Mitch Bach speaks with Jessica Off, founder of Guess Where Trips, an e-commerce company creating physical and digital surprise road trips for customers across Canada and the U.S.Jessica is a serial travel entrepreneur, including work at G Adventures. In this episode, she talks about what led her to start an e-commerce product-based travel business, after looking into tour operating and multi-day trips.This episode will give tour operators the inspiration to think about ancillary product revenue streams that can complement their in-person business, utilizing the same destination knowledge and supplier connections to offer experiences to a new customer base!Visit Guess Where Trips home pageEpisode show notesWe talk about:the design thinking behind crafting self-guided tourswhy the element of surprise is so crucial to the experienceher experience working with content creatorshow B2C trade shows have worked out for her trying to sell her productwhy she decided to ditch multi-day surprise tripsthe importance of collecting email addresses at trade showsfinding the right market for the trips, and why big cities don’t workworking with local vendors to support themMentioned in this episode:Sponsored by Google 'Things to do'Want more direct bookings and greater exposure on Google? Then go check out Tourpreneur's free course on using Google 'Things to do', a new program offering tour operators a chance to display their tours across new Google locations. Learn more here: tourpreneur.com/google

Mitch Bach speaks with Jessica Off, founder of Guess Where Trips, an e-commerce company creating physical and digital surprise road trips for customers across Canada and the U.S.Jessica is a serial travel entrepreneur, including work at G Adventures. In this episode, she talks about what led her to start an e-commerceThis episode will give tour operators the inspiration to think about ancillary product revenue streams that can complement their in-person business, utilizing the same destination knowledge and supplier connections to offer experiences to a new customer base!View the show notes hereExplore Tourpreneur.com's resourcesVisit Guess Where Trips home pageWe talk about:the design thinking behind crafting self-guided tourswhy the element of surprise is so crucial to the experienceher experience working with content creatorshow B2C trade shows have worked out for her trying to sell her productwhy she decided to ditch multi-day surprise tripsthe importance of collecting email addresses at trade showsfinding the right market for the trips, and why big cities don't workworking with local vendors to support themMentioned in this episode:Sponsored by Google 'Things to do'Want more direct bookings and greater exposure on Google? Then go check out Tourpreneur's free course on using Google 'Things to do', a new program offering tour operators a chance to display their tours across new Google locations. Learn more here: tourpreneur.com/google

Welcome to Tourpreneur, where we delve into the world of tour and activity providers and explore the latest trends, challenges, and success stories in the travel industry.Today, in our call-in episode, join hosts Chris, Mitch, and Peter as they tackle key topics around Al, attracting cruise ship agents and marketing to cruise customers, as well as questions around purchasing an existing business.00:00 Pine discusses mass customization and AI opportunities.05:43 Consider hotels for city stays to personalize experiences.10:16 Embrace failure as part of creative process.13:41 Marketing hidden gems creates its own challenges.17:14 AI travel planner focuses on commercial experiences.21:54 Consider demographics, repeat customers, marketing strategy questions.24:45 Established business with cash flow & opportunities.28:52 Old businesses face opportunity in rejuvenation and acquisition.30:12 Boomers retiring and impacting business market.34:59 Creating useful, unique content is key.40:01 Personalized technology offers customized travel experiences.43:35 Use technology to create emotional, surprising experiences.47:26 Single operators may struggle to secure contracts.49:53 Cruises cater to least adventurous travelers' needs.54:17 Tailored marketing crucial for diverse cruise clientele.56:03 "Category Pirates" book encourages unique business strategies.58:48 Online audiences remain undervalued despite digital presence.Mentioned in this episode:Thank you to our sponsor, GoogleGoogle is graciously sponsoring Tourpreneur, keeping this podcast free for you. Please go and check out a course that we've developed with them, helping you understand the power for their 'Things to do' program to deliver more direct bookings for your tour & activity business. tourpreneur.com/google

In this episode of Tourpreneur, host Peter Syme welcomes special guest Marius Nigard to explore the exciting intersection of AI technology and the travel industry.Marius shares insights into the potential of AI-driven tools to personalise and enhance the travel experience, from providing self-guided audio tours to advising on optimal visiting times for popular attractions. As they delve into the economic and collaborative implications of utilising AI-generated content, they also emphasise the importance of storytelling and personalisation in engaging the 97% of travellers who prefer independent exploration.Join us as we uncover the opportunities and challenges brought about by AI technology in redefining the future of guided tours and travel experiences.00:00 AI-driven destination guides revolutionize travel industry.06:21 Understanding customer data for real-time personalization.07:59 Moving from one-to-many to personal learning.10:28 Encouraging independent travel experiences, providing digital guidance.14:40 AI in travel industry needs high-quality data.18:34 The future of AI and safeguarding information.23:18 Reward content creators, create new market opportunities.26:17 Building API as a tool for customization.29:07 Tailored branding and technology shape tourism's future.31:48 Highlighting the revenue potential of upselling tours.34:17 META launching AI characters for millions daily.39:38 Urgent buying decision in global industry.42:20 Promoting diverse cultural experiences for tourists.46:03 AI tour guides offer opportunities for growth.47:40 Appreciation expressed multiple times for having me.

Chris Torres kicks things off by discussing the three paths for business owners: low road (staying small), middle road (scaling up to a moderate size), and high road (scaling up to a big company), emphasizing the importance of aligning these choices with personal and business goals. Mitch Bach joins in to emphasize the significance of personal fulfillment and passion in business, while Peter Syme shares valuable insights and advice on navigating potential industry disruptions in 2024.Throughout the episode, our hosts tackle questions from the community and provide expert advice on reaching customers, marketing strategies, scenario planning, and the debate around scaling up businesses. With a mix of humor, candid insights, and actionable tips, this episode will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to take your tour business to the next level.So, grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and let's dive into the latest in the world of travel entrepreneurship.Overview00:00 Marketing coaching call discusses 2024 trends and success.06:43 Global unrest could disrupt travel in 2024.09:53 Product experimentation is crucial for success.11:23 Virtual travel trend set to grow further.16:03 Testing tour logistics with friends and family.20:04 Target female solo travelers, analyze audience data.21:39 New operators often neglect marketing, leading to slow growth.25:26 Build personal brand, market unique experiences effectively.27:17 Linda seeks collaboration with international travel agents.33:14 Building agent relationships through valuable information exchange.34:42 Misunderstandings about agency's travel services, communication hurdles.38:02 Create batch of content and publish strategically.42:58 Transformational travel offers emotional fulfillment and change.44:38 Appealing to slow travelers through storytelling and photos.50:01 Small companies can lead to success and happiness.51:39 Prefers small business for work-life balance.54:51 As a business owner, learn to say no.58:43 Tourpreneur.com offers business coaching and resources.

In today's episode, we have a special guest joining us - Jen Fein, the CEO and head of product at YouLi (https://go.youli.io/). We'll be discussing the fascinating journey of YouLi, a platform that generates personalised travel itineraries, and how it has been transforming the travel industry.Get ready for an insightful conversation as we explore the importance of email marketing, the rise of unique group travel experiences, and the challenges and rewards of being a female founder in the tech and travel space. So grab your headphones and get ready to be inspired by Jen's entrepreneurial journey on this episode of Tourpreneur.Key Facts and Insights from the EpisodeIncrease in conversions and high demand for student travelTop three conversion channels: email marketing, organic search, and affiliatesPaid search not recommended for specialised experiential group travelEffectiveness of email newsletters in building relationships and trust with customersCustomer preferences for unique experiences and smaller brandsJen Fein's background and journey in the travel industryYouLi's role as a sponsor for the first civil conference and its product integration with Nikki's conference websitePositive experience at the Women in Travel Summit and potential future partnershipsImportance of networking and crowd size at conferencesYouLi's mission to provide personalised travel itineraries through templates and customisationYouLi's provision of personalised portals and schedules for TourpreneurConnect attendeesImportance of repeat customers and their impact on content creation and customer valueChallenges and risks in the travel tech industry, including funding issuesYouLi's focus on niche experiences and its categorisation as B2B SaaSYouLi's growth model and emphasis on loyal customers aligned with valuesImportance of understanding the business problem and goals before automation implementationRise in demand for unique group travel experiences with a merger of events and travelValue of group travel in dividing costs among participantsMarket differences for event tours compared to traditional tour operatorsCompetitor analysis, including events and potential activitiesImportance of intimacy in large group travel experiences04:19 Exception in corporate world leads to Japan; friends don't read details, different information needs.07:11 Technology allows for personalized and dynamic content.10:01 Partnerships, retreat training, memberships, Transformational Travel Council.17:30 4-day music festival tour in Colombia. Unique experiences.19:27 Event planning skill merges with technology trends.23:57 Conversions up 30% in last 90 days.27:19 Paid search may not lead to bookings.29:32 Intimacy and trust in travel experiences.33:22 Not travel tech, focused on unique experiences.36:40 Build company that cares, survives, and grows.42:18 Let go of unnecessary technology, automate business.44:59 Quick digital transformation for partnered clients. Gradual migration.47:09 Original founder became tech guy, found co-founders.51:36 Empathy, flexibility, and values guided our decisions.53:29 Intentional, patient, sustainable business growth is success.

Psychologist Dacher Keltner is a world-renowned expert in all things emotion. He teaches at UC Berkeley, and is latest book is Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.Keltner speaks with Mitch about the role of emotions like awe in travel experiences, and what we as tour operators should be thinking about in order to craft these kinds of moments on tours, whether they're 3 hours or 10 days long.Some topics we cover:dissecting what we mean by "Transformative experiences"what the brain gains from human interaction and collaborationhow experiences ranging from grief to nature can unlock awethinking about encounters of vastness and mystery during travelchanging guests' perception through story, silence, and intentional seeingthe importance of slow observation and slow looking to connect with the vastness of the worldthe value of religious and spiritual texts and figures in understanding awehow storytelling creates awecreating travel experiences that rely on emotion and "wow moments" rather than informationhow traveling in groups can create shared awe momentsKeltner's "8 wonders" of lifeAs always, you'll find much more at tourpreneur.com.Dacher's BioWhy do we feel awe? a good follow-up articleJoin 10,000 tour operators in our Facebook CommunityRunning Order:[00:00:49] Emotionally influenced upbringing in cultural revolution.[00:06:05] They types of emotion[00:08:33] Describing moments of awe[00:10:55] Designing awe in our lives and work.[00:18:18] Designing awe, art, and slow travel.[00:20:32] What religion and spirituality understand about awe[00:26:13] Attuned experiences[00:28:16] Awe is about mystery and exploration.[00:34:54] Life's vulnerability and suffering bring growth and awe.[00:39:02] What can't be replaced by technology?[00:42:29] Finding awe in grief.

Prepare to get enlightened as we have an engaging chat with Catherine Warrilow, the former marketing powerhouse behind Days Out. Catherine brings her unique insights to the table, shedding light on the importance of authenticity in branding. We dive deep into the significance of aligning a brand with customer's needs, leveraging the power of storytelling, and the irreplaceable role of a well-knit team.(0:00:00) - Authenticity and Personal Branding in BrandsBrand strategy, customer need, culture, stories, and customer knowledge are key to a successful brand.(0:11:37) - Tourism Success Through Personal BrandingWe discussed finding the right team, creating a personal brand, and the success story of Days Out No.(0:24:51) - Investing in Brand Development and ContentCreate unique content quickly and easily, use AI to enhance audio, make content feel candid and authentic to humanise brand.(0:31:05) - LinkedIn Content Ideas and Networking OpportunitiesCatherine Warrilow emphasises authentic content, team building, unique messaging, and social media strategies for successful branding.

Mitch Bach begins Tourpreneur's IMPACT series with an interview with Kat Brogan of Mercat Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland, whose mission is to "make meaningful connections" through the power of storytelling.The end of the interview encapsulates the point of this new series, so be sure to listen to the end. Our IMPACT podcasts are about how travel companies around the world answer the questions: what are you doing to make a meaningful impact in your business, community and the tourism industry?Kat is leading a company that takes this seriously. Here are just some of the topics and initiatives we cover:How important it is to create a culture of trust in your team.The creation of "The Mercat Deal"—a pledge to her team and the city of Edinburgh to do right by everyone that's a stakeholder in the community.Her commitment to offering her team members a living wage, with permanent contracts, guaranteed "living hours", and profit sharing bonuses.How Kat empowers and connects with her guides through a huge variety of channels, in-person and virtually.How Kat assesses her whole customer journey to give the feedback her entire team wants, using formal and informal assessments, anonymous surveys, secret shoppers and more, in order to take a "360" look at her business and team.Mercat's participation in "Our Stories, Our City" initiative to raise money for those on the margins through the power of storytelling.Learn more:Learn about the impact they're making on Edinburgh through their Our Stories Our City initiative, in partnership with several local organizations.View The Mercat Deal, Mercat's promises to its team and community about what they're doing to ensure they're a responsible, ethical, quality participant in the local environment and global tourism industry.

Mitch Bach sits down with Joe Martin to discuss corporate bookings. Joe pivoted his marketing agency to focus on getting tour operators more corporate bookings, to reduce your dependence on tourists. Tourist come and go, often only book you once, and are dependent on the changing global tourism markets. Producing private, corporate team building experiences can be a source of recurring, stable, profitable revenue for your business. This episode is jam-packed with helpful tips on website optimization, how to connect with and market to the corporate audience, and so much more. We learn why he thinks you should think of yourself as an "experience coordinator", and he shares the 1 website tweak to potentially increase your bookings up to 25%!Visit Tourpreneur.com for show notes and more informationCome to Vienna, Austria for our Tour Leader & Guide Event Oct 18-19Come to London for a meetup on Oct 12!Visit Joe's company, Uplevel TourismIn this episode:[00:01:33] Joe talks about his path from self-taught web developer turned marketing expert.[00:04:19] Website optimization: Joe tested button options, "buy tickets" or "book now". "See dates" increased bookings by 25%.[00:09:59] Why you should shit to focusing on the corporate market.[00:13:52] High-converting websites resemble salespeople, not stores. They strategically present solutions rather than giving away too much information.[00:19:02] Finding a one-stop shop for selling.[00:22:20] Identify target corporate guests, focus on empathy.[00:25:00] Tagging, automation, and customization lead to powerful marketing.[00:32:30] Limiting tour company's capabilities, focus on current offerings. Create corporate tour page, then explore automation. Potential for additional products in the future.[00:36:05] Dial back on passive tours, be interactive.[00:38:44] Connection triangle: guide, group, place, interactivity.[00:41:34] The "Pitch Anything" book can help with messaging to your customers.

Conversation with Martin Alcock of the Travel Trade Consultancy on how the regulatory environment is impacting on tour operators and on the wide range of options on how operators can protect their business and customers money.

The Rise and Rise of Sports Tourism with Daniel Alejandro Velásquez González As discussion with Daniel Founder and COO of Homefans a sports experience marketplace, where avid travellers can book unique sports experiences anywhere in the world, hosted by fully-vetted local hosts. https://homefans.net/

Mitch talks with Catherine Prather of the National Tour Association (NTA) about their Travel Exchange conference, and how the buyer appointments, networking sessions, and other events can help grow your tour business.

This episode is a snippet of a Guest Coaching session, available for Tourpreneur+ members.  Guest Coach Komal Darira (Women for World) will share how she built mostly female guide teams in Delhi, a city where being a tour guide is still not considered an ideal career for a woman. While her destination is specific, you'll walk away with some ideas on how, to build a truly diverse guide team, you might need to think outside of the box.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/komal-darira-61816697/?originalSubdomain=in

Conversation with Neil Witten on how tour operators can be highly profitable and be a force for good at the same time as having a very clear purpose.   An engaging listen about how difficult and challenging doing business with a purpose is but one that when done correctly is highly rewarding.   Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/   For those interested, we recommend you check out Neil's book: https://amzn.eu/d/0TLas5o

In this series, Mat Newton talks to multi-day tour operators around the world to gain insights on how they started their business, what they've learned along the way, and more. In this teaser, we chat about the goals for the podcast and why we created a separate series for multi-day. Tourpreneur is a community that offers peer and expert support to tour business owners. Whether you're not sure where to start, or you're already operating tours in multiple destinations, we're here to help you grow your business through our podcast, articles, educational events, and free community platform. tourpreneur.com/podcast/

In this far-ranging conversation, Mitch and Claire Bown — two tour guide trainers — dive into the state of tour guiding today, and the skills that make a guided experience truly powerful.   Find out more about Claire - https://thinkingmuseum.com/speaking/   Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/  

On this episode of our entrepreneur series with Kelly Lewis, we hear from Stephanie Flor, founder of a luxury travel company that focuses on providing a unique travel experience through a beauty lens. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/ Sponsored by https://tripadmit.com/tap-to-tip/ TripAdmit’s powerful digital tipping solution that doesn’t require an app or any additional hardware, enable guests to tip without cash and guides to receive payments seamlessly. Our tipping solution is entirely digital, providing a swift, effortless, and practical way for guests to tip digitally. Thanks to our ‘Tap to Tip’ technology, guests can now make contactless payments through their iPhone or Android phone, eliminating the need for bulky card readers.

In this roundup, Mitch, Chris, Pete and Nikki are joined by our multi-day podcast host Mat Newton! Today we talk about Mat's Podcast, the importance of owning your own marketing accounts, Pete at the Travel Tech Conference and news on our venue for Tourpreneur Connect! Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/ Sponsored by https://tripadmit.com/tap-to-tip/ TripAdmit’s powerful digital tipping solution that doesn’t require an app or any additional hardware, enable guests to tip without cash and guides to receive payments seamlessly. Our tipping solution is entirely digital, providing a swift, effortless, and practical way for guests to tip digitally. Thanks to our ‘Tap to Tip’ technology, guests can now make contactless payments through their iPhone or Android phone, eliminating the need for bulky card readers.

In this roundup, Mitch, Chris, Pete and Nikki chat about the sale of Rezdy, the growth of content creators in our community and the opportunity this can bring to operators, the power of long-form video in marketing and much much more! Sponsored by https://tripadmit.com/tap-to-tip/ TripAdmit’s powerful digital tipping solution that doesn’t require an app or any additional hardware, enable guests to tip without cash and guides to receive payments seamlessly. Our tipping solution is entirely digital, providing a swift, effortless, and practical way for guests to tip digitally. Thanks to our ‘Tap to Tip’ technology, guests can now make contactless payments through their iPhone or Android phone, eliminating the need for bulky card readers.

By encouraging user generated content, operators can not only gather valuable feedback and insights from their customers, but also use it to showcase their offerings, attract new visitors and increase bookings. Tourpreneur's own Chris Torres provides some insights into why you must implement this now to grow your bookings in future. Sponsored by https://tripadmit.com/tap-to-tip/

In this roundup, Mitch, Chris and Nikki chat about the launch of our new Multi-Day podcast, hosted by Mat Newton, changes to how Facebook will track your data as they phase out cookie tracking, Google AI Search, GYG new round of funding and more.

On this episode of Tourpreneur, guest James Wallman shares his insights on designing unforgettable experiences, the shift from materialism to experientialism, and the importance of transformational experiences for happiness. He also shares his thoughts on the future of experientialism and the role of the organization in transforming the quality of life in the 21st century. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/

In this roundup, Mitch, Chris, Pete and Nikki chat about our Huddle in Puerto Rico, content creators, our Scottish meet-up and Huddle, announcing our 100 person event CONNECT in Seville and what the future holds for Tourpreneur. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/

On this episode of [Women] Travel Entrepreneurs, we delve into the multi-day business with Just Alujiangana, who shares her journey of starting a business in Tanzania. With over a decade of experience in the industry, she talks about the challenges she faced and the lessons she learned along the way. Justa and Kelly discuss the importance of understanding your clients' needs, creating experiences from personal content, and the role of accommodations in the tourism industry. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/

On this episode of Tourpreneur, we delve into the world of play and its importance in creating fulfilling and engaging travel experiences.   Our guest expert—Samantha Hardcastle from The Storied Experience—discusses the various types of play and how they can be incorporated into your tours. We explore the demand for more interactive and creative experiences while learning how play promotes continuous learning and growth.   Sam and Mitch both share experiences using gamification to engage children and adults, and how we can incorporate different modes of play in travel experiences to create a comfortable and enjoyable time for the guests. We learn how play can help us grow personally and let tourists challenge themselves and their beliefs. By the end of the episode, you will have a comprehensive idea of how to infuse play into your travel experiences to make them fulfilling and enjoyable.   For show notes and more resources, visit tourpreneur.com

Mitch Bach talks with neuroscientist Paul Zak about his latest book "Immersion", and how the brain principles he's discovered can help tour operators create more engaging tours. Read Immersion here. View video + show notes on the Tourpreneur website As always, Tourpreneur+ members get accesss to bonus content, including a course on designing more immerive tours. Guest Bio Paul J. Zak is a professor at Claremont Graduate University and is ranked in the top 0.3% of most cited scientists with over 180 published papers and more than 19,000 citations to his research. Zak’s two decades of research have taken him from the Pentagon to Fortune 50 boardrooms to the rainforest of Papua New Guinea.  Along the way he helped start a number of interdisciplinary fields including neuroeconomics, neuromanagement, and neuromarketing.  He has written three general audience books and is a regular TED speaker. His latest book, Immersion: The Science of the Extraordinary and Source of Happiness (2022), identifies the neurologic basis for extraordinary experiences and uses 50,000 brain measurements to show readers how to create high-impact marketing, entertainment, training, customer experiences, and employee experiences.  The book shows that extraordinary experiences drive up customer lifetime value and provide the neurologic foundation for increased individual happiness.

