How to start a local tourism business selling tours

April 10, 2018

I recently met Sabastiano Zanni a Rome tour company that promotes awesome tours around Rome like the Rome catacombs tour. I had a chance to ask him a few questions about his business. The answers are below.

1) Q: Tell us how you started your Italy tours business.

A: We started Itertours over a dinner party one evening. We all had experience as tour guides working for other agencies in Rome and we noticed a constant curiosity from our clients about the authentic Italian lifestyle. So we took a decision to offer in depth experiences of not only food but also social customs, traditions etc.

2) Q: What is your favorite thing about the tour business?

A: It’s a complicated matter, let’s not forget that we offer tours and experiences and we make sure everything runs smoothly for our clients and that can get very stressful at times. But by the end, I have to admit the smiles, laughter and even the simple questions our clients ask is rewarding.

3) Q: What is your favorite thing about Rome?

A: Rome is home for me. I may have been born in the United States but my family moved back to Rome when I was only a child. So my first childhood memories are playing soccer in the streets with my friends, my grandmother yelling out the window that lunch is ready. It’s really difficult in one sentence to answer what my favorite thing about Rome is.

4) Q: What is the most challenging thing about your business?

A: Maybe offering high-quality services at reasonable prices and trying to gain credibility in a competitive tourist market like Rome.

5) Q: What do you wish you knew before starting this business?

A: All the hours of sleep I’d loose. Jokes aside, I wish I knew that to achieve my goals it would take time. Unfortunately good ideas and good intentions are not enough. Thankfully, I’m putting together a great team and that encourages me not to give up.

6) Q: Other than selling tours, how to you plan to monetize your business in the future?

A: Since we’ve started Itertours recently, we plan to take a step at the time. Our aim is to leave clients with an enriched experience of what Rome is. Not just taking them to locations and giving them the simple history and moving on but also opening closed doors to the general public. In other words touching with bare hands what is our heritage.