get more bookings tour operators

There are certainly things you can think of to boost your tour revenue, such as how you can increase your revenue per customer, or set your pricing to increase revenue.

But for tour and activity operators, increasing your bookings is always a top priority. After all, it’s what keeps the cash flowing, and your business growing.

So what are some of the quick tactics you can use to increase your bookings?

Tip #1 – Add your business to TripAdvisor

Averaging a monthly visitor inflow of 57 million people, as well as a member base that exceeds 36 million, TripAdvisor means business, literally (Source).

The site is diverse, with millions of traveller reviews, to a profound array of accommodation options, tour guides, attractions, hotspots and essential travel information.

In fact, it’s so influential that 53% of travellers were adamant they would never book with any business that didn’t attain a TripAdvisor profile (SparkloftMedia).

That’s over half the market! Can you really afford to miss this opportunity?

Tip #2 – Add your business to Google Local

A listing on Google Local identifies your company and its details on their universal mapping service. Why should you care?

Well, since 97% of people now prefer to find business online (Forbes), and Google Local has 150 million mobile users alone, it just can’t be ignored.

This outlet allows people to find, share, rate and recommend your business to their friends and people across the web.

With 20% of Google searches being for local information (Hubspot), this service is a great way to ensure your surrounding consumer base can find and book with your business.

Tip #3 – Create social media accounts

Social media is now a genuine marketing platform, with 93% of marketers using social media to their advantage.

It’s easy to see why – it’s a fast, easy and cost effective solution. It will allow you to not only reach a broad spectrum of online users, but also target particular market groups.

Forbes magazine has dubbed social media as “the most misunderstood and greatest underused tactic in all of marketing today,” and they’re not wrong.

Ensuring you tweet it, Facebook it, Pinterest it and so on, allows your business to share its experience with the public, as well as share the traveller’s experience like never before.

Your customers are using social media, and so are their friends. If you can get them to share a photo or a video, or even say something about how much fun they had with you, then that’s the best kind of marketing you can ask for.

Tip #4 – Create special coupon deals

Coupon deals are a great way to engage consumer spending, even in what may be your quiet or shoulder seasons. But how can deals and discounts boost revenue?

Well it’s estimated that every hour consumers spend couponing is worth about $100 to businesses involved. With 96.8 million adult Internet users expected to use online coupons in 2013, figures begin to indicate the trend of ‘coupon hunters’ (Source).

Aside from increased consumer spending, coupon deals allow for access to broader markets. They provide your business with a more wholesome appeal to travellers, looking for affordable holiday activities.

Tip #5 – Use online booking software

Over 50% of today’s travellers will rush to the keyboard, rather than the phone to make their travel bookings (Source).

So why make it more difficult for both you and your customers? Use online booking software to add convenience for their booking experience, and yours. For example, Rezdy allows your customers to book directly from your Facebook Page.

There are plenty of online booking systems specifically geared to suit tours and activities – like a feature that allows you to add agents and re-sellers so you can track their contributions to your bookings.

To get the most bookings possible using your online reservation system, It’s important to combine it with effective CRM practises. This will enable you to develop and manage your on going relationships with your customers and implement more effective marketing strategies.

Here’s to being “all booked out”. Best of luck!

Rezdy can help you increase your bookings. Ask us how.