Paintball operators have some growth challenges to target in the coming years. Due to shifting demographics and declining leisure time, industry revenue is predicted to grow at an annualized rate of 0.5% through 2021—slower than the previous five-year period, according to a market research report by IBISWorld.In order to attract new players and boost attendance, paintball owners should consider doubling down on special attractions that drive attendance and profits, IBISWorld recommends. One thing to consider adding to your arsenal of offerings? A low-impact version of the sport.While "soft" or "low-impact" paintball is a relatively new trend, this version—which offers all the competitive fun of traditional standard impact paintball with less "ouch" factor—is already taking off in Europe. Players use lightweight markers to fire smaller, .50-caliber pellets at a slower speed, resulting in 68%, or about a third of the impact force than traditional .68 caliber pellets.Here are four ways introducing this lightweight version of the original extreme sport can give your business a boost:

1. It Can Attract All Types Of New Customers

The adrenaline rush that comes with proving your mettle against friends and colleagues has always been a core appeal of this niche sport, but the painful pellets can be a real deal-breaker for otherwise interested potential visitors.By removing this intimidating element while keeping all other thrilling aspects of the game intact, you can open paintball to untapped demographics, such younger children and office groups. Think about all the birthday parties, corporate team-building exercises, bachelor/bachelorette parties, or even family reunions this kind of experience could attract.Low-impact paintball can also be tied to increasingly popular themed or scenario paintball games. For example, a low-impact zombie hunt can be a great way to entice kids, teens and young adults away from virtual gaming consoles (one of the paintball industry's big competitors) and into something closer to the real thing.

2. From Newbie to Fanatic: It Could Help Cultivate More Long-Term Players

In addition to attracting different types of players outside the typical demographic (80% male, most between the ages of 10-19), low-impact paintball lets newcomers ease into the sport in a less intimidating environment. By getting their feet wet in an entry-level version, new players can get a feel for the dynamics of the game and hone their skills before trying more challenging iterations of the sport.“If the industry can successfully double down on special attractions that drive attendance and revenue...[paintball] owners can potentially achieve significant growth among its amateur customer base.”— IBISWorld Industry Report, "Paintball Fields in the US"Low-impact paintball can be the bridge that ushers someone from "curious newcomer" to "lifelong fan," and that's important, because paintball participation has been down significantly in recent years While stats for the relatively new low-impact form of the sport are scarce, the future seems to lie in bringing in new types of clientele by expanding play options.

3. It Will Encourage Existing Customers To Bring Their Friends & Family

Just because you're adding a newer, more approachable form of paintball to your list of options doesn’t mean your field will lose its appeal to experienced players. They'll still be able to play standard-impact paintball without interference from novice players. Better yet, your usual customers may even use soft paintball to introduce their friends and family to a sport they cherish. Even parents who used to play, for example, might appreciate the opportunity to teach their kids about the game in an environment that's conducive to practicing and learning.

Adding a newer, more approachable form of paintball doesn't mean your field will lose it's experienced clientele, and the option could encourage them to bring their friends

4. It Could Give Your Business An Edge Over Other Competitors

Because soft-impact paintball is relatively new, adding it to the menu of options could potentially give your arena an advantage over other neighboring businesses that haven’t gotten in on the fun yet. By being the one place in town that offers a low-impact option, your facility can cater to a much broader range of clientele. As low-impact paintball grows in popularity in overseas, it's likely just a matter of time before the trend spreads here. Be one of the first to embrace it!With so many entertainment options vying for consumers’ free time, it's "become increasingly difficult for paintball fields to compete with video game consoles, television and the Internet," IBIS notes in its report. By expanding your offerings, young or novice players can enjoy all the fun of traditional paintball—and your business can help cultivate a host of new enthusiasts who will want to return for more.

