Are you about starting a medical tourism agency? If YES, here is a complete sample medical tourism agency business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a medical tourism agency. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample medical tourism agency marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for medical tourism agencies. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.
A medical tourism agency is a good business to start in the united states. This is so because the United States can boast of some of the best healthcare facilities and medical practitioners. As a matter of fact, the United States is the number one destination for foreigners looking for countries to birth their children.
The medical tourism agency business is not all about hospitals and health facilities looking for patients from all around the world, but also for foreigners looking for good healthcare facilities anywhere outside their country, or healthcare workers looking for standard hospitals abroad to understudy. The medical tourism agency business is indeed a far-reaching business.
If you really want to start this business, then the next step to follow would be to write a good business plan that would serve as a detailed blueprint of how you intend raising capital, setting up the business, managing the flow of the business, sorting out tax, marketing your services amongst others.
The truth is that it is one thing to have a fantastic idea, and another thing for the business plan to translate to profits, which is why it is important to assemble a team of dedicated workers to work with if you want to be successful with your medical tourism agency business. Below is a sample medical tourism agency business plan template that will help you successfully write yours.
A Sample Medical Tourism Agency Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
The travel and tourism industry of which medical tourism agencies belong to is a big and profitable industry in the United States of America and in most developed countries with standard healthcare facilities and medical professionals.
The norm in this industry is that medical tourism agencies just like the average tourism agencies make their money via commission they get by offering medical traveling related services such as securing appointed from a doctor/hospital, booking of flight tickets, securing transit visas, booking for shuttle buses/taxi cabs, car rentals, hotel bookings amongst many other services.
Travel agencies also generate income from selling of medical traveling related insurance policy cover, sale of travel guide books and sale of foreign currencies. Statistics has it that as far back as 2009, the total market size for travel agencies in the United States experienced a sharp decline, dropping from an estimated $17 billion in 2008 to $14.5 billion.
Cruise line booking remains one of the most profitable aspects of travel agencies, as a matter of fact, they handle an estimate of about 77% of bookings in that line of business and also an estimate of about 73% of packaged travel tours as it relate to cruise line services.
It is on record that Brownell Travel which was founded on July 4, 1887 by Walter T. Brownell is the oldest travel agency in the United States of America and it took several years for travel agencies to become a popular business that looks promising and profitable.
Available data shows that employment of travel agents is projected to decline by 12 percent from 2014 to 2024. This is because the ability of travelers to use the internet to research vacations and book their own trips is expected to continue to subdue demand for travel agents.
The medical tourism agency line of business cannot be said to be oversaturated despite the challenges most medical tourism agencies are facing.
The source of the challenges is far-fetched with many people swapping to self – service internet websites; the number of available services and even jobs as travel agents is decreasing despite the fact that there are more travelers than ever before.
Some of the factors that encourage entrepreneurs to start their own medical tourism agencies could be that the business is easy to set up and the startup capital is indeed affordable; you can actually start your own medical tourism agency business from the comfort of your home.
All you need to do is to create an office somewhere in your house and then get contacts of air ambulance operators, standard hospitals and healthcare facilities that has what it takes to treat international patients and also welcome healthcare professionals for tours
2. Executive Summary
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is a registered travel and tour agency with a bias in medical tourism that will be based in Houston – Texas.
The company will handle all aspects of medical travel and tour related businesses such as booking of flight tickets or hiring air ambulance, securing transit visas, booking for shuttle buses/taxi cabs, car rentals, hotel bookings and cruise line bookings amongst other related services such as selling of medical traveling related insurance policy cover, sale of travel guide books and sale of foreign currencies.
We are aware that to run an all – round medical tour agency can be demanding which is why we are well trained and equipped to perform excellently well.
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is a client-focused and result driven medical tour agency that provides excellent treatments and broad-based experience at an affordable fee. We will offer standard and professional medical related travel services to all to our clients. We will ensure that we work hard to meet and surpass our clients’ expectations whenever they hire our services.
At Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC, our client’s best interest would always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hire professionals who are well experienced in the travels and tours industry.
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a firm, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs completely.
Our plan is to position the business to become the leading brand in the medical tours line of business in the whole of Texas, and also to be amongst the top 20 medical tour agencies in the United States of America within the first 10 years of operation.
This might look too tall a dream but we are optimistic that this will surely come to pass because we have done our research and feasibility studies and we are enthusiastic and confident that Houston is the right place to launch our medical tours agency before spreading to other parts of The United States.
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is founded by Bannon Jason and his immediate family members. He has over 15 years of experience working at various capacities within the travel and tours industry in the United States of America.
Mr. Bannon Jason graduated from A & M University Texas (First Degree) and he is a Certified Travel Agent (CTA), a Travel and Tourism Professional (TTP) and he has a Total Travel Certification (TTC).
3. Our Products and Services
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is going to offer varieties of services within the scope of the medical tourism line of business in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our medical tours agency is to make profits from the industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the United States to achieve our business goals, aim and ambition.
Our business offerings are listed below;
- Helping international patients secure doctor’s appointment in the United States
- Medical related travels and tours consulting and advisory services for individuals and corporate clients
- Selling of medical traveling related insurance, sale of travel guide books and sale of foreign currencies
- Booking air ambulance
- Booking for flight tickets
- Securing transit visas
- Booking for shuttle buses/taxi cabs
- Car rental services
- Hotel bookings
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our vision is to build a medical travel and tour agency that will become the number one choice for both individual and corporate clients in the whole of Houston – Texas. Our vision reflects our values: integrity, service, excellence and teamwork.
- Our mission is to provide professional and trusted medical travel and tour services that will assist individuals and corporate organizations in organizing all of their medical related travels. We are to position the business to become the leading brand in the medical travels and tours line of business in the whole of Houston – Texas, and also to be amongst the top 20 medical travel agencies in the United States of America within the first 10 years of operation.
Our Business Structure
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC will build a solid business structure that can support the growth of our business.
We will ensure that we hire competent hands to help us build the business of our dream. The fact that we want to become one of the leading medical travel agencies in the United States makes it necessary to build a well-structured business from the onset.
Below is the business structure that we will build Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC on;
- Chief Executive Officer
- Medical Travel Consultant
- Admin and HR Manager
- Marketing and Sales Executive
- Accountant
- Customer Care Executive/Front Desk Officer
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Office:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
- Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
- Responsible for providing direction for the business
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
Medical Travel Consultant
- Responsible for securing doctor’s appointments, booking for flight tickets, securing transit visas, booking for shuttle buses/taxi cabs, car rentals, hotel bookings and cruise line bookings amongst many other travel and tour related services for clients
- Liaises with clients (patients and doctors/hospitals) to identify their needs and to ensure customer satisfaction
- Conducts market research, gather information and negotiate contracts prior to closing any deals
- Provides feedback and periodic reports to stakeholders
- Proposes ideas to improve provided services and tourism quality
- Ensures compliance with insurance, legal, health and safety obligations
- Cooperates with marketing and PR to promote and publicize medical related travels and tours events
- Conducts pre and post – medical travel events evaluation and report on outcomes
- Researches the market, identify medical travels and tours opportunities and generate interest
Admin and HR Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Designs job descriptions to drive performance management for clients
- Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products
- Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
- Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carries out staff induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
- Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
- Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities
Marketing and Sales Executive
- Responsible for selling of medical traveling related insurance policy cover, sale of travel guide books and through the sale of foreign currencies
- Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners and business opportunities et al
- Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
- Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with company policy
- Responsible for handling business research, marker surveys and feasibility studies for clients
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
- Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
- Documents all customer contact and information
- Represents the company in strategic meetings
- Helps to increase sales and growth for the company
Accountant
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for the company
- Serves as internal auditor for the company
Client Service Executive/Front Desk Officer
- Welcomes guests and clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
- Manages administrative duties assigned by the manager in an effective and timely manner
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients
- Receives parcels/documents for the company
- Distribute mails in the organization
- Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager
6. SWOT Analysis
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist the firm in building a well – structured medical tours agency that can favorably compete in the highly competitive travels and tours industry.