Peter Syme chats with Terry Jones, Founder of Travelocity and Founding Chairman of Kayak, who is currently building again in the AI travel space.   AI will impact every single tour operator but not all will be impacted in the same way. "AIs are “learning” systems. They grow and improve with each interaction. You will be left behind if your competitors adopt and you do not!    

Join Nikki Padilla Rivera as she speaks with Amanda Walkins, (Wanderful, TMA) who shares her insights on how to bridge the gap between tour operators and content creators to foster more effective partnerships. Nikki and Amanda also discuss their experiences attending the Women in Travel Summit and how it provides a valuable opportunity for tour operators to connect with content creators. They share their thoughts on the importance of these types of events for building relationships, networking, and learning about industry trends.     Women in Travel Summit tickets here, 50% off with code: tourpreneur50 Tourpreneur Happy Hour Event- RSVP here https://tourpreneur.com/podcast/

Nikki Padilla Rivera chats with Kelly Lewis, founder of Damesly and host of the rebooted '[Women] Travel Entrepreneurs' series. In this teaser, Kelly talks about the intention behind the series and her vision for showcasing the diverse experiences of women who are building businesses in the travel industry. The stories will be valuable listening for anyone looking to start or grow a business in the travel industry, regardless of gender.   https://tourpreneur.com/podcast/

Join Mitch Bach as he hosts the Tourpreneur Podcast with Dave Dennis of the Cornerstone Safety Group, Kristin Dennison, VP of Trip Experience at TrovaTrip, and Mike Megan, Executive Director with Global Expeditions Group. They discuss risk management in the travel industry and how tour operators can ensure safety for travelers. Hear their stories from TrovaTrips and Global Expeditions, learn about Cornerstone's services such as a resource library and on-call services for members, and discover how to create conditions for powerful transformation of people through travel experiences. 0:02:57 Risk Management and Duty of Care: A Conversation with Dave 0:05:16 Discussion on Duty of Care: Legal and Moral Obligations of Tour Operators 0:07:38 "Risk Management and Safety in the Travel and Adventure Industry" 0:10:47 Prioritizing Safety in Travel Delivery and Onboarding 0:13:00 Exploring Global Risk Management and Duty of Care Obligations for Travelers 0:14:34 Risk Management Communication: A Discussion on Physical and Mental Risks 0:16:07 Crisis Management Planning for Travel Organizations 0:21:35 Discussion on Duty of Care and Secession Planning in the Workforce 0:22:44 Conversation on Crisis Response Structures and Risk Management for Field Staff 0:25:05 Conversation on Mental Well-Being and Emotional Support in the Travel Ecosystem Post-Pandemic 0:26:53 Exploring Mental Health Support for Travelers and Staff in the Post-Pandemic Landscape 0:31:27 Examining the Impact of the Pandemic on Teamwork and Mental Health in College Programs 0:33:46 Discussion on Student Burnout and Mental Health Issues in Travel Programs 0:35:32 Mental Health Training for Tour Operators and Guides 0:39:07 Setting Appropriate Emotional Boundaries for Field Staff and Office Teams 0:42:47 Setting Boundaries for Transformative Experiences 0:47:08 Conversation on Risk Management and Intentional Travel Planning 0:48:38 Discussion on Developing a Framework for the Travel Industry https://tourpreneur.com/start/

In this first episode of our Multi-Day series with Mat Newton, Ruth Franklin shares her journey to success in the B2B tour business, discussing the importance of having documents in place, creating a succinct pitch deck, connecting with product managers and CEOs on LinkedIn, and making connections and adding value to stand out in a competitive market at trade shows. 00:00 🤝 Pick 10 of your "dream clients" to start selling to as a strategy for success in the tour and travel industry. 08:09 💡 Ruth's journey to success in the B2B tour business is discussed, including the importance of having documents in place and creating a succinct pitch deck to share with prospective partners. 13:07 🤔 Use risk assessment and conversation to plan a successful tour and share your lessons with your younger self. 9:08 🤝 Connecting with product managers and CEOs on LinkedIn, I generated over 250,000 in revenue and created potential for multi-million dollar revenue stream over the next 10 years. 28:16 🤝 Building relationships with businesses takes time and effort, be social and friendly online but keep personal rants to a minimum. 33:25 🤝 Connecting with your tourism board and setting up in a coffee shop can help first-time exhibitors get the most out of trade fairs, with potential for 15 current partners, 20 new contacts, and 3 quotations already received. 40:22 🤝 Make connections and add value to stand out in a competitive market at trade shows by researching and pre-working, and follow-up emails can help keep the conversation going. 49:29 🤝 Connect with Ruth Franklin on Linked In! Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ https://secretparadise.mv/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-franklin/    

In this episode of Tourpreneur, Mitch Bach interviews Chris Foxcroft-Hibbs, the owner of Happy Lifestyle Accounting.   Chris specializes in working with tourism businesses, including guides and operators. The episode focuses on income taxes and strategies for tour guides and operators to consider.   Chris emphasizes the importance of making sure all transactions are recorded properly and all debts are in order. He also suggests working with a good accountant to help maximize deductions and ensure profitability.   The discussion emphasizes the joys that can come from proper tax planning and preparation.   [00:02:52] Tax strategy for small businesses. [00:04:54] Saving on your tax bill. [00:07:09] S corp taxation benefits. [00:10:50] Finding Personal Benefit of Business Deductions. [00:14:34] Chart of Accounts and Deductions. [00:18:21] LLC vs Series LLC. [00:21:54] Budgeting strategies. [00:27:34] Educational tour operations. [00:28:57] Cash vs Accrual Accounting. [00:34:05] Profit Planning and Growth. [00:35:54] Business Metrics to Track. [00:39:51] Building a healthy accountant-client relationship. [00:42:45] Fixed pricing in accounting. [00:46:12] Operational Efficiency.   Help us keep this community alive by becoming a member of Tourpreneur+ https://tourpreneur.com/plus/   This helps us bring in speakers, run events and provide even more value to our community. All for less than a coffee per day!

With so much discussion in the Tourpreneur Community about the good, the bad and the ugly of AI, Chris Torres advises on why he feels a lot of operators are missing the revenue opportunities it brings. AI is transforming the tourism industry by offering personalised experiences, hybrid tours, and self-guided options that can increase revenue and profits for businesses. 00:00 💰 AI is a game-changer for tourism businesses, that can drive revenue and profit while transforming society as we know it. 01:47 💻 🌍 Hybrid tours can boost brand exposure and profits by providing both digital and in-person experiences throughout the customer journey. 02:25 🤖 An AI Avatar guide offers personalised travel experiences from booking to insights during the trip. 04:54 💻 🌍 Hybrid tourism experiences that blend digital and in-person elements with the help of AI can increase revenue. 05:35 💰 AI-delivered self-guided options for customers unable to book in-person experiences. 06:36 🌍 Mac Adventure's switch to a fully self-guided model shows the exponential growth potential of the fast-growing self-guided travel sector. 07:30 💡 Understand the impact of AI on business and embrace its potential for generating revenue. Join Tourpreneur+ for more content and a Sprint on ChatGPT! https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free community of over 6000 tour operators: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur

Katy, of https://untolditaly.com/, chats with Mitch and shares her insights on building a successful multi-day tour business in Italy through podcasting, affiliate marketing, and creating connections and community.   00:00 Starting a tour business in Italy? Katie Clark from Untold Italy shares her insights on building a multi-day tour business.   08:07 I have a strong relationship with Day Tour operators in Italy, which has resulted in successful revenue from affiliate sales, advertising, and sponsorship.   14:40 Podcasting is a great way to build relationships and market tour businesses.   19:35 Create a travel podcast to build a global business, provide value, and use affiliate marketing to make high margin revenue.   28:04 Developing a brand for off-the-beaten-path Italian experiences can lead to sustainable tourism and earning a little chunk off of recommendations.   36:14 Creating connections and community through shared experiences can create lifelong friendships and memories.   44:06 Be honest and collaborate to get the best results, rather than trying to go it alone. Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ https://untolditaly.com/

The environmental and sustainability challenges with Professor Enda McGovern.   Pete was lucky enough to come across Enda when we were both presenting at the AI Summer School For Tourism last year in Ireland. What he had to say opened my mind to the real problems and challenges that travel and tourism faces and the ones that will dictate all our futures.   He holds nothing back with very strong views on the future of tourism in this podcast!   Join our free tour operator community of over 5.4k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur   Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/enda-mcgovern-83a51b13/

Ben Gollan, a former lawyer turned accidental entrepreneur, found job satisfaction in running sandwich tours in New York City called A Man and his Sandwich, shares insights on team building, niche food tours, and effective outsourcing.   00:00 🍔 Former lawyer turned accidental entrepreneur finds job satisfaction in running sandwich tours in New York City after being inspired by niche tour operators and starting as a hobby.   08:27 🏠 Airbnb's website relaunch in 2022 impacted experienced hosts' organic business, but CEO Brian Chesky promises a renewed focus on experiences in 2023.   16:28 🥪 Team building should be simple, fun, and interactive, with a shareable hook like the hot dog sandwich debate, and alternative ingredients can be used if needed.   22:38 🍔 Niche food tours use SEO optimization, content creation, and media coverage to expand their reach and engage with passionate audiences.   26:58 🥪 A Man and his Sandwich promotes unique tourism experiences through storytelling, nostalgia, history, and purpose.   33:03 🚶‍♂️ Ben shares how identifying opportunities and capitalizing on luck led to success in the tour industry, while pursuing passions and avoiding burnout in the sandwich business.   37:46 👥 Learn to outsource effectively and build a team to work on your business, not in it, as demonstrated by Ben's experience running 45 online classes during the busiest week before Christmas 2020 and seeking assistance from other hosts for hosting and tours.   41:45 🥪 An open face sandwich is still a sandwich... or is it?   https://amanandhissandwich.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-gollan/   Join Tourpreneur+ https://tourpreneur.com/plus/

Today we discuss travel trade representation with Mark Wright of The Adventure Connection. Mark is a 30 year plus veteran of the travel industry who now represents tour operators and destination management companies around the World. Representation is a little understand method in our community and it deserves more attention as a way to grow your tour operation. Join our free tour operator community of over 5.4k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/  The Adventure Connection: https://www.theadventureconnection.com/

Mitch, Chris and Pete are joined by Douglas Quinby and Bruce Rosard of the amazing industry focused event, Arival to discuss how you should choose the event that will give you the best ROI. We discuss... Which event is right for you Doing your ground work before you attend Why Tour Operators should attend Arival Getting an ROI from events Join our free tour operator community of over 5.4k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Attend Arival: https://arival.travel 

Chris & Pete are joined by Travis Pittman, the Co-founder & CEO of TourRadar to discuss the trends in multi-day tours as well as its future. We discuss... How TourRadar started Distribution through travel agents Sweet spot in length of multi-day tours How multi-day will be affected by AI Onboarding new operators restarting in some destinations Join our free tour operator community of over 5.4k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ https://www.tourradar.com/  

Renee Ventrice chats with Roberto D'Alessandro of Touring Italy on how he creates and delivers  exceptional customer service.  Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.4k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur https://touringitaly.eu/

Today we are discussing the environmental crisis and the impact on the travel industry by industry expert Stuart Mcdonald of www.travelfish.org Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.4k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur      

Christy, Samantha and Sandra join the Women in Travel podcast to chat over a variety of topics Including how to promote safety in women's travel. Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.3k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Christy Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christytheconnector/ Samantha Hardcastle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skhardcastle/ Sandra Weinacht: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandraweinacht/  

Melbourne-based tour operator Mat Newton is one of the tour industry’s most insightful leaders, and has worked in all sides of our industry. He’s the founder of the respected Tourism Tiger website design agency, ran marketing for reservation technology company Peek Pro, has worked in SEO, and is now a multiday tour operator running several tour brands, including Patch Adventures (https://patchadventures.com.au/).In this episode, we talk about everything pertinent to the multiday tour operator: How to best set up your tour website How to market a multiday tour Comparing the day and multiday tour industries How to think about “energy flows” when designing your tour The Australian customer: what they want and how to sell to them Mat is also the new host of Tourpreneur Multiday, a Tourpreneur podcast highlighting the stories and insights from multiday tour companies and service providers, coming soon to Tourpreneur!   Join our community of 6000 operators: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur   Join Tourpreneur+ for more exculsive content and events: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/

Mitch, Pete and Chris look back at 2022 while also looking ahead to what the future brings in 2023. AI has potential to improve customer experiences in-store and online through personalized recommendations and marketing content Upcoming Demo Day with 18 resellers and OTAs presenting platforms and available for one-on-one conversations with attendees Tourpreneur website launches several new directories, including a travel technology software directory, a "green list" of vetted service providers, a directory for buying and selling tour businesses, and a Tour Operator World Map Tour Operator World Map allows operators to connect with local service providers and form partnerships Free seminar on buying and selling a tour business available "Huddles" events offer in-person workshops and advice sessions for select group of tour operators, taking place in Charleston and Lisbon in early 2023 Artificial intelligence (AI) has gone beyond hype to become a genuine, useful tool with the potential to enhance the in-store and online purchasing experiences of customers. In preparation for an upcoming Tourpreneur Sprint, we discuss how AI will revolutionise the tourism industry by, among other things, analysing customer data and providing personalised recommendations, and creating marketing content while being careful to use other tools to ensure the content is not seen as plagiarised or AI generated. We discuss the upcoming Demo Day, where 18 resellers and OTAs will present their platforms and you will have the chance to speak with the attendees one-on-one. The conference will provide venues for tour operators to promote their services. The Tourpreneur website has recently launched several new directories, which we discuss in this article. These include a directory of travel technology software, a directory of vetted service providers known as a "green list," a directory for buying and selling a tour business, and a Tour Operator World Map. The purpose of these directories is to facilitate communication and resource sharing among tour operators. Using the Tour Operator World Map, the operators can network with one another and find local service providers or form strategic partnerships. Moreover, the presenter announces the availability of a free seminar on how to buy and sell a tourism business. Finally, we discuss the upcoming "huddles," where a select group of tour operators will get together for business-oriented workshops and advice sessions. The first two will take place in Charleston, South Carolina, and Lisbon, Portugal, respectively, in the first two months of 2023. The purpose of these face-to-face gatherings is to lend a helping hand to the travel industry's frontrunners by discussing the nitty-gritty of their operations and outlining concrete steps for growth.

Talking to tour operator John O'Sullivan is always a breath of fresh air; he likes to think deeply about the tour industry, and experiment with new ideas that often challenge the tour operator orthodoxy.   John runs Depot Adventures in Melbourne, Australia and Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as a new TikTok-based venture, One Minute Tours.   John's first Tourpreneur podcast was recorded with Shane back in 2019, where he shared his thoughts about the economics of the "free tour" model. It's still a worthy listen. Now he's back with a new venture, new locations for his old company. We cover a wide variety of topics: how to structure and develop a tour in a new destination thinking about tour content in the age of Wikipedia developing a business across two extremely different locations does developing a global brand bring benefits? entering a midmarket destination: how to sell? how to price? hiring and retaining guides as employees John's experiment with tip pooling, and being transparent about his experiment with his guide community his accidental virality on TikTok, and how it's changing the direction of his business As always, bonus material and more can be found on Tourpreneur.com/plus

Jason operators a unique rainforest experience in the Daintree rainforest in Queensland Australia. Listen to his story of how he used distribution to help with growth. Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.3k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur https://backcountrybliss.com.au/

Christy, Samantha and Sandra join the Women in Travel podcast to chat over a variety of topics Including creating, promoting and marketing tours to women. Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.3k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Christy Hunter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christytheconnector/ Samantha Hardcastle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skhardcastle/ Sandra Weinacht: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandraweinacht/

The world has change due to covid and we are not going back to normal work practises. Work from home and hybrid work is now the norm. This has created many challenges but also endless opportunities. The need to get teams together has moved from nice to have to must have. This is what global team gathering is looking to address Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.3k members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Check out Global Team Gatherings: https://globalteamgatherings.com/ 

Chris, Pete and Mitch discuss what's happening in the industry and share their thoughts. We also discuss upcoming events at Tourpreneur like our demo day and Huddles in the US and Europe. Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.2K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur

Creating Bingeable Tours to Drive Repeat Business John Kanaster of Battlefield Tours of Virginia explains how leaving his guests on a cliffhanger brings them back for more! Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/  Join our free tour operator community of over 5.2K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit John's Website: https://battlefieldtoursofvirginia.com/

In this podcast we discuss the stunning wine and food offerings that Georgia has to offer, and how the war in Ukraine is impacting tourism in many close neighbour countries including Georgia.

We asked the Tourpreneur community what marketing topics they would like to see us cover next; targeting high-wealth luxury consumers was high on the list of priorities. In this episode, Chris is going to provide my top 8 strategies to attract this demographic. 1. Photos 2. Create a Website that focuses on Style and Exclusivity – The VIP Treatment 3. Be Personal 4. Use Facebook Ads to Reach a Luxury Demographic 5. Email Marketing is Huge 6. Create Exclusivity… or at Least a Sense of it 7. Use LinkedIn to Raise your Profile 8. Produce a Podcast Read the full list here: https://tourismmarketing.agency/chris-top-8-strategies-to-marketing-to-the-luxury-consumer/ Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 4.5K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Check out Chris' business: https://tourismmarketing.agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torreschris/ 

In this episode, Mitch converses with Arnaud Azoulay, CEO of Babylon Tours, a walking tour company specializing in museum tours across Europe.Arnaud is a maverick and an outlier. He’s one of the rare walking tour companies that has scaled its brand into nearly a dozen cities. And he’s done it on a lean team and budget, by focusing on the basics: a quality tour and quality guides. He’s not distracted by all the tech talk, and he sells primarily through OTAs.In this episode, we’ll discuss: Arnaud’s success story from a 30-something Paris guide to scaling a tour business to 10 cities. His organic and gradual approach to growth The importance of combo products, and how he sells them Why he still offers a personal human touch despite using automations Why he firmly believes in using OTAs as his main sales channel, and his experience with Viator Accelerate His focus on the quality of experience What’s been working for his OTA listings How he gets repeat customers as a day tour operator What he’s learned from In N Out Burger in California As always, much more exclusive members-only content available on tourpreneur.com/plus

Kevin O'neil describes all the challenges he has faced when building his business including losing his location, legal challenges and having a heart attack! Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 4.5K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Check out Kevin's business: https://destinywateradventures.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-oneil-787798156/

Listen to the incredible journey of how Steve Williams found his way into the industry and helped transform some local operators before building his own business. Take note of the wasted $1m on Facebook ads and the costs of acquiring customers! Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 4.5K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Check out Trunk Tarvel: https://www.trunk.travel/ Check out Steve's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-williams-980b55179/

Preparation is essential if you are going to maximize the chances of selling your tour company at the best possible price. Experienced buyer Trish Higgins explains what she looks for when buying experience companies. Trish Higgins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trish-higgins-330a948/ Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 4.5K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur  

A discussion with Sachin Bansal from City explores and Regenerative Travel in India about doing tourism better for all stakeholders. Join our Community:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+ https://tourpreneur.com/plus/

Growing Your Tour Business Through Linkedin Peter Syme drops in to chat about how he has made six figures growing his business through a seldom used social platform for the tours and activities sector… LinkedIn. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com

Women in Travel: How to Craft Tours Focused on Telling the Stories of Women Amanda, Carol, Zakia, Caroline and Mary discuss how they craft female focused stories and products in their tours. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com

Who better to discuss the future of reservation systems with than one of the founding fathers who started the sector nearly 20 years ago. Alex Bainbridge, ex CEO TourCMS, and Peter Syme discuss the future of this essential software.

Renee Ventrice chats with Quay Frazier of Big Easy Walking Tours on growing his tour business in New Orleans. Quay has a passion for music and has played with some world famous artists so this allows for a unique take on his walking tours.

