When making the transition to an online booking system, you need to choose a service that's as robust and accommodating as your company. Software that will not only help your business grow, but also provides a streamlined shopping and checkout process, especially as more travelers turn to the web to make reservations and explore their options. After all, 65 percent of leisure travelers turn to the web early on in the travel process, according to the latest Think with Google data.But how do you choose the right platform?

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Ask the following questions when choosing an online booking system for your business:

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1. Is the company stable and growing quickly?

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Make sure you're working with a company that will be around for a while so you don't have to quickly change your booking software, which could mean migrating all of your data, investing in training employees, and wasting time. Use tools like Crunchbase to research the company and find out how much capital they have raised to date, how many employees they have, and what the company history looks like. This type of data can give you a fair idea about where the company is headed and whether they will be able to serve you for years to come.

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Questions to Ask:

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• How much capital has this company raised to date?

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• Have they acquired any companies with proprietary technology that has helped them grow?

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• How many employees do they have?

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2. Is the checkout flow trustworthy?

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You want to do everything you can to ensure customers enjoy a streamlined checkout process—with an easy-to-navigate checkout system—and feel confident about booking online with your company. The landing pages the customer ends up on during the checkout process need to have a professional design and include a logo or information that ensures the site is secure. You need a software program that ensures customers don't have to go through a lengthy registration process to confirm a booking and aren't easily-confused at each stage. ShipHawk reports on how many online shoppers abandon shopping carts when the website is too complicated to navigate.

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Questions to Ask:

• Is the registration process streamlined and easy-to-use?

• Is the checkout process easy to navigate?

• Are the checkout flow and site mobile-responsive?

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3. Is the backend software easy to use for staff?

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You also need something that's easy to implement on the backend—your managers and employees need to be able to pull up reservations with ease, review calendars, schedule promotions, and produce reports with a few clicks. Look for online booking software designed with robust features, such as options to create add-ons to activities in a few clicks, color-coded calendars, and customizable email templates. Work with a company that offers a software program with a professional layout and beautiful design to satisfy the needs of both your customers and your employees.

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Questions to Ask:

• Do you have intelligently designed features, such as color-coded calendars and customizable templates?

• Is your design mobile-responsive, and will I be able to access the software from any device?

• Will you help me set up and implement my software within 48 hours, and will my staff have access to 24/7 customer service?

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4. What features are included in the calendar?

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You spend so much time in your calendar. Using a robust calendar with features designed to handle all types of activities and levels of complexity is a must for your business. Make sure the system you use provides plenty of options for all types of tours and activities businesses—including rentals, equipment, and resource management—so you can use it to manage all aspects of your business. Look for features such as filtering options, multiple views, blackout date capabilities, and last-minute booking features to handle call-ins and walk-ins with ease.

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Questions to Ask:

• Does the calendar have multiple view options - by day, week, month and by tour, activity, or rental?

• Will it be easy for me to customize and set blackout dates?

• Does the calendar come with filtering capabilities that allow you to quickly manage different activities and rentals?

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5. Does this company have a large client base?

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Many companies that create booking systems for tours and operators only serve a few dozen or so clients. This means they cannot handle large volumes of bookings and may not have the resources to grow quickly. You may experience issues such as poor technical support, frequent system outages, or find it challenging to get help and support when you need it. Work with a well-funded company that has a larger client base and more resources so that you can count on them in any season.

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Work with a well-funded company with a large client base and lots of resources so that you can count on them in any season

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Questions to Ask:

• How many merchants do you work with around the world?

• Is the company showing signs of rapid growth?

• Despite its large size, does the company offer personalized customer service and technical support?

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6. Does the company offer 24/7 customer support?

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As a tours and activities operator, you never want to be in a position where you lose reservations because of technical issues, lose customer data because of software bugs and glitches, or find yourself in a position where you can't get help to resolve customer transaction issues. Working with a company that offers 24/7 customer support—even during the holidays and other peak seasons—will help to keep things running smoothly. A company that has a dedicated FAQ section for merchants can help you find answers without even having to contact a representative.

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Questions to Ask:

• Do you offer 24-hour support?

• Can you share a few merchant testimonials about your customer support?

• Do you have a detailed user guide where I can find instant answers to common questions?

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7. Will the platform bring me new customers from the other channels I wouldn't normally be able to access?

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Make sure your online booking software program not only helps you manage your customer base but also makes it easy to attract new customers. The latest advances in online booking technology can help merchants acquire new customers and expand their reach. For example, partnering with Peek allows you opportunity to be listed on Peek.com, which can open up a whole new distribution channel for your business. This can complement your other marketing and lead generation efforts so that you're always growing your business.

