Updated November 2023 – Most people can sum up the holiday season in a few words: festive, merry, bright and busy. For tour operators, the season feels much the same way. In many destinations across the globe, there’s an increase in travel around Christmas and New Years, which means that bookings are up and resources are maxed out. However, this is also an ideal time to grow bookings and boost revenue to help your tour company stretch through the slow season that often follows the holidays.

With travelers increasingly seeking unique experiences in destinations across the world, and spending on experiences up 65%* as of March 2023 (*Mastercard), here’s how you can use sales, promotions, and packages to grow bookings during the holiday season:

Maximizing bookings: unwrapping the gift of experience

Encourage your current travelers to play Santa by giving the gift of experience. Leverage the holiday spirit to prompt them to purchase gift cards or experience packages for friends and family. Experiential gifts are gaining popularity as people seek meaningful alternatives to material possessions. Craft enticing offerings that showcase the unique experiences your tours or activities provide. This not only enhances customer satisfaction but also acts as a word-of-mouth marketing strategy, expanding your customer base.

Making your tours festive: Adding a dash of holiday cheer

maximise revenue with a Christmas tour

Holidays are synonymous with an extra touch of magic, and travelers are keen on making every moment special. Consider enhancing your tours by adding festive upgrades and extras. For instance, if your tours include exploring holiday lights, create a special package for couples featuring a bottle of champagne, chocolates, and commemorative glasses. These thoughtful additions not only elevate the overall experience but also present opportunities for additional revenue. Tailoring your offerings to the season demonstrates flexibility and a keen understanding of your customers’ desires.

Seizing deal days: running strategic promotions

maximise revenue

Harness the power of traditional deal days during the holiday season. By offering exclusive discounts on Black Friday or Boxing Day, you create a sense of urgency and rarity, prompting customers to seize the opportunity. Design promotions applicable to tours scheduled for a specific month, ensuring a steady influx of bookings during the typically slower post-holiday period. This not only prevents a seasonal slowdown but also establishes your brand as one that values customer engagement and satisfaction.

Collaborative strategies: maximizing bookings through reselling

In the dynamic landscape of tour operations, an innovative approach gaining traction is the reselling of services among tour operators. This collaborative strategy involves operators partnering to resell each other’s services, providing a variety of experiences without the need for extensive investments in infrastructure. By forming strategic alliances and cross-promoting, tour operators can tap into each other’s established customer bases, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem that fosters growth and amplifies bookings.

Reselling services from other tour operators opens up a world of possibilities. For example, a company specializing in city tours might collaborate with an operator offering adventure excursions to provide a comprehensive travel package. This not only diversifies offerings but also creates a one-stop-shop for travelers seeking varied experiences. Collaborative efforts enable tour operators to leverage each other’s strengths, expertise, and customer reach, resulting in a more robust and competitive industry landscape.

In-destination experiences: elevating the entire journey

Beyond traditional tours, the trend of in-destination experiences is gaining momentum. Recognizing that travelers seek more than structured itineraries, tour operators can enhance their offerings by collaborating with local businesses to provide additional in-destination experiences. These supplementary options, ranging from cooking classes and guided walking tours to cultural workshops, enrich the overall travel experience, making tour packages more comprehensive and appealing.

Introduce customizable packages that allow travelers to tailor their experience based on personal preferences. By offering a menu of in-destination experiences as add-ons to the main tour, operators cater to diverse interests and preferences. This flexibility not only attracts a broader audience but also encourages repeat bookings as travelers can create unique itineraries for each visit.

Automate your processes

As tour operators navigate the complexities of collaborative reselling and in-destination experiences, leveraging technology becomes paramount. Advanced tour operators booking softwares, like Rezdy, streamlines operations, enhances customer interactions and provides valuable insights for strategic decision-making.

Rezdy’s booking software equips operators with an array of features and tools to automate the entire booking process. Examples of effective features and tools that come in handy during the holiday period include:

Experience the ease of running a tight ship during the holiday season with an advanced tour operator booking software like Rezdy. Start your FREE 21-day trial or book a demo today to see how we can fit within your business.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the holiday season presents a unique window of opportunity for tour operators to not only meet increased demand but also foster lasting connections with their clientele. Encouraging the gifting of experiences not only aligns with the growing trend of meaningful presents but also sets the stage for building a strong rapport with customers. By infusing tours with special touches that resonate with the festive spirit, operators can create memorable experiences that linger in the minds of travelers, increasing the likelihood of repeat bookings and cultivating brand loyalty.

Moreover, the effectiveness of strategic approaches such as special promotions, collaborations with fellow tour operators, and the incorporation of distinctive in-destination experiences cannot be overstated. These methods not only amplify bookings during the holiday surge but also position operators as innovative and customer-centric in a competitive market. By adapting and embracing these intelligent strategies, tour operators can capitalize on the festive season’s energy, paving the way for sustained growth and success in the ever-evolving landscape of the tourism industry.

If you enjoyed this article – Maximise Your Revenue and Grow Your Bookings This Holiday Season With Sales and Packages – then follow the Rezdy blog. You’ll find more tips on how to market tour packages, as well as other marketing tools and resources designed with businesses like yours in mind.

With a booking system like Rezdy in place, you’ll have more ways to make the most of the holiday season. Find out how Rezdy can help your business along every step of the way by starting your FREE 21-day trial or get a free demo today.

Want to learn more?

sell more banner

Need more tips on attracting tourists? Click here.

Read our blog on ‘5 ways to attract tourists to your tour or experience business’ here.

Set your business up for success this holiday season with Rezdy

Enjoy a 21-day free trial to take a look around and see if we are a good fit for your business.

Get started today

No obligations, no catches, no limits, nada

activity tour business
section break
section break