In this episode Mitch Bach speaks with Jeff Ment of Ment Law Group, a firm specializing in working with travel companies. Jeff handles tour operator clients from around the world, and in this episode he shares his insights on a wide variety of topics important to tour operators: hiring employees vs. contractors what's most important for early stage businesses liability issues around accidents and guides best practices for incorporation how to protect assets intellectual property rights for your tour & photography disclaimers and waivers much more! Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 4.5K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur

Just about every operator who I come across has a horror story about working with a marketing agency. This has left them with a bitter taste in their mouth and wary of trusting another to do the job they want them to do. Believe me, as an agency owner, this makes my job so much harder, but as an Agency owner, a lot of this ‘bad experience’ comes down to how an agency educates its customers and clearly manages expectations. In some instances, it also comes down to out-and-out lying on the part of the agency. So many agencies out there will offer guarantees and promises they simply can’t keep because it is simply impossible for them to do so. If agencies could guarantee number one on google rankings or x10 increase in bookings then we would all be doing it, but there are so many nuances that make these promises impossible. In this episode of Tourpreneur, I want to debunk three myths about working with a Marketing Agency and tell you some home truths, some of which you may find surprising. Join our Community:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/  

In this second part of our interview with Akila McConnell of Unexpected Atlanta, Mitch Bach speaks with her on a wide range of topics, including: how virtual tours became 75% of her business, even after the pandemic how she's grown her experience box business to shipping 20,000+ units a year working with corporate clients doing a complete rebranding of a successful business finding your "zone of genius" understanding your business's end game, and crafting a business plan having difficult conversations with yourself and your team pricing and profit margins her top tip for conducting market research ...and much more! **Tourpreneur+ members also get an extra 40 minutes of our interview, in which she covers how she trains and maintains her guide staff, and her top software pics for running a business! More at tourpreneur.com/plus

Amanda, Carol, Zakia, Caroline and Mary all moved from jobs outside of tourism to become tour operators. they share their stories to help those thinking the same. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com

AI in toursim is already here but just like electricity it is in the background. The potential and threat to tour operators from this tech is high. Jonathan Elkoubi and Peter Syme discuss the threats and opportunities. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/  

Chris provides some Facebook Ad Basics you must follow to make sure your ad campaigns are hitting all the right notes with your audience and your business. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com Visit TMA: https://tourismmarketing.agency

Akila McConnell of Unexpected Atlanta shares her journey from food blogger to tour operator. In this first of several episodes, Akila talks about the power of first mover advantage, finding market gaps you can creatively exploit, always iterating your tour design, why she's adopted Apple's philosophy of product lineup, plus how to use your team's strengths, how to balance the fun and difficult stories, and how to make your tour experience feel different than others. Tourpreneur+ members unlock premium podcast episodes and much more. For show notes and more information, visit tourpreneur.com/plus

Amanda, Carol, Zakia, Caroline and Mary discuss those women who inspire them and why we need more female mentors in our industry. As always, we are looking for more women to share their voices. Please do email hello@tourpreneur.com if you wish to be considered. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com

A discussion on how a couple of old industry friends with over 40 years between them in tour operating see how the industry has changed. What is good , what is bad and what we did right and wrong. Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+ https://tourpreneur.com/plus/

We are excited to announce the lunch Tourpreneur+ Less burnout. Fewer mistakes made. More profits. Shane Whaley had a vision for Tourpreneur, one that he entrusted Mitch Bach, Pete Syme and myself to take to the next level. Well today we are excited to share with our community the launch of Tourpreneur+. Up until now, we have offer hundreds of hours of podcast episodes and hundreds of articles and an in-depth newsletter every week, plus a thriving Facebook community of thousands. At zero cost to you. This will not change! But, that’s just the beginning... When you’re ready, we think our Tourpreneur+ membership is the easiest, lowest-cost way to truly transform how you run your business, and increase your profits. We have created an unbeatable amount of learning and support to grow your business. Being a tour operator is hard, overwhelming, and often lonely. TP+ Membership helps you grow your tour business with a community of likeminded professionals eager to share and connect and become more profitable together. Short, actionable Courses Weekly Livestreams with industry thought leaders Actionable Newsletter every day In-Depth, well-researched Pulse articles and videos covering a range of topics Private Mastermind Groups focused on your area of business Individual business coaching sessions Weekly Group Coaching Calls In-Person Meetups In-Person Business Development Retreats And so much more. We hope you join us on this journey. Find out more at: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/  

If you haven't listened to part one of this two part series, then I would recommend going back and listening first to episode 183. Mitch is back with two guests, which are two tour guides, Jazz Dottin and Leigh Jameson. Both of whom spent a lot of time thinking not only about the craft of storytelling, which we talked about in a great discussion last time. But also content. What kinds of information should you be looking for? How do you tell the whole story of a destination, the full, complete picture of the history of a place and how do you do it in a way that connects truly with your audience? Throughout this episode, you'll be hearing not only from our two guests, but also from your fellow Tourpreneur community members who have submitted recordings of their thoughts about storytelling. And you'll be hearing from them throughout the episode as well.

Neil will share his story on how he grew the business, adapting to changes in the industry, how Brexit has affected his business and providing advice for others in the sector. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com Visit Macs Adventure: https://www.macsadventure.com

Chris is joined by Marica Brewster of the Von Mack Agency shares 5 top social media marketing tips on how to grow your social presence and staying true to your brand. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com Visit Von Mack: https://vonmackagency.com

Peter Syme sits down with Charles of Painted Circle to discuss the ideas behind Painted Circle, and how he will make it commission free and how it will benefit operators. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com Visit Painted Circle: https://www.paintedcircle.com/

Innovation for Tour Operators In these challenging times for tour operators innovation is more important than it ever was. Marc and Peter discuss how tour operators can innovate and also some hints and hacks to help them. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: tourpreneur.com Find out more about Marc: https://www.marcmekki.com

Operator Story: Zakia Moulaoui Guery of Invisible Cities We take a look back at an interview Chris conducted in 2019 that has been previously unavailable on Tourpreneur. Zakia discusses how she came up with the idea of this amazing global social enterprise, by helping homeless people become tour guides! Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: tourpreneur.com https://invisible-cities.org

Chris offers 5 quick take-aways that you can implement, or not, to make sure your website is optimised correctly for your Google Rankings. We cover: Site Speed Why you should stay clear of link farms Content Optimisation Why you shoud ignore SEO scoring in Yoast Voice Search

Mitch Bach is joined by Leigh Jameson and Jazz Dottin in a discussion focused on storytelling. This is the first in a two-part discussion with these guests.

Tourpreneur believes our industry needs more diverse voices so welcome to the first of our Women in Travel series.   In this episode, the first 4 four recordings with Amanda Walkins, Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Caroline Conner and Carol El Hawary, they discuss how women can be represented in travel, from top level C-Suite positions to speaking at events.   As always, we are looking for more women to share their voices. Please do email hello@tourpreneur.com if you wish to be considered.   Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit the website: https://tourpreneur.com

The Experience Economy in Tours and Activities with Joe Pine In this episode, Chris Torres, Mitch Bach and Pete Syme talk with author Joe Pine to discuss The Experience Economy and how this can help deliver transformational experiences in tours and activities. We discuss... - What the Experience Economy is - How to design an experience - How to deliver an experience at every stage - Delivering transformational experiences in day tours and multi-day tours - How the Experience Economy fits in with the digitisation of tours and activities Join the Tourpreneur community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Grab a copy of The Experience Economy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1633697975/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_MHM65SGJTGJK6TK4CF49

At Tourpreneur, it is our mission to make sure every tour operator who is a member of our Facebook group or a listener to the podcast achieves one thing, and that is to grow their profit margins. Our aim is to build upon the incredible foundation and values that were created by Shane, while adding more ways for you to learn and grow your business. The core of Tourpreneur will never change. We will continue to grow our community, producing the valued content you have all become accustomed to. If anything, between myself, Mitch And Pete, you will see even more of this free content being produced in the coming weeks and months, including a fresh new look to Tourpreneur. This is just the start of what we are planning to bring to the Tourpreneur community and the start of a huge resource of courses and learning opportunities to help make your business more profitable. We can’t wait to show you these and more.  

'How lucky i am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.' After three years, Tourpreneur's Shane Whaley announces why he is leaving the show and revealed why he is thrilled to hand over the reins of the podcast and community to three industry veterans. Tourpreneur, the leading educational podcast and online community for tour operators around the world, will be under new ownership as of 11 May 2022, with big announcements to follow on 18 May regarding the new trajectory of the business. The new owners are travel industry veterans Mitch Bach, Co-Founder of TripSchool and Campfire; Peter Syme, founder of multiple tour operations; and Chris Torres, Founder and Director of Tourism Marketing Agency and the Digital Tourism Show.   “I’m thrilled to announce that I’m taking on a new role as Head of Community at FareHarbor,” said Shane Whaley, Founder and Publisher of Tourpreneur. “One of my concerns in accepting this role was leaving all of the Tourpreneur listeners and community members in the lurch. Over the pandemic especially, I’ve received so many messages from tour operators around the world saying that the Tourpreneur community has kept them going during these tough times. So I’m thrilled to hand over the reins of the Tourpreneur to these incredibly experienced and knowledgeable industry professionals. I know that Mitch, Peter, and Chris will take Tourpreneur forward and give our subscribers an even better chance of growing their profits from their business.”   Tourpreneur began in 2019  to connect tour operators in an otherwise often lonely professional journey. By sharing real stories and connecting through an engaged, supportive community, tourism entrepreneurs can build their businesses with the help of others, rather than in isolation.   “Taking over the Tourpreneur podcast and site is a fun challenge for all of us,” said Torres. “Tourpreneur has been such a big part of the industry that it’s an honor and a privilege to try to take this forward and keep it growing.”   The Tourpreneur podcast currently has over 250 episodes, offering a breadth and depth of helpful, actionable content for tour operators.   “It’s probably worth saying that Tourpreneur will be different going forward,” said Syme. “Shane is a media professional and, if you look at the numbers, there’s only one of Shane and there are three of us trying to take over and fill his shoes. The tone of the show will certainly be different going forward just based on our backgrounds and expertise. But the focus on community is still 100% there; it’s all about the operators.”   Going forward, tour operators around the world can look forward to more resources, more education, and more content coming from the new owners of Tourpreneur. For tour operators attending Arival in Berlin at the end of May, the new owners will be hosting Hot Seat sessions to tap into their depth of tourism industry insight and experience.    “I am very sad to be leaving because Tourpreneur is my baby,” Whaley said. “It’s definitely bittersweet but I am excited to see where Tourpreneur goes from here. The growth potential for all our subscribers who listen with these three industry veterans at the helm is massive.”

Today, Sita rejoins us  to share some of the major changes that are currently happening at She Shapes History. Sita explains  what it’s been like to transition from working as a duo-team tour operation to becoming a ‘team of one.’ We discuss the benefits of stepping back and taking breaks from your tour business and how it can leave you feeling recharged, renergized, and remotivated.. Sita shares her goals of expanding the She Shapes History team and how she builds her customer’s excitement and anticipation about upcoming tour events while growing her email list. We also discuss how she incorporates first-person stories in her walking tours without sacrificing ethics, the collaborations and partnerships she’s currently working on, and the value of connecting with other tour operators

In this episode, we throw the spotlight on TourOpp in a brand new series where we learn more about tech, tools and apps for tour operators. Tourpreneur is a no sales pitch podcast so we invited a customer of TourOpp to join us and share why they chose TourOpp and how it is increasing their cross-selling, upselling, number of reviews and saving customer service hours. We are joined by TourOpp founder, Daniel Pino and Gray Line San Francisco's Xavier Valls Pinilla. Check out the TourOpp features to see if they are a tour operator tool that can help your tour business.

Today, we share tips and advice on staffing up your tour business and explain how to identify the right time to add employees to your tour company. Our guests, tour business owners Brian Cain (CRAWL New Orleans) and Jarrod Riddle (Spirit of Arizona Tours) share lessons from the trenches in this episode. Brian reveals how he staffed up his tour company from just himself to nine tour guides. We walk through determining where to place new hires in the company and delve into common concerns about adding new people to a solo business. We explore empowering employees to give an authentic experience to tour participants and detail incentives and payment packages for tour guides. Our guests provide tips on finding the best tour guides and suggest what to include in a job ad to attract the right people. We also share the pros and cons of hiring employees rather than independent contractors, the best ways to interview new tour guides, and how to get over the fear of handing responsibility to new hires.

Angee joins us today to share how she built and grew Taste of SLO Walking Food Tour. She discusses how she researched the San Luis Obispo tourism market before starting her business and outlines how she networked and collaborated with bars and restaurants. She talks about the point in the journey she started investing in paid advertising and reveals her secret sauce to maximizing Facebook ads. Angee also underscores the value of maintaining a working relationship with bar and restaurant staff and highlights the importance of keeping your tours fresh.

Liselot Caura reveals how she took her brewery tour business BeerSecret from a side hustle to a full-time business and outlines some of the challenges she faced. Liselot joins us today to share the story behind BeerSecret. She describes her beginnings in the brewery industry and reveals what led her to switch from sales and promotion in breweries to leading beer tastings and tours. She discusses how long it took her to take BeerSecret from a side hustle to a full-time business and outlines the challenges and lessons she learned along the way. Liselot also provides advice on building relationships with bars and breweries as a food tour operator and underscores the value of knowing your customers.    

The Tour Operator Start Up series is back, Simon Burke joins Nikki Padilla Rivera today to discuss starting a tour business, in fact, a sidecar motorcycle tour company during the COVID-19 pandemic. He explains the hoops, logistics, and licenses when starting a tour vehicle business in Paris. He describes how Brexit and the pandemic impacted his start-up and explains how he came up with the concept of Txango Tours. Simon also underscores the value of taking yourself out of your comfort zone and highlights the role of passion in running a tour company.

Ryan O'Grady, the founder of Fotaflo joins us today to share how we can increase tour bookings and reviews with guest photos, which he calls 'memory marketing.' Ryan explains how tour businesses can leverage photo memories to market and create advocates for their business. He outlines the benefits of offering photo memories of the tour as a free value-add rather than a paid service. Ryan also underscores how strategically sending previous clients photos of their experiences can maintain a connection between the brand, its customers, and the wider market.  

Today's guest shares with us some of her lessons from 30 years of running a tour business. We cover a lot of ground including marketing tours, dealing with journalists, websites, hiring and managing tour guides and chatbots!  Lauren Hefferon joins us to discuss how she started, developed, and expanded the bike tour business Ciclismo Classico. She explains the significance of Ciclismo Classico’s website for booking and why she is keen on talking directly with her customers before they book. She shares how she made use of the Zoom culture to hold virtual events during the CIVID pandemic. Lauren also highlights the power of event marketing and offers advice for cultivating effective public relations.

Jamie Robinson joins us today, he divulges his tactics to effective, authentic marketing on a budget. He describes his journey to being a tourpreneur and explains how an episode of the show, Top Gear, inspired him to start his experiences business based around two iconic cars, a London Cab and an Indian Taxi. He explains how to engage with a community without sounding like a pushy salesperson and discusses how he uses social media to promote his business. Jamie also explains why Tourpreneurs shouldn’t be afraid to give away free experiences or services and underscores the importance of remembering your mission in business.

From Navy cryptographer to successful tour business owner.  Renee Ventrice of Cork and Keg Tours joins us today to discuss how she built a luxury winery and brewery tours business.  She walks us through how she created local partnerships with breweries and wineries and outlines how she designed her tour business from the ground up. Renee also discusses why evaluating and reevaluating friction points in our tour business’s process is key to growth. She describes how community partnerships and nonprofits could be tour businesses' best marketing allies. Renee highlights the importance of executing detailed market research and underscores the value of differentiating and elevating yourself from other tour operators.

Today we hear from 3 tour operators who attended the in-person Arival San Diego event, they share what they learned and experienced. I was keen to hear what first-time attendees of Arival thought of the event, so today we are joined by Brian Cain of Crawl New Orleans and Jarrod Riddle of Sprit of Arizona Tours.  We also invited Heather Fortes of Sactown Bites to our tour business round table discussion.  Arival San Diego is Heather's second Arival event, she shares how she had set up her Sacramento food tour business just a few weeks before attending Arival Orlando in 2019. Our guests share three takeaways each and reveal what they are going to implement in their tour business as a result of attending Arival San Diego. We also run the rule over the OTA and res tech sessions that are always a big draw at Arival but did they deliver what our tourpreneurs were looking for? Brian Cain also disclosed more about working with Viator accelerate, he was a beta partner with the OTA's new program. Tourpreneur and our guests commend the Arival team for putting on such an excellent event in trying circumstances. We all hope to see you at Arival Las Vegas later this year and who knows, there is talk of a European Arival to be held this summer.  Thank you to our guests, Brian, Heather, and Jarrod for their candor during this episode of Tourpreneur. I look forward to digging into your story and tour business journey on a later episode. What did you think about Arival San Diego? What did you learn that you will implement in your tour business? Let us know in our Tourpreneur Facebook Group.  

We are receiving more and more questions from tour operators who want to learn Instagram Reels but are unsure where to start. These questions have inspired Shane to dig into Instagram Reels for Tour Operators starting next week where he will try an experiment at Arival San Diego to see if he can learn Instagram Reels (and overcome his camera nerves!) Shane's plan is to record a quick Instagram Reel after every session/workshop, he will share his #1 learning from each session. Follow Tourpreneur Instagram to watch Shane's insights from Arival and feel free to give him feedback on the reels, #AlwaysBeLearning right? In 2022 we will be bringing you lots more content and Instagram reels tips for tour operators.

It's January, a time for new years resolutions and goal setting. In today's episode, Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley asked 11 activity and tour operators what one skill or competency they are focusing on to grow their business in 2022. If you are able to help our guests with advice on where they can master that skill or competency please share your thoughts with them and others in our online community. Shane also shares why he made the decision to attend Arival San Diego and reveals new features coming soon to Tourpreneur. If you enjoyed today's episode please consider giving us a rating and review on your podcast app and sharing it with your peers. 

Should we be using AI Chatbots for our tour business? Listen to an extract of an interview with Evan Tipton of TOMIS who explains how Billy of Arkansas River Tours is taking advantage of AI Chatbots to generate over $60k in bookings. Billy also shares with us how AI Chatbot is helping his tour business to become more efficient.

Our guests discuss how tour operators can facilitate conversations toward understanding diverse history. They also explore how tour operators can discuss historical issues on tours effectively and safely. They consider engaging travelers who discover an unpleasant aspect of their ancestors’ history while on a historical tour. Or podcast guests also highlight why running tours is a distinct art form in itself and underscore how She Shapes History strives to encourage people to engage in the democratic process.

Today on Tourpreneur we hear from three listeners who attended the TIS Seville. What did they learn? And what are they going to do differently in their businesses as a result of attending? TIS is a new one for me so here is the official blurb. 'Tourism Innovation Summit is aimed to help tourism and travel industry to face all those short and long-term challenges. Seville will host again three days of disruptive masterclasses where success stories of travel are going on stage. Digitalization and innovation will be main discussion and plenty of solutions will be presented to the tourism industry to address these challenges. An event to find the right partners to evolve their digital strategies and implement them. A wide variety of technologies will be showcased in order to help tourism businesses become more competitive and, more importantly, restart the new ways of travel. There are many buzzwords here so we thought it would be useful to get the lowdown on this event from three tourpreneurs who attended TIS and Arival @TIS   We have two first time guests on the show today, please welcome Filipa Loule Founder at Portuguese For a Day Tours Jon French - Regional Sales Manager, Redeam.com and let's welcome back Peter Syme, Tourpreneur, adventurer, and digital transformation expert

Evan, Billy, and Amada discuss digital marketing tips for tour operators, SEO best practices, Google Ads, and customer communications. They explore how by integrating AI chatbots, SMS chat, and live chat systems tour operators can enhance the customer communication experience. They share their advice for collaborating with marketing agencies and highlight why making your website mobile user-friendly is crucial. Evan Tipton of TOMIS also explains what Google Core Vitals are and underscores why tour operators shouldn’t shortchange themselves on website hosting.

Social media expert, Social Tonic's Shawn Teasley is joined by tourism  marketing expert Chris Torres along with tour operators Alan, and Amber to discuss the fine details of Facebook marketing for tour operators. They discuss the top three things tour operators should know before working with marketing agencies and demystify the secrets behind making impactful Facebook ads for tour operators. They highlight the importance of keeping social media profiles active—especially during the pandemic. They also consider how tour operators should spend their advertising money beyond Facebook ads and underscore the role of communication in collaborating with tour marketing agencies.

In this episode of the Tour Operator Start-Up Series, Sita, Ripley, and Danielle Desir discuss how to build a podcast to expand your brand. They break down the basics of creating a podcast and how Tour Operators can use it to generate passive income. They brainstorm how Sita and Ripley can go back to their brand’s roots to develop podcast content aligned with their company’s mission and values. They also consider the different characteristics that make a great podcast and the importance of cultivating a community around content.

In part 5 of our blogging for tour operators guide, tourism marketing expert Dorene Wharton joins us to share her secrets to writing successful SEO-friendly blog posts. She explains why Google keeps changing its algorithms. She discusses how tour operators can successfully navigate Google’s E-A-T guidelines and shares her best practices for keyword researching. She offers advice for writing the best titles for blog posts and her favorite SEO tools. Check out Dorene's SEO for tour operators Checklist Dorene also highlights how bloggers can leverage external and internal links to get higher page rankings and underscores the importance of building trust and credibility in blog posts.

Trish Higgins bought Cap’n Fish’s cruises in idyllic Boothbay Harbor, Maine: known for its puffins, whale-watching, and picturesque lighthouses. So what could go wrong? For starters, she signed the docs for her new tour business just days before the COVID-19 epidemic shut down most of the country, adding a totally new and unforeseen obstacle to tour operations, planning, and staff communication. But needless to say, Trish was determined to make the best of it and help the team at Cap’n Fish - a family-run business that had been around since the 1930’s - to reach their full potential. And we’re all about tackling challenges head first, and sharing those experiences when we live to tell the tale. So if you’re curious how Trish managed to help Cap’n Fish thrive, even during a pandemic, here are some of her key takeaways. She shared some first-hand tips for anyone who might consider purchasing (or selling) a tour business of their own.

In this episode of the Tour Operator Start-Up Series, Sita, Ripley, and Nancy  discuss how She Shapes History Tours can leverage social media as marketing tools to attract attention. They explore how Sita and Ripley can use their values and advocacy for social media to create content that will engage their demographic audience. They discuss different ways to brainstorm for social media content and how they can manage time between running digital marketing and the other aspects of She Shapes History. Sita and Ripley also describe what they learned from the success of their launch and share the next steps they plan to take for She Shapes History.  

Tour Operator Tom Barclay Matchett reveals how he went about growing a bespoke private tour business and provides his insight into the creative side of engaging business and guests through storytelling. He walks us through the genesis of The London Storyteller tour business and how he designs his different bespoke tours, with themes ranging from 007 to Winston Churchill. He explains how his years of working in different environments came together to inform his business operations. Tom also shares the three major lessons/value bombs he learned about growing a tour business and underscores the value of trusting your creative instinct.

Arival 360 2021 postponed to January 2022 - The Tourpreneur Take. Shane shares the sad news that Arival has been postponed to January 2022. He walks you through what this means for those of us who are registered.  Shane also shares more about upcoming episodes and why you should join the Tourpreneur community if you are looking to create, launch and/or grow your tour business.

