Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land Revenue Benchmarks
The average scenic and sightseeing transportation, land business in the United States generates $1.2M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 646 scenic and sightseeing transportation, land businesses in the U.S., employing 5,852 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $44K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land Business Actually Do?
Bus tours, trolley tours, jeep tours, and other scenic land transport — Big Bus Tours, Grayline, local operators.
Who buys: Tourists in destination cities and outdoor areas.
Average Revenue
$1.2M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$128K
per year
Total Businesses
646
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$58K
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$44K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land Charge?
Bus tours, trolley tours, jeep tours, and scenic land transport.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
City bus tour (2–3 hrs) | $25–75 per person |
Full-day tour | $85–200 per person |
Jeep / off-road tour | $100–350 per person |
Trolley/cable car per ride | $5–15 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete scenic and sightseeing transportation, land business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a scenic and sightseeing transportation, land business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the scenic and sightseeing transportation, land industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel & vehicle costs | $30 | $349K | Fuel is often the single biggest line — plus tires, maintenance, tolls. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $407K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $70K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $35K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $244K | Insurance (very high), truck payments, dispatching software, driver benefits. |
Net profit | $5 | $58K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
14.77%
openings/year
Closure Rate
11.47%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+9.8%
annual
Businesses Closed
56
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
31 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a scenic and sightseeing transportation, land business do?
- Bus tours, trolley tours, jeep tours, and other scenic land transport — Big Bus Tours, Grayline, local operators. Tourists in destination cities and outdoor areas.
- How much do scenic and sightseeing transportation, land charge?
- Bus tours, trolley tours, jeep tours, and scenic land transport. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average scenic and sightseeing transportation, land make per year?
- The average scenic and sightseeing transportation, land business generates $1.2M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $58K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many scenic and sightseeing transportation, land businesses are there in the US?
- There are 646 scenic and sightseeing transportation, land businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 5,852 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a scenic and sightseeing transportation, land business?
- Startup costs for a scenic and sightseeing transportation, land business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, land industry?
- The average employee in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, land industry earns $44K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The scenic and sightseeing transportation, land industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 9.8% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (14.8% entry vs 11.5% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 54% of scenic and sightseeing transportation, land businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 56 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the scenic and sightseeing transportation, land industry earns $44,012/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 879 establishments employing 10,593 people, the typical business has about 12 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The scenic and sightseeing transportation, land industry has grown 50% since 2000 (from 365 to 549 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land revenue with other industries: