They arrived at our Kochi office ten minutes early on a Monday morning, which we have learned is how you can tell a new business owner. Between them, the two visitors carried one laptop, one steel flask of tea and a notebook so full of questions that the pages had started to curl.
We'll call them Aswin and Fathima (names changed). They had worked together at a hotel in Kochi for several years, and a few months earlier they had started their own small travel company, focused on Kerala packages and short getaways for families. They were bright, hardworking and, as Fathima put it before she had even sat down, "a bit scared."
- A travel startup's first month with leads is usually mixed: some good enquiries, some mismatches, some silence.
- How fast and how well you reply matters more than how many leads you receive.
- Simple notes and polite follow-up turn more enquiries into conversations.
- No honest provider can promise a fixed number of bookings, and neither should you expect one.
The notebook of questions
Aswin opened the notebook and read from the first page, almost like a list of exam questions.
- How soon will we get enquiries?
- How many of them will turn into bookings?
- What happens if a lead is not interested?
- What should we do before we start?
- How will we know if it is working?
They were fair questions, and they were the sort that many startups never get answered before they sign up for something. We told them we would answer as honestly as we could, including the parts that might disappoint them.
What we told them about the first question
"How soon" does not have a single answer. After a business is listed and its profile is complete, enquiries from travellers can begin to arrive, but the timing depends on the season, the destinations and packages you offer, and how well your profile presents you. Some weeks have several enquiries. Some have few. We said we would rather tell them that than give them a date we could not keep.
Fathima wrote something in the notebook and underlined it twice. When we asked what, she turned it round. It said: "No promises. Good."
What a first month often looks like
We walked them through what we usually see with new companies. It is not a formula, and every business is different, but it gave them a realistic picture.
Week one: set-up and a quiet phone
Most of the first week goes into the basics: a complete profile, clear photos, honest package descriptions and a phone number that is actually answered. It can feel as if nothing is happening. Usually, that is normal.
Week two: the first enquiries, and the first surprises
The first few enquiries often teach more than any advice. One may be for a destination you do not offer. One may be a traveller who is only comparing prices. One may be a perfect match, and you will know it when you see it, because the message includes dates, the number of travellers and a clear question.
Week three: mistakes and habits
This is when new agencies notice what is slowing them down: replies that take too long, quotes that are missing details, no record of who said what. It is uncomfortable, but it is also where the useful learning happens.
Week four: a pattern starts to show
By the end of the month, most startups can see which enquiries suit them and which do not. A few conversations may have turned into bookings. Several will not have. The number matters less than the pattern, and the pattern tells you what to improve.
The advice we gave before they started
Before they left, we gave them a short list. Fathima copied it into the notebook, in two colours of ink.
- Decide who answers. One of you checks messages each morning, the other each afternoon, so nothing waits overnight.
- Reply within the hour if you can. A short holding message, such as "Thank you, we have your details and will send options this evening," is far better than silence.
- Read the enquiry twice. Reply to what the traveller actually wrote, not to a ready-made package.
- Keep a simple record. Name, dates, number of travellers, budget, what you promised and when to follow up.
- Follow up politely. Many travellers need a gentle reminder after a day or two.
- Say no when you must. If a request is outside what you can do well, an honest "we may not be the right fit" earns more respect than a poor trip.
Where Travel Steps India fits in
Travel Steps India is based in Kochi, and we help travel startups, agencies and other tourism businesses reach travellers who show real interest in trips. We told Aswin and Fathima plainly what that means and what it does not. We cannot guarantee bookings, and we cannot decide what a traveller chooses. What we can do is help connect genuine enquiries with businesses that are ready to answer them.
If you want to see how businesses appear on our platform, you can browse our travel agent listings, or read how to become a vendor.
What they told us after the first month
They came back almost exactly a month later, again ten minutes early. This time the notebook looked even more used, with coffee stains on one corner and several pages of notes in handwriting that had clearly been written in a hurry.
The month had been mixed, as we had said it would be. A few enquiries were for destinations they did not offer. One traveller had asked for a quote and never replied. Two conversations had gone well, and one of them became a small family booking to Munnar and Thekkady. Aswin admitted that on one busy afternoon they had answered an enquiry nearly a day late, and the traveller had already booked elsewhere. "That one hurt," he said.
But Fathima said something we hoped to hear. "We are no longer afraid of the phone," she said. "Before, every message felt like a test. Now we know what to do with it."
It was not a success story in the usual sense. They were not suddenly busy, and they did not claim to be. But they had learned to respond, record and follow up, and those habits are what a young travel company carries into its busier months.
What other new travel companies can take from this
- Expect a mixed first month. It is normal, not a sign of failure.
- Prepare before the enquiries arrive. A complete profile, clear photos and an answered phone make the biggest difference.
- Speed and care win conversations.
- Learn from each enquiry, even the ones that do not convert.
- Be honest with travellers, especially about what you cannot do.
Frequently asked questions
How soon can a new travel startup expect enquiries?
It varies by season, destination, package and the quality of your profile. Some businesses receive enquiries within the first weeks, others take longer. Be cautious of anyone who promises a specific date.
How many travel leads turn into bookings?
There is no fixed number. Travellers compare options, delay decisions or change plans. Fast replies, clear information and polite follow-up improve your chances, but nothing guarantees a booking.
What should a travel startup prepare before getting leads?
A complete business profile, honest package descriptions, real photos, one reliable phone number, a plan for who answers messages and a simple way to record each enquiry.
What happens if a lead is not a good fit?
Reply politely, say honestly whether you can help, and move on. Not every enquiry will suit your business, and that is normal.
Can Travel Steps India guarantee bookings?
No. We help connect travel businesses with travellers who show real interest, but bookings depend on the traveller's decision and on how the business responds, prices and builds trust.
How can my travel startup get started with Travel Steps India?
Send us a message with your company name, location, speciality and goals. Our Kochi team will reply and tell you honestly how we can help.
Starting a travel company in Kochi and not sure what to expect?
You do not have to figure it out alone. Talk to the Travel Steps India team. Tell us what you sell, how you handle enquiries and what worries you most, and we will give you a straight answer about what to prepare first and where we can help.