Part of what the business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for the company. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC.
- Strength:
The fact that we have robust relationship with standard hospitals and doctors all across the United States and a also good working relationship with air ambulance companies gives us an edge over our competitors.
We have a team that can go all the way to give our clients value for their money; a team that are trained and equipped to pay attention to details when executing their jobs. We are well positioned and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we open our doors for business.
- Weakness:
As a new medical tours agency, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from corporate clients in the already saturated travel and tour industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.
- Opportunities:
The opportunities in the medical tourism industry are massive considering the number of individuals, families and corporate organizations who source for treatment in the United States. As an all – round medical tours agency, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.
- Threat:
Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a medical tours agency operating in the United States are unfavorable government policies, the arrival of a competitor within our location of operation and global economic downturn.
There is hardly anything we can do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
The travel and tour industry that medical tourism agency line of business is a part of is in a continuous state of evolution and as such, ground breaking strategies and ideas that are once highly successful are no longer as productive as they were in time past.
Close observation of the trend in the industry reveals that the past few years have seen a rise and proliferation of social media and new tech tools.
As a matter of fact, social media has now become one of the most important tools travel and tour agencies leverage on to disseminate information about their business, interact with clients, solicit feedback, and create year-round engagement with their target audience.
Furthermore, new software apps and emerging technology have made it easier for travel and tours agencies to gather all the needed data and information that will help them plan and project for the future.
People that start a medical tourism agency can as a matter of fact start the business from a small office space/shared office space and still make headway in the business.
One thing is certain when it comes to a travel agency related business, you are sure of making profits from commissions when you are able to successfully secure doctor’s appointments, book flight tickets, hotel reservation, taxi cab reservation and any other travel related services for a client. You are going to get your cut as soon as they make payment.
The truth is that the cost of running a medical tour agency can be kept to the barest minimum because there are always ways you can cut operational and overhead cost. As a matter of fact, most people that run medical tourism agencies have abandoned the “brick and mortar” agency for a home-based business just for the sole aim of reducing overhead, and maximizing profits.
8. Our Target Market
The composition of medical tourism agencies cuts across people from all walks of life; there is no clear distinction on those that would naturally need the services of medical tourism agencies. Although a medical tourism agency might decide to concentrate on high – income earning clients, and another medical tourism agency might only concentrate on corporate clients.
The bottom line is that anyone that can afford to travel from one country to another and can afford medical treatment is a potential client for medical tourism agencies.
Although Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC will initially serve small to medium sized hospitals, but that does not in any way stop us from growing to be able to compete with the leading travel and tour agencies in the United States.
Our competitive advantage
The level of competition in the medical tourism agency line of business depends largely on the location of the business and of course your business network. If you can successfully create a unique brand identity for your medical tourism agency or carve out a unique market, you are likely going to experience less competition.
The competition in the medical tourism agency line of business is not just within travel agencies but also other travel related service providers.
For example, it is now easier for a traveler to secure doctor’s appointment, book his or her hotel accommodation, book flight ticket, reserve taxi cab or rent car ahead of his journey from the comfort of his or her home with the aid of the internet simply because most of the service providers are bypassing travel agencies and taking their services directly to their target market.
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC might be a new entrant into the travel and tour industry in the United States of America, but the management staff and owners of the business are considered gurus. They are core professionals who are licensed and highly qualified medical travel experts in the United States. These are part of what will count as a competitive advantage for us.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the travel industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis and sign retainer-ship with most of our clients.
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC will generate income by offering the following medical related travel and tour services.
