TP hosts Mitch Bach, Peter Syme and Chris Torres have just returned from their California Road Show, in partnership with GetYourGuide.

We spent a week hosting business development workshops in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, meeting dozens of operators in all sorts of verticals. Thanks to everyone who showed up, and to GetYourGuide who shared regional data on travel trends and customer behavior insights relevant to the local market. The Tourpreneur team paired that data with live business audits.

The results were surprising.

In this episode, we look at 6 easy fixes to your tour business that we repeatedly saw in the operators we audited, as well as the top 6 sales channels—according to the operators attending—that are working right now. We dig into the why of it all, and Peter does his best Grumpy Grinch impression.

All the resources and events we mentioned are available at tourpreneur.com

This episode is going to inspire and surprise you. Rodrigo Atuesta is the CEO of Impulse Travel. From humble beginnings as a guide and Couch Surfer, Rodrigo and his partners have built a DMC in Colombia that has now served over 30,000 travelers. But the way he's built it has been extraordinary, challenging assumptions about how DMCs should work, and understanding the responsibility and power that a travel company has to transform destinations.

In this far-reaching conversation, Tourpreneur's Mitch Bach talks a variety of topics with Rodrigo:

• What he learned about hospitality and “meaningful interactions” from his days of Couch Surfing
• how he participates in and hosts FAM trips with agents to promote his business and country
• how to challenge and change global stereotypes about Colombia
• his approach to the “co-creation” process as a DMC working with tour operators
• the surprising lessons learned from his experience with Booking.com’s Booking Booster accelerator program
• what true leadership … soft skills, good leadership is the capacity to reinvent yourself. Learning to be vulnerable in leadership perspectives.
• the importance of thinking intentionally about company culture as you build your company, not after.
• his discovery of how developing tourism in a community, and fostering local leadership brought change and impact to a community… watching the murder rate drop.
• how you can build a company as a response to a need within a community, rather than imposing your vision on a place.
• His team's HEART design process for product development: (Human Encounters & Connection, Economic Opportunity, Authenticity, Regenerative Narratives, Top Notch)
• his thinking around how to tell the story of Colombia and develop tourism in a way that improves communities and changes narratives
• how Impulse takes travelers' assumptions about what they want to do (see Pablo Escobar sights) and changes those intentions into something positive
• how his DMC builds bridges with other tour operators through partnerships, creating an association, and supporting each other to grow the whole pie.
• Impulse's surprising “total transparency” model, in which they disclose everything down to the penny to the client!

My favorite quote from the episode:

"A true leader is anyone who is aware of their impact on other people, and acts on this awareness.”

For more information, visit tourpreneur.com.

And don't forget great upcoming TP events!

• the Tourpreneur California Road Show starting December 8, 2024 thanks to our partnership with GetYourGuide
• TourpreneurCONNECT:NYC sales & operations conference in February
• Tourpreneur Shindigs — global small group meetups in dozens of countries around the world

Visit our global events calendar here.

In this episode of Tourpreneur, we dive into the intricacies of sustainable travel with Xavier Font, a seasoned expert in travel and sustainability. With over two decades of experience and a professorship at the University of Surrey, Xavier brings a wealth of knowledge to our discussion.

We explore the necessity of rethinking travel for environmental reasons and the potential for combining work and travel for greater efficiency and satisfaction. Xavier emphasizes designing meaningful travel experiences that foster personal interactions, rather than purely focusing on technical sustainability measures. We also tackle the growth of sustainable consumer interest, the implications of certifications like B Corp, and the practical steps small to medium-sized operators can take to integrate sustainability.

Join us as we unpack the opportunities and challenges facing the travel industry and discover how tour operators can lead the charge towards a more sustainable future.

Today, we're tackling a crucial topic for those looking to expand their business into new territories: B2B marketing strategies for tour operators.

If you're aiming to attract corporate clients or promote team-building experiences, this episode is a must-listen. Chris Torres provides some quick tips on how to build a strong brand, utilise SEO, leverage targeted ads, and make the most of platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to grow your business in the corporate marketplace.