Whether you're a relative newcomer to the industry, or were running a paintball business long before Hollywood decided it was the ideal rom-com date scene (see: "This Means War," "Failure To Launch," and "10 Things I Hate About You") understanding how to market this unique sport is key for attracting new players and cultivating return customers.Here are five helpful tips for marketing your paintball business:

1. Reach The Right Audience Through Digital Advertising

Paintball operators generally spend around 2.3% of total expenses on marketing costs, according to a industry research report by IBISWorld on paintball fields in the U.S. And while your marketing budget should depend on several factors (the industry you’re in, the size of your business, and its growth stage), small businesses with revenues less than $5 million should actually allocate 7-8% of their revenues to marketing, the U.S. Small Business Administration recommends.Another reason to bump your advertising budget if you're able? Continued success as a paintball operator hinges largely on your ability to attract and engage a very specific group: Adolescents aged 10 to 19. This demographic—which makes up the dominant age bracket for paintball players—is expected to decline over the next five years, which "will likely threaten overall industry growth," IBISWorld points out.“Industry operators will likely have to spend additional revenue on marketing campaigns that are focused toward this demographic...and any increase in popularity among adolescents may help boost the industry’s revenue going forward.”— 2016 IBISWorld Industry Report, "Paintball Fields in the US"Even if you're unfamiliar with digital advertising, don't get so overwhelmed that you put it off. One easy place to start is by sponsoring your content on Facebook, which allows you to "boost" your posts and deliver them to the feeds of your target audience. Here are several other good options to explore, according to MOZ:

1. Search/display ads: Paid advertising programs such as Google AdWords and Microsoft AdCenter charge your business a fee when a searcher clicks on your advertisement. This is sometimes called "PPC."
2. Email marketing: Few strategies can match email when it comes to building existing customer loyalty. Look into providers like MailChimp and Vertical Response.
3. Local search engine optimization: Promote your services to local customers at exactly the time they're looking for your type of business. This can be one of the most time-effective and cost-effective digital marketing opportunities for local businesses.

2. Promote Different Styles of Play & Scenario Games

According to IBISWorldPaintball, paintball businesses have seen stagnation when it comes to traditional play, but certain subsets of the sport are becoming more profitable. Speedball, for example, makes up 47.6% of the industry’s estimated revenue in 2016. This form of the sport usually takes place in arenas with room for spectators, and lends itself well to tournament play. Tournaments mean spectators, and spectators get hungry! Boom: More concessions-related revenue for youAnother option is low-impact paintball, which can open up your business to all kinds of untapped demographics, including younger children, birthday parties, corporate groups, bachelor/bachelorette parties, or even family reunions. Check out our other article on how low-impact paintball can help grow your business:4 Ways Low-Impact Paintball Can Grow Your Business

3. Be Proactive With Your Company's Online Reputation

Major brands and corporations invest a significant amount of their marketing and operations budgets towards online reputation management. But you don't need the PR budget of AirBnB to stay on top of this. Simply follow best practices for handling negative reviews online, as well as increasing your company's positive online reviews. This can make a world of difference when a customer is deciding whether to play at your paintball facility or the competition's.According to survey results from Dimensional Research, 86 percent of customers report their buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. Become extremely proactive with monitoring online reviews so that you can respond to negative feedback in a timely manner and offer up a solution. If you're receiving positive reviews and testimonials, put them to work! Share these on your on your website, in your marketing materials, and across your social media accounts. Your goal is to make a great impression quickly.

Be extremely proactive with monitoring online reviews and respond to negative feedback in a timely manner

4. Cultivate Lifetime Customers

When it comes to turning one-time players into paintball lifers, a lot of that simply boils down to sheer love of the game (and that's a beautiful thing).But on your end, there's still plenty of ways to encourage repeat business. Here are a few marketing ideas to keep players engaged:

1. Incentivize returning business with a customer rewards program, special discounts, equipment upgrades, etc.
2. Take high-quality pictures of games in action and post these images to your social media accounts. Don't forget to tell players they'll be featured on your social media page. This encourages them to re-share on their own accounts.
3. Dedicate a tab on your website to "all-star" or high-scoring teams.
4. Help out in your local community! Any visibility you gain from giving back will double as advertising for your business. Being socially responsible is a great way to engage customers and build trust.
5. Send surprise merchandise or swag. Got a loyal customer who keeps on coming back? Send them a cool customer appreciation package with your company's t-shirt, stickers, a thank you card, etc.
6. Continue to come up with new themed or "scenario" games, and market the heck out of these on your website and social media accounts.

5. Show Off Your Facilities

You know what they say—a picture is worth a thousand words. Or in this case, thousands of pellets being fired by happy customers! Your website is a means for spotlighting what you offer. And it's not just the playing fields and arenas that are important to showcase: Do you have state-of-the-art rental equipment? How about a special event room that can be rented out for private parties? A lounge area for parents to hang out in while their kids are playing? All of it matters.Make a point to prominently feature high-resolution, high-quality images on your website depicting the playing fields, arenas, props, local teams, past games, equipment, or even video footage of players in action. And how's this for a cherry on top? Search engines like Google and Yahoo also favor original, high-resolution images over stock photography, so you're also helping your site rank better in terms of SEO.Encourage players to post their own photos of the arena on social media as well, preferably with a designated hashtag (#) so you can easily find and re-feature. Take the fun a step further by holding contests and rewarding the best photographers with discounts.

