10 ways reservation technology helps tour operators get more bookings

An online reservation system is going to do more than make your job easier: it will increase your bookings and allow you to take your business to the next level.

Increases your booking conversion rate

3 bookings for every 100 visitors.

That’s the average website conversion rate. Imagine, bringing that number up to 6, 8, or even 10 bookings for every 100 visitors. Improving conversion rates is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get more bookings.

The key to improving conversion rates is a simple and smooth customer experience. A complicated booking process, such as one that requires customers to open separate browser tabs to send an email or make phone calls that may not even be answered just to check availability, creates friction. This friction opens the door for your customers to get distracted and not complete the booking.

Two ways reservation technology increase your conversion rates are through:

Simple and effective online booking forms

The faster visitors can book and pay for their tour, the more likely they are to make a booking. Fortunately, online booking platforms are optimized to help quickly convert your customers on the spot.

Online booking forms, which can be designed and customized to fit your business needs using your reservation technology system, can be used to track and manage your bookings. They also provide your customers with a simple and effective booking process that allows them to finalize their reservations instantly.

Using online booking forms ensures that you capture customers quickly and effectively during their decision-making process. Complicated booking forms that don’t offer customers this efficiency may discourage them from completing their bookings with your company. In addition, your potential customers may even choose to seek out operators that use an online booking system for greater convenience.

Fast and secure payment gateways

Payment gateways are necessary if you want to accept online bookings at your tour and activity company. Without a secure payment gateway, your customers may not have the confidence to book with you. Especially given the continued rise in online frauds and security breaches.

Payment gateways offer various benefits to you as a tour and activity provider, such as:

• One-click payment options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay that make it easier for clients to book instantly. This is especially useful when your customers don’t have their credit card on hand.
• Two-factor authentication completely removes the risks of fraud and chargebacks for your business.
• Capturing more bookings by allowing your site visitors to make instant and secure payments at any given time of the day from any location in the world.
• Accept multiple currencies so international travelers can pay you without additional fees.
• The ability to accept and offer customers multiple payment options of their preference.
• The option to set, process and accept deposits to secure bookings. Especially for higher priced products and/or bookings.

Secure payment gateways such as digital wallets are becoming preferred by travelers around the globe. The latest data shows that allowing travelers to pay with a payment gateway such as Apple Pay can increase your conversion rate by as much as 250%. If you’d like to learn more about choosing a payment gateway, you can compare their fees here.

Enhances your website and boosts your search engine rankings

Who doesn’t want organic (non-paid) direct bookings? You pay no advertising fees or commission and therefore keep all your margin.

The best way to achieve this is through SEO (search engine optimization). Your online reservation system will have tools available that allow you to enhance your own website and boost your search engine ranking, allowing you to be listed higher on Google or Bing’s search results.

A good way to improve your ranking is through mobile optimization, as Google tends to favor mobile-friendly websites. It’s also important that your website design is more than just pleasing to the eye. You need a site that is fast, responsive, and easy to use because it:

• Helps drive conversions for your tour company.
• Is one of Google’s ranking factors for SEO.

According to Google, maintaining a page load speed of 0.1 seconds can improve your conversion rate by more than 10%.

Expands your revenue streams by broadening your distribution channels

What’s better than 1 person selling your tours and activities?

The answer is 2 people selling your tours and activities. And of course, having thousands of agents is better than 2.

You get the idea. The more companies that want to sell your tours, the more tours you’ll sell. The key is to create a diverse distribution network.

To set up a successful and streamlined distribution network, you need a reservation management technology that opens up those possibilities through a channel manager .

Several reservation technology companies today offer API connections to major online travel agencies. However, reservation technology like Rezdy provides connectivity to thousands of reputable reseller agents, including local in-destination agents and regional resellers, who are actively looking for experiences to sell. By being a Rezdy booking software customer, you have instant access to the Rezdy Channel Manager, where you can list your tour products while still staying in control of your listing. Using Rezdy Channel Manager is as easy as these simple steps:

• Set your pricing.
• Set your commission rate.
• Choose the agents to resell your tours and activities.
• Switch the connection on and off whenever you want to.

A diverse distribution network should include different types of resellers. Here are five of the most important resellers that you can work with when you utilize an effective channel manager like Rezdy’s Channel Manager:

• OTAs — Online travel agencies attract thousands upon thousands of interested travelers every day, all looking for great products at affordable prices.
• Local travel agents — With the right technology in place you can connect with local travel agents (still considered to be the most trusted advisors by travelers around the globe) who want to promote your products to their clients.
• Concierges — Concierge professionals work at local hotels and often make recommendations to guests staying at their property. Concierges want to be able to offer an all-inclusive and seamless service, so they are more likely to partner with a tour operator that has access to live bookings through a channel manager.
• Visitor information centers — Visitor information centers are a valuable distribution partner, particularly if you are looking to increase your last-minute bookings. They often work with travelers who have already arrived at the destination and are looking to fill their itinerary with exciting activities.
• Tour operators — It may seem strange to partner with the competition, but other tour operators who offer complementary experiences will want to resell your tours for a small commission rate. Reservation technology that includes a channel manager makes it easy for them to resell your products to their existing customers.

Reservation technology optimizes the buying experience with vouchers and gift cards

Have you ever had trouble deciding whether or not to make a purchase when you’re at the checkout page? It’s human nature to hesitate because of uncertainty.

Some of the biggest uncertainties are “Will I get a better price later?” or “What if I or they can’t make it for that particular date? Many of these concerns can be easily overcome with promo code coupons and/or gift cards.

Gift cards are a tool to increase your revenue and grow your bookings. They allow you to generate revenue in advance of your services while building relationships with your customers. Gift cards help generate bookings by:

• Allowing you to tap into a market you wouldn’t normally reach.
• Offering an efficient way to promote your services to others.

