How to Start a Specialty Travel Tour Business

Starting a specialty travel tour business is an adventure in itself. You will focus on specialty travel tour packages that offer travelers a unique experience and target toward a specific market. Focusing on specialty tour travel is one of the surest ways to make a profit in the marketplace, as you will set yourself apart from the competitors.

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1 Contact your state's Department of Licensing, and ask whether or not you need a special license to start a travel business in your area. Most states requires you to obtain a business license.

2 Enroll for the certification course, to become a Certified Travel Agent, through the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). This training will give potential clients the confidence that you are professional and meet all industry travel industry standards. Keep in mind, an official license to work as a travel agent is not mandatory.

3 Open two separate bank accounts for your business, one for holding your business finances and the second one for money sent in by clients. Then apply for a company credit card for all business expenses. Consult wiith a tax adviser to make sure you meet all adequate insurance coverage.

4 Develop a professional website, specifically tailored to your target market. A website will need to be updated on a regular basis with new travel and tour destination articles and promotions. If you do not have website development skills, you might consider hiring a freelance website administrator to update your website.

5 Create a brochure of your specialty tour packages. Contact suppliers of your specialized market for their brochures, or have your own brochures made.

6 Advertise your special travel tours in national and special-interest publications and on the Internet.Become a member of a networking group specifically for travel professionals, or sign-up with Linkedin and search for a group that shares your interests in the field. Also join the Specialty Travel Agents Association (STAA). The STAA will assist you in building awareness of your tours to consumers.

7 Focus on a specific area. When you develop your target market, consider where your experience and interest lies. If you have contacts who travel for business, you might start a specialty tour business geared toward business and corporate travelers. Other possible options are honeymooners, students or retirees.

8 Apply for registration with the Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC) to obtain an ARC number. This number will allow you to issue all airline and transportation tickets. The initial step is to submit the application along with a bond or Irrevocable Letter of Credit in the amount of $20,000. After a period of two years, the bond could be reduced. Arc will accept an Irrevocable Letter of Credit or Bond issued by any federally insured lending institution. To be an ARC-accredited agency, the manager of the agency must have two years of experience in the travel business.

9 Contact the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) for a listing of travel schools in your city and state. Enroll in several courses in your area of interest.

How to Book Train Travel From Stockholm To Copenhagen

Traveling from Stockholm to Copenhagen allows for a multicultural vacation with a destination in another nation. Traveling from one capital city to another by train is a unique experience as one goes from the heart of Scandinavia, across Sweden, and finally through the gateway to Northern Europe.

Enjoy Frequent and Fast Train Service From Stockholm to Copenhagen

1 Depart Stockholm without stress. Trains leave Stockholm for Copenhagen every hour from 5:20 a.m. until 6:25 p.m. on weekdays and every 2 hours on Saturdays.

2 Take a Swedish high speed train. The Swedish X2000 is the only train on the Stockholm to Copenhagen route. The trip to Malmo and the ensuing crossing of the Oresund Bridge takes 5 hours and 17 minutes.

3 Decide on a seat before you book your tickets. Book first class and first class Plus seats for extra amenities. The difference between first and second class on a night train is the difference between a private compartment or sleeping accomodations for as many as six people.

Consider a Rail Pass to Help Book Tickets From Stockholm to Copenhagen

1 Purchase a Scanrail pass for a lower fare to Copenhagen. Use the Scanrail pass specifically designed to offer discounts for travel between Scandinavian countries.

2 Buy a Eurail pass if you plan to continue your travel in Europe. Multiple Eurail passes are available dependent on your specific travel needs and are honored in Sweden, Denmark, and bordering European countries such as Germany.

Tour Copenhagen Once You Arrive by Train

1 See the city as a pedestrian. The area of Strøget is closed to all vehicles so shoppers can walk freely amongst live performers and street vendors as well as restaurants, bars, and shops.

2 Spend a day and night at Tivoli Gardens. The world-famous amusement park has thrill rides to entertain the young and old alike but is also known for its nighttime lighting and decorations during Christmas.

How to Book Train Travel From Brussels to Paris

The train ride from Brussels to Paris is heavily dominated by the Thalys train, which offers true high-speed service in just over an hour. The connection makes the two cities such close neighbors that even commuters find the train ride stress-free. Read on to learn how to book train travel from Brussels to Paris.

Book High-Speed Train Travel From Brussels to Paris

1 Choose from a number of trains. Thalys trains travel from Brussels to Paris almost every half hour between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

2 Reserve your seats in advance. There are many promotional deals offered on the Thalys to Paris at any given time, but there is almost always a book ahead deal to save you money.

