Tourism Business Start-Ups

This page provides practical support, information and advice to help you either start a tourism business or develop your business further.

Whether you need help on what type of business is right for you, planning and operating your business, how to market your business more effectively, quality standards or legislation guidance; this information will point you in the right direction.

Could You Run Your Own Tourism Business? (PDF)
This document will help you decide whether you are suited to running a tourism business and contains links to where you can find further information and advice on the type of business you are considering setting up. 

Have you considered?

The topics below highlight a range of important things you will need to consider when setting up a tourism business and provide links to where you can go for more information.

• Creating a Business Plan
  The benefits of compiling a business plan are numerous - not least, the fact that committing your thoughts to paper dramatically improves your prospect of getting started in the first place. A business plan also helps you gain a holistic view of the business and helps you to devise a strategy to ensure a successful launch for your idea.
  Business Link have information and advice on how to create a business plan.
  Also visit bplans.co.uk for hundreds of online examples of existing business plans.
  
• Marketing your Business
  Most marketing is common sense, the two most important aspects of marketing are targeting and making the best use of appropriate promotional tools. Spending just a short time thinking about what you are selling will help you to get this right. VisitBritain operate a marketing planner to help you identify and target your market. Click here.
  
  The marketing section of this website contains information on how you can market your business locally, nationally and internationally, information on Excellence Awards and listings of important contacts and useful websites. Click here.
  
• Financing Your Business
  Most businesses will need to raise finance at some stage in their life cycle. Business Link offer information and advice on: Business planning, Borrowing, Shares and equity, Grants and government support, Managing finance, Business banking, Financial planning, Debt recovery. For more information, click here.
  
• Grants
  South West Tourism is offering free access to Grantfinder.co.uk, by far the UK's largest and most comprehensive database of its type.  It is a user- friendly database carrying in excess of 6,000 UK and EU funding programmes.  This information is constantly growing and continuously updated. To read more, and to access Grantfinder, click here.
  
• Regulation and Legislation
  The amount of regulations and legislation that tourism businesses have to comply with can be daunting and confusing. Visit our Planning, Legislation & Regulation page for an overview of the things you'll need to consider and where you can go to get the information and support you need to help ensure you comply.
  
• Training for You and Your Staff
  Training for you and your staff can make a real difference in raising levels of service, improving customer retention and getting the edge over your competitors. To read more about training and where you can find courses, click here.
  
• Quality Assurance Schemes
  Accommodation providers and visitor attractions can join quality assurance schemes to help inform potential customers that they are of a nationally recognised standard. The schemes are not free, often carrying a joining and annual fee, but offer many benefits to your business.
  To read more about Quality Assurance Schemes, click here.
  
• Accessibility
  There are approximately 2.7 million potential visitors with disabilities in the UK who regularly travel, and millions more abroad, who have a huge spending potential. Taking steps to be more accessible shows that as a tourism business you are aware of the importance of being open to everyone. To read more about steps you can take to become more accessible and find out about the National Accessible Scheme, click here.
  

• Going Green
  There are several good reasons why going green is a better way to operate as a tourism business: increased efficiency, reduced waste, added appeal and added value. To read more about the advantages of going green and to access a wide range of useful resources, click here.

Further Information

• Sign up to our E-Newsletter
  Our Monthly e-newsletter - Tourism Industry News (TIN) - will help you keep up to date with a wide range of regional, national & international tourism news, the latest research as it's released, new training course dates, hints & tips on improving your business plus much more. Sign up in the sidebar on the right hand side of this page.
  
• Research
  Our Finance Facts & Figures section gives you the latest research carried out by South West Tourism and our partners. Occupancy Surveys and monthly Business Snapshot Surveys can help you keep your finger on the pulse. The detailed information in our annual Value of Tourism reports can help you get a bigger picture of tourism in the South West to help with you business plan.
  
• Ask the Expert
  Can't find the information you're looking for? Post a question in our Ask the Expert section and we will find an answer for you from our panel of industry experts.
  
• Destination Management Organisations (DMO's)
  The South West is split into nine DMO's who are responsible for marketing the regions destinations. DMO's are generally partnerships between Tourist Boards and local industry. Joining the DMO in your area can provide many benefits such as marketing opportunities and getting your business listed on consumer websites. To find the contact details of your DMO, click here.
  
• Tourist Boards - who does what? (PDF)
  This document gives a brief overview of England's Tourist Board structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take a look at the Business Start-Up FAQ's page to view questions and answers about starting a tourism business that you may not have considered.

Useful Contacts

• ACAS: Information and advice on employment policies and procedures, employment legislation, industrial relations and Codes of Practice. 
  Tel: 08457 474747
  
• British Beer and Pub Association: Leading organisation representing the UK beer and pub sector.
  Tel: 020 7627 9191
  
• British Holiday & Home Parks Association: The only organisation that works exclusively for the benefit of the park business.
  Tel: 01452 526911
  
• British Hospitality Association: The national trade association for hotels, restaurants and caterers. 
  Tel: 020 7404 7744
  
• Business Link: Support services for small and medium enterprises. 
  Tel: 0845 600 9006
  
• Chambers of Commerce: Representing business interests.
  Tel: 020 7654 5800
  
• Destination Management Organisations (DMO's): Nine DMO's are responsible for marketing the South West's destinations.
  
• Environment Agency and Waste Directorate: Advice on energy efficiency and eco management.
  Tel: 0171 890 6578.
  
• Federation of Small Business: Protecting, promoting, and furthering the interests of the self-employed and small business sector.
  Tel: 01253 348 046
  
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) : The body responsible for health and safety legislation in this country. Their website offers a wide range of information and resources to help you comply.
  Tel: 01787 881165
  
• Local Planning Authority: Contact for full details of any planning restrictions and information relating to setting up a new business in your area.
  For a full list of local councils in your region, click here.
  
• National Federation of Enterprise Agencies (NFEA) : Advice for start up businesses. 
  Tel: 01234 354055.
  
• The Pink Booklet Online: A practical guide to legislation for accommodation providers from VisitBritain.
  
• Tourism Skills Network: Promoting the productivity and business competitiveness of the tourism sector in the South West.
  Tel: 0117 989 7735