Accountant vs Bookkeeper: What do Travel Businesses really need?

Do you need an Accountant or a Bookkeeper? A Guide for Travel Businesses

At Antravia we find that most travel business owners wait too long to get financial help. By the time they hire someone, they’re overwhelmed by receipts, unclear about profits yet still unsure whether they’re even charging enough. When they finally come to us for support, they often don’t know whether to hire a bookkeeper, an accountant, or both.

This guide breaks down the difference, and explains what travel businesses really need at each stage as they grow their business.

What does a Bookkeeper do?

A bookkeeper is responsible for the day-to-day recording of financial transactions. This includes entering sales and expenses, reconciling bank statements, tracking receipts, and ensuring that all financial data is accurate and up to date. For travel businesses, this means matching supplier invoices, recording Stripe or credit card payouts, and keeping a record on what’s been paid and what is still outstanding.

Bookkeepers often use tools like QuickBooks Online, Xero, or Wave. Some bookkeepers will also reconcile your bank accounts monthly, flag any discrepancies early, and keep your accounting software clean enough for your accountant to file taxes without digging through lots of receipts

But bookkeepers don’t normally interpret data or advise on business structure. They make sure your records are accurate, not whether your business is financially healthy or to think about other financial strategies.

What does an Accountant do?

An accountant looks at the bigger picture. They interpret your financial data, explain what it means, and help you make financial decisions. This includes preparing financial statements, advising on business structure, calculating taxes, forecasting cash flow, and flagging risk areas.

For travel agents and hotel owners, an accountant might also:

• Flag unprofitable products or underpriced packages

• Help with FX tracking and forecasting across currencies

• Advise on sales tax or VAT registration in multiple states or countries

• Structure your business correctly for liability or future sale

• Prepare financial reports for lenders or investors

• Ensure your accounting aligns with industry-standard margins
  
  

In short: a bookkeeper keeps you tidy, an accountant helps you grow.

Do you need both?

Not always. If you’re a hobbyist or part-time agent booking a handful of trips a year, you might get by with a simple accounting system and a once-a-year accountant or EA to file your taxed. But as soon as you start treating your travel business like a real business, even if it’s a side hustle, it’s worth getting the right support in place.

Here’s a more info:

If you're a hobby travel advisor, you can likely manage your own records and just speak to an accountant/EA at tax time.

If you're a hosted agent with a growing volume, you might want a bookkeeper to help reconcile your host’s commission reports and supplier payments. An accountant should still review things quarterly to keep you on track with taxes and growth planning.

If you're an independent agency or running your own bookings without a host, a bookkeeper becomes essential. You’ll also need an accountant to advise on structure, reporting, and margin control.

If you're a hotel owner or DMC, then both are non-negotiable. Either hire internally or outsource to someone who understands how cash flow, revenue recognition, and supplier liabilities work in travel. You’re not just logging expenses but you’re running a real operation that needs proper accounting oversight.

Hosted Agents: Special accounting challenges

If you're a hosted travel agent, you don’t always receive full booking details or clear commission breakdowns. Your host agency may send reports weekly or monthly, but reconciling those against payments, especially with FX, cancellation, or tiered commission, can be messy.

A bookkeeper who understands the hosted model can help you track:

• Gross booking value

• Supplier cost or net rate

• Commission earned

• Unpaid commissions or disputes

• Fees charged by the host
  
  

An accountant, meanwhile, can also advise on:

• Whether your host reports on a 1099 or W2 basis (in the U.S.)

• What business structure suits your level of independence

• How to set up your accounting system for long-term growth
  
  

You can learn more about this in our full blog on host agencies and financial planning: How Host Agencies Impact Your Travel Finances

Red flags that you need support

Even if your business is small, you may need accounting support if:

• You're unsure how much you actually earn per booking

• You're falling behind on receipts or reconciliations

• You're making pricing decisions based on guesswork

• You’ve missed a tax deadline or don’t understand your obligations

• You want to expand, but don’t know how much you can afford to invest
  
  

Why Travel Businesses need better Accounting

The travel industry may be operationally messy. You take a payment today, but the trip is in six months. FX shifts affect your real margin. Cancellations may hit weeks later. You might be paid in USD and owe your supplier in Thai baht or pesos. Or you might collect money now for services that haven’t yet been delivered.

All of this makes proper accounting essential, not just to file taxes, but to actually run a business.

At Antravia, we work with hotels, travel agents, DMCs, and tour operators. We don’t just “do your books”, we help you structure your pricing, understand your margins, and prepare for growth. That’s the difference between an accountant and a real financial partner.

Ready to stop guessing and grow your business?

If you’re ready to understand your numbers, not just record them, we’re here to help. Whether you need help setting up your accounting system, reviewing your margins, or structuring your business for scale, Antravia can support you.

Sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: What Bookkeepers Do https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks.htm

• Intuit QuickBooks: Difference Between Bookkeeper and Accountant https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/bookkeeping/bookkeeper-vs-accountant/

• IRS: Tax Guidance for Travel Agencies https://www.irs.gov/

• Host Agency Reviews: Commission Reporting for Hosted Agents

• Antravia internal analysis (2024–2025)