SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 20, 2025 - Peek, the operating system for experiences, today announced the acquisitions of ACME Ticketing and Connect&GO, cementing its position as the market leader powering the $330B experiences industry. The company also raised $70M in funding led by growth equity firm Springcoast Partners. Existing investors include WestCap, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Eric Schmidt and Kayak founder Paul English. 

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With the acquisitions of ACME and Connect&GO, Peek expands its reach to over 150 million consumers across museums, theme parks, tours and activities, and cultural attractions — the full spectrum of how people spend their leisure time. ACME brings deep expertise in ticketing infrastructure, memberships, and donations for iconic cultural institutions. Connect&GO adds powerful all-in-one attraction management, including RFID technology and on-site visitor tools for complex venues. Peek customers include the industry’s largest and most sophisticated attractions, such as MoMA, Whitney Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Bryant Park, Looping Group & Museum of Ice Cream.

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“Peek has demonstrated a masterclass in innovation and scale within the industry,” says Dominic Gagnon, CEO of Connect&GO. “We’re thrilled to join forces with Peek given our shared mission, and we will rapidly work to combine our knowledge and resources to deliver even stronger solutions for the attractions we serve.”

The acquisitions also drew strong support from Peek’s new and existing investors. “Peek offers the comprehensive tech stack this industry needs to keep pace with shifting consumer and workforce behavior,” said Waqar Islam of Springcoast, who led the Series D funding. “With 40% of operators not utilizing online booking tools, we’re still in the very early innings of empowering operators to thrive in a digital-first world. Peek’s deep investment in core tech infrastructure, AI, and payments uniquely positions them to unlock the industry’s full potential and serve as the operating system for experiences.”

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A New AI Era for Tech & Experiences

Peek's early investment in AI comes as the activities industry stands at a digitization inflection point. The company won Arival's 2024 Industry Innovation Award for Peek Copilot, its integrated AI platform, which has already delivered 5-20% revenue growth for operators through its Dynamic Pricing feature alone.

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"Peek has built the best product in the experiences space," said Bill Shaughnessy, CEO of ACME. "Their end-to-end tooling helps merchants across every operational need, and their AI dramatically streamlines operations, from dynamic pricing to conversion optimization and beyond. Combining this with ACME's unparalleled ability to turn visitors into loyal members and donors, we're going to have a huge impact on the cultural institutions we serve."

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The company also leverages AI agents to solve key industry challenges such as fraud detection and data analysis. "We have hundreds of AI agents working behind the scenes to save merchants thousands of hours on repetitive tasks," said Ruzwana Bashir, CEO of Peek. "We've built an AI-powered system that works 24/7, transforming how operators understand their customers and optimize their operations across every touchpoint.”

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“We’re seeing more of our audience planning their outings through AI tools, video platforms, and influencers, especially across TikTok and Instagram,” said Xiaoyi Chen, CEO of LuminoCity.  For merchants, this shift creates a real opportunity to build and own our direct demand rather than relying solely on third-party channels. Peek is the only partner we’ve seen that’s proactively building the technology to support this future.”

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"Our mission at Peek has always been about empowering our customers to deliver extraordinary experiences. These acquisitions and new funding enable us to further accelerate our product innovation and deepen our support, ultimately helping operators grow their businesses," added Bashir. "We're committed to giving activities operators the tools they need to not just compete, but to lead, in today's rapidly evolving experiences economy."

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About Peek

Peek is the operating system powering the experiences industry—from museums and attractions to tours and activities. With over $7B in bookings, Peek’s AI-powered platform has helped thousands of merchants to increase revenues, save time and deliver seamless guest experiences. Customers include MoMA, Whitney Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Bryant Park, Looping Group & Museum of Ice Cream. The company has raised over $150 million from institutional investors including Springcoast Partners, WestCap and Goldman Sachs Alternatives. Learn more at www.peek.com.

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About Springcoast Partners

Established in 2023, Springcoast is a New York-based growth equity firm focused on partnering with market-leading software and technology companies. To learn more about Springcoast, please visit www.springcoast.com.

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Media Contact

Ellie Greenwell

Peek

press@peek.com

How can your emails stand out and get more clients? We’ll show you.

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Email marketing gives tour operators a reliable way of reaching travelers. It helps them build loyalty, share timely updates, and stay top of mind. 

