Today's travelers crave more than just selfies in front of landmarks. They crave authentic experiences that become the heart of their vacation memories.
Are you a tour operator or experience creator looking to keep up with this shift? You're not alone. Recently, we organized a webinar in collaboration with Bókun to equip you with the insights and strategies you need to thrive in this market. Here are the key takeaways.
Bókun is a leading booking and channel management solution for tours, activity and experience operators across the globe. With a distribution network of thousands of resellers and world-wide OTAs, Bókun aims to connect the industry and help operators grow their business.
The webinar was co-hosted by Anna Cashman, B2B brand and insights lead for GetYourGuide, based in Berlin, and Charlotte Ganon, Digital content executive at Bókun, based in London.
The changing world of experiences
Our 2024 Travel Experiences Trend Tracker research has shown some big changes in how travelers behave and what they like. Experiences have become a major factor in people's decision to travel, often influencing their destination choices.
The variety and availability of experiences can make a big difference in attracting travelers to similar destinations. Events, like festivals, sports, and concerts, have proven to be especially powerful in driving visits and revenue for operators, with a quarter of all trips being motivated by major events.
Another big trend is the shift towards researching and booking travel online, especially on mobile devices and apps.
More and more travelers are using digital platforms to find, plan, and book their travel experiences. This means it's super important to have a strong online presence and use online marketplaces like GetYourGuide to reach more people.
By making sure your experiences are easy to find on popular apps and platforms, you can grab travelers' attention while they're researching and increase your chances of getting bookings.
Understanding how travelers make decisions
To effectively reach and engage travelers, it’s also crucial to understand what influences their decision-making process. Practical considerations, experiences, recommendations, and media all shape where people choose to go.
When deciding on a destination, travelers consider things like budget, time, and how easy it is to get there. Recommendations from family and friends also greatly impact decisions, highlighting the importance of positive reviews and word-of-mouth marketing.
Being visible early in planning is key, as travelers often make decisions well before their trips. Our research shows that planning starts much earlier than when people book activities, flights, or accommodations. Travelers begin researching and making mental lists of options long before finalizing other travel arrangements.
Operators can benefit from targeting high-value travelers who prioritize experiences, spend more, and book online. These travelers are more likely to participate in a wide range of activities and are valuable for driving growth in the travel experiences market.
You can attract more bookings and boost your revenue by tailoring your offerings and marketing efforts to appeal to this valuable segment.
Using tech and connectivity like Bókun
Maximizing your online exposure and being present on major apps is crucial for capturing demand. Using reservation systems like Bókun can help manage availability across platforms, ensuring a consistent and up-to-date experience for travelers.
For example, Bókun offers a range of features to help operators take their business online, manage bookings seamlessly, and grow their distribution partners. With direct online bookings, distribution and channel management, time-saving admin tools, and customer engagement features, Bókun helps operators streamline their operations and reach more travelers.
Moreover, Bókun’s direct online booking feature allows operators to create their bookable websites for free or add bookable widgets to their existing sites. Say goodbye to old-school pen-and-paper bookings and embrace fast, instantly-confirmable online bookings.
Take Wake Up Reykjavik, an operator using Bókun. After adding Bókun’s booking widget to their site, they saw a whopping 400% increase in bookings, showing the vast potential of adopting online booking capabilities.
Distribution and channel management are key to growing your business. Travelers can find and book experiences through various channels, including direct online, in-destination, through affiliates, via social media, and through platforms like GetYourGuide. Increasing your exposure on these channels is essential for attracting more bookings.
Mobile optimization is another critical aspect of leveraging technology. A seamless online booking experience, especially on mobile devices, can significantly improve conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Bókun’s mobile-friendly booking system and integration with GetYourGuide’s platform ensure that operators can provide their customers with a smooth and convenient booking experience.
Adapting to changing booking patterns and preferences
Booking windows are getting longer, so it's essential for operators to capture early demand. By ensuring your availability and pricing are up to date well in advance, you can cater to travelers who plan their trips early and want to secure their experiences.
At the same time, last-minute bookings are becoming more common, so you need to be flexible with pricing and availability. Having last-minute spots available and adjustable pricing can help you capture spontaneous travelers and make the most of demand, especially for booked experiences closer to the travel date.
Enabling mobile ticketing is a must to meet the growing demand for mobile booking. Providing a smooth experience from browsing to booking to being at the destination can greatly improve the traveler’s journey. With Bókun, you can efficiently manage your inventory and availability across multiple channels, ensuring they capture this demand.
Engaging with customers
Engaging and following up with your customers is a great way to build brand loyalty and improve repeat bookings or word-of-mouth recommendations. One way you can enable this is by keeping your customers informed and engaged by setting up automatic email notifications for various stages of the booking process and after the experience. Bókun PRO can help you here.
Providing travelers with reminder emails and need-to-know information can reduce customer cancellations and no-shows.
Additionally, reaching out to customers post-tour and asking for feedback can help boost your reviews, build trust in your business, and attract more bookings.
Takeaways
Making the most of the experiences market requires adaptability, innovation, and a customer-centric approach. Understanding the changing world of travel, how travelers make decisions, and evolving booking patterns can set you up for success.
Plus, using technology and connectivity, targeting high-value travelers, and providing seamless mobile experiences are just a few strategies that can help operators stay ahead of the curve. GetYourGuide and Bókun’s partnership offers a powerful solution for experience providers looking to maximize their online exposure, streamline their operations, and deliver unforgettable travel experiences to their customers.
Try out Bókun for free
GetYourGuide supply partners can enjoy a free 14-day trial today to explore how Bókun can help you save time and grow their bookings.
Get started.
Connect with travelers looking for exactly the kind of experience you offer by signing up today.
