a concise vision and understanding of what the business will look like and the direction it is going in. Here are some important aspects to cover:

Consider Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Why will people sign-up with your company? What makes you great and stands you out from the competition? Is there something that you are going to do differently that travelers should know about?

Consider the answers to these questions and proudly claim them in your marketing materials to attract your ideal customers.

Mull Over Your Target Audience

You have a passion that is driving you to start a travel business.

It's this passion that is going to shine through and attract your ideal clients. Walk in knowing precisely who these clients are and what drives them to you, in particular.

From there, you can work on creating marketing messaging to reach them and draw them to your company.

Design Your Tours For Post COVID-19 Travel

As we emerge from the pandemic, safety while traveling will be top of mind for your clients.

Reconnection is going to be another aspect that travelers will be chasing. After months apart, there is lost time with family and friends to make up for.

When designing your tours, keep these two factors top of mind. Travelers will want reassurance that they can travel with peace of mind while having a great experience with their loved ones. As a travel company or tour operator, they will be looking to your expertise to guide them through the unknown terrain of traveling post-COVID.

Work Out Details For The Day-To-Day Operations

It’s essential to figure out the small print around how you will operate day-to-day.

Establish things like your operating hours, who you need to appoint to your team, and where you will work from. Also, consider your asset and equipment requirements and when and how you plan to go to market.

Estimate Your Costs

Naturally, you want your operation to be viable so that you can make a living off doing what you love. To get an idea of where you will be money-wise, you need to draw up a financial plan.

Work out exactly what your business costs will be. Keep in mind that you might have start-up and day-to-day running expenses, as well as costs related to suppliers and vendors once you're operating.

With this information, you can establish how much you need to charge clients for your service or offering.

Take a minute to check whether this is relative to what your competitors charge and suited to the market you are targeting?

As you will likely have start-up costs initially, you may not make a profit right away. See if you can put a number on how many tours or how much revenue it will take to get you to this point. Make a note of this and allow a little wiggle room for the unexpected.

2. Sort Out The Legal Stuff

The next big step in how to start a tourism business is to set up your operation to trade legally.

Register Your Business

First, you need to pin down a name and register your company.

Some of the different legal business structures include sole proprietors, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLC), and corporations. Select a suitable one based on your expected annual turnover, whether you are operating alone or with a partner, and whether you wish to carry liability personally.

Open A Bank Account

Open up a dedicated company bank account so that you can keep your personal and business finances separate.

Complete Your Tax Registration

The next step is to register your business for state and federal tax.

The type of taxes and date you’re liable to pay will depend on what legal entity you operate as. Business tax returns can get pretty complicated. So, it’s a good idea to appoint a professional tax practitioner who can ensure that you are registered correctly and prepare your returns.

Get Liability Insurance

All companies face unknown risks. To operate legally, lawfully, and safely, you need to get liability insurance at a minimum. This will protect you in the case a guest or employee has an accident.

Other insurance types to look into include Workman’s Compensation, Accounts Receivable, Property, and Errors and Omissions insurance.

Apply For Your Local Permits and Licenses

Depending on what kind of company you are starting, you may need local permits or licenses to operate, for example, a tour operator license.

Check in with your local tourism body or nearest government office to see what the requirements are.

Note that these can differ from state to state, so if you work in a state other than the one you are registered in, you may need to factor this into the equation too.

Permits and licenses required for travel businesses

3. Develop Your Branding and Marketing

When researching how to start a tourism business, you’ll hear how critical it is to establish a brand image. It should represent who you are and speak to your audience.

On top of that, you need a clear marketing strategy to grow your customer base and get your brand online. Some of the first things to focus on are to:

Put up a website
Sign up to a bookings and payment platform provider, like WeTravel
Design a company logo
Start an online blog
Set up social media accounts
Claim your Google My Business profile
Create profiles on review platforms
Sign up with OTAs, travel agents, or vendor partners
List on local directories

From there, it helps to know how to really sell your tours . Also, take a look at how your competitors market and sell their products. You can use the information to do even better.

4. Get The Right Tools, Technology, Team, and Equipment

Before you launch your business, be fully prepared with everything you need on the ground and to make things happen behind the scenes.

We’ve just mentioned some of the most important digital and technological considerations, including having a website, payment platform, social media accounts, and more.

Of course, you need computers, phones, and to furnish an office. You’ll need software and apps, like social media management or remote working tools.

You might also require equipment to host your tours or carry out your service, such as vehicles, radios, bicycles, and so on.

The last thing here is to hire a top-notch team. The people who work for you make or break your client experience, so choose them wisely.

5. Square Up Your Accounting

Finally, put your accounting systems in place. Keeping track of finances is vital to your business’s success, so having a formal process from the get-go is a must.

You’re Now Ready To Launch

From your research on how to start a tourism business, you'll know that it's no easy feat. But, after running through the points above, you’re now ready to launch and set up for success. Congratulations and good luck; let the real work begin.

Are you interested in finding out more about WeTravel’s booking and payment platform for your business? Watch the short clip below, or get in touch with us for a demo .

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8 last-minute black friday marketing strategies for travel businesses, a comprehensive look at ai in the travel industry, what are the best free travel and tourism webinars and courses.

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

Published: July 13, 2023
By: Yellowbrick

Spotting the Opportunity

Carving your unique niche, constructing a comprehensive business plan, arranging the financial framework, jumping through legal hoops, crafting a magnetic brand, building a strong online presence, launching and marketing your venture, splash your unique colors onto the vast canvas of the tourism industry.

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Business Planning

Business Plan (Template)

A good business plan can help your business secure finance, define the direction of your business, and create strategies to achieve your goals. A thorough and effective tourism business plan will include an executive summary, a business description, short and long term goals, business structure (legal and internal management structure), product or service description, a sales and marketing plan and financials to date. This Business Plan template steps you through the process of creating a solid, well-structured plan tailored to your business.

If you are preparing or updating your business plan for internal uses, the Business Plan template may be more than you require. The four critical documents to review and complete/update are:

Goals and Strategies

SWOT Analysis (Template)

Marketing Plan (Template)

Action Plan (Template)

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Tourism Business Plan Templates

Choose your Tourism business plan template from the list below:

Hotel Business Plan Template
Bed and Breakfast Business Plan Template
Travel Agency Business Plan Template

At Business and Plans, we offer a wide range of Tourism business plan templates to cater to your specific needs. Whether you are starting a Hotel, Bed and Breakfast, or Travel Agency, we’ve got you covered. Our professionally designed templates will save you time and ensure your business is set up for success. Browse through our selection below and choose the perfect template to kickstart your journey in the booming tourism industry.

Welcome to Your Gateway for Success in Tourism Business!

Unlock the Potential of Your Hospitality Venture with Our Expertly Crafted Tourism Business Plan Templates.

Are you ready to elevate your hotel, bed and breakfast, or travel agency to new heights of success? At Business & Plans, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that the tourism industry presents. That’s why we’ve curated a collection of comprehensive and professionally designed tourism business plan templates to guide you on your journey to prosperity.

Why Invest in a Tourism Business Plan?

1. strategic roadmap:.

Our meticulously crafted templates serve as your strategic roadmap, helping you navigate the competitive landscape of the tourism industry. Whether you’re starting a new venture or looking to revitalize your existing business, a solid business plan is your foundation for success.

2. Investor Confidence:

Attracting investors is a key step in expanding your tourism business. A well-structured business plan not only demonstrates your commitment but also instills confidence in potential investors. Showcase your vision, market analysis, and financial projections with our templates to secure the support you need.

3. Operational Efficiency:

Efficient operations are crucial in the tourism sector. Our business plan templates guide you through operational strategies, from optimizing booking processes to enhancing customer service, ensuring that your business runs smoothly and exceeds customer expectations.

Why Choose Our Templates?

Expertly Crafted: Our templates are created by industry experts with years of experience in the tourism sector.
Customizable: Tailor each template to suit the unique aspects of your business, ensuring a personalized approach.
Comprehensive Guidance: Step-by-step guidance to help you fill in every section of the business plan with confidence.
Up-to-Date Insights: Benefit from the latest trends and insights in the tourism industry to stay ahead of the competition.

Invest in the success of your tourism business today! Browse our collection of business plan templates and take the first step toward achieving your business goals. At Business & Plans, we’re committed to your success in the dynamic world of tourism.

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How to Start a Tour Business: From Passion to Profit in the Tourism Industry

Learn how to start a tour business, turning travel passion into profit. From finding your niche to running your first tour, get your venture going

Two hikers with backpacks looking at mountain scenery with trees and rock formations.

by Kate Cornell | 16 July 2024

From dreaming to doing, starting a tour company from the ground up can be one of the most rewarding ventures you’ll ever embark on. Not to mention the most challenging. Transforming your passion and stories into tours that captivate your audience requires more than just creativity. It demands strategic planning and an understanding of the market you want to break into.

Back in 2022, in the State of Tours, Activities & Attractions report, Arival projected that the global tours and activities industry would reach $183 billion by this year, and operators surveyed in 2024 were overall optimistic about their prospects.

So what’s stopping you from getting started on turning your passion into profit?

In this guide, you’ll find invaluable tips, perspectives, and reflections from tour operators and industry veterans on how to start a tour company. This walkthrough will help you navigate this exciting journey as you start a tour business, and what it takes to be successful. The good news: Don’t be too worried about getting in the weeds of how to become a tour operator just yet. It all starts with a genuine love for what you do.

Here’s what we’ll cover

Understanding the Tour Business Landscape

Legal and practical foundations, preparing for operations, launching your tour business: transitioning from passion to profit.

The tourism landscape is an exciting place to start a tour business. It’s a complex and diverse landscape, but travelers — your potential customers — are not interested in everything being the same. In that complexity and diversity is the opportunity for you to find a way to earn a living doing what you love.

Identify Your Niche

The first step to starting a successful tour company is identifying your niche. This means finding a specific area or theme that you are passionate about and knowledgeable in. Whether it’s food tours, historical walks, adventure excursions, or cultural experiences, your point of view and storytelling in that category will set you apart from the competition, especially as travelers are seeking out memorable tourism experiences now more than ever.

“I don’t think people should be thinking about trends because I think the trend is that there’s an audience for just about everything now,” according to TripSchool co-founder Mitch Bach. “Now with digital marketing, you can connect with a niche, as well as be as interesting or obscure as you want to be. I think it’s the best time to be in this industry because twenty years ago you probably had to build more generic products for more general audiences and now you can build full businesses and happy lives by being as unique and interesting as you want yourself to be in the world.”

Mitch Bach giving his presentation on stage with projection screen behind him

Understand Your Market

Before launching your tour company, it’s crucial to understand your target market. Who are your ideal customers? What are their interests and preferences? Conducting market research will provide you with insights into the demographics and even the psychographics of your potential clients.

Bar chart comparing different types of tours taken by U.S. travelers in 2019 and 2023.

You can use simple techniques to get this valuable data. Send your tour scripts to a group of friends, and ask them for constructive feedback. Set up a Google or Zapier survey via a form and send it to community groups you belong to. Look at reviews of similar tours on platforms like TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google Reviews. Identify common themes in customer feedback to understand what people enjoy and what they don’t. Explore the latest Arival consumer research to find out what travelers are prioritizing and looking for.

Be prepared: It can sometimes lead to you having to adjust your format to reach the audience you want to serve. “The most challenging aspect of starting my own tour company has been removing my bias and trying to see things through the lens of my guests,” reflects Eric Curry, who started his eponymous tour company in 2021 to tell native tales and history of San Francisco. “I think that when you find the balance between the things that interest your guests and what you are passionate about is when you will find success in your business.”

Group selfie of seven diverse people smiling outdoors with trees and overcast sky behind them.

For those still deciding where to land, look to what travelers want: authentic, immersive, and bookable online. Further, eco-friendly and sustainable travel options are still increasingly popular, especially among Millennials and Gen Z travelers. Tailoring your tours to meet these demands can set you on the path to success.

Develop a Solid Business Plan

A comprehensive business plan is essential for any new business, and a tour company is no exception. Your business plan should outline your company’s mission, target market, marketing strategy, financial projections, and operational plan. This document will serve as your roadmap and help you stay focused on your goals.

