Ask Tourism Tim Warren Travel Business | Tourism Marketing | Career Questions
Got Questions on How to Start, Grow or Sell Your Travel Business?
Ask ” Tourism Tim ”
Tourism Tim off-road racing in Baja, Mexico with client Maverick Business Adventures
Please let me know your #1 travel and hospitality business question on marketing, e-marketing, sales, management, strategic planning, public relations, career and more. Plus if there’s another topic you want covered, or don’t like something I’ve said or done, I want to know that too.
I will personally do my best to offer you answers to your questions, guidance, tools, and no BS advice. I will also tap into my extensive relationships with global travel professionals to get their input and advice to help you too.
Here is an important travel and hospitality marketing question for you.
Is your (or will your future) travel website provide you regular qualified leads and sales? If you are not getting enough leads or sales from your tour website, you will not be in business long.
Travel Marketing Fact:
98% of all travel and holiday research is now done online.
A travel website that provides regular qualified leads and helps generate sales – MUST be one of your #1 tourism marketing investments. It lacks many of the proven elements that convert travel shoppers into buyers.
How to Increase Your Online Travel Website Success – Free Checklist
I recommend you take 5 minutes and check out this free 25-point Travel Website Success checklist and self assessment. It will help you see for yourself what’s missing from your site. Plus I will provide you some free online website marketing tips.
What are your #1 travel and hospitality business or marketing question on business, marketing, e-marketing, sales, management, strategic planning, public relations, career and more.
Put Your Travel and Hospitality Business or Marketing Question Using Comment Link Below
How do I get a refund on your ebook? Your website guaranteed a refund if I wasn’t 100% satisfied and I’m really not.
which s’ the best marketing techinique of getting upmarket clients?
Hey Marian. love to help you with your refund if you want, but more importantly, I want to help you succeed.
What is your core travel marketing issue or need that was not met from my ebook “Tourism marketing Success?”
I called and left you a message on Monday Feb. 8th so I can help you.
Sometimes I think the title of this e-book is too broad and maybe you have bigger expectations on this e-book than I can cover in a $49 guide. It is designed to help travel professionals with what I think is one of the top challenges and opportunities for travel professionals today: Sales conversions, especially on your website. All the traffic in the world does not mean diddley Squat if it does not yield solid inquiries, sales and arrivals.
Thanks Lawrence for your question on best marketing technique of getting upmarket clients?
I’d love to see your website and what you are offering upscale clients. And here’s a few proven strategies to get not only upmarket clients, but more clients in general.
1: Let your clients do your selling for you online 24/7 with audio and video testimonials. Word of mouth always will be the best form of advertising. I use and recommend ( free 30day trial offer at this link)
If you use video in your testimonial and the guest looks and sounds upscale and is sitting in an incredible setting, then upmarket prospects will resonate with it.
I also recommend getting your clientele to use upmarket review sites and magazines like Travel and Leisure, Conde Naste, etc. to give you positive reviews.
I have one associate who gave every guest a free subscription to Travel and Leisure magazine, then asked the guests to vote for his tour operation as a top operator. They won and now have a flood of upscale clientele…
2:Provide EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE and exceptional experiences that astonish your guest with more than they expected. See recommendation #1. Get them to give you a testimonial and refer a friend.
Dear Tim
Thanks for the information you’ve sending to me. I’m a hospitality student writing a theses on marketing tourism. My focus is on my small country Swaziland . How would you advise me on this one, since Swaziland is a neighbour to big countries with larger resources(South Africa and Mozambique).
Hi,
Have been following your teaching/couching on the internet for 2 years now and it has really helped. Just wondering, having got some good ranking like when you type adventures on google(when here in kenya) we come on top yet little biz is coming. Maybe our site has a problem or what do i need to do?
Advice
Dear Mr Warren,
I love reading your articles very much.
you once said “if you can’t have the best web do not have one” that is why i do not have.
Getting the best web designer/host has been a challege to me in Nairobi.
I need your personal intevention on the issue
regards
sam ngugi
Dear Sir/Mada,
I am asking for your help to market Ukerewe Island in Lake victoria Tanzania.I am doing my best to market the place for tourism but, still I get very few Tourists to visit the place.
I am looking forward to hear from you
Thank you very much,
Keep in touch,
Yohana
Dear Yohana;
I understand. It can be tough getting people to learn about your destination.
Good news. Lake Victoria in Tanzania is known about. now we just got the get more people using your tour services. I highly recommend you start publishing free articles online. It’s easy and it is free.
I have a free 3 part tourism marketing secrets course, including a whole section on how to write and distribute travel articles you can get sign up for at: http://www.adventurebizsuccess.com
Keep me posted of your success.
Dear Tim,
I have decided to found Smart African Travel after being retrenched from my previous work, due to the global finacial crisis of the last two years.I am still not getting clients and I was wondering if you can offer me any advise on what to do.I a came across your name in 2007 when I was seaching something related to travel on google.
I am based in Arusha Tanzania, East Africa.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Alpha
I understand your frustration Alpha on not getting clients from your Smart Africa Travel website.
It’s not your fault. I bet your expertise is in running tours, being a guide or working with local operators to provide your guiding and support services. Am I correct?
Running a tour company and marketing and selling travel is an entirely different skill set.
In order to sell your tours ( and this applies to all travel and hospitality professionals around the world), YOU MUST THINK LIKE YOUR PROSPECTS. WHAT QUESTIONS, CONCERNS AND NEEDS DO THEY HAVE WHEN CONSIDERING A TOUR OPERATOR CHOICE?
Although your safari website looks nice, it lacks what I call the “Big 3” of marketing travel.
Your prospective clients need to know 3 things about your company when they visit your travel website ( or look at any of your travel marketing brochures, ads, tradeshow booths, etc.), and they need to know it in less then 20 seconds, or they are gone forever.
1: SOMEONE WENT BEFORE THEM. (Meaning you are an experienced operator and didn’t start operating last week). Your website doesn’t show me anything immediately that you and your team have much expertise in Tanzania safaris.
2: THEY HAD A GOOD TIME. ( meaning you run fun quality experiences that will provide a lifetime of fond memories.)
3: NOBODY DIED. ( Meaning your clients safety and security is your #1 priority)
Do not underestimate they critical importance of convincing your prospects immediately that you are a good choice and worthy of staying longer on your website, e-mailing or calling you.
If you have website log reports, I bet the vast majority of your website visitors, spend less then 1 minute on your site.
For a specific article on: How to Create a Travel Website That SELLS., go to http://www.adventurebizsuccess.com/business_articles_tourism_websites.php
I also recommend you check out my step by step guide, Tourism Marketing Success, specifically designed to help you turn your travel shoppers into travel buyers:
http://www.adventurebizsuccess.com/tourismmarketingbook.php
Your travel website also needs Search engine marketing to get better ranking and traffic in Google. I recommend for starts if you can get the domain with the following words in it: Tanzania-Safari-Travel.com
Since you are a specialist in Tanzania travel and safaris, and not competing in Africa travel in general, being more specialized in your web marketing and offering will help you on your journey to get higher ranking.
I am going to start doing some travel video website reviews and recommendation for customers of my guide, Tourism Marketing Success. If this is something you are interested in, drop me an e-mail.
To your success, “Tourism Tim”
Hay, thanks for the information given, may I please request you to help me formulate a Business plan for a Tour and Travel company based in Uganda, that will grow with time.
I definitely wish to have it run on ground and on net as well as prosper to an encouraging level.
thanks
Hi Tim,
First off thank you for your podcast. I am new to this industry and it has been a real help to me. I have gotten a lot of good ideas and it has certainly helped me to realize new channels that i can pursue. I have just started my new job as Marketing Manager of a Segway tourism company in Boston. The business is booming but there is tremendous room for growth.
One of the resources I really want to tap are the concierges in the area. Little things have been done in the past (like dropping of dunkin donuts cards etc) but honestly i think the efforts have been more insulting that anything else. I really want to develop a relationship with the concierges so it doesnt feel like a take take take relationship…if that makes sense.
So, do you have any ideas how i can introduce myself to them and start a good working relationship with them? I was thinking about just stopping in and introducing myself and who i work with and then stopping back in a few times a week to get a feel for their likes and dislikes and then maybe bring them a delicious snack etc every once in a while.
Please let me know your thoughts when you have a sec. Thanks very much for your time.
Joe
PS: i heard on a podcast that you are into cycling and were looking to spend some money on a new ride. In my previous job I worked for Independent Fabrication (ifbikes.com) who makes beautiful custom frames for enthusiastic cyclist. let me know if you have any questions that i could help with.
Thanks Joe for the accolades on my podcast. I really appreciate it.
Congrats on your cool Segway biz. I like your marketing angle and I do have some thoughts below.
Be sure to check out my new online tourism marketing training videos I have started at YouTube:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/adventuretim
Same focus on helping you succeed, but shorter and with hands on, step by step guidance.
PLease check it out, make some some comments and “Like” the videos. I’d really appreciate it.
Here’s some quick comments and I tore cartilage in my shoulder and at the moment, I am on some strong pain meds so bare with me…
How to Market Local Regional Day Trip Adventures
1: Tap are the concierges in the area. Donuts are OK, but a demo ride would rock. In the travel industry it is called a FAM ( familiarization trip). I would do a few with your the concierges first you are getting to know. Find out when they get off, and have one waiting there for a fun sample trip with you as guide. Back at the hotel, by them a drink, connect and leave them some NICE discount passes for his friends and family so he /she can look like a star.
Aslo find out if the regional concierges / or hotels have a regional associate or get together? If they do, once you have connected with a dozen or so, see about providing a Boston Glider trial at one of their event, Maybe a fun contest with prizes?
DO you pay referral commissions to concierges or any other reginal tourism stakeholder? Can be a nice incentive too.
A strong network of reginal tourism stakeholder could be a non stop flow of referred guests and profits.
Let me know how that goes.
Keep on listening, watching and look for announcments in my newsletter. I am going to be doing alot more fun and profitable tourism marketing webinars starting this year.
To your success, TOurism TIm
PS Don’t forget about ” Trip Advisor”. Set up a free account and actively encourage your clients to make postive comments – assuming your customer service ROCKS!
Hi Tim,
My Name is Dilshan from Sri Lanka. I have recently started a tour operating company which we organise many tours in Sri Lanka. I have gone through your site and I find it site very useful to learn about travel market.
My question is now how do I find gusts/travels who wants to visit to Sri Lanka for holidays I know there are so many wants to come to Sri Lanka and I really find hard to reach them. I have gone through you trip advisor video as well , but unfortunately it doesn’t allow tour operators to advertise or list the business there.
Therefore it would be very much grateful if you can advise me on how to find travels for my business and is there is any site like Trip advisor whether I can promote my business.
Thanking you advance
Dilshan
Congratulations Dilshan on your new tour company!
Thank you so much for the compliments on my site. Glad you have found it useful.
I have 2 initial recommendations for you to start and grow your tourism business.
#1: Targeting prospects interested in Sri Lanka travel is the easy part of tourism marketing. ( more later on this)
You can have all the website traffic in the world, but if your website does not communicate what you specialize in, where you go and why they should consider traveling with you — And you have about 10 seconds to do this– these web visitors are gone. Usually forever…
Your website must sell. Here’s an article on how to make your website sell. And here’s my step by step course designed to help all your travel marketing convert more travel shoppers into travel BUYERS
Granted I am a bit biased on my course. 🙂 If you like my free travel business advice, you will love my course.
Listen to what many other travel professionals have to say about my tourism marketing course.
#2: Driving Targeted Prospects:
Nothing is better than Google Pay per Click advertising – WHEN YOU DO IT CORRECT. Warning. Most do not know how to advertise travel using Google Adwords. Here’s a free tele-seminar I did with Google Adwords Guru Perry Marshall.
Perry also has a free 5-day mini course on Google Adwords I highly recommend.
Don’t spend a dime on advertising your Sri Lanka tours until you help your travel website sell and you learn how to do pay per click advertising right.
Keep me posted on your success, Tourism Tim
PS Thanks for Sharing, Tweeting and “Liking” my weekly video postings 🙂
I followed your tip about Trip Advisor and have successfully registered my business on it, so a bit THANK YOU to you! I have received my first review. However, in one of your recent weekly emails on Tourism Marketing TV that you send out, you had more information on how to get the best out of Trip Advisor. When I click on the links in the email, they don´t see to work any more and I´m not having much luck finding out the information on the website. Please could you send me a link to that particular email/training session. Thank you!
Great job Lucy;
Now work on getting your client to positively and regularly make their comments about your Go Granada tours!
Getting our best clients recommending us, “Liking” on Facebook, giving reviews on Yelp, and providing audio and video testimonials you can post on your site – all will help you convert more prospects into sales and $$$.
Check out the Tourism Marketing TV episode I did using audio and videos. It’s easy, fun and you’ll sell more tourism guaranteed!
https://www.travelbusinesssuccess.com/how-to-sell-more-travel-with-testimonials-tourism-marketing-tv/
The simple online system I use is
Keep me posted on your success. Thanks for sharing my site and videos, “Liking” them in Facebook and tweeting it too. 🙂
TOURISM TIM SAVED MY BACON!! I asked my previous clients to put reviews on Trip Advisor and they were really happy to do that for me. Suddenly, I started getting calls and emails enquiring about more tours and I know this is a direct result of being on Trip Advisor!!! IT WORKS!!! The graph on my Google Analytics has suddenly shot up. I can´t tell you how grateful I am! I´m now working on getting the link on my website. It really is as you say – great publicity that with my non existent budget, I just couldn´t have bought! Thank you, thank you!
Thanks for making my day Lucy!
Few things brings me greater pleasure than providing solid tourism marketing advice, then seeing travel professionals like you Lucy, take action and get profitable results!
Good on you. And when you add the Tripadvisor badge in a high visible, near the upper part of your webpage, you will convert even more shoppers into buyers. I prefer the badge that shows a rating or two.
Keep on asking happy clients for positive reviews, get more high rankings and soon you will be a top rated tour operator in Granada!
Actively pursuing positive reviews and ratings in tripadvisor, AND Yelp.com and Google Places is what I call ” Tourism Marketing 2.0 Plus©” This process will increase your prospect inquiries, sales conversion, your search engine ranking and your profits big time!
Keep up the good work Lucy and thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, sharing my site with other travel professionals and “Liking” and commenting in Facebook.
See I practice ” Tourism Marketing 2.0 Plus©” too 🙂
Hi Tim,
I have been working hard to make sure I have many inquiries but I failed for many year, I have good Website, quality services to our clients but we have very few inquiries, Please can you advice us what we can do?
I will appreciate to have your advice
Regards,
Mataro Mwita Kisiri,
Thanks Mataro Mwita Kisiri for questions on on how to increase your tour business business, especially online.
I am sorry your are not getting enough leads or sales from your tour website. After visiting your website, I can see why. It lacks many of the
proven elements that convert travel shoppers into buyers.
I recommend you take 5 minutes and check out this free 25-point Travel Website Success checklist and self assessment. It will help you see for yourself what’s missing from your site. Plus I will provide you some free online website marketing tips on the same page
Let me know if this is helpful
To your Success, Tourism Tim Warren
PS Thanks for joining our Google+ global online community of tourism professionals for inspiration, guidance and connections.
Hello MR /TIM;
Hope you are fine. We really appreciate your advices about our visit to the world travel market 2011
We are not exhibitors. We will attend as visitor and our goal for the visit is to get some buyer for Egypt.
We have updated our website last week and we add new language Japanese. We are talking about safety in Egypt in the social network as facebook and twitter, linkedin and other
Hi TIm,
I am Ashwin from Mauritius. I will be joining the marketing department of a group selling visits to traditional colonial places in Mauritius. do you have any articles or advice that you think will be beneficial to me.
Regards,
Ashwin
Dear Ashwin;
Congratulation on your tourism marketing position! Promoting tourism – especially your own beautiful country – is a very rewarding for visitors and you career.
Although there are MANY free articles, video and audio interviews that will help, I recommend you start with this free 3-part Tourism Website Marketing Training. Be sure to watch them soon because they will inside of a private membership community for global tourism business professionals soon.
https://www.travelbusinesssuccess.com/how-to-succeed-in-travel-website-marketing-video-training-mp4-with-tourism-tim-warren/
Since over 94% of ALL travel is researched online, you better make your Mauritius tours website your #1 marketing investment.
Please let me know what you think about these trainings. Also thanks for Sharing, Liking and making comments on these videos and trainings.
To your success, Tourism Tim
HI Tourism Tim
First of all, thank you for all the great Tourism Marketing advice you give. We are a small responsible tour operator in Northern Thailand, and we were successfully able to list ourselves on Tripadvisor a couple of years ago and are currently #11 of 95 tours in our region (Chiang Mai).
