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Business knowledge please

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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
So i have a great opportunity here i could just use a little advice or guideance by someone knowledgeable.

Heres the background, i have a girlfriend in Argentina. Some parts of her family are wealthy and own many business´s. One of her uncles approached me yesterday and discussed a new business he was starting up. Its a fishing resort in northern Argentina. Very nice place offering a great price. Judging by his previous business success im sure it will be profitable. He approached me because he wants help expanding his business to the United States.

Basically what he is asking of me is to find a good traveling agency that will combine the traveling cost´s with the expense´s of the resort included. He would also expect the agency to help with advertisment, along with myself.

I figured i would ask newschoolers for help because from time to time i see some really useful information on this website and i know everyone is willing to help! I could make a fair ammount of $$$ off this. If thats the case and someone gives me particularly useful advice I will do my best to compensate them for there knowledge!
Oct 22 2012 1:44PM
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Amadeus.
Posts: 3050 - Karma: 382
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Oct 22 2012 1:47PM
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JeremyClarkson
Posts: 1599 - Karma: 1,934
Your asking a bunch of kids buissness advice? maybe you should use a little common sense, unforunately common sense isnt all to common these days hyuck hyuck hyuck
Oct 22 2012 1:51PM
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Uah
Posts: 1104 - Karma: 176
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Just do it.
Oct 22 2012 1:53PM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
gnome?
Oct 22 2012 1:53PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
[imghttps://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/539620_4092904798409_1250539241_n.jpg[/img]

not trolling
Oct 22 2012 1:54PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
Not all kids on this website. If you cant help then leave. It never hurts to ask. All it takes is one knowledgeable person to help. I have plenty of common sense and i could find a traveling agency but im just seeing if anyone wants to give me a little insight i may not know and profit from it.
Oct 22 2012 1:57PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,199
I don't see what you need help with.. Have you approached any travel agencies? I'd imagine -with my limited knowledge of the business- that it won't be an easy sell. You're basically being asked to sollicite companies' resources without the backing of a concrete business. I think it would be wishful to believe an agency would be willing to absorb marketing as well as other associated costs before seeing a -profitable- and established revenue-generating model to invest in.

Just my opinion, and I'm a psych major so what do I really know?.. Best of luck!
Oct 22 2012 2:03PM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
Have you ever written a business plan? Done market analysis? I would start with those tedious, but necessary steps before moving forward.
Oct 22 2012 2:08PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
just looking for information like this and anyone who has possibly dealt with anything like this. The business will strive with or without customers in the united states. So maybe its best to wait until there is proof it will be profiable before pitching the idea.
Oct 22 2012 2:08PM
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blackmamba.
Posts: 969 - Karma: 56
small fish, big sea.

how marketable this is anyway (i mean, you're really only attracting a certain percentage of the overall market)? and what are the profit margins on fishing trips to begin with?

getting into the hospitality industry (especially on this scale) might not be the greatest idea in today's climate, imo.
Oct 22 2012 2:13PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
i dont need to figure out the profitability. Im not making any investments. I will probably study the market just to know more about it but i lose nothing if this doesnt work.
Oct 22 2012 2:36PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
i couldn't imagine this being all that profitable in the US considering all of the overhead involved and the fact that most US markets are probably pretty well saturated at this point.
Oct 22 2012 2:38PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
good point but there are alot of benefits it would have to going there as opposed to similar resorts in the united states.
Oct 22 2012 2:41PM
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Kirsakid
Posts: 1793 - Karma: 126
When you go to pitch to the travel agancies you are going to have some written reports for them. Seeing earlier respnses it sounds like you should ask the uncle about giving you these reports since he most likely has done them before or at least will have some hard facts about the business and the business plan that would benifit you when you decide to go pitch this to the travel companies.
Oct 22 2012 2:48PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
contact kayak to see if you can get an integration of http://www.kayak.com/explore/ into the fishing resort homepage with the final destination being the resort of course. right now it only shows where you're leaving from and prices to get there. it would have to be reversed. Then let people choose their online travel agency through there. You can't consider a physical travel agency because that would imply that everyone would come from the same place. Internet agency like expedia and priceline is the only option.
Oct 22 2012 3:00PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,330
Hey OP it's a good idea, but it'll be harder to get into than you think.

i went on the most rediculous fishing trip for 5 days in Manitoba and I did it through Cabella's. If you can prove to Cabella's you're running a legit fishing resort thing they will pick you up, advertise for you etc. I think its a good idea but it will definitely take some effort. Look into Cabella's though.
Oct 22 2012 3:05PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
thanks to the last two post´s. Finally getting some response´s that are useful. I realize im in over my head here but im going to do alot of research and put my best foot forward into this.
Oct 22 2012 3:19PM
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Lt-Aldo-Raine
Posts: 2309 - Karma: 120
Woah woah woah, pump the brakes. Is the fishing resort even established yet?
Oct 22 2012 4:59PM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,860
In this situation you do not want to work with a typical travel agency, what you want is called an online travel aggregator. OTA's are Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak, etc. For you to get a travel package on one of these sites, you need an application programming interface and distribution software. Basically you need the API, which is your specific xml codes and schema for booking the flight, trip, rental car, and renting gear, etc. There are tons of travel related API s on the web, here's a good site with some http://www.programmableweb.com/apis/directory/1?apicat=Travel
You build your website using the API. Then you need distribution software to get your website with your API to the OTA's. Sabre and Amadeus are some of the largest global distribution systems. Here's some others
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_reservations_system
You will need to essentially pitch your business plan to a GDS and if they see it as profitable, they will partner with you. OTA's will then basically pay the GDS for using your site and your APIs. You will then get a commission of that money from the GDS.

