As a tour and activity operator, utilizing an online booking solution is mission-critical to running your business smoothly. With more than 57% of travelers booking online, you could be missing out on easy revenue and customer growth. However, picking an online booking software that not only works for your business, but also partners with you to help your business grow, is not always as easy as it sounds.

To help you in your decision, we’ve created this simple online booking software checklist:

1. How stable is the company?

Ensuring the company has the strength and capital to be your long-term partner is critical in your decision. Find out who has invested in the company and how much capital has been raised. See if their investors are key influencers in the industry, backed with years of expertise and relationships that can help your business. Ask whether they are profitable, and if they have the cash to invest in growing their team and product.TIP: If the investors have made an ongoing investment in the company to support its continued growth, that’s a strong signal the company has what it takes to be a long-term partner for you.

2. How experienced is the management team and board?

Evaluate the backgrounds of the leadership team and board of directors. Make sure they have the experience needed to help your business succeed.TIP: Look at the LinkedIn profiles of the company’s leadership team. When the founders have invested years into the company, it’s an indication they’re in it for the long haul. Plus, if members of the leadership team have strong career paths at successful companies, these are the types of people who can likely help your business grow and succeed.

3. Is the company investing in continually improving its product and services?

Ask about their level of investment in product development, along with examples of important products the company has released recently. When companies continually add product updates and features, this is a strong signal: Not only are they investing in their product, they’re listening and responding to their customers’ needs.

4. Who is on their team? Is the company growing?

Ask how many employees they have in product and engineering. Also, inquire about the ratio of salespeople to product and engineers. When a company's employee base is product- and engineer-focused, it validates that they are investing in the product.

5. What do their employees say about working there?

Take a look at the company’s culture: Many companies share a behind-the-scenes view on their social media channels.

Now that you have evaluated the company’s stability and experience, it’s time to dig into the product itself:

6. Is the online booking software easy to use?

If a product is difficult or non-intuitive for your employees and customers to navigate, it will never work for your business. That’s why ease of use is top on many businesses’ priority list when selecting a new online booking solution.TIP: Think about how your business runs its day-to-day operations. Look for a system that has a centralized, easy-to-use calendar to keep your business organized. Also, keep in mind how easy it is to onboard new staff.

7. Is the product customizable to fit the needs of your business?

Tours and activities come in all forms. Look for a system that can be customized according to your business’ needs. For example, if you are a bicycle rental company, can the system handle multiple bike rental times and equipment add-ons, such as helmets?

Look for a system that can be customized to your business' needs

8. How will the booking functionality help increase your sales?

Today’s customers book their activities in a variety of ways. For example, some like to pre-book far in advance, while others might book via their mobile phone while traveling. If your system won’t let them book how, when, and where they want to, you are at risk of losing the sale.TIP: Look for software that allows bookings online via your website, your social media channels, and even through a mobile app.

9. How strong is the company’s mobile offering?

Look for a system that has both iOS and Android mobile apps that let you and your staff manage all bookings, reservations and communications via smartphone. Most companies only offer a mobile-responsive or mobile-friendly design, which aren’t optimized for running your business on the go.

10. Does the online booking solution offer customer support and account management?

Just because an online booking system is, well, online, doesn’t mean it has to be online only.TIP: Look for a solution that has a dedicated customer support and account management team to partner with your business in order to help you succeed.

11. Does the business provide additional support with marketing and selling your tours and activities?

Look for an online booking solution that can be your marketing partner. For example, Peek has an OTA marketplace, peek.com to help increase your bookings.

12. How does the software handle customer and staff communication?

Communication is key, but it can take hours to do. By picking a system that automates most communication, you can spend less time in the office and more time doing what you love.TIP: Look for a system that sends emails to your customers both pre- and post-activity. This allows you to identify any additional information needed, confirm the customer’s purchase and ask them for reviews.Don’t forget about guide communication. Look for an online booking software that can help you manage your staff by texting and/or emailing them as needed.

13. What price is right for your business?

Everyone cares about cost, and striking the right balance of affordability and quality is important. You’ll want a system that fits your budget and provides the right functionality—both now, and as your business expands.

14. What are the total costs?

Read the details and do the math on the fees, including all-in credit card fees and monthly fees. Evaluate savings from lower credit card fees, and compare vs. other fees that may be included. Many companies will say they are “free”, but in fact, they pass on the higher fees to your customers instead. Others may have limitations on the number of bookings per month that you can process. Gain a clear understanding of these pricing policies.