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Questions to Ask:

• Can you guarantee me brand new customers each year?

• Do you have a dedicated marketing program where I can access active customers who fit my target demographic?

• Is your consumer marketplace and brand recognized and respected by the industry and nationwide?

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8. Can I offer promo code redemption and group discount pricing to attract larger groups and repeat business?

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When you want to issue and redeem promo codes, seasonal discounts, or special offers, make sure your online booking software program can handle the code creation, tracking, and redemption process. Look for software programs that can help you create custom codes in a few clicks, customize and edit descriptions, manage start and end dates, and even designate which specific activities or days of the week the promo code can be used for. This feature makes it extremely simple to run promotions and keep track of leads generated by different marketing campaigns.

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Questions to Ask:

• Is your promo code creation and redemption process easy-to-use?

• Do you provide reporting and activity tracking for promotions?

• Do you have flexible pricing options for seasonality, large groups, and special discounts?

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9. Does the system offer detailed reporting?

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Managing leads, reviewing revenue goals, and tracking bookings for a particular week, month, or season is only possible with a good reporting system. Make sure your online booking system offers downloadable reports and easily-accessible summaries of all activities so you can review performance goals, track seasonal trends, and determine what may or may not be working with your email marketing, online advertising, and offline campaigns. Most reports are available in a spreadsheet format and can be distributed to managers or employees as digital files in a few clicks.

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Questions to Ask:

• Can I view my performance goals and booking data at a glance?

• Do you offer downloadable reports?

• Can I view summaries based on activity?

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10. Will the software support my business as it grows?

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Even though you may currently only offer guided tours or activities, there may be a point where you expand business offerings to offer rentals, such as bikes, kayaks, boats, and other services. Make sure the online booking system you use can adapt to your growing business needs. For example, you may want to include equipment rental options for customers during the shopping and checkout process. Look for a program that offers plenty of options to customize experiences and implement adds-on with ease.

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Questions to Ask:

• Can I use the system to manage and track my equipment and inventory even though I only offer tours and activities?

• How easy is it to add rentals, if I decide to expand my services to offer rentals to customers?

• Can I easily add new units, track equipment that is under repair, and view my inventory availability in real-time?

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Peek Pro offers all of these benefits and more, giving tour and activity operators significant competitive advantages in this growing marketplace. Make sure you are considering all of these characteristics when shopping around for online booking software so that you can generate more leads each season, deliver and exceptional customer service experience, and streamline the booking process from start to finish.

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Read about Zipline Utah and their success story moving onto an online booking system

Whether you're a foodie, an artist, a sport enthusiast, or just need to get away, today's travel opportunities are fulfilling dreams and bucket lists to the nth degree. The modern traveler is embracing creative tourism, which encapsulates authentic, local travel experiences and differs from conventional tourism norms.Creative tourism provides a true cultural connection for travelers. Cultural workshops, classes from local experts or self-guided expeditions through the land unknown—all while traveling—are examples of this increasingly popular trend. Think of the evolution of fishing excursions, once a quick off-shore jaunt. Today, aspiring anglers are dropped by helicopter in remote villages where sourcing a meal is dependent on actively learning the art of fishing.

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Though long unlabeled, creative tourism has been around for many years. People with affinity to the arts, sport, or scholastics have long been exposed to the experience through exchange programs or studies abroad. Host families lodge visitors, providing an everyday life experience, complete with authentic cuisine in the way of good old-fashioned home cooking.

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Building off of this history, today's creative tourists—namely Millennials—want to do and feel, not just see. Where the conventional tourist perhaps takes a picture overlooking a peak, the creative tourist posts a selfie on top of that peak.

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The economic windfall for creative tourism is widespread. As popular destinations feed hungry adventurers with bold new itineraries, a lonely body of water off the beaten path becomes a paddle boarding delight. The doors open for lesser known places that can identify a unique selling point and transform. The experience doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg and locals have new confidence interacting with visitors who show genuine interest in their culture.

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The trend of locals and tour operators working together to become more than a dot on a map has morphed into a travel experience labeled "conspicuous leisure." Creative tourists feed the model by hitting destinations unknown and, by way of social media and online reviews, create awareness of novel getaways.

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But it's not just the younger generation: Baby Boomers, perhaps motivated by their children's cutting-edge travel, are getting in on the action. They dabble in creative tourism, too: hotel alternatives, spicing up vacations by bartering at local markets, cooking meals in a home away from home.

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As an activity or tour operator, how can your business cater to the creative tourist who seeks authentic, local, and creative experiences? These ideas will help you expand or build on your current offering to fully embrace creative tourism and attract the thrill-seeking traveler.

