[et_pb_section fb_built="1" admin_label="section" _builder_version="4.0.3" custom_margin="|||2px|false|false" custom_padding="|||2px|false|false"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" _builder_version="3.25" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"]COVID-19 is having a significant impact on tourism around the world, and right now it’s tough to predict exactly how it will play out.But the travel industry is no stranger to bumps in the road -- and many operators are already working hard to adapt and fight back.This is a crucial time for the industry to come together and share ideas. That’s why we’ve put together 10 best practices that we hope will be useful for tour and activity operators to help combat some of the effects of COVID-19.You may not be able to squash the virus, but there are many ways you can modify and optimize your business to minimize its effect.

10 Best Practices:

1. Give customers the confidence they need to book

Did you know that the number one reason for the lull in bookings is fear of cancellation costs, rather than fear of coronavirus itself? Uncertainty around the impact of coronavirus means customers don’t want to risk making advanced purchases.Ease customers’ concerns by implementing a clear, strategic cancellation policy. Offer cancellation insurance during booking to help curb fear of losing money. If you reassure customers that their money isn’t on the line, they will be a lot happier to book!If your customers don’t end up canceling? The extra revenue from cancellation insurance will help give a little boost to your bottom line. And when they do, Peek Pro will always return the credit card processing fee.Here are some more tips regarding cancellation:

• Check out this webinar by Delamon Rego, former COO of TOMIS Tech, that further explains the importance of cancellation insurance and discusses the details of putting it in place Delamon typically recommends charging 12-15% of your ticket price for cancellation insurance, which you can adjust if you have particularly low or high ticket prices
• Address coronavirus in your cancellation policies
• Ensure your policies are clear and transparent regarding coronavirus, and make this information public on your website
• If you’re looking for inspiration, check out Airbnb’s detailed ‘extenuating circumstances policy’ for customers affected by coronavirus
• Offer company credit instead of refunds
• Protect your short term cash-flow by rescheduling activities that customers want to cancel - chances are that if you reach out, they may be willing to push to a later date instead of opting for a refund
• Provide the option to change the name of the booking when it is rescheduled to allow greater flexibility for your customers

2. Finances are key

Given the current climate, increasing profitability is more important than ever.Last week Josh Oakes, co-founder of The Sunshine Tribe, gave us his insights on how to manage finances and how his hacks helped him grow a million dollar tour business. You can watch the webinar here.In his talk, Josh stressed the value in doing thorough audits of all of your outgoings and closely analyzing them. Josh managed to save $26,000 for his tour company by simply assessing the market for supplier prices and taking action. Here are some of his key tips:

• Do a full audit of your fixed and variable costs and see where you can make some changes
• Some of your largest expenses are salaries - provide your employees with the option to work part-time
• Make sure you’re making the most of your offices - rent unused space to other businesses or individuals
• Checkout the webinar for real examples of budget sheets to help you analyze your outgoings

• Reach out to your suppliers to open a dialogue about assessing costs
• Research the market rates, look outside your traditional vendors and let your suppliers know you’re price shopping
• Often large discount suppliers have the most competitive rates
• During the webinar Josh shared the email he used to get fairer deals from his suppliers

3. Use this time to grow your company

You may be finding yourself with a little extra time - this could be an opportunity to work on all those things you always mean to do for your company.Take the time to invest in your business and get it ready for when everything is back to normal.There has been talk on industry forums about the surge of bookings to come in the next half of the year. Once everything has settled down, people could well be jumping on the next plane to finally enjoy the vacation they had to postpone.This is an opportunity; so make sure your company is ready to take full advantage of any potential surge.

• Ensure every part of your business is operating at its peak efficiency
• Follow these 12 optimizations to generate extra revenue with Peek Pro
• Checkout our growth webinar series, Growvember - all the recordings are on our blog

• Work on your brand - something tour operators don’t have time for!
• Upgrade your website content
• Do a photo-shoot of your experiences
• Create a marketing video for your brand

• Enroll on a course
• Take a marketing course to better advertise your business
• Learn a new skill to improve your offering
• Invest in management training to grow a more sustainable business

4. Give your customers booking flexibility

With all this uncertainty customers may be indecisive when it comes to bookings. Adjust your timetables to give them options and maximize the opportunities they have to book.

• Use Peek Pro’s Smart Cutoffs to leave your online bookings open right up until the last minute! The Smart Cutoffs feature allows bookings to stay open if the minimum number of guests have been met, allowing you to maximize capacity

• Increase the long term availability for your tours
• Open your availability up as long as possible to keep booking comings in
• This will also help you reschedule bookings for later in the year or next season

5. Pivot your marketing strategy

We can’t predict what travel trends will look like during the months to come, so it’s important to take action and invest in alternatives to help your business in both the short and long term.“Staycations” are on the rise right now with many long-distance vacations canceled or on hold, and with many employees forced to work from home, more and more people are looking for things to do in their local area to blow off some steam. Harness this new demand by showing locals why they shouldn’t miss out on your activities.By pivoting your offerings to attract a local-friendly crowd, you may be able to give them the experience they’ve been looking for. You have the unique ability to help people get out of the house, de-stress and keep the kids entertained -- all while avoiding the risks of long-distance travel.Attracting your neighbors is not just a quick fix, but a long term investment in a reliable customer pool. Here are some ways you can attract more local customers:

• Advertise how your products fit in around normal working life
• Showcase activities available at the weekends and on public holidays
• Sell your afternoon and evening experiences as great ways to wind down after work
• Feature family-friendly tours that are suitable for all ages

• Spruce up your experiences to entice local customers back again and again
• Outdoor adventures - look into new areas, different sections of rivers for rafting, or change up some of your routes just for locals
• If you run food tours, find new restaurants to collaborate with to keep your offering fresh
• Run boat trips? Why not rotate some different local bands for some unique live entertainment

• Showcase reviews and social proof from local customers
• Did you know verified reviews are the most effective form of marketing to increase conversions?
• Run social media campaigns that follow local customers enjoying your experiences
• Put a Reviews Widget on your website and highlight those from local visitors

• Remind customers to share the gift of your experience with other friends and family
• Pushing gift cards will boost your short term cash-flow and allow your customers to invest in your future - especially if you are unable to run tours or pivot to locals in the short-term
• Make sure to feature gift card buttons on your website’s homepage and encourage customers to opt for this route if they are concerned with booking right now
• You can customize all your gift card products in your Peek Pro account to get a higher conversion rate

6. Appeal to your community to support local businesses

Everyone is aware of the threat COVID-19 poses, and many sympathize with the unpredictability facing business owners at this time. Use this resource and lean on your community for support.

• Reach out to local newspapers and radio shows
• Record a podcast for your local radio show discussing how the industry is coping, and what your business is offering to locals
• Write an article about your experience for your local newspapers or magazines

• Collaborate with, and raise awareness for, social movements working to help those affected Find out what is being done in your area to support local business and get in touch to see how you can be a part of it

Checkout this awesome example from our partner, ‘Your Biker Gang’, in Austin, Texas:Your Biker Gang have partnered with the Austin Community Foundation to help raise the funds needed to protect the small businesses feeling the effects of the virus.“YourBikerGang.com wants to do our part to help our friends and neighbors during this time of need. Book any of our biker gang adventures that take place on March 13th thru March 21st with the code STANDWITHAUSTIN and you’ll get $5 off each minibike you reserve and we will also donate $5 for each minibike reservation to the Austin Community Foundation’s Stand With Austin Fund.”

7. Don’t bow to pressure to lower your prices

If your bookings have slowed down, it may be tempting to lower your prices in an attempt to boost your number of reservations. But don’t forget that your time is valuable -- and your prices should reflect that.At a time where you may be experiencing low cash-flow you don’t want to further decrease your prices. Have the confidence to recognize how valuable your time is and set your prices accordingly.Discounts aren’t likely to work in this situation. A promo will not convince someone to jump on a plane if the threat of COVID-19 has already persuaded them not to travel.Consider adding value to your experiences instead:

• Throw in a little something extra
• Include a complimentary coffee after a walking tour
• Offer free use of a GoPro while kayaking
• Feature a new photo opportunity with a great view

• Keep it unique and intimate
• Offer tours in smaller groups, if possible, to create a more special experience
• Avoid the crowds and regular hotspots to ease customers’ concerns and opt for more low-key settings where you can
• Include a lunch, a champagne toast, or another special moment to round out your tour and thank your guests for coming

“My opinion is as an industry we have underpriced what we do for years.”-- Peter Syme, Strategic Advisor for Tour Operators

8. Be a voice of calm amid the storm

Our society's obsession with social media and the epidemic of “fake news” makes it easy for people to get caught up in often unnecessary hysteria.It is your job to keep a cool head and be the voice of reason when it comes to your customers. Give your visitors access to reliable information and show them you are responding appropriately. Don’t pretend to be an expert - provide access to the correct information and let customers make their own minds up.