15. How should you compare the credit card fees?

Examine the credit card fees in detail. Many banks will charge 2.5-3.5% per transaction. Even if you use Square, they will charge 2.75%. Alternatively, using an online booking software that acts as your processor can drastically reduce credit card fees by as low as 1.99%.

Evaluating online booking solutions? See how Peek Pro can help streamline business operations and grow bookings.

As a business owner, the last thing on your mind might be how to use the local media to increase your tour and activity bookings. But it shouldn't be. As a tour and activity operator, you can increase your media influence—and thereby, your bookings—with a few strategic PR (public relations) tactics.Put your company center stage with these simple tips:

What's new? Be a trendsetter and stay newsworthy

Journalists and bloggers are always seeking new, compelling story ideas. When your business is a “new kid on the block," you may be newsworthy, but as time passes, you'll have to do more to attract media attention.As someone who's already close to the tour or activity market, you're naturally on the frontline of hot tourism trends that are worthy of coverage, such as an increase in multi-generational travel or changes in how travelers use technology. By making the media aware of these stories, you can position yourself as an industry “expert."

Create relationships with local media

In the tourism world, it's essential to build on-going relationships with the local media from reporters (TV, print, and radio) to bloggers to social media influencers. Be sure to connect, follow and engage with these trendsetters on social media channels by commenting on their articles—ideally before you ask them to write about your business.If you do reach out to journalists with information, keep your message short and sweet, and be aware of deadlines. If the news is time-sensitive, try to give them a head start. And if a journalist accepts complimentary services (some won't due to ethical concerns), you can invite them to check out your tour or event first-hand so they can share the experience with their colleagues and possibly with their audience.

Build on-going relationships with local media reporters and social media influencers

Show off your knowledge: Be a speaker!

Your local community most likely hosts a multitude of events throughout the year. Volunteering to speak, hosting a discussion or joining a panel will automatically position you in a favorable light as a subject matter expert. If possible, record your speech so you can share it online and use it for marketing your services. Keep in mind that in exchange for speaking, participants are frequently offered the opportunity to “promote" or “plug" their own business.Opportunities like these also give you the chance to interact with other area businesses and organically meet media members, who may be seeking quotes or sources for future tourism stories. For example; Nate Martin, Co-Founder and CEO of Puzzle Break, shares his extensive escape room knowledge with others by blogging and presenting at industry conferences.

Be prepared! Create a professional press kit

Most tour operators understand the importance of a professional, aesthetically-pleasing website to attract customers, but journalists and bloggers often need more robust information than what's normally on a company site. Be prepared for media inquiries by developing a press kit in advance.At the minimum, your press kit should contain: a one-page document with your company's intriguing “background story"; bios of the key players in your organization; and a one-page fact sheet that lists important bullet points about your company (like tours offered, pricing information, etc.). A few fun facts are always a bonus (and often lead to interesting local stories). A link to professional photos, as well as emails and social media handles, should also be front and center.For example; Trapped OKC shares on their about page why they started Trapped and bios of the founders, Michelle and Matt.

Utilize free PR tools.

Even if you don't have the budget to hire a PR professional, you can use a few free online PR tools that will help you directly connect with media outlets. One favorite is HARO (“Help a Reporter Out" ) that allows you to sign up for alerts that assist reporters to quickly connect with sources. Another valuable tool used by many businesses and individuals is Google Alerts, which enables you to set up a multitude of email notices based on keywords of your choosing. In addition, LinkedIn can help you connect with local media members directly, as contact information such as email address and phone numbers are easily available.By using any of these tactics, you can increase bookings by making your presence known in the media.

Staying up to date on tourism trends can help you learn a lot about how consumers think. What types of experiences pique their interest? How are they booking their plans? Where are they headed? All of these considerations are helpful in knowing how to appeal to your customer—even if your business caters to locals, not travelers. So whether you're promoting wine tasting tours, nature excursions, or guided city tours, here are five tourism trends you can't ignore.

1. Desire to Spend More on Experiences, Not Things

Experts at Cornell University have been studying the connection between money and happiness for decades. Their conclusion: people are happier when they spend money on experiences, not things. Capitalize on this by promoting the experiential benefits of your tours and activities. You offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences, so highlight this through testimonials from loyal customers, picking out reviews that describe the customer's unique experience and what they enjoyed most about it. Or, get creative. Literally compare apples to oranges by showing the consumer what they might be missing should they spend money elsewhere. For example, be clever with something like, "A week's worth of Starbucks would pay for this tour."Another great way to entice customers: vivid photography. As in most aspects of life, emotions rule in purchasing decisions. And, imagery is a key to that. According to KISSmetrics, consumers will connect better to your company if you use imagery that shows emotion. Want them to feel happy and want to participate? Display photos of real people enjoying your service—be it smiling while hiking on your tour or clinking glasses on a brewery tour—and watch your conversions soar.

