Few things are more rewarding to a business owner than opening your computer and seeing a great 5-star review for your tour or activity business. To keep the praise coming, focus on creating an amazing guest experience that goes beyond the day of the tour. 

From clear communication before the tour or activity to the photos and thank you’s you share with guests when their experience is over, impressing your guests is all about going above and beyond to achieve the wow factor.

We encourage you to shift your thinking away from the immediate dollars and cents and invest in your brand with our tips to blow your guests away with phenomenal experiences that are sure to turn them into repeat bookers. 

1. Make guests feel comfortable and welcome ahead of their tour.

The tour experience begins well before guests arrive at your location. From your very first communication with future guests, you have the opportunity to shape their entire experience and earn their gratitude and trust. 

Email guests ahead of time to provide clear directions on how to reach you via various methods of transportation and parts of town. Remember that many of your guests may be from out of town and aren’t familiar with your area. 

For city tours or experiences that meet in public or more crowded places, offer guests an easy way to locate their tour guide. Incude specific details in your email like:

“Our group will meet under the white and blue striped veranda on Oak St. Your tour guide will be wearing an orange t-shirt with the Adventure Tours logo on it.”

Another thoughtful detail that goes a long way is to remind guests what they need to bring with them on tour and what you will provide for them, like a light jacket, or water bottles.

2. Create a local connection.

Does your location have some slang or colloquialism that all the locals use? Let guests in on the fun by sharing the local lingo and helping create a connection to your community. Remind them of what they learned when you send a personalized follow-up/thank you email (more on this in a moment).

3. Offer insider tips.

One of the major reasons to take a tour in a new destination is to get the local perspective on the area. Your guests are looking for the inside scoop, so to speak, so be sure to treat them to some tips and advice they won’t get by exploring on their own.

Offer insider tips on where to eat, shop, drink, or just hang out in public places like free parks and gardens. Anything off the beaten path or less “touristy” will resonate well with many visitors. Be authentic with your recommendations – bonus points for recommending kid- and dog-friendly spots!

4. Go above and beyond on the day of the tour.

There’s a lot of planning involved with traveling, and unfortunately, that means people don’t always remember to pack exactly what they need. Go above and beyond to make their tour experience incredible — and show that you truly care — by providing simple ammenities like water, or consier offering a selection of essentials like snacks, hats, and sunglasses for purchase at your location. Consider providing free area maps or coupons and discounts to other local businesses.

For group tours, help everyone get to know each other (and the tour guide!) by doing a few icebreakers and introducing themselves. Remember that a lot of tour guests travel solo and might be joining a group tour to meet like-minded people.

5. Accommodate furry friends.

These days, everyone’s searching for pet-friendly spots, from restaurant patios to hotels. If your experience can accommodate four-legged travel companions, make it clear on your website and booking confirmation email that you allow well-behaved dogs on your tours.

Pet-owner guests will likely see this as a huge perk of booking with your business, especially if they’re driving to your destination. (And who doesn’t love a well-mannered pup?).

6. Get personal in your thank you email.

The guest experience doesn’t end when the tour or activity is over…after all, there’s always the potential that your tour guests become repeat bookers! Follow up after the tour with a personalized thank you note or message. 

Mention something specific about the day or something the group discussed. For private tours where the guests spent a lot of one-on-one time with a particular tour guide, ask the guide what he or she remembers from the day and if there’s anything specific you could mention in the email to give it that personal touch. 

Take things to the next level by using personalized content to drive engagement.

7. Share photos after the tour.

Did your guide snap photos of guests during the tour? Be sure to share them in the follow up email! This might inspire the guest to post a photo with a glowing review, or share it to social media, giving you more material for user-generated content.

Following these tips and putting your guests first will help you stand out from the competition and curate a well-rounded experience that starts as soon as the guest clicks through your website. Keep growing your customer base with these additional business management tips.