Take the time to detail every aspect of your business, from pricing models to staffing needs, to ensure you’re well-prepared for the challenges ahead. According to a recent Skift report, venture capital investment in the travel industry hit a decade low in 2023, but recovery is imminent. Ensuring you are set up for success in the case you need to raise funding is crucial to staying ahead.

However, there’s also something to say for just getting out there and getting started. “You can put up your own mental roadblocks and think because it’s safer to remain theoretical,” Bach said. “And when you’re starting a tour business things can get real very quickly. You can put up a website with some copy about you and a tour experience. Even if you don’t have everything figured out, you can start selling it even as you’re figuring out all of the other pieces of the business.”

Operator Takeaways:

Be bold, tell a unique story.
Use feedback from friends, surveys, and user reviews on similar offerings to refine your scripts and itineraries, and align them with customer interests.
Pinpoint what it means for you to offer authentic and immersive elements of a tour.
Don’t try to compete in oversaturated areas of your market. Innovate, don’t replicate.
Take action and start selling your tours even as you refine your business model.

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You’ve got the vision, you outlined a plan, and now what? It’s time to set up a legitimate business entity.

There are a series of legal and administrative steps necessary to launch a tour business. For starters you will need to register your business and obtain the necessary insurance.

Register Your Business

The process of registering your business may differ depending on where you are located. Your national, provincial, regional or state authority should provide guidance on how to register a business in your location and understand the regulations governing tour operations in your local region.

There are also different structures to consider. While most operators start out with sole proprietorship or as a limited liability company (LLC), there may be more to consider depending on your business goals, from registering as a cooperative to even franchising your business.

If you’re unsure where to start, look to your local tourism board or destination management organization (DMO) for guidance. You can also tap the tour operator community for advice — connect with fellow operators on LinkedIn, at an upcoming Arival event , and even on places like Reddit .

Secure Liability Insurance

Running a tour company requires various licenses and permits, depending on your location and the nature of your tours. It’s crucial to research the legal requirements in your area and ensure you comply with all regulations. This might include business licenses, special permits for certain types of tours, and insurance coverage.

Choosing the right insurance coverage involves assessing your business risks, considering your budget, and understanding policy exclusions and limitations. Partnering with a reliable insurance provider familiar with the travel industry is crucial for ensuring comprehensive protection for your tour company.

Depending on your needs, you may require other types of insurance in addition to liability insurance, such as property damage coverage, business interruption insurance, commercial auto insurance, and so on.

Learn more here about which tour operator insurance is right for you. If you’re a U.S.-based operator, be sure to look into this specially tailored for tour operators product: Arival ProShield Insurance.

To make your idea a reality, start by registering your business!
Familiarize yourself with the regulations governing tour operations in your local region.
Get protected: ensure you have the appropriate insurance in place before you begin operating tours.

The success of your tour company hinges on the quality of the experiences you offer. Your tours should be engaging, informative, and memorable. This requires thorough research, meticulous planning, and a deep understanding of your subject matter.

It also takes a commitment to best practices and establishing processes to keep you organized. Here are just a few ways to get started on creating a well-oiled tour operations machine.

Hiring and Training Tour Guides

For many tour operators, it’s the ability to connect with guests that brings them the most joy in running a tour company.

“A great tour experience is only possible when you are connecting with guests on a truly human level,” says Michaela Gonzales, founder of Mick’s Bootique Tours . “People travel because they want to understand the world. Yes, they want to see the big-ticket items and be entertained, but they also want to explore and have authentic local experiences. Guides can help them by being welcoming, honest, and genuinely interested in guests enough that they can cater the experience to them.”

Nighttime street scene with people walking along a well-lit alley between brick buildings.

Mick’s Bootique Tours founder, Michaela Gonzales, leads the Walk with Spirits, A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco, and tours in Dublin, Ireland. I Photo: Mick’s Bootique Tours

It’s one thing to connect with guests when you run the tours yourself. But how do you ensure you are achieving this kind of connection on tour consistently, regardless of who is guiding each tour?

You need to build a business that isn’t totally dependent on you.

“You need to be designing something that could be delivered by somebody else,” Bach advises. “But it really comes back to doing that work on what is your why and what are you about, even a simple three words that come to mind, the anchor points. It’s about the brand story, and the story you are telling yourself. Once you get that clear it becomes much easier to understand who the right guide is, the right operations manager for your business, and so on.”

Learn more about tour guide training here. Arival Insider Pro Access members can also learn more about hiring great tour guides in this on-demand video on The Secrets of Hiring, Training & Retaining Guides.

Setting Up a Booking System

With travelers increasingly booking online and on mobile , setting up an efficient online booking system is crucial for the success of your tour company. A robust booking system not only streamlines your operations but also enhances the customer experience, ensuring seamless reservations, less booking errors, and increased sales.

Consider booking software — also known as reservation systems, “res-tech,” or ticketing software — specifically designed for tour operators, such as Fareharbor , Rezdy and Bókun : see a longer list of examples of tour operator booking software here. Many of these platforms offer tailored features like integrations with online resellers, support for custom and dynamic pricing, and the ability to handle complex itineraries.

Key Features to Look For :

User-Friendly Interface : Your booking software should be intuitive and easy to navigate for both customers and staff. A clear, straightforward process reduces the likelihood of booking abandonment.
Real-Time Availability : Ensure your system updates availability in real-time to prevent double bookings and provide accurate information to customers.
Secure Payment Processing : Integrated payment gateways should offer secure transactions, giving customers confidence in their purchases.
Mobile Compatibility : With the rise of mobile bookings, your system must be optimized for smartphones and tablets to cater to on-the-go travelers.
Integration with Other Tools : Look for a system that integrates with your website, accounting software, and marketing tools to streamline operations and data management.

Check out our Arival Guide on How to Choose a Booking System to learn more. Arival Insider Pro members can also access checklists to help with this process.

Pricing Models :

The pricing structure of a booking system is an important consideration when deciding which one to work with, and different pricing models can work better for different types of companies. The two most common pricing models are:

Fee-per-Booking : This model charges a commission on each booking, ideal for smaller operators as it ties costs directly to sales volume. However, different systems have varying payment processing charges and fees.
Subscription : This model involves a fixed monthly or annual fee, providing predictable costs and often includes more advanced features. It can be more cost-effective for larger operators with higher booking volumes.

The Arival Guide on How to Choose a Booking System breaks down the pricing models and explains the various fees involved. See also our updated Guide to Booking System Pricing for a detailed overview of rates from some of the most popular platforms.

Embrace AI for Efficiency

Embracing AI in your tour business doesn’t mean you need to be a tech expert. There are many user-friendly tools and platforms designed specifically for small and medium-sized tour operators. Start by exploring how AI can help you streamline your admin and operations, so you can focus on how to create more engaging and personalized tour experiences.

If you are a sole proprietor or operating with a lean team, imagine using AI as a virtual marketing assistant that learns about your customers’ preferences. AI can analyze data from previous bookings, social media, and even real-time behavior to offer personalized recommendations that resonate with each traveler.

Check out the Arival Guide to AI in Travel Experiences . Arival Insider Pro Access members can dig deeper on real-world examples of how AI is being used in travel experience companies with AI in Experiences: Case Studies in Emerging Tech.

Build a business that isn’t dependent solely on you; focus on clear brand stories to guide hiring excellent tour guides, and provide them with ample training to carry out your vision.
Ensure your booking software is user-friendly, real-time, secure, mobile-compatible, and integrates with other tools.
Consider how AI can help you streamline your operations.

As you embark on the exciting journey of starting your own tour business, remember that the key to success lies in balancing passion with strategic planning. Embrace the challenges, stay committed to continuous improvement, and let your unique perspective shine. With dedication, creativity, and the right strategies, you can build a thriving tour business that captivates travelers and stands out in the ever-evolving market.

Now that you know how to start a tour business, it’s time to take the first step—transform your passion into profit and start creating unforgettable experiences for your guests.

About the Author

Kate Cornell is an editorial and digital strategist with many years of experience in the experiences sector of travel, and has spoken at Arival on the topics of writing tour descriptions, and the “content conundrum.” She has led global editorial teams for travel brands including Viator and Tripadvisor, helped build startups such as TourismSolved, and worked behind the scenes as a content consultant for leading travel and luxury brands.

Become an Insider Pro Access member today and get access to the full library of Arival research, plus many other benefits such as free consulting sessions, special discounts and 20% off in-person events, starting from $179 per year.

Header photo: Ivana Cajina / Unsplash

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Since 2019, Arival has hosted one major event in Europe each year. For 2024-2025, we’re thrilled to offer two exciting events: Arival 360 | Valencia and Arival | Activate Edinburgh. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide which event to attend—or why you might want to come to both:

Scope : Flagship European Event with a global reach; up to 30% of attendees from outside Europe, including the U.S., Middle East, LATAM, and APAC.
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Arival Theater Content : Global topics including: over-tourism and sustainability, technology, distribution, European consumer and operator trends.
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Location : Valencia, a stunning coastal city offering rich cultural experiences.
Attendees : Approximately 800, providing extensive networking opportunities.
Scope : Regional focus on the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic regions.
Audience : Operators and industry professionals from the region.
Content : Gain insights on regional topics like technology, distribution strategies, and hear from top regional tourism leaders.
Breakout Sessions : Experience hands-on learning at Edinburgh’s top attractions and tours, with sessions on visitor experience, digital journeys and innovative tour development. In-depth sessions for companies at the beginning of their digital journey and more advanced sessions for people and companies looking to elevate their experience.
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Location : Edinburgh, known for its stunning architecture and historic charm
Attendees : Approximately 400, fostering an intimate peer-to-peer learning and networking environment.
Global vs. Regional Focus : Valencia is a global event with an international audience, while Edinburgh is a regional event focused on the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions.
Event Size : Valencia hosts about 800 attendees, providing broad networking opportunities, whereas Edinburgh’s 400 attendees create a more intimate, focused environment.
Content and Sessions : Valencia features global themes and advanced topics, whereas Edinburgh provides region-specific insights and hands-on experiential learning.
Location Experience : Valencia providing a coastal escape and Edinburgh offering historic and iconic attractions.
Who Will Be There: The most valuable part of Arival Events is the connections you make and the partnerships you build to grow your business. At Arival | Activate Edinburgh, you’ll engage with key industry players in the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions. If your business focus is on these areas, Edinburgh is where you need to be. For those targeting broader European or global markets, Arival 360 | Valencia offers the ideal platform to network with international leaders and innovators.

With limited opportunities for business development, learning, and networking in our industry, attending both events is a strategic move. By participating in both Edinburgh and Valencia, you maximize your exposure to diverse markets and influential contacts.

However, if budget constraints or a specific regional focus dictate your decisions, choose the event that best aligns with your primary business goals. Join us in Edinburgh for regional insights or Valencia for global perspectives—or better yet, attend both to fully leverage the potential of Arival’s expansive network.

For service providers such as a restech or ticketing platform, distribution company, or other services including marketing, AI tools, etc., attending both gives you access to attendees from both markets to connect with your current customers and to meet new ones!

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Finance and Business
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Hospitality and Tourism Businesses

How to Develop a Tourism Business

Last Updated: February 16, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Jessica Villegas . Jessica Villegas is a Certified Academic Life Coach and the Founder of Hi-Lite Coaching + Consulting in Winter Garden, Florida. Jessica has over 20 years of leadership experience, and she and her team serve teens and young adults through private coaching, group coaching, workshops, and speaking engagements. She uses workbook exercises, coaching planners, and regular check-ins to support young adults in achieving their academic and personal goals. Jessica received her Bachelor’s in Organizational Communications and Leadership Studies from the University of Central Florida and her Professional Coaching certification through Coach Training EDU, an ICF Accredited Institution, as an Academic Life Coach. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 23 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 357,395 times.

A tourism business is a great way to share your passion with others looking to experience a new location or culture, be it in a business or leisure capacity. To develop a tourism business, you need to first decide on your focus and create a business plan. Afterwards, you can move on to marketing and growing your business.