Whilst we receive excellent feedback from 98% of the clients we take, and at the end of the tour most say that they will be very happy to leave a review, one thing I find is that – after their holidays when they return home, they are busy catching up with normal life again, and as a result forget to leave a review. I think they genuinely get caught up in the ‘daily grind’ (we all know what its like) and its not because they are unhappy with our service or don’t want to leave a review (as the guides get tipped very well at the end, so I think this is a good indicator of a satisfactory experience)
Do you have any advice or tips, on how to politely follow up and remind them to leave a review? I don’t want them to feel like I’m pushing or nagging them, I wonder if there is a polite friendly way to do this?
Thanks in advance, Melissa
Thanks so much Melissa for your kind words. it is my honor to be in service to you and fellow world independent tourism business operators. 🙂
Yes I do have a suggestion. I learned this from fellow course member and tour operator JJ Fourie with Magic Day Adventure in Barcelona. It works great for getting more reviews, more referrals and staying connected with clients.
During his tours, he or staff are sure to grab some fun shots of clients enjoying themselves on his trip. He finds out when they will be back from all the travels and adds the date to his calendar. 1 week after they get back, he reaches out to the guest with a email thank you and sends them some digital photos of themselves on the trip.
He thanks them and lets them know the best way they can thank him is great reviews on the social media sites and referrals. He also provides them direct links to his account at Tripadvisor, Yelp, Facebook and Google Places. That way it’s easier for guests to make a quick review and in more places.
When we have customer service that is excellent and we enhance quality of life for our guests, they want to help you. And it’s good to give courtesy reminders how they can help…
His business went from struggle and near failure to a over %200 growth in 2011 and to # 6 in Tripadvisor of over 220 operators in his region. Plus his referrals are up. Last I heard he was expanding and doing very well!
I also recommend you do scheduled monthly community outreach to all your former clients in one format or another. Email, direct mail, videos, phone and webinars. Anything you can do to stay connected, be in service as a resource and keep your clients thinking of you ( and sharing with friends) when they think of Thailand and your great trips.
Keep me posted, stay in touch and thanks for “liking”sharing and tweeting my info i put out. Everybody wins. 🙂 To your success, Tourism Tim
Hey Tim
What a great resource for all of us small tourism operators. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. We run wilderness adventure trips in Alaska. (www.arcticwild.com)
I’ve already started implementing your suggestions after watching just one video. I’m wondering if you could talk specifically about link building. I understand that it is increasingly important for ranking but also understand that there are some real pitfalls we can fall into.
I really appreciate all your help. Thanks again.
Greetings Michael;
Thank you so much for your kind words. Sorry for the delayed response. Glad my marketing tips videos are helping you. I visited your website and can see my strategies at work 🙂
Which video(s) have you watched that have been most helpful?
Link Building for Tourism Marketing
IT is true, inbound links are more and more important. The best palce to start is to make sure your are listed in every major search engine and directory. I recommend you use a tool called “Alexa.com”. With this you can put in your high ranking top competitors URLS’ and see where they have links from. Then you can submit to the same places.
Do not pay for links. It could penalize you in ranking.
Also making comments on high ranking, travel/tourism specific Blogs like mine, very smart. You get a 1-way link, plus you can put some key words in your name. Then you link has “anchor text” key words. Maybe something like, Michael Alaska Adventures Wald.
Do these tips and vary the anchor text and you will have a good core start. I do of course have some more suggestion on both your website marketing and how to increase your ranking, all found in my course. 🙂
Did you see the recent https://www.travelbusinesssuccess.com/alaska-tour-operator-increases-sales-30-percent-travel-business-success-series-with-tourism-tim-warren/“>Travel Business Success video interview with Jimmie Jack’s Alaskan Fishing Lodge? He increased his sales 30% in 2012. Worth over $100k to him. All from following my advice from the course. Listen to what he says, on just how fast and easy it was for him. Les then a few hours wit the course, another few applying it. He’s so happy he has hired my for private monthly coaching to go to the next level.
Love to help you too via my course or more. keep in touch. Thanks for sharing , Liking, Tweeting and making more comments and questions Michael Artic Adventures Wald. 🙂
To your success, Tourism Tim
Hi,
how do you think we can convience people to vacation in Saudi Arabia, I mean domestic tourism for Saudis?
