10 Strategies to Increase Sales and Revenue in Tourism

In today’s cutthroat tourism industry, achieving consistent revenue growth is essential for tour and activity operators. Challenges like seasonality, tough competition, and changing traveller behaviours require businesses to adopt effective strategies.

Are you a tour operator new to the travel market? Or perhaps a seasoned tour and activity business owner looking for new ways to get more sales? Below are 10 actionable approaches to increase sales and revenue in tourism.

1. Optimize Your Online Booking Process

Direct bookings play a pivotal role in maximizing revenue. A tour booking engine like Rezgo increases direct sales by offering:

• Lower third-party commission fees: By encouraging direct bookings, operators don’t need to rely as much on online travel agencies (OTAs). With less OTA reliance, you get to keep a larger share of the income.
• Convenient 24/7 online bookings: An always-available-to-all booking system caters to global customers across different time zones. This ensures there are no missed opportunities for business.
• Smooth user experience: A user-friendly interface simplifies the booking process. It makes bookings quick and easy, reducing cart abandonment and increasing conversion rates.

Investing in Rezgo technology streamlines your operations. The software can contribute a lot to boosting revenue.

2. Improve Your Website and SEO for More Traffic

A well-designed and mobile-friendly website serves as the foundation for attracting and converting visitors. So carefully consider the following if you want to increase sales and revenue in tourism for success:

• Mobile optimization: With a significant portion of users browsing on mobile devices, your site should be optimized. You’ll want to make sure it is easy to navigate and responsive for accessibility and user satisfaction.
• Search engine optimization (SEO): Targeting keywords like “[Your Destination] Tours” or “[Your Activity] Near Me” improves visibility on search engines like Google. The more visible your site is, the more organic traffic you’ll get.
• Content creation: Maintaining a blog with insightful articles about your offerings and destination can be very beneficial. You can build credibility, establish authority, and attract prospects.

These efforts collectively enhance your online presence. They lead to increased visibility and customer interaction.

3. Leverage Google Things to Do & Local Listings

Using platforms like Google Things to Do positions your services in front of travelers during their research phase. Take advantage by:

• Optimizing your Google Business Profile: Ensure accurate information, high-quality images, and prompt responses to reviews.
• Encouraging customer reviews: Positive feedback builds trust and influences potential customers’ decisions.

In marketing campaigns, these actions make you more visible in local searches and land you more travel and tourism bookings.

4. Offer Upsells and Add-ons to Boost Booking Value

Adding value to each booking can drastically increase returns. Strategies to increase sales and revenue in tourism include:

• Premium package offers: Offer exclusive experiences or additional services at a higher price point.
• Merchandise sales: Sell branded items or souvenirs as part of the booking process.
• Simple checkout upsells: Present extra options during booking to raise the average transaction value.

Implementing these tactics encourages customers to spend more, thereby boosting revenues for tour operators.

5. Use Dynamic Pricing to Maximize Revenue

Adjusting prices based on demand, seasonality, and last-minute availability will often optimize revenue in the travel industry. Tools like Rezgo allow for the automation of dynamic pricing strategies, enabling:

• Higher prices during peak demand: Maximize income when interest is high.
• Lower prices during off-peak times: Draw price-sensitive customers during slower periods.

This approach aligns pricing with tourism market conditions. It positively affects profitability for tour and activity businesses.

6. Run Strategic Promotions and Discounts

Thoughtfully designed promotions can stimulate demand and bring repeat business. Think about making available:

• Limited-time offers: Create urgency and prompt immediate tour bookings.
• Early booking discounts: Incentivize customers to plan ahead, so there’s steady cash flow.
• Loyalty programs: Rewarding repeat customers fosters brand loyalty and inspires future bookings.

The above marketing strategies can effectively boost customer retention and increase sales and revenue in tourism.

7. Expand Sales Channels with Online Travel Agencies

Partnering with OTAs like Viator and GetYourGuide can really broaden your reach. What that will mean for your business:

• Exposure to new customers: Access to a larger target audience typically results in more people booking tours.
• Paying commission fees: Balancing the cost of commissions with the benefits of higher exposure is important.

OTAs drive bookings. But for better profit margins, balance reliance with direct bookings through a strong booking engine.

8. Invest in Paid Advertising for High-Intent Travellers

Targeted advertising and retargeting campaigns can reach travellers actively seeking experiences. The best ad platforms are:

• Google Ads: Capture users searching for specific tours or activities.
• Meta Ads: Reach audiences interested in travel through social media.

So your marketing efforts are worthwhile, set up conversion tracking to measure return on investment (ROI).

9. Partner with Hotels and Local Businesses

Partnerships with local entities increase sales and revenue in tourism. That’s a good reason to look into:

• Referral programs: Offer commissions to hotels and attractions that refer customers to you.
• Package deals: Create bundled offerings with local businesses to provide added value.

Rezgo facilitates the management of such partnerships. It has features for managing concierge relationships and bookings.

10. Prioritize Customer Reviews and Social Proof

Positive reviews and testimonials influence potential customers in a big way. Actions to take:

• Encourage reviews: Request satisfied customers to share their experiences on platforms like Google and OTAs.
• Display testimonials: Feature user-generated content on your website and social media to build credibility.

Strong reviews serve as a powerful marketing tool that establishes trust and persuades new customers to book. Responding to reviews — both positive and negative — also shows great customer service. This further strengthens your reputation.

Final Thoughts

To increase tourism revenue, tour operators should focus on improving direct bookings, optimizing their online presence, and actioning revenue-boosting strategies like upselling and dynamic pricing. Starting with quick wins like bettering the booking process and leveraging customer reviews can lead to immediate improvements.

Do you want to streamline direct bookings and maximize revenue? Try the Rezgo booking engine. You can get started here.

Book a Demo   Sign Up For Free