6. Simplify Your Website

When we say "simple," we're not talking "bare bones." Navigating your website should be a streamlined experience, with information about different types of play, add-ons, rental equipment and costs neatly outlined in an intuitive and easy-to-understand way. Your website is the first impression potential customers have of your business—make it a great one, not a frustrating or confusing one. If the booking experience isn't smooth, customers are more likely to look elsewhere before dialing a phone to hammer out details.Good marketing takes some extra time and thought, but the effort can pay off in spades (or in this case, a smattering of paint splats all over your arena). You're already providing an awesome recreational service—now equip your business with an arsenal of marketing ammo to help it grow and thrive.

You've heard the timeless adage: Expensive sunglasses eventually get lost in the ocean, but the memories from an exhilarating kayaking adventure last forever!

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OK...we invented that saying. Two minutes ago.

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But at Peek, we really do believe in experiences over stuff. And when it comes to giving, we'll always champion gifts that get people out there—discovering, learning, exploring, doing.Science even backs us up: When it comes to research on why we should spend our money on experiences, not things, the proof is as prevalent as bad Christmas sweaters during the month of December.

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Not to mention, gift cards can be good business: Gift Card Granny reports that gift cards have been the most requested holiday gift nine years in a row, and 65 percent of gift card holders spend an extra 38 percent beyond the value of the card. Selling e-gift cards online is also important, since 56 percent of consumers like to keep gift cards stored on their phones.

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For tour, activity, and rental businesses, there's no better way to market gift cards than through Facebook. So to help you bulk up these ancillary sales during the holiday season, follow these simple steps to promoting your gift cards through one of social media's major platforms:

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Step 1: Post Creative Photos About Gift Card Sales as a Status Update

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Whether you have a few hundred Facebook fans or a few thousand, make sure all of your fans know that you offer gift cards for tours, activities, and/or rentals. Create ads specifically for Facebook using an easy graphic design tool such as PicMonkey or Photoshop to promote gift cards as the perfect gift for the holiday season.A canvas size of 1,000 x 1,000 pixels is large enough to get noticed, and can be resized for Facebook and other social media sites as needed (for a easy social media image re-sizing tool, check out Landscape). In PicMonkey, select a square canvas to start the project and use the resize tool to resize your image after it has been created. In Photoshop, edit your canvas size when you start a new project.

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To create eye-catching ads, use images of different tours and activities as part of the ad as a teaser, or use a stock photo featuring a gift card to communicate the message. iStockPhoto.com and shutterstock.com are a few sites with high-quality, royalty-free photos and illustrations you can use for creating your own images and ads.Run these posts a few times throughout the week to get the most eyeballs on them. Make sure to include a link to your gift card sales page or contact information within the post so that any interested parties can make a purchase right away. Encourage fans to share the post with friends and family to extend your reach even further.

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With an online booking system like Peek Pro, it's also super easy to sell discounted gift cards. Being able to charge customers a lower amount than the actual value of the gift card is a great way to help incentivize people to purchase them.

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Use images of different tours and activities to create eye-catching ads

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Step 2: Add A Custom Page Tab

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Make it as easy as possible for customers to get through the purchase process. One way to do this is by adding a custom page tab on your Facebook page, which essentially acts as a mini web page, or landing page, that can be fully customized. In this case, you could create a tab that says "Buy gift card." The page could contain more information about the gift cards you offer, along with a link that sends customers directly to the gift card booking page on your website.

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In order to create a custom page tab, you must log into Facebook as a Facebook Developer and configure your custom tab from there. This can be a little confusing if you're trying to figure it out on your own, but it's definitely worth it if you have a friend or team member with Facebook Developer experience.GiftFly, which uses a custom tab to promote its own product (example circled in red), is an example of a third-party service you can use to easily sell gift cards on your business Facebook page.