How to start a tour company - our guests Sita and Ripley are back on the Tourpreneur Podcast to share their experience leading their first tour and the feedback, insights, and lessons they learned from it. They describe how the test tour did not go as smoothly as they had envisioned it and discuss one important aspect they need to include in their next test tours. They explain the most surprising comment they received after getting feedback. They also highlight the importance of long-term strategic planning in business and underscore what it means to be a “COVID-friendly” business.

In part 4 of our blogging for tour operators guide, marketing expert Dorene Wharton returns to share her favorite copywriting tips for tour operator bloggers.

Host Shane Whaley is joined by Fat Tire Tours and bike tour business owner Emilie to discuss Fat Tire Tours’ initiative to create a community and booking platform for bike tour operators worldwide. Our guests reveal what inspired the company to start the project and share what they learned about the bike tour industry during COVID-19. They highlight Fat Tire Tours’ strategies for helping bike tour operators grow within the community. They describe the company’s history and explain how they plan to market bike tours globally. They also discuss the core pillars of their project and underscore the importance of collaboration over competition. Our guests are grilled by Bike Tour Operator and regular contributor to Tourpreneur., Emilie Pelletier.

The Tour Operator Start-Up is back. We take you behind the scenes of a tour business start up - each month we check in with She Shapes History hosted by Nikki Padilla Rivera. Each month you can join your host, tourism expert Nikki Padilla Rivera as we explore how Sita and Ripley went from the world of academia to building their own tourism company in Canberra, Australia. They share why they chose to focus on female stories and the importance of exploring the diverse histories that are often not taught in school. They discuss their partnership, the benefits of working as a team and the tools they are using to build their company. They also outline their steps for marketing and fine-tuning their tours as they approach their launch date.

The Tour Operator Start-Up is back. We take you behind the scenes of a tour business start up - each month we check in with She Shapes History hosted by Nikki Padilla Rivera. Each month you can join your host, tourism expert Nikki Padilla Rivera as we explore how Sita and Ripley went from the world of academia to building their own tourism company in Canberra, Australia. They share why they chose to focus on female stories and the importance of exploring the diverse histories that are often not taught in school. They discuss their partnership, the benefits of working as a team and the tools they are using to build their company. They also outline their steps for marketing and fine-tuning their tours as they approach their launch date.

The Tourpreneur Tour Operator Podcast host Shane Whaley announces an upcoming new line up and features for Tourpreneur listeners. Tourpreneur will be back in July. 

John Coupland joins me today to share how he leveraged his previous experiences as an entrepreneur when starting his tour company and the challenges he faced as a new tour operator. We discuss how he designed his most popular guided tour, The Crown Film Locations & Royal Secrets Tour. John shares why it’s critical for tour operators to have the ability to ‘read’ their guest’s body language and how it helps you deliver outstanding tour experiences. John also reveals the three key lessons he has learned about building a successful tour operation, creating exceptional experiences, and achieving outstanding customer reviews.

In part 3 of our blogging for tour operators guide, marketing expert Dorene Wharton returns to discuss the benefits of repurposing your content into fresh, new pieces for different platforms. We discuss what it means to repurpose content and the benefits of breathing new life into your existing content. Dorene shares her tips on breaking up your content into multiple pieces for different mediums and how thinking about ways to repurpose your content while you’re creating it can help save time and inspire new ideas. We discuss the pros and cons of releasing short videos versus long ones and how breaking your longer videos into bite-sized, shorter video clips can appeal to a broader audience. We discuss the value of creating share-worthy content and tips for encouraging your audience to share your content with others. Dorene also shares tips and strategies that tour operators can use to become more efficient with repurposing your content for multiple mediums and platforms and the tools and platforms you can use to repost your content and attract new audiences.

Today Otehlia and I dive into the world of Instagram marketing for tour operators and strategies to help grow your tour business. Otehlia offers insights into how Instagram can work for tour operators and which tools to use to maximize your reach. She shares her personal approach to Instagram and why creating an Instagram community is integral to publicizing your tour business. We discuss the unique role that Instagram can play in marketing tours and why it shouldn’t be your main point of sale application. She also shares her process of trial and error when maneuvering algorithms in Instagram and offers a few tips for getting more views.

Tourpreneur host and founder Shane Whaley shares why he has decided to join Redeam.com as VP of Sales and why this is good news for Tourpreneur listeners. Passionate sales leader known for implementing global business development, growth, and strategies focused on driving revenue and increasing market share joins rapidly growing travel technology company   Broomfield, CO (May 3, 2021) – Redeam, the leading and only independent global connectivity stack with digitized channel management and touchless voucher redemption/reconciliation solutions for the Experiences and Things To Do industry, today announced that highly respected, long-time travel industry veteran and Tourpreneur publisher Shane Whaley will be joining the company as VP Sales. Whaley, a personal brand unto his own right, brings a deep, nearly 20-year legacy of selling digital travel solutions, for online hotel booking and online travel agency (OTA) websites, most recently with GetYourGuide before embarking on his own entrepreneurial endeavor with Tourpreneur. Whaley, known for his success building sales teams and his personalized problem-solving approach, joins Redeam to help operators grow sales and improve operational efficiencies through Redeam’s middleware SaaS solutions. Whaley will continue to nurture and publish Tourpreneur as its own independent business. “I love what I have built with Tourpreneur, but I miss the camaraderie of a team,” said Whaley. “What I so admire about Redeam and am excited to join is the thriving culture Redeam’s CEO Melanie Meador has built. I’ve watched Redeam’s product evolution and see the kind of industry problems they’re solving. Redeam is making a real difference in the Experiences industry, and I can’t wait to contribute directly to that.” “I honestly could not pass up an opportunity to work more directly with Shane, whose work and spirit I so admire,” said Redeam CEO Meador. “Shane understands the struggles of small and large operators alike, the fragmented nature of our industry sector, and the value Redeam’s connectivity, distribution, and improved customer experience brings. Shane is going to achieve great things here at Redeam, and we all welcome him with open arms.” To learn more about how tour, attraction, and activity operators rely on Redeam to easily automate their businesses so that they can sell more tickets around the world, visit the Redeam website.

Today, we hear the inspirational journey of one woman's determination to keep her water tour business afloat after her partner got sick and was fighting for his life. In 2019, following her partner Brent’s health challenges related to a rare genetic disease, Krystle Theunissen stepped up to run their water tour business and steer the company through challenging times. She has hit the ground running, tackling a steep learning curve to become a successful tour provider operating tours through the COVID pandemic. She shares her 3 major learnings with us.

"Over 35,000 people have been connected to Maine’s craft alcohol producers since our tours began almost 10 years ago" Don Littlefield is a legend in the brewery tour business and he shares his 3 major learnings on growing a brewery tour business with us.   Today, we take a deep dive into the work of brewery tours and how the beer tour market has changed since COVID. Don Littlefield of Maine Brews Cruise shares the essential tips he wants tourpreneurs to learn and which digital marketing strategies are most effective for his business. He reveals why the merchandise is critical and why he chose FareHarbor as his company’s preferred online booking platform. He shares how he ensures a high guest satisfaction level and the indicators that made him realize he could expand his tour offerings. Don highlights some unusual ideas he tried with his tours and why working with your competitors can be mutually beneficial. He also shares how working with an established brewery tour company can help you get started and the three craft beers he would take with him if he was stranded on a desert island.

In the second part of our Blogging for Tour Operators series, Dorene shares tips on what should tour operators blog about. Plus we discuss how tour operators can generate new ideas for content. Dorene highlights other types of content tour operators can create and why passion and conversion posts are both critical. She shares advice for blog content you can explore when you are just starting your tour business and the best keyword tools you can use to refine your posts. We explore how tour businesses can use their competitor's sites and others in their niche market to get content inspiration and how reciprocal sharing is an essential part of building your blog following. Dorene also shares how you can organize your ideas into a content strategy, how Google Analytics can help you identify what’s working on your site, and subject areas you can cover to create an engaging tour blog post.

This is the Story of Blue Fern Travel, the DC Tour company which tells the history of neighborhoods through food. Blue Fern Travel focuses on supporting local businesses, specifically, women-owned and minority-owned businesses. Today, Mary and Stefan share the Blue Fern Travel ethos and how they work with organizations helping those in need in the city. They share how their food tour business started and how they gained funding for their new venture. They reveal how their community reacted to their business and why it's essential to work with staff, management, and owners when securing vendors. They explain the business skills they had to learn and the methods they use to design their food tours. They discuss why they chose their online tour booking platform and how they market their tours. They also share advice for hiring people to help promote your tour business and what tourpreneurs can do to help their communities.

In today's episode of the Travel Industry Mavericks, Peter Syme and Christian Watts discuss Chris Newlands' unique business model and the journey that led to the creation of spelfie.com. We discuss how COVID has changed Chris’s business landscape and the challenges of bringing brands, events, and partners together. We discuss how Spelfie works, the unique benefits brands get when partnering with them at events, and how Spelfie can work for destination cities and in-destination supply partners. Chris highlights the first socially distanced event for Spelfie and how real-time opportunities can evolve the business's offering. We also discuss how satellite technology is evolving, both in terms of quality and capacity, the many possible new avenues it will give travel partners, and what Spelfie will be doing in the future.

Is Clubhouse for Tour Operators and Tour Guides? Everyone is talking about it, but not many can categorize it. The clubhouse is the new social platform that is a part conference call and part house party. Intrigued by Clubhouse then today you can be a fly on the wall as I record an actual session for you. Today, I’m moderating a Clubhouse session called ‘Clubhouse For Operators’ with three Clubhouse regulars, Christian ‘Clubhouse’ Watts, Mitch Bach, and Nikki Padilla Rivera.In today's podcast-meets-Clubhouse session, we unpack what Clubhouse has to offer to the travel industry and discover Christian’s, Mitch’s, and Nikki’s thoughts about the new kid on the Social Block. We discuss what they find alluring about the platform and why some love it. We discuss Clubhouse etiquette tips, how a session works,  and what makes it different from the now ubiquitous Zoom meeting. We also consider what the value of Clubhouse will be once the exclusive novelty aspect has worn off and how it will continue to attract high industry value speakers.

On today's episode, Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley talks content for tour operators with Arival's Director of Marketing, Jessica Gregory. Arival recently announced their content for tour operators masterclass which takes place on March 24th and 25th. Jessica and Shane discuss the content masterclass program and discuss why this is not a standard event but an actual course complete with homework and follow-up learning opportunities. This Arival Master Class looks at key trends in travel content, what today’s travelers are consuming, and provides hands-on learning for content creation (websites, blogs, emails, ads, social, text, photos, videos), dissemination, and management.  Learn what to create, how to make it, where to place it, how to manage it, and how to measure whether it’s working. Register here - if you type Tourpreneur in the coupon code box, we earn a small commission which helps to cover some of our costs here at Tourpreneur, thanks in advance!

Much has been written about self-guided tours for tour operators. Is it buzz? Is it hype? Are tour operators making serious revenue out of this or is self-guided yet another shiny object to tempt tour operators away from working on tour business fundamentals? I'm intrigued and I'm not ashamed to say this is a part of our industry that I don't really know much about. I experienced a self-guided tour, an audio tour several years ago in London and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I recognize that since 2018, a lot has changed with technology. And a lot of the functionality has advanced somewhat since then. So it's in that spirit that I've invited onto. today's show Alex Govoreanu the co-founder and CEO at Questo. His company offer self guided city exploration games for travelers and locals. Questo has just raised one and a half million dollars in series A fundraising. However, I didn't just want to have a chat with Alex about self-guided tours for tour operators. When I'm interviewing a guest for the show, I want to know what's in it for you, the tour operator. . So I invited onto the show, a gentleman I affectionately call Mr. Episode 8. Alan Rust! Alan is the Chief Experience Officer at America Tour Company. Alan is shopping around for a partner with self-guided technology for tours. So I thought, you know what, let's host a genuine, authentic conversation on the podcast. So in today's show, we can all learn a little bit more about what Questo offers, how Alex sees the world of self-guided tours and what questions does Alan, the tour operator has when he is looking for a partner in which to sell self-guided apps. And how does he feel Questo stacks up? Alan has spoken to quite a few self-guided providers out there, we will publish a follow up episode with Alan in a few weeks time to hear how he is getting on.shane

Dorene Wharton of TravelLife Media returns to Tourpreneur today to share ideas and tips on blogging for tour operators. In part 1 of our blogging strategy for tour operators, she shares the foundational elements of creating interesting and compelling blog content. We also discuss why it’s crucial to overcome your fears and feelings of impostor syndrome when it comes to blogging. We discuss the questions you should ask yourself before starting a blog and why goal-setting and understanding your ‘why’ for your blog are critical for your success. We explain how you can use your blog posts as a jumping-off point for other marketing strategies like social media and content marketing. We discuss why it’s essential to identify your target audience and the value of discipline and consistency in producing your content. We also discuss what you should consider when troubleshooting low-performing blog posts, the importance of mentally preparing yourself for feedback and criticism from your readers, and the pros and cons of hiring a ghostwriter to write your blog content.

Today Peek's CEO Ruzwana Bashir and CTO Oskar Bruening join the Travel Mavericks to discuss their forecasts for the season ahead. We discuss how you can enhance and increase your profitability and what impact the booking system you choose will have on them. Oskar explains why, although there are new small booking systems that might meet your specific needs, the big systems should also be considered due to their time in usage and what user feedback has meant in improving those systems. Ruzwana considers the problems small operators might have with scaling while coping with the uncertain future COVID-19 has presented to the industry and what she predicts will happen in the industry regarding re-platforming and other solutions to generate revenue and increase profitability. We also discuss the new virtual experiences corporates and the wider audience are now looking for and what their place in the market might be once we get to the other side of the pandemic.

Peter Syme joins me today to discuss the evolving travel industry and how activity and tour businesses can survive and find success. He shares his military experiences and the lessons he’s learned from his military career. We discuss why continued education is vital and personal, and how you can research courses, and who is delivering them to ensure your time and money are spent well. Peter Syme shares what business actions to prioritize, including focusing on surviving first and adapting to provide the most effective online and offline experiences. He highlights how businesses that focus on the most difficult things and recognize that the customer is in control are the ones that succeed. He also highlights why you need to change your guest journey for the post-COVID world, the importance of understanding the interdependencies between industries, and that partnerships and outsourcing may be needed for business growth.

Oliver CEO of Ventrata, Edwin Swift IV of Historic Tours of America, and tour operator Emilie join me today to discuss and learn more about how the Ventrata booking platform and ticketing systems work. We discuss how Ventrata differs from other Rez Tech companies and why Edwin and Historic Tours of America chose to use Ventrata. Emilie quizzes Ventrata about the reporting, customization, campaigns, waivers, and translation options offered by Ventrata. We also discuss why 2021 is an excellent time to change booking platforms and why Ventrata has become popular with hop-on/hop-off tour companies.

Patrick joins me today to share how content plays a crucial role in your tour business. We discuss whether you should build your business foundations before starting a podcast and reveal the strategies that will attract media attention. Patrick shares the pros and cons of Instagram Reels and Amazon Explore and how to attract an audience from Facebook. Patrick also shares how BE NY adjusted to the events of 2020.

Many of you have written in asking me why I no longer produce a What I Learned This Week episode on Tourpreneur. In this short episode, I reveal what I learned in 2020 and how I am trying to be laser-focused in 2021 so I can deliver you even better content. Shane is not the only one trying to be more focused, he is in good company with Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky calling 2021 a year of focus. Also in this audio journal, I share more about how I organize my working week as a content creator and how I stay productive despite all the distractions. A big shout out to Cal Newport's book 'Deep Work.' I also share why I turned down invites to Clubhouse and my response to those who ask me what I think about the new Arival Insider Pro subscription plan. I also give you a sneak preview of a new feature on Tourpreneur that we will be piloting shortly. Bridgerton anyone?

The brand new Travel Industry Mavericks series kicks off with a discussion about the challenges facing OTAs. Peter Syme and Christian Watts join me today to discuss what is happening in the tourism industry and share their predictions for the future. We also discuss why we decided to create the Travel Industry Mavericks round table series on the Tourpreneur Podcast.

Marc Moscato joins us today to share the story behind Buffalo Bike Tours. He reveals what it is really like to run a company in a smaller market that has been struggling for many years but is now seeing revitalization and pockets of growth. We discuss his experience of starting a nonprofit organization and the benefits and drawbacks of running nonprofit and for-profit models. He also reveals the OTAs and marketing methods he is using and explains how to position your tour business to attract travel writers, bloggers, and your audience.

RocketRez's Joe Robinson and Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours' Kim Wark join us today to share the story of RocketRez and describe what the RocketRez experience is like from the tour and attraction’s operator point of view. Joe reveals the benefits of using an all-in-one booking, inventory, and sales solution. He highlights the onboarding experience for clients and shares how the pricing model works. Kim discusses the platform's customization options and reveals what it is like to update rates, schedules, and locations. We also discuss the tour and attraction websites where you can see the RocketRez services and solutions at work.

“It's going to be hard against the big boys with their war chest of cash, but there is enough room to do something different.” - Chris Torres shares why he decided to build Touriosity - an OTA with a conscience. Chris joins me today to share what Touriosity is all about and how you can register your company and tours. He reveals how tour bookings are managed and the marketing plan for 2021. Chris shares some of the lessons he has learned from the soft launch of Touriosity and the improvements he’s made in handling support requests. We discuss why local tours are not advertising on Facebook and the opportunities that are currently being missed by tour operators. Chris also shares his tips for getting your business through the next twelve months, including the benefits of having a business coach, and how collaborating with your competitors can help your tour business survive the challenges of the current global economy. Plus.. How to register your tours on Touriosity and the requirements for new and existing tour operators. How tour bookings and reservations are handled. How Touriosity is promoting its platform and future marketing plans. The lessons Chris has learned from Touriosity’s soft launch and the improvements they’ve made in handling support requests. Why Chris is taking OTA advertising to Facebook instead of Google Ads. The advantages of Facebook advertising and why it is exceptional for content targeting. How working with your competitors can help you survive 2021. Structuring your day and the value of having a business coach And Much More!

Leanne joins me today to share how she started her own tour business in 2019, navigated the challenges of 2020 and COVID-19, and is entering 2021 fully booked. She discusses the business pivots she has made to focus on the local community and shares how she is making connections through social media. She discusses OTAs, insurance, and safety. Leanne also shares three key lessons all tour operators can benefit from by going on other types of tours in other cities, continuing to tweak your tours, and volunteering and giving back to your community.

Torin and Alice join me today to share the lessons they have learned since opening their tours after lockdown. We explore the measures and policies you can put in place to run safe tours during the COVID pandemic and discuss how you can manage your team when they display symptoms or have had close contact with someone who received a positive test. Torin and Alice share how they are experiencing a rise in direct bookings and making pivots in their business to find new revenue streams. We also discuss the tour operators' role in the community and the challenges of maintaining good mental health through the pandemic.

John O'Sullivan of Depot Adventures joins us today to discuss his tour operator COVID survival and working with Amazon Explore. He shares the innovation needed to survive the economic crisis caused by COVID and the opportunities to continue trading by providing video experiences and virtual tours. John reveals what it is like to work with Amazon Explore and the investment in time you need to create a worthwhile partnership. He discusses the pro and cons of high-value private tours versus mass-market low-value tours. John also shares what equipment you will need to work with Amazon Explore and his views on whether this Amazon beta project is here to stay.

Theresa Nemetz of Milwaukee Food Tours joins us today to share her big pivot success story: offering advent gift boxes in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Theresa reveals how she sold 1,000 advent boxes in one weekend and how she turned a $3,000 investment in Facebook advertising into over $145k in revenue in 48-hours. She shares how she found success by identifying what people want and describes the challenges she faced when making a big business pivot. She also shares details of her workshop on the packaging, promotion, and pricing. Jeremiah of Blend Marketing reveals how his business made the pivot from marketing tours to marketing gift boxes and shares several tips on creating powerful Facebook Ads and marketing strategies that drive awareness and conversions.

Congratulations on making it to the final day of the 30 day challenge. End the challenge with a trip down memory lane. Look back at all you’ve accomplished in the last 30 days, months, years. Do this in whichever way you like. Journal. Go for a hike. Watch the waves. Paddleboard yoga. Think of it as a mindful treat-yourself day. Self reflection tips for tour operators Self-reflection tips Quiet your mind Ask yourself, “Where was I one year ago? Five? Ten?” Read old journals or booking reports Make a list of your proudest moments Remember the personal, not just professional Celebrate the quick wins, too Frame & place somewhere obvious Look at it every day as a reminder

One of Shane's favorite phrases is #AlwaysBeLearning. We wear so many different hats as a tour operator. along with running the business, you might also dabble in accounting, digital marketing, maintenance, HR, customer service, and guiding. But there’s always room to improve or diversify your skillset. Shane and Ryan discuss the importance of learning new skills when it comes to growing our business and how it can help you avoid fake experts and save you money!

Make a difference in your destination by choosing a cause for your business to get behind. Donate to a non-profit organization or rally up your team for a volunteer project. Pick something that makes sense for your brand and aligns with your values. Already supporting a cause? Make it known on your About page or social media today. Don’t think of it as bragging. It shows that your company cares, helps spread the word of a charity that deserves attention, sparks real conversations about improving the lives of others and our planet, and encourages your team and guests to get involved.

Arival is not just an in-person conference for the tour operator industry, they also publish research papers, survey results, tour operator spotlights, articles, and interviews with activity and tour operator interviews. Much of this is free of charge so please do check them out if you aren't already.

