According to the Mastercard Economics Institute, the Asia-Pacific region is more popular than ever in 2024, with half of the top ten global travel destinations located in Asia. Consumers globally continue to prioritize experiences over material goods. This is playing out in the travel sector as spending on experiences and nightlife totals 12% of tourism sales – the highest point in at least 5 years.

As a tour operator, planning unique and engaging activities, mastering marketing strategies, and being familiar with digital tools are becoming increasingly important. Based on our observations of the travel experience industry, we have summarized 6 key strategies to make it easier for travelers worldwide to book your experiences.

1. Create Engaging Content to Attract Potential Guests

When travelers plan their trips, they think about convenience and value. Your booking website should provide all the details. This includes descriptions, meeting points, prices, and maps. This helps customers see how your tours stand out.

It’s also important to highlight the experience with great photos and videos. Use high-quality images from professional photographers or get permission from travelers. Attractive photos grab attention and encourage bookings. Avoid putting text on the images so they work better for a global audience.

A cooking class operator shared with us that using photos of participants making dishes by hand as the main images on their booking page, rather than just displaying pictures of the food, significantly increased web traffic and orders.

2. Optimize Your Website for Smooth Booking Experiences

When travelers enter your website, make sure they can quickly start the booking process. A real-time booking website with multilingual support will have an absolute advantage, as it can take orders anytime and attract travelers from around the world.

Data from travel research institute Arival shows that 40% of travelers use mobile devices to book their experiences. This is especially true for tickets to attractions, where mobile bookings make up more than half of all online bookings (including websites and apps). This means travelers prefer using smartphones to buy tickets. Therefore, ensuring your website functions smoothly on mobile devices is crucial, as mobile-friendly sites rank higher in search engine results.

Make the booking process as simple as possible, asking only for essential information. Include a clear calendar that shows available dates and times. This helps customers quickly choose the best time and book right away.

3. Add Booking Links to All High-Traffic Channels

To increase global travelers' bookings, you must leverage various sources that can catch consumers' attention. Add booking page links to your social media profiles, posts, and stories on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter). You can also set up booking links on messaging apps like LINE, WhatsApp, and WeChat. This makes it easy for users to inquire and book anytime.

Additionally, collaborate with partner businesses, such as displaying QR codes with booking links in hotel lobbies, B&B common areas, car rental companies, and even cafes or mobile power rental points, allowing travelers to scan and learn about your travel experiences easily. These methods enable consumers to book using their phones anytime, increasing the chances of being booked.

4. Leverage OTA Platforms to Increase Brand Awareness

In Asia, well-known online travel agency (OTA) platforms like KKday, Klook, and Agoda are popular, along with many others. Listing your travel experiences on these platforms can boost brand awareness and increase traffic to your website. According to Expedia, 89% of travelers visit brand websites, like airlines, hotels, or tour operators, after visiting an OTA. Even if they don’t book on the OTA, about 80% of travelers first visit these platforms for travel ideas or planning.

With rezio booking management system, you can connect and list your tours on various OTA platforms through a single backend. For example, list your experiences on KKday to attract Asian travelers, and use Viator or GetYourGuide to reach American and European travelers. This strategy can directly bring traffic to your listings and effectively attract young and international travelers. Even small and medium-sized tour operators can easily create a global sales network this way.

5. Offer Promotional Discount Codes to Drive Bookings

To encourage travelers to book quickly, offer promotional discount codes. Clearly display prices and explain how to use discount codes on your website. Examples include "20% off for bookings within 24 hours," "Free meal upgrade for the first 30 bookings," or "100-dollar discount for returning customers." These offers create urgency and prompt quick action.

Share your discount codes on social media, partner websites, and messaging apps to reach a wider audience. You can also collaborate with influencers or other businesses to create special discount codes with their names or brands. This approach helps attract more travelers from various groups.

6. Encourage Travelers to Leave Reviews to Build Trust and Loyalty

According to the Harvard Business Review, 95% of travelers read reviews before booking. So, where do consumers read these reviews? Undoubtedly, the most popular place is Google, with 81% of people using it. However, for local reviews, people also pay attention to "unstructured" reviews on social media. This includes comments in local news, Instagram stories, YouTube videos, and more. With new platforms like Threads and X (formerly Twitter) and the rise of AI, reviews on these sites are becoming increasingly important.

To boost bookings, invite travelers to leave reviews. After their experience, send a thank-you email or text with activity photos and a link to write a review. Offer small gifts or discount codes as rewards. This not only helps attract more potential customers but also builds your brand’s credibility.

A quick way to get more online reviews is to register your business on Google. This will show your travel brand in Google search results and Google Maps, increasing your visibility and bookings. For more details on setting up a Google business profile, check out our previous blog post: "Mastering Google Tools: Trend Insights, Exposure, and Market Domination!".

Conclusion

In 2024, the Asia-Pacific region is full of travel opportunities. Our strategies—clear itineraries, easy bookings, using traffic sources, OTAs, discount codes, and reviews—can greatly boost bookings.

rezio is the perfect partner for tour operators. It offers a full booking system with multiple payment options and support for 7 languages. With rezio, you can quickly set up a booking page, track orders, analyze revenue, and list on major OTAs for more global visibility. Don’t have a booking system yet? Contact rezio for a free trial and grow your global reach!