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Alternatively, you can also use third-party services such as GiftFly to easily install custom tabs and manage gift card sales with a small fee per transaction. GiftFly gives you the option to sell digital and mobile gift cards with custom banners and images, and also promote your gift card under a custom tab setting on your Facebook page. Check out one of their how-to videos here.

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Step 3: Run Targeted Facebook Ad Campaigns

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You can use Facebook Ads specifically for promoting gift cards throughout the holiday season. These ads show up on the right sidebar on the Facebook desktop version when a user is browsing their news feed. You can target these ads to specific users by location, interests, and other factors within Facebook.

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‍You will need to use the Facebook Power Editor tool to manage your ad campaigns. It will also let you create multiple campaigns with different blocks of text and images. Once you've set up an account, you can get started with creating a campaign.

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Select the "Send people to your website" option as the first step for creating your campaign objective. Enter the URL of your gift card landing page on your website, or the checkout page of your website. This lets the customer proceed with the purchase instead of trying to find the "buy" button upon arriving at your site.

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From there, Facebook will walk you through creating all elements of your ad—the accompanying image, text, your target market (who you want seeing your ads), and your daily budget. Make sure to include a "gift card" reference in your headline to drive people to the gift card sales page.

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You'll be able to track in your dashboard the number of clicks from each ad, so it won't take long to figure out which ones are performing well and which ones aren't. You can tweak your ad copy along the way if needed.

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“The best gifts in the world are not in the material objects one can buy from the store, but in the memories we make with the people we love. ”— Amanda Boyarshinov, Author & Educator

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Tour and activity operators that offer digital gift cards may be able to generate more sales—not only from the gift cards, but from the recipient's additional purchases made during the booking process, and after the experience has been redeemed (think about add-ons, souvenirs, etc). Use these tips to promote gift cards on Facebook to stimulate more business throughout the holiday season—and beyond!

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

While the summer can bring lines of customers to the dock, keeping the calendar full during the slow season can be a challenge for boat rental operators. Read on for helpful tips on how to keep your inventory out of the boathouse and on the water, no matter the time of year

1. Make It A Two-fer With A Captain and a First Mate

Offering discounted pricing for pairs can be a great way to get more people renting. They get the benefit of hanging out on the water with a buddy (or two) and you increase revenue by enticing renters with lower rates. With strategic pricing that ensures you’re still making money, it’ll be smooth sailing for both you and your customers.

2. Use Email To Send Exclusive Discounts

According to a Marketing Sherpa study, 72 percent of consumers prefer to receive marketing communications via email. Take a few extra moments to ask customers for their email addresses during the high season and you’ll have everything you need to send special offers to returning guests during slower months.

3. Put A Bow On That Group Package

As TravelPulse.com reports, people want customized packages—and they’re extra effective for attracting large groups. From corporate team-building events to family reunions to birthday celebrations, high-value, low-overhead add-on options like lunch or a quick intro session that lets customers get their feet wet before leaving the dock can make a regular rental into something special.

4. Set Low Season Pricing In Advance

While it’s convenient to price your rentals the same all year long, consistent pricing isn’t likely to lure in customers. If operating expenses are lower because you need less staff, adjust the cost to customers accordingly, knowing that your bottom line won’t suffer.

If operating expenses are lower in a slow season due to less staff required, adjust your prices accordingly

5. Start Socializing

If you’re like a lot of boat rental businesses, you barely have time to post social media updates during the summer. Take advantage of a little downtime by spending some time on your social platforms, getting to know your customers online—and telling them about those low season discounts or deals. Ask them for stories about their fun on the water, and don’t forget to take advantage of good interactions by requesting reviews!

6. Most Importantly: Make Things Easy On Yourself

Whether you’re riding the high season wave or resting during a low season trough, no increase in revenue is worth a decrease in your sanity. Seasonal pricing models, group discounts and promo codes are great ways to make some money, but they can be tricky to track...unless you have a system in place that handles it all.With an online booking system like Peek Pro, you can set up tiered pricing for groups, promotional codes and sophisticated seasonal costs with just a few clicks. Once you’re done, the system tracks promo codes, charges customers the right amount and applies seasonal pricing, all without you having to lift a finger, crack open a spreadsheet or dig around for that tattered post-it.

