TripAdvisor Experiences is a goldmine for tour operators looking to grow their bookings and visibility. For millions of travelers worldwide, TripAdvisor plays a huge role in their decisions about where to eat, stay, and, most importantly, which experiences to book.
In this guide, we'll walk you through how to list your tours, boost your rankings, and optimize your profile to maximize bookings without breaking your marketing budget.
Why Tour Operators Should Use TripAdvisor Experiences
Think about traditional marketing channels like brochures at hotel lobbies or local ads. Now, imagine having your tour business showcased to over 463 million monthly visitors from across the globe.
Wild Coast Adventures, a small kayaking company in Prague, saw bookings jump 137% within six months after optimizing their TripAdvisor presence. This level of exposure is the reason why tour operators list experiences on TripAdvisor rather than relying on generic advertising that targets everyone.
Your marketing dollars work smarter on TripAdvisor because visibility depends on keyword matching. Meaning, the platform directly connects you with travelers already planning trips to your exact location and searching for experiences exactly like yours.
How to List a Tour on TripAdvisor Experiences
Ready to get started? Follow these simple steps to list your tour:
- If you haven’t already, create an account on Tripadvisor.
- Create a business account through TripAdvisor Management Center.
- Complete your company profile with contact details and business description.
- Submit the necessary tax information and banking details for payment processing.
- List your experience. Provide a title and a compelling description that includes key details like duration, amenities, and meeting points.
- Upload images that highlight the best parts of your tour. Photo quality affects listing visibility, so only upload high-quality photos.
- Set your availability and specify your tour schedule to avoid overbookings.
- Establish pricing details, booking policies, cancellation terms, and group size limits.
- Submit your listing for review (approval typically takes 3-5 business days).
How TripAdvisor Ranks Tour Listings
Just like Google uses algorithms to decide search rankings, TripAdvisor has its own system called the Popularity Index to determine which experiences show up first in search results. Here’s how it works:
Reviews: Tripadvisor ranks tours by quality. This is why listings with more positive and recent reviews rank higher. New reviews carry more weight than older ones because they give a better picture of what customers can expect today.
Descriptions: Prioritize your tour’s description, use relevant keywords to improve visibility, and only feature high-quality media.
Response Time: Tour operators who respond quickly to customer inquiries are ranked higher. Listings appear based on engagement as Tripadvisor promotes high-performing tours.
When we look at the most popular adventures in major tourist spots, we can see some common strategies that work well. For instance, Barcelona Sailing Tours stays ahead because of exceptional photography, ultra-responsive messaging (usually within 2 hours), and personally replying to all reviews.
How to Get More Bookings Through TripAdvisor Experiences
Bookings correlate with visibility score, and tour visibility increases through optimization. What travelers do on your page greatly affects your ranking, so it helps to understand what makes people click "book."
- First, improve your photos. Tours with at least 15 high-quality pictures showing both the activities and happy guests typically get 23% more bookings. Bonus tip: adding videos works even better.
- Second, write descriptions that grab attention. Focus on what makes your tour special instead of just listing places. Rather than saying "See downtown landmarks," try "Discover hidden stories behind famous landmarks that locals never share with tourists." Being specific makes people want to book!
- Third, try offering discounts during slower seasons. Many tour operators find that limited-time discounts of 10-15% help maintain revenue while getting more reviews, which leads to even more bookings.
Take, Blue Winds, a tour company in Bali. Their bookings jumped by 40% within just a few weeks of updating their descriptions and adding high-resolution images.
You need to do more than just create a basic listing to increase bookings. But when deciding between organic growth and paid promotions, it’s important to remember that while organic growth takes time, paid promotions can provide instant visibility.
Find a balance that works for your business.
Managing Reviews and Ratings on TripAdvisor
Reviews are one of the most powerful factors for boosting your ranking. Not only do they affect your visibility, but they also influence the trust potential customers have in your services.
In fact, companies that respond to reviews (good and bad) within 24 hours typically rank higher than similar operators who ignore them. Below are some tips to help you handle reviews even better next time.
When responding to positive reviews:
- Address the reviewer by name
- Thank them
- Mention a unique aspect of their experience
- Invite return visits
For negative feedback:
- Acknowledge concern without defensiveness
- Take responsibility where appropriate
- Explain (not excuse) any unusual circumstances
- Describe specific improvements made
- Offer offline contact for further discussion
Here’s a template you can use for responding to negative reviews:
“Hi [Customer Name],
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations. We appreciate you bringing up the [XYZ issue], and we’ve already escalated this to our management team for review and immediate action.
