The New Era of Corporate Bookings

The tour operator landscape has evolved in the post-COVID world. Once upon a time, companies would rent out venues, order generic catering, and call it a day. But today, the game has changed—big time.

With remote and hybrid work models becoming the norm, organizations are on the hunt for experiences that bring teams together, build camaraderie, and create unforgettable moments. Goodbye awkward break-room parties, hello immersive team experiences that turn colleagues into a tight-knit crew.

For tour operators, this presents a massive opportunity. But success in this space isn’t about offering endless customization—it’s about curating streamlined, high-value experiences that make it easy for corporate clients to say, “Yes, this is exactly what we need.”

Why Curated Beats Custom in Corporate Sales

Too many tour operators believe customization is their selling point. They offer fully bespoke experiences, thinking flexibility is the magic ingredient that allows them to charge more. Even though we’ve rarely found tour operators who charge for their time to create such custom experiences. 

Most offer these customized experiences for only slightly more than their public tours. 

But corporate clients don’t want to design a tour from scratch. They want a proven, ready-to-go package that solves their problem: bringing their team together in a way that’s easy for them to set up.

Think about it this way—if you’re ordering sandwiches for the office, you don’t want to debate every ingredient for every sandwich for each employee. You want a few great options, easy to choose from, and guaranteed to satisfy your group.

Alyssa from Bites of Boston experienced this shift firsthand:

“Being able to look at it as a corporate offering versus more of a modified version of our public tour–I wasn’t necessarily considering it like that, but looking back, that’s actually what it was–I think that that’s helped us to really just offer something that makes more sense for the private groups.”

By moving away from slight modifications of public tours and instead presenting a clearly defined corporate product, you eliminate confusion and make the buying process frictionless.

All sales are about helping someone to make a decision. The easier you make the decision, the more bookings you’ll land.

The Data: What Corporate Clients Actually Want

Insights from the U.S. National Report on Corporate Bookings reveal key trends in corporate travel and event planning:

• Demand is skyrocketing – Companies are investing in team-building, with many planning 3-5 offsite events per year.
• Simplicity wins – Decision-makers value clear, pre-packaged solutions over fully customizable options.
• Experiences drive engagement – 20% of corporate outings focus on team building, followed by socializing, business strategy, and professional development.

Tour operators who align their offerings with these needs will win more corporate bookings—and do so more efficiently. 

When I work with clients at UpLevel Tourism, I often say, “Don’t sell your tour to corporate groups.” Instead, I want operators to sell corporate groups a “corporate group experience.”

This can be one of your regular tours but package it differently. Call it your Team Getaway, or the Team Outing Package, or the Impress Your VIPs package. Name it something that aligns with exactly what that corporate group coordinator wants to buy.

The Business Case for Corporate Groups

Pivoting toward corporate group sales isn’t just about filling tours—it’s about transforming your business model. Corporate clients:

• Spend significantly more per booking than individual tourists.
• Have a higher lifetime value due to repeat business and referrals.
• Offer predictable revenue, allowing you to plan ahead with confidence.

Consider this comparison:

Client Type	Spend Per Visit	Repeat Rate	Referrals
Individual Tourist	$400	Low	Unlikely
Corporate Group	$2,500+	High	Likely

A single corporate client can book multiple events per year and refer their colleagues, making them a gold mine for long-term revenue.

Jeff Woelker from Underground Donut Tour highlighted this shift in profitability:

“You know, we run all these small tours and we barely eke it by in terms of margin. And then you book one of these corporate tours and you’re like, well, we just blew it out of the water. Like, that’s crazy.”

Corporate bookings don’t just fill seats—they change the entire financial equation for tour operators. Learn how one Chicago tour went from less than 5% of their revenue in corporate groups to now, over 60% of their revenue comes from corporate. 

The difference in profitability between standard tours and corporate experiences can be night and day.