Whether you're new to this or looking to refine your approach, these tips will help position you as a trusted expert in the industry and pave the way for higher revenue and profit margins. So, let's get started!

In this quick episode, Tourpreneur partners Peter Syme and Chris Torres dive into the latest buzz around Airbnb's third attempt to amplify their experiences offering.

Despite previous failures, Airbnb is pushing hard again, proclaiming that experiences represent a massive market opportunity. But can they succeed this time? Peter and Chris weigh in on the challenges Airbnb faces, from curating high-quality experiences to ensuring sustainable pricing for operators.

They discuss the potential pitfalls of relying on non-professional hosts and the importance of integrating API connectivity for seamless bookings. Will Airbnb's powerful brand and vast resources finally turn the tide? Tune in as our hosts dissect the prospects of Airbnb becoming a major player in the experiences sector and share insights on what needs to change for this ambitious venture to thrive.

For more, visit tourpreneur.com

Mitch Bach interviews three tour guides and operators who have become extremely popular on TikTok:

• Megan Marod (@themegandaily)
• David Harry (@the_london_spy)
• John O'Sullivan (@oneminutetours)

These guides have all harnessed the power of TikTok in different ways that suits their personality, goals, and markets. But they have one thing in common: they say the key to success is showing up authentically.

In this episode they tell their story and share their tips and strategies on a variety of topics:

• What videos of theirs had viral success
• How to build authenticity and develop your own unique style
• Batch creation and other tips to streamline the creation process
• How to engage with your audience (and handle negative comments)
• Their experience with the Creator Fund and its monetization potential
• Whether and how to develop brand partnerships
• Collaborating with content creators
• Should you show up as a brand or an individual?
• How they measure success on the platform

If you're interested in working with content creators, Tourpreneur has a new short course from an experienced creator on how to pitch and negotiate with creators, and criteria to look for when deciding who to partner with. Available to anyone with a Professional Membership.

Show notes & more on tourpreneur.com!

The Tourpreneur podcast is back! After a summer hiatus while operators were busy operating... we're returning to our weekly schedule of conversations and insights for the tours & activities industry.

To kick off the fall season, TP partners Mitch Bach, Peter Syme and Chris Torres chat through everything that's been happening in the industry over the past month:

• What we hear about an industry 'slowdown' or 'softening' for tour operators, and whether it should change your business and marketing strategies
• AI: is it overhyped? Is the bubble bursting? Pete and Mitch debate humans vs. AI: what's the future hold? Will it be as revolutionary as the internet, or another overhyped flawed and failed technology like the Metaverse?
• the Google anti-trust ruling: how does a potential disruption in search affect operators?
• What Mitch learned about market positioning and B2B partnerships at the SYTA student youth travel conference in NYC
• The EU's new cookie law and its privacy implications for operators
• connecting with short term rental owners and other B2B strategies
• Peter speaking at WeTravel's travel tech innovation summit next week

September 10-12, join our friends at WeTravel for a free ticket to their three-day virtual Travel Innovation Summit where you'll hear from Tourpreneur.

Don't hesitate to get your ticket to our in-person multi-day tour operator conference Tourpreneur CONNECT in Marrakesh, Morocco Nov 18-21!

And as always, you'll find show notes and more on tourpreneur.com

Excuse the length of this episode, but I jealously didn’t want to stop interviewing this week’s guest, Kyle Campbell, who runs her small-group multi-day tour company, Sudden Journeys. For some of you listening, this might be the episode you need to hear to relase yourself from the burden of thinking you have to keep producing more content to sell your tours.