Hi Tim,
I found your tourism marketing advise really helpful and re.designed my site after watching your tips on YouTube, but I’d love to ask if what will happen to my sub domain site if ill be paying it to have an own domain. I mean the sight ranking is okey on google. Now if ill pay the domain, of course it will change. Will it affect my ranking? Since my current ranking is okey, for a targeted key word I’m number 2 n page 1 of google SERP. Since I still don’t really know what to do I also created another site for me to be safe so that if ill buy the domain nothing will change since its still new. Allow us to post our site and please if you have some time, please also visit our site.
http://inconboholtours.webs.com/ If you’ll use the keyword “Bohol Tour” result is okey
Our new website. Domain to be paid upon completion of it.
Thanks Paul for your tourism marketing advice compliments and question on owning your own tour website domain.
I would lean toward owning your own domain that includes your key word phrase. This gives you more control of your website if Webs.com makes any changes. Plus owning your own top ranked domain is a business asset for your tour company if you ever sell.
Your existing website may have good SERP for “Bohol Tour”. but how many people are actually searching for that phrase? Your current tour website has poor Google and Alexa page rank. So getting your own domain and working on getting your new website indexed and linked will be important.
I did visit your website and I think you need to add your country to your key words because I have no idea where you are?
Plus I think your could enhance your inquiries and sales by adding a “Definining/Credibility” statement throughout your website. My Tourism Marketing Success Online Course
Is Your Tour website “Dead on Arrival”?
I agree your tour website is not “Dead on Arrival”. I see some good elements to improve tour website retention and sales.
– But how many inquiries are you getting from every 100 website visits?
– How long are they staying on your website? What are your Page views or Bounce rate?
You must track this!
Your Tour Website IS DOA if:
– If you are not getting at least 2 – 4 inquiries or sales per 100 visitors
– Have a bounce rate over 50%
– Your prospects are on your site less then 2 minutes on average
Thanks for reading, watching, sharing and “Liking” my tour business marketing advice videos and blog postings Paul.
Keep me posted, Tourism Tim
Dear Tim,
I’m (India) new in the travel business and I want to create my travel website & start up. I worked in Nigeria & at present in Iraq & try to move to Czech Republic or Poland. I love to travel alot with my family.
Kindly suggest me how can I start my travel business & what’re the important things I have in my mind while creating a website for all aspects of tourism business.
If you know somebody who can help me to create my website with latest technology & services. So that I’m able to provide good services to my client.
I hope you’ll understand my concern and help me.
Thanks & Regards,
Puri.
Dear Puri;
Travel is an awesome industry if you do it right. Otherwise your dream will turn into a BIG financial drain and nightmare…
TO learn how to create a travel business that is fun and actually earns you money, read all the emails I send you and watch the videos.
I also recommend you spend time watching some travel business marketing videos and read my blog posts.
Having a travel website that generates quality leads and sales is not about latest technology & services.
It is more about you communicating to potential travelers that you (or the travel provides / lodging your represent that you are experienced, safe, trust worthy and run great trips. And online, you have
about 7 seconds
to communicate this and make a good impression. Otherwise the web visitor is gone, usually forever.
SO it’s not how the site looks or operates – although that is important – establishing trust fast is what starts converting travel shoppers into buyers.
Does this make sense Puri?
For a step by step course to learn how to do this with your website – and all your travel business marketing – check out this tourism marketing success online program.
Be sure to watch the short 1 minute videos from many travel business owners and what they had to say about me and the course. This will be the #1 investment you make in your travel business dream.
To your success, Tourism Tim Warren
Hi Tim
Thank you for the marketing tips. I lost my manufacturing business of 26 years after a sever illness. I always loved traveling, three years ago I started working on a website, constantly updating as I learn. Basically I am competing against giants like Expedia and Price line. What do you think about the website, and any tips or help would be appreciated.
George
Tim:
We are going to launch a safari company here in Arusha, Tanzania by May of this year. We are fortunate that I have tourism and business experience in both Canada and the US and my partner has a lot of credibility with Tanzania tourism having represented Tanzania at over 50 international travel shows the past 50 years. So once we are ready to go we feel we will have a very professional company that will do many things right. But my question is what do you think we should do to hit the ground running in terms of booking business a soon as possible?
Thanks.
Bill
Congratulations Bill on your new safari company.