So that's a pretty brief rundown of how the tourism business works. Source: I'm a Recreation and Tourism/Business Major.
Oct 22 2012 5:10PM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
I didn't use the word profitability once. For it to even work, let alone be profitable, you need to penetrate into what I imagine is probably an already saturated market. Are other people selling a similar trip? How do you compare to them? Why would anyone choose your trip over any other?

This is freshmen-level intro to business stuff.
Oct 22 2012 5:14PM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
There is virtually no chance a small upstart like this gets in with the big boys like expedia and kayak without at least some existing establishment and track record.
Oct 22 2012 5:16PM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,860
There is actually. The travel industry does not have that many different distributors that can sell airline tickets. Virtually every distributor uses every OTA. If he can get in with a major GDS, who handles thousands and thousands of tourist reservations everyday from thousands of tourist operations, then getting his business on a site like Expedia is a very real possibility.
Oct 22 2012 5:24PM
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Will.T
Posts: 3453 - Karma: 1,281
you ruined everyhing with this sentence
Oct 22 2012 5:31PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,330
true.

cabella's specializes in this area though. OP where are you planning on setting up? is it IN argentina or in the US?
Oct 22 2012 5:48PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,330
i don't think most people who are looking for a fishing trip are searching hotwire, expedia etc.. i could be wrong.


I think first you have to set up your business or at least have a business plan. Just wondering how old are you?
Oct 22 2012 5:51PM
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midwestpowhunter
Posts: 2198 - Karma: 189
Groupon is a great option. Any legitimate business can join and you just create a price point that makes sense. The back end of groupon is cool. You get to learn a lot about the people who purchase from you and the cost is reasonable and based on a percentage basis. Check it out!
Oct 22 2012 5:54PM
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Lt-Aldo-Raine
Posts: 2309 - Karma: 120
Boom. Op i need to know if the business has been established. There is no fucking way you'll get an agency with out numbers and proof backing those numbers. Jesus christ there are so many things wrong.
Oct 22 2012 5:58PM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124
I'm not sure exactly what or how you intend to market this lodge but it would seem to me.
the $$$ is in flyfishing and your girlfriends father would be better served talking to a flyfishing specfic
orhttp://travela.com/ or get in with cabeloes, orvis, or other outfitters/fishing travel agency.
other than that most lodges that need bookings hit the fishing/tackle outdoor expo circuit of shows with a booth
or have a pretty serious marketing strategy and budget.


Oct 22 2012 5:59PM
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Dr.Dickless
Posts: 2620 - Karma: 1,392
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Oct 22 2012 6:02PM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
Exactly what I have been saying. Start small and then grow from there.
Oct 22 2012 6:03PM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
Just take his money and start a series of successful porn magazines. Thats what my dad did and now IM RICH BITCH
Oct 23 2012 10:21AM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
i was simply trying to say i have nothing to lose with trying. And there are many benefits to fishing in argentina as opposed to the united states.
Oct 23 2012 8:57PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
its being established. obviously im not going to pitch the idea to anyone until it is up and running sucessfully. Im just making a plan for when it is established. and fo rthe person who asked im 23
Oct 23 2012 8:59PM
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Joebin
Posts: 1664 - Karma: 867
Oh God. I actually think I came. More. MOAR
Oct 23 2012 8:59PM
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Tinga
Posts: 11349 - Karma: 2,333
hey me too. but seriously I don't really understand hat you're trying to do. are they going to open a resort in america? are they just trying to partner up with a travel agency so they can get more people from america to go to argentina to spend money at their resort? if they are trying to open a resort in america I don't know why they would want to partner with a travel agency to get people to argentina and cannabalize their business.

I think with this adventure type of travel it would be cool if the same resort had locations all over the world and it was a club so you could travel to all the different lodges to hunt/ fish all the local game and fish species.
Oct 23 2012 9:11PM
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roor
Posts: 946 - Karma: -80
With plane fair at all high thus would not be a good venture especially if Americans can get world class fishing in their back yard. Will the resort have fishing access to exotic big game theathy fish? I think that will set you apart and set your insurence high lol. But seriously this guy hasn't thought this through and is leaving a major business dcomplication up to you with no experience which speaks volumes of his business practices
Oct 23 2012 9:26PM
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volvotom
Posts: 2045 - Karma: 712
It is FAIR to correct you on the use of plane FARE.

To the OP: I was referring to similar sport fishing resort/destination trips in areas such as Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Oct 23 2012 9:44PM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
they are all booming and our venue is good.
Nov 6 2012 8:20AM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
things changed we arent partnering with any travel agency. We are going to line up all the trips ourselves Now. We just need good advertising source´s. Her uncle however is stepping out and just investing. So we will be getting a large portion of the profits from people residing in the US traveling to the resort.
Nov 6 2012 8:24AM
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thejackal1177
Posts: 3434 - Karma: 2,724
Plane fare may be high but the cost´s of the resort are low when you consider the exchange of dollar to peso. It makes it around the same. The fish are huge, exotic, and some only found here. The reason he is leaving this complication up to us is because he wants us to get involved and make some money. He could find others to do it easily but he wants to give oppurtunitys to his family.
Nov 6 2012 8:33AM
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