A huge corner of the world you should be focusing on: China. As we recently detailed, Chinese travel to the Unites States continues to rise. A report by Oxford Economics for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) reveals income growth and expansion of China's middle class in recent years is making long-haul travel a common occurrence. And leisure tourism companies are expected to make up most of the market share—59 percent of Chinese travel and tourism spending is dedicated to leisure travel and is expected to reach 62 percent by 2023, according to the report.Here is a closer look at the top Chinese travel trends that may impact your tour and activity business.

Demand for Niche Travel

Skift reports on how the fragmentation of Chinese outbound tourism and increasing demand for new experiences is encouraging tourism boards—and, perhaps, tour and activity operators—to promote more niche offerings such as experiential travel and uniquely packaged experiences. Everything from culinary tours to nature trail trekking and kayaking adventures will cater to the needs of the Chinese travelers' intent on enjoying a new adventure.Make sure to include engaging and descriptive copy about your tours, activities, and services on your website to pique your customers' interest. Include photos and videos to enhance your descriptions and give the traveler a taste of the experience from afar as a teaser.

Rise in Independent Travelers

Approximately two-thirds of Chinese travelers prefer to travel solo, according to the 2014 hotels.com Chinese International Travel Monitor (CITM). This means that the majority of Chinese visitors may be looking for excursions or activities where they can experience and enjoy something new on their own.Consider packaging tours and activities for singles or promoting ideas that would appeal to a solo traveler, such as private tours and workshops as add-ons to an activity. Use an online booking program that allows you to set up add-ons at checkout so the customer can customize their experience.

Demand for Local Experiences

The newest visa policy allows Chinese tourists to visit the U.S. multiple times over the course of a decade, which means there is no longer a need to pack in as many activities as possible in a single itinerary. Whether they will be in town for a long weekend or an entire week, these Chinese travelers are making the time to seek out authentic experiences and activities that will give them a taste of local culture.Tour and activity operators can expand their offerings to provide more educational experiences or specialty tours that give international travelers a taste of the U.S. Whether this is in the form of a hands-on cooking class by a food-tour operator, seminars or workshops about nature and geology from a rainforest tour company, or a short movie introduction to the world of watersports and competitions from a surf-lesson company, consider some different ways to enhance the experience with an educational element.

Heavy Internet Usage

Updating your website regularly and maintaining a website with eye-catching photos, video clips, and other media may help you grab a visitor's attention.China's Internet population hit 618 million people by the end of 2013 alone so many are already comfortable with navigating the web for information—and possibly making travel plans along the way.

Rise of Mobile Bookings

According to TNW News, mobile Internet users increased by 80 million people year-on-year in 2012. The China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) describes how mobile usage is the highest mode of Internet access for new users in China.Tour and activity operators can cater to those tech-savvy travelers by maintaining a mobile site and offering mobile booking options using an online booking system, such as Peek Pro. You need to make sure each user can go through the checkout process seamlessly and prioritize the components of your mobile website to make sure it appeals to your user.Chinese travel trends in the next decade or two will have an impact on tour and activity operators around the country. Tour and activity businesses can cater to Chinese travelers with niche experiences and by streamlining the booking process for the tech-savvy international visitor.

The mindset of what it means to travel is ever-evolving. In recent years, the term has morphed to include more local experiences—area residents looking for a break from their usual routine and environments interested in booking a tour or activity with your company, giving them an opportunity to enjoy some much-needed time off without having to pay a premium for a vacation. In fact, searches for "staycation" have been up 10 percent year after year from 2011 to 2014, according to recent Google Trends data.A staycation—a word derived from "stay" and "vacation"—is a getaway that doesn't really involve getting away too far physically, but still affords the option to break away for the day to enjoy something new. A day's itinerary for a family or individual on a staycation might include eating at a new restaurant, heading to a museum or art gallery, spending the day at a local festival, or trying a new outdoor adventure.Here is a closer look about why the future of travel includes these local experiences.