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1. Research

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There are two ways that your business can delve into information and better cater to the creative tourist: first, by further examining your competitors' offerings and evaluating how they do or do not provide authentic experiences; and secondly, by fully understanding the needs and desires of your target audience. Surely you are aware of your local competitors and how your services differ. Now, try creating a second draft of your SWOT analysis, solely from a “creative tourism" perspective. Ask questions of your competitors and your own business such as, How does the business incorporate the local culture? Do cobranding opportunities exist? Would cobranding with a local restaurant, boutique hotel or landmark operation uniquely position the offering? Are there any components of the tour that could be "done" instead of simply explained or discussed?

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‍Better appealing to the creative tourist also calls for an understanding of their interests, and how travelers go about booking experiences and trips. One way tour and activity providers can get a pulse on traveler interests is by searching their respective city on Meetup. See what interest groups frequent the town and determine how your offering could meet an existing need or generate demand. Furthermore, regular check-ups on traveler review sites and social media platforms like Twitter are imperative. Travelers are increasingly social and quick to provide reviews. About 40% of Millennials are likely to share a travel experience on social media during their trip and 80% have indicated that social reviews have impacted their travel decisions. Diligently scouring this information will provide a plethora of competitive intelligence on the creative tourist.

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Scour the information that Milennials have put online about their travel experiences to gain "insider" information

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2. Customer service and engagement

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Customer service must ALWAYS go above and beyond. Understanding that Millennial travelers are largely influencing the concept of creative tourism—and knowing that they are constantly plugged in, social and mobile—presents opportunity for activity and tour operators to excel at customer service. As discussed, Millennials are quick to share and rely on social reviews—plus are uniquely identified as loving their phones, being very social, and passionate about values. Harness this information to create unmatched customer experiences. For example, allocate an employee as responsible for personally responding to every social review your business receives—good and bad. Turn poor experiences into great experiences by confronting issues and offering the creative tourist complimentary experiences or invitations to solicit further feedback to help you improve the business. Leverage great experiences as a channel for gathering referral or new business. Ask the happy creative tourist to submit photo or video testimonial from their excursion with your business, and post this evidence to your website or social media platforms. Complement these testimonials with promotions, group rates and booking incentives to lure new travelers via an online booking software that allows you to design promotions and optimize pricing for peak seasons and dates.

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3. Use the tech tools available

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Just as the tech industry booms with innovation or reinvents the wheel, so has the travel industry begun to ride the wave. With this has come a number of technology solutions that tour and activity operators can adopt to further promote the business, while keeping organized. Knowing that the creative tourist can be found online, using social tools like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and travel review sites to engage with past and future adventurers is an excellent marketing advantage. Use existing social media research studies to help you evaluate which social tools will be most effective for your business, helping you to prioritize marketing efforts. Once you've attracted the business, staying organized is key. Equipment rentals and bookings delivered in an efficient manner will elevate your brand and facilitate a wonderful experience for both the consumer and for your business. Online booking platforms designed specifically for activity and tour operators, such as Peek Pro, will help you manage reservations, accept bookings 24/7 and offer additional products at checkout, marking opportunity for up-sell and further revenue generation.

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Read about King's Landing and their experience moving onto the Peek Pro booking system

Despite increasing competitiveness in the tours and activities marketplace, you don't have to dump money into marketing and advertising efforts. The key is to creatively use different platforms to engage your audience and generate more bookings each season. While the customer experience should always be a priority to generate the all-to-worthy word-of-mouth marketing, there are several ways to present your company in the best possible way online and encourage customers to book.

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‍Here are nine marketing strategies that, if implemented, will help you grow your customer base.

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1. Encourage customers to post positive reviews.

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Research shows that 90 percent of customers say their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews, according to data from research firm Dimensional Research. In your follow-up email, encourage customers to post detailed reviews of their experience to different sites, and include links to pages such as your Google+ or and other reviews and ratings sites. Also be sure to include a link to your Facebook, which is another place where travelers can post comments, reviews, share pictures, and give you a rating.When a potential customer searches the web, these sites will show up on the top page of results, and the more reviews on these sites, the easier it is to make an impression.And if you get negative reviews? Here are some best practices for handling negative online reviews.

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2. Keep customers engaged with video-embedded emails.

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Email is just one of several ways to connect with a customer directly—and a golden opportunity to make a great impression. So, with each email, offer an incentive to book immediately, or simply have the customer get in contact with you at a specific day and time.While using strong visuals can increase user engagement, consider embedding a short YouTube video of one of your tours or activities to make the email that much more powerful. Even something as simple as a welcome message from the owner or a leading tour guide can make a lasting impression. Make sure to include the word "video" in the subject line to increase click-through rates. According to Experian's 2012 Digital Marketer Benchmark and Trend Report, this is a great way to capture the recipient's attention.

