If you’re going from one place to another, you are travelling. People love to go travelling to see new places and experience different cultures. When people are travelling, they are not just running around the block; they are on a journey.

Travelling comes from the Old French word travil, meaning “suffering or painful effort” or “trouble” as in travelling a long distance in a covered wagon. But remember, that was back before airplanes, G.P.S. units, and suitcases with wheels. Any kind of travelling has a destination, whether you are headed to a resort or a business meeting in a different city. Lots of people enjoy travelling in the summer when there’s no school.

If you travel, you will not only learn about foreign cultures, but about your own as well. You will notice the cultural differences, and will find out what makes your culture unique. After retrurning from a long journey, you will see your country with new eyes. During travelling you will meet people that are very different from you. If you travel enough, you will learn to accept and appreciate these differences. As a results, traveling makes you more open and accepting.

In simple terms, the travel industry is concerned with providing services related to travel from one location to another. This includes services that are directly related to the travel itself, such as transportation, but also includes services related to catering for travellers’ needs and wants after they have arrived at their destination.

It is often associated with the tourism industry and, as you will learn later in this article, there is significant cross-over between the two, especially in terms of the businesses that fall under their respective umbrellas.

As the name implies, travel agency offers a variety of services, which include purchasing airline tickets, making hotel reservations, creating itineraries for tour (or cruise packages) and providing information about specific destinations. A travel agent may be an individual/firm or corporation which is commonly known as a travel agency. An agency means the office of travel agent or organization where all travel goods and services are assembled and coordinated for the smooth conduct of travel agency business.

Travel agency is one of the most important organizations in the tourism private sector which plays a significant and crucial role in the entire process of developing and promoting tourism in the country or at a destination. It is a travel agency which packages and processes all the attractions, accesses, amenities and ancillary services of a country and present them to tourists. That’s why travel agency is known as ‘image builder‘ of a country.

A prospective travel agency is one which makes arrangements of travel tickets (air, rail, road, and sea); travel documents (passports, visa and other documents required to travel); accommodation, entertainment, and other travel-related services from principle suppliers. It may also secure travel insurance, foreign currency for traveling people.

History of Travel Agency

The first Travel Agency of the world was established by Thomas Cook in 1845 in England. The use of the term travel trade dates back from the early years of the 19th century, but this should not obscure the fact that what we today describe as travel trade (travel agency and tour operation business) was taking place much earlier in history.

Throughout history, there was travel middleman who helped the merchants traveling for trade and others who traveled for religious purposes.

In 1841 a fortunate day comes in the history of travel trade when Thomas Cook, as secretary of South Midland Temperance Association, organized a trip by a train for 570 members for his association to the distance of 22 miles. He bought railway tickets in bulk to sell them to people.

The experiment was successful and everybody was exultant. Mr. Cook had done his job on a no-profit basis. But, incidentally, It gave him a new idea and turned it into a tour business.

Four years later in 1845, he set up a ‘World’s First Travel Agency‘ to organize excursions.  Due to this innovative approach, Mr. Thomas Cook is known as the Father of Travel Agency Business. He co-ordinated railway and steamship excursions throughout England, Scotland and Europe.

However, the railways only gave him a 5% commission which was not enough to meet his overheads, so he decided to diversify this business into tour operation. In 1855 Mr. Cook started operating package tours. He conducted the world’s first international tour from England to Paris. Read more…

The travel industry is one of the largest service industries in the world, an increasingly important one in the modern age. It is centred on the movement of people from one location to another, as well as the services they require along the way and is closely linked to the hospitality industry and the hotel industry, among others.

Quick menu:

What is the Travel Industry?
The Difference Between the Travel Industry and the Tourism Industry
What Sectors and Company Types Operate Within the Travel Industry?
Video: Travel Industry Fundamentals
The Latest Travel Trends
Technology Trends in the Travel Industry
The Latest Travel Marketing Tips
Revenue Management and Its Importance For the Travel Industry
Boost Bookings By Connecting With a Travel Agency
The Best Job Boards for Roles in the Travel Industry
Tips to Find a Career in the Travel Industry
What You Need to Know About Tourism Management
Google Travel Insights: Tools and Insights for the Travel Industry
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Travel Services

Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home.

Umrah is the name given to a pilgrimage to Mecca, a shorter version of the annual Hajj gathering. The word “Umrah” in Arabic means “visiting a populated place”. Umrah offers an opportunity for Muslims to refresh their faith, seek forgiveness and pray for their needs.