An Emerging Travel Trend

Going on vacation without paying a high price for the trip may be one of the biggest drivers of local travel. Forbes shared some tips on saving on summer travel airfare in 2013, pointing out how the high cost of travel can put a dent in any family's budget. A survey conducted by American Express revealed that the average cost of a vacation is $1,180 per person. This includes the cost of airfare, transportation, meals, and vacation-based spending.Budget-conscious travelers could easily pare down those travel bills by eliminating a flight and transportation costs, and limiting vacation-based spending the bare minimum. And many are doing just that by planning a staycation instead of an exotic getaway or out-of-state trip.White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group dug deep into the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data to review the trend of local spending based on results of the Consumer Expenditure Survey. This survey provides a breakdown of the average U.S. household's spending, including trips and entertainment. The company found that the staycation trend does exist—community-based spending, or spending that might qualify as spending for a staycation, represented 56 percent of all out-of-home entertainment spending in 2000 and jumped to 66 percent in 2009. The recession may have spurred this trend, according to the experts at White Hutchinson.

How and Why Travelers Benefit from Staying Local

Staying local affords many benefits to the typical traveler. Here are some key benefits of staying local.

Saves Money

Many travelers opt for a staycation to save money. Fluctuating flight prices and the extra costs associated with traveling with young children or pets can put a strain on the typical traveler's budget. Staying local means there is no need to book a flight, hotel stay, or even a car rental. The traveler can use their preferred method of transportation and even pack their own meals if they want to save on the cost of food for the day.

Less Time Off Work

Staying local means there won't be a need to take time off work. The traveler can save their paid-time-off days for another occasion, and instead make the most of a long weekend to enjoy a refreshing break. Eliminating long travel times to and from a destination and the stress of getting situated in a new city means the traveler can make the most of the core experience—their kayaking adventure, a hiking trip, a fishing excursion, or a boating tour.

More Customization Options

Customers who decide to take the lead on booking their own travel may turn to companies that allow them to book online. This allows for plenty of customization, especially if the tour or activity operator is using an online booking program like Peek Pro, which allows the customer to see available travel dates on a real-time calendar and take advantage of add-on services during the checkout process.

Less Stressful and Family-Friendly Trips

Parents traveling with young children or teens may find traveling more stressful than enjoyable—especially if it's the kids' first time on the road or the family is heading to a destination that doesn't appeal to everybody. Planning something local means everyone in the travel party will already be familiar with the area and parents don't need to worry about long hours keeping kids entertained at the airport, on a long road trip, or anywhere from else along the journey. This can make for a more relaxing retreat for all members of the traveling party and eliminate much of the stress and hassle of planning a family vacation.

Marketing to Local Travelers

Tour and activity operators can tap into the local market and demand for staycations in a number of ways.Promote staycation packages. Run specials specifically for local residents requiring a proof of residency in the form of a driver's license or a document with their current address to validate the promotion.Connect with local merchants and organizations. Be more visible in your local community by making yourself known to complementary businesses via social media and making sure they now you offer packages and experiences specifically for locals. This can help you promote your business indirectly while helping you stay connected to your community.Get featured in local media. Invite members of the local media to experience your tour or activity in case they want to talk about it for a feature story or spotlight your business in a directory or other publication.As demand for staycations steady increases and more travelers seek out experiences in their own backyard, tour and activity travelers may need to modify their approach when promoting their offerings online and offline. Travelers on tight budgets may be keen on seeking out local experiences to create their own itineraries. The future of travel is local, so you'll need to position your company as the ideal destination for those planning a staycation.

Many businesses see negative reviews as something to be feared or combated—but smart businesses see them as an opportunity.More travelers than ever are making use of online reviews, both to inform their booking decisions and to document their experiences. According to a YouGov study, almost four in five Americans consult online reviews before making a purchase, and more than half of that group are active reviewers themselves. Separate research by Harvard Business School found a direct correlation between online reviews and revenue growth—a one-star increase in online ratings equated to a 5- to 9-percent increase in revenue.This makes racking up positive reviews a must for tour and activity businesses. But online reviews are a double-edged sword. YouGov's research found that while most reviewers left positive feedback, 32 percent of consumers visited review sites to express neutral sentiment, and 12 percent to report negative experiences.

A mix of ratings is a good thing

A study published in the Journal of Marketing analyzed around 600 books on Amazon, and found that one of the biggest influences on purchasing was not the positivity of the reviews, but their variability. In other words, if your business has 5-stars across the board, travelers will think something fishy is going on.Review site Reevoo found similar results, reporting that 30 percent of consumers who saw only positive reviews assumed there was fakery afoot.Reevoo's study went one step further and found that consumers who seek out negative reviews to inform their purchasing decisions are two-thirds more likely to purchase. CEO Richard Anson said: “Counter-intuitive as it may seem, negative user-generated content is actually one of the most effective conversion tools."None of this is to say you should seek out negative feedback, but a smattering of 3- or 4-star reviews can actually boost your customer base significantly.