Selecting Your Businesses Focus

Step 1 Choose a geographic location that you know intimately.

Don't be afraid to send your customers to other businesses—it shows that you know the area well and are dedicated to ensuring they have the best time possible.
Use your chosen geographic region to guide your focus. For example, if your location is secluded from the populace and dense with wineries, then guided winery tours, local bed and breakfasts, and airport transportation services are all viable business options.

Step 2 Explore hotels in the area to determine what makes each successful.

Imagine how your hotel would look and how it would stand out.
Ask local business owners about their experience in the industry to get a feel for their day-to-day activities and how they succeed.

Step 3 Research local tourism agencies to find out what activities are available.

Book a tour with a local agency and get a feel for what they offer. Take note of their pricing and routes.

Step 4 Taste food from local restaurants to see what they have to offer.

Compare the busiest restaurants to the slowest. Ask yourself what they are doing differently and how they could improve.

Step 5 List the services offered by the competition.

For example, you might find that all hotels offer complimentary breakfast, so be sure to offer this. But if you find that none of them offer complimentary dinner, you can offer this to set yourself apart.
Pinpoint a tourism sector that is not overly congested, and one that you can contribute something unique to.

Step 6 Focus on a specific niche in your chosen tourism sector.

For example, if you want to focus on providing tours, decide on a location that you know well in terms of its history, food, and entertainment. If you think hospitality is your calling, decide on the type of foods and beverages that you want to provide to tourists.
List the contacts that you have within each niche to get a better idea of which one you have the most connections in.

Setting the Foundation for Your Business

Step 1 Obtain all applicable licenses and permits.

If you provide tours in natural areas, you will likely need specific permits for each region or park.

Step 2 Apply for the necessary insurance coverage.

Determine if you must carry disability, unemployment, or other types of insurance for your employees.

Include an outline of the products and/or services your business will be providing for tourists.
Provide information about your target market and your competition.
Describe how you plan on running your business and pricing your product or service

Step 4 Calculate the daily and monthly costs of your business.

Employee benefits

Apply for a small business loan or grant if you find that you're low on funds. Visit Grants.gov ( https://www.grants.gov/ ) for a list of grants available around the world, or visit your bank and inquire about loans.

Marketing Your Tourism Business

Step 1 Connect with the local tourism community through events and meetups.

Run local promotions for your peers and their family and friends.

Take out ad space in newspapers, magazines and lifestyle publications.
Produce all applicable marketing materials, such as logos, regular newsletters, and business cards.

Be sure to hire a specialist for search engine optimization (SEO) to maximize your site's online presence.

Step 4 Create relationships with community influencers.

Stay connected to local tourism industry councils and relevant media and trade organizations.

Growing Your Business

Step 1 Hire employees to conduct tours and outings.

Post ads on classified websites. Be sure to indicate the skills and experience you are looking for.
Select employees that are familiar with your business. Remember that you always want to offer your customers a personalized, engaging experience.
Plan your staff as far ahead as you possibly can. Be sure to plan extra carefully for busy times of the year.
To make your business work, you really need to invest in your employees. It starts with the mission, vision, and values of the company and how those are permeated throughout your employees and how you deliver that and how you show up as that.

Step 2 Keep track of your business costs on a daily basis.

Track competitor products, prices, and value regularly.

Step 3 Invest in tour operator software for booking customers.

Create gift cards, promo codes, and vouchers for your customers.

Step 4 Pay attention to customer feedback.

Make it your primary goal to deliver on your promises and address every customer issue personally.
Encourage your customers to leave their feedback on social media services.

Step 5 Create a memorable customer service plan.

Always tell your customers about other sights in the area and tourism businesses close to yours that they can experience while in the area.
Tell your customers about package deals, sales, and discounts.
Send customers a follow-up email to thank them for choosing your business and make them feel welcome to return at any time!

Step 6 Design package plans for tour outings at various times of the year.

Plan different packages for different times of the year.
Consider your audience when creating packages. Offer them things that make the experience more enjoyable and convenient.
Look at packages from competing businesses and try to offer something that they don't.

Community Q&A

↑ https://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/strategies-start-grow-tourism-business/
↑ https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/hospitality-tourism-sport/tourism/starting-up/regulations/licences-permits-legislation
↑ https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/taking-on-staff/find/assess
↑ https://www.rezdy.com/blog/3-costs-you-need-to-consider-when-pricing-your-tourism-product/
↑ https://www.capterra.com/tour-operator-software/
↑ https://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/iti/files/ProductPackaging.pdf

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Developing a tourism business is a great way to make a profit while sharing your love of different cultures with new people. A tourism business is any business that caters to tourists, like hospitality, food, and local tours. You’ll need to choose a lucrative niche with little competition to make sure there's space in the market for your business. Choose a location you know well and an industry you have experience in. Unless you already have funding for your business, you’ll need to secure a small business loan, grant, or private investment. You'll also need to write a business plan to present to investors and help you plan your next steps. For more tips, including how to market your tourism business, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Canadian/American Family Moving to Ek - Yekaterinburg Forum

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We are a Canadian/American family who will be living in EK part time for the next 2 years !! We have a 4.5 year old and an 11 month old!! I am nervous because it is very hard to find any English friendly information, I've been looking for months trying to prepare as much as possible!!

Looking for any info that would be useful for English speaking family!! I'm in search of internal preschool? and English speaking nanny. I can't find a single one on care.com or any paid site I'm a member of!! Any kid friendly activities, for December are there Christmas festivals? Thank you!!

what's wrong with learning russian? The kid will learn fast and yet speak english at home.

English speaking nanny will be very easy to find, in recent years english courses have been developing a lot in european part of Russia. You'll get english speaking students very easily.

I spend last summer in Yekat, stood there also in spring 2012, and there was a language school for english run by an american. Can't remember the name but should be easy to find. You can ask that kind of people about local possibilities.

There are also a british and an american consulates. These spies should have their own network for english-only services to their families. Maybe first places to ask.

By the way, if you are send there without a clue about russian, it's probably on some expat job and the employer should provide information?

Try expat.ru site.

This is the place of hangouts of expats in Russia.

Just a hint:

It's very unlikely that people in Yekaterinburg will appreciate being called anything like 'Ek' dwellers.

I live in Tyumen, that’s 300 km from Ekaterinburg. Feel free to address if you need any assistance.

I suggest when you arrive go to the Ural State University and put an advert there for an English-speaking nanny. I am sure there will be plenty of students who would like to practice there English with you and get some extra money.

E-burg or Ekat dwellers would be just fine ;-)

We don't celebrate 24/25th of December but we really celebrate the New Year's Eve. And of course, a lot of kid events are organized for this time of the year.

1. For example on the 29th of December they will open an ice town on the main city square "Square of the year 1905". Kids love it there.

http://god2018.su/ledovyj-gorodok-ekaterinburg-2018/#%D0%9E%D1%82%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%8B%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B5%20%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%20%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BA%D0%B0

There will be shows and dances organized. Of course, all of it will be in Russian. I don't know how comfortable you'd feel about it.

The children will love it, you might take a while to adjust.

Hello! Are u still looking for help in Yekaterinburg?

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Yekaterinburg Hotels and Places to Stay

GreenLeaders

Yekaterinburg



and the from


Show map of Russia Show map of Sverdlovsk Oblast
Coordinates: 60°36′46″E / 56.83556°N 60.61278°E / 56.83556; 60.61278
Country

Founded	18 November 1723
City status since	1781
Government
• Body
• Head	Alexey Orlov
Area
• Total	1,111 km (429 sq mi)
Elevation	237 m (778 ft)
Population ( Census)
• Total	1,349,772
• Estimate	1,536,183
• Rank	in 2010
• Density	1,200/km (3,100/sq mi)

• Subordinated to	of Yekaterinburg
• of	, City of Yekaterinburg

• Urban okrug	Yekaterinburg Urban Okrug
• of	Yekaterinburg Urban Okrug
	( )

	+7 343
ID	65701000001
City Day	3rd Saturday of August
Website

Yekaterinburg [lower-alpha 1] is a city and the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District , Russia. The city is located on the Iset River between the Volga-Ural region and Siberia , with a population of roughly 1.5 million residents, [14] up to 2.2 million residents in the urban agglomeration. Yekaterinburg is the fourth-largest city in Russia, the largest city in the Ural Federal District, and one of Russia's main cultural and industrial centres. Yekaterinburg has been dubbed the "Third capital of Russia", as it is ranked third by the size of its economy, culture, transportation and tourism. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Imperial era

Contemporary era, demographics, administrative districts, administration, living costs and the labor market, finance and business, retail and services, transportation, public transit, media and telecommunications, life and culture, architecture, international relations, bric summit, twin towns – sister cities, notable people, bibliography, external links.

Yekaterinburg was founded on 18 November 1723 and named after the Orthodox name of Catherine I (born Marta Helena Skowrońska), the wife of Russian Emperor Peter the Great . The city served as the mining capital of the Russian Empire as well as a strategic connection between Europe and Asia. In 1781, Catherine the Great gave Yekaterinburg the status of a district town of Perm Province , and built the historical Siberian Route through the city. [3] Yekaterinburg became a key city to Siberia, which had rich resources. In the late 19th century, Yekaterinburg became one of the centres of revolutionary movements in the Urals. In 1924, after the Russian SFSR founded the Soviet Union , the city was renamed Sverdlovsk after the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov . During the Soviet era, Sverdlovsk was turned into an industrial and administrative powerhouse. On 23 September 1991 the city returned to its historical name.

Yekaterinburg is one of Russia's most important economic centres and was one of the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup . The city is currently experiencing an economic and population boom, which resulted in some of the tallest skyscrapers of Russia being located in the city. Yekaterinburg is home to the headquarters of the Central Military District of the Russian Armed Forces , as well as the presidium of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences .

Yekaterinburg is famous for its constructivist architecture [19] [20] [21] and is also considered the "Russian capital of street art ". [22] [23] [24]

The area was settled in prehistory. The earliest settlements date to 8000–7000 BC, in the Mesolithic period . The Isetskoe Pravoberezhnoye I archaeological site contains a Neolithic settlement dated to 6000–5000 BC. It includes stone processing workshops with artefacts such as grinding plates, anvils, clumps of rock, tools, and finished products. Over 50 different types of rock and minerals were used in tool making, indicating extensive knowledge of the region's natural resources. The Gamayun peninsula (left bank of the Verkh-Isetsky Pond) has archaeological findings from the Chalcolithic Period : workshops for producing stone tools (upper area) and two dwellings of the Ayat culture (lower area). There are also traces of the Koptyak culture from 2000 BC: dishes decorated with bird images and evidence of metallurgical production. The Tent I site contains the only Koptyak culture burials discovered in the Ural Mountains . In the Bronze Age , the people of Gamayun culture lived in the area. They left fragments of ceramics, weapons, and ornaments. [25] [26] [27]

Archaeological artifacts in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg were first discovered during railway construction, at the end of the 19th century. Excavation and research began in the 20th century. Artifacts are held at the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore , at the Hermitage , at the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences, and at other museums. [26]

The first Russian settlements within the boundaries of modern Yekaterinburg appeared in the second half of the 17th century — in 1672, an Old Believers village arose in the area of Shartash lake [28] (this fact is disputed by historians, since no evidence of the founding of the village at that time was found in the sources), [29] and in 1680 – 1682, the villages of Nizhny and Verkhny Uktus appeared on the banks of Uktus River (now the territory of the Chkalovsky district of the city). [30] In 1702, by the initiative of the head of Sibirskiy prikaz Andrew Vinius , the Uktus state ironwork plant was founded near Nizhny Uktus — the first ironworks within the boundaries of modern Yekaterinburg. [31] In 1704, the Shuvakish ironworks was built (now the territory of the Zheleznodorozhny district of the city). [28] With the beginning of active construction of factories in the Urals in the 18th century, relations with their southern neighbors, the Bashkirs , became strained. As a result of the Bashkir raid in 1709, the village of Verkhny Uktus was devastated, all buildings, including the wooden church and chapel, were burned, the residents fled to the protection of the Uktus plant fortifications. [30] On the night of 5 April 1718, a fire destroyed all the factory buildings of the Uktus plant, except for the dam, and the plant was restored only by 1720 under the supervision of Timofey Burtsev. [32] However, the plant did not receive further development due to the lack of water in Uktus river.