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3. Get personal.

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When researching tours and activities to add to their itinerary, travelers these days want a more personalized experience. A recent survey conducted by The Futures Company for American Express found that 83 percent of millennials value personalization and 85 percent prefer to have a customized itinerary over a packaged one. And even though you're not serving as a travel concierge, you can make sure every customer receives personalized attention.Use Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) features with your online booking software program to keep track of all communications with your customers and to determine how to walk them through the booking process. The Peek Pro platform helps you customize and automate email reminders and review emails in a few clicks. You could leave notes next to a customer's details about their inquiry, who followed up with them, and what tours or packages they were interested in. This will make it easier for anyone who followed up with that customer to make appropriate suggestions or recommendations for their upcoming trip and ensures a more personalized customer experience.

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4. Enhance activity descriptions on your website.

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On your website, fleshing out the tour and activity descriptions, including descriptive copy, will help entice a traveler to book with your company. For instance, include bulleted lists with highlights of the tour or activity, indicating which tours or activities are your most booked or most-talked about, and include high-quality photographs alongside each description. Embedding a short video can also keep your customers engaged and eager to learn more about the trip or activity.SS Tobias Snorkel & Beach Tours take travelers around the northeast coast of Puerto Rico and the owners have developed very detailed descriptions of each tour, complete with stunning photos and information about each beach and island visited on the tour. And example of one of their descriptions: "The snorkeling is fantastic with reef formations just a few swim strokes from the shore. The reef gardens are ablaze with the flamboyant colors of abundant, vigorous corals; some of them topped with waving sea fan coral, which swing impressively with the movement of the ocean waves." Adventure America Zipline Canopy Tours by Wildwater also provides comprehensive tour information, including a bulleted list of highlights of each tour, a short video segment, and the option to combine the zipline experience with a rafting adventure.

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5. Increase social media activity.

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Consider creative ways to present your offerings to all of your fans and followers on your social media pages. Make use of Instagram's video feature to post short video excerpts of a tour experience through the eyes of a tour guide. Post "behind the scenes" footage of a tour or activity on Facebook for prospective customers to get a better idea of what you offer.Forever Florida, an eco tour operator in Saint Cloud, Florida, has a Facebook following of more than 19,000 fans and has taken full advantage of Facebook features such as videos and also running a giveaway. A simple, 15-second video showing some of the wildlife they encounter—a crocodile and peacocks walking together—was shared more than 300 times.

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6. Build a brand presence on FourSquare.

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Claim your listing on FourSquare so that you can add your company logo, update details about your hours of operation and business details, include social media account information and post special offers for frequent or new customers. FourSquare check-ins could help to promote your business with less effort on your part. According to data compiled by Stikky Media, 46 percent of travelers check in to a location using their mobile device while on vacation.FourSquare also has a feature where you can post tips about events, featured tours and activities, recent awards your business has won, and other short details as "featured content" on your business listing. This is the perfect place to put the spotlight on a popular tour, share accolades, and tell customers why you're the best in the business.The FourSquare listing for the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour in Winter Park, Florida, is loaded with photos, helpful tips from FourSquare users, and even has a recommendation from a complementary business—Gray Line Orlando—within their listing. It's a popular listing with more than 900 visitors and more than 1,000 total visits to date.

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7. Offer free content on your website.

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Free content can help to attract and entertain your site visitors while helping you stand out from the competition. Live web cams can be a fun way to educate and entertain site visitors. Kai Kanani Sailing Charters posts live web cam views of Makena Beach in front of the Makena Beach & Golf Resort.If you want to build your subscriber list or drive more traffic to your blog or main website, consider putting together a downloadable guide about key destinations or travel tips about your destination that is available free of charge. All the customer has to do to access the guide is provide basic contact information and an email address—the basic information you need to build your subscriber list to send email newsletters or an email-only offer in the near future.

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See Also: How to Launch a Blog to Grow Your Tour or Activity Business

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8. Develop a YouTube channel.

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According to recent research findings from Think with Google, views of travel-related content on YouTube are up 118 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. This makes YouTube the perfect platform to capture a highly responsive market and help you build your online presence. Take a look at the series of videos from Expoza Travel, a travel video channel that shares inspiring and fascinating destinations around the world. Each video provides an overview of the destinations high-quality footage and 360-degree views of a destination. It's a great example of a video clip about a particular destination or attraction that would appeal to a wide audience.The Nantahala Outdoor Center has uploaded videos on YouTube about different adventures and camps they offer throughout the year. Each video is only a few minutes in length and the description includes a direct link to the main website—a must-have item to encourage travelers to contact you immediately.