Consumers trust a business more when it has a variety of reviews, not just all 5 stars

Show off your customer service

Customer service exists to solve problems—so the measure of your customer service isn't whether problems occur, it's how they're handled.Not only will you be increasing your chances of winning that guest back, you'll be increasing the odds that people reading the negative review will book with you. Market research firm Wakefield found that a customer is twice as likely to purchase if they see a good response from a company underneath a negative review, and seeing direct responses to negative reviews makes a third of consumers think a company has “great" customer service, with two-fifths saying it shows the company “really cares" about its customers. Fix a guest's problem in public and it wont go unnoticed.If that's not enough incentive, consider this: a study of online reviewers showed that after receiving a meaningful response to a negative review, one third of reviewers removed their review or updated it to be positive.

How to turn negative reviews into a positive

Monitor review sites and respond quickly

The Internet is real time, and a third of consumers expect responses from brands in less than 30 minutes.

Respond personally

A canned response isn't much better than no response at all. An overwhelming 94 percent of eCommerce and digital marketers say personalization is “critical" to success online.

Follow up elsewhere

Travel businesses are in the fortunate situation of having additional contact information for guests. More meaningful conversations can be had over the phone or via email.While it isn't the greatest feeling to receive critical feedback, you can always turn negative reviews into a positive.

Want to add a burst of energy to your bike rental business? Electric bicycles, or e-bikes, might be just what you need.E-bikes bring a new sense of adventure to your bike rental business. While this form of transportation has been popular with millions of riders in Europe and China for years, they've now gained traction in the United States too. And e-bikes help you attract new customers who might not be able to enjoy traditional bikes due to their fitness level or your area's terrain.Whether you're starting a new company from scratch or adding e-bikes to your current rental offerings, the opportunity is prime for promotion. Here are seven ways to launch and build an electric bicycle rental business:

1. Start with keywords. People who want to rent an electric bike will probably already know about this mode of transportation, and go to the Internet to search for a rental company. Take advantage of the organic traffic by optimizing your website for search engines, using keywords, such as “[city name] electric bike rentals" and “[city name] electric bike tours," throughout your site. A search for "electric bike rentals San Diego," for example, turns up 23 results on Google Maps. Make sure you add your business to Google Maps, and add keywords to your Category and Introduction section.
2. Spread the word to current customers. If you have an existing rental business, let your current customers know you're now offering e-bikes by spreading the word on social media and through an email-marketing campaign. E-bikes are trendy and new, and current customers may not know they exist or that they're available for rent. You can send a promotion or discount code that is exclusive to your followers, or ask customers if they'd like to try an electric bicycle when they call or stop in to book a rental.
4. Organize tours. If your rental business is located in an area with great attractions or history, consider adding tours to your business strategy. Tours bring a higher profit margin as customers will be willing to pay more for an organized trip. You'll also attract a broader demographic of participants as e-bikes help everyone keep the pace–especially if your area has challenging hills. Before you add tours, however, do some homework to determine if your ROI is worth your time and money. For example, you'll need to research which locations visitors to your area might like to see, find out if your city or state has additional licensing or insurance requirements, hire personable guides, and advertise or promote your offerings.
6. Partner with hotels. Since e-bikes are an untapped source of transportation, introduce your business to hotel concierges and sales staff. Explain what you offer and give staff members a test drive. Set up a commission plan, and check back often. You can also work with hotels to set up special tours for their guests during different seasons.

If your rental business is located in an area with great history consider adding tours to your strategy

1. Work with area restaurants. If the scenery in your area is breathtaking, partner with a local lunch spot to offer guided picnic tours. The restaurant can promote the offering to its current customers, and you'll spread the word of your rental business.
2. Reach out to retirement communities. E-bikes are a great form of transportation because people of virtually any fitness level can enjoy riding them. This makes them especially popular with Baby Boomers. Approach retirement community associations in your area, and offer to organize special outings and activities.
3. Contact local tourism boards. Reach out to your local tourism office and provide information about your tours and rentals. Tourism offices are eager to build their portfolio with interesting activities, which helps them attract new visitors to the area. Help them do their job by offering special rates and excursions.

