NACE 79.1 – Travel Agency and Tour Operator Activities | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 79.1 covers the economic activity of travel agencies and tour operators that mediate or bundle travel services for private and business customers. In public procurement, providers of business travel management and conference organisation are particularly relevant.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 79.1 cover?

NACE 79.1 (Travel agency and tour operator activities) classifies companies that mediate, package or sell travel services as their own product — in the public sector primarily in the context of business travel and event management.

Group 79.1 within Section N (administrative and support service activities) and Division 79 is divided into two classes:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 79.1 are federal ministries, regional authorities, universities, chambers and other public institutions with regular business travel needs.

Public Tenders: NACE 79.1 in Practice

Business travel management is a fixed component of public procurement — authorities and public institutions regularly tender framework agreements for travel services EU-wide.

Typical types of contract

• Business travel management: Framework booking systems for flights, rail and hotels; 24/7 emergency service for business travellers
• Business travel portals: Online booking tools with approval workflows and cost-centre allocation
• Conference organisation: Booking of conference hotels, conference technology and catering for public-authority events
• Group travel and delegations: Organisation of study tours, parliamentary delegations and educational trips
• Expense management systems: Integration with SAP and ERP systems used by public authorities

Thresholds and procedure types

Framework agreements for business travel management of large authorities frequently exceed the EU services threshold (EUR 221,000 for central federal authorities, as of 2024/2025). They are tendered as open procedures or negotiated procedures with prior call for competition on TED.

Relevant CPV Codes for NACE 79.1

CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary) enable targeted searches for travel and event tenders on European procurement platforms.

Current tenders with these CPV codes are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is NACE 79.1 relevant to in procurement law?

Public Contracting Authorities

Almost all public institutions with more than a handful of staff have regular need of travel services. Federal ministries and their subordinate authorities, universities and universities of applied sciences, regional authorities and supranational organisations such as the European Commission are particularly large by volume. Central purchasing bodies (ZEB in Germany, BBG in Austria) frequently act, entering into framework agreements for multiple contracting authorities.

Companies and Bidders

Travel agencies and business travel agencies wishing to participate in public tenders typically need:

• IATA accreditation: Required for the sale of air tickets
• Technical capacity: Evidence of an online booking portal with approval workflow
• Reference projects: Comparable framework agreements with public contracting authorities (staff numbers, booking volumes)
• Data security: Evidence of GDPR-compliant processing of traveller and payment data
• 24/7 emergency service: Often a minimum requirement in service specifications

NACE 79.1 in Context: Division 79

NACE 79.1 is part of Division 79 (travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service activities) within the services sector.

• NACE 79 – Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service activities: Parent division
• NACE 79.9 – Other reservation service and related activities: Congress organisation, ticket services
• NACE 82.1 – Office administrative and support activities: Related administrative services

Frequently Asked Questions on NACE 79.1 and Public Tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 79.1?
Travel agencies and tour operators that mediate or bundle travel services for business clients. In the public sector, these are primarily business travel agencies focused on business travel management.

How do I find current tenders for business travel management?
EU-wide tenders are available on TED via CPV search (e.g. 63510000). In Germany, relevant tenders can be found on DTVP and the federal-state portal; in Austria on the Federal Procurement Agency (BBG).

Are travel services awarded as supply or service contracts?
Business travel management framework agreements are awarded as service contracts. The relevant thresholds and procedure types follow the applicable procurement directives (Directive 2014/24/EU).

Can smaller travel agencies participate in EU-wide tenders?
Yes — through bidding consortia or as subcontractors. Small agencies with specialised know-how (e.g. for specific destination regions) can join forces with larger partners in order to meet the required minimum capacity.

Last updated: January 2026
All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.