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9. Use an online booking software.

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Perhaps the easiest way to increase your bookings - without the extra marketing cost - is to use an online booking system. With Peek Pro, you can let Peek do the back office work so you can focus on what matters — creating an amazing experience for your customers.

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Read about Zipline Utah and how they grew their business with Peek Pro

If you want to generate more bookings each season and grow your business quickly, don't overlook proven business strategies that successful, luxury travel companies are implementing. Many luxury travel companies have a unique approach to customer service and continue to attract guests by providing unparalleled experiences. Even though they typically charge more—and have more resources—than regular tour operators, you may be able to use a scaled-down version of their same marketing and customer experience strategies for your own business.Here are nine things luxury travel companies are doing that can help your business succeed:

1. Customized Itineraries

More travelers are showing interest in customized trips where itineraries are designed exclusively for them based on their preferences and desires. According to Travel Pulse, Austin Adventures, an adventure company from Wyoming, reports 31 percent of their business is comprised of custom trips instead of packaged programs, while custom bookings were up 28 percent in 2014 over 2013. While the average tour operator may not be able to create a completely customized itinerary for groups, they can provide a more personalized experience by providing guests with options.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Provide guests with a choice of one or two destinations or attractions during a tour instead of completely preparing the itinerary from start to finish; use Peek Pro features such as Smart Reviews, to find out what customers are most interested in seeing or experiencing during their visit as they check out and create the tour based on feedback.

#2: Concierge Services

Many guests will be first-time visitors to the area or are busy making their own itineraries for an extended stay with your tour or activity as part of their visit. Many hotels, resorts, and luxury travel companies take the lead on offering concierge services to help guests maximize their vacation or getaway. For example, some offer luxury concierge services for guests that includes an airport welcome, hotel and transportation arrangements, and shopping services. Even though you may not be selling other activities in the area, you can make the entire experience for the guest memorable by offering tips and recommendations on other things to do before or after their tour or activity with you.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Take the time to ask guests about their travel planning and offer to help them plan the rest of their trip with local recommendations; provide a "destination cheat sheet" for download on your website or send guests a PDF via email as a complimentary service to help them get to know the area. Or, offer complimentary trip planning services as a value-added benefit for working with your company—connect guests with one of your travel specialists via phone or email to answer questions and make recommendations.

3. Special Surprises

Imagine how thrilled your guests would be when they learn that they are receiving complimentary beverages, snacks, or even a free meal just for joining you on the tour. Luxury tour companies often include a complimentary glass of champagne, gourmet snacks, or chocolate upon arrival as a courtesy to guests. Tucson Balloon Rides even goes as far as offering a champagne brunch after its Sonoran Sunrise flight.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Offer a free meal or discounted meal at an area restaurant that you have partnered with; offer complimentary snacks and beverages before or after the tour experience; provide guests with a menu of options, such as a healthy snack, free beverage, candy, or other sundries as their gift. With an online booking software like Peek Pro, you can even customize and include questions for customers to answer at checkout about their preferences, to personalize the experience.

4. Exclusive Celebration Experiences

Many guests will be traveling to celebrate a birthday, honeymoon, anniversary, or other special occasions. And luxury travel operators typically offer exclusive packages for these occasions. For example, Artisans of Leisure offers Celebration Tours for guests celebrating a personal milestone. While these are often customized and tailored for the booking party, you can offer something special for guests that are joining you on their special day.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Ask guests if they are celebrating anything during the booking process so you can make arrangements for a complimentary gift, offer a gift certificate to an area restaurant, or provide a discount on the current booking or future booking; make arrangements for complimentary snacks or a handwritten card from staff specifically for those guests to celebrate with them on their special day; offer private tour experiences at a higher rate for special celebrations.

Ask guests if they are celebrating anything during their booking process so you can make arrangements for a special surprise for them

5. Child-Friendly Activities and Experiences

A growing need in the luxury market: kid-friendly activities with traveling families, which includes complimentary childcare services or special activities for children as part of the trip.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Make recommendations for local childcare or daycare services for travelers that may need resources when traveling with the family—ask guests if they need recommendations for making arrangements during the checkout process; create family-friendly activities, itineraries, or experiences so guests can book with children in tow.