The wellness tourism market is a huge pie that's perfect for tour and activity operators to slice into. Global wellness tourism has risen to become a nearly $500 billion market, according to the Global Wellness Summit. While this industry includes mind and body retreats, in also encompasses fitness vacations and adventure travel focused around improving a sense of well-being or improving life balance.Tour and activity operators can take advantage of this demand for health and wellness-oriented vacations by offering experiences that focus on healthy living or recreational activities for a more balanced life—guided hiking adventures, rainforest excursions, half-day biking tours, and boating trips are just a few experiential travel options for travelers in need of that much-needed escape to restore work-life balance.Here's a closer look at the ongoing demand for active tourism and a few ways tour and activity operators can capitalize on this emerging trend:

Understanding The Adventure Tourism Market

A Adventure Tourism Market Study, conducted by George Washington University and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, revealed several emerging trends among adventure travelers around the globe. One key finding relevant to tour and activity companies: adventure travelers were much more likely to turn to guides, tour operators, and instructors to plan their trip. According to the study, during their previous trips, 22 percent of adventure travelers used a guide, 18 percent turned to a tour operator, and 13 percent used an instructor.So positioning your business as an authority in adventure trip planning and understanding this demographic better can help you generate more business from this highly active market each season.

Position your business as an authority in adventure trip planning to generate more business

Some other takeaways from this study:

• Adventure travelers turn to social media and consult friends and family only when researching different options
• 78 percent of adventure travelers use Facebook

• Adventure travelers cited relaxation, exploring new places, spending time with family, and learning about different cultures as most important to their travel experiences.

Organized Adventure Activities and Fitness Retreats

Whether you're a kayak tour operator or sell biking tours, consider creating special packages and exclusive experiences specifically for the wellness traveler or adventure seeker. Organized group trips, seasonal retreats, and fitness-oriented programs may be attractive to travelers looking for activities that support their healthy lifestyle. You could offer seasonal packages based around a certain theme, such as winter getaways, back-to-school retreats, or even holiday escape packages.Another option is to focus on the health benefits of vacations. The U.S. Travel Association reports that leisure contributes to overall well-being and has positive effects on both physical and mental health. In addition, an annual vacation can cut a person's risk of a heart attack by 50 percent. So you can appeal to the wellness market by promoting your activities and experiences as a way to reap health and wellness benefits.

A few ideas for tour and activity operators:

• A multi-day whitewater rafting excursion during peak season, such as the wilderness journeys offered by Rafting the West
• A biking and camping weekend package, such as the overnight biking tours offered by Trek Travel
• A meditation and fitness retreat for hiking enthusiasts, such as the fitness, yoga, and wellness programs offered by Mountain Trek
• Rainforest preservation and education treks for nature enthusiasts, such as the volunteer and educational excursions offered by Responsible Travel
• A sailing adventure with yoga experience, such as the sailboat journeys by Sailing Collective
• Mountain biking and camping adventures, such as the tours offered by Northwest Adventure Tours

Relaxation Getaways

But high-energy activities aren't the only way to tap into this trend. There's also an ongoing demand for relaxation getaway—trips planned around stress reduction, pampering, and an escape from the hustle and bustle. Spafinder reports on the growing demand for traveling to "destination spas," where guests travel to a resort or hotel specifically for wellness-immersive retreats and activities. The International Spa Association defines destinations spas as properties "with the primary purpose of guiding individuals to develop healthy habits."From weight loss bootcamps to meditation retreats, these destinations cater to wellness travelers with a variety of activities that complement their healthy lifestyle message. Consider that many of these spas and resort destinations will be looking for local activity providers when putting together their programming. If you offer tours or activities that may complement a destination spa's program—yoga classes or healthy eating cooking classes, for instance—consider reaching out to offer discounted pricing or exclusive packages for spa guests. This can be a simple and effective way to co-market your business and generate referrals throughout the year.

Promoting Your Healthy Living or Wellness Message

Statistics from the aforementioned Adventure Travel Market Study and MDG Advertising confirm that many travelers turn to social media to research travel options—52 percent of travelers use social media to find vacation inspiration and 29 percent count on Facebook for trip planning ideas. A study by Google and Ipsos MediaCT found that two out of three U.S. consumers watch online travel videos when thinking about a trip. You can take advantage of these trends by posting videos or video testimonials about your business on your website and social media sites.Whether you're promoting specific wellness activities and packages, or sharing photos and videos of adventure experiences, the goal is to engage social media users on their favorite platforms. Consider adding an online booking option on your website and Facebook page so that interested travelers can complete their reservation without even making a phone call. With platforms like Peek Pro, you can set up a secure online booking checkout process and also follow up with the guest with an automated email confirmation.As more travelers seek out leisure activities to de-stress and keep up with their healthy lifestyle, tour and activity operators can appeal to this growing market by promoting their adventure activities and opportunities for planning an escape. Whether you sell land or water-based excursions, consider tailoring some of your marketing efforts specifically for wellness and fitness travelers.