I am thrilled to read you both have so much collective expertise behind your new operation. The #1 thing that helps convert travel shoppers into travel buyers is to communicate very quickly your “Credibility” and “social proof” in ALL your marketing communication – especially your new website.
I would combine your collective years of experience into a “Credibility Statement©” and use it on every page of your website. It might look like, “Over 95 Years Combined Tanzania Safari Expertise” Read this short important blog post to really understand why this is so important to get shoppers to book with you instead of the 100’s of choices they have
https://www.travelbusinesssuccess.com/word-of-mouth-most-trusted-for-travel-advertising-and-tourism-marketing-says-nielsen/
There are so many things that can increase bookings. But for you both I would leverage ALL you past contacts in tourism as much as you legally can and get them to book with you, give you positive reviews and connect with you in social media, and refer all their friends.
The last but most important thing to take my new FREE “25-Point Tourism Website Success Checklist” self assessment to see if your website will be a big success or doomed to struggle.
Let me know how t hings going.
To your success, Tourism Tim
PS Sorry for the delayed response
Hey Bill;
I am embarrassed. I thought I had answered your question about how to hit the ground running in terms of booking business a soon as possible for your new safari company?
I APOLOGIZE. YOUR QUESTION GOT BURIED IN MY BLOG MAIL.
I do have some suggestion to leverage your impressive collective tourism experience.
For starts, I recommend you take 5 minutes and check out this fre+ 25-point Travel Website Success checklist and self assessment. It will help you see for yourself what’s missing from your site. Plus I will provide you some free online website marketing tips on the same page to help you increase conversions.
Unless you have 5,000 alumni sending your repeat business and referrals daily, your safari website must be your #1 tourism marketing tool. If you want to learn the simple secrets of top selling tour and safari companies to convert more travel shoppers into buyers, you need to check out this Tourism Marketing online program
Be sure to read and watch this short videos from tour professionals just like you and what they have to say about how my program helped them increase leads, sales and profits.
How is your new safari business coming? Please send me the URL.
All the best, Tourism Tim
How
Thanks Robert for the link request. We are are not offering that. But if you want to make a comment or ask a question on any of the many blog posts and videos to help your tour business grow, please do.
If you are not getting enough leads or sales from your tour website, after visiting your website, I can see why. It lacks many of the proven elements that convert travel shoppers into buyers.
I recommend you take 5 minutes and check out this free 25-point Travel Website Success checklist and self assessment. It will help you see for yourself what’s missing from your site. Plus I will provide you some free online website marketing tips.
Let me know if this is helpful.
To your Success, Tourism Tim Warren
Thanks Samuel for the link request. We are are not offering that. But if you want to make a comment or ask a question on any of the many blog posts and videos to help your tour business grow, please do.
If you are not getting enough leads or sales from your tour website, after visiting your website, I can see why. It lacks many of the proven elements that convert travel shoppers into buyers.
I recommend you take 5 minutes and check out this free 25-point Travel Website Success checklist and self assessment. It will help you see for yourself what’s missing from your site. Plus I will provide you some free online website marketing tips.
Let me know if this is helpful.
To your Success, Tourism Tim Warren
Hi Tim,
This is Ritesh from India planning to start online travel business.I saw your Travel Website marketing video and literally it made me stop and think whether am I really ready for business or not and answer was very loud and clear a big NO.
I was indeed already facing some problem regarding website designing and it’s appearance and result of that this part is pending since last two months.There are some doubts and queries in my mind which every time make me stop to go with final website design and it’s appearance.Some are following?
Credibility statement:
1-How can a startup show it’s credibility and what can be a sample statement?
2-Here in India I am planning to take care of both domestic and International trips so not being a specialized tour type or specialized destination planner what can I write as a credibility statement?
Social Proof:Both Direct and Indirect
What can startup can do in this part?We have yet not organized even a single trip although we hail from tourism background did MBA in Travel & Tourism and also worked for Yatra.com a leading travel company in India for 2 years.
Please suggest some Ideal websites deal in both domestic and International tourism.
Another doubt is related to website content and it’s appearance.I went through many websites and find a common way of showcasing their destinations like broadly into two domestic destinations and International destinations and thereafter dozens of sub destination and chain goes on and on till the local destination comes.