3 Smoke or not. The Thalys from Brussels to Paris offers smoking and non-smoking cars, which you can choose when booking your train travel.

Find Alternate Routes From Brussels to Paris

1 Use the InterCity. By entering Lille as your "Via" city when booking your train travel, you'll find a two- to three-hour train ride that lets you see more of the country. Take an InterCity train to Gent-Sint-Pieters or Tournai from Brussels and transfer to a train to Lille-Flandres, where you can catch a TGV to Paris.

2 Take the TGV all the way from Brussels to Paris. A TGV train operates directly from Lille-Flanders to Brussels, so depending on your layover, the trip will still be under two hours.

3 Plan travel to the Paris Airport. TGV trains run directly between Charles de Gaulle Airport and Brussels. Local trains run from the airport to other destinations in Paris, and the RER is free with a Eurail pass.

Book Your Train Travel From Brussels to Paris

1 Compare fares on Rail Europe, which is subsidized by the French Transportation Board and offers information tailored to the United States. A United Kingdom version is also available. To book train travel from Brussels to Paris, call Rail Europe at (888) 382-RAIL or visit the link below.

2 Know that InterCity trains do not require reservations and trains leave hourly from the stations in Belgium.

3 Consider purchasing a Eurail pass if you plan continuing your train travels beyond Brussels and Paris. See the Resources section below for a link to Eurail.

How to Make a Travel Size Pillow Case

Make yourself comfortable while on the road by carrying your own travel-size pillow. Creating a pillow case for your pillow is easy to do. Plan carefully, collect a few supplies, then get crafty and make your own pillow case to protect your pillow. The next time you are traveling, show off your travel pillow with a home-made pillow case you are proud of.

1 Measure the size of the travel pillow the pillow case will go on. Most travel pillows are 12 by 16 inches.

2 Select the design and type of fabric to make the pillow case from. For example, make the pillow case from cotton or flannel.

3 Cut the pieces of fabric about two inches larger than the size of your pillow.

4 Lay one piece of the fabric face up. Lay the second piece of the fabric face down on top of it.

5 Sew about a half inch from the edge all around three of the four sides, leaving one of the 12 inch sides open. This is where you insert the pillow.

6 Turn the pillow case inside out, so now the print of the fabric is showing.

7 Apply the hook side of the Velcro Fabric Fusion tape to the inside of the opening along the edge by removing the liner. Repeat on the other inside edge with the loop side of the tape.

8 Using an iron with steam, run the iron over both pieces of Velcro for 90 seconds to keep it in place. Attach the Velcro pieces together to seal your pillow. This helps keep the pillow in the case when on the road.

How to Travel With Frozen Breast Milk

For nursing mothers traveling away from their babies, transporting frozen breast milk can be stressful, especially given new security rules about air travel with liquids. But the idea of "pumping and dumping" precious breast milk is unthinkable to most women who put in their time with a breast pump. Here's how to travel with frozen breast milk so you can bring it home safely to baby.

1 Decide whether you'll be bringing the breast milk as a carry-on item or checking it with your luggage. Security regulations won't allow you to carry on more than one 12 oz. plastic storage bag filled with containers of 3 oz. or less. So if you've got a big stash to bring home, you're better off checking it.

2 Fill breast milk storage bags with no more than 3 oz. in case you decide to take some on board. Place in a bag filled with frozen gel packs rather than ice, since frozen gel packs are safer for preserving frozen breast milk.

3 Put the breast milk enclosed in frozen gel packs into a suitcase if you plan on checking it. Feel comfortable with this option since checked luggage will be kept colder than carry-on items during air travel.

4 Consider shipping the breast milk packed in dry ice using next-day delivery if you'll be traveling a great distance or expect significant delays during travel. Breast milk is safe for consumption for as long as 8 hours thawed, however, so unless you're planning on close to a full day of travel, you probably won't need this option.

How to get to Downtown Washington, D.C., from Baltimore-Washington International Airport

Many visitors to Washington choose to arrive at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) because flights are often cheaper than those to the area's other two major airports. BWI is 33 miles to downtown Washington. It's a 25- to 45-minute drive with some public transportation available.

1 Take a Metrobus to the Metro subway for the least expensive way to get to Washington. Go to the airport's arrivals (lower) level and look for one of two bus stops for the BWI Express bus (No. B30). The bus runs nonstop to and from the Greenbelt Metro station on the Green Line. Buses pick up approximately every 40 minutes. Pickup hours from BWI are from 6:58 a.m. weekdays and 9:38 a.m. weekends until 10:48 p.m. daily. The cost is $3 each way, as of 2008.