2. Affinity for Staycations

Local isn't just a fad in the food and craft beer scene—more and more people are now searching close to home for travel-related activities. To make sure you're showing up in these local searches, optimize your website. Include your area of operation in the keywords of each page. It also helps to link to any relevant local pages. Were you included in a local newspaper write up? Link to it on your page.Read more about the rise of staycations here on our blog.Speaking of which, local papers, magazines, and blogs are great ways to catch the eye of local consumers. Reach out to local press, inviting them to experience your tour or activity first-hand. An editorial can go a long way to gaining trust from local consumers. Other ways to garner local bookings: running a state resident special or offering a discount to local residents if they show a valid driver's license; running ads in the local newspaper's 'things to do' section; running radio ads during peak listening hours; or even a short television commercial on local TV stations.

Local papers, magazines, and blogs are great ways to advertise to local consumers

3. The Need to Be Social

Results of a study from Amadeus North America reveals that the next generation of travelers are more adventurous and social. They're searching for experiences they can share with friends—so anything tour operators and merchants can do to make this process easier will help to better serve this market. Customers want to share their experience—so give them the tools to do so. Make it easy on yourself, and have the customers do the work for you. Create a hashtag—and send it out in confirmation and follow up emails—that customers can use after the experience to share photos or videos via social media. Or, run promote loyalty programs, as well as discounts for any referrals to entice customers to share with friends and family.

4. Increased Demand for Wellness Travel

Wellness tourism is a rapidly growing, $494 billion industry, according to the Well-Being Travel Symposium. But, wellness travel isn't just about spa getaways. It's about getting back to nature. According to a recent survey, 58 percent of respondents ranked outdoor activities as being most important for a wellness vacation. And, according to the IB Times, people booking wellness vacations are also looking for unique experiences—ones that will have them interacting with local cultures, educate them on local foods, or provide them some physical activity.Activity and tour companies are in a unique position to tap into this growing segment. You already have what the consumers are looking for—outdoor activities that give them local flavor. Now, make yourself known to them. Reach out to the local tourism board to have your business listed on their website and in brochures. Get yourself on local concierges' radar so they can recommend your experience to guests. On your own site, highlight the aspects of your business that may appeal to this demographic. Post vivid images of the outdoor activities you provide. Do you offer outdoor bike tours? Post photos of smiling customers basking in the sunshine atop their bikes. Offering cooking classes? Be sure to mix in local cuisine, along with descriptions of local purveyors and farms you source ingredients from.

5. Rise of Mobile Bookings

About 27 percent of all digital travel transactions in the United States take place on a mobile device, according to data from Criteo. Whether you're selling tours, classes, or activities, customers want to be able to shop and secure their purchase with a few taps and screen swipes. Make use of this growing market of tech-savvy travelers with a mobile-friendly website and branded applications that make the research and booking process simple and efficient. Make sure your website—especially the checkout process—is mobile-friendly. Use mobile-optimized online booking software, such as Peek Pro, which makes it easy for customers to book directly through a merchant's website and complete the checkout process seamlessly.From the increased demand of experiences over things to the rise of mobile bookings, trends in travel trickle down to tour and activity operators. The more local merchants pay attention to these trends, the better equipped they'll be to tap into many different segments of the market.

Things don't always go to plan. There will always be times when a customer has a family emergency, a scheduling conflict, or simply changes their itinerary. So when the unexpected happens, you need to make sure your customers are aware of their rights, and any fees associated with a cancellation. On top of that, you need to make sure you protect yourself, giving enough time to fill that now vacant spot, along with collecting enough of the booking fee to ensure you don't lose out financially.That's why it's so important to implement a simple, clear cancellation policy for your campground. To help you construct the best possible policy, here are a few tips and examples to follow.

1. Determine your cancellation fees.

Airlines and hotels do this to not only cover the costs associated with a cancellation but to also discourage customers from cancelling before their trip. Whether you decide to refund the entire amount of the reservation or provide a partial refund to a customer who cancels within a certain timeframe, you should impose some type of cancellation fee to handle the request. This fee would cover administrative time to process the request, credit card or debit card transaction fees, and any other costs associated with cancelling a booking.

