Many businesses offer promo codes and discounts to entice their customers to choose specific products or services, and this strategy is perfect for tour and activity operators.

Not only does this give customers an incentive to book with your business, but it is beneficial to your bottom line. 

In this quick guide, we outline effective promo code ideas you can use to generate more bookings for your tour or activity business and the benefits that come from such campaigns. 

Benefits of Using Discounts

The key benefit of offering discounts and promo codes for your business is you increase your number of bookings. Consider this tactic during a slower season or when you need to fill availabilities.

Another benefit to offering promo codes is that you get to reach new and existing customers and keep your brand top-of-mind. Furthermore, this strategy increases your loyal customer base and creates repeat business. 

Offering promo codes to customers promotes your company and makes your services stand out from your competitors.  

Promo Code Ideas to Drive Bookings

You may use promo codes to support your rental, tour, or local attraction business in several ways. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Email Sign-Ups

Welcome new users to your website via a newsletter sign-up block on your homepage or in the footer. For example, you may offer customers a 15% discount on a booking when signing up for your newsletter with the code WELCOME15.

New customers will appreciate the deal, and you can view this as an opportunity to grow your email list—a win-win!

2. Holiday Specials and Deals

During the holiday season, customers are traveling and actively looking for different deals. Some holidays you might want to take advantage of include Christmas, Black Friday, and Valentine’s Day. 

If your business is open around specific holidays, like Halloween, offer a seasonal promo code for new and returning customers, like BOO25, for example. 

If your attraction or event is open during Christmas, another discount option is to offer reduced rates on gift cards to customers. For instance, allow customers to purchase a $50 gift card for only $40. 

Discover additional seasonal strategies in the holiday guides.

3. Buy One, Get One

Research states BOGOs are preferred by 66% of shoppers compared to other promotions (Uniqodo).

This type of deal offers customers a service or add-on for free when they book a tour or activity with your company. 

For example, if you offer hiking tours, you may give customers a free lunch in addition to their hike. Operators who run activities like electric scooter and bike rentals may offer an extra hour of riding at a discounted rate.

4. Early Bird and Limited-Time Discounts

This type of discount code incentivizes customers to book early before the availability decreases for your tour or attraction. You can use it to drive early season bookings or increase your bookings during a lull. 

When you operate a seasonal business and only run your activities during a short period of time, it’s important to start your season strong. By using an early bird discount, you’ll see pre-season sales skyrocket as customers are even more motivated to secure their dates early. 

Similarly, a limited-time offer is the perfect way to fill availabilities if your season is in a bit of a slow period. Promoting a deal for “this week only” or “today only” creates a sense of FOMO and may be the final push potential customers need to make the booking. 

Pro Tip: Consider hiding a super-secret promo code on social media, like in a Facebook post or Instagram story! This will make customers feel like they are getting an exclusive deal they simply cannot pass up!  

Overall, discounts and promo codes have the power to increase your revenue and bookings. From BOGOs to holiday specials, there are many ways to offer unique discounts to your customers. In addition to benefiting your business, your customers have increased motivation to complete a purchase when there is a discount. 

If you need assistance creating campaigns and promo codes for your business, visit the FareHarbor Help Center today!