Facebook Groups are great for connecting with like-minded individuals and expanding your tour operator network. Shane and Kyla discuss the treasure trove of information available to us in tour operator Facebook groups plus also why you should join Facebook groups where your customers may be interacting and posting. Shane shares some of his favorite Facebook Groups for tour operators.

Have you ever wanted to be a secret shopper? Today is your chance! Book another tour in your destination or somewhere nearby — preferably not with your direct competitor — and see how they run things from a guest perspective! Why not gather intel and have fun at the same time? Just be sure to take a mental note of everything they do. What info do you get before the tour? How do they upsell? Is check-in a breeze? Do they use paper waivers? What’s your tour guide like? How do they make the experience better? Do they ask for tips? Reviews? See if there’s anything that you do better, or can take away to improve. Sometimes, we can get so stuck in the traditional way of doing things that we neglect to see how we can be better. Comparison isn’t always bad. By witnessing how someone else operates, you can get fresh ideas to adopt & tweak or validation that you’re already a few steps ahead.

Angela Heald shares her graphic design and Canva tips for tour operators. The key part of the challenge is to time batch the task and set aside two hours for it and no switching to other projects. Ever want to share more on social media? Are you unhappy with your Instagram profile’s aesthetic? Do you wish your Facebook ads didn’t make your tours look so…boring? With a bunch of promo material on hand, you’ll never run out of visual content, which means you’ll have no problem staying on top of digital marketing in the future.

Everyone’s saying that blogging is one of the best things you can do for better SEO. Well, it’s true. The more content you have on your website, the more queries you can rank for on Google. But it can be challenging to find time in your incredibly busy schedule to sit down and bust out an article, especially if writing isn’t your strong suit. Kyla and Shane share some quick tips for tour operators.

In today's bonus episode, we share tips on how to give your tour operator website an extra SEO boost by adding relevant local keywords wherever possible. Day 22 of the 30 Day Tour Operator Challenge by Checkfront.  Make sure to visit tourpreneur.com/challenge to grab your free PDF with even more keyword tips for SEO

For today's challenge, we tackle the important subject of improving your website speed and why you need to make sure all of your pages load fast on all devices. Run a test on Google’s PageSpeed Insights by entering each page URL into the Analyze bar, and then see if there are any problems you can quickly rectify today. Do this for both desktop and mobile.

Angela Heald of Checkfront and Tourpreneur's Shane Whaley discuss the importance of high-quality activity and tour photos on our websites. Angela shares some of her killer iPhone tips for tour operators.

Angela shares her favorite 3 episodes of the Tourpreneur Podcast and Shane suggests other podcasts for tour operators Sometimes, all you need to keep going is to hear from other tour operators on a similar journey. You’re not alone in the challenges you face. And the Tourpreneur Podcast is just the place to find out what tour operators all over the world are doing differently and learning along the way. 

Tips about asking for Google Reviews. It’s no secret that reviews are a ranking factor for Google My Business listings. If you want to earn that coveted spot on the local snack pack, you’ve got to get as many recent, quality reviews as possible.

How many places is your business listed? Yelp? TripAdvisor? Google My Business — of course, since you tackled that listing yesterday. What about Foursquare, Spoke, City Insider, Superpages, or Yellowbook? Take some time today to list your business on as many online directories as possible. All while making sure your name, address, and phone number (NAP data) is correct and consistent on every site. Grab the free PDF which  includes a list of must claim local listings at www.tourpreneur.com/challenge

Spend today updating your Google My Business Profile. Most searchers will see whether your tour company is legit by scanning your GMB listing first. So, make a great first impression by including everything they need to know. Kyla Steeves joins us to give us some quick tips on how to optimize Google My Business - grab the free workbook at www.tourpreneur.com/challenge

Go ahead, take a break, and live like a tourist for the day. Do something you’ve always wanted to do but can never find the time for or keep putting off out of fear.  We talk about how creating a local bucket list can help your activity or tour business. Learn how to surf, scuba dive, or sail. Go skydiving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, hot air ballooning, anything to get off the ground. Visit a nearby town you drive through all the time, but never stop. Take a cooking, painting, pottery, or glass blowing class. Hike to a jaw-dropping view or throw a foodie crawl with friends. Spend a day walking around a museum, art gallery, newly-built library. Whatever will refuel your love for your destination, do it. You might even discover something new to enhance your tours and create a local bucket list.

When taking bookings over the phone, you can answer questions, offer reassurance, and talk up the experience. You can’t necessarily do that online, which is why the booking process needs to be as seamless as possible. You put in a lot of work to get traffic. It’d be a shame for something to get in the way when visitors are so close to booking. By knowing where people tend to change their minds, you can make small changes to boost your conversion rate by at least 5-10%.  More bookings!

You can relieve a lot of guest anxiety with a simple message. By staying in touch with guests from booking to check-out, you show them that you care about every aspect of the experience and want to make sure they have all the information they need before arrival. Grab your copy of the free workbook at www.tourpreneur.com/challenge

On today's challenge, Checkfront's Kyla Steeves reveals some of her ninja tips for writing a FAQ page for your tour business. Not only is this an excellent resource for your customers, FAQ pages can also help with SEO. Grab the free workbook at www.tourpreneur.com/challenge

If you never find out what your guests actually think of your tours, you’ll never be able to provide the best experience possible. That’s why feedback is so beneficial. Your guests can tell you precisely what you’re doing right and wrong so that you know what to do more or less of. Sure, you can ask guests at the end of the tour, “did you have a good time?” Or peruse online reviews and mentions for tidbits of insight. But the most effective approach is to contact them directly. An intentional email can invite an honest opinion because no one else is around to listen or read. It’s just you and the guest.

On today's challenge we share tips on why and how you should work closer with local tour operators. Sometimes, the best partnerships in travel and tourism are right around the corner. Who else has the destination down pat? Like yourself, other local operators know the backroads, watering holes, hidden attractions, and reputable businesses — which means their guests also look to them for advice on where to eat, sleep, and what to do and see. Wouldn’t it be nice if they recommended your tours or activities as a must-book and vice versa? Plus, you never know what kind of brilliant ideas might ignite from a single conversation

Tips for handling positive reviews. You ripped off the band-aid yesterday. Now, it’s time to reward yourself by replying to your glowing, rave reviews! Thank everyone for their kind words, and let them know you’re thrilled to hear they had an amazing time. Blush all you want. You earned those compliments! While you’re doing this, be on the lookout for outstanding reviews that would make great testimonials. It’s perfectly okay to say, “thank you for the wonderful review, can I share this on my website?” Most people will be happy to help you out and get featured

Today we share how tour operators should deal with negative reviews. Oof, you might need a glass of wine for this one. Get comfy and dedicate a couple of hours to responding to recent negative reviews on every review platform. Go as far back as six months. Hopefully, it won’t be as scary as you think, and you can make a habit out of replying more promptly to online reviews in the future. Negative reviews can feel like the worst thing to happen to your tour company, but it’s important to remember that one’s opinion does not represent all. Every business encounters an unhappy customer from time to time. It’s how you respond that keeps your reputation intact. While you may want to ignore complaints altogether, the best thing you can do is address them head-on. In doing so, you not only let the reviewer know you care about guest satisfaction but also thousands of others who may check your reviews to decide whether or not to book.

Hopefully, this one is quick and easy for you today! Take a look at all of your social media profiles, and see what’s missing or out of date. Improve your bio by highlighting your unique selling proposition (USP). Update your cover image with a recent photo or promo video. Pin your best content at the top of your Facebook page, or add Instagram Story Highlights with on-brand cover icons. And finally, make sure your name, address, and phone number are still correct.

On today's Tourpreneur, content marketing expert Kyla Steeves shares her tips on Instagram for tour operators. Engagement feeds engagement. By initiating interactions on Instagram, you can get your brand noticed while showing off a bit of personality. Most Instagrammers are flattered when a brand compliments them. So, the more you engage, the more visibility and followers you’ll gain   Join the challenge at www.tourpreneur.com/challenge

On Day 5 of the 30 Day Tour Operator Things to Do Challenge, we are joined by Checkfront's Director of Marketing, Angela Heald who shares benefits of going live with a selfie video as well as  tips on how and what to record. Everything’s always about your tours, not enough about you — the person who created the tours in the first place. So, don’t be shy and say hello to your Facebook or Instagram community with a live video. Share a little bit about yourself, and watch all of the floating emojis come through!

On Day 4 of the 30 Day Tour Operator Things to Do Challenge, we are joined by Checkfront's Director of Marketing, Angela Heald and we are talking all about Treating Your Tour Guides. Genuine employee recognition goes a long way. One simple act of appreciation can make your tour guides feel valued, boost their confidence and motivation, give them a reason to go the extra mile and keep them coming back season after season.

On Day 3 of the 30 Day Tour Operator Things to Do Challenge, we are joined by Checkfront's Director of Marketing, Angela Heald and we are talking all about researching and maybe trying a new OTA. You’ve heard the saying, “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” Well, all too often, operators rely solely on the global brand names, like TripAdvisor, to “bring home the bacon,” even though there are plenty of new OTAs popping up everywhere that could also complement your distribution strategy. Who knows what opportunities you’re missing elsewhere? With another OTA, you might get more visibility, optimal real estate, a lower commission rate, and a better match for your target audience and niche. Wouldn’t you rather find out than be left wondering? W

Rob Dowling of Game of Thrones Tours shares why he chose Checkfront as his booking system on Meet the Res tech. Julianne, Rob, and Emilie join me today to discuss Res Tech for tour operators. Rob shares why he chose Checkfront as his booking system and reveals the one thing he wishes Rez Techs would offer. Julianne discusses the website integration options of Checkfront and the pricing models and coronavirus support users can expect from the company. We also discuss Checkfront’s multi-language support, reports, and inventory sharing and management.

On Day 2 of the 30 Day Tour Operator Things to Do Challenge, we are joined by Ryan Lainchbury of Checkfront's technical support team and we are talking all about how to automate your daily tour operator tasks. Grab your workbook at www.tourpreneur.com/challenge

I know many of us have been suffering overwhelm, what with all the webinars, online courses, virtual events, summits, podcasts, etc etc So now is time to put some of what we have learned into action. Starting today with our friends at Checkfront we are running a 30-day things to do tour operator challenge. Tourpreneur will be releasing a short daily episode during each day of November to discuss that day's challenge. 'We understand that life is busy, and sometimes what you intend to do never gets done. That’s why we created a 30-day challenge with small but practical tasks you can feel good about crossing off your to-do list in a few hours or less.' This is open to all tour operators and not just for Checkfront customers. (You can also complete the 30 days at a month of your choosing, should November not work for you.'

Oskar Bruening- the CTO of Peek Pro, Michelle of Miami Tour Company, and Emilie of Cyclo Services join us today to discuss tour booking software from the perspectives of the booking systems developer, tour operator, and prospective client. Oskar shares how Peek Pro differs from other reservation software. Michelle highlights the Peek Pro features she loves, and how by switching to Peek Pro, her tour business increased its online sales by 30%

Next week I will be attending the virtual event Arival 360. In this bonus episode I share with you the 15 sessions I am most excited to attend.

Tour operator Lauren Shannon joins us today to share the surprising benefits of launching virtual experiences in response to the coronavirus pandemic. She shares how virtual tours can be a tool to build connections and reveals how virtual could become the new travel planning tool. We discuss the benefits of producing virtual tours, including their use in marketing. Lauren shares the methodology behind creating an online experience and how to drive engagement and overcome the obstacles you might encounter. She also reveals what it is like to become an online personality and highlights the importance of sharing your knowledge and giving back to the industry.

We continue to follow Morgan's journey on the Tour Operator Start Up.   Morgan shares how things are going for her tour operation startup since her previous appearance on the show. She shares how her first tour went and the results of target marketing using Facebook Ads, radiuses, and demographics. We discuss testing and adapting tour narratives using feedback and reviews and discuss ways of getting local media attention. Morgan also shares her experience with the FareHarbor booking system and the value of her business training with TripSchool.

Choosing a tour operator booking platform is one of the most important decisions we will make for our tour business. We are spoilt for choice with over 160 booking platforms offering services to tours, attractions, and activities. We decided to create the Meet the Res tech series. These conversations are unique in that you will be able to listen to a res tech, a res tech customer, and a tour operator who is in the market for a new tour operator booking platform. You will hear an authentic conversation and is about as far away from a sales pitch as you can get. We don't do the keynote, conference format exec pitch here at Tourpreneur, our goal is to deliver you a genuine conversation full of value. We hope you enjoy it!

We run the rule over 3 Tour Operator websites with suggestions on how to improve copy in our first ever copywriting for tour operators clinic. Veteran digital marketer Dorene Wharton joins us today to share her advice on copywriting for tour operators. We discuss creating concepts to keep your visitors reading and ultimately choose your tour. We offered listeners the chance to have their tour copy evaluated by Dorene and Shane. We selected three very different tour operators who volunteered and on this episode, you can hear/watch us provide constructive feedback. There are plenty of lessons, tips, and advice or all tour operators. We share the methods and strategies that create an aspirational and ‘ready to book’ mindset. We discuss when copy is too much and the areas where you should reduce the amount of detail. We share ways to optimize your homepage by focusing on decision factors and unique selling points. We also share how you can convince and persuade your target audience - even if you don’t have a lot of PR - and discuss why your copywriting and SEO strategies need to work hand-in-hand. This week on Tourpreneur, the podcast for tour operators: Why you should focus on behavior as target audiences change due to travel restrictions Using insights to create a tagline to grab attention and explain what you are all about Positioning your COVID-19 updates, information, calls to action, and reviews Adding clarity and being direct by avoiding the passive voice What 'stops' are and why you should limit their number What you should include on your about us page and establishing a personal connection How to encourage newsletter subscriptions Using photos, videos, and small, bold paragraphs to maximize effect Organizing your homepage hierarchy and structure to maximize opportunities How to make your copywriting and SEO work together Our Favorite Quotes: “Focus on behaviors. Just because Americans aren't traveling, that doesn't mean that someone from Germany, who might be able to travel, doesn't have the same views and opinions of various tours.” - Dorene Wharton “When you are direct and straight to the point, it just has more impact, and it's a little more punchier.” - Dorene Wharton “Choose the things that are the most interesting and go into more details in the details section.” - Dorene Wharton "The higher the price, the more copy or images are needed." - Shane Whaley

On our Tourpreneur Facebook Group recently, a regular listener asked the following question. Tourpreneurs, help! How do you cope with decision fatigue and/or burnout, especially if you're a one-person show? I can feel it big-time right now and it's really affecting my ability to get things done, plan, and make decisions. 6 months ago today, we went into complete lockdown and I feel like I've lived in a pressure cooker since then. Some people thrive on uncertainty and pressure, but that is not me. Tell me about your (healthy) coping mechanisms! What works for you to help you keep a clear head? Shane reads out how our members responded and shares his own tips on how to beat fatigue and burnout.

Midgi Moore joins me today to share the story behind Juneau Food Tours. She shares how to build relationships with restaurants and get them added to your food tour. She discusses the essential elements of a successful tour, how to create value and price your tour, and how to build your tour brand. Midgi discusses the advantages of working with travel agents, sustainability within tourism, and why she changed booking platforms. Midgi also shares how she vets tour guides, how her company is surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, and her top three tips for growing your tour business.

in this series, we follow a tour operator on their journey from start to, well, we don't know where. We hope it is to success, but you're going to have to listen in each month to find out what happens. Today we feature Morgan Cantrell of HistoryWellTravelled.com. Let me introduce you to Morgan. She started her walking tour business just as the pandemic hit. Morgan shares why her dream is to build her own tour business. We also discuss some of the growing pains, she's experienced so far in starting her own tour business. We won't be sugarcoating anything during these chats, you know me well enough over the past 113 episodes that I'm all about authentic and genuine conversations. We will discuss Morgan's' wins and her losses. I know you're going to be thrilled when you hear Morgan share with us what it was like the day she picked up her phone and read that she had her first bookings. So today's episode is Morgan's tour operator start-up story. We will check in with Morgan monthly to discuss her wins and her challenges building her tour business. I'm excited. Strap yourself in. Let's go. This week on Tourpreneur: What inspired Morgan to start a tour business Developing a brand name, website domain, and logo How Morgan went about designing her first historic Carrollton walking tour Morgan's determination to create a tour in a market were none exist How to research and build a website with a WordPress theme How Morgan is marketing her business in her town through Facebook targeted ads Creating awareness and experimenting with Facebook ads, including images, demographics, and keyword plugins Why Morgan chose FareHarbor software to streamline bookings, payments, and data analysis The emotions and excitement Morgan felt taking her first booking Morgan's biggest frustrations on starting a tour business and how she motivates herself

What's it really like to work with GetYourGuide for tour operators? Carlee and Marc join me today to discuss the relationship between OTA GetYourGuide and tour operators. Marc shares how GetYourGuide extended the reach of his tour business, giving him access to new international customers, and discusses how cooperation with GetYourGuide has improved his business growth.

Ralph joins me today to share the story behind PhotoEnrichment Adventures and how he decided to switch from being a restaurateur to a tour organizer. He discusses his most popular tours and how he puts them together with local tour operators, creating a product that has seen a 42% repeat customer rate. He discusses the difference between PhotoEnrichment Adventures and Alla Campagna and how his business responds and adapts to the coronavirus crisis. Ralph also discusses the marketing tools and apps he uses and his strategies for building client-relationships and pricing.

Arival, the event for the tours, activities, experiences and attractions industry has officially announced that the Arival Phoenix event is canceled. We talk with co-founder Bruce Rosard to learn what this means for those who have registered for the Phoenix event as well as what is next for Arival as it goes virtual.

Tour operator Dov Selby joins us today to share the story behind Berlin Food Tour Fork and Walk Tours. He discusses the hurdles that he faced to become a tourpreneur and to start his own Berlin Food Tour business. He shares how Fork and Walk Tours in Berlin and Munich create interest around its products and the roles of OTAs, organic marketing, and paid advertising. Dov reveals how he builds relationships with local business and tour guides and highlights why it is vital to create a team that is passionate about your business. Dov also discusses how his new website captures sales from the corporate market and his mindset on finding the right work/life balance.

This week I was honored to be one of four judges at the first ever online tour guide throwdown hosted by Redeam. The event was a resounding success, well done Redeam and on this episode of What I Learned This Week I share with you why I admire tour guides even more following the event. I share with you how I combated groupthink and how refreshing it was to spend two hours enjoying a virtual event that was positive and fun. Check out the Tour Guide Throwdown Winners here. In this episode, I reveal some of the trends I am seeing on our listener's survey and discuss new features I am scoping out for future episodes of the Tourpreneur Podcast. I also invite a tour operator who is potentially looking for a new booking platform to join me for sessions with tour operator booking platforms on our brand new Meet the Res Tech series. I can be emailed at shane@tourpreneur.com

We talk with Von Harden who is one of the founders of a new global association founded to unite and support small, independent tour operators.  What is their mission and why should you consider joining them? Group Tour Professionals was founded by the same people who successfully launched and have grown the International Association of Tour Directors and Guides (IATDG), an association that primarily serves tour managers/directors and guides, into one of the largest professional associations of its kind.

Tour industry veteran and adventure specialist, Peter Syme, joins us today to share his perspective and advice on Matthew Smith's multi-day tour business, SOE Expeditions. This is a unique podcast episode of Tourpreneur as Matthew is at the early stage of building this particular tour business and he goes into detail for us about how to build a multi-day tour with a difference. Matthew shares the type of clients who are booking his niche multi-day tours and the physical and mental endurance needed to complete them. We discuss how to find a balance between pricing and profit and how insurance and liability are managed for endurance tours. We also discuss marketing channels, raising awareness, the importance of testimonials, and the huge benefits people experience once they complete an endurance tour or challenge. We discuss the vitally important life skills and history of the S.O.E. executive operations.

Dorene Wharton joins us today to share copywriting tips for tour operators. She shares how writing copy is an art and science that tour operators can learn to produce powerfully engaging copy. We discuss what has changed since Covid-19, how to establish trust, and what hasn’t changed in terms of effective copy. Dorene's copywriting tips for tour operators highlight the must-haves for your content and stresses the importance of authenticity. She also discusses why good copywriting starts with your purpose and reveals how you can find the right balance between SEO keywords and your brand’s voice.   This week on Tourpreneur - copywriting tips for tour operators: The pre-COVID authentic, conscious consumer buying trends that are becoming more pronounced Why consumers are becoming more skeptical with brands and their motives How to reassure people in your copy that you have taken the necessary steps to ensure visitor and employee safety How to conduct a deep dive into your customer's persona and uncover what they are asking for Why your About Us page is essential and should be one of your top three visited pages How to write your About Us page and convey your personal story How to use descriptive words and verbs and why you should avoid adjectives How to make your copy easier to digest through sectioning and titling Why you should conduct keyword research before you write Why your blog titles need to be consistent with your content How to improve your copywriting by using authenticity, emotion, and personality Interview questions and how to find a copywriter and determine if they will be good for your business Our Favorite Quotes: “People buy products that they value; that do not just make money, but they are equally focused on improving the world in some way.” - Dorene Wharton “We want to support brands who do and say the things we believe in.” - Dorene Wharton Resources Mentioned: Your About Page: The Secret Weapon to Build Trust and Future Sales Grammarly 10 Tips for Better Tourism Website Copywriting - Blog Post Great COVID Safety Copy by Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours Devour Tours Impulse Travel Taste of Thailand Food Tours Great Benefits Copy by Rewind Dubrovnik

Travel Curious is a leading online marketplace for booking private bespoke tours in the world's greatest cities. They partner with large travel partners such as Marriott, Hilton, Sunday Times Travel via API or white label solution. Today we bring you the story behind Travel Curious. Founder Alex Grant joins me today to share the story behind Travel Curious and what makes an excellent tour guide and immersive experience. Alex reveals his journey and inspiration for creating Travel Curious, his relationships with hotels, and how many hotels can generate extra revenue by learning how cruise ship operators sell tours online.

