The legal floor — every Indian travel business must clear these four registrations before transacting with travellers or suppliers.
Business Registration
Sole Prop / LLP / Pvt Ltd structure
GST Registration
GSTIN via the GST Portal
PAN Card (Business)
Permanent Account Number
Shop & Establishment
State municipal commercial licence
Voluntary recognitions that build credibility — recommended for any agency selling outside their home state.
MoT Approved Travel Agent
Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India
State Tourism Licence
State Tourism Department
IRCTC Tourism Licence
IRCTC Tourism Portal
Three IATA pathways for Indian agencies — pick by the level of ticketing rights you need.
- Bank GuaranteeNone
- Staff Requirement2 GDS-certified
- Ticketing RightsBSP India
- Annual Fee~₹60K
- Best ForStartups
- Bank Guarantee~₹84 lakh
- Staff Requirement2 GDS-certified
- Ticketing RightsFull ticketing
- Annual Fee~₹1.5L + guarantee
- Best ForEstablished
- Bank GuaranteeNone
- Staff RequirementNone
- Ticketing RightsData access only
- Annual FeeNominal
- Best ForNon-ticketing
Trade associations — code-of-practice membership signals reliability to suppliers and travellers alike.
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TAAI
Travel Agents Association of IndiaLargest body — networking + advocacy
₹10–25Ktaai.in
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TAFI
Travel Agents Federation of IndiaRegional — South & West India
₹8–20Ktafibom.com
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IATO
Indian Association of Tour OperatorsInbound tourism specialists
₹15–30Kiato.in
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OTOAI
Outbound Tour Operators AssociationOutbound tourism focus
₹10–20Kotoai.org
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ADTOI
Association of Domestic Tour OperatorsDomestic tourism
₹8–15Kadtoi.com
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IAAI
IATA Agents Association of IndiaIATA-accredited agents collective
₹5–12Kiaaiindia.com
Wholesale inventory rails — B2B portals supply flights, hotels, buses and rail at agent rates.
TBOTravel Boutique OnlineLargest B2B portal — flights, hotels, buses
RCRiya ConnectAir + hotel + rail; strong GDS pass-through
TJTripJackFast-growing — API access for tech agents
ATAkbar Travels B2BEstablished — own IATA umbrella
MMTMakeMyTrip myPartnerMMT brand + marketing support
IRCTCIRCTC B2B TerminalLegal train ticket booking
Three pathways to instant brand and inventory access — from zero-investment partner programs to fully-branded franchises.
Sales Partner
Thomas Cook / SOTC
Zero to low investment — lead-referral model with established brand pull.
InvestmentNear zero
Full Franchise
MakeMyTrip Franchise
MMT brand, booking system, marketing — turn-key retail travel storefront.
Investment₹3.5–8 lakh
Tech Platform
White-Label OTA SRDV · Travelopro
Own branded website — tech provider supplies inventory and rails.
Setup₹50K–2L