We take all customer feedback seriously as it helps us improve. We would love the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future and hope you'll consider giving us another chance."
TripAdvisor’s Commission Structure & Fees for Tour Operators
Knowing how much platforms charge helps you set the right prices. TripAdvisor takes a cut of 20-25% from each booking, with the exact percentage depending on your tour type and how many bookings you get.
How does this compare to other sites?
- Viator (which TripAdvisor owns) charges about the same.
- GetYourGuide takes 20-29%.
- Airbnb Experiences takes around 20%.
- Local booking websites might charge less, but they reach far fewer people.
TripAdvisor’s global reach and customer base often justify the costs.
Common Mistakes Tour Operators Make on TripAdvisor
Even experienced operators make mistakes. Below are some of the common ones:
- Using blurry, poorly taken photos (travelers expect professional-quality images)
- Descriptions that sound like everyone else's (descriptions impact search presence)
- Taking too long to answer questions
- Not keeping your availability calendar up to date
- Ignoring negative reviews
- Setting prices too low because you don't understand how customers judge value
A snorkeling company in the Caribbean learned this the hard way. They kept using old photos showing outdated equipment for months. When customers complained about the difference between what they expected and what they got, it seriously damaged the company's reputation.
Key Takeaways
- Your visibility on TripAdvisor depends heavily on your review quality, how quickly you respond, and how complete your listing is.
- Listings benefit from high-resolution media and how operators respond to customer feedback.
- Using a booking system like PeekPro improves day-to-day operations and creates a better experience for customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Tripadvisor Experiences and Viator the Same Thing?
No. While both platforms offer tours and activities, Viator is primarily a booking site, while Tripadvisor focuses more on reviews and listings.
Is TripAdvisor Experiences Better Than Google Things to Do?
No. TripAdvisor’s booking model and review system offer more robust features for tour operators, whereas Google’s listing model is more basic but still valuable for search visibility.
Can a Tour Operator Get Banned from TripAdvisor?
Yes. Tour operators can get banned for violating TripAdvisor’s listing policies, such as misrepresenting tours, posting fake reviews, or engaging in unethical practices.
Table of contents
TripAdvisor Experiences is a goldmine for tour operators looking to grow their bookings and visibility. For millions of travelers worldwide, TripAdvisor plays a huge role in their decisions about where to eat, stay, and, most importantly, which experiences to book.
In this guide, we'll walk you through how to list your tours, boost your rankings, and optimize your profile to maximize bookings without breaking your marketing budget.
Why Tour Operators Should Use TripAdvisor Experiences
Think about traditional marketing channels like brochures at hotel lobbies or local ads. Now, imagine having your tour business showcased to over 463 million monthly visitors from across the globe.
Wild Coast Adventures, a small kayaking company in Prague, saw bookings jump 137% within six months after optimizing their TripAdvisor presence. This level of exposure is the reason why tour operators list experiences on TripAdvisor rather than relying on generic advertising that targets everyone.
Your marketing dollars work smarter on TripAdvisor because visibility depends on keyword matching. Meaning, the platform directly connects you with travelers already planning trips to your exact location and searching for experiences exactly like yours.
How to List a Tour on TripAdvisor Experiences
Ready to get started? Follow these simple steps to list your tour:
- If you haven’t already, create an account on Tripadvisor.
- Create a business account through TripAdvisor Management Center.
- Complete your company profile with contact details and business description.
- Submit the necessary tax information and banking details for payment processing.
- List your experience. Provide a title and a compelling description that includes key details like duration, amenities, and meeting points.
- Upload images that highlight the best parts of your tour. Photo quality affects listing visibility, so only upload high-quality photos.
- Set your availability and specify your tour schedule to avoid overbookings.
- Establish pricing details, booking policies, cancellation terms, and group size limits.
- Submit your listing for review (approval typically takes 3-5 business days).
How TripAdvisor Ranks Tour Listings
Just like Google uses algorithms to decide search rankings, TripAdvisor has its own system called the Popularity Index to determine which experiences show up first in search results. Here’s how it works:
Reviews: Tripadvisor ranks tours by quality. This is why listings with more positive and recent reviews rank higher. New reviews carry more weight than older ones because they give a better picture of what customers can expect today.
Descriptions: Prioritize your tour’s description, use relevant keywords to improve visibility, and only feature high-quality media.
