While group bookings can open the door to more customers and revenue, many operators worry they can sometimes be difficult to deal with.

There’s often a lot to juggle in terms of payments, expectations, start times, and more. 

Whether you’ve received some group bookings or are considering opening this option up, here are our top tips to ensure your group bookings will be loved by those larger crowds — and ultimately put you on the map for this style of experience.

Attract Tour Groups

If your goal is to attract more group bookings, it’s important to make it clear to potential customers that you offer those experiences. We recommend setting up a page on your site dedicated to group bookings.

Make sure to include the following on that page:

• An overview of the group experience with general expectations, any add-on options (more on those later) and need-to-know details
• Sections for different group experiences if you offer them (e.g. corporate, schools, team building, etc.)
• Photos of groups participating in your activities

Pro Tip: Social media is a powerful tool you should leverage to promote your group bookings. Consider offering group discounts and promoting them on social media. Don’t forget to share any special customizable options or add-ons that cater to groups.

Keep Your Group Activities Running Smoothly

One of the best ways to keep big groups happy is to take care of all the logistics behind the scenes so that when your group arrives, everything is already taken care of. We’ll show you how to leverage some FareHarbor features and third party tools to keep groups happy and coming back.

• Team up with one of FareHarbor’s waiver partners to have guests sign your waiver ahead of time online. Trying to direct a large group through signing waivers in person is slow and cumbersome. This will speed up the process immensely. 
• Send automated emails through FareHarbor. With group bookings, the person organizing the group can often feel like they are herding cats — which can lead to more unnecessary phone calls to you. Instead, try using FareHarbor’s canned messaging features to send automatic reminder emails, texts and follow-up emails.
• Reduce wait times and start your activities on time with the tips in this guide. (Scanning QR codes, using custom calendars, and timed entries are a few ways to set your groups up for success).

Offer Add-Ons and Extras

Corporate outings and other large groups will be looking for the best deal within their price point that also takes into account important add-ons like transportation and food. These elements can be the difference between your business and a competitor’s scoring the booking.

Check out these ideas for optional add-ons:

• Include free transportation for bookings of a certain size.
• Offer food add-ons and/or upgrades; like a cocktail package.
• Consider offering packages for large groups that include transportation, food and souvenirs like t-shirts, photos, or water bottles.

Provide Additional Support During the Experience

To really make group experiences run smoothly, you need to be ready to provide support and assistance at a moment’s notice. This might mean adding an extra guide or two to assist with the experience.

Not all operations can afford the extra cost of having enough staff to do this, so here are some tips to ensure you’re working smarter, not harder.

• Split up large groups across multiple parts of the experience. For example, half a group participates in go-karting while the other half is axe throwing.
• If large, corporate events are common or becoming regular at your business, consider hiring an events coordinator to plan and handle them. This is especially helpful if you allow groups to customize a private experience.

Group bookings help fill capacity, especially during your shoulder season or slow season. They also give you more customers who will spread the word about how great your business is — whether through traditional word of mouth or online reviews. Follow the steps above to tap into this market.