6. Combination Tours and Experiences

Some luxury travel operators give guests an option to "stack" multiple tours or add on another tour or experience for a truly memorable trip. For example, Butterfield & Robinson, a luxury biking and walking tour operator, offers a variety of "multi-activity" private tours to destinations around the world. These journeys may include everything from hiking trails and wine tasting experiences, to culinary tours and guided walks.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Give guests the option to book a second tour or activity at a discount to create their own package, or create multi-activity packages for guests that may want to enjoy two or more experiences in a single day.

7. Themed Experiences

From the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona to the world's largest jazz festival in Montreal, many guests are headed to a particular destination to enjoy an event or festival and will have some downtime in between event activities. Luxury tour operators build itineraries around these events to encourage guests to enjoy the event with a customized experience that might include a private guided tour of the grounds or venue, behind-the-scenes access, or other perks. For example, Jazz Cuba offers a Just the Jazz Festival Tour, during which guests enjoy world-class jazz at the festival in addition to guided tours around Havana and learning about Cuban culture.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

You may not be able to set up exclusive access to event venues or festival grounds but you can create themed tours and activities to coincide with an event. For example, a boat tour operator at a destination hosting an annual boating or fishing competition might offer boat tours that include a ticket to the event and insider information about the history of the event. A snorkeling and scuba diving tour operator at a destination hosting a surf competition or annual beach festival might offer tickets to the event as an add-on to snorkeling or scuba diving experience.

8. Educational Experiences

Many guests book adventure tours and outdoor excursions specifically for the chance to experience something they've never experienced before or try something new — they are getting out of their comfort zones. Some of a luxury tour company's offerings might include fun, educational experiences alongside the activity — cooking demonstrations, hands-on classes, and skill-building activities — to provide guests with an even more personalized experience.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Give guests a chance to go home with a new set of skills or learn something new alongside their adventure experience. For example, a zip line tour in the rainforest could include a jungle survival skills demonstration as part of the experience; a deep sea fishing tour could include a hands-on demo and tips for preparing fish for a meal. Think of ways to incorporate some type of relevant skill with the tour or adventure for a well-rounded experience.

9. Freebies and Souvenirs

Luxury tour companies typically have big budgets for gifts and other complimentary items that guests can take home with them—tote bags filled with bottled water, snacks, custom stationery, and other souvenirs. Gift baskets, welcome packages, and other gratis gifts are to be expected when guests are receiving the star treatment. For example, Just Spas and Adventures offers a variety of spa getaways with complimentary spa credits and allowances, and a welcome gift at select resorts and destinations arranged directly by the company.

What Regular Tour Operators Can Do:

Provide a welcome amenity or souvenir as a thank you gift to all guests. This could be something as simple as a pen and notepad with the company logo on it, a small tote bag filled with snacks, or bottled water with your logo on the label.Creating unique guest experiences is always a high priority as a tours and activities business and there are several ways to deliver unforgettable customer service. Incorporate some of these approaches and strategies from luxury tour companies into your strategy to serve all of your guests in new ways.

As a tours and activities operator, you want to effectively communicate all highlights of the experience to your customers. That doesn't just mean detailed descriptions of what sets your tour or activity apart from the rest. It also means providing customers all the nitty gritty of the provisions and terms associated with the booking or reservation. For example, what happens in the event of inclement weather? What's your cancellation policy? How do you honor requests for a refund? Laying these—and other key elements of the transaction—out clearly in the Terms and Conditions section of your website can reduce conflicts, freeing you from certain liabilities when dealing with an unhappy customer.‍

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If you're unsure of how to start crafting your Terms and Conditions statement, use this guide to get you on your way.

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Basic Outline: Your Terms and Conditions Page

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First things first: Your Terms and Conditions page or section needs to begin with a brief introduction stating the full company name, address of headquarters, and the statement that this is a contract between the company and the customer. (If means allow, it may help to speak with a small business lawyer to draft this section to identify all parties involved and use a professional tone throughout.)Take a look at IGLU Cruise's Booking Conditions page for a great example of a formal introduction identifying all parties and what the references throughout the Terms and Conditions page mean.From there, you'll need to cover at least the following sections to ensure your customers are fully aware of your policies:

• Bookings and Reservations
• Payment
• Changes and Cancellations by the Company
• Changes and Cancellations by the Customer
• Limitation of Liabilities
• Customer Special Requests
• Safety
• Behavior or Code of Conduct
• Complaints
• Data Protection

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In Depth: What to Include in Each Key Section

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While to some extent each section will need to be relevant to your particular type of tour and activity, you'll need to include specific details relevant to your target market so that you cover all of your customer's needs.Here's a breakdown of what to include under each section of your Terms and Conditions page.