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In this guide, you’ll learn how you can create effective email campaigns for your tour business and which metrics you should monitor. We’re also including list-building tips and real-world campaign examples for inspiration.

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How to Set Travel Email Marketing Campaign Goals

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Knowing what you want your campaign to achieve will help you set stronger travel email goals. Ask yourself: Do you want to boost bookings, nurture repeat travelers, or build awareness for your newest tours? 

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Having a goal will help you point to clear performance data to prove your progress. Tie each goal to measurable KPIs, such as open rate, click-through rate (CTR), or booking rate, so you can track what works. 

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You should also segment audiences based on travel interests, location, or booking history. This data will allow you to shape goals specifically for new travelers and loyal guests. Every campaign should link back to one core business objective.

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Email Campaign Types and Creative Ideas for Tour Operators

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The best travel email campaigns blend storytelling with clear actions you want readers to take. You guide travelers with inspiring ideas while giving them simple next steps. 

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Try to balance emotion with strategy. Your emails feel helpful and still drive bookings, interest, and deeper connections with your audience.

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Welcome/Onboarding Sequence – First Engagement After Sign-Up

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A warm, story-driven welcome email helps you build trust and set clear expectations from day one. You personalize messages with customer names and preferred destinations to make the introduction feel genuine. 

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You can also offer a first-time discount or link to a featured tour or blog to spark interest.

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Inspiration / Destination Spotlight Emails

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Destination spotlight emails help you showcase scenic locations, unique tour packages, and cultural moments that travelers crave. Share amazing, Instagrammable photos and stories to spark curiosity. 

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You can also share travel itineraries and behind-the-scenes content to inspire wanderlust.

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Seasonal or Event-Driven Emails

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Tie promotions to peak moments. Send emails that'll promote events like summer escapes, winter adventures, or local festivals. You'll do better if you schedule email blasts around key travel dates and holidays to stay relevant. 

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Timely offers create natural urgency and push travelers to book before popular tours fill up.

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Personalized Trip-Recommendation Emails

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Personalized trip-recommendation emails use past bookings or browsing behavior to suggest tours that fit each traveler’s preferences. You should create personalized email campaigns to showcase upcoming tours and packages that match their interests. 

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This level of relevance boosts click-throughs and helps you turn more curious readers into confirmed bookings.

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Last-Minute / Flash Deal Emails

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Last-minute and flash deal emails work best when you lean into urgency. You promote limited-time discounts on tours, excursions, or adventure trips. 

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Remember to keep your copy tight and clear. Countdown timers, bold CTAs, and weekend getaway offers can convince readers to book trips faster.

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Post-Trip Follow-Up Emails

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Post-trip follow-up emails help you maintain a strong connection with clients. You can thank travelers for their business, ask for a review, or offer a small loyalty incentive. 

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You can highlight customer reviews, testimonials, and photo stories from past travelers to attract new guests. This will also give you fresh user-generated content for your marketing campaigns.

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Re-Engagement / Win-Back Emails

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Re-engagement emails help you reconnect with past travelers who haven’t booked in a while. You optimize email subject lines and visuals to improve engagement, using friendly hooks like “We Miss You!” 

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You can also offer an exclusive discount to spark interest and encourage them to come back.

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Loyalty Programme / VIP Offers Emails

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Loyalty and VIP offer emails will reward your most engaged travelers. You invite subscribers to exclusive VIP or loyalty travel experiences, early access, or special perks. 

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Sharing personalized rewards and referral opportunities gives your clients a reason to stay subscribed. Plus, it makes every trip feel like it’s worth the effort.

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Educational / Value-Add Emails

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Educational emails provide travelers with helpful content they can use right away, such as packing tips, destination guides, and important safety updates. 

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Do your best to build trust with informative emails about travel safety and sustainability. It positions you as an expert in travel planning.

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How to Build an Email List for a Travel or Tour Business

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You build a strong travel email list by using ethical methods that attract people who genuinely want to hear from you. To capture more leads, you can add:

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• Website opt-ins
• Blog sign-ups
• In-person event registrations
• Social media CTAs 

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Offering lead magnets like downloadable travel guides or discounts gives people a clear reason to subscribe. You should also automate follow-up emails after inquiries or bookings to nurture leads from the start. 