• Building your business’s credibility and reputation, as gift cards are a reflection of satisfied customers.
• Increasing your visibility by encouraging customers to do more research on your company’s offerings.

In the same vein, promo codes are one of the most effective ways to secure reservations (if you have a booking system in place that can help you streamline the process). Because of the exclusivity and timeliness, your customers will be more inclined to book if they have a code. This is because they know they have the possibility of a discount, and are aware that it’s a fleeting opportunity. Promo codes and vouchers help generate bookings by:

• Creating urgency through limited-time offers.
• Generating buzz about less popular tours and activities.
• Targeting return customers and increasing customer loyalty.

Allows operators to make informed business decisions with advanced reporting tools

Reservation technology can help you stay ahead of the booking game by providing insight into your clients and how your business is performing. This type of technology includes reporting tools that reveal patterns in your customers’ behavior. This allows you to market to them based on their interests and travel-related goals. These reporting features benefit you in a variety of ways, including

• Giving you the chance to create effective marketing strategies that will generate results.
• The ability to see your business’s overall performance in greater detail.
• Allowing you to make informed decisions about your business operations.

Reservation technology companies such as Rezdy even provide certain clients with a dedicated account manager to oversee their overall business performance.

Indirect ways that reservation technology grows bookings

In addition to the innovative features that increase your booking rate, reservation technology also provides additional tools (such as automated email confirmations and notifications) that increase efficiency, simplify your revenue management, and improve the guest experience.

Increases revenue per booking with the ability to upsell and cross-sell

Imagine being able to increase your revenue by 10% to 30% just by offering simple upgrades, such as airport pickup or souvenir photos. That’s the average increase in revenue reported by operators who began using up-selling and cross-selling techniques.

Up-selling is the practice of selling a higher and more expensive version of a product (or experience) that the customer already has or is about to buy. For example, more legroom on an airplane, or a more premium version of an experience such as VIP passes.

Cross-selling, on the other hand, involves offering add-ons to the product the customer already has or is about to buy. For instance, additional transportation services, equipment rentals, or meal packages.

Reservation technology makes both up-selling and cross-selling possible. It’s also super easy to set up, so you can increase your chances of maximizing revenue per booking.

Focus on what you do best: delivering a great guest experience

At first, it may feel like you, as the tour operator, are the only one enjoying the benefits of online reservations. However, your guests will also have a better booking experience when you have reservation technology in place. Some of the features your clients will love the most include:

• An online booking page that allows them to book appointments at their convenience 24/7, regardless of time or location.
• Updated, real-time availability viewer that allows them to plan their trip with confidence.

• Fast and secure payment systems that make it easy and convenient for them to complete their bookings and pay in their preferred payment method and currency.
• Automated confirmation emails and reminders that help your customers prepare for their upcoming experience.

• The quick and easy check-in process before or upon arrival.

Providing a great booking experience combined with amazing tours will keep your customers happy and satisfied. This will further encourage them to provide positive reviews and recommend your company on social media platforms, ultimately increasing your bookings through trust in your brand.

Comprehensive support to help you grow

When you invest in an online reservation system, you get more than a technology solution that gives you access to innovative features. You become part of a team where you can rely on the other members for support, advice and guidance as you seek to increase your bookings and grow your brand.

At Rezdy, we pride ourselves on being a reservation technology company with a dedicated team of professionals providing global coverage 24/7. We’re motivated to set our customers up for success and offer a variety of support services.

When you become a Rezdy customer, you instantly have access to benefits such as:

• Access to onboarding specialists to provide training and guidance as you set up your new reservation technology system.
• An IT team that will address any issues that arise as quickly as possible. This helps eliminate the frustration and stress of glitches and errors.

• Access to a support and success team that provides marketing and operational advice through training sessions and webinars. These resources cover topics ranging from tips on optimizing your business to paid search, understanding social media advertising, and creating an effective reseller strategy..
• Dedicated account management solutions with industry experience and expertise to help you grow your business (account management solutions are only available for certain-sized customers).

Additional benefits of using an online booking system

To further illustrate the advantages of using an online reservation system, here are some key points that highlight its importance for tour operators and activity providers:

• Streamlined workflows: An online booking system helps automate and streamline your business processes, saving you a lot of time on administrative tasks. This allows you to focus on providing exceptional experiences for your guests.
• Reduced no-shows: With automatic notifications and reminders, you can significantly reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations
• Enhanced customer support: An online booking system enables you to provide better customer support by offering self-service options for booking, rescheduling, and cancellations.

Conclusion

Nowadays, an online reservation system is a necessity for tour operators and activity providers looking to stay competitive and grow their business. Let’s review the key benefits:

• Increase conversion rates: Simplify the booking process and watch your conversion rates skyrocket.
• Expand distribution channels: Reach a wider market through OTAs, local agents and other resellers.
• Improve SEO: Improve your site’s search engine rankings and drive more organic traffic.
• Optimize revenue: Leverage up-sell and cross-sell opportunities to increase revenue per booking.
• Streamline operations: Automate workflows and save valuable time on administrative tasks.
• Reduce no-shows: Minimize cancellations and no-shows with automated notifications.
• Improve customer experience: Offer 24/7 booking capabilities and real-time availability.
• Gain valuable insights: Use advanced reporting tools to make data-driven decisions.
• Improve customer support: Provide self-service options for booking, rescheduling, and canceling.
• Access expert support: Get onboarding, training, and ongoing support from industry experts.

Ready to take the next step?

Request a free demo with a Rezdy consultant and discover how our powerful online reservation system can revolutionize your tour and activity business. Our team of experts is ready to show you how to unlock the full potential of our platform and take your business to new heights.