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BOOKINGS AND RESERVATIONS

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Begin by outlining exactly what the booking and reservation process looks like both online and offline. Use a step-by-step guide that walks the guest through the process, providing an example of what happens when the guest books online, over the phone, or in person. This serves as your booking and reservation policy and should indicate that the reservation is a binding contract between the guest and your company once a deposit or full payment has been received.

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PAYMENT

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Outline all forms of payments accepted and your expectation of any deposits (if any). Also inform guests that they'll receive a confirmation email or message with a reservation number, an invoice of any remaining balances, and how much they will be charged if a debit card transaction fails or a check bounces.

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CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS BY THE COMPANY

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This is where you can outline how you handle different situations and scenarios—say, if one of your tour guides gets sick or the trip is canceled because of inclement weather—and what options the customer has for re-booking or receiving a refund. Ideally, you want the customer to re-book for another date or choose another trip you have available, so make sure you encourage that in this section.

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CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS BY THE CUSTOMER

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Identify what your policies are for refunds before your cancellation period, and how you handle cancellations overall. This varies significantly from business to business, so present a table with a breakdown of acceptable timelines of changes and cancellations, along with the amount that will be refunded. Outline exactly what the customer has to do to request a cancellation, refund, or changes to their booking. Do they need to call or email you directly? Send or fax something in writing? Be as clear as possible about what the process is so there are no questions.

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Outline exactly what the customer has to do to request a cancellation-be as clear as possible

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Take a look at this summary of the cancellations and amendments policy by Walks of Italy, a tour operator that provides a variety of tours of Italy. A snippet from their policy: "For cancellations made between 4 and 30 days (in Venice, between 8 and 30) prior to tour commencement: Cancellations subject to a $10.00 USD per person cancellation fee."

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LIMITATION OF LIABILITIES

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This section needs to contain the legal information related to compensation in the event a guest dies or becomes injured or ill before they can take the trip. You will need to clearly state how—or even whether—your company provides compensation, or if you can offer guidance in the event that this situation occurs. The goal of this section is to clearly express what you are and what you are not responsible for in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

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CUSTOMER SPECIAL REQUESTS

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List here any specific policy or guidelines for handling customer requests, such as accommodating travelers with disabilities, food allergies, and other situations that may interfere with the activity. Encourage customers to contact you directly (in writing or via email) at least a week or more before the booking date to make any special requests.

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SAFETY

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Safety clauses for tours and activities operators will vary significantly depending on the type of activity taking place on land, water, or air. But you'll need to include information on what your safety protocol is, what state safety rules and regulations you are in compliance with, and how guests can best protect their personal safety, health, and well-being by being adequately prepared for the tour and experience. Include a disclosure that states that the company is not responsible for any health issues, accidents, and other safety-related issues that occur, so the traveler must assume full responsibility for any injuries or health issues that arise. Again, working with a lawyer to identify specific situations relevant to your tour or activity operation will help to identify who is responsible in the event of an accident.

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BEHAVIOR OR CODE OF CONDUCT

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Highlighting the fact that you expect customers to behave responsibly during the trip, refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages (unless they are served as part of the trip), and to respect other guests and the tour guide throughout the trip, are all important points to list here. Creating a simple and straightforward code of conduct that applies to all guests can help to set a standard and expectations on behavior.Also, outline what steps you'll take if a guest fails to follow the basic behavioral codes of conduct. For example, the tour guide has the right to ask a guest to leave the tour or activity if they are not behaving responsibly. The company may also have the right to cancel all future bookings or reservations by a disruptive customer at their discretion.

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COMPLAINTS

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List the basic steps a customer can take to file a complaint in the event they are unhappy with the tour or need something resolved during the tour. This section can include a customer service phone number and email address, as well as step-by-step directions for filing a formal complaint when the customer goes home.

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DATA PROTECTION

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If you collect data from your customers, such as their email address, IP address, or other information for marketing purposes, make sure to include your data protection and privacy policy somewhere in this document. Entrepreneur Magazine recommends checking to see whether your state laws require full disclosure of the privacy policy, such as the California Online Privacy Protection Act of 2003.

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OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

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Some other topics you may consider adding to your terms and conditions pages are:

• Publicity and image use rights—all photos taken by the company during a tour are the company's property and may be used for marketing purposes without the customer's permission
• Email communications policy—agreement to receive emails from the company about a reservation, company updates, special offers, etc.
• Accuracy of information listed on the website—website material or content can be changed at any time at the company's discretion

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Your Terms and Conditions page needs to be clearly visible on your website and needs to be reviewed by the customer before completing a booking or signing a contract for a reservation. Make sure to include a link to this page during the checkout process so the customer has a chance to review it before they are able to complete the booking. If you are completing the transaction in person, have a physical copy of this document available for the customer to review and sign before they complete the reservation. This way, everything is documented and there are no questions.