Business travelers are increasingly mixing business with leisure. Today's business traveler is no longer limiting their business trip to a flight and hotel stay. Now, whether they're traveling to attend a conference or making a trip to settle a contract, these "bleisure" travelers are finding new ways to make the most of their business trips. In some cases, these travelers are even going as far as bringing the family along to enjoy the destination to make it a memorable vacation.This type of "bleisure travel" is becoming so common that Fortune magazine pointed to it as one of the emerging travel trends to watch in 2016. The New York Times even reported that 47 percent of American business travelers added leisure days to at least one of their business trips.These emerging trends open up several revenue opportunities for tour and activity operators. Here's a closer look at this trend and some ways tour and activity operators can market to today's bleisure traveler:

Emerging Business Traveler Trends

Many of today's entrepreneurs and business owners establish rapport with clients, prospects, and business partners by planning events or outings. The golf meeting is no longer the norm as business meetings can take place over a yoga retreat, farm-to-table dinner experience, or even a kitesurfing or paddleboarding excursion. According to Entrepreneur magazine, “outdoor adventures are becoming the new golf for business." Instead of organizing luncheons and other special events at a country club, the new generation of business owners are busy organizing mountain biking adventures and other outdoor activities. “Business is now being made personal," reports author Lisa Evans.Another trend is to extend the business trip for personal reasons. According to The Bleisure Report from BridgeStreet Global Hospitality, almost 80 percent of business travelers are open to the idea of adding more leisure activities to their trip, and 73 percent believe bleisure opportunities benefit them as an employee.So whether it's making connections with clients or getting the most out of their destination, it's clear that the majority of business travelers are interested in enjoying a few leisure experiences outside of company time during their trip.

Marketing Tips and Strategies for Bleisure Travelers

As a tour and activity operator, there are several ways you can position yourself as a prime destination or activity of choice when business travelers—or their travel planners—are mapping out the itinerary.

Make Yourself Known to Travel Planners

Reach out to corporate event planners and business travel agents to make sure they are aware your business exists and what types of packages and activities you offer—these are the decision makers for many a business traveler, and are in charge of recommending or suggesting various tours and activities to round out their client's visit. Making contact with these individuals and sending them marketing materials, such as brochures, flyers, or website information, can help you stay "top of mind" as they pull together suggested itineraries for their corporate clients.

Connect with Human Resources Departments

Business owners and managers in charge of organizing employee retreats may also be interested in incorporating tours and activities you offer as part of their quarterly excursion or annual getaway. Reach out to a company's human resources department to find out who is in charge of planning events and activities for the company. You can send marketing materials via snail mail or email your website and contact information with group pricing and package options available. Set up group pricing and tiered pricing options using an online booking software program, such as Peek Pro to streamline the booking process for multiple guests.

Offer Convenient Online Booking Options

According to The Bleisure Report, 50 percent of those surveyed would add on two or more days to their business trip. A single-day excursion at your venue, such as a kayaking adventure, mountain hiking experience, or a full-day horseback riding tour could be the perfect addition to these travelers' itineraries. Make it easy for these travelers to book a full-day activity or multiple activities as a package by offering online booking options on your website with customizable itineraries. You can make use of add-on features at checkout to include additional tours or activities, or extended tours and activities priced at 30-minute or 60-minute increments. Giving travelers the option to customize their itinerary can make trip planning that much easier—and make your company an attractive option during the trip planning process.

A single day excursion at your venue could be the perfect addition to these bleisure traveler's itineraries

Promote Couples Packages and Last-Minute Offers

According to an Orbitz trend report, 43 percent of American business travelers had a significant other accompany them on a business trip. Many business travelers may be looking for ways to spend some quality time with their significant other during this trip, which means tour and activity operators that offer special packages for couples or even discounts on last-minute bookings for those who are searching for things to do in the area may be able to capture this market. You can promote couples packages on your website, and promote last-minute booking options for those who may be searching for local activities at the last minute.Whether you offer group excursions targeting corporate event planners or promote couples packages for business travelers traveling with a significant other, there are several ways to tap into the bleisure travel market. Use these tips to fill your calendar and maximize revenue opportunities throughout the year.