Jaume Vidal, Tiqets Regional Manager joins me today to discuss how Spain and Portugal are reopening tourist attractions amidst the coronavirus pandemic. He also shares with us what it is really like working at Tiqets. He explains how the Tiqets platform works and how it helps travelers find new attractions and events to explore. He explains why he believes Portugal fared better than Spain during the coronavirus pandemic and how the pandemic has impacted international tourist travel. He discusses how Barcelona venues are communicating their safety and security measures to reassure travelers to visit attractions and how the venues are promoting to local markets. Jaume also shares what it’s really like to work at Tiqets and explains how Tiqets is currently marketing its services to help local venues increase their bookings.

In this episode of the Tourpreneur Podcast for tour operators, you can learn how you can help shape the content for future episodes. I explain why creating content for tours, activities, and experiences is challenging and ask you for your feedback on how I can create the content that will help you grow your tour business. The survey is available here - www.tourpreneur.com/survey

Tour Operators know the importance of local marketing for tour operators during COVID-19 but how exactly do we go about marketing our tours to locals especially when local attractions are still closed? Rob Pitingolo is a DC based tour operator who is struggling to market his local tours online, so we asked tours and activities marketing expert Jeremiah Calvino of Blend Marketing to join us in the virtual Tourpreneur studio to talk local marketing for tour operators. On today's episode, we discuss how tour operators can market and promote their tours to local consumers, despite increased shutdowns among tourist attraction sites. We discuss how remarketing campaigns and content marketing strategies can help with local marketing for tour operators and the importance of understanding your target audience and their search habits. Our guests explain why you need to identify your company’s competitive edge and value proposition and how you can use your website and landing pages to build rapport and promote the customer experience. We share strategies you can use to troubleshoot poor performing re-marketing campaigns, the average cost per lead you should expect from your campaigns, and the importance of using a nurture funnel approach to your marketing efforts to avoid ‘ad-blindness.’ We also share strategies you can use to customize your website copy and online content to attract local - and international - tourists and how to use Facebook look-alike audiences to attract new customers.

On Episode 101 of the Tourpreneur Podcast we invited 3 tourpreneurs from different parts of the world to discuss the recent Tripadvisor White Paper - Beyond COVID-19 - The Road to Recovery for Tour Operators.  Our guests share their response to the Tripadvisor white paper and if it correlates with their own tour business and what learnings they picked up from the report. In this episode you will hear: What were some of the panel's takeaways from the report. What correlation our tour operator panel are seeing from the Tripadvisor research and what is happening with their own tour businesses. Why the restaurant data offered some of the most compelling insights for Lauren as a food tour operator. Why the phases of COVID-19 recovery are important reading for tour operators. How the panel will make changes to their tours based on the data shared by Tripadvisor. And Much More!

On this 100th episode of Tourpreneur the podcast for tour operators, Rob Pitingolo of TripHacks DC turns the tables on founder and host Shane Whaley and pulls back the curtain on Tourpreneur at we celebrate episode 100. Tourpreneur Founder Shane shares his journey, from his decade long career at Booking.com and how he played a pivotal role in what Skift called ‘travel greatest acquisition’ to leading OTA GetYourGuide in the Americas to founding and producing a podcast for tour operators. On Episode 100 of Tourpreneur the podcast for tour operators, guest host Rob expertly quizzes Shane and asks: What is Shane Whaley’s history in the travel industry, what makes him a ‘travel veteran?’ Why did Shane start a podcast for tour operators? Why reaching 100 podcast episodes is not the norm? The average show runs for 7 episodes! Was Shane nervous launching a podcast for tour operators? Did he suffer imposter syndrome? Shane reveals that launching a unique podcast is similar to launching a new tour, you ask yourself why is nobody else doing this? Why is Shane so passionate about tours, activities, attractions and experiences? How did he come up with the name Tourpreneur? Shane also reveals what his first name for his tour operator podcast was and why he ditched it. Why did Shane decide to produce a podcast for tour operators rather than a YouTube channel for tour operators? How much work goes into producing an episode of the Tourpreneur Podcast? What are the main challenges in creating and producing a podcast for tour operators? What is the Tourpreneur Mission? What is the Tourpreneur business model? How is Shane monetizing the Tourpreneur Podcast? What are some things that listeners to the podcast might not realize happen behind the scenes? Which of the first 99 episodes is your personal favorite? (episode 32 obviously) Where does Shane find his guests? You probably get a lot of messages from people who want to come on the podcast to promote or sell something. How do you handle those types of inquiries?  Shane reveals how he has turned down lucrative offers in affiliate commissions and pay to play. Covid-19 has financially impacted many of us tour operators – has Tourpreneur felt similar financial pain because of Covid-19? How so? Are there any productivity tips that you’ve implemented that you think tour operators could benefit from too? You’re in the early stages of starting a tour company in Vermont. What can you tell us about that? What’ is Shane’s vision for the next 100 episodes of Tourpreneur?  And Much More!

Amy Overy offers private tours of Hong Kong. She shares with us how she got started, how she grew her business and how she has coped with political protests and COVID-19. This is the story of Hong Kong Greeters.

In this episode of the Tourpreneur Podcast, we bring you the full audio of the Arival Online Session The Future of International Travel with Brand USA's Carroll Rheem.   In this in-depth discussion we’ll delve into how travelers around the world are thinking about travel, how they are planning trips and what they are looking for. We’ll discuss what operators of tours, activities, attractions and experiences should do to reach those travelers, what travel marketing will look like in the future, and what adjustments operators should make to their products.

In this quick call, we check in with Catia , the tour operator behind Lisbon Stories Today we have a COVID-19 to operator check-in. I might even start calling these, just tour operator check-ins. I hate writing the word COVID-19 and today we feature our first ever Portuguese tour operator on the Tourpreneur Podcast. Catia of Lisbon Stories wrote to me saying: 'I'm writing to you from Portugal and our official tourism board has launched a program called clean and safe .It requires a few hours of online education. You have to elaborate a plan for your own company, and there are random checks to make sure your businesses are following everything they should. I'm working on this right now, and I'll be glad to go on the show and talk to you about how our seal works, what it requires and what I've learned during the certification. I am a licensed tour guide and I run a very small company offering private tours in Lisbon Portugal.  We offer a few walking tours, but mostly car tours, always to small private group.' So we talk about hygiene, the safety protocols for tour operators. We also then talk about how Catia is going to pivot her tour business. Catia is very motivated by showing tourists 'off the beaten track' Lisbon. So I think you will enjoy this episode and I love how international the Tourpreneur Podcast is becoming. So don't hesitate, wherever you are in the world. If you want to come on and share a story with us, about how you're growing your tour business, what you're learning during the lockdown drop me an email. And as we hopefully head into recovery, we are here. We want to feature your stories, email me at shane@tourpreneur.com 

Arival CEO Douglas Quinby reveals more about 'Your Revival' a virtual one day summit which focuses on how tours, activities and attractions are reopening and reassuring nervous travelers. Douglas also explains why the summit is 'not another freakin webinar' but offers interaction such as themed roundtables and access to 1:1 meetings with Arival Experts.

Today we bring you an exclusive announcement, from two former guests of ours - two food tour operators They have teamed up with a major tour operator booking platform FareHarbor and have built a microsite Global Tours Connect, which they say, not only can deliver bookings for your tour business but will also pay you a dividend. Intrigued? I know I was. So we welcome onto the show today, Lauren McCabe Herpich of Local Food Adventures, Midgi Moore of Juneau Food Tours and first time guest on the Tourpreneur Podcast, Sabine Whitney of FareHarbor..

Checkfront just released a free in-depth and highly actionable e-book on local marketing, which covers everything from optimizing your local presence online to standing out in the local community. In this episode of the Tourpreneur podcast, Kyla Steeves who authored the local marketing guide for tour operators joins us and shares her 5 key marketing strategies.

In this week's episode, I share with you: Why we pulled an episode of Tourpreneur this week. How being candid and honest as a content creator requires a thick skin. Arival announced they are moving their Phoenix event from September to November. Arival Phoenix Cancellation policies and why I credit them for their clarity around what will happen if they are forced to cancel the event due to COVID regulations. My dilemma about whether to attend Arival Phoenix or not this year The beta version of the Tourpreneur Approved Directory What is coming up on the Tourpreneur Podcast.

Robert Levitt of Via Nissa Excursions joins the Tourpreneur Podcast and walks us through giving his first tour since lockdown. I'm really excited to share Robert's story because he posted photos of his tour on our Facebook. Robert's photos attracted hundreds of likes and the group was buzzing with excitement because this was the first sign we had seen of a real tour as opposed to a virtual tour. On the podcast, Robert shares with us how they adapted the business and tours to comply with the strict French regulations. He also shares how they marketed their tours to locals and discusses the different challenges when giving tours to locals rather than tourists.

This month I have spoken with 2-3 tour operators each day. Some of those conversations you can hear on the Tourpreneur Podcast in our COVID-19 check-in. In this episode, I share why I am so inspired by tour operators optimism and resiliency. I also share why those touting the Law of Attraction (a.k.a. The Secret) across the tour operator Facebook groups are promoting a delusional type of positive thinking which could end up harming your tour business. That's not to say they are not well-intentioned but as the Arctic Monkeys' once sang 'don't believe the hype!'

In this quick call, we check in with Chef Forrest Parker, the tour operator behind Underdiscovered Charleston - history, walking, and food tours! We learn how he is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how he plans to come back stronger. Forrest shares with us why he decided to offer food and history tours of Charleston and what he is doing to improve his tour business so he can come back stronger after the COVID-19 lockdown.

Today we discuss how you can pivot into local marketing for tour operators. We are joined by Marica Brewster, who runs the Von Mack Agency, a digital marketing agency that specializes in the tours and activities industry. Marica shares her beginner-friendly tips on how to pivot into local marketing for tour operators plus Marica highlights the importance of mindset. 5 Local Marketing for Tour Operator Tips 1. Perfect your message first. (Heartstring pull/ why “in your back yard” positioning is different, message foundation w seo, listings, etc) 2. Know your numbers! (Budget, GA stats, incoming visitation, search volume, projections, etc.) 3. Choose media buys that allow for quick pivots and more immediate optimization. (Time to get granular, lean to digital because of opportunity) 4. Partnerships and product development can be an “in.” (Restaurants, dmo/cvbs, etc) 5. Give back to the community. (Being an active part of a community helps w referrals, warm leads, social proof, etc)

What I Learned This Week. First of all, I'm going to talk about, well, I'm going to ask the question, is it time that we had a nonprofit tour operator association for smaller tour operators; are the tour operator associations who are out there serving us? And secondly, I'm going to talk about a positive story that's just come in from Nice in France; someone's just led a tour. Yes. Remember those? No, not a virtual tour, ... humans getting together and going on a tour.

In this quick call, we check in with Matt Marberry , the tour operator behind OBX Outer Banks Ghost Tours We learn how he is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how he plans to come back stronger. Matt shares with us how T-shirt print to demand is helping him cover his worker's comp payments during the lockdown plus what he is doing to reassure nervous travelers.

In this quick call, we check in with Valur Heiðar Sævarsson , the tour operator behind Your Friend In Reykjavik (Reykjavik Walking Tours) we learn how he is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how he plans to come back stronger.

Food Tour Operator Therese Nemetz of Milwaukee Food Tours joins us on the Tourpreneur Podcast. Theresa shares with us how she pivoted her food tour business during the Coronavirus pandemic to generate revenue and grow her business despite the lockdown. I love working in the tours and activities industry because the vast majority of tour operators are willing to share not just their success story but how they achieved success, with other tour and activity providers. My inbox blew up with Tourpreneur listeners asking me to interview Theresa on the show following a blog post she wrote titled 'Three Ways Tour Operators Can Grow During the COVID-19 Crisis.' I wrote to Theresa and she agreed to come on the show and share more about her pivot. This is a rare success story in these tough times and I can't thank Theresa enough for coming on the show to discuss how the pivot came about and how she executed.

I discuss why we need a transparent Arival refund policy. What happens to your money if Arival is forced to cancel future events due to COVID-19? This week on the Tourpreneur Podcast, Jon Peahl revealed more about his new hygiene certification for tours, activities, and attractions. I share why I have serious misgivings about their phone-based screening for certification. Will the Sansee Shield assure nervous travelers? I am not convinced. Most of us are scared to change anything on our websites but on this episode, I share with you why now is the right time to make those changes/upgrades to your websites, copy, logos, photos, booking platforms, etc.

Brian tells Tourpreneur "Our revenue was growing 300% month over month up until the mandatory shut down here in New Orleans." "Additionally, the expansion to our second market, Nashville, was finalized on March 4th with a planned launch on April 25th, which has been put on hold for an extended period of time to evaluate how tourism will come back. We have also implemented free virtual experiences to help with brand awareness and have received positive feedback.'

In this quick call, we check in with Lukša Malohodžić, the tour operator behind Rewind Dubrovnik boat tours we learn how he is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how he plans to come back stronger. Lukša also shares with us how he is spending his time learning on webinars and what he thinks about virtual tours.

Jon Peahl is the Founder and President of Sansee and the company claim to have developed the first hygiene certification system built specifically for the tours and activities industry. They say that unlike the 'heavily regulated restaurant hotel and cruise ship sectors, governments don't regulate and inspect tours or attractions in the same way, leaving this highly fragmented section of the industry without any uniform sanitation guidelines. So I was curious to find out more.....

I have had enough. Not a week goes by when I don't receive an email from a tour operator who paid for a service/product/tool/app/course that did not deliver. None of us can afford to be taken for a ride. So today I am asking you to help me create the 'Tourpreneur Approved' directory. This will be a free online directory of services/products/tools etc. recommended by tour operators for tour operators. My idea is that each listing will be accompanied by a genuine testimonial from a tour operator (or 2) who is open to being contacted by a fellow tour operator about that service/product. This is not a funnel because there are way too many of them out there. This information will live on the tourpreneur website. No email address needed. No PDF. Would you consider this a helpful resource for your tour business? Let me know.

Virtual tours, should you create one or not? Today's guest is tourpreneur, Jessica Hammer, from Taste of Toulouse food tours. Jessica also wondered whether she should be creating virtual tours, so she asked herself seven questions, reflected on her answers, and decided that no, she wasn't going to use her resources on building a virtual tour. In today's episode, she talks us through the 7 questions she asked herself. She reveals some of those answers and shares her thinking on why she decided creating virtual tours of her food tours is not right for her business. If you feel the FOMO or that you're feeling the urge to follow other tour operators and create a virtual tour, is to also ask yourself the same seven questions and really reflect on those answers, and decide for yourself whether a virtual tour is a good use of your time and resources. I know some of our listeners are enjoying success with virtual tours. I would love to invite you to the show so you can share with us how you've set your virtual tours up? What were the key components? What were the costs? How did you market it? What's the reaction been? Are you making money? How are you measuring success? And because we are an independent podcast, we are always are happy to host different opinions on these issues. Get in touch if you want to share more about your virtual tours on the podcast.

On this week's installment of Tourpreneur's What I Learned This Week, I talk about the latest tours, activities, and attractions research report released by Arival. I also share what I learned on Redeam's local coalition webinar. I discuss my effort learning Canva, why I am grateful to work in the tour and activities industry and a new health hack to help me lose weight and gain energy.

Nikki is going to share with us five ways that tour operators can keep our tour guides engaged. She shares actionable and practical tips based on years of experience at UA. Nikki was involved with tour guide commitment, employee retention, and happiness. She was responsible for tour guide quality in terms of brand consistency across experiences and also working with cultural values and creating a positive work culture. So Nikki has bags of experience when it comes to keeping tour guides happy. I also asked Nikki what makes a great tour guide.

Hello and Welcome to Episode 76 of the Tourpreneur podcast. I hope this episode finds you and your family and your loved ones in the best of health. Today I'm kicking off a new series called What I Learned This Week. I want to share what I learned from the many tour operator webinars, summits, blogs, COVID-19 marketing guides that are being hosted and published. I hope you will join me by sharing your learning on our Monday School over at our private Facebook Group. In this short episode I talk more about: Tour Operator Webinar Fatigue. 90% of tourpreneurs on our recent poll said they felt overwhelmed with the amount of COVD-19 webinars for tour operators. My first Virtual Tour - I traveled to Pompeii with Walks. Booking platform payment models and why added booking fees may be a good thing.

The rapid growth and adoption of reservation systems have made tech accessible to even the smallest operators and brought much of our industry online. Indeed, res tech has been an essential service, a utility, for our industry. What role can they play during this crisis? How can they help operators in the recovery? And how will the challenges of 2020 change the technology landscape for our industry? We’ll dive in and pull no punches as we talk tech and what it means for your business with leadership from four reservation systems. Presenters: Maria Aivalioti, COO, Travelotopos Hjalti Baldursson, CEO, Bokun Scott Zimmerman, CEO, Xola Kory Fawcett, CEO, Zaui Software Moderator: Douglas Quinby, CEO, Arival

Times may be tough, but there’s also never been a better time to review your processes and systems to make than as good as they can be. And that includes your booking tech. There has been so much new tech coming into our sector. But which system should you choose? What features do you need? Which pricing model is right for you? This workshop will help you build a plan for evaluating and implementing a technology platform to manage your tours and activities and run your business more efficiently. Who’s this for? Tour, activity and attraction operators considering new reservation technology

We check in with Tudor Balaban, who offers the Sibiu Experience in Transylvania, Romania via Airbnb Experiences to learn how he is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how he plans to come back stronger.

In this quick call, we check in with Nicole Will, the tour operator behind Asheville Wellness Tours in North Carolina to learn how she is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how she plans to come back stronger. Nicole shares with us why she thinks it is ok to pause and get back to basics with your tour business. We also talk about how motivating it is to see our tour industry pulling together.

In this quick call, we check in with Coreena Vieth the tour operator behind Shutterbug Walkabouts of Tasmania to learn how she is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how she plans to come back stronger.

In this quick call, we check in with Karin Risko, the tour operator behind City Tour Detroit to learn how she is coping with the COVID-19 lockdown and how she plans to come back stronger. "You know, I feel like I'm starting over again for the third time. In 2012, I was getting ready, gung ho, and then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The following year in 2013, again I'm revving up, and then my boyfriend passed away suddenly. And I really had no clue after that if I was going to go forth, because suddenly I had no passion for the business. This time it's a little bit different. I still do have passion, so I'm just kind of sitting back, I guess, sit back, breathe. Be grateful for what you do have. There's a lot of people, you know, we don't have to be on the front lines out there exposing ourself to this disease."

We check in with Staci Giovino, the tourpreneur behind Carmel Food Tours to learn how they are coping with the COVID-19 lockdown

In a quick call, Grace Della of Miami Culinary Tours shares with us how she is using the experience of dealing with hurricanes and Zika to build her business and bulletproof her mindset during the COVID-19 lockdown. - What are your action plans during quarantine? - What is your daily routine? How are you protecting your mental health? - How are you getting through this? What is your message to your fellow tour operators? - What are you doing to make sure your business comes out of this stronger than before? - What are you learning from peers and the online webinars that you plan on implementing in your business?

Welcome to Episode 68 of the Tourpreneur Podcast. Today's podcast is a little different from our usual format. I invited Miranda Peterson of Namaste in Nature onto the show to share mental health and wellness strategies and tips for tour operators as we all struggle through the COVID-19 crisis.

Mitch Batch shares with us why he set up the immersive training company Tripschool and how he uses his 17 year experience to help you become a better tour guide and/or director and tour guide. TripSchool offers immersive tour director & guide training experiences online and around the world! In this episode, we cover many topics, but this is not a sales pitch. Mitch shares with us how to build an engaging tour experience which will help to grow your tour business. I quizzed Mitch about the Tour Director Certification Course and if it would help me with my plans to set up my own brewery tour company. ( An idea that has been derailed since COVID-19 but I am still thinking about it but probably in 2021.) Mitch is not just a tour guide trainer, he also works as a tour guide and towards the end of the chat, Mitch shares with us one of his tour guide secrets that always blows the minds of his tour guests, it blew my mind as well

In this in-depth interview with GetYourGuide co-founder Tao Tao, discusses GetYourGuide's response to the coronavirus and the steps they are taking to support operators. Tao also goes deep on GetYourGuide's vision for its branded tour initiative GertYourGuide Originals, what does the online distribution look like in a post-coronavirus world, and what all of this means for operators of tours, activities, and attractions. With thank to Arival Online and host Douglas Quinby.

Welcome to episode 69 of the Tourpreneur Podcast. Today we discover how the WFTA can help you start or grow your food tour business. We're joined by Erik Wolf, the founder and executive director of the World Food Travel Association. The world's leading authority on food and beverage tourism. The WFTA mission is to 'preserve and promote culinary tours through hospitality and tourism' and on this episode of the Tourpreneur podcast, you will hear how they strive to achieve that.

This week, digital marketing expert Jennifer Burke and Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley put two tour operator websites through the Tourpreneur Tune-Up. We review TheTourGuy.com and TypicallySwissTours.com Listen in and hear our suggestions on what we like, dislike and how these tour operators could supercharge their websites.

How do you price, market and push your products amid a global downturn in travel demand? When should you discount? What messaging and promotions should you use? This workshop walks through best practices and key tips to keep your marketing and pricing on track.