A few things to keep in mind:

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• Stay compliant with GDPR and CAN-SPAM to build consumer trust. 
• Keep your leads engaged with double opt-ins.
• Remove inactive email addresses regularly to keep your email list healthy.

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Strategies to Grow Your Email List for Travelers

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You can grow your email list faster by using advanced tactics that give people reasons to join and share your brand. 

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Interactive quizzes like “Find Your Next Adventure,” partnerships with travel influencers, and referral programs help you reach new audiences. You reward loyal customers with referral bonuses or free add-ons to encourage sign-ups through word of mouth. 

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Adding testimonials or star ratings to your sign-up forms gives social proof. Or why not promote sign-ups through booking forms, chatbots, and QR codes? These strategies can help boost conversions. 

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Steps to Craft Effective Emails for Your Marketing Campaign 

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You create stronger travel emails by following a simple, consistent framework that keeps readers focused and engaged. 

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Use this structure when building your email marketing campaigns:

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1. Write a short, benefit-driven subject line that grabs attention.
2. Design visually appealing newsletters featuring travel tips and destination highlights that keep readers interested.
3. Include one clear CTA so travelers know exactly what action to take.
4. Test and personalize elements. This includes subject lines, visuals, or copy through A/B testing.

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Here’s another tip. Use mobile-friendly templates with a clean design and scannable text. Most people use smartphones to read their emails.

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KPIs Tour Operators Should Track in Email Marketing

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To understand how well your travel emails perform, you need to track essential KPIs. You can track open rates and click-throughs to measure campaign success, along with other metrics that show how your audience responds:

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• Open Rate: Measures the percentage of subscribers who opened your email.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measures user engagement with your content.
• Conversion Rate: Reveals how many readers booked a tour.
• Unsubscribe Rate: Signals issues with frequency or relevance.
• Revenue Per Email: Reflects direct business impact.

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We suggest you use analytics tools like Mailchimp or HubSpot to track your data. Don’t forget to run periodic audits to improve future campaigns.

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Examples of Successful Travel Email Campaigns

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You get better results when you study what successful travel brands are already doing. After sending emails, you should analyze your metrics to identify the most effective content types. You can refine your approach afterward if needed. 

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Travel Nevada, for example, rebuilt its email design with stronger imagery and clearer CTAs. It resulted in a 150% increase in visitor-guide requests and a 77% jump in partner-link referrals. 

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Japan Ski Experience added an email lead-capture form to its site, growing its list by about 70 subscribers per day during peak season. 

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These examples show how personalization, tone, and strong visuals can inspire your next campaign.

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Key Takeaways

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• Tie every email campaign to a clear goal, such as increasing bookings, reactivating past guests, or promoting new tours.
• Mix simple storytelling, strong visuals, and one clear CTA so travelers feel inspired and know exactly what to do next.
• Keep improving results by segmenting your list, testing subject lines and offers, and using performance data to refine future campaigns.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How Often Should Tour Companies Send Marketing Emails?

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Send marketing emails one to two times per week to maintain visibility without overwhelming subscribers. Increase frequency during peak seasons or major promotions. Test different send rates and adjust based on engagement and unsubscribe trends.

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What Subject Lines Work Best for Travel Emails?

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Use emotion-driven and action-focused subject lines to increase travel email opens. Write lines like “Your Next Adventure Awaits” or “Limited Spots: Summer Getaways Are Here!” Keep subject lines under 50 characters and avoid spam triggers such as excessive punctuation or all caps.

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What Should a Travel Email Newsletter Include?

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Create a strong travel email newsletter by using eye-catching destination photos, concise tour updates, and helpful travel tips. Keep the layout easy to scan and end with one clear CTA like “Book Now” to guide readers.

Imagine turning a 15-second clip into a week’s worth of bookings. 

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That’s the power of Instagram Reels. 

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This short-form video feature helps tourism businesses attract more followers through visual storytelling and inspires travelers to book trips through immersive video content. With the right strategy, your Reels can transform curiosity into clicks, and clicks into paying customers.

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In this article, we’ll walk you through how to create and optimize Instagram Reels that drive engagement, increase bookings, and build your brand in the travel and tourism space

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Why Instagram Reels Matter for Tourism Marketing

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Video rules social media, and Instagram Reels leads the way. With over 1 billion users, Instagram gives tourism brands a massive reach. 