Hajj And Umrah

Difference Between Hajj And Umrah: Timing, Duration, Rituals And More

Hajj and Umrah are spiritual journeys undertaken by the people following Islam to seek the blessings of Allah. Doing so earns spiritual merits and offers pilgrims an opportunity for self-renewal. People believe that going on Hajj and Umrah also grants forgiveness for the sins of the past. Both the pilgrimages involve certain common rites that are completed by the devotees undertaking the holy journeys. However, the main difference between Hajj and Umrah lies in their method of observance and level of significance. These pilgrimages that are sometimes considered to be the same have several dissimilarities between them. Let’s understand what Hajj & Umrah are and how they are different.

What is Hajj?

Hajj is the annual Muslim pilgrimage that is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. The rites performed during this journey were established by Prophet Muhammad. However, based on the Quran, these rituals can be traced back to Prophet Ibrahim, who was asked to leave his wife and son in the desert of Mecca. According to Islamic beliefs, performing these rites with faith in Allah represents submission to god and earns merit.

What is Umrah?

Umrah is the Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that can be performed at any time of the year. Muslims call it the ‘minor pilgrimage’ that cleanses a pilgrim and frees him/her from the wrongs and sins of his/her past. Performing Umrah is highly recommended in the Islamic religion as it is an act of worshipping and acknowledging the most gracious Allah.

5 Differences between Umrah and Hajj

While it is true that both Hajj and Umrah are significant in Islam and are performed at the Holy Kaaba, they are very much different from each other based on the rituals and importance. There are several grounds based on which these pilgrimages can be considered different. The most important ones are mentioned below:

1. Significance

In Islam, both Umrah and Hajj are supposed to offer pilgrims forgiveness and extra merits. However, according to the religion, the level of importance of both these journeys is different. Hajj is considered an obligatory pilgrimage that every Muslim must undertake at least once in his/her lifetime, given he/she is physically and financially capable of making the journey, however performing Umrah is not compulsory. Umrah is highly recommended but not mandatory, unlike the major pilgrimage of Hajj. This sets Umrah and Hajj different from each other.

2. Timing

Another difference between Hajj and Umrah is the time when one should go on these pilgrimages. Muslims undertake the journey of Hajj during the month of Dhu al Hijjah, the last month of the lunar calendar. The rites of Hajj are to be performed between the 8th and 12th day of this month. Whereas Umrah can be performed during any time of the year.

3. Obligatory Acts

For Umrah, the obligatory acts include assuming the state of Ihram after declaring the intention of Umrah, performing Tawaf, carrying out Sayi between the hills of Safa and Marwa, and lastly, shaving of the head or clipping a portion of hair. Whereas, when performing Hajj, one needs to assume Ihram from Meeqat, stand on Arafah until sunset, spend the night at Muzdalifah, pass the night in Mina during Tashreeq, stone the Jamarat, shave the hair, and lastly, perform farewell circumambulation. Notably, both the pilgrimages are considered complete only after performing all these obligatory acts.

4. Time Required for Rituals

The pilgrimages of Umrah and Hajj are also different based on the time required to complete the journey. A pilgrim can perform Umrah rituals in just a few hours but completion of Hajj needs at least five to six days. The rites and rituals and the physical toil that one needs to put in these pilgrimages are responsible for time variation.

5. Pillars of Hajj and Umrah

Another difference between Hajj and Umrah can be observed on the grounds of the pillars of these individual pilgrimages. In Hajj, there are four pillars:

The first is Ihram, about which the Prophet said that deeds are rewarded based on intentions. Iharm has a specific timing that pilgrims have to abide by.
The second is Sayi, for which the Prophet said that it is the decree of Allah that one should perform Sayi.
The third is Waqfat. And, the Prophet said Hajj is Arafah. Standing only for a moment at any place of Arafah during the dawn of the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is sufficient.
The last is Tawaf al-Ifaadah, which is a must. About it, the Almighty says let them put an end to their untidiness and perform Tawaaf around the ancient house.

Starting a Travel Agency Business in Malaysia

The tourism sector in Malaysia is always the thriving industry in the country. The surge of tourist arrivals, especially the influx of tourists from big populations like China and India, as well as the high-income Middle Eastern market, has given the tourism sector a much-needed boost. The fast-growing tourism industry catalyses the economic growth in the nation, and many people started to see the hidden business opportunities within the tourism industry. Travel agency is one of the much-highlighted businesses that drive the growth of tourism in Malaysia.

What is a travel agency?

How to start a travel agency business in Malaysia?

1. Understand the laws and regulations

2. Get the appropriate licenses and permit

3. Register a company in Malaysia