In 1720, by decree of Peter I , a delegation led by mining specialist Johann Blüher and statesman Vasily Tatishchev was sent to the Urals . [33] They were entrusted with managing the mining industry, identifying the causes of the collapse and reduction of production at state-owned factories. [33] On 29 December 1720, [33] Tatishchev and Blüher arrive at the Uktus plant, which became their main residence in the Urals. As a result of familiarizing himself with the state of nearby state-owned factories, Tatishchev came to the conclusion that on the basis of these factories, even if they were reconstructed and expanded, it would not be possible to quickly increase the production of iron, and it would be more profitable to build a new large plant. After inspecting the immediate area, together with the commissary of the Uktus plant, Timofey Burtsev, a place rich in ore and forest was chosen on the banks of the more full-flowing Iset River , 7 versts from Uktus. [33] On 6 February 1721, Tatishchev sent a message to the Collegium of Mining , in which he asked permission to begin construction of the plant, with detailed explanations and justification for this project. [33] On 1 March 1721, without waiting for a response from the Collegium, Tatishchev began construction of the new plant, [28] but he failed to convince Collegium, and by the Collegium decree of 10 December 1721, he was removed from the leadership of mining affairs in the Urals. [28] In 1722, by decree of Peter the Great, a mining engineer, Major General Georg Wilhelm de Gennin , was sent to the Urals in place of Tatishchev. Having studied all the circumstances, de Gennin fully supported Tatishchev’s project, and on 12 March 1723, construction of the plant on Iset resumed. [28]

Russian historian Vasily Tatishchev and Russian engineer Georg Wilhelm de Gennin founded Yekaterinburg with the construction of a massive iron-making plant under the decree of Russian emperor Peter the Great in 1723. [34] They named the city after the emperor's wife, Yekaterina, who later became empress regnant Catherine I . [2] Officially, the city's founding date is 18 November 1723, when the shops carried out a test run of the bloomery for trip hammers. [2] The plant was commissioned 6 days later, on 24 November. [35] 1723 also saw the establishment of Yekaterinburg fortress , which would encompass many of the settlement's earliest buildings. Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak very vividly described the beginning of the construction of a mining plant and a fortress: "Imagine completely deserted banks of the Iset river, covered with forest. In the spring of 1723, soldiers from Tobolsk, peasants of the assigned settlements, hired craftsmen appeared, and everything around came to life, as if by the dictates of a fairy tale. They dropped the forest, prepared a place for the dam, laid blast furnaces, raised the rampart, set up barracks and houses for the authorities... ". [36]

In 1722–1726 the Verkhne-Uktussky mining plant was built, [37] which was officially called the plant of the princess Elizabeth (the future village of Elizabeth, or Elizavetinskoe) and became a part of modern Yekaterinburg in 1934. [38] In 1726, Wilhelm de Gennin founded an auxiliary Verkh-Isetsky plant with a working settlement 2 versts from Yekaterinburg upstream ('verkh' in Russian) the Iset River. [39] The plant's dam formed the Verkh-Isetsky pond. Colloquially called by the Russian acronym VIZ, it was a satellite town until in 1926, with a population of over 20,000 people by this time, it was incorporated into Yekaterinburg as the core of the Verkh-Isetsky district. [39]

Plan of Yekaterinburg, 1743 PlanYekaterinburg1743.JPG

Yekaterinburg was one of the industrial cities of Russia prompted at the beginning of the 18th century by decrees of Tsar Peter the Great which demanded the development of the metalworking industry. With extensive use of iron, the city was built to a regular square plan with ironworks and residential buildings at the centre. These were surrounded by fortified walls so that Yekaterinburg was at the same time both a manufacturing centre and a fortress at the frontier between Europe and Asia. It, therefore, found itself at the heart of Russia's strategy for further development of the entire Ural region. The so-called Siberian Route became operational in 1763 and placed the city on an increasingly important transit route, which led to its development as a focus of trade and commerce between east and west, and gave rise to the description of the city as the "window to Asia". With the growth in trade and the city's administrative importance, the ironworks became less critical, and the more important buildings were increasingly built using expensive stone. Small manufacturing and trading businesses proliferated. In 1781 Russia's empress, Catherine the Great, granted Yekaterinburg town status and nominated it as the administrative centre for the wider region within Perm Governorate . [3] In 1807, the role of the capital of the mining and smelting region was confirmed by assigning it the status of the only "mountain city" in Russia. Until 1863, Yekaterinburg remained subordinate to the head of the mining plants of the Ural ridge , the minister of finance and personally to the emperor, and enjoyed considerable freedom from the governor's power. Since the 1830s, mountainous Yekaterinburg has become the center of mechanical engineering. [36]

In 1820–1845, 45% of the world's gold was mined in Yekaterinburg. This is the first ever "Gold Rush". [40] Until 1876, 80% of the coins in circulation in the Russian Empire were produced at the Yekaterinburg mint. [41]

Following the October Revolution , the family of deposed Tsar Nicholas II was sent to internal exile in Yekaterinburg where they were imprisoned in the Ipatiev House in the city. In July 1918, the Czechoslovak Legions were closing on Yekaterinburg. In the early hours of the morning of 17 July, the deposed Tsar, his wife Alexandra , and their children Grand Duchesses Olga , Tatiana , Maria , Anastasia , and Tsarevich Alexei were murdered by the Bolsheviks at the Ipatiev House. Other members of the Romanov family were killed at Alapayevsk later the same day. The Legions arrived less than a week later and captured the city. [42] [43] The city remained under the control of the White movement in which a provisional government was established. The Red Army took back the city and restored Soviet authority on 14 July 1919. [44] [45]

Snow-covered statue of Yakov Sverdlov Ekaterinbourg.jpeg

In the years following the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War , political authority of the Urals was transferred from Perm to Yekaterinburg. On 19 October 1920, Yekaterinburg established its first university, the Ural State University , as well as polytechnic, pedagogical, and medical institutions under the decree of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin . Enterprises in the city ravaged by the war were nationalised, including: the Metalist (formerly Yates) Plant, the Verkh-Isetsky (formerly Yakovleva) Plant, and the Lenin flax-spinning factory (formerly Makarov). In 1924, the city of Yekaterinburg was renamed Sverdlovsk after the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov . [46] [28] [44]

By the 1934, following a series of administrative reforms carried by the early Soviet government, the earliest Russian settlements which predated Yekaterinburg and laid the basis of its founding, were incorporated into the city proper. [38] [47]

During the reign of Stalin, Sverdlovsk was one of several places developed by the Soviet government as a centre of heavy industry. Old factories were reconstructed and new large factories were built, especially those specialised in machine-building and metalworking. These plants included Magnitogorsk and the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant in Chelyabinsk oblast , and Uralmash in Sverdlovsk. During this time, the population of Sverdlovsk tripled in size, and it became one of the fastest-growing cities of the Soviet Union. At that time, very large powers were given to the regional authorities. By the end of the 1930s, there were 140 industrial enterprises, 25 research institutes, and 12 higher education institutions in Sverdlovsk. [48] [49]

During World War II, the city became the headquarters of the Ural Military District on the basis of which more than 500 different military units and formations were formed, including the 22nd Army and the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps. Uralmash became the main production site for armoured vehicles. Many state technical institutions and whole factories were relocated to Sverdlovsk away from cities affected by war (mostly Moscow), with many of them staying in Sverdlovsk after the victory. The Hermitage Museum collections were also partly evacuated from Leningrad to Sverdlovsk in July 1941 and remained there until October 1945. [50] In the postwar years, new industrial and agricultural enterprises were put into operation and massive housing construction began. [51] [44] The lookalike five-story apartment blocks that remain today in Kirovsky, Chkalovsky, and other residential areas of Sverdlovsk sprang up in the 1960s, under the direction of Nikita Khrushchev 's government. [52] In 1977, Ipatiev House was demolished by order of Boris Yeltsin in accordance to a resolution from the Politburo in order to prevent it from being used as a rallying location for monarchists . Yeltsin later became the first President of Russia and represented the people at the funeral of the former Tsar in 1998. [53] There was an anthrax outbreak in Sverdlovsk in April and May 1979, which was attributed to a release from the Sverdlovsk-19 military facility . [54]

During the 1991 coup d'état attempt , Sverdlovsk, the home city of President Boris Yeltsin, was selected by him as a temporary reserve capital for the Russian Federation, in case Moscow became too dangerous for the Russian government. A reserve cabinet headed by Oleg Lobov was sent to the city, where Yeltsin enjoyed strong popular support at that time. [55] Shortly after the failure of the coup and subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union, the city regained its historical name of Yekaterinburg on 23 September 1991. However, Sverdlovsk Oblast, of which Yekaterinburg is the administrative centre, kept its name. [56] [57]

In the 2000s, an intensive growth of trade, business, and tourism began in Yekaterinburg. In 2003, Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder negotiated in Yekaterinburg. On 15–17 June 2009, the SCO and BRIC summits were held in Yekaterinburg, which greatly improved the economic, cultural, and tourist situation in the city. On 13–16 July 2010, a meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel took place in the city. [58]

In 2018, Yekaterinburg hosted four matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and hosted the inaugural University International Sports Festival in 2023. [59]

Geographically, Yekaterinburg is in North Asia, close to the Ural Mountains (which divide Europe from Asia), 1,667 km (1,036 mi) east of the nation's capital Moscow.

The city has a total area of 1,111 km 2 (429 sq mi) .

Yekaterinburg is on the eastern side of the Urals. The city is surrounded by wooded hills, partially cultivated for agricultural purposes. Yekaterinburg is located on a natural watershed, so there would be many bodies of water close and in the city. The city is bisected by the Iset River , which flows from the Urals into the Tobol River . There are two lakes in the city, Lake Shuvakish and Lake Shartash. The city borders Verkh-Isetskiy Pond, through which the Iset River flows. Lake Isetskoye and Lake Baltym are both near the city, with Lake Isetskoye located near Sredneuralsk , and Lake Baltym located near the towns of Sanatornyy and Baltym.

Yekaterinburg uses the Yekaterinburg Time, which is five hours ahead of UTC (UTC+5), and two hours ahead of Moscow Time . [60]

The city possesses a humid continental climate ( Dfb ) under the Köppen climate classification . [61] It is characterised by sharp variability in weather conditions, with well-marked seasons. The Ural Mountains, despite their insignificant height, block air from the west, from the European part of Russia. As a result, the Central Urals are open to the invasion of cold arctic air and continental air from the West Siberian Plain. Equally, warm air masses from the Caspian Sea and the deserts of Central Asia can freely penetrate from the south. Therefore, the weather in Yekaterinburg is characterised by sharp temperature fluctuations and weather anomalies: in winter, from frost at −40 °C to thaw and rain; in summer, from frosts to temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) . [61]

The distribution of precipitation is determined by the circulation of air masses, relief, and air temperatures. The main part of the precipitation is brought by cyclones with a western air mass transfer, that is, from the European part of Russia, while their average annual amount is 601 mm. The maximum falls on a warm season, during which about 60–70% of the annual amount falls. For the winter period is characterized by snow cover with an average capacity of 40–50 cm. The coefficient of moistening(the ratio of yearly precipitation and potential evaporation ) – 1. [61]

The average temperature in January is −12.6 °C (9.3 °F) . The record minimum temperature is −44.6 °C (−48.3 °F) (6 January 1915);
The average July temperature is 18.9 °C (66.0 °F) . The record maximum temperature is 40.0 °C (104.0 °F) (11 July 2023);
The average annual temperature is 2.1 °C (35.8 °F) ;
The average annual wind speed is 2.9 m/s (10 km/h; 6.5 mph) ;
The average annual humidity is 75%;
The average annual precipitation is 534 mm (21.0 in) ;