Whether you're eight or 38, certain activities will always be entertaining. And laser tag—the ultimate hall pass to dart around like a gleeful goofball while zapping your buddies—is definitely one of those experiences.From its niche origins as a real-life action game for sci-fi enthusiasts in the '80s, to its status today as a $288 million dollar industry, proprietors of this blast-of-a-pastime should get acquainted with the new taggers in town: Generation Z, the conscientious, tech-savvy demographic born from 1996 to 2010.With more than 74 million individuals falling into this bracket, Generation Z will comprise 40 percent of the U.S. population by 2020. This group hates talking on the phone. They're wary of disclosing personal information. They've never known life without a mobile device. They might even have to ask Siri, "Who is Billy Dee Williams?" after discovering that Donald Glover is not, in fact, the first actor to play Lando Calrissian in a "Star Wars" movie.At some point, Gen Z kids who grew up playing and loving laser tag will start booking and paying for games on their own. As a laser tag business operator, preparing to engage with this new generation of customers is crucial to keeping your arena forever glowing with infrared-lit fun.Here are five easy ways to engage Generation Z with your laser tag business:

1. Be Thoroughly Detailed On The Web

The first step is as easy as slipping into your vest. Make every detail about your business accessible anytime, anywhere—on your website, that is. Here’s why: Generation Z has never known a world without Internet access. If they're dying to know the nearest place to get a cheesesteak at 11 a.m., they'll Yelp it. If they need to know who sings that old “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” song, they'll Shazam it. And when they want to find a place to play laser tag, Google is the first—and quite possibly the only—place they’ll look.

2. Be Mobile-Friendly

On average, the kids of Generation Z use five screens a day: a smartphone, TV, laptop, desktop and iPad. They send and receive more than 67 texts a day according to a Pew Research Center study, and you can bet they'll be snapping photos while playing in your laser tag arena. If Generation Z is spending most of their time browsing from a mobile screen, a website that’s not mobile-friendly won’t cut it.Make sure your website is responsive—a.k.a., it “responds to” or resizes itself depending on the type of device it is being viewed on—so customers can easily access all of your information on-the-go. Request this if someone is designing your website for you, or choose a responsive template such as Wordpress, Squarespace, Webflow or Weebly if you're building the website yourself.

Make sure your website is responsive so customers can easily access all you your information on-the-go

3. Encourage Social Media Interaction

According to a Pew Research study, half of teens use social media for research purposes—not just sharing funny cat videos with friends, or applying 23 different SnapChat filters to their selfie before deciding on the flower crown. Again.If your laser tag business isn't on social media, you're likely to miss out big time on Generation Z customers. Start by creating a fun hashtag, then offer an incentive for customers who share your posts on their own accounts and tag you in it (either with your hashtag, or by tagging your company's social media handle). Encourage this by offering to take team photos before and after each laser tag game, and let your guests know the photo with the most "likes" wins a discount or complimentary game.You can also choose a winner at random: For example, let customers know that anyone who posts and tags their photo is eligible to win, and that a winner will be chosen at random every week, month, etc. Generation Z likes to see real-life customers in action, and running a laser tag facility means there's no shortage of photo ops.Code Red Laser Tag does a fabulous job posting high-quality images from different group games on their Facebook page. Staying active on your social pages will attract more followers and encourage fans to share your posts.Don't limit your company's social presence to one network, though. Generation Z prefers more personal platforms like Instagram, Whisper, Secret and Snapchat, rather than widely broadcasting their information over Facebook or Twitter. Try making a Snapchat account and adding cool snippets of battle scenes to your Snapchat Story. Or post a photo or video from each of your games on Instagram. It could help you gain followers, and entice players to return when they're reminded of how much fun it is.

4. Have A Secure Payment Process

Having a safe, secure payment process is important to Generation Z. Growing up in the midst of the Great Recession and regular fraud scams, these customers don't trust much. Asking them to email credit card numbers or fill out online forms that aren't accredited processors won't fly. Find a safe, secure way to accept payments so your customers aren't discouraged from booking.