At first glance, this episode’s title might put you off: what do the seemingly “soft” words like vulnerability and empathy have to do with the hard realities and hustle of growing a tour business? Kyle shows you the answer is: everything! Her multi-day small group tour company has been built (and has doubled in size this past year) based on a strategy of thinking deeply about how to connect meaningfully with her guests, and how to express herself and her business authentically and vulnerably. She’s not posting often on social media, but when she does, it’s personal, thoughtful, and she’s built a small but fervent community of people who connect deeply with her message, and book her tours. Her commitment to being open and honest resonates deeply with her social media audience, and you'll hear about how important tour design is, from the welcome dinner ice breaker questions and tablescape to designing large periods of rest in her itineraries, to allow guests to leave feeling truly revitalized.

***Also, Kyle will be at Tourpreneur CONNECT, our multi-day tour operator conference in Marrakesh, Morocco in November if you want to meet her! ***

Key Episode Takeaways

• Creating unforgettable experiences and connecting with travelers on a deeper level is crucial in the travel industry.
• Using evocative imagery, storytelling, and personal vulnerability can engage and inspire travelers.
• A “dimensional experience” that goes beyond facts and dates is more memorable and impactful.
• Travel has the power to transform and connect people, and it is important to create trips that leave travelers refreshed and with a deeper understanding of themselves and the world.
• Surprise and delight are powerful tools for designing memorable moments on tours.
• Creating a group experience that allows for autonomy and connection is key to fostering a sense of community among guests.
• When hiring and training tour leaders, it is important to find individuals who are passionate, organized, and willing to learn.

Resources

• Show Notes on Tourpreneur.com
• Sudden Journeys website
• A sample Instagram post showing how Kyle uses long-form storytelling with a simple, evocative images to create a mood that connects with her audience.
• Here’s an example of Kyle’s itinerary document that is also deep storytelling along the way

Mentioned in this episode:

Join us for our TourpreneurCONNECT conferences!

November 18-20 we're hosting CONNECT:Multiday in Marrakesh, Morocco, focused on learning and partnership building for multi-day tour businesses. And from February 17-19 we're hosting CONNECT:Profit in New York City for all tour operators looking for the latest sales and marketing skills to grow your business. Visit tourpreneur.com for more information.

Host Peter Syme sits down with Ambrose Bittner, a seasoned operator of private customised tours across Asia. They delve into the intricacies of running a tour operation, touching on key aspects like process engineering, client communication, and the decision to outsource tasks versus keeping them in-house. 

Ambrose shares his journey through COVID-19, during which he invested in new back-office infrastructure and refined his booking process. They also explore the challenges of maintaining revenue growth while managing staffing and the delicate balance between business and personal life.

Additionally, they look ahead to 2024 and 2025, discussing the evolving travel landscape in Asia and opportunities in Japan. 

Whether you're a small business owner in the travel industry or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes of bespoke tours, this episode offers valuable insights into overcoming challenges, leveraging AI, and strategically growing a tour operation business.

Overview

00:00 Asia travel delayed, government loan assisted business. Staffing challenges.

06:02 Increased training needs post COVID for businesses.

10:18 Invested in back office infrastructure and website.

13:47 Early owner takes hit, recruit to profit.

16:40 Struggles with work-life balance, especially post-COVID.

18:12 Focusing on business and nonprofit work balance.

22:46 Operators facing challenges in staffing and training.

26:21 Preparing for Japan trip; staffing challenges expected.

31:13 Surviving with wife, diversifying after COVID.

33:31 Maximize investment in hot travel destinations.

38:25 Strategies to grow business through referrals important.

40:42 Outsource certain tasks, not client communication.

44:31 Customized tours in Asia, wide range of activities.

46:02 Choose accommodation based on your needs and budget.

• Visit tourpreneur.com for more show notes.
• Tourpreneur is hosting two conferences! Join us in November in Marrakesh, Morroco for CONNECT:Multi-day, and in February in New York City for CONNECT:Profit. More info here.

