Tourism Business Ideas
There are numerous business opportunities within the tourism space, especially if you’re located in a popular tourist destination. You can offer everything from tours to accommodation to experiences. Here are 10 tourism-related business ideas you can implement to support your city’s visitors:
161. Walking Tours
Tourists want genuine experiences and you can offer them this by taking them on a walking tour of your area and showing them your favourite areas and hidden gems that really show off your city or area.
How to start this business idea
You’ll need to compile an easy, medium and more strenuous length walking tour that show off the best parts of your city. Prepare what you’ll say, and the facts and stories associated with each place.
How to keep this business idea successful
Once you’ve had a few successful tours you can partner with restaurants or bars on your route to add rest stops, bathroom breaks and refreshments.
162. AirBnB Rentals
Airbnb is a marketplace where people with extra accommodation can meet with travellers looking for cheaper and more interesting accommodation.
How to start this business idea
You can rent out everything from your couch to your entire apartment/house. Ensure it’s an interesting and memorable experience for your guest and they’ll give you a good review, which will bring more guests.
How to keep this business idea successful
Once you’ve hosted a few guests you can start offering extras, such as breakfast or activities to do in or near your accommodation, to make it more than just a place to sleep.
163. AirBnB Experiences
Airbnb Experiences are interesting and fun activities that are offering through the Airbnb marketplace for travellers going to a specific area. Experiences go beyond just regular tours by immersing guests in a unique activity.
How to start this business idea
Offer to teach travellers your holiday or if you can host a one-of-a-kind experience, guide them through it. For example, Paris is a professional mountain bike racer with 25 years of experience, he offers a sunset mountain biking experience under Table Mountain.
How to keep this business idea successful
Ensure you can guarantee your guests have an incredible experience, and that they have confidence in your ability to host this experience. Once you’ve successfully gained traction with the first experience you can add to it or change it and offer that as a second experience.
164. Local Cuisine Cooking Class
There’s nothing like experiencing a new country and culture through interesting local food.
How to start this business idea
If you love to cook you can teach tourists local dishes and give them recipes, they can make at home. If it’s an unusual ingredient, find a source for them in their country so they can recreate the dish when they get home.
How to keep this business idea successful
You can create theme classes for the different areas or local cultures, to offer your class a glimpse into the melting pot of South Africa.
165. Souvenir Shop
Souvenir shops offer visitors locally inspired gifts they can take home to remember their experience. You can open one to ensure visitors always remember their incredible stay in South Africa.
How to start this business idea
You’ll need to see what is already on the market and offer something unique and interesting. Make or resell something that is uniquely South African. You can even focus on a specific area or culture.
How to keep this business idea successful
Open an online store so visitors can buy from you and get it delivered to their homes if the item is too large or delicate to fly with.
166. An Airbnb Management Company
Many Airbnb hosts either travel full-time or work full-time and can’t look after their guests all the time. This is where you come in, you can start a guest management business.
How to start this business idea
You can offer to hand over/take back keys and welcome/say goodbye to guests to a group of Airbnb hosts in your area for a fee.
How to keep this business idea successful
Once you have a sustainable business offering your hosting services you can start hiring people and taking on more hosts.
167. Fashion Mini-bar
In hotels you traditionally get mini-bars that offer alcohol, cool drinks and snacks. You can also offer a Mini Fashion bar, which visitors can pay for when checking out.
How to start this business idea
For those who love to shop but don’t always have the time, you can offer a few items of clothing and accessories for visitors to purchase in their hotel room. You’ll need to offer your services to hotels across the country.
How to keep this business idea successful
Once your business is sustainable, you can start expanding your offering in terms of fashion items and hotels.
168. Translators
There will be tourists coming to South Africa that don’t speak any of the local languages, or don’t speak them well enough to get around. If you speak quite a few languages, you can offer your services to help tourists get around easily.
How to start this business idea
You can advertise your services to those coming to visit South Africa or you could offer your services to businesses who deal with traveling dignitaries or companies interfacing with international markets.
How to keep this business idea successful
The more languages you know the larger your potential customer base.
169. Cultural/Heritage Tours
For travellers wanting to experience the real South Africa, you can offer cultural or heritage tours. These will share what locals experience and offer insights into the local culture and heritage.
How to start this business idea
Go on the tours offered by your competition and see what they cover and do. Then you can determine what you’re going to do on your tour.
How to keep this business idea successful
Create brochures for your tours and display them in hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts. Ask your guest to rate your tour on TripAdvisor to expand your reach.
170. ‘Takeaway’ Hotel Rooms
You can create mini hotel rooms using shipping containers and move them to where your guests want to stay. Travellers are looking for more personalised options, and what’s more personalised than moving your hotel room to exactly where you want to stay.
How to start this business idea
You’ll need to invest in a one or two shipping containers, refurbish them and have a way to transport them. Once you’ve rented them out and are gaining momentum with your business you can invest in more inventory.
How to keep this business idea successful
Partner with nature reserves and parks to ensure you can offer your customer exactly what they want, while staying safe and being respectful of the environment.