5. Use An Online Booking Software

Almost half of Generation Z spends more than three hours a day on the computer for non-school-related purposes. These individuals are true digital natives—and will go through great lengths to avoid talking to you on the phone. Don’t lose customers just because they don’t want to dial your number. Use an online booking system that lets customers book a laser tag game anytime, anywhere—whether during a midnight Taco Bell run in an Uber, or while standing in line at Philz Coffee during a break between classes. Online booking software shouldn't limit the way you can accept payments, either. Find one that works for both phone and mobile reservations..Here are a few more ways laser tag businesses can benefit from an online booking system such as Peek Pro:

• Manually accept bookings with large groups: Allow customers to request a large booking and approve it manually. Bookings can be automatically approved or approved manually by you.
• Add-ons: Customize the checkout flow so customers can easily purchase add-ons when booking (party packages, a better gun, meals, etc.) with their reservation.
• Automated emails: Improve customer expectations, satisfaction and retention with customized emails containing essential details.
• Set prices: Easily set prices for various group sizes or individuals.
• Make it easy for private parties to book: Save certain time slots on the calendar specifically for private parties.
• Ask for a review: Customize automated emails sent to customers after the game. Make it easy for guests to provide feedback by embedding links to Yelp or Trip Advisor directly in the email.
• Sell and manage gift cards: Increase revenue during the holidays and throughout the year.
• Easily manage and redeem vouchers: Allow customers to redeem vouchers (like Groupon or Living Social) through the checkout flow. This saves staff’s time while providing an improved checkout process for first-time and returning customers.

While Generation Z might not have as many original "Star Wars" fans, vesting up and playing laser tag is something all demographics can enjoy. These five tips will help your business stay engaged with the biggest consumer base of the future.

Establishing a successful food tour is like preparing Thanksgiving dinner: There’s thousands of ways to put your own unique twist on every dish, but skip the fundamental ingredients, and things might not come together the way you envisioned. Whether launching a new business or looking for more ways to improve the customer experience, sink your teeth into these eight best practices for running a successful epicurean excursion.

1. Work With The Visitor's Bureau And/Or Local Community Organizations

Partnering with a local community organization can help accelerate growth, build beneficial connections, inspire new offerings and amplify visibility for your business.Walks of New York is one example of a company directly benefitting from its membership with NYC & Company—the official destination marketing organization for New York’s five boroughs. Stephen Oddo, Walks of New York co-founder, says his business is promoted through NYC & Company’s online and offline publications that reach millions annually, along with the organization’s website, visitor guides, maps and materials distributed directly to travel and meeting planners.Getting promoted in NYC & Company's many online and print publications is just one way Walks of New York benefits from its membership with the marketing organization.Over on the West Coast, no one could agree more than President Donald Contursi of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours in Las Vegas. To say Contursi understands the value of partnerships would be an understatement: He's on the Board of Directors for the Las Vegas Hospitality Association; a corporate sponsor for the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association; and an affiliate member of the National Concierge Association.“Las Vegas has a lot of really amazing restaurants and most people don’t realize they can experience four or five of those restaurants all in one night,” he explains. “It’s about getting the word out there, and there’s a lot of different organizations that will help you do so. I try to get involved with all of them.”Jumpstart your own success story: Research membership requirements with local groups such as the visitor’s bureau, economic development corporation, chamber of commerce, cultural society or downtown business association. Start by visiting your city’s website to get a feel for what types of resources are available to local business owners.

2. Mind Your Marketing

Dining is as much a visual experience as it is savory: You wouldn’t put a beautiful batch of mocha cupcakes with espresso buttercream frosting in a dark cupboard where no one will be tempted to buy them. Tractor beam potential customers like kids to a bakery case by allocating a portion of your operating budget for Internet marketing.Along with online sales distribution channels, Walk of New York focuses most of its marketing efforts on Social Media Marketing (SMM), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and YouTube. Offline, their primary focus is on word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM), attending conventions for hospitality professionals and travel agents. Working with a digital marketing firm to design a strategy that includes the aforementioned solutions will help create a digital footprint that boosts your search rank and bottom line.Being proactive with outreach and attending industry events is also key. In addition to inviting hotel concierges, members of the media and event planners on complimentary tours, Contursi stays connected with organizations that promote the city, such as the Las Vegas Convention & Visitor’s Authority.

3. Create An Authentic Experience

A generic corndog isn’t going to whet the appetite of a gourmand, and neither will a culinary tour that feels cookie-cutter. Designing an authentic experience will delight foodies seeking something truly unique, and also generate word-of-mouth marketing as satisfied customers happily recommend you to their foodie friends.When Walks of New York was designing its Authentic Italian Greenwich Village Food Tour & Tastings, the company set its sights on securing a partnership with celebrity chef Mario Batali because they liked his philosophies and felt he was well-connected to the community. The tour features two of Batali’s restaurants in Greenwich Village, a district rooted in Italian-American history and a staple of New York's food industry. Teaming up with a local chef connected to the city, its culture and its food was important, Oddo tells us.For Contursi, it’s a matter of balance. People want to try something different and learn new things, but that doesn’t mean the experience needs to be too out-of-the-box.“We don’t want to have a food challenge or be too extreme, but we don’t want to provide pizza that anyone could have found on their own, either,” he explains. “It needs to be well-rounded."It’s also important to “elevate” the experience at each venue by treating guests to something special and exclusive—whether it’s a VIP dining experience or a private audience with the chef.“We want to have something that’s unique and provide an experience the guests wouldn’t be able to put together on their own, so that means elevating the experience at each venue they visit,” Contursi says.