Apart from it can we also categories the destination as per customer choice and preference like
First broadly in Domestic and International thereafter by
Destinations according to Activities
Destinations according to Seasons
some thing like that which customer can direct relate on.This concept is also in my mind but not very sure to use it.Please help me out in this.
last and foremost important point which comes under domestic tourism is that I am also planning to go for offbeat destinations which have huge potential but unfortunately neglected for years.How can we give it a special place in our website for our domestic customers?
Please help me out to find the answers of these questions which will let me to finally finalize the design and appearance of my website.
looking forward for your reply
Thanks
Ritesh Bajpai
Thanks Ritesh for your detailed questions. You are wise to stop and thinks carefully about how to start your travel and what do you have to get clear on first.
I can answer a couple now.
Credibility statement & Social Proof:Both Direct and Indirect:
1-How can a startup show it’s credibility and what can be a sample statement?
I would combine your collective years of personal and academic experience into a “Credibility Statement©” and use it on every page of your website. Plus you can leverage the “social proof” of the suppliers and and destinations you will be promoting.
It might look like;
“Over 15 Years Combined India Travel Expertise”
Representing Tripadvisor Top Rated Tours & Lodging”
Read this short important blog post to really understand why this is so important to get shoppers to book with you instead of the 100’s of online travel website choices.
I hope this is helpful. Post a link to your website when you have it live so you can get feedback from me and tourism peers. To your success, Tourism Tim
Dear Tim,
Can you please help me to where i can find customer for adventure tourism and what are the business strategy used.
Regards,
Nikhil Deokar
Hi Tim,
I have been reading all your information , thank you so much, it’s very helpful I am trying to figure out if you are just starting out and I have only booked a couple of trips how do I show iam creditable without having a lot of bookings yet? I can’t have them review yet because the trip has not happened yet. How do you do a service guarantee on your site to put some credible assets on there? Thank you for everything.
Thanks Julie for your kind words. So glad you have been finding value in my information.
You ask an important questions about how to communicate “credibility” when you are just starting out in travel. It true. The #1 thing that helps convert travel shoppers into travel buyers is to communicate very quickly your “Credibility” and “social proof” in ALL your marketing communication – especially your new website.
SO they way you might consider is the following:
– use your ( and any business associates) collective personal experience in your travel niche or location you want to promote.
– This also holds true for the experience and expertise of your travel partners you work with (lodging, transportation, guides, etc)
I would combine your collective years of experience into a “Credibility Statement©” and use it on every page of your website. It might look like if you wanted to promote safaris in Tanzania; “Over 45 Years Combined Tanzania Safari Expertise” Read this short important blog post.
is this helpful? Tell me more about your specific niche and travel you are starting with. Then Ic an be more specific.
Thanks for readings, listening, watching, comments and your social media sharing.
To your success, Tourism Tim
PS Have you checked out my Travel Business Success Podcast? I think you will like it. Thanks for subscribing and your 5-star review 🙂
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/travel-business-success-helping/id152268208?mt=2
Hi Tim,
Thank you so much for your content, I am so glad I found you.
I am currently in the middle of starting off a car rental website and would appreciate your thoughts on it
Thanks
Thanks Tai for visiting and your questions.
Starting a car rental website as a booking agent is easier then a car rental business with cars or RV’s. One of my clients, Lost Campers Campervan rental company does well in their budget camper van rental niche in the western US. THey have several wholesalers with blogs that cater to the backpacker, budget traveler niche who send them traffic and booking regularly. Lost Campers pays about 10% – 15% commission for those bookings.
When you get your site together, please send me a link. Thanks again for readings, watching and listening to my travel business success website.
To your success, Tourism Tim
PS Thanks for using the “Social sharing” buttons to share and “Like” my site. 🙂
Hi Tim-
I stumbled across this website in search for a company that would provide Worker’s Compensation coverage for business in the Tour Operators class. I run a business that produces and supports cycling tours for charity fundraisers. I do this all over the country and use contracted workers from all over the country to help with the work. Based on the contracts with my clients, I need to cover the Workman’s Comp coverage for my workers. I’ve found it very difficult to find anyone that will cover my unique needs. Would you have any referrals?
Hi Tim love your content, im looking forsome tips and advice for my website. I dont get much traffic and and want to increasee it and make my website better. Also im wondering if there is anything more I can do to expand more into travel and travel products, or just any other advice…. please email me if you can, many many thanks.. Ross