In this candid and in-depth episode of Tourpreneur, we are joined by Gordon Firemark of Firemark Entertainment Law Offices, who specializes in the podcast and other entertainment copyright. I chat with him today about the ins and outs of trademark law for your tour company, when you should hire a lawyer and why you should trademark your tour company name. Registered trademarks are a concern for many Tourpreneurs, and I'm not a legal expert, so I've asked Gordon Firemark, who specializes in entertainment law and expert about trademarks in the United States. About the question of trademarking your name, Gordon says, "The short answer, I think is yes." Your brand name is what allows you to grow your business. Another person can start a company using a name that is confusingly similar to your own name, and that could really undermine your marketing and promotional efforts and slow down growth. Trademark registration is an essential way of protecting against this happening. "I would say this is near the top of the list of things to do from a legal standpoint and as you're getting a business off the ground." Trademarks are designed to protect distinctive names. Descriptive terms don't pass muster with the trademark registration folks until they've been used long enough to have acquired a secondary meaning in the mind of the consuming public. Make sure to choose your name wisely and choose a name that's distinctive so that you don't have the pushback in those early days. You really have to evaluate what your time is worth. You may spend two or three hours that the lawyer would complete under an hour and know your application is made right. What's your time worth for that when you could be either out running a tour and getting things taken care of so you have the bandwidth to do activities that are important for your business.

Arival has been conducting a survey of the impact of coronavirus since March 8. In this Arival Online event, Arival CEO Douglas Quinby walks through key findings and discusses them with leading tour and activity operators.

Our industry is hurting badly right now, there is no sugar-coating this. Shane wants to know what you wantto hear on the Tourpreneur Podcast as we battle through the coronavirus crisis together. My name may be on the intro but this is your show. Tell us what you need to learn or hear going forward.

Three Food Tour Operators or as we call them food tourpreneurs, discuss all things food tours. Including what is Food Tour Week, what booking platform they use for their food tour business and much more! We are joined by Lauren McCabe Herpich (Local Food Adventures), Midgi Moore (Juneau Food Tours) and Kevin Durkee (Culinary Adventure Company.)

Coronavirus is hitting the travel industry hard. On this episode we talk to tour industry veteran Peter Syme who shares actionable tips on what tour operators need to be doing in order to protect our tour businesses.

Coronavirus is hitting the travel industry hard. On this episode we talk to tour industry veteran Peter Syme who shares actionable tips on what tour operators need to be doing in order to protect our tour businesses.

Sean Finelli walked away from a lucrative analyst job on Wall Street to move to Rome. He worked numerous bar and restaurant jobs to pay his way and then found himself selling tours on the streets of Rome. This is when his life changed. Sean worked his way up from selling tours for others outside the Colosseum to building his own successful tour business. Sean reveals he suffers from dyslexia but also shares how he has turned it into an advantage.

How travelers experience a tour, an attraction or activity and the ways in which operators can deliver those experiences are changing rapidly. In this first-time session at Arival, we feature new innovations that could change the way you do business. Then, the Arival Observation Deck, comprised of four veteran operators and investors, evaluate each presentation live on stage and ask key questions to help determine if these tools could be a part of your tomorrow. The Tools & Innovators: Alex Govoreanu, Questo - the game is the tour Christian Watts, Magpie - all of your content, everywhere Michael Weiss, Bitemojo - food tours by smartphone

How do you begin to design a major new attraction in a destination that already has it all? In this talk, attractions industry veteran Jason Horkin walks us through the design-led approach they took to develop the Vessel and the Edge, and how New York City’s Hudson Yards tackled design and development challenges in the very busy Big Apple. Speaker: Jason Horkin, Executive Director at Related/Hudson Yards

Growth in most companies is hardly a straight line up, but more like an adventure course with plenty of downs as well as ups. In this operator story, James Blick shares the lessons learned from Devour’s tours and detours since its founding in 2012 to its expansion to seven cities across Europe. Speaker: James Blick, Co-Founder & COO at Devour Tours

The rapid growth and adoption of reservation systems have made mission-critical tech accessible to even the smallest operators and brought much of our industry online. But just how different are all of these systems (Arival has identified more than 100), how do operators begin to choose, and what does it mean now that alignments are emerging between some tech systems and major online travel agencies? We’ll dive in and pull no punches as we talk tech and what it means to you with the CEOs of four reservation system companies. Res Tech Panelists: Chris Atkin, CEO of Rezdy Ruzwana Bashir, Co-Founder & CEO of Peek Jason Morehouse, Co-founder & CEO of Checkfront Max Valverde, CEO of FareHarbor

This operator roundtable delves into challenges and best practices around working with OTAs, managing distribution channels and building a direct and diversified sales strategy.

Chris was a prominent administrator at UEFA, the football authority in Europe, and unfortunately was laid off in his mid-forties. When looking for another career job, Chris realized he had a passion and knowledge of the Swiss Countryside, decided to buy himself a van, and start his own business as a tour operator. This is the story behind Typically Swiss Tours.

Travelers may stay in rooms, but they seek experiences, and lodging providers can be a key point of sale for operators. In this talk, we’ll hear how the world’s biggest hotel chain is approaching the Best Part of Travel, and how you can grow your sales through hotel and accommodation partners. Speaker: Susan DeBottis, VP, Tours & Activities at Marriott International

No matter how large or how small, no company is immune to the disruption that technology innovation and changing traveler demands can bring. In this session, you’ll learn how Universal, one of the leading global theme park brands, approaches some of the most disruptive forces in our industry. Plus, you’ll get their take on key trends in tech, distribution and what’s next for the guest experience. Speakers: Frank Belzer, Senior Vice President - Portfolio Sales at Universal Parks and Resorts Jenna Blumenfeld, Managing Editor at Arival

In this candid and in-depth episode of Tourpreneur, I chat with Steve Chapman of Salida Walking Tours. who walks through starting a walking tour business from scratch. Steve Chapman was a founder of his own strategic marketing consulting company and decided to sell his business in 2018. He needed a new career and turned to his hometown of Salida, which is Colorado's largest national historic district, to start a walking tour business.

Experiences, the once-fledgling tours and activities initiative of the online accommodation giant, is growing up fast. Airbnb now boasts more than 30,000 experiences around the world, a new multi-day tour division and more. This candid interview will delve into how Airbnb is working operators, and we’ll ask their head North America the questions you need answered to see if you should be working with them.

At Arival Orlando 2019, Invisible Cities’ founder shares her vision for making the invisible visible, and how tour and activity operators can have a social and local impact. Every tour operator wants their tours and experiences to have an impact. But Invisible Cities in the UK, Scotland, seeks to be transformational for its guides as well as its guests. Founded in 2016, this company trains individuals affected by homelessness to become guides and lead alternative tours – now across four cities. Invisible Cities’ founder shares her vision for making the invisible visible, and how tour and activity operators can have a social and local impact.

Stephen Oddo, CEO and Co-Founder of Walks reveals why he built he started the walking tour company and shares lessons he has learned along the way.

Four years ago, Zakia Moulaoui founded a tour operator business with a difference. Her tour company Invisible Cities recruits, trains and hire tour guides who have been affected by homelessness, addiction, and other tough life circumstances. In this candid and in-depth episode of Tourpreneur, the podcast for tour operators, we learn how to build a social enterprise in the tours and activities sector. This is not an interview with an academic or lecturer. In today's episode, you will hear from an inspirational tour operator who started her own social enterprise with no cash nor any previous business experience. Since she started in Edinburgh, Zakia has now expanded into 5 British cities. Zakia Moulaoui talks us through the highs and lows of starting, running and growing a social enterprise in the tour sector.

Building a profitable food tour business is tough. Building a food tour business in a 'secondary' destination with the foodie heaven of San Francisco right on your doorstep? Even tougher! On today's Tourpreneur, the podcast for tour operators, you will hear the story of Lauren McCabe Herpich, the tourpreneur behind Local Food Adventures in Oakland, California. In this candid conversation with Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley, Lauren McCabe Herpich shares with us the highs and lows about starting her own food tour business from scratch.

Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley and Digital Travel Show Host Chris Torress discuss the major events of 2019 for the Tours and Activities Industry. includes: OTAs for tour operators. Good or a bad thing or both? The changing face of the tours and activities OTA landscape. Booking.com pulling out of the Experiences sector (for now.) Massive changes at Expedia. What exactly is Groupon doing in the tours and activities space? How was Arival 2019 in Orlando for Shane and Chris? What did we learn? What did we enjoy? We give you our opinions on that res tech debate between Peek, FareHarbor, Checkfront, and Rezdy. Who is our Tour Operator/Tourpreneur of the Year? And Much More

Its the final episode of the Espresso Interviews from Arival. Nick Wilson shares with us how he leveraged his experience working at a luxury hotel to create Wicked Wine Tours and more recently the Wicked Weed Tour. Nick loves wine and always wanted to build how own business, in this espresso episode of the Tourpreneur Podcast with Shane Whaley, Nick reveals how five years ago, he started Wicked Wine tours in British Columbia and recently a Kelowna Weed Tour! How To Start a Weed Tour Business. Nick tells us that weed tours are similar to wine tours, there's no consumption in the vehicles. They take their guests to either a grow operation or an extraction facility, "A lot of people, maybe, have had experience with cannabis but they really don't know a heck of a lot about it. Very similar to our wine guests. "I like to drink wine but I don't know a lot about it." says Nick. He continued: "We educate them on the plant, male, females, indica, sativa, CBD, THC, all that kind of stuff. Now they're armed with a little bit of knowledge. Off we go to the dispensaries. They have private appointments with the budtenders. They can purchase their product, and many of our guests are from out of town so they don't want to fly with their cannabis which is legal in Canada, but if you're an international guest, obviously it isn't. They get to do a little shopping for their product while they're in town for a few days, and the feedback's been amazing."

Tom Kratsch of the digital marketing agency, Activities and Tours Marketing by TRK Creative Group sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley, and shares some tips from his 25 years in digital tourism marketing and highlights the importance of measuring marketing performance in your tour operator business.   Tom Kratsch's digital marketing agency Activities and Tours Marketing by TRK Creative Group focuses on the tours and activity industry.

Alice and Torin (The Flying Bike Guided Bike Tours, Asheville) who appeared on Episode 1 of the Tourpreneur Podcast sat down with Shane at Arival Orlando to give us an Arival Review. Alice and Torin, are second-time attendees, they share what their favorite Arival sessions were, who inspired them, what they are going to do differently as a result of attending Arival and where Arival can improve for future events.

There are a lot of inspiration and tips for tour operators in this one. Todd Kersey started his tour business, 22 years ago and now manages tours in 5 states and in 240 locations. Todd employees 280 people and he shares with us his tips for managing tour operator staff. Talking of Success Strategies for Tour Operators, Todd reveals that 74% of all his business comes via Search Engine Optimization and less than 2% of his tours are booked via OTAs!

Sweet John Muehlbauer sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley, and shares more with us about how YourBikerGang strives to help guests 'unleash their bad side.' Sweet John walks us through YourBikerGang's pricing strategy and shares with us how they market and price a tour that, is so unique, nobody is searching for it.

Robert sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley, and shares more with us about how Bindlestiff Tours create truly immersive experiences on their multi-day tours. We also talk about the major differences selling multi-day tours online, how the booking window is different and the challenge of selling multi-day tours online because of the higher price point. I also ask Robert how he reckons the tours, activities and experiences industry has changed over the years. Robert Graff speaks at many trade conferences and events, I have been lucky to see him on stage several times. He is an industry professional, a travel industry veteran that I have admired from afar, so I was delighted to spend some time with Robert, though ten minutes did not do us justice. I hope he is open to coming back on the show, maybe on one of our future round tables to discuss the state of the tours and activities industry because he has so much experience and knowledge to share with us.

TourismTiger's Matt Newton is one of the most experienced and knowledgable people I know when it comes to marketing tours and in today's episode, he shares some top website tips for tour operators. His book Sell More Tours (2015) is crammed with online marketing and web site tips for Tour Operators, it was one of the first books I read when I made the transition from hotels to the tour industry. I was delighted to finally meet Matt at Arival in Orlando and honored that he agreed to sit down for a quick chat to share his knowledge and marketing tips for tour operators.

Georgette Blau is the founder of On Location Tours offering TV and Movie Tours in NYC. From Sex in the City tours to The Sopranos Tours and now even Superhero tours. Georgette sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley, and shares with us how she got started offering TV and movie tours in NYC. Georgette's story is inspirational.

In this candid interview, Ellen of Breakers Boat Trips Punta Cana shares their lessons on not just setting up a tour business, but being a tour operator in a foreign country. We also talk about boat trips marketing, how Ellen sells tours through hotels and how most of her OTA bookings for her tours are coming via Bookit.  

Annalise Smith is the founder of Key West Food Tours, rated #1 for food tours in Key West on Tripadvisor. Annalise sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley, and shared the origin story and mission of Key West Food Tours with us. Key West Food Tours was founded in 2014 to offer visitors of Key West a taste of authentic local culinary experiences while providing historical anecdotes Initially, Annalise wanted to invite people to her Cuban grandmother's home to enjoy an authentic Cuban family dining experience. The City said no to Annalise's tour business idea because of health codes. That lead Annalise to explore the world of food tours. That was the catalyst behind Key West Food Tours. In this conversation, Annalise shares her marketing strategies with us for her food tours and she reveals how she overcame resistance from restaurants who did not see the benefit of being a part of a food tour.

What exactly is the 'B side' of tours? Pedro DeMarche, of Spanish tour operator, Sixthrills sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley, and shared more about the mission of their company.

In this inspirational episode, Paul Melhus, the founder of Toursbylocals sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley, and shared more about the mission of Toursbylocals. Paul tells us how he was inspired to start Toursbylocals following a visit to the Great Wall of China where he enjoyed a tour by locals (who then tried selling them keepsakes in exchange.) Paul Melhus takes us on a journey from that flight home to growing a network of just over 4,000 tour guides in 923 locations in 160 countries around the world. We also learn how Toursbylocals vet all their tour guides, how they market their tours and why they won't take on new tour guides unless they feel confident they can deliver bookings.

In this episode, we talk all about digital marketing tips for tour operators. At Arival Orlando. Digital Marketing expert Jaden Cymaluk of IWerx Connect sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley. Jaden generously shares digital marketing tips for tour operators including how tourpreneurs should vet a digital marketing agency, why it is always important to work with a marketing company that understands the tour industry and why a one-off Facebook post is not going to be effective. And Much More!

Carrie Burns is a movie buff who built a tour operator business around films. She sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley and explained how Atlanta Movie Tours started, how they market their movie tours, some of the challenges they face and much more. Carries generously shares advice on how to get started creating your own movie tours in your city.

Mina Okpi is a tour operator on a mission. She sat down with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley and explained why she feels the outdoors industry is not marketing to people of color and what her tour business is doing about it. 'I noticed that a lot of people of color and black people weren't outdoors and taking advantage of the healing that I thought nature was able to bring to people. And that really made me sad in a way. And so I wanted to change that and I wanted to bring that outdoors and the healing and that feeling and community to communities of color.'

Shawn Teasley sat down with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and shared three social media tips for tour operators.   I was excited to chat with Shawn, as she is a social media expert with vast experience of working within the tours and hospitality industry. She is also very generous with her time and knowledge because she is passionate about social media and tours. In this quick chat, I asked Shawn to share with us her top three social media tips for tour operators. Shawn has kindly agreed to come back on the Tourpreneur Podcast on a future episode to answer more of your social media questions and to give us more social media tips for tour operators because 10 minutes is not enough time to learn from such an experienced social media strategist.

Nicole Will sat down with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and shared why she decided to start her own tour business having worked as a tour guide for many years. We also discuss some of the challenges she has faced since launching her Asheville Wellness tours business which includes working with 50+ partners. Nicole also reveals why she picked Xola as her booking software partner and we learn more about her marketing and OTA strategy.

Miranda Peterson sat down with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and told us how she gave up her corporate job, went on sabbatical around the world and came home to build a yoga tours business in Asheville. Miranda walks us through how she tested her idea to see if there was a demand for yoga tours in Asheville. We also discuss some of the challenges she has faced since launching her yoga tours business including why she moved from FareHarbor to Peek and we learn more about her marketing and OTA strategy.

10 minutes with Linda Denbrock of Secret Food Tours. Secret Food Tours offers delicious food tours in over 55 cities in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Linda sat down with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and revealed the mission of Secret Food Tours including how they strive to deliver an authentic, immersive experience for their food tour guests plus how they market their tours to travelers.

David Naczycz of NYC Urban Adventures sat down with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and revealed how built his tour company and why he decided to work with Urban Adventures.

10 mins with Arnaud Azoulay of Babylon Tours. Arnaud sat down with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and revealed how built his tour company, Babylon Tours. He also shares with us insights and tips for other tour operators including which booking platform they work with and how they work remotely and how they hire tour guides

10 mins with Bryan Bou of Spotin Tours. He shares with us how they moved from being an app to a tour operator. He shares with us their success strategies, insights, and tips for other tour operators including which booking platform they work with.

Shane announces a new format and series of episodes for the next month on Tourpreneur. For the next four weeks, Tourpreneur will deliver you a daily dose of inspiration as we distill tips and strategies of fellow tourpreneurs in 10 min episodes.

Let’s face it: The In-destination industry has been the hottest sector of travel over the past few years. Venture capital keeps pouring in, M&A is accelerating, technology is (finally) taking hold and operators across the region and around the world are investing in tech. Where does this all lead? Will OTAs own the day? Do operators have a voice? What will these changes mean to creators and sellers across the region? A leading venture investor, a corporate strategist and a startup CEO who’s seen it all explain the present and chart the future for The Best Part of Travel.

On Episode 34 of Tourpreneur, the podcast for tour operators, we sat down with Checkfront who provide reservation software for tour operators, to find out more about the company and specifically how they can help tour businesses. An important element of selecting a booking platform for your tour business is getting a feel for the company, its mission and of course its employees. We can all take an online demo, read the publicity and the 'About' pages but will their values really align with yours? One of the main reasons we recommend Tourpreneur listeners attend events such as Arival is to meet the booking platform partners in person so you can assess if they are the right fit for your tour business We know that it is not always possible to attend events so as part of the Tourpreneur mission to flatten the learning curve for tour operators, we will bring you interviews with the main players in the booking software for tour and activity operators. First up, at ARIVAL Orlando, we spoke with Checkfront CEO Jason Morehouse, VP of Product Stephanie Brachat. We also invited Alan Rust of America Tour Company (here is story on Episode 8) for the tour operator perspective. Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley was armed with questions sent in by tour operators who wanted to know more about Checkfront. So sit back and hear more about them and how they feel they can help your business.

Raj Gyawali, Founding Director of the leading Nepal tour operator socialtours (and Asia’s first Travelife-certified brand), speaks to building a company culture with responsible practices baked into day-to-day operations. He shares how every tour and attraction operator can embed sustainable habits into the daily routine of its staff, tours and the experience of their customers.

Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) play a pivotal role in driving tourism and advancing the interests of local tours, activities and attractions. This session assembles leaders from some of Asia’s most important tourism bodies to discuss key trends in travel across Asia, the role of DMOs.

As Arival Orlando drew to a close, Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley hit the network lounge and lobbies to ask Arival attendees what they thought of Arival Orlando and what were some of their major take aways.

From full-time student and part-time tour guide to full-time-plus as entrepreneur, Founder and CEO of I Love Asia Tour Lien Nguyen is on a mission to empower women across Vietnam and beyond to step up, and out, as tour guides and independent entrepreneurs in their own right.

Most tour and activity operators start their business with a passion. But once that passion turns into profit, every entrepreneur faces the same questions: What’s next? How do we grow? More tours? New destinations? And how do create processes and build the right team to make it all happen? In this talk, Hello! Tours founder Laura Blackhall shares her journey to answer these tough questions and build her company into a multi-destination operation.

YouTube for Tour Operators. We show you how Rob at TripHacks DC built a youtube channel that delivers 90% of his tour bookings. We also talk about how he got started, and how he competes in the highly competitive area of Washington DC. His tour ranks #9 out of 209 on Tripadvisor. This episode is action packed with ideas for all tour operators.

How in the world does an Israeli journalist arrive in Singapore and within a few short years develop one of the most talked-about food tours that’s featured by the Singapore Tourism Board? In this talk, Karni Tomer shares her passion, purpose and hunger for the street food of her adopted country and how it propelled her business forward.

The flexible, use-as-you-go multi-attraction pass has been on the rise around the world. But is this pass optimized for operators in the Asia Pacific region? This presentation walks through the basics of the multi-attraction pass, and explores whether it is the right choice for your business.

How do I promote my specialty tours asks an Edinburgh based tour operator? In this special Ask the Expert edition of Tourpreneur, Shane Whaley brings together tour operator, Olga the owner of Cobble Tales and a digital marketing expert and tour operator Ben Oliver of Drinking History Tours to tackle tough marketing questions. With practical and actionable advice any tourpreneur can implement, this hour is packed full of value.    

Most think of online travel agencies (OTAs) as simply online resellers of other operators' products. But Taiwan-based KKDay is not your typical OTA. They are getting into customer delivery with KKDay branded experiences. In this talk, the company's regional executive director explains why.

No aspect of the travel industry is facing more challenges and change than tour operating. New technology and shifting traveler demands are compelling tour companies to change what they offer and how they offer it. This session brings leading operators from across the region to have their say on the big challenges and trends shaping their decisions today and tomorrow.