Climate data for Yekaterinburg (1991–2020, extremes 1831–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	5.6 (42.1)	9.4 (48.9)	18.1 (64.6)	28.8 (83.8)	34.7 (94.5)	36.4 (97.5)	40.0 (104.0)	37.2 (99.0)	31.9 (89.4)	24.7 (76.5)	13.5 (56.3)	5.9 (42.6)	40.0 (104.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−9.3 (15.3)	−6.6 (20.1)	0.9 (33.6)	10.1 (50.2)	18.3 (64.9)	22.6 (72.7)	24.3 (75.7)	21.4 (70.5)	15.0 (59.0)	6.9 (44.4)	−2.6 (27.3)	−7.8 (18.0)	7.8 (46.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−12.6 (9.3)	−10.8 (12.6)	−3.6 (25.5)	4.7 (40.5)	12.2 (54.0)	16.9 (62.4)	18.9 (66.0)	16.2 (61.2)	10.4 (50.7)	3.6 (38.5)	−5.4 (22.3)	−10.7 (12.7)	3.3 (37.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−15.5 (4.1)	−14.1 (6.6)	−7.3 (18.9)	0.3 (32.5)	6.9 (44.4)	12.0 (53.6)	14.4 (57.9)	12.2 (54.0)	6.8 (44.2)	1.0 (33.8)	−7.8 (18.0)	−13.3 (8.1)	−0.4 (31.3)
Record low °C (°F)	−44.6 (−48.3)	−42.4 (−44.3)	−39.2 (−38.6)	−21.8 (−7.2)	−13.5 (7.7)	−5.3 (22.5)	1.5 (34.7)	−2.2 (28.0)	−9.0 (15.8)	−22.0 (−7.6)	−39.2 (−38.6)	−44.0 (−47.2)	−44.6 (−48.3)
Average mm (inches)	25 (1.0)	19 (0.7)	25 (1.0)	31 (1.2)	47 (1.9)	73 (2.9)	93 (3.7)	75 (3.0)	45 (1.8)	41 (1.6)	33 (1.3)	28 (1.1)	534 (21.0)
Average extreme snow depth cm (inches)	33 (13)	42 (17)	38 (15)	5 (2.0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.4)	8 (3.1)	21 (8.3)	42 (17)
Average rainy days	1	1	5	13	20	20	19	22	22	17	6	1	147
Average snowy days	26	23	18	10	4	0.4	0	0	2	13	23	25	144
Average (%)	79	75	68	60	58	63	68	73	75	75	78	79	71
Mean monthly	47	94	164	206	256	272	269	217	143	78	51	37	1,834
Source 1: Pogoda.ru
Source 2: NOAA (sun 1961–1990)

Historical population
Year
1897	37,399	—
1926	134,831	+260.5%
1939	425,533	+215.6%
1959	778,602	+83.0%
1970	1,025,045	+31.7%
1979	1,211,172	+18.2%
1989	1,364,621	+12.7%
2002	1,293,537	−5.2%
2010	1,349,772	+4.3%
2021	1,544,376	+14.4%

According to the results of the 2021 Census , the population of Yekaterinburg was 1,544,376 ; [64] up from 1,349,772 recorded in the 2010 Census . [7]

As of 2021, the ethnic composition of Yekaterinburg was: [65]

Ethnicity	Population	Percentage
	1,172,704	91.0%
	27,431	2.1%
	13,102	1.0%
	8,769	0.7%
	6,121	0.5%
	4,987	0.4%
	4,755	0.4%
	4,307	0.3%
	4,014	0.3%
Others	42,033	3.3%

Christianity is the predominant religion in the city, of which most are adherents to the Russian Orthodox Church. The Yekaterinburg and Verkhotursky diocese is located in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the city. Other religions practised in Yekaterinburg include Islam , Old Believers , Catholicism , Protestantism , and Judaism .

Yekaterinburg has a significant Muslim community, but it suffers from a lack of worship space: there are only two small mosques . Another mosque was built in the nearby city of Verkhnyaya Pyshma . On 24 November 2007, the first stone was laid in the construction of a large Cathedral Mosque with four minarets , and space for 2,500 parishioners in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral and a synagogue , thus forming the "area of the three religions". [66] The mosque was planned to be built for the SCO summit, but due to funding problems, construction did not move from zero and is now frozen.

Construction of a Methodist church started in 1992, and with the help of American donations, finished in 2001. [67] A synagogue was opened in 2005, on the same place a 19th-century synagogue was demolished in 1962.

Most of the city's religious buildings were destroyed during the Soviet era, in addition to the synagogue, the three largest Orthodox churches in Yekaterinburg were demolished – the Epiphany Cathedral, the Ekaterininsky Cathedral, and the Great Zlatoust Church . Other Christian churches such as the Lutheran Church of Yekaterinburg and the Roman Catholic Church of St. Anne (a new Catholic St. Anne's Church was built in 2000) were demolished as well. Other churches were used as warehouses and industrial sites. The only religious building in Yekaterinburg in the Soviet era was the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Recently, some churches are being rebuilt. Since 2006, according to the surviving drawings, the Great Zlatoust Church was restored in 2012. On 17 April 2010, the city was visited by Patriarch Kirill . [68]

Yekaterinburg is the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast . [1] Within the framework of the administrative divisions , it is, together with twenty-nine rural localities , incorporated as the City of Yekaterinburg, [9] an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts . [1] As a municipal division, the City of Yekaterinburg is incorporated as Yekaterinburg Urban Okrug. [10]

Administrative districts of Yekaterinburg

Label	Name	Area (2019)	Population (2019)	Founded	Head	Website	Dialing code(s)	Subdivisions
1	Akademicheskiy		81,000	2020	Smirnyagin Nikolai Sergeevich		+7 3432, +7 3433	3
2	Verkh-Isetsky	240 square kilometres (93 sq mi)	221,207	1919	Morozov Andrey Mikhailovich	1 December 2021 at the	+7 3432, +7 3433	5
3	Zheleznodorozhnyy	126.3 square kilometres (48.8 sq mi)	221,207	1938	Pershin Vitaly Pavlovich	1 March 2022 at the	+7 343	8
4	Kirovsky	72 square kilometres (28 sq mi)	228,864	1943	Bolikov Vladimir Yurievich	15 March 2022 at the	+7 343	7
5	Leninsky	25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi)	156,723	1934	Beruashvili Elena Zauryevna	15 March 2022 at the	+7 343	3
6	Oktyabrsky	157 square kilometres (61 sq mi)	148,981	1934	Kostenko Igor Vitalievich	10 November 2021 at the	+7 3432	11
7	Ordzhonikidzevsky	102 square kilometres (39 sq mi)	286,482	1934	Kravchenko Roman Gennadievich	16 March 2022 at the	+7 3433	6
8	Chkalovsky	402 square kilometres (155 sq mi)	275,571	1943	Shipitsyn Evgeny Viktorovich	9 May 2019 at the	+7 3432	10

Each district is not a municipal formation, and the historical centre of the city is divided into five inner-city districts (except Chkalovsky and Ordzhonikidzevsky).

A district named Akademicheskiy was formed from the parts of Leninsky and Verkh-Isetsky districts on 3 January 2020. [70] On 1 October 2021, more settlements were transferred from Verkh-Isetsky to Akademicheskiy district. [71]

The Charter of Yekaterinburg establishes a four-link system for the organisation of local authorities, which includes: the Head of Yekaterinburg, who serves as the chairman of the Yekaterinburg City Duma, the Yekaterinburg City Duma, the Administration of the City of Yekaterinburg, and the Chamber of Accounts. [74]

According to the charter of Yekaterinburg, the highest official of the municipal formation is the mayor of Yekaterinburg. The mayor is elected by universal suffrage, but since 3 April 2018, the procedure for direct elections of the mayor of the City of Yekaterinburg was abolished. The mayor of the city is endowed with representative powers and powers to organize activities and guide the activities of the City Duma. In addition, the mayor of the city exercises other powers such as concluding a contract with the head of the city administration and ensuring compliance with the Russian Constitution, Russian legislation, the city charter, and other normative acts. [75] [76]

In the event of a temporary absence of the mayor of Yekaterinburg, his authority under his written order is exercised by the deputy mayor of Yekaterinburg. [77]

The representative body of the municipal formation is the Yekaterinburg City Duma, which represents the city's entire population. The membership of the Duma is 36 deputies (18 deputies were elected in single-mandate constituencies and 18 in a single electoral district). Residents of the city elect deputies on the basis of universal suffrage for a period of 5 years. [74]

The executive and administrative body of the municipal formation is the Administration of the City of Yekaterinburg, led by the head of the Administration, currently held by Aleksandr Yacob. The administration is endowed with its own powers to resolve issues of local importance, but it is under the control and accountable to the Yekaterinburg City Duma. The building of the Administration of Yekaterinburg is located on 1905 Square . [76]

The Chamber of Accounts is a permanently operating body of external municipal financial control. The Chamber is formed by the apparatus of the City Duma and is accountable to it. The Chamber consists of the chairman, deputy chairman, auditors and staff. The structure and number of staff of the chamber, including the number of auditors, is determined by the decision of the City Duma. The term of office of the Chamber staff is 5 years. The Chamber of Accounts is a legal entity. [77]

In accordance with the regional charter, Yekaterinburg is the administrative centre of the Sverdlovsk Oblast. [1] The executive power is exercised by the governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast, the legislative power by the legislative assembly of Sverdlovsk Oblast, and the judicial power by the Sverdlovsk Regional Court, located in the building of the Palace of Justice. [78] The building serving the regional government is the White House and the building serving the legislative assembly is located next to it on October Square. The ministries of the Sverdlovsk Region are located in the building of the regional government, as well as in other separate buildings of the city. [79]

Yekaterinburg serves as the centre of the Ural Federal District. As a result, it serves as the residence of the presidential envoy , the highest official of the district and part of the administration of the President of Russia. The residence is located the building of the regional government on October Square near the Iset River embankment.

In addition, Yekaterinburg serves as the centre of the Central Military District and more than 30 territorial branches of the federal executive bodies, whose jurisdiction extends not only to Sverdlovsk Oblast, but also to other regions in the Ural Mountains, Siberia, and the Volga Region.

According to the results of the September 2013 elections, the mayor of the city was Yevgeny Roizman , nominated by the Civil Platform party. Out of the 36 seats in the City Duma, 21 belong to United Russia , 7 to A Just Russia , 3 to the Civil Platform, 2 to the Communist Party and 1 seat to the LDPR . The turnout in the mayoral elections was 33.57%. [80]

Russian federal legislative election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
			78,289	38.4%
			31,288	15.4%
			25,869	12.7%
			22,293	10.9%
			11,340	5.6%

It was the last popular vote in Yekaterinburg. Since 2018, there have been no elections, but a vote in the Municipal Duma. On 25 September 2018 the majority of the representatives in the Duma voted in favour of the Vice-Governor of Sverdlovsk oblast, Alexander Vysokinskiy.

