<p>The travel industry remains a strong sector in the US economy and is expected to keep growing. </p> <p>1. Research by the Travel Industry Association projects a steady increase in travel spending from 2005 through 2010.</p> <p>2. In 2005, the travel industry reached $10,703 billion as a gross domestic product; and that number is expected to increase to $12,511 billion in 2010. </p> <p>3. US residents spent $532 billion on travel in 2005, and that amount will increase in 2008 to $647 billion, and then $728 billion in 2010. There is a common misconception that the Internet has eliminated the need for travel agents and made their services obsolete. This is simply not true. The Internet is the fastest growing technology in history, and the fastest growing commercial segment on the Internet is travel. The Internet has definitely transformed how travel is sold and packaged, but as there is still plenty of opportunity for entrepreneurs to profit from the travel industry market. </p> <p>4. The American Society of Travel Agents reports that 25 percent of travel agencies reported sales volumes between $1 and 1.9 million in 2007. </p> <p>5. A new trend in the travel industry is the development of agencies that specialize in arranging niche vacations. These can include yacht rentals, luxury accommodations, and activity-oriented packages catering to those who want to engage in specific pastimes like golfing or skiing. 6. Another growing trend in the travel industry is focused on &ldquo;green&rdquo; travel and eco-tourism. </p> <p>There are many people who do not want, or know how, to spend hours on the Internet researching airfares and hotel rates. Numerous travel agency franchises and business opportunities now exist to meet the demand for professional travel services, especially in specialized types of vacations. </p> <p>Buying a travel franchise offers two attractive advantages. Most have a modest start-up fee while still offering operational support; and the business can often be run from a home office, with low overhead, and can be started as a part-time business.</p> http://www.franchisedirect.com/rss/2/21/feed.xml en-us Cruise Holidays is the largest cruise travel franchise in North America. Retail or home-based opportunity - you choose! http://www.franchisedirect.com/travelfranchises/cruise-holidays-franchise-06551/ Join the world leader in hotel discount programs! Recession-resistant franchise opportunity that keeps customers coming back. http://www.franchisedirect.com/travelfranchises/hotel-express-international-franchise-06522/ Run your own low cost Internet business from home implementing this powerful hotel reservation system that puts you on an equal footing with large industry players. http://www.franchisedirect.com/computerinternetfranchises/accommodation-guru-international-06532/ Invest in a unique Internet travel franchise and work from home with low overhead costs and strong support... http://www.franchisedirect.com/directory/mydestinationinfocom/5866/