Get Your Travel Agency Registration With Indian Tourism Department

The good news is that startups even with ZERO turnovers can also get their travel agency registration with MoT, GOI. Find out about documents, eligibility criteria, and more.

When you start a travel business you have to make many great decisions.

And one great decision could be getting recognition for your dream business by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India.

Registering your Travel business with the government is a lot easier as you might think.

Recently the Indian government has made a provision for registering even the startups with no turnover which was not the case a few months back.

Earlier there was only the way for the travel agencies who have stepped up a little higher according to their criteria.

Hence, whether you are just starting or have already developed a profitable business, here are the key steps of registering your travel business with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Click Here To Apply Right Away

Travel Agency Registration

The government has 03 categories for travel business operators:

  1. Green shoots/ Startups
  2. Experienced Travel Agents or Tour Operators
  3. Experienced Tourist Transport Operators

Let’s discuss it one by one.

Green Shoots/ Startups

The tourism department is offering its recognition to the new startups who have just ventured into the tourism sector. 

It doesn’t matter if the startup and the members have prior experience in tourism or not.

Even the business entity could be of any type – Sole proprietorship/ Partnership firm/ LLP/OPC/Pvt ltd)

The eligibility criteria are very minimal:

  1. Paid-up capital:

Minimum INR 01 lakh in case of rest of India

Minimum INR 50,000 for Northeast states, UT of J&K, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands.

Paid-up capital information is required to be submitted in the form of a statement duly certified by any chartered accountant. The template can be downloaded from the registration website.

2. No minimum annual turnover required

3. No minimum period of operational experience required

4. Minimum 02 staff (10+2 education) is required of which 01 should have a degree/diploma in tourism from a recognized University or institute such as IITTM OR basic certificate holder of IITFC.

Qualification Certificates will be asked while applying online.

5. No office space requirement

You will have to submit INR 3,000 as the registration fees while applying online.

Additionally, you will have to submit:

  1. A self-signed undertaking.
  2. A pledge of commitment towards safe and honorable tourism

For both above documents, the template can be downloaded from the registration website.

Experienced Travel Agents or Tour Operators

It was there already, but the rules are a little more relaxed now.

This category is for those who have prior experience in the tourism business. 

Here are the eligibility criteria:

  1. Paid-up capital:

Minimum INR 03 lakh in case of rest of India

Minimum INR 50,000 for Northeast states, UT of J&K, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands.

2. Minimum annual turnover of INR 20 Lakh for the rest of India 

While INR 5 Lakh for Northeast states, UT of J&K, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Keeping track of COVID 19, MoT is not considering the annual turnover of the financial year 2020-21.

Paid-up capital and turnover requirements are to be submitted in the form of a statement duly certified by any chartered accountant. The template can be downloaded from the registration website.

3. At Least one year of operational experience before the submission of application.

4. Educational Qualification requirement:

For agencies with annual turnover up to INR 10 crore:

Minimum 02 staff members (10+2 education) is required of which 01 members should have a degree/diploma in tourism from a recognized University or institute such as IITTM OR basic certificate holder of IITFC.

For agencies with an annual turnover of more than INR 10 crore:

Minimum 04 staff members (10+2 education) is required of which 02 members should have a degree/diploma in tourism from a recognized University or institute such as IITTM OR basic certificate holder of IITFC.

Qualification Certificates will be asked while applying online.

5. Office space requirement:

For agencies with annual turnover up to INR 10 crore:

No such requirement but it must fulfill state or local government’s compliances.

For agencies with an annual turnover of more than INR 10 crore:

150 sq ft for the rest of India

100 sq ft for the hilly area.

For agencies located in the Northeast states, UT of J&K, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands:

No such requirement but it must fulfill state or local government’s compliances.

Registration fees: INR 3000

Additional documents requirement:

  • A copy of the registration
  • Bankers certificate for address proof
  • A self-signed undertaking.
  • A pledge of commitment towards safe and honorable tourism

For the last two documents, the template can be downloaded from the registration website.

Experienced Tourist Transport Operators

This type of category has the same requirement criteria as per the experienced travel and tour operators EXCEPT for the educational requirement. It is not required in this case.

Additionally, you will also require registration certificates (RC) of the vehicles owned.

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