4. From Parties Of Two, To Groups Of 20—Be Consistent

“Even if it’s only two people you have booked for the tour, don’t cancel. Show those two people an amazing time, and they’ll go and tell 10 more people about it.”— Donald Contursi, President of Lip Smacking Food ToursDelivering a stellar experience that exceeds expectations should be the benchmark for every single tour, no matter the number of guests. Business doesn’t get off the ground in large groups, Contursi reminds. Starting small and “delivering the product the same way it should be each and every time” is how you grow.

Even if it’s only two people you have booked for the tour, don’t cancel. Show those two people an amazing time, and they’ll go and tell 10 more people about it.

5. What To Look For In A Guide

When exploring a new area, no statement is more compelling to out-of-towners than “this is where the locals go.” At Walks of New York, local guides are handpicked for their expertise and passion, guaranteeing guests an insider's view of the Big Apple.Leverage the power of firsthand knowledge by hiring guides with (1) strong ties to the neighborhoods and cultures featured on different tours, (2) a palpable enthusiasm for celebrating the city and it's culinary scene, and (3) a talent for articulating the story, context and history behind every dish.Having a background in the food and beverage industry is just one component for Contursi. The ideal guide can provide guests with a healthy helping of local insight on other tours, activities, an additional restaurants to try while visiting the area.

6. Hit The Sweet Spot For Duration: 2.5-3 Hours

The typical duration for most food tours is 2.5-3 hours long. This leaves enough time for customers to enjoy two to four experiences, whether walking to multiple venues or experiencing a series of pairings and tastings.“We don’t want it to be too short where they feel like they’re longing for more, but not stretched out for too long where they’re exhausted,” Contursi notes.

7. Pay Attention To Customer Reviews

We can’t stress it enough: Paying attention to online reviews is worth your time. It shows you're an engaged business. It's an opportunity to build one-on-one relationships with guests. It presents ideas for how to improve or adapt based on popular demand. And perhaps most importantly, it helps customers feel like they've been heard and understood.Read more:10 Ways to Increase Positive ReviewsNegative Travel Reviews: Why They Aren't Necessarily Bad

8. Use An Online Booking System

Having an online booking system like Peek Pro can significantly streamline the reservation process and save you from being glued to the phone all day. Some benefits for food tour operators include...* Customize questions for the checkout flow: Improve and personalize the overall experience by having your customers answer a few questions during the booking process. Ask about meal preferences, allergies, favorite flavors, etc.During checkout, Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. asks guests about allergies or dietary restrictions, along with their favorite flavor of chocolate bar. Guests are then treated to a complimentary bar in their favorite flavor at the end of the tour.* Automate emails: Build and customize emails to contain essential tour details, such as when and where to meet, how to get there, what to wear, etc. This helps make expectations clear and increase overall customer satisfaction and retention.* Ask for a review: Customize automated review emails sent after the tour. Make it easy for customers to provide feedback by embedding links to Yelp or Trip Advisor directly in the email.* Sell and manage gift cards: Increase revenue during the holidays and throughout the year.* Easily manage and redeem vouchers: Allow customers to redeem vouchers (like Groupon or Living Social) through the checkout flow. This saves staff’s time while providing an improved checkout process for first-time and returning customers.* Save time & maximize revenue with group discounting: Easily create and manage group discounting.* Share manifest reports: Help your tour guides stay prepared with rosters containing all the important booking details and key information (add-ons, preferences, contact info, etc.) to tailor the customer experience. Tour guides can access these rosters anytime, anywhere from their mobile phones.Whether you specialize in rustic food and farm tours that educate guests on sustainable agriculture and artisan food production, or operate hundreds of eclectic culinary events and experiences across the country, these basic ingredients can help your tour rise to the top of the food chain. Bon Appétit!