2 When you arrive at the Greenbelt Metro station, proceed inside and purchase a fare card for $1 and change. Take any train. Many tourists stay in hotels near the Gallery Place-Chinatown station, which also connects to the Red and Yellow Lines. If you're staying in a hotel along the Orange or Blue Lines, take your subway to Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter and follow the signs to transfer to another line.

3 Take the MARC train. MARC is a Maryland local train that connects BWI Airport with Union Station in Washington. Take a free BWI Airport shuttle to the BWI Airport Rail Station. Trains depart Monday through Friday nearly hourly; no weekend service and limited holiday service. Service is from 4:40 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The trip takes 35 to 40 minutes. The cost is $6 each way.

4 If you arrive on a weekend and cannot take the MARC train, take Amtrak. Service from the BWI Rail Station starts at 6:23 a.m. and ends at 11:48 p.m. weekdays and 11:51 p.m. weekends. The trip is 30 minutes to Union Station. Fares run from $12 each way.

5 Take a taxi. Fares will run approximately $65 to downtown Washington. Taxi stands are immediately outside the arrivals terminal. Follow the signs for ground transportation.

6 Take a shuttle service. SuperShuttle and other shuttle services can ferry you into the city for less than the cost of a taxi. Make a reservation in advance.

7 Hire a private car service. Arrangements should be made in advance. Confirm your reservation before boarding your flight to Washington.

How to Pack Prescription Medicines for Air Travel

When you travel on a commercial airline with certain prescription medicines, you need to familiarize yourself with current air travel guidelines. Packing for any trip may seem like a daunting task, but going through airport security is much easier if you pack your carry-on bag correctly at home. Packing your prescription medicines the right way will make your entire experience with security at the airport much more efficient.

 1Review policies for your specific airline. In the event that your checked luggage is lost or stolen, you can and should pack your prescription medicines in a carry-on. If you have your medication with you on the plane, you will be able to maintain your medications while you are away from home.

Policies regarding air travel are constantly changing, so it is a good idea to check the website of your airline for their carry-on limitations. The policy will indicate how many carry-ons you are allowed, and what sizes the airlines permit on flights. If you have any questions regarding policies and procedures contact the airline directly.

2Decide which prescription medications you will need during your trip. Remember to leave prescription medications in their original bottles with original labels intact. Never combine your prescription medications in bottles for air travel. Pack the items in a single clear plastic zip-top bag to keep them together. Store them in your carry-on. It is a good idea to store things you need to access during the flight in a small carry-on, which airlines refer to as a "personal item". Store that bag under your seat.

3Pack non-medical liquids, gels and aerosols in a plastic zip-top bag. Security officers will ask you to remove this bag from your carry-on at the airport. Place the plastic bag in a bin, and send it through to be scanned by the X-ray machine. According to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) current guidelines, "3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less (by volume); 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3.4 ounce (100ml) container size is a security measure."

In theory, if you have a prescription bottle of liquid like cough syrup that is less than 3.4 ounces, you can place it into this bag.

4Pack insulin and essential medical items over 3.4 ounces in a carry-on; these items are allowable. Take them out of your carry-on when you reach the security checkpoint. According to TSA, "Medications, baby formula and food and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding 3 ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint." As long as you notify security at the checkpoint, you will be fine.

How to Become a Group Travel Organizer

Group travel organizers plan trips for groups such as athletic teams, churches and schools. Group travel organizers choose the destination and theme of a group trip, make reservations and organize all the details. To be an efficient group travel organizer, you should be a people person and an effective time manager.

1 Participate in group travel. The best way to learn is by doing. Take a trip with your school or church. Go on group travel tours with companies such as the Adventures Abroad Group and Trek America that specialize in adventure travel for groups.

2 Learn about travel. Take travel-related courses online or at a community college. For example, Ashworth College offers a travel agent program and Penn Foster Career School offers an online travel and tourism specialist program.

 3 Work for a group travel company or travel agency that has a group travel division. You will gain experience planning itineraries, booking airfare and reserving cars for groups.

 4 Plan a group trip. Volunteer to plan trips for your church, school or any other group that you belong to. Organize group travel for your family and friends and groups to which they belong.

 5 Join a professional group travel organization. Once you have gained experience as a group travel organizer, join professional organizations such as GO for networking and membership benefits. According to GO, "membership is available to any person or organization that plans group travel for a travel club, bank, senior center, religious, community or affinity group." Another benefit to joining a professional organization is that you can enhance your professionalism by becoming certified as a group travel organizer. The Association of Group Travel Organizers International offers certification for group travel organizers.