Operation of a travel agency and guide activity
Field of activity No. 71 under the Trade Licensing Act.
What you need: No professional qualification needed — general conditions and a notification suffice.
- Volná živnost
- Field No. 71
- See conditions below
- 8 activity examples
A free trade (field no. 71) for operating a travel agency and guide activity in tourism. It does not require professional qualification - the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act are enough, and the licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)).
It is enough to meet only the general conditions for operating a trade under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:
- full legal capacity (may be replaced by a court's approval of a legal representative's consent for a minor),
- clean criminal record / integrity (the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself).
Responsible representative (Section 11): one may be appointed; for a free trade no professional qualification is required of them, but they must meet the general conditions under Section 6. For a legal person a responsible representative is usually necessary. One person may hold the office of responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.
Beware of the boundaries of the field:
- Organising one's own package tours falls under the licensed (concession) trade "Operation of a travel agency [cestovni kancelar] - organising package tours", and brokering linked travel arrangements under the licensed (concession) trade "Operation of a travel agency [cestovni kancelar] - brokering linked travel arrangements" (since 1 July 2018 these are two separate concessions; both require a concession, professional qualification under Section 5 of Act No. 159/1999 Coll. and insolvency insurance) - not under this free trade.
- A travel agency [cestovni agentura] may broker the sale of a package tour to the end customer only where that package tour is organised by a tour operator [cestovni kancelar]; it may not itself offer, sell or organise package tours. Following the 2018 amendment, a travel agency may not even broker linked travel arrangements.
- Mountain guide activity is a separate regulated trade (Annex No. 2, requiring a vocational qualification) - it does not belong to field no. 71.
The licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1) of the Trade Licensing Act). The office enters the trade in the Trade Register within 5 working days and issues an extract (Section 47).
Examples of activities
- Brokering the sale of package tours organised by tour operators (for commission)
- Sale of individual tourism services - air tickets, transport tickets, boat tickets
- Brokering accommodation, stays and spa packages
- Reservation and sale of tickets for cultural, social and sporting events
- Guide activity in the field of tourism (town, region, monuments)
- Organising town tours and circuits for tourists with commentary
- Brokering optional excursions and transfers for clients
- Providing tourist information and putting together individual itineraries
What this trade is and what it is for
The trade "Operation of a travel agency and guide activity in the field of tourism" is field of activity no. 71 within the single free trade (Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act No. 455/1991 Coll., in conjunction with Section 25(2)). It entitles you to operate a travel agency - that is, to broker and sell individual tourism services - and to carry on guide activity. It is a suitable choice for independent guides, operators of reservation portals and smaller agencies that sell tourist services and broker package tours but do not organise them themselves.
Because this is a free trade, operating it does not require documenting professional qualification - no education or practice in the field. It is enough to meet only the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act. The trade licence arises already on the day of notification (Section 10(1) of the Trade Licensing Act).
What falls under this trade (and what does not)
Field no. 71 includes in particular:
- offering, selling and brokering the sale of individual tourism services (air tickets, transport tickets, accommodation, insurance),
- organising, offering and brokering the sale of combinations of individual tourism services that are neither a package tour nor linked travel arrangements,
- brokering the sale of a package tour to the end customer where the package tour is organised by a tour operator,
- brokering optional excursions, transfers and tickets,
- guide activity in tourism (town, region and monument tours with commentary),
- providing tourist information and putting together itineraries.
Boundaries with other trades: The key distinction is between a travel agency [cestovni agentura] and a tour operator / travel office [cestovni kancelar]. If you want to organise your own package tours or broker linked travel arrangements, you need a licensed (concession) trade. Since 1 July 2018 these are two separate concessions: "Operation of a travel office - organising package tours" and "Operation of a travel office - brokering linked travel arrangements"; each requires a concession, professional qualification under Section 5 of Act No. 159/1999 Coll. and mandatory insolvency insurance. This free trade does not allow you to organise your own package tours or to broker linked travel arrangements - a travel agency may only broker a package tour, and only where it is organised by a tour operator. Beware further: mountain guide activity is a separate regulated trade (Annex No. 2, requiring a vocational qualification) and does not fall under field no. 71. The sale of goods is a separate field no. 48 "Wholesale and retail".
Conditions for obtaining it under the law
As this is a free trade, you only have to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:
- full legal capacity (may be replaced by a court's approval of a legal representative's consent for a minor),
- clean criminal record / integrity (proven by an extract from the Criminal Records Register, which the office obtains itself).
Professional qualification is not documented for this trade - you do not need any education or practice. This is the main advantage compared with regulated, craft and licensed (concession) trades.
Responsible representative (Section 11): If you do not meet the conditions yourself or if a legal person is doing business, a responsible representative may be appointed. For a free trade no professional qualification is required of them, but they must meet the general conditions under Section 6. One person may be a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.
How to notify or obtain the trade step by step
- Complete the Unified Registration Form (URF) - with a single form you notify the trade and may at the same time register for income tax and for social security and health insurance.
- Choose the field(s) of activity - you state field no. 71; in the same notification you can, without increasing the fee, also notify further fields of the free trade.
- File the notification under Section 45 of the Trade Licensing Act at any Trade Licensing Office, online via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT branch.
- Pay the administrative fee and wait for entry in the register and issuance of the extract (Section 47).
You can find the detailed procedure in the guide How to set up a trade.
Fees and time limits: A trade notification costs CZK 1,000, and CZK 800 electronically via rzp.gov.cz. The office enters the trade in the Trade Register usually within 5 working days; the licence, however, arises on the very day of notification. (For comparison: a concession for a tour operator is issued in administrative proceedings usually within 30 days, and the administrative fee for accepting an application for a concession is CZK 1,000.)
Documents and fees
- Proof of identity (identity card or passport).
- Completed URF (trade notification).
- Proof of payment of the administrative fee.
- Professional qualification: not documented (free trade).
- If applicable, documents for the responsible representative (for a legal person).
| Act | Fee |
|---|---|
| Trade notification (at the office) | CZK 1,000 |
| Notification electronically (rzp.gov.cz) | CZK 800 |
| Adding a further field of the free trade | CZK 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need education or practice in tourism?
No. This is a free trade for which professional qualification is not documented at all. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 (full legal capacity and a clean criminal record).
What is the difference between a travel agency and a tour operator?
A travel agency (this free trade) may only broker package tours, and only where they are organised by a tour operator; it may not itself offer, sell or organise them, and following the 2018 amendment it may not even broker linked travel arrangements. Organising one's own package tours and brokering linked travel arrangements falls under the licensed (concession) trade "Operation of a travel office" (split since 1 July 2018 into two concessions) with mandatory insolvency insurance.
Can I do business as a guide under this trade?
Yes, ordinary guide activity in tourism is part of field no. 71. The exception is mountain guide activity, which is a separate regulated trade and requires a vocational qualification.
When can I start doing business?
The trade licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1) of the Trade Licensing Act). You will receive the extract from the Trade Register usually within 5 working days.
Can I add further fields of the free trade?
Yes. The free trade is a single one and has 80 fields. In one notification you state any number of fields for a single fee, and a later addition is free of charge.