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Reels boost engagement rates compared to static photo posts, so your clips attract more attention and drive more action.

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For travel, Instagram Reels showcases destinations and travel experiences in short, engaging videos that spark wanderlust and nudge viewers to book. It helps differentiate your tourism brand in a crowded market.

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Reels vs. Stories and Posts: Key Differences

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Reels, Stories, and Posts each play a role, but Reels win in terms of visibility and discoverability. Instagram Reels increases brand visibility on Instagram’s Explore page, which puts you in front of people beyond your followers. Reels also outlast Stories, which vanish in 24 hours.

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Use each format smartly:

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• Posts: Polished photos of destinations or services.
• Stories: Real-time updates and behind-the-scenes moments.
• Reels: promotes tour packages, hotels, or travel deals creatively with engaging, shareable video.

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Balancing all three formats can help you maintain a well-rounded presence on Instagram, maximizing reach and engagement across different audience segments.

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How to Set Up a Reels Strategy for Your Tourism Brand

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​​Creating a successful Reels strategy for your tourism brand requires more than just posting random videos. It’s about having a clear, intentional plan that aligns with your goals and audience. 

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Here’s how to get started:

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Defining Goals and Target Audiences

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Choose one primary goal, such as more bookings, plus two support goals like engagement and follower growth. 

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Define your audience by trip type, age, and motivations, and note any concerns, such as price or safety. Map those goals to content with 15–30 second videos that showcase the tour, present simple pricing, and end with a clear CTA to book. 

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When your goals and audience align, your marketing lands.

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Establishing a Visual and Storytelling Style

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Create a tight style guide for your brand. 

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Lock colors, tone, and a story order: hook → hero scene → close-up → CTA. 

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Keep storytelling human with real people, destination names, and on-screen details. Use the same look across Posts, Stories, and Reels to keep your account recognizable.

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Planning a Consistent Posting Schedule

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Consistency wins. 

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Post on a schedule your team can sustain, so your brand stays top-of-mind and your Reels appear more often on Explore. Batch content, then stick to your cadence. 

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Review analytics weekly—reach, views, and engagement—and adjust what you film, edit, and publish. Over time, that steady rhythm signals the algorithm, warms your community, and turns attention into bookings.

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For a refresher on setting up your profile and optimizing posts, check out our Instagram Essentials: A Quick Guide for Tour and Activity Companies.

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How to Build a Content Plan for Tourism Reels

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Build your content by mixing variety with consistency. Combine storytelling with promotion, highlight real travel experiences, and keep every Reel clear, short, and easy to watch from start to finish.

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Showcasing Destinations and Experiences

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Highlight the key destinations you offer, whether it’s a breathtaking hiking trail or a secluded beach. Reels are the perfect format to give potential travelers a quick, immersive taste of what they can expect.

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Featuring Behind-the-Scenes Tour Moments

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Travelers love peeking behind the curtain. Film prep, safety briefings, and your crew in action. Reels builds brand authenticity through behind-the-scenes storytelling, helping viewers trust your team and process. This can make your operations feel approachable, human, and worth experiencing from start to finish.

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Highlighting Customer Testimonials and Travel Tips

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Share testimonials and quick travel tips from real guests. Feature their smiles, quotes, and favorite moments. Reels helps businesses connect emotionally with potential travelers, building credibility, sparking trust, and nudging viewers closer to planning, saving, and booking.

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Using Trending Music and Hashtags Effectively

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One of the easiest ways to boost your visibility on Instagram is by using trending music and hashtags. Music is a major part of what makes Reels enjoyable and shareable. Enhance discoverability with trending sounds and hashtags by pairing clips with on-trend audio and precise travel tags.

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Reels Optimization Tips to Get Discovered

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Creating great content is just the first step. Getting it seen is the next challenge. Here’s how to optimize your Reels for maximum reach and engagement:

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Writing Captivating Captions and Calls to Action

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Lead with action in every caption. Give a clear CTA: “Book now,” “See tour times,” “Message us for dates,” or “Share this reel with a friend.” Ask a question to spark comments and boost engagement.

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Don’t forget to use hashtags that are relevant to the tourism industry, including niche travel keywords. Incorporate location tags to make your content more relevant to travelers interested in specific destinations.

