Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Horizontally-integrated organisations
opportunity. Setting up a limited company is a lengthier
process, involving the completion and submission of
the following forms to Companies House or, in the
case of Northern Ireland, to the Companies Registry
for Northern Ireland:
Horizontally-integrated companies are those that own
or control others at the same level in the distribution
chain or the same industry. For example, individual
hotels can be part of bigger hotel groups, either owned
by a parent company, for example Inter-Continental
Hotels, or part of a marketing group such as Best
Western. Visitor attractions can also be part of larger
organisations, e.g. the Tate has four galleries - Tate
Britain and Tate Modern in London, Tate Liverpool in
the Albert Docks and Tate St Ives in Cornwall, while the
National Museums and Galleries of Wales has seven
attractions spread across the country.
•
Certifi cate of incorporation - stating the companies
registration number and date of establishment;
•
Memorandum of Association - giving details of the
company's name, location and what it will do;
•
Articles of Association - describing how the
company will be run, the rights of the shareholders
and the powers of the company's directors;
•
Form 10 - giving details of the company's registered
Autonomous organisations
offi ce, and the names and addresses of its directors
and the company secretary (Form 21 in Northern
Ireland);
Autonomous organisations tend to be businesses
that are either too small to be part of a bigger group
or whose owners choose to trade independently.
Many travel agents and tour operators in the UK are
independents, as are the majority of hoteliers and other
accommodation providers. Autonomous organisations
are also well represented in the tourist attractions sector
and amongst the businesses that provide support
services to the travel and tourism industry, such as taxi
drivers, chauffeurs, coach companies, tour guides and
marketing professionals. Autonomous organisations
can often provide a more personalised service than
is on offer from companies that are part of a larger
group or chain. Owners of independent organisations
like the freedom and fl exibility that comes with this
type of organisation. Many independents in travel and
tourism become members of trade associations, such
as the ABTA - The Travel association, the Association
of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) or the British
Hospitality Association (BHA).
•
Form 12 - stating that the company meets all the
legal requirements of incorporation (Form 23 in
Northern Ireland).
Weblink
Check out these websites for more
information on setting up a limited
company.
www.companieshouse.gov.uk;
www.detini.gov.uk
Liability
Running a travel and tourism organisation is a complex
operation with many responsibilities on owners and
managers. They must comply with a great deal of
legislation and are liable to a number of organisations
and individuals, including:
Documentation for business set-up
•
Shareholders - people who invest in a business
expect their money to be used appropriately to
meet the aims of the business and that they will
ultimately receive a dividend on their investment;
It is relatively straightforward for a sole proprietor or
partnership to start a new travel and tourism business.
There is little formal paperwork to complete, but HM
Revenue and Customs must be notifi ed and there may
be planning or health and safety issues to consider
depending on the nature of the business. It is also
good practice to appoint an accountant at the earliest
•
Partners - each partner in a formal business
partnership must respect the wishes of the other
partners and act in a professional and ethical manner
at all times;