- Helping international patients secure doctor’s appointments in the United States
- Medical related travel and consulting and advisory services for individuals and corporate clients
- Selling of medical traveling related insurance policy cover, sale of travel guide books and sale of foreign currencies
- Booking air ambulance
- Booking for flight tickets
- Securing transit visas
- Booking for shuttle buses/taxi cabs
- Car rental services
- Hotel bookings
10. Sales Forecast
One thing is certain, there would always be individuals, families and corporate organizations that would travel on a daily basis within the United States and to other parts of the world basically for medical tourism.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in the U.S. and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income/profits from the first six month of operation and grow the business and our clientele base.
We have been able to critically examine the medical travel and tour market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to startups in Houston – Texas.
Below are the sales projection for Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC, it is based on the location of our business and the wide range of medical related travel services that we will be offering;
- First Year: $150,000
- Second Year-: $350,000
- Third Year-: $750,000
N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and natural disasters within the period stated above. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
We are mindful of the fact that there are stiff competitions amongst medical travel agencies and other related service providers in the United States of America; hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developers to handle our sales and marketing.
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization.
We will also ensure that our excellent job deliveries speak for us in the market place; we want to build a standard medical travel agency that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients. Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;
- Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to corporate organizations, hospitals, households and key stakeholders in all around the globe
- Promptness in bidding for medical travel and tour contracts from the government, hospitals and other cooperate organizations
- Advertise our business in relevant health and travel magazines, newspapers, TV and radio station.
- List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Attend relevant international and local medical travel and tours expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver quality services to them
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business
- Engage direct marketing approach
- Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with our brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.
We are set to take the travel industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our medical tourism agencies. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC;
- Place adverts on both print (international health and travels based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community based events
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our brand
12. Our Pricing Strategy
The norm in this industry is that medical travel agencies make their money via commission they get by offering medical tours related services such as securing doctor’s appointments, booking for flight tickets, securing transit visas, booking for shuttle buses/taxi cabs, car rentals, hotel bookings and booking air ambulance services amongst many other services.
Medical travel agencies also generate income from selling of medical traveling related insurance policy cover, sale of travel guide books and sale of foreign currencies.
At Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC we will keep our fees below the average market by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to some clients, nonprofits, cooperatives, and small social enterprises seeking to sponsor the treatment of people in the United States.
We are aware that there are some clients that would need regular access to medical travels and tours consultancy and advisory services and assistance, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such clients’ needs.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is all inclusive as we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America. Here are the payment options that Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment with cash
- Payment via credit cards/Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
- Payment via bank draft
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for all our services without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
Starting a medical tour agency can be cost effective because on the average, you are not expected to acquire expensive machines and equipment.
Basically, what you should be concerned about is the amount needed to secure a standard office facility in a good and busy business district, the amount needed to equip the office, purchase the required software applications, pay bills, promote the business and obtain the appropriate business license and certifications.
This is the financial projection and costing for starting Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC;
- The total fee for incorporating the business in the United States of America – $750
- The budget for basic insurance policy covers, permits and business license – $2,500
- The Amount needed to acquire a suitable Office facility in a business district for 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) – $40,000
- The cost for equipping the office (computers, software applications, printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al) – $5,000
- The cost for purchase of the required software applications – $2,500
- The cost of launching our official Website – $600
- Budget for paying at least one employee for 3 months plus utility bills – $10,000
- Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,500
- Miscellaneous: $1,000
Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need over one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) U.S. dollars to successfully set up a medium scale but standard medical tours agency in the United States of America.
Generating Startup Capital for Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is a registered business that is solely owned and financed by Bannon Jason and his immediate family members. They do not intend to welcome any external business partner which is why he has decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital to 3 major sources.
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
- Source for soft loans from family members and friends
- Apply for loan from my Bank
N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 (Personal savings $35,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited with the said amount.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.
One of our major goals of starting Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running. We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.
Bannon Jason® Medical Tourism Agency, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re-training of our workforce is at the top burner.
We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of all forms of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating part of the startup capital from the founder: Completed
- Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
- Graphic Designs and Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the Needed software applications, furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
- Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
- Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
- Establishing business relationship with hospitals, doctors, vendors and key players in the industry: In Progress