In this episode, Lia Garcia, CEO of Practical Wanderlust and Louisville Food Tours, shares her journey from starting a blog to becoming one of the largest travel blogs in the world. She discusses her monetization strategy, which includes ad revenue and affiliate marketing. Leah emphasizes the importance of authenticity, trust, and storytelling in content creation. She also provides insights on partnering with bloggers and tour operators, highlighting the value of building relationships and offering competitive commissions. Leah advises tour operators to focus on personal storytelling and finding ways to differentiate themselves from OTAs. Lia Garcia shares her strategies for affiliate marketing, SEO, email marketing, and scaling a food tour business. She emphasizes the importance of using native affiliate links and leveraging bloggers to promote tours. Lia also discusses her use of keyword research tools like KeySearch and her preference for simple tech tools like WordPress, Flowdesk, and ConvertKit. She highlights the effectiveness of lead magnets in building an email list and explains how she uses automated sequences to target customers at different stages of the buying cycle. Lia also talks about the challenges of scaling her business and the importance of establishing trust and authenticity through storytelling.

Takeaways

• Authenticity, trust, and storytelling are key in content marketing.
• Building relationships with bloggers can drive sales and conversions.
• Tour operators should differentiate themselves from OTAs and offer competitive commissions.
• Personal storytelling and partnerships with bloggers can be effective strategies for tour operators.
• Consider the audience and buying cycle when selecting content creators. Consider using native affiliate links and partnering with bloggers to promote tours
• Use keyword research tools to optimize content and improve SEO
• Create lead magnets to incentivize email sign-ups and use automated sequences to target customers at different stages of the buying cycle
• Choose tech tools that are user-friendly and meet your specific needs
• Scaling a business comes with challenges, such as scheduling and finding the right balance
• Establish trust and authenticity through storytelling to build credibility with customers

00:00 — Introduction and Background

04:42 — Leah's Journey from Blogging to Content Marketing

08:17 — Monetization Strategy: Ad Revenue and Affiliate Marketing

11:48 — Partnerships with Tour Operators and Bloggers

16:33 — Developing a Blogging Strategy for Tour Operators

23:12 — Selecting the Right Content Creators for Partnerships

26:38 — Utilizing Booking Software and Automating Processes

29:28 — Differentiating Between Bloggers and Social Media Creators

33:05 — Optimizing SEO with Keyword Research

35:19 — Effective Email Marketing Strategies

38:15 — Choosing User-Friendly Tech Tools

45:14 — Challenges and Strategies for Scaling a Food Tour Business

53:25 — Building Trust and Credibility through Storytelling

Mentioned in this episode:

Join us for our TourpreneurCONNECT conferences!

November 18-20 we're hosting CONNECT:Multiday in Marrakesh, Morocco, focused on learning and partnership building for multi-day tour businesses. And from February 17-19 we're hosting CONNECT:Profit in New York City for all tour operators looking for the latest sales and marketing skills to grow your business. Visit tourpreneur.com for more information.

In this episode, we'll unpack why building direct sales through SEO and website optimization, along with embracing paid advertising on platforms like Facebook, can be game-changing, despite being time-consuming. We'll also discuss the importance of feeding Google's business profile and the significance of robust content production for SEO and AI.

But the conversation doesn't stop there. We dive into the critical need for human-to-human partnerships to build resilient businesses, especially in light of Airbnb's controversial decision to remove a significant portion of their experiences inventory. Whether you're a tour operator or a small business owner, this episode offers valuable insights on navigating these uncertain times, from exploring untapped opportunities to fostering real, local partnerships. Plus, stay tuned for two exciting resources we're launching this week – a comprehensive technology and partner directory and a free guide on optimizing your Google presence.

Overview

00:00 Airbnb launches low-cost, high-value experiences.

03:44 Airbnb removing well-ranked experiences for partnership.

07:59 Customer takes precedence in $100 billion company.

13:42 Expand business by adding diverse partners cautiously.

16:43 Facebook advertising remains the best marketing platform.

19:26 SEO and PPC methods are changing, uncertain.

23:47 Build local business partnerships for sustained rewards.

26:31 Limited B2B partners yield 20% successful deals.

30:11 Tourpreneur offers valuable resources for business growth.

31:10 Thanks for listening, find notes at tourpreneur.com.