Like many entrepreneurs who dream of entering the tourism industry, I was faced with the difficult decision of choosing between registering as RNAAT (National Register of Tourist Entertainment Agents) or RNAVT (National Register of Travel and Tourism Agents). And although RNAVT has more exciting opportunities, I ended up choosing the first one due to financial reasons, which will bring slight changes to the plan and the activities I can offer my clients and friends.
For many, RNAVT does not seem like the most obvious route to take, however, it allows you to offer customers a wide range of services, from travel arrangements and most importantly booking accommodation and transport between locations. However, as I delved into the details of the registration process, I came across a significant obstacle: the initial investment required is quite high. The cost of obtaining all the licenses, insurance and fees for RNAVT can easily exceed €20.000, a substantial amount that is simply not within my reach at the moment. Although that is my biggest wish!
Faced with this financial reality, I decided to explore the only possible alternative, enrolling in RNAAT. This registration allows tour operators to offer a variety of tourist entertainment activities, such as nature walks, bird watching, and much more. Although the service options are a little more limited compared to RNAVT, they still offer an exciting opportunity to explore and share the wonders of our country with tourists. By choosing to register as an RNAAT, I chose to expand my business without compromising my finances. Although this path is different from what I initially planned, I am excited about the possibilities this decision offers and what I can do. After all, what matters is the passion and commitment to providing authentic and memorable tourist experiences to travelers who choose to explore Portugal.
Although the initial investment to become a travel agency is prohibitive at the moment, the idea has not disappeared and I will explore other ways of being able to do what I love most. What I am then unable to do:
Accommodation Booking
Booking Travel by Plane, Train or Ferry
Transporting Customers on non-activity days (from the airport to the accommodation, among others)
Event, shelter or catering reservations
Between others
These impossibilities mean that I will not be able to deliver a turnkey product, that it will not be possible for you to book a week's tour with me. Just mark individual days, even if consecutive. The customer is responsible for booking accommodation, which in some cases involves having to travel to the departure point. Which is not always ideal. This is the current scenario. And unfortunately, I will not be able to make available all the packages I have been preparing. But the dream didn't die. I just need a little more time and determination.
At the end of the day, success in tourism is not determined by the size of the initial investment, but rather by the quality of the experiences we provide to our customers. Thank you all and I hope to see you in some activities.
Diogo Oliveira
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