Feeling overwhelmed by the myriad of tour booking and reservation software options out there? You’re not alone. Many tour and activity operators struggle to find the right product that will save them time and improve their customer service.
The secret to making the right choice? Know what you need from a booking software for tour operators. And you've come to the right place!
In this blog, we're breaking down the top 10 must-have tour operator software features you need to save time, simplify online booking management, and elevate customer service. So read on to discover why these best tour operator software features will make your life easier and help your business grow.
10 Key Tour Booking Software Features that You Can't Afford to Miss
1. Seamless offline to online inventory management
Managing bookings can be a pain, more so when dealing with both online bookings and in-person sales.
A seamless offline bookings to online inventory booking management feature helps you stay on top of all your bookings. So you avoid overbookings and missed reservations.
With live inventory across multiple sales channels, you can be sure that every booking is accounted for. It'll give you peace of mind and prevent scheduling conflicts.
2. Fast and lightweight booking widget that sells 24/7
A booking widget is a must-have for every travel booking website. With it, customers can make reservations directly from your site.
When your booking widget is fast and lightweight, bookings and checkouts are faster.
A 2024 study shows that a fast-loading website can make a positive difference in conversion rates. How? Because customers convert faster when websites load faster.
Additionally, a fast-loading widget benefits your site's SEO, making your website more visible to Google.
3. Supports bookings in multiple currencies and languages
Do you want your tours to reach an international audience? If so, you need a booking website that supports multiple currencies and languages. This way, you can attract and serve guests from around the world.
TicketingHub for instance does this via Weglot integration. This integration enables any website to become multilingual. In addition, we connect tour operators to hundreds of payment gateway providers. So you can cater to a wide audience globally.
Providing customers with a variety of payment and communication options makes it easier to book and convert. It boosts your sales and lets you reach new markets.
4. Let guests manage bookings on their own without having to call you
Self-booking management is a convenient way to streamline customer service. With this feature, your guests can change their bookings independently, without calling you.
This self-service online booking management solution saves time for both you and your guests, improving overall efficiency and customer satisfaction.
5. Validate emails and avoid invalid bookings
Receiving bookings with invalid email addresses is a hassle. TicketingHub’s ‘email validator’ feature ensures customers enter only valid email addresses during the booking process.
This tool, integrated with your booking widget, helps you avoid invalid bookings. So you only receive accurate and reliable customer data.
6. Automated message broadcasts to send trip reminders and notifications
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Sending tour updates and reminders manually can be time-consuming and error-prone. With an automated message broadcast tool, you can send trip reminders and notifications with a single click.
This feature saves you time and makes the most of your customer interactions. It ensures that all guests receive timely information without the risk of human error.
7. Easy and seamless third-party integrations
There is more to running a tour business than simply having a booking program. Seamless third-party integrations are crucial for connecting with various payment gateways like Stripe, SumUp, PayPal, and Spreedly, as well as sales channels like TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide, Viator, and Airbnb Experiences.
Additionally, some booking software providers integrate with hardware like turnstiles, POS machines, and printers.
Keep in mind that these integrations may come with fees, so check with your software provider during a demo or trial.
8. Automated abandoned cart campaigns that follow up on incomplete bookings
Potential customers sometimes leave their booking carts incomplete. TicketingHub’s abandoned cart drip campaign helps recover lost bookings by automatically sending follow-up emails to remind guests to complete their online reservations.
This feature increases the chances of converting potential bookings into confirmed ones, ensuring you don’t miss out on sales.
9. Customer review funnel tool that automates feedback requests after tours
Customer reviews and online presence of travel companies are vital to brand reputation. TicketingHub’s customer review funnel tool automates feedback requests after each tour.
This tool directs customers to your preferred review sites, such as TripAdvisor or Google Reviews, and filters feedback. Positive reviews (4 stars and up) are displayed publicly, while negative reviews (3 stars and below) are sent privately to your inbox.
This helps you manage your online reputation effectively and address customer issues privately.
10. Low and profitable booking fees
Your software provider should offer a cost-effective solution that doesn’t hinder your earnings. Payment tiers vary, with some providers charging flat monthly rates, while others offer package deals or per-booking fees.
For example, TicketingHub charges only 3% per booking, with no monthly costs. This flexible pricing model allows you to pay as you earn. This makes it easier for your tour business to profit while enjoying the necessary functionalities for efficient daily operations.
By leveraging these key tour booking software features, you can streamline online booking management, delight your customers, and grow sales.
More Tour Booking Software Features Your Tour Needs
In addition to the features listed above, there are a lot more booking management system features that can further enhance your tour booking software.
Here are some more features to consider.
Dynamic pricing and discounts
Dynamic pricing allows you to adjust your prices based on demand, seasonality, and other factors. This feature helps you maximize revenue by offering competitive rates during peak times and discounts during off-peak periods. Integrating discount codes and promotions can also attract more customers and boost sales.
Customizable booking forms
A customizable booking form enables you to tailor the information you collect from your guests. You can add specific fields relevant to your tours, such as dietary preferences, special requirements, or equipment rentals. This ensures you gather all the necessary information to provide a seamless and personalized experience for your customers.
Comprehensive reporting and analytics
Access to detailed reports and analytics is crucial for understanding business performance. Look for booking software that offers comprehensive reporting tools, including sales reports, booking trends, and customer insights. These analytics help you make informed decisions, optimize your operations, and identify growth opportunities.
Mobile-friendly interface
With more people using mobile devices to book, having a mobile-friendly interface is essential. Ensure your booking software is optimized for smartphone use, providing a smooth and intuitive experience for customers booking on smartphones and tablets.
Inventory management for equipment rentals
If your tours involve equipment rentals, such as bicycles, kayaks, or diving gear, inventory management is vital. This tool helps you keep track of your equipment, manage availability, and ensure everything is in working order for your guests.
Secure payment processing
Security is a top priority when handling online transactions. Choose booking software that offers secure payment processing with encryption and fraud protection. For instance, TicketingHub secures each online transaction with SSL. This feature instills confidence in our operators' customers, ensuring their payment information is safe.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
A built-in CRM system helps you manage customer interactions and relationships. It allows you to store customer details, track communication history, and segment your audience for targeted marketing campaigns. A robust CRM system enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty by providing personalized service.
Gift cards and vouchers
Offering gift cards and vouchers can attract new customers and encourage repeat business. Your booking software should support the sale and redemption of gift cards. This will make it easy for customers to give the gift of an experience to their friends and family.
Do you know that the magic link feature we just talked about supports converting tickets to vouchers? This way, you reduce the chances of cancelling booked tours. And give your customers more options to book with you, like gifting a ticket to a friend or family.
Waitlist management
Waitlist management is valuable for fully booked tours. It allows you to create a waitlist for interested customers and automatically notify them if a spot becomes available. This ensures you don’t miss out on potential bookings and can fill cancellations efficiently.
Multi-day and multi-location bookings
For tour operators offering multi-day tours or experiences across different locations, managing multi-day and multi-location bookings is crucial. This feature helps you coordinate complex itineraries, manage reservations, and provide a seamless booking experience for your guests.
With these additional features, you can streamline your online booking management further, improve customer satisfaction, and grow your tour business. These tools, combined with the essential features we discussed earlier, will equip you with a comprehensive and powerful booking software solution.
Ready to explore how these features can benefit your travel business? Book a demo with TicketingHub today and see how we can help you achieve your tour business goals.
Conclusion
In summary, choosing the right online booking management system can make things easier for you and your customers.
One of the best online booking system features to look for are time-saving tools like:
- A magic link
- Reduce customer call time.
- Guests can change their bookings themselves.
- 100% time saver for both you and your guests.
- Multi-lingual and multi-currency booking widget
- Attract international guests with more options.
- Offer convenient payment options to website bookers.
- Boost your sales by making it easier for guests to book your tours.
- Customer review funnel tool
- Automate requests for customer feedback after every tour.
- Filter reviews to manage what goes public and what stays private.
- Enhance your online presence effortlessly.
Yes, these booking software features and more are available at TicketingHub. We designed our software to make managing bookings, delighting customers, and increasing earnings in tour industry as easy as possible. Ready to transform your tour business? Book a demo with TicketingHub today!
Section FAQ
Do I need online booking software for my tours and activities?
Reservation software for tour operators can help you to streamline your operations and elevate the customer experience. It can automate booking processes and manage tour slots, so you avoid overbooking.
The right tour booking software can also sync with your reservation system, empowering you with automated booking confirmations and secure online payments.
With it, customers stay informed and satisfied, leading to more bookings. Being cloud-based, it allows staff members to manage bookings from anywhere with an internet connection, adding flexibility.
What key features should I look for in a leading tour operator software?
- Fast, lightweight booking widget: Enhances booking speed.
- Multi-currency and multi-language support: Attracts international customers.
- Automated booking confirmations: Streamlines the booking process.
- Integration with online travel agencies: Expands reach and booking options.
- Handles multi-day tour packages: Provides flexibility.
- Email validation and dynamic pricing: Ensures accurate information and competitive pricing.
- Secure online payments: Protects customer transactions.
- Comprehensive platform: Improves marketing efforts and operations.
How can a tour and activity business use customer data to improve their services?
- Refine tour packages: Use booking patterns to see which tours are most popular and adjust your offerings.
- Improve marketing strategies: Analyze customer behavior to target your marketing efforts more effectively.
- Highlight areas for improvement: Create custom reports to identify and fix weak points in your service.
- Enhance booking management: Integrate data with Google Calendar so staff can easily track bookings and avoid conflicts.
- Boost customer experience: Use feedback to make tours better and address issues quickly, enhancing the overall customer journey.
- Gain a competitive edge: A data-driven approach helps optimize operations and improve service quality, giving your business an advantage.