Yekaterinburg is one of the largest economic centres in Russia. It is included in the City-600 list (it unites the 600 largest cities in the world that produce 60% of global GDP), compiled by the McKinsey Global Institute, a research organisation. In 2010, the consulting company estimated the gross product of Yekaterinburg to be about $19 billion (according to the calculations of the company, it should grow to $40 billion by 2025). [82] [83]

By volume of the economy, Yekaterinburg ranks third in the country, after Moscow and St. Petersburg. According to a research of the Institute for Urban Economics, in the ranking of the largest cities and regional capital cities according to economic standards for 2015, Yekaterinburg ranked third. The city's gross urban product (GVP) was 898 billion rubles. Per capita GDP was 621.0 thousand rubles (18th place). [84] In 2015, the gross urban product of the Yekaterinburg metropolitan area amounted to 50.7 billion international dollars (the fourth place in the country) or 25.4 thousand international dollars in terms of per inhabitant of the metropolitan area. [85]

In the Soviet era, Yekaterinburg (as Sverdlovsk) was a purely industrial city, with a share of industry in the economy of 90% (of which 90% were in defense production). With Chelyabinsk and Perm, the three cities formed what to be the Urals industrial hub. [86]

The former head of Yekaterinburg, Arkady Chernetsky, has set the goal of diversifying the city's economy, which has resulted in the development of sectors such as warehousing, transportation, logistics, telecommunications, financial sector, wholesale and retail trade, etc. in Yekaterinburg. [86] Economist-geographer Natalia Zubarevich points out that at the present stage, Yekaterinburg has practically lost its industrial specialisation. [87]

The standard of living in Yekaterinburg exceeds the average standard across Russia. According to the Department of Sociology of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, it is among the top ten cities with the highest standard of living. Compared to other Russian cities with a population of around or over one million, in 2015, Yekaterinburg held a leading position in terms of average monthly wages and retail turnover, in terms of the total volume of investments in fourth place of fixed assets, and second place in housing placement. [88] [89]

The average monthly wage in Yekaterinburg following the results of 2019 was 54,976 rubles. This is the first place among the millionth municipalities of the Russian Federation. [90] There are on average 440,300 people employed by large and middle-sized organisations and companies. The unemployment rate at the end of 2015 was 0.83% of the total economically active population. Locals labelled the main problems of the city such the current state of the healthcare system, housing system, and transportation system. [89] [91]

The budget of Yekaterinburg in 2015 was executed on income in the amount of 32,063.6 million rubles, for expenses in the amount of 32,745.8 million rubles. Among the budget expenditures: 17 billion rubles were spent on education, over 1 billion rubles on culture, and about 900 million rubles on health. The main part of the revenue of the city treasury was its own tax and non-tax revenues (more than 18 billion rubles). The revenues from the regional and federal budgets were at the lowest level in 10 years. Specialists noted a decrease in tax revenues and an increase in tax debt (exceeded 2 billion rubles). [89] [92]

The main budget expenditures are the development of the economy (which accounts for 19% of expenditures) and the social security of the townspeople (11% of expenditures go). Cities such as Perm, Kazan and Ufa, spend for these purposes in a smaller percentage of costs (from 2 to 6%). Also, a fairly strict budgetary discipline is noted—the budget deficit is kept at the level of 2% of its volume. [93]

Yekaterinburg is one of the largest financial and business centres in Russia, with offices of multinational corporations, representative offices of foreign companies, and a large number of federal and regional financial and credit organisations. The financial market of Yekaterinburg is characterised by stability and independence, based both on the broad presence of large foreign and Moscow credit organisations and on the availability of large and stable local financial holdings. [94]

The financial sector of Yekaterinburg has more than 100 banks, including 11 foreign banks. The list of the largest Russian banks for assets for 2016 included 10 banks registered in Yekaterinburg, including but not all: Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development, SKB-Bank, Uraltransbank, and UM Bank. [95] [96]

IT "SKB Kontur" from Yekaterinburg – the largest software manufacturer in Russia – first place according to the RAEX rating [97]

Also in Yekaterinburg is the Ural headquarters of the Central Bank of Russia. Since 7 August 2017, by order of the Bank of Russia, the branches of the Siberian, Far Eastern and part of the Prevolzhsky Federal Districts have been transferred to the control of the Ural Megaregal Directorate. Thus, this is one of the three main departments of the Mega-regulator in the territory of Russia. [98]

A major role in the formation of Yekaterinburg as a business centre has its infrastructural potential, which is growing at a high rate: transport accessibility for Russian and foreign economic entities, the availability of hotels, advanced communication services, business related services (consulting, exhibition activities, etc.). [94] Yekaterinburg has its own central business district, Yekaterinburg City. [99]

1st Pyatiletka Square, where Uralmash is headquartered MainBildingUralmash.jpg

Yekaterinburg has been a major industrial centre since its foundation. In the 18th century, the main branches were smelting and processing of metal. Since the beginning of the 19th century, machine building appeared, and in the second half of the 19th century, light and food (especially milling) industry was widely spread. A new stage in the development of production occurred during the period of industrialisation – at this time in the city, factories were built, which determined the industry specialisation of heavy engineering. During World War II, Yekaterinburg (as Sverdlovsk) hosted about sixty enterprises evacuated from Central Russia and Ukraine. As a result, there was a sharp increase in the production capacity of existing plants and the emergence of new branches of the Urals industry.

At present, more than 220 large and medium-sized enterprises are registered in Yekaterinburg, 197 of them in manufacturing industries. [94] In 2015, they shipped 323,288 million rubles worth of own-produced goods. Production by industry was divided accordingly: metallurgical production and metalworking 20.9%, food production 13.3%, production of electrical equipment, electronic and optical equipment 9.2%, production of vehicles 8.4%, production of machinery and equipment 6.4%, chemical production 5.5%, production of other nonmetallic mineral products 3.7%, production of rubber and plastic products 2.8%, pulp and paper production, publishing and printing 0.5%, and other 29.3%. [100]

Several headquarters of large Russian industrial companies are located in the city: IDGC of Urals, Enel Russia, Steel-Industrial Company, Russian Copper Company, Kalina, NLMK-Sort, VIZ-Stal, Sinara Group, Uralelectrotyazhmash, Automation Association named after academician NA Semikhatov, Ural Heavy Machinery Plant (Uralmash), Fat Plant, Fores, confectionery association Sladko, Machine Building Plant named after M.I. Kalinin, Ural Turbine Plant, Uralkhimmash and others. [101]

Yekaterinburg ranks first in retail trade of the Russian Federation per capita, ahead of Moscow. [102] The consumer market contributes significantly to Yekaterinburg's economy. Revenue of retail stores in 2015 amounted to 725.9 billion rubles, and the number of retailers totaled 4,290. [103] As of 1 January 2016, 36 shopping centers operate in the city, taking up a total area of which was 1,502,700 m 2 (16,175,000 sq ft) . The availability of shopping centres per 1,000 inhabitants increased to 597.2 m 2 (6,428 sq ft) . [104]

Retail areas amounted to 2,019,000 m 2 (21,730,000 sq ft) , with the availability of retail space reached 1,366.3 m 2 (14,707 sq ft) per 1,000 inhabitants. According to these statistics, Yekaterinburg holds leading positions among other major cities of Russia. In the consumer market of Yekaterinburg, 1041 network operators are represented. The number of wholesale enterprises totalled 1,435. Among the Federal construction stores represented in the city, you can select: Leroy Merlin, [105] Castorama, [106] Domostroy, [107] Maxidom, [108] OBI, [109] Sdvor. [110] Yekaterinburg has an agricultural market named Shartashsky. [104] [111]

The revenue of catering in 2015 totalled 38.6 billion rubles. The network of catering enterprises in Yekaterinburg is presented as follows: 153 restaurants, 210 bars, 445 cafes, 100 coffee houses, 582 dining rooms, 189 eateries, 173 fast-food establishments, 10 tea shops, 319 other types of institutions (buffets, cafeterias, catering companies). 82.6% of catering enterprises provide additional services to consumers. [112]

The revenue of the services industry in 2015 totalled 74.9 billion rubles. The fastest pace in the city is developing hairdressing services, sewing and knitting atelier services, pawnshop services, fitness centre services. The network of public service enterprises in Yekaterinburg includes 5,185 facilities. In 2015, the provision of service areas for service enterprises totaled 382.1 m 2 (4,113 sq ft) per 1,000 citizens. The highest concentration of household services is observed in the Verkh-Isetsky, Oktyabrsky and Leninsky districts. [113]

Greenwich Shopping Center, as of 2021, is the largest shopping center in Europe. [114]

The largest store in the world by area is Sima-Land. [115]

Yekaterinburg is a major centre for the Russian tourist industry. In 2015, the city was one of the top five most visited Russian cities (others being Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk , and Vladivostok ) according to the Global Destinations Cities Index, which represents the payment system Mastercard . [116] In recent years, a lot of work has been done to create a positive image of Yekaterinburg as a centre for international tourism, including holding of summits for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2008 and 2009 and the international exhibition Innoprom in 2009 and 2010. [117] In 2014, Yekaterinburg ranked third among Russian cities in popularity among foreign tourists after Moscow and St. Petersburg. [118]

In 2015, the total flow of inbound tourism grew by 10% compared to the previous year and amounted to 2.1 million people. [119] In recent years, there has been a tendency to reduce the role of business tourism in the overall flow: if in 2013 about 80% of trips were business, in 2015 their number was already 67%. Most tourists go to "bow to the memory of the last [czar] and his family." In addition, new tourist ideas are developing such as the Bazhov theme, the geological and mineralogical theme, industrial tourism, and the event calendar. [120]

Yekaterinburg is the third largest transport hub of Russia, behind Moscow and St. Petersburg. The city has 6 federal highways, 7 main railway lines, and an international airport. The location of Yekaterinburg in the central part of the region allows for 7 to 10 hours to get from it to any large city of the Urals. [121] The formation of Yekaterinburg as an important transportation hub is largely due to the city's favourable geographical location on a low stretch of the Ural Mountains, through which it was convenient to lay the main roads connecting the European and Eastern parts of Russia. [122]

E22 bypass in the Chkalovsky District Ob'ezdnaia.jpg

Yekaterinburg is one of the ten Russian megacities with the largest car fleet (0.437 megacars were registered in the city in 2014), which has been intensively increasing in recent years (by 6–14% annually). [123] [124] The level of car ownership in 2015 has reached 410 cars per 1,000 people. [125] Its pace in the past few years has seriously exceeded the pace of development and the capacity of the road infrastructure. For the first time, transport problems started to appear in Yekaterinburg in the 1980s and though it did not seem threatening at first, the situation gets worse every year. Studies have shown that as early as 2005, the capacity limit for the road network was reached, which has now led to permanent congestion. [126] To increase the capacity of the street-road network, stage-by-stage reconstruction of streets is being carried out, as well as multi-level interchanges being built. In order to reduce the transit traffic, the Sverdlovsk Oblast administration announced two road projects in 2014: the Yekaterinburg Ring Road (EKAD) and an overpass road on Sovetskaya Street. The Yekaterinburg Ring Road would surround the largest municipalities of Yekaterinburg. Its purpose would be to help the city's economy and reduce traffic on the Middle Ring Road of the city, making it easier for civilians to commute around the city than going through the city's traffic congestion. Eventually, the Ring Road would connect to other federal roads in order for easier access between other Russian cities. Construction of the road started in the same year. The projects were assigned to the Ministry of Transport and Communications since the projects were crucial to the city's economy. Officials hope the road projects will build environments more conducive to improving local quality of life and outside investments. Completing these major inter-regional roads will increase productive traffic by 50% to 100%, improving the local economy with its ease of access to industries. [127]

Since 2014, the project for the introduction of paid parking in the central part of Yekaterinburg is being implemented. The project is implemented in parallel with the increase in the number of intercepting parking lots and the construction of parking lots. At the end of 2015, in the central part of the city there were 2,307 paid parking places. [125]

The total length of the road network in Yekaterinburg is 1,311.5 km (814.9 mi) , of which 929.8 km (577.8 mi) is cobbled carriageways, 880 km (550 mi) is with upgraded coverage, 632 km (393 mi) is backbone networks, of which 155 km (96 mi) are on the citywide backbone network movement. 20 interchanges have been constructed at different levels within the city limits, including 11 on the EKAD and 9 on the middle ring. 74 transport facilities (27 bridges across the Iset River, Patrushikha, Mostovka, Istok Rivers, 13 dams on the Iset, Patrushikha, Istok, Olkhovka, Warm, Shilovka Rivers, 23 road overpasses , and 18 out-of-the-way pedestrian crossings) were built as well. [128]

Yekaterinburg is served by the following highways: [129]

Yekaterinburg uses almost all types of public transport. The largest transportation services—the Municipal Association of Bus Enterprises, the Tram-Trolleybus Office, and the Yekaterinburg Metro —transported 207.4 million people in 2015. [130] The total volume of passenger transportation by all land transport modes decreases annually. If the annual passenger traffic of municipal transport was 647.1 million people in 2002, and according to this index the city occupied the third place in the country with a wide margin, then in 2008 this figure would be 412 million people (the fourth place in Russia). [131] [132]

Since 1991, the city operates the sixth metro in Russia and the thirteenth in the CIS . At the moment there is one line with 9 stations. In 2015 49.9 million passengers were transported; according to this metric the Yekaterinburg Metro is the fourth in Russia, behind the Moscow Metro, Saint Petersburg Metro, and Novosibirsk Metro . [133] Although the metro is the second most popular type of public transport, in recent years significant problems have appeared in its work: loss-making, obsolete rolling stock, and a shortage of funds for modernisation. [134] The tram network was established in 1929 and currently [ when? ] plays a leading role in the urban transport system. The volume of passengers carried for 2013 is 127.8 million, [135] but this declines every year (245 million people in 2013 [136] ). In 2016 there were 30 routes operating 459 cars. The total length of the tracks is 185.5 km. As of 2016 [ update ] , the construction of a tram line "Ekaterinburg-Verkhnyaya Pyshma" was planned. [137]

There are 93 bus routes operating in Yekaterinburg, including 30 municipal ones (EMUP "MOAP"). [138] In 2007, 114.5 million passengers were transported by municipal intercity buses (124.6 million in 2006). [139] The decrease in volume is due to the increasing role of the fixed-route taxis in the urban transport system of Yekaterinburg, as well as the high cost of travel. However, the city bus transport network provides significant employment for the people of Ekaterinburg, including the formidable babushkas who collect passenger fares. In the park of EMPU, there are 537 buses. [140] In 2013, there are 19 routes, which employ 250 trolleybuses. The total length of trolleybus lines is 168.4 km. The number of passengers transported by trolleybus in 2007 amounted to 78.4 million (84.3 million in 2006). [139]

In addition, the city operates an electric train route linking the north-western and the southern parts of Yekaterinburg, from Sem' Klyuchey to Elizavet.