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Read about Dylan's Tours and how they became one of the largest operators in San Francisco

The tours and activities industry is a competitive one, as, according to IBISWorld, there are more than 2,400 tour and activity businesses in operation today. The best tour guides in the world know how to develop creative tour itineraries and packages that appeal to their ideal customer.To truly break out from the crowd, you'll need out-of-the box ideas for different tour packages and experiences, and explore different ways tour guides can connect with their groups. Here's a closer look at a few things the best tour guides in the industry have in common, and how you can start implementing them to gain notice.

Fully Engaging Guests in the Experience

Instead of just narrating the same script to the group or having guests wait until the end of the tour to ask questions, the best tour guides engage guests along the way. This could be something as simple as handing out binoculars to share a bird watching experience or by making a pit stop at a local historical site where the owner can talk directly with guests. Spontaneous and "off the script" moments like these prevents your tours from becoming a cookie-cutter experience.For example, True Japan Tours offers immersive experiences to learn about Japanese culture and traditions with guides that provide insider knowledge and tips for making the best of the experience. Their Tokyo Fish Market Morning Walk includes a tour of the fish market to pick out the best tuna and the option of participating in a sushi-making session that same day. The company also offers a Sumo Wrestling Morning Practice Watch where travelers are taken to a sumo stable and must observe all rules for watching the practice in true sumo tradition. The tour guides are there to provide guidance and explain the history of sumo wrestling before the event.

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Think of ways to engage travelers beyond the basic tour itinerary so that they get an insider's experience from the tour guide or locals. Steer away from scripts, allowing guests more chances to ask questions, and for spontaneity to occur.

Teaching a New Skill

Many travelers are more interested in learning a new skill at a certain destination—such as deep-sea fishing, camping, or jungle survival skills—rather than going on a tour where they sit, walk, or ride through it passively. Tour guides that can combine their expertise, knowledge, and background to teach a particular skill can create an entirely new experience for guests. And, it will be one that your competitors won't be able to replicate easily.For example, if you offer a tour of a national forest or park, you could offer teaching the basics of forest survival with a series of bushcraft courses.

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Consider adding activities that you can break down into tutorials or lessons to share with your guests. For example, if you offer hiking tours, offer a beginner's hiking basics course or survival course as an add-on or as part of the experience. If you offer eco-tours, teach guests how to handle the boat or operate an ATV. Package the tour with a lesson to add extra value to the tour.

Add activities that you can break down into tutorials or lessons

Offering Built-In Interactive Experiences

Find unique ways for guests to participate and engage in the tour experience. Interactive activities, such as building something, participating in a group game, or watching a live demo during the tour are a few options. Fremen Tours offers multi-day tours through the Bolivian rainforest and the jungle tours include a night hike, time for making crafts and jewelry out of supplies sourced from the jungle, and a rainforest "fruit tasting" event. These are all interactive experiences that are unique to the jungle and rainforest, allowing guests a chance to enjoy a truly unique experience.Whole Journeys is an experiential travel company developed by Whole Foods Market. The company creates travel packages to locations where certain foods are sourced so travelers can learn about the local culture and food, participate in face-to-face interactions with local producers and artisans, and even learn some new cooking skills or tips along the way. These are highly-interactive and, again, immersive experiences that make them incredibly appealing to the avid traveler.

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Create tours and itineraries around a specific activity unique to the area or site you're visiting. Make sure to highlight these interactive experiences as the main focus of the tour and use that across all marketing materials.

Providing Multi-View Experiences

Consider expanding your tour offerings to give guests a chance to enjoy a traditional experience, such as a zip-line tour, guided hike, or other outdoor adventure tours from a fresh perspective. For example, Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours not only delivers a breathtaking canopy tour experience through the rainforest, but gives guests a chance to see the rainforest from several different angles by flying and landing over six different platforms over the course of the tour.The goal of having this type of tour circuit is to give guests a chance to see the rainforest from multiple perspectives—not just a traditional canopy tour experience that takes you from point A to point B. Guests enjoy an interpretative talk on each platform and experts control the speed and flight from each platform to ensure an optimal experience.

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Create tour experiences with a unique take on the standard tour. For example, paddle boarding experiences can be coupled with yoga paddle boarding for athletes. Kayaking tours might be coupled with a nature hike of the destination you are kayaking around so that guests can enjoy the experience on both land and water.As a tour and activities operator, you want every experience with your tour company to be a positive and memorable one. Being creative with your itineraries and adding unique experiences to your lineup each season can make that possible. Consider these different ways to enhance your guest experience and attract more business each season.