• Post a statement on your website detailing the precautions you are taking in light of the spread of COVID-19 Be sure to train all your staff on the guidelines that you publish - everyone needs to be singing from the same song sheet!

• Post links to the local authority guidelines regarding COVID-19 and the latest travel updates World Health Organization (WHO)

9. Network!

The impact of COVID-19 will be felt by everyone in the industry, so now is the time to come together. Get in contact with other tour operators to discuss the issues that are arising, how best to combat them.Here are some ways you can join forces and help out your own business as well as others:

• Join groups for tour operators online Facebook is a great place to connect with other businesses: join the groups Tour Operators United, Tourpreneur for Tour Operators/Tour Professionals, and Tour Strategy, for discussion and industry advice from fellow operators and experts

• Pool resources to save on fixed costs
• If you are receiving less tourists to the area, see if you can share some of your backend costs
• If you own or rent buses or other transport for your tours, consider sharing with other operators to reduce costs

• Market together to keep your destination buzzing and show locals what’s going on in the area Make use of any down time you have to blog and post on social media about your location, featuring other businesses in the area -- ask them to do the same

• Bring your activities together to create new products and upgrade your experiences
• Take your customers for a hearty brunch before a kayak lesson
• Include entrance to a History museum for visitors to learn more after your walking tour

10. Get ahead of the game by figuring out the new market trends

With customers now looking local rather than abroad for their holiday activities, you have a new audience to understand.Do locals prefer more niche tours? Are they more likely to upgrade their purchases? Do they still need transfers to activities?These are the kinds of questions you need to answer to most efficiently sell to your new audience.

• Use Google Analytics to find out what this means for booking behavior
• Google analytics uses your data to show you the trends in your customer’s behavior
• You can design and download reports to help you answer these specific questions

• Invest in targeted Facebook ads with your new consumer data
• You can send the downloaded report straight to Facebook
• Create engaging, fun Facebook ads that allow potential customers to see you are open for business as usual

The next few months will be a test for many operators. But by sticking together, remaining focused on business optimization, and pivoting where necessary, the future could still be bright for one of the world’s most resilient industries. Keep up to date with updates and resources from travel and tourism experts by visiting this page. And as always, if you have any questions on how to further optimize your Peek Pro account, our Partner Support team is always here to help!The Peek Pro Team[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

We’ve asked some of our most experienced team members at Peek to share with us their favorite tips on how to optimize your Peek Pro account. We’re going to help you reach new peaks with your company - 12 steps - 12 days. Follow one of our easy suggestions each day, and you’re sure to see a dramatic impact on your business this year (as well as the ones to come!)

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Your 12-day plan to start the year off with a BANG

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Get set.. go!

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DAY 1: Customize your Abandoned Booking emails

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If you ask any Peekster their favorite Peek Pro feature, 9 times out of 10 they bring up Abandoned Booking emails.

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There are many reasons a customer gets distracted while booking an activity, leading to the dreaded Abandoned Booking. By sending customers a little reminder of the experience they’ve left behind, you can bump your sales in a big way! Our Peek Partners saw an average revenue increase of 10.2% when they started using abandoned booking emails.

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Follow this guide to get your abandoned booking emails set up today.

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Brenda Medina, Software Implementation Specialist:

"Peek’s abandoned booking email is completely customizable so you can draw back potential customers effectively.”

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The ability to customize is your best friend in this step. In fact, the advice from Peeksters working with our most successful partners is to customize wherever possible!

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By making sure these emails have a personal touch, they will read, look, and feel just like your company. This way, from the first detail to the last, you make a memorable brand impression.

Let’s take a peek at four easy ways you can do this:

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Tip #1: Add a testimonial - show your customer what your experiences are about.

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Tip #2: Add photos - people are way more likely to book if they trust your company and have as much information as possible, photos help them put the picture together.

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Tip #3: Abandon booking (resume purchase) button - help your guests out by sending them the link to their exact booking flow.

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Tip #4: Promo code - Everyone loves a deal! Promo codes give customers the nudge they need to go back and book that activity.

"Promo codes are a big one I’ve seen that bring back customers."

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Here are some clever examples that hit the major points!

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• They sound like real people, not just automated emails

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• Have chosen photos that show past guests enjoying the experience

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• Include a ‘re-book’ button or promo code

For more tips on how to customize your emails, click here.

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DAY 2: Clarify your offering

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