2. Draft your cancellation policy.

Your cancellation policy doesn't have to be complicated, but it does need to contain key details about how much the customer owes you to proceed with the cancellation, what type of time window they have to cancel without any fees, and what their options are for proceeding with the cancellation process.When drafting your cancellation policy, be sure to include the following key details:

• Time window that you will honor a cancellation
• Time windows for various fees charged for a cancellation
• Whether reservations are non-refundable at the time of booking
• Security deposit policy
• Acceptable ways to cancel — over the phone, via email, or through an online booking program

For example:

Georgia State Parks details both its cancellation and transfer policy, and its policy about security deposits on its website. If you specialise in extended stays, you may consider requesting a security deposit and determining whether that deposit can be partially refunded based on when the cancellation takes place:Cancellation/Transfer Policy: Cancellations/Transfers must be made at least 30 days prior to scheduled arrival date. A $10 handling fee per reservation is charged for cancellations. Reservations made within 30 days of arrival are non-refundable and non-transferable. Reservations can be changed one time, at no charge, provided a 30-day notice is given.

3. Post your cancellation policy in several visible locations.

In addition to outlining your cancellation policy in great detail on your website, have customers agree to the cancellation policy at the time of booking. This can reduce liability on your part when a customer decides to cancel and has to pay a fee. You can include a small blurb of the cancellation policy in your terms and conditions section, or simply have it listed somewhere on your booking page so that customers can view it when they check out.

Have customers agree to your cancellation policy at the time of booking

4. Train staff to handle cancellations appropriately.

When a customer calls to cancel their reservation over the phone, make sure your staff is prepared to handle the situation with professionalism and explain exactly how much the customer will be charged for initiating the cancellation.Be sure to have staff members follow up with the customer to see if they would like to re-book for another day and time, or when they plan to travel again so that a staff member can follow up with the customer again to confirm the booking later. The goal, if possible, is to retain the customer.If you accept cancellations via email, make sure you have a dedicated staff member to handle all online communications so you can process the cancellation and open up the reservation to another customer in a timely manner. This might require setting up a separate email account specifically for cancellation requests and having a staff member monitor this account multiple times a day to handle all incoming messages appropriately.

5. Revise your cancellation policy as needed.

You may need to revise your cancellation policy when you add more reservation options at your campsite and need to elaborate on policies for different types of reservations (e.g. group bookings, long-term stays, etc.). Make sure to update and revise your campground cancellation policy frequently so that your customers are well aware of their rights to a refund (or forfeiture of a deposit), and you are fully disclosing your policy upfront.Developing and implementing a cancellation can improve customer service and even deter customers from cancelling at the last minute—thereby increasing the risk you lose another potential booking. Use these tips to develop and impose an effective cancellation policy for your campground reservations.

Americans can't seem to break away from their smartphones. In the U.S., mobile usage now accounts for 51% of digital media time. And that trend continues to seep into the travel industry, as mobile bookings now make up 40% of all transactions for travel businesses. In other words: It's very likely that potential customers can be looking to book campsites while hiking into town.So it's time to start taking strides to attract these on-the-go travelers. Luckily, this won't take thousands of marketing dollars to accomplish. A few small-scale tactics will help you find the campers you're looking for, and more importantly, help them find you.

Be smartphone friendly

There's little use in having an amazing website if it doesn't work on smartphones. At the very least, make sure that all the important information—like your location, contact details, and opening hours—is easy to find. This is likely the key information potential customers will be searching for.You'll also want to optimize your most popular site pages. (The information you'll need to do this can be examined in your site analytics, including what pages visitors are landing on when they first come to your site, whether they are using a mobile or desktop, how long they spend on each page, and much more.)But perhaps the most important feature to make mobile friendly: your booking page—and online reservation software, such as Peek Pro, will let your campers do this by incorporating mobile booking options right into your website.

Make sure all your important information is easy to find on your mobile site

Social media is your best friend

Today's campers are no strangers to technology. This means that there is a very heavy reliance on social media to find information, ask for suggestions, and share opinions with the world. In fact, Forbes recently reported that one-fifth of leisure travelers worldwide turn to social media platforms for inspiration for their travel planning, with Facebook at the top of that list. Research for ADARA further shows that up to 50% of those travelers are booking their trips last minute. This is where the immediacy of social media can come in handy!By using a thoughtful social media strategy, you can ensure that you find a much larger number of new and returning customers than if you had kept all of your marketing efforts completely offline. Keep your Facebook page up-to-date with relevant information, respond to comments quickly, and generally, be a friendly face for the traveler that is breezing through your area.