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Leveraging Location Tags and Travel Keywords

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Including location tags and travel keywords in your Reels will make your content more likely to appear in searches from travelers interested in those places or activities. These tags increase your discoverability and attract the right audience.

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Collaborating with Travel Influencers and Partners

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Expand your reach through travel influencers and partner brands. They introduce your Reels to new audiences while gaining high-quality content to share. This two-way value exchange builds trust fast and turns views into followers, and followers into bookings.

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How to Turn Reels Engagement into Bookings and Sales

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Once you’ve captured your audience’s attention with engaging Reels, it’s time to convert that engagement into business results. Here’s how:

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Promoting Special Offers and Packages

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Use Reels to spotlight time-limited deals and bundle offers. Show the value in 15–30 seconds, tour highlights, inclusions, and price, then end with “Book today” and a clear next step.

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Crafting Compelling "Calls to Action" (CTAs)

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Tell viewers exactly what to do and why now: “Book your Saturday slot,” “Message us for dates,” “Tap our bio link.” Keep one CTA per Reel to focus attention and drive clicks.

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Encouraging User-Generated Reels from Travelers

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Invite guests to share their moments, tag your account, and use a branded hashtag. Reshare the best clips to build community and social proof. Offer small perks (e.g., a discount or shoutout) to spark more UGC. 

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Linking Reels to Booking Pages or Website Content

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Point viewers to your booking page in the caption and profile link. Use Link stickers in Stories that support each Reel. Add UTM tags to track traffic and conversions, and refine what you post next.

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Once you start turning engagement into real bookings, managing them efficiently is key. Tools like Peek Pro simplify online reservations, waivers, and payments so you can focus on growing your tourism business.

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How to Measure and Improve Your Tourism Reels Strategy

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Tracking performance is crucial to refining your strategy and improving future content. Here’s how to measure success:

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Tracking Views, Shares, and Engagement Rates

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Use Instagram analytics to see who watches, shares, and interacts with Reel. Tracking these signals shows what captures attention and what falls flat, so you can repeat winners, trim weak spots, and create content that resonates with your audience.

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Analyzing Follower Growth and Reach Metrics

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Measure how Reels drive follower growth and widen reach. This gives you a clear view of performance and whether your content moves the needle.

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Refining Content Based on Data Insights

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Use analytics data to refine content every week. Test new hooks, captions, and CTAs to learn what drives the most engagement and turns interest into bookings quickly.

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Future Outlook: The Evolution of Instagram Reels in Tourism Marketing

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Short-form video keeps evolving, and Instagram Reels will only grow in tourism marketing. Here’s what savvy operators should watch:

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The Growing Role of Short-Form Video in Tourism

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As Instagram Reels become more popular, short-form video will take an even bigger role in tourism marketing. Travelers will turn to Reels for inspiration and practical insights into planning their next trip decisions.

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Integration of AI and AR in Social Media Marketing

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The future of Reels could see the integration of AI and AR (augmented reality) to deliver more immersive, personalized travel experiences that match each viewer’s interests and intent.

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Expanding Opportunities Through Cross-Platform Promotion

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Expect to see Instagram Reels integrated across more platforms, letting you reach travelers everywhere. Cross-platform campaigns expand visibility, compound impressions, and unlock new audiences without recreating content.

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Key Takeaways

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• Instagram Reels boost tourism marketing by turning short, immersive videos into tools that grow engagement, visibility, and bookings.
• A clear strategy with consistent goals, visuals, and posting habits builds trust, strengthens brand identity, and connects content to the right audience.
• Optimization and data tracking through trends, CTAs, influencer partnerships, and analytics refine performance, expand reach, and turn views into customers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How Often Should Tourism Businesses Post Reels?

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Consistently posting Reels is key to maintaining engagement. Aim for 3-5 Reels per week, depending on your resources and content quality.

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What Types of Travel Content Perform Best on Reels?

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The best-performing Reels highlight destinations, real guest experiences, and behind-the-scenes moments that show your team in action. Clips that stir emotion and spark wanderlust get shared the most.

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Should I Run Instagram Reels Ads to Promote My Tourism Business?

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Yes, Instagram Reels Ads can amplify your organic reach, especially when targeting a specific audience or promoting special offers.