How to Sell More Corporate Tours

1. Build a Corporate-Specific Web Page

If your website treats corporate groups as an afterthought, you’re missing out. Create a dedicated corporate tours page that speaks directly to decision-makers.

✅ Speak directly to the problems the reader has in their job

✅ Use persuasive copy that focuses on outcomes, not just “what” is included

✅ Streamline your inquiry form to ask as few questions as possible.

Get these tips for writing a persuasive corporate tour page.

2. Package Your Offerings for Corporate

Ditch the “customize everything” approach. Instead, create three to five curated packages that cater to corporate needs. Align your packages around why corporate groups are booking with you. 

From the U.S. National Report on Corporate Bookings, UpLevel Tourism has found the primary reasons companies book are:

Team Building – 20%

Socializing – 20%

Business Strategy – 13%

Planning – 12%

Training – 8%

Professional Development – 7%

Celebrations – 5%

Milestone Events – 5%

Networking – 5%

External Connections – 5%

Packages that align with “why” a person wants to choose your experience can eliminate decision fatigue and make it easy for companies to say yes.

3. Get Proactive with Outreach

Unlike traditional tourist bookings, corporate sales require direct engagement. Don’t wait for companies to find you or reach out again—go to them.

💡 Reconnect with past corporate clients and offer your new packages.

💡 Use LinkedIn to connect with HR managers and event planners. 

💡 Attend local networking events to promote your new corporate offerings.

4. Make the Booking Process Frictionless

Corporate clients don’t have time for back-and-forth emails. Speed matters. Implement a low-friction booking system:

✅ Use a streamlined inquiry form. 

✅ Provide instant quotes with clear pricing. 

✅ Automate follow-ups with a CRM to close deals faster and have fewer slip through the cracks.

5. Price with Confidence

Many operators assume corporate clients want deep discounts, and let’s be real—plenty of companies have asked for the lowest price. When every inquiry feels like a negotiation, it’s easy to believe that price is the only factor in their decision. But that’s not the full story.

The reality? Companies aren’t just looking for the cheapest option—they’re looking for the best option. Bonnie from Off the Eaten Track Tours shared her experience:

“I’ve booked multiple corporate groups since these last few things we’ve been in, and I think it really changed my mindset on how I respond and my pricing. I think that was the big thing…I used to heavily discount because I thought that’s what they wanted to see in order to get the sale to let them know like, ‘Hey, I’ll go low for you.’ But I actually went high and it booked even just as fast.”

When you undercharge, you send the message that your experience isn’t premium. Instead, position your tour as a top-tier investment in team engagement and culture. Companies will pay more for an experience that delivers value, simplifies planning, and meets their needs without a headache. The key is not just raising prices, but making sure your offering justifies them.

Bonnie put this into practice and secured a $15,000 corporate booking—the highest-priced group she’s ever hosted. By offering tiered options and positioning value effectively, the client chose the premium package without hesitation.

The Future of Corporate Bookings

The demand is there. 

The opportunity is massive.

Today, corporate tours aren’t just an add-on—they’re the future of profitable, scalable tourism businesses. Operators who embrace the shift from custom to curated will capture more bookings, generate higher margins, and create experiences that companies rave about.

If you’re ready to simplify your sales, attract more corporate clients, and grow your business, it’s time to make the shift.

Next Steps:

✅ Optimize your website for corporate sales

✅ Develop curated packages that align with real business needs. 

✅ Get proactive with outreach and make booking seamless.

If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, UpLevel Tourism can help. Whether you want a do-it-yourself guide, a done-with-you strategy, or a fully managed approach, we have the expertise to help you attract and convert more corporate clients. 

Don’t let uncertainty keep you from growing—take the next step toward a more profitable, scalable business.

Want to learn more from Joe Martin? Check out our recent webinar with him, Change This One Sentence To Boost Your Bookings. And for tips on handling large group bookings, including corporate bookings, read our recent article on the topic.

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