How to become more search friendly

There are a few things you can do to make sure that your campground is more search friendly when it comes to Google. As mentioned earlier, you have to make sure you give visitors what they're looking for. Write clearly, and think about what words users would type in to look for what you offer (such as "campground near [location]). Make sure other sites link to yours when possible. Are you friendly with the local kayak rental company? Ask them to link to your campground. Create a helpful, information-rich site, and let Google do the rest.

Don't be afraid of geolocation

One of the joys of having a smartphone is the ability to use the device as a map. Today's smartphones have a GPS chip inside, which uses satellite data to calculate its exact position. Services like Google Maps can then map out the area using this location.This means that geolocation apps essentially do two things: they report a user's location to others, and they associate real-world locations (like your campground) to others who happen to be in the area. As a campground owner, geolocation can be a powerful tool in your marketing toolkit. Tapping into geolocational features—such as paying to advertise to people searching Google for campsites in your area, or making your location obvious to all by having an address visible on your site and a Google Maps listing—can help potential campers find you when they are nearby, desperately in search of a well-reviewed campground in their vicinity.With more and more travelers booking their trips and amenities from their smartphones, it's important to make sure you're doing all you can to capture this on-the-go market. From making your site more mobile friendly to taking advantage of geolocation services, you can take a few easy steps to begin increasing these last minute booking.

Site reservations and general stores shouldn't be the only revenue stream for your campground. In fact, almost 27 percent of total income earned from a camper was generated from sources other than campsite reservations, according to a study by the Journal of Travel Research. You can tap into several revenue opportunities to maximize sales from each and every camper that sets foot on your campground.Here are just a few ways to optimize your campground's profit centers.

1. Recreational Equipment Rentals

Not all of your campers will have enough room in their RV or vehicle to bring along recreational gear and equipment such as kayaks, canoes, or even pop-up tables for meal time. Make things easy for your customers by offering equipment rental options for a modest fee, and set up a pickup station or area where staff can keep track of inventory and store it safely after each use.

Create packages for newer campers who need basic equipment such as a grill, tables and chairs, or other necessities to round out their experience.

Create packages for newer campers who need basic equipment such as a grill, tables and chairs, or other necessities to round out their experience. If you are using a campground reservation system like Peek Pro, you can manage equipment rental inventory and payments all in the same system.

2. Special Events and Activities

From hosting fun holiday events like carols and s'mores around a big bonfire, or providing live entertainment during the summer months, ticketed events are a great way for your guests to build fun, lasting memories at your campground. These might appeal to both campers and visitors in the area looking for something to do during a vacation. If you open up these events to the public, could also attract locals and garner some attention from area businesses during the season.Make sure to promote these events heavily on social media sites, and set up a Facebook event so the general public can easily find it when they're searching for local things to do on the Internet. You could also list your event with area magazines and publications as part of your promotional efforts.

3. Lessons and Workshops

Lots of campgrounds offer activities such as painting lessons, tie-dye t-shirt making classes, and games. While these mainly cater to children, such workshops are a big revenue generator. Additionally, watersport activities like kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding can be turned into educational opportunities for first-timers or beginners. Offer lessons as part of your roster of daily activities on the campground for an extra fee. Another option is to host educational workshops, such as seminars or hands-on activities from nature guides, teachers, and other experts to give campers something to look forward to during their visit.Consider partnering up with local instructors who can offer services your staff isn't trained to provide, so that you can offer a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts.

4. Breakfast or Meal Service

Give campers the option to purchase a meal onsite so they can save time and effort during their vacation—some visitors will probably appreciate less time doing dishes, and more time going on hikes in the surrounding area! As long as you have a food and beverage license for your operation, you can set up a dining area to serve meals as part of the camping experience. Use this food and beverage cost calculator formula provided by Buzztime to estimate your total investment for managing food costs and setting up reasonable pricing. Consider selling meal tickets as part of the camping reservation or sell meal plan packages for guests who may want to enjoy multiple meals onsite during their visit.From offering memorable experiences to renting equipment, there are several ways to enhance your guest's outdoor stay, while generating revenue beyond the campsite reservation. Explore some of these ideas to leverage your campground's profit potential.