Yekaterinburg is a major railway junction. In the Yekaterinburg node, 7 main lines converge (to Perm , Tyumen , Kazan , Nizhny Tagil , Chelyabinsk , Kurgan , and Tavda ). The Sverdlovsk Railway Administration is located in the city, which serves trains on the territory of the Sverdlovsk and Tyumen Regions, the Perm Territory, the Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Districts, as well as parts of the Omsk Region, and there is a single road traffic control centre. The Perm–Yekaterinburg–Tyumen section is now part of the main route of the Trans-Siberian Railway .

Yekaterinburg is served by two primary airports: Koltsovo International Airport (SVX) and the smaller Yekaterinburg Aramil Airport . Koltsovo Airport is one of the largest airports in the country, serving 5.404 million passengers (including 3.485 million serviced by domestic airlines, 1.919 million at international flights) in 2017, making it the sixth busiest airport in Russia . [141]

Yekaterinburg has an extensive network of municipal, regional and federal health facilities. There are 54 hospitals, designed at a capacity of 18,200 beds, [142] 272 ambulatory polyclinics, and 156 dental clinics and offices. [143] Some health facilities are based on medical research institutes such as the Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology, [144] the Research Institute of Dermatology and Immunopathology, [145] and the Ural State Medical University, as well as others.

In clean areas of the city, there is the Yekaterinburg Medical Centre, which includes the Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1 (also includes a polyclinic and a boarding house), Central City Hospital No. 40 (polyclinic, therapeutic building, surgical building, infectious body, neuro-surgical building, maternity hospital), Regional Cardiology Centre, Centre for Prevention and Control of AIDS, and MNTK Eye Microsurgery. [146]

Other large medical centres are the Uralmash Health Centre (Hospital No. 14), the Hospital of veterans of the Great Patriotic War, the district hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the district military hospital, the Oncology Centre, the Sverdlovsk Oblast Psychiatric Hospital, the Disaster Medicine Centre, the Sanguis Blood Transfusion Centre, children's versatile hospital No. 9, and the regional rehabilitation centre on Chusovsky lake. There are about 300 pharmacies in the city. [143] The number of doctors in public medical institutions is 11,339 people (83.9 per 10,000 people) and the number of nurses is 16,795 (124 per 10,000 people).

Private medical institutions also operate in the city. [147]

Yekaterinburg's education system includes institutions of all grades and conditions: preschool, general, special (correctional), and vocational (secondary and higher education), as well as others. Today, the city is one of the largest educational centres of Russia, with Yekaterinburg considered to be the leading educational and scientific centre of the Urals . [148]

There are 164 educational institutions in Yekaterinburg: 160 of them operate in the morning and the other 4 in the evening. In 2015, 133,800 people were enrolled in general education institutions, which holds a capacity of 173,161 people. [149] Yekaterinburg's education system also includes state pre-school educational institutions, non-state pre-school institutions, out-of-town health camps, and municipal city health facilities with a one-day stay. [150] Five educational institutions of the city: SUNC UrFU, Gymnasium No. 2, Gymnasium No. 9, Gymnasium No. 35, and Lyceum No. 135, were included in the rating of the five hundred best schools in the country by the Moscow Center for Continuous Mathematical Education and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation . [151]

On 16 July 1914, the Ural Mining Institute of Emperor Nicholas II (now the Ural State Mining University ) was established as Yekaterinburg's first educational institution. [152] In 1930, the Sverdlovsk Power Engineering College (now the Ural Technical Institute of Communications and Informatics) was opened to train specialists in the field of communications. The Alexei Maximovich Gorky Ural State University (now the Ural Federal University ) became the first university in Yekaterinburg by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR , signed by Vladimir Lenin on 19 October 1920. The Sverdlovsk Engineering and Pedagogical Institute (today the Russian State Vocational and Pedagogical University) became the first university of the USSR for the training of engineering and pedagogical personnel when it was opened in 1979.

In terms of the level of qualification of the graduates, Yekaterinburg's universities are among the leading in Russia, in particular in terms of the number of graduates representing the current managing elite of the country, Yekaterinburg universities are second only to the educational institutions of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. [153] [154] Currently, there are 20 state universities in the city, which currently holds a total of 140,000 students. [155] In addition, there are 14 non-state institutions of higher education in the city, such as the Yekaterinburg Academy of Contemporary Art and the Yekaterinburg Theological Seminary. The prestigious architecture school, the Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts , is also located within the city limits. Other institutions of higher education Ural State Pedagogical University, Ural State University of Forestry, Ural State University of Railway Transport, Ural State University of Economics, Military Institute of Artillery, Ural State Conservatory , Ural State Agricultural Academy, Ural State Law Academy , Ural State Medical University, Ural State Academy of Performing Arts, Ural Academy of Public Service, and Institute of International Relations .

In May 2011, the Ural State University and Ural State Technical University merged to form the Boris N. Yeltsin Ural Federal University , making it the largest university in the Urals and the largest university in Russia. As of 1 January 2016, the university had 35,300 students and 2,950 teachers. The university's budget in 2015 totalled 9,1 billion rubles and the volume of research and development work totalled 1,6 billion rubles. [156] As of 2021, UrFU is the largest university in Russia in terms of the number of students, being on the 351st place in the QS World University Rankings. [157] [158] The number of publications of the university in the Web of Science database is about a thousand per year. [159]

There are many branches of non-resident universities in the city, including the Ural branch of the Siberian State University of Telecommunications and Informatics, the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Private Law, the Yekaterinburg branch of the Plekhanov Russian Economic Academy, the Yekaterinburg branch of the University of the Russian Academy of Education, the Yekaterinburg branch of the Moscow State University, and Sholokhov Humanitarian University, as well as others.

In Yekaterinburg, a large number of print publications are published: about 200 newspapers, the most read being the Ural Worker , Vecherny Yekaterinburg , Oblastnaya Gazeta , and For Change! , and 70 magazines, with most read being Red Burda and I'm Buying . [160] [161]

A television studio was built in Yekaterinburg (as Sverdlovsk) in 1955 and on 6 November of the same year, the first telecast appeared. Coloured television later appeared in 1976. [162] Now the television is broadcast by 19 companies, including but not all: STRC Ural, Channel Four, 41 Home, Channel 10, OTV, Union (Orthodox), and UFO 24. Broadcasting is carried out from the TV tower on Lunacharsky street (television studio GTRK Ural), the TV tower on the Moskovskiy Hill, and from the TV tower (radio relay tower) on Blyukher Street. In 1981, construction of a new television tower was started, which was to become the second tallest in Russia after the Ostankino Tower and cover the territory of most of the Sverdlovsk region, but economic difficulties postponed construction. As a result, the television tower was the tallest uncompleted structure in the world. On 24 March 2018, the television tower was demolished by detonation for the city's beautification in preparation of the 2018 FIFA World Cup . [163] The Shartash radio mast, which broadcasts, is the tallest structure in the city, with a height of 263 meters. [164] In addition, several dozens of national and local news agencies are broadcast in Yekaterinburg, with the most watched being ITAR-TASS Ural, RUIA-Ural, and Interfax-Ural.

At the moment [ when? ] , there are 26 internet providers and 6 cellular operators in the city. [165] According to Yekaterinburg News , the city has signed a cooperative agreement with the Russian mobile operator Vimpelcom , working under the Beeline brand. The partnership will involve cooperation on investment projects and social programmes focused on increasing access to mobile services in the city. Beeline has launched an initiative to provide Wi-Fi services in 500 public trams and trolley buses in Yekaterinburg. [166]

Operators of mobile communication in Yekaterinburg
Generation	Mobile communication standard	Operators
		, , , , Motive
		MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia, Motive
		MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia, Motive
	,	MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia
		MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia
		MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia
		MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 Russia, Motive,
		MTS, MegaFon, Beeline,

Yekaterinburg is a multipurpose cultural centre of the Urals Federal District. [148] There are about fifty libraries in the city. The largest library organisations are the Sverdlovsk Oblast Universal Scientific Library, the V.G. Belinsky Scientific Library, which is the largest public library in Sverdlovsk Oblast, and the Municipal Library Association, which is composed of 41 libraries throughout the city, including the AI Herzen Central City Library. [167]

There are about 50 different museums in the city. [168] Yekaterinburg has unique museum collections, such as the collections of Russian paintings in the Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts and the Nevyansk icons in the Nevyansk Icon Museum , with more than 300 icons representing the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries on display. There is also a unique exhibit, the Kaslinsky cast iron pavilion, which received main awards at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. The Kasli Pavilion was registered by UNESCO as the only cast-iron architectural structure in the world, which is in the museum collection. [169] Museums of the city also have collections of jewellery and stone ornaments. The United Museum of Writers of the Urals presents exhibitions in memory of writers such as Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak and Pavel Bazhov . It also is the home of the Shigirskaya Kladovaya ( Шигирская кладовая ), or Shigir Collection, which includes the oldest known wooden sculpture in the world. The sculpture was found near Nevyansk and originally estimated to have been made approximately 9,500 years ago, but now is estimated to have been made 11,500 years ago. [170] Yekaterinburg museums annually participate in the international event Long Night of Museums .

Yekaterinburg has the third most theatres in Russia. [171] The influence of theatrical life of the city was made by the Moscow Art Academic Theater and the Central Theater of the Soviet Army when they evacuated to Yekaterinburg (as Sverdlovsk) during World War II, and they had their own theater in the city. [172] Notable theatres that operate in the city are Academic Theater of Musical Comedy, Drama Theater, Kolyada-Theater , the youth theatre, and the puppet theatre, as well as others. The Yekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theater received four awards at the Golden Mask 2020 Festival in Moscow, including the main Golden Mask for the Best Opera Performance [173]

In 2014, the city showcased its education, literary, art, and theatre culture through the Russian Year of Culture Programme. [174]

The city has a well-developed film industry. Opened back in 1909, Laurage was the first cinema in Yekaterinburg. In 1943, the Sverdlovsk Film Studio was opened and produced its first feature film Silva a year later. After the Second World War, the studio produced up to ten feature films a year. There are more than 20 cinemas in Yekaterinburg, the oldest of which is the Salyut, while the most capacious is the Cosmos spacecraft. [175] [176] There are also chains of movie theatres such as Premier-Zal, Kinomaks, and Kinoplex, which usually open in shopping and entertainment centres.

A number of popular Russian rock bands, such as Urfin Dzhyus, Chaif , Chicherina , Nautilus Pompilius , Nastya, Trek, Agata Kristi , Slaughter to Prevail and Smyslovye Gallyutsinatsii , were originally formed in Yekaterinburg ( Ural Rock is often considered as a particular variety of rock music. Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg are actually considered to be the main centres of the genre in Russia). Also, opera singers like Boris Shtokolov , Yuri Gulyayev , Vera Bayeva graduated from the Urals State Conservatory. The Ural Philharmonic Orchestra (currently conducted by Dmitry Liss ), founded by Mark Paverman and located in Yekaterinburg, is also very popular in Russia and in Europe, as well as the Ural Academic Popular Chorus, a folk-singing and dance ensemble. [ citation needed ]

Yekaterinburg V. I. Filatov State Circus is located in the centre of the city, on the western bank of the Iset River. In 2012, the Yekaterinburg Circus was nominated "Best Circus of the Year" for the circus show Sharivari by the Rosgoscirk and the Ministry of Culture . [177]

The Presidential Center named after Boris Yeltsin was built in Yekaterinburg in 2015. It is considered to be a public, cultural and educational center. Center has its art gallery, library, museum equipped with the newest multimedia technologies that help to present the documents, video materials and archive photos. In 2017, the Yeltsin Center was recognized as the best museum in Europe by the Council of Europe, the first of the museums in Russia. [178]

The Urals Society of Natural Science Lovers pushed Yekaterinburg to have a zoo. Currently, the zoo has more than 1,000 animals that belong to more than 350 species. The zoo covers an area of 2.7 hectares.

On 18 June 2011, Yekaterinburg launched Red Line as a pedestrian tourist route for self-guided tours by residents and visitors to go to 34 landmarks in the historical section of the city. [179]

Many buildings of Yekaterinburg are ranged from a different number of architectural styles. The city had a regular layout, based on the fortresses of the Renaissance and by the principles of French town planning during the 17th century. By the 18th century, the Baroque movement was not that influential in Yekaterinburg, with the style being seen in churches which later declined [180]

In the first half of the 19th century, neoclassicism grew influential in the Yekaterinburg's architecture. The estates were built in the neoclassic style, including the main house, wings, services, and often an English-style park. This style's influence in Yekaterinburg is mostly due to the contributions of architect Michael Malakhov, who worked in the city from 1815 to 1842. He designed the assemblies of the Verkhne-Isetsky factory as well as the Novo-Tikhvinsky Monastery. [180]

At the beginning of the 20th century, eclecticism became a dominant influence in Yekaterinburg's architecture. Buildings such as the Opera House and Yekaterinburg railway station were built in this style. During the 1920s and the 1930s, constructivism took effect, influencing residential complexes, industrial buildings, stadiums, etc. Architects Moses Ginzburg, Jacob Kornfeld, the Vesnina brothers, Daniel Friedman, and Sigismund Dombrovsky contributed greatly to the constructivism in the city. More than 140 structures in Yekaterinburg are designed through the constructivist style. [181]

During the 1930s to 1950s, there was a turn back to neoclassicism, with much attention paid to public buildings and monuments. Notable examples include the buildings of the Ural Industrial Institute on Lenin Avenue, the City Party Committee and the City Council Executive Committee building (now the City Administrative building), the District Officers' House, and the House of Defense complex. Cultural buildings are built in the squares in orderly composition. In these years, architects Golubev, K. T. Babykin, Valenkov worked fruitfully in Yekaterinburg with this style. In the 1960s, changes in the approach to construction led to widespread distribution of apartment blocks common in the Khrushchev era . Buildings built by individuals were rare, among them being: KKT "Kosmos", the Palace of Youth, and DK UZTM. [182]

From the 1960s to the 1980s, as industrial development grew in Yekaterinburg, so did rationalism . The situation changed in the 1990s when Russia transferred into a market economy. At that time, older buildings were restored, giving the urban area a new environment such as: the Cosmos Concert Hall, the Puppet Theater, the children's ballet theatre The Nutcracker, the Palace of Justice, the Cathedral of the Blood, and the Church of the Transfiguration . At the same time, the construction of new buildings was accompanied by the demolition of historical buildings, leading to the development of the "facade" phenomenon, where the facades of historic buildings are preserved while adjacent modern buildings are built. [183]

The centre of Yekaterinburg became the centre of new construction, where banks, business centres, hotels, luxury residential complexes, and sports and shopping centres were built. High-tech architecture grew influential, with buildings such as the Center for Railway Transportation Management, the Summit business centre, the Aquamarine residential complex, and the retail strip at Vaynera Street being notable examples. Along with this, postmodernism revived interest in the older architectural styles of Yekaterinburg, growing more emphasis on historicalism and contextualism. In the late 1990s, architects grew interested in regionalism . [183]

At the beginning of the 21st century, Yekaterinburg architects turned back to the Soviet-based avant-garde, and influence future city buildings with the neoconstructivist style. The practice of attracting large foreign investors to projects has become popular. In 2007, the construction of the Central business district started, being headed by the French architect Jean Pistre. [183] In 2010, Yekaterinburg became one of the largest centers for the construction of High-rise buildings. In the city, 1,189 high-rise buildings were built, including 20 skyscrapers, the tallest of which is the Iset Tower , with a height of 209 meters. [184]

Yekaterinburg is also a leading sports centre in Russia. A large number of well-known athletes, both world and Olympics champions, are associated with the city. Since 1952, Yekaterinburg athletes have won 137 medals at the Olympic Games (46 gold, 60 silver and 31 bronze). In the 2008 Summer Olympics , 8 residents of Yekaterinburg returned with medals (1 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze). [185]

In 1965, Yekaterinburg (as Sverdlovsk), along with a number of Russian cities, hosted the Bandy World Championship . In 2018, Yekaterinburg was one of the 11 Russian cities that hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The matches were played on the upgraded Yekaterinburg Arena (called Central Stadium before the World Cup). [186]

Yekaterinburg has a total of 1728 sports facilities, including 16 stadiums with stands, 440 indoor gyms and 45 swimming pools. There are 38 sports children's and youth schools for reserves for the Olympic Games, in which more than 30,000 people are participating. [187]

Sport clubs

Yekaterinburg has many professional sports clubs in sports such as volleyball, basketball, futsal , bandy , and ice hockey for both women and men. Bandy club SKA-Sverdlovsk , women's volleyball club VC Uralochka-NTMK , women's basketball club UMMC Yekaterinburg , and futsal club MFK Sinara Yekaterinburg were among the best teams in Russia and Europe.

Club	Founded	Current League	League Tier	Stadium
	1930		1st
	2006		1st
Avto Yekaterinburg	2009		Jr. 1st
Spartak-Merkury	1992	Women's Hockey Championship	1st	Sports Palace Snezhinka
	1937		1st
	1935		2nd
	2006		2nd
	1938		1st
Lokomotiv-Izumrud Yekaterinburg	1945		2nd
	1966	Women's Volleyball Superleague	1st	Metallurg-Forum
	1992		1st

2018 FIFA World Cup

Yekaterinburg hosted four matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup [59] Yekaterinburg is one of the 11 Russian cities that hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The matches were played on the upgraded Yekaterinburg Arena . [186]

For the World Cup 2018, from 7 October 2015 to 29 December 2017, the Central Stadium was upgraded to bring it into compliance with FIFA requirements for the World Cup and was renamed Yekaterinburg Arena. The architectural concept of the new stadium is built on a combination of historical walls and the built-in core of the modern arena. During the reconstruction of the sports facility, which is a monument of history and culture, the facades are carefully preserved, and the arena itself is equipped with the latest technical achievements of the sports industry. Temporary stands extending outside the stadium's original perimeter were erected to comply with the FIFA requirement of seating for 35,000 spectators. They can hold a total of 12,000 spectators, but the seating will be removed after the World Cup, decreasing the seating capacity back to 23,000. [188] [189]

The FIFA Fan Fest in Yekaterinburg is located in the Mayakovsky Central Park of Entertainment and Culture. Located just outside the city centre in a popular and well-known amusement park, it will have a capacity to hold 17,000 people. [190]

Koltsovo Airport was also reconstructed and had a second runway built. In addition, work was done to prepare another passenger terminal, modernize the technical infrastructure, and launch the business aviation hangar. The airport's capacity in preparation for the World Cup has increased to two thousand people per hour. The street and road network was also upgraded. [191]

The United States, [192] United Kingdom, [193] Germany, [194] France, [195] China [196] and several other countries have consulates in Yekaterinburg.

The BRIC countries met for their first official summit on 16 June 2009, in Yekaterinburg, [197] with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , Dmitry Medvedev , Manmohan Singh , and Hu Jintao , the respective leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, all attending.

The foreign ministers of the BRIC countries had also met in Yekaterinburg previously on 16 May 2008.

In June 2013, at the 153rd General Assembly of the Bureau of International Expositions held in Paris, representatives from Yekaterinburg presented the city's bid to host the 2020 World Expo . Yekaterinburg's concept for the upcoming exhibition relates to the impact of globalisation on the modern world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed during a televised statement in English to earmark the required funds to build an exhibition complex large enough to receive the estimated 30 million visitors from more than 150 countries. [198]

Yekaterinburg later bid for the Expo 2025 . Yekaterinburg's concept for the bid exhibition relates to the technologies to make people happy by changing the world with innovation and quality of life. The host was announced on 23 November 2018 and Yekaterinburg lost out to Osaka, Japan.

Yekaterinburg hosted the Global Summit on Manufacturing and Industrialization (GMIS — 2019) GMIS under the auspices of the United Nations. [199] The annual INNOPROM exhibition is among the five largest industrial exhibitions in the world. [200]

Yekaterinburg is twinned with: [201]

Anton Bakov , Leader of the Monarchist Party
Irina Antonenko , Miss Russia 2010
Aleksei Balabanov , film director, screenwriter, producer
Vera Bazarova , pairs figure skater
Pavel Bazhov , folklorist and children's author
Old Man Bukashkin , artist and poet
Pavel Datsyuk , ice hockey player
Nikolay Durakov , bandy legend
Chiang Fang-liang , former first lady of Taiwan
Aleksey Fedorchenko , film director, producer
Denis Galimzyanov , sprinter cyclist
Anna Gavrilenko , Group rhythmic gymnast Olympic Gold medalist
Nikolay Karpol , national women volleyball team coach
Nikolai Khabibulin , ice hockey player
Alexei Yashin , ice hockey player
Alexei Khvostenko , avant-garde poet, singer-songwriter, artist, and sculptor
Nikolay Kolyada , actor, director, writer, playwright, and playwriting teacher
Ilya Kormiltsev , poet, translator, publisher
Olga Kotlyarova , Olympic runner
Maxim Kovtun , figure skater
Vladislav Krapivin , children's author
Valeria Savinykh , WTA Professional player
Nikolay Krasovsky , mathematician
Yulia Lipnitskaya , figure skater
Iskander Makhmudov , businessman
Vladimir Malakhov , ice hockey player
Gennady Mesyats , vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Maxim Miroshkin , pairs figure skater
Vladimir Mulyavin (1941 – 2003), Belarusian musician and the founder of the folk-rock band Pesniary [202]
Alfia Nazmutdinova , rhythmic gymnast
Ernst Neizvestny , sculptor
Oleg Platonov , writer, historian, and economist
Daria Pridannikova , rhythmic gymnast
Eduard Rossel , ex-governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast
Boris Ryzhy , poet
Mikhail Shchennikov , race walker
Vera Sessina , rhythmic gymnast
Georgy Shishkin , painter
Vassily Sigarev , playwright, screenwriter, film director
Anastasiia Tatareva , Group rhythmic gymnast Olympic Gold medalist
Sergei Tchepikov , Olympic biathlon competitor
Vladimir Tretyakov , ex-rector of the Ural State University
Lev Vainshtein , Olympic shooter
Sergei Vonsovsky , physicist
Alexander Dudoladov , writer
Alexander Malinin , singer
Petr Yan , Former UFC Bantamweight Champion
A ballistic missile submarine of the Project 667BDRM Delfin class ( NATO reporting name: Delta IV ) is named Ekaterinburg (K-84/"807") in honour of the city.
The asteroid 27736 Ekaterinburg was named in the city's honour on 1 June 2007.