Response Time: Tour operators who respond quickly to customer inquiries are ranked higher. Listings appear based on engagement as Tripadvisor promotes high-performing tours.
When we look at the most popular adventures in major tourist spots, we can see some common strategies that work well. For instance, Barcelona Sailing Tours stays ahead because of exceptional photography, ultra-responsive messaging (usually within 2 hours), and personally replying to all reviews.
How to Get More Bookings Through TripAdvisor Experiences
Bookings correlate with visibility score, and tour visibility increases through optimization. What travelers do on your page greatly affects your ranking, so it helps to understand what makes people click "book."
- First, improve your photos. Tours with at least 15 high-quality pictures showing both the activities and happy guests typically get 23% more bookings. Bonus tip: adding videos works even better.
- Second, write descriptions that grab attention. Focus on what makes your tour special instead of just listing places. Rather than saying "See downtown landmarks," try "Discover hidden stories behind famous landmarks that locals never share with tourists." Being specific makes people want to book!
- Third, try offering discounts during slower seasons. Many tour operators find that limited-time discounts of 10-15% help maintain revenue while getting more reviews, which leads to even more bookings.
Take, Blue Winds, a tour company in Bali. Their bookings jumped by 40% within just a few weeks of updating their descriptions and adding high-resolution images.
You need to do more than just create a basic listing to increase bookings. But when deciding between organic growth and paid promotions, it’s important to remember that while organic growth takes time, paid promotions can provide instant visibility.
Find a balance that works for your business.
Managing Reviews and Ratings on TripAdvisor
Reviews are one of the most powerful factors for boosting your ranking. Not only do they affect your visibility, but they also influence the trust potential customers have in your services.
In fact, companies that respond to reviews (good and bad) within 24 hours typically rank higher than similar operators who ignore them. Below are some tips to help you handle reviews even better next time.
When responding to positive reviews:
- Address the reviewer by name
- Thank them
- Mention a unique aspect of their experience
- Invite return visits
For negative feedback:
- Acknowledge concern without defensiveness
- Take responsibility where appropriate
- Explain (not excuse) any unusual circumstances
- Describe specific improvements made
- Offer offline contact for further discussion
Here’s a template you can use for responding to negative reviews:
“Hi [Customer Name],
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations. We appreciate you bringing up the [XYZ issue], and we’ve already escalated this to our management team for review and immediate action.
We take all customer feedback seriously as it helps us improve. We would love the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future and hope you'll consider giving us another chance."
TripAdvisor’s Commission Structure & Fees for Tour Operators
Knowing how much platforms charge helps you set the right prices. TripAdvisor takes a cut of 20-25% from each booking, with the exact percentage depending on your tour type and how many bookings you get.
How does this compare to other sites?
- Viator (which TripAdvisor owns) charges about the same.
- GetYourGuide takes 20-29%.
- Airbnb Experiences takes around 20%.
- Local booking websites might charge less, but they reach far fewer people.
TripAdvisor’s global reach and customer base often justify the costs.
Common Mistakes Tour Operators Make on TripAdvisor
Even experienced operators make mistakes. Below are some of the common ones:
- Using blurry, poorly taken photos (travelers expect professional-quality images)
- Descriptions that sound like everyone else's (descriptions impact search presence)
- Taking too long to answer questions
- Not keeping your availability calendar up to date
- Ignoring negative reviews
- Setting prices too low because you don't understand how customers judge value
A snorkeling company in the Caribbean learned this the hard way. They kept using old photos showing outdated equipment for months. When customers complained about the difference between what they expected and what they got, it seriously damaged the company's reputation.
Key Takeaways
- Your visibility on TripAdvisor depends heavily on your review quality, how quickly you respond, and how complete your listing is.
- Listings benefit from high-resolution media and how operators respond to customer feedback.
- Using a booking system like PeekPro improves day-to-day operations and creates a better experience for customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Tripadvisor Experiences and Viator the Same Thing?
No. While both platforms offer tours and activities, Viator is primarily a booking site, while Tripadvisor focuses more on reviews and listings.
Is TripAdvisor Experiences Better Than Google Things to Do?
No. TripAdvisor’s booking model and review system offer more robust features for tour operators, whereas Google’s listing model is more basic but still valuable for search visibility.
Can a Tour Operator Get Banned from TripAdvisor?
Yes. Tour operators can get banned for violating TripAdvisor’s listing policies, such as misrepresenting tours, posting fake reviews, or engaging in unethical practices.
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