San Francisco tour founder Erik Hormann started with one Volkswagen bus and built a thriving vintage van tour business. After 5 years, he sold it to new owners, bringing the business full circle. This is his story and it is packed with lessons and advice for tour operators.

Representing some $150 billion in spend from nearly 200 million travelers across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and beyond, the Muslim traveler marketplace is large and rapidly growing. But the needs and expectations of the segment are distinct. This session will walk through the essentials

From search and shop to serving and booking, the global search giant has big plans for the in-destination industry. In this talk, Google’s head of travel partnerships for APAC gives the Google view on The Best Part of Travel, and what that means for operators of tours, activities and attractions.

After working for large tours in NYC, Jeremy knew he wanted to offer something others didn’t. His ideal tour concept was one that was customized, with fewer guests and a more personalized experience. With the ability and first-hand knowledge to take visitors to see other beautiful and culturally rich sites of New York most tours don’t cover, Jeremy knew he could do it. Confident his idea was solid, he set out to learn all he could about how to get a tour successfully launched in an already heavily saturated market. Custom NYC Tours was born. This is his story.

Unless somehow Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Australian travelers all started traveling, behaving and spending the exact same way, it’s clear there’s no single Asian market. This essential roundtable assembles leading online travel agencies (OTAs) of tours, activities and attractions to discuss the diverse trends shaping varied travel markets and traveler segments from across the region.

It’s one of the fastest growing travel markets and India’s travelers are hungry for tour and activity experiences across Asia. This research presentation walks through the essentials of the Indian market, and explores how it’s growing, the unique values of Indian travelers and what operators need to know to win them over.

Anula Galewska, is a Tourpreneur, and a sustainable tourism expert. She helps small and big tourism businesses grow by improving their sustainability operations and marketing. Over the last decade, she has audited tour operators and hotels for sustainable tourism, so she's a real expert in this space. I wanted to talk to Anula Galewska because sustainable tourism means different things to different people. We all want to do more for the environment. We all want to do more for our local economy. We all want to build a sustainable tour business. We are all trying to make a profit, we're working hard to make a living. How can we make profits in our tour business whilst doing good? So I figured it would be good to talk to Anula about how she defines sustainable tourism and to give us some takeaways of how we can build a sustainable tour business. She has also recently launched a course. Sustainable Tourism Made Easy, it goes live on October 3, which is a simple step by step system to accelerate our tour business through sustainability. I ask her more about the course, who it is designed for and what it entails. Tourpreneur is NOT affiliated with the course but we do highly recommend Anula's work and rate her expertise.

“Local Experiences” are the latest buzzword, but what are they really? What does local authenticity really mean? And how do we infuse it into a traveler experience? Isn’t a tour or an activity a local experience? Here, Hong Kong-based culinary entrepreneur Cecilia Leung shares her insights on creating authentic local experiences through food, and how you can too.

From WeChat and Go-Jek to Grab, LINE, Meituan and more, Asia’s rising Super Apps are just about everywhere. Theyare offering pretty much everything and are challenging every sector of both online and offline commerce. How will they change the way your customers plan and book things to do? Walking us through the state of Super Apps and what they mean to creators and sellers of tours, activities and attractions is one of the region’s long-standing experts in digital travel, Brett Henry.

On Episode 27 of the Tourpreneur Podcast Guest Experience Expert, Josh Liebman of the Attraction Pros podcast shares his tips on how we can improve guest experience on our tours. I ask Josh what he's learned by evaluating theme parks and attractions that we can as tour operators implement in our business to improve the guest experience. How to improve guests experience on your tour with Josh Liebman and Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley. Welcome to Episode 27 of the Tourpreneur podcast where we flatten the learning curve to help you grow your tour business and delight your customers and delighting customers is a big part of today's episode. Episode 27 is all about how we improve the guests experience. I got chatting with Joshua Liebman. He has more than 13 years of experience in the theme parks and attractions industry. Joshua specializes in guest experience training, guest experience feedback, mystery shopping, quality assurance consulting. So he works very closely with theme parks and attractions to go in and mystery shop then evaluates and work out how they can create an even better experience for their guests.   I ask Josh what he's learned by evaluating theme parks and attractions that we can as tour operators implement in our business to improve the guest experience.

On Episode 27 of the Tourpreneur Podcast Guest Experience Expert, Josh Liebman of the Attraction Pros podcast shares his tips on how we can improve guest experience on our tours. I ask Josh what he's learned by evaluating theme parks and attractions that we can as tour operators implement in our business to improve the guest experience. How to improve guests experience on your tour with Josh Liebman and Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley. Welcome to Episode 27 of the Tourpreneur podcast where we flatten the learning curve to help you grow your tour business and delight your customers and delighting customers is a big part of today's episode. Episode 27 is all about how we improve the guests experience. I got chatting with Joshua Liebman. He has more than 13 years of experience in the theme parks and attractions industry. Joshua specializes in guest experience training, guest experience feedback, mystery shopping, quality assurance consulting. So he works very closely with theme parks and attractions to go in and mystery shop then evaluates and work out how they can create an even better experience for their guests.   I ask Josh what he's learned by evaluating theme parks and attractions that we can as tour operators implement in our business to improve the guest experience.

Most online travel startups dream of big funding rounds, big profits and even bigger exits. This startup thinks about preserving Thailand’s diverse culture and supporting local communities. Achi Thamparipattra, CEO and Chief of Fun of HiveSters, sold us on her vision. In this talk, you’ll find out why.

Most tour and activity operators start with passion and follow their instinct and expertise to design great guest experiences. Tomorrow’s operators will use data analysis and careful customer observations to design experiences of the future. In this talk, GetYourGuide’s lead for Southeast Asia walks us through their data-driven journey to custom design a tour product with a partner in Indonesia, and provides insights on how every experience creator can use science as well as art to serve their guests.

We lost some audio on episode 25. so here John talks us through how tour guides of free walking tours get paid and how he is trying to pay his tour guides a full time salary.

I've never really understood how companies make money from a free walking tour and John kindly walks us (sorry for the pun) through it. He's a very passionate entrepreneur and in this episode, we had a great chat about how he got started with his tour business, how he promotes his tours, the business model behind free walking tours, managing tour guides, the OTA landscape, digital marketing etc

Asia’s iconic low-cost carrier has been methodically, if not so quietly, plotting to win big in tours, activities and attractions. In this interview, we sit down with AirAsia.com COO to discuss the carrier's plans for the Best Part of Travel.

Distribution dynamics in tours, activities and attractions are rapidly changing. Online travel agencies (OTAs) are growing fast, raising lots of capital, acquiring reservation systems and driving all sorts of innovations. This poses many important questions to operators of all sizes and segments. This roundtable of OTA leaders and operators will debate them all—and answer tough audience questions.

Christian Watts, founder of City Sightseeing San Francisco and now CEO at Magpie Travel shares his journey in the travel industry in our Tourpreneur Spotlight series. Christian Watts reveals in a candid conversation with Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley, how he moved to San Francisco and climbed the ladder in the travel industry. Christian started his career in tours and activities as a pedicab driver near Fishermans Wharf and went on to found the hop on hop off City Sightseeing bus tour company which he managed and grew for over two decades.

Klook has in just a few short years grown to become a leading online travel agency (OTA) for tours and activities across Asia. Now, with a $500 million war chest, they have big plans for global expansion. In this in-depth interview, get the inside scoop on one of the most talked-about companies in online travel. Learn where Klook is headed, and what it means for your tour, activity or attraction business.

An overview of the key trends and issues shaping The Best Part of Travel in Asia and what’s ahead for creators and sellers of tours, activities and attractions with Arival CEO Douglas Quinby

On this episode, we talk best practices for Facebook Ads for Tour Operators. Today's guest is Amrita Gurney. She is the Vice President of Marketing at Crowdriff. A couple of weeks ago on the Daily Brief, which is the email I send out every day where I curate all the major news in tours and activities and digital marketing. I shared a state of the industry report that Crowdriff released all about Facebook ads. Crowdriff analyzed and visualized the data on more than 1600 Facebook ads run by state destination marketing organizations, tour operators, hotels and resorts. On this episode, Amrita Gurney and I deep dive into the data with tour operators in mind.

On Episode 23 of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Arival's Managing Editor Jenna Blumenfeld joins host Shane Whaley to reveal a special announcement on an exciting partnership between Arival and Tourpreneur. Also on this episode, Jenna and Shane talk briefly about Arival Orlando 2019 and why tourpreneurs should attend. Shane also shares why tour operators should not be apprehensive about approaching heads of OTA companies or booking software systems at Arival events.

On Episode 21 of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Anna Karnowski, Senior Sales Director at the One World Observatory in New York City shares her journey in the travel industry in our Tourpreneur Spotlight series. Anna Karnowski reveals how she grew up in Idaho, brought up by a single Mom, moved to NYC and climbed the ladder in the travel industry.

On Episode 20 of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Jesse Rifkin shares his journey of how he turned his passion for music and music history into a thriving tour business.   Jesse reveals in a conversation with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley how he has built a full-time walking tour business in just eight months. He is the tour operator behind Walk on The Wild Side Tours NYC billed as: 'NYC walking tours for music nerds - see where your favorite artists lived, performed, rehearsed, and recorded the records you love.' NOTE: You don't have to be into this kind of music to draw a lot of inspiration from today's tourpreneur episode.

Tony Muia of A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours shares his journey of how he swapped healthcare for tourism and opened his tour business showcasing his beloved Brooklyn in 2005. Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley digs deep into the story of Tony Muia. This interview is a cracker because, in true Brooklyn style, Tony does not hold back. He gives it to us straight from the heart, straight from the guts. He tells us why he's concerned about OTAs. He talks about the importance of paying it forward. He shares with us how mentorship with two tour companies in New York City helped him to grow as a business. He also takes us to that moment when he sat in his car outside his parents' home, his head in his hands because his business has run out of cash and he didn't want to go back to healthcare.

On this episode of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Ben Dolgoff of Forever Vacation shares his journey of how he opened his tour business and acquired 3000 guests in his first year of business. Ben pulls back the curtain on his online media marketing setup and generously shares his tour marketing strategy with Tourpreneur listeners.   On this episode, he reveals:   What motivated him to start a tour business. How he promoted his tours. How he uses Facebook to acquire customers for his tours from as little as five bucks a day. How Instagram played a major role in their success. Why Ben is a big fan of retargeting ads. Why he loves OTAs The importance of funnels in his marketing strategy. How he finds the right tour guides for his tour business. How Forever Vacation works with influencers. What tools he uses to market his tour business online. Why Forever Vacation now offers tours in Malaysia and Vietnam. And much more!

Suppliers Beware : a threat lurks in tours and activities distribution, not my words, but the words of GetYourGuide Co-founder and COO Tao Tao. In an opinion piece published in Phocuswire, he slams the acquisition of Bokun and FareHarbor by TripAdvisor and Booking as not being 'healthy for the ecosystem in the long term.' Tao Tao also outlines four questions he feels tour operators should ask themselves before working with an OTA-owned reservation provider. He goes on to announce GetYourGuide preferred partners where they've teamed up with Rezdy and BookingKit. There is a lot in this article to take in, so I invited Peter Syme and Alex Bainbridge onto the show for our first ever Tourpreneur panel discussion.

On this episode of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Greg Fisher, CEO of Tripshock shares his journey with host Shane Whaley, of how he founded the company and how he has grown tours and activities OTA Tripshock over the last 10 years. Greg Fisher reveals: How working at a hotel led him to start up Tripshock. How he developed the idea and executed on it. Having no budget he could not go out and hire SEO and digital marketing experts (sound familiar?) so he shares how he went about learning the skills he needed. Why he feels that OTAs charging 30% commission is not feasible for many smaller tour operators such as fishing boat tours and charters. The decision he took after the Gulf Coast oil spill that almost crushed his business. What he learned as a result of this decision. What customers are looking for when they want to book tours and activities online. The importance of saying no (or not yet) to some tour operators and who want to work with Tripshock. All the Tripshock staff is remote-based. How he builds a Tripshock work culture when all his staff is based remotely. He has not taken any investment funds from VCs. Why he set up TripCon. Why he wrote to Nike's Phil Knight and why he recommends his memoirs Shoe Dog. How he initially struggled to manage a work/life balance and why it is important for tourpreneurs to work at this. And Much More!

On Episode 16 of Tourpreneur, host Shane Whaley digs deep into the story of Ian Thomas and why he set up a running tour in Philadephia. Lace-up your running shoes, strap on your iPod as Ian reveals more about: Why Ian left the world of International Transport Logistics to set up his own running tours of Philadelphia. What he learned at Business School that he is applying to his business. Why he decided to go full time after one year of being a tour operator. Why Google Adwords doesn't make sense for his running tour business but SEO does. His SEO tips for tour operators, including what SEO tools he uses. Why Philadephia is an ideal city for a running tour. How his running tour resonates with locals as well as visitors and how he is trying to capture more of that market share. His blog strategy. Why he decided to build his own website, See Philly Run with Squarespace. Why he feels See Philly Runs operates the best running tours in Philadelphia. What challenges and obstacles he faced when he became a tour operator. How he discovered what licensing, permits and insurance he needed to operate a running tour business. What it was like leading a running tour with his first paying customers. Which distribution channel gave him his first customer. How he got knocked back twice by Airbnb Experiences and was accepted on his third attempt. Tips on being accepted to the Airbnb Experiences program. Why he offers five different running tours and which running tour is his most popular? Why he decided to work with FareHarbor. What his only hangup using Fareharbor is and what he wishes they would improve. What tools/apps he used to run his tour business. And Much More!

TourRadar. Who are they and how can they help sell your tours?   On this episode of Tourpeneur, the podcast for tour operators, host Shane Whaley pulls back the curtain and reveals the inner workings of OTA TourRadar. Tourradar specializes in multi-day tours. Even if you don't offer multi-days, I would urge you to continue listening to today's episode today because you'll get an understanding of how an OTA works. We talk with various TourRadar department heads including: Christian Wolters - Managing Director. Brendan Roberts, VP Business Development. Iris Serbanescu, Director of Partnerships. Patrick Burke, Head of Talent Vanessa Subramaniam, Manager of Support. North America. Dennis Basham, Global Head of Industry Sales, On the Go Tours. I also wanted to speak with a tourpreneur who sells their tours via TourRadar and I'll give the company a lot of credit here. They asked me to pick a supplier at will. So a big thank you to Dennis Basham of On the Go Tours who agreed to be interviewed on the Tourpreneur Podcast, to tell us all what it's like to be a supplier and partner working with TourRadar. So there's a lot in this episode. I hope you enjoy it, let me know which OTA you want to hear from next. And if you work for an OTA, do drop me a line and let me know if your company would be interested in being featured on the Tourpreneur podcast as part of our #MeetTheOTA series.

On Episode 14 of the Tourpreneur Podcast, host Shane Whaley finds out more about America Outdoors, especially it's mission and how they deliver value to their members. We chat with Executive Director Julie Kahlfeldt and longtime member Jeff Greiner of America Adventures Zipline Canopy Tours. This is no infomercial though, as we invited AO members to call in and share with us why they are AO members and how AO helps their tour/activity business

How to train tour guides is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive in our postbag here at Tourpreneur. So on this episode of Tourpreneur, a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, we asked Margaret Hicks of tour guide training company The Tour Boost to share some tips on tour guide training with us.

The Fitz and Folwell Story, how two friends started and grew a successful bike tour company. Fitz & Follwell are into their 11th season. On this episode of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, founders Diego, and Shea share their journey of what made them start a bike tour business and the lessons they have learned along the way.

Why Polymath built a free app to compare Booking Software Providers -with Ingrid Edstrom. Today's guest also shares with us the common mistakes that she sees tour operators making and what they can do about it. Ingrid Edstrom is the CEO and founder of Polymath, a company that offers business and strategy advice to tour operators. On Episode 10 of the Tourpreneur, the podcast for tour operators, Ingrid reveals more about her decision to build ATLAS, a comparison tool for booking software reservation providers in the tour and activity sector. We also ask Ingrid Edstrom what are some of the most common mistakes she sees tour operators making and how they can be avoided. Shane Whaley, the host of Tourpreneur also shares some exciting news about the Tourpreneur Podcast.

How John LaVerne Built Bulldog Tours of Charleston. Tour Operator Owner John LaVerne talks with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and pulls back the curtain on how he started Bulldog Tours from scratch.       John LaVerne of Bulldog Tours reveals: How an internship on a carriage tour sparked his love affair with tours. Why he approached the Old Exchange to offer ghost tours? How he moved his business then called John's Tours from a part time hobby to a serious business. Why he changed the name from John's Tours to Bulldug Tours How his parents reacted when he decided to leave a well paying job in the corporate world to go 'all in' on being a tour operator. How his mission of preserving historic Charleston sites drives him. Bulldog Tour has raised $3.7m for historic Charleston buildings and plans to raise even more. More about his mentors in the early days and the importance of having a business coach. What question his coach asked him that triggered him into action to hiring a specialist role and resulted in increased revenue. Why CPAs are so important for tour operators. How being a tour guide for his own company was a completely different experience. How he dealt with his competitors showing up for his first ever tour. How he deals with criticism and turns it into a positive. That managing expectations with Ghost Tours can be tricky. His first hire, tour guide Franny Russell is still working at Bulldog Tours today. His outlook and approach to managing tour guides and staff. How he first got the word out about his tours. His approach to working with hotels and concierges. How he works with OTAs How much of his business comes from OTAs. Advice for tour operators who want to work with OTAs based on his own experience. How he works with AirBnB Experiences. Confesses that early on he did not think direct bookings from his website would be a success. How he was able to convince the Magnolia Cemetery to allow him to create and operate the Spirits of Magnolia Cemetery Tour. The cemetery have not allowed any commercial activity on their grounds in over 170 years. How a celebrity chef encouraged him to start food tours in Charleston. And Much More!

On this episode, Alan Rust reveals why he left the corporate retail world to start his own tour business. He shares with us how he has grown his tour operator business on a budget of $5k. Alan reveals:   Why he decided to become a tour operator. The mission of his tour business. How he had to pivot because of livery regulations in Nebraska. How this red tape led to him creating and developing a new partnership with a limo company. Why he allows guests to pick the times of their tours with America Tour Company. Why he decided to acquire a history tour operator just 6 months in. Why some restaurants refused to work America Tour Company Shane shares some sales ideas on how to counter the main objections. That 44% of America Tour Company's business is corporate. How he works with OTAs and which ones are most profitable for him. Why he decided to work with Airbnb Experiences in Nebraska. The differences between working in corporate retail and as a tour operator. How did Alan Rust market his tours when starting out? Why Google Ads and SEO were so important. Why America Tour Company launched self guided tours. Why he uses Bookeo for his online booking platform. When searching for an online booking platform what his top 3 must have features and capabilities were. How he achieves work/life balance Books, podcast and apps that help him be efficient in his business and to achieve growth. And Much More!  

Jeff Woelker is the founder of the Underground Donut Tour. He started his first donut tour in downtown Chicago four years ago and has recently expanded into NYC, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. On this episode, we talk about why he decided to create a donut tour in Chicago, what led to him expanding to other cities and how he built his tour from scratch in a very niche sector. Shane Whaley, host of the Tourpreneur Podcast pulls back the curtain on the Underground Donut Tours and reveals: How Jeff's friends inspired him to launch a tour all about donuts. How he overcame imposter syndrome when starting out Which online ticketing platforms he uses for his tour business. Why 'share of stomach' is his biggest competitor How 1 and 2 star reviews for his Philadelphia tours helped him shape his Chicago business model into one that would work in Philly. Without the local donut companies, Jeff did not have a business. How did he convince skeptical donut business to work with him? Why pricing his tours was and (still is in new markets) a challenge? What OTAs does he work? What was the catalyst behind him opening his donut tours in Philadephia? How does he recruit tour guide and why stand up comedians always catch his eye? What is the essential component every ticketing platform needs to offer tourpreneurs How he uses his digital marketing experience to promote his donut tours The importance of listening and acting on Tripadvisor reviews and how they helped him adapt to the Philadephia market. What still gives him a headache when dealing with OTAs? How a Ben and Jerry's training video shaped Jeff's whole philosophy on customer service. And Much More!    

On this episode of the Tourpreneur Podcast , Miranda reveals how she built a tour business around her passion for yoga and the outdoors.  This is the story of Namaste in Nature.     How she came up with the idea to combine hiking with yoga. Tips for dealing with permitting and government bureaucracy. How she hires tour guides and why passion is so important. How she applies the lessons she has learned from working in the advertising business to her tour business. Why she works with a business coach (and how she worked with 3 coaches before finding the right one for her.) Despite hundreds of hours of yoga teacher training, Miranda still suffered with imposter syndrome. What was it like leading her first tour? Why the diversity of her customers surprised her. Why pricing her tours was initially difficult and how she overcame the pricing challenge. Why she has started working with FareHarbor. Why she wanted to to work with AirBnB Experiences and be an AirBnB community leader for Asheville (as well as that this entails.) Tips for social media marketing. Podcast and books that have inspired Miranda with her tour business. And Much More!  

Viator founder Rod Cuthbert and SF travel veteran Christian Watt tell us more about Magpie travel and how they can fix our content woes.

On today's episode of the Tourpreneur Tour Podcast we talk with the tourpreneur behind The Battlefield Explorer Tours. You don't have to be into World War 2 history to enjoy today's conversation. Dutchman Joris Nieuwint has been leading tours of the Operation Market Garden battle sites since 2012.   'Sharing what I’ve learned over the years has been my passion and becoming a tour guide has always been one of my dreams. Keeping the sacrifices of these men alive by telling their stories and showing the locations where it happened is my greatest passion.'