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Tour Operator-How to Start a Tour Operator Business in India
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Written by Mumtaj Khan
Feb 22, 2026

Tour Operator-How to Start a Tour Operator Business in India

Tour Operator is a professional that integrates elements of tour and travel to form a holiday. They use tours to different tourist destinations and take care of the travel and accommodation of the tourists. The groups require individuals to sell the idea and subsequently to guide the groups to the places. They organize transportation, living and dinner and lunch arrangements of their customers.

The career of tour operating is quite thrilling and satisfying to an individual who displays a keen interest in tourism and allied areas. It is a very vast area today as individuals are more willing to employ operators capable of offering them a complete holiday service. Tour Operators reduce that pressure by planning and making all the details which normally accompany vacation tour.

Tour Operator Eligibility

  • The eligibility criteria to be a Tour Operator is a minimum of 12 th class with the subjects such as Travel and Tourism/ or a course in hospitality.
  • Tour Operator Necessary Competencies.
  • Tour Operators must possess a likeable character and strong communication capabilities on phone and face to face.
  • They are also familiar with a foreign language other than English such as French, Spanish or German and this will be an added advantage in this area.
  • They have the required skills such as excellent organisational skills, customer service skills, confidence, patience and flexibility will enable them excel in this field.
  • To receive business goals, Tour Operators must be good computer literate and capable of working as a team with colleagues.
  • They must also be in a position to handle emergencies like attending to a sick holiday maker or one who needs to call his or her family members urgently.

How to become a Tour Operator?

To become a Tour Operator- one has to consider the following steps-

Step 1 : There are no particular educational requirements that are outlined to become a Tour Operator, although through experience, appropriate marketing and sufficient capital, one can make it as a successful tour operator. Degree/Diploma/ Certificate courses in Travel and Tourism are available to some extent. The following are some of the courses towards being a Tour Operator.

Diploma/Degree Courses:

  • Without any other qualification, the DIPA will accept this DTM in the first year and grant eligibility for the second year to students with a 7.0 average mark without any other requirement.<|human|>Diploma in Tourism Management (DTM)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Travel and Tourism Management.
  • Beyond that, a Bachelor in Tourism Administration is also offered.

Eligibility

In Diploma and Degree courses a person must have completed 10 th or 12 th class.

Step 2 : They will be able to pursue Master Degrees in Travel and Tourism after passing their graduation. Once they have it, they are able to be in charge of management on elevated levels. The following are some of the Master Degree courses.

Masters' Degree Courses:

  • MBA Travel and Tourism
  • Masters of Tourism Management.
  • M.Sc. Tourism

Educational qualification- In case of post graduation courses they should possess graduation degrees in subjects of travel and tourism that they have passed. There are also some of the so-called reputed institutes that carry out entrance tests during their tour operating course admission.

Tour operator Courses Institutes:

  • New Delhi is home to Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM).
  • Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.
  • Annamalai University, Cuddalore.
  • Tezpur University, Tezpur

Tour Operator Job Description

The T.O.s participate in the design, design, marketing, management and execution of travel products. They provide all the types of touring services, starting with taking the tourists to various locations to making the various travel parts available to the tourists such as tour guide, hotel stay, car hire, etc and the ones that book transportation, lodging, activities, sightseeing tours among others.

Prospects in the Tour Operator profession

The viable alternative that can be adopted by Tour Operators is establishing their own tour and travel company. Nevertheless, they ought to gain sufficient practical knowledge in the area of running tour operations before they start their own business. To begin with, they are supposed to have sufficient capital to initiate a tour company. Nevertheless, it is also possible to collaborate with tour/travel companies being a tour operator. Tour operators also have the option of finding the appropriate employment opportunities in the government tourism departments.

Tour Operators also have a chance to focus on offering trips in some specialised fields like leisure, adventure, pilgrim, trekking or historical sites. Others can focus on business tourism that involves holding conferences and other events.

Tour Operator Salary

The remuneration of a Tour Operator is dependent on many factors such as the magnitude of the tour operation, location, experience and scope of duties and responsibilities. Any trainee Tour Operator in cahis with a travelling/tour company can readily earn Rs. 15,000-25,000 per month. It is possible to establish his own tour operation company on attaining 5-7 years experience. Earnings in a personal venture of self-employment are determined by the type and the magnitude of the business.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Tour Operator is a professional or company that designs and sells travel packages including transport, hotels, and sightseeing.
After 12th, students can pursue Travel & Tourism courses, Hospitality Management, or Business Administration. Business knowledge is highly beneficial.
Yes. With rising domestic and international tourism, tour operators have strong earning potential and business growth opportunities.
If working in a company, beginners earn ₹20,000–₹35,000 per month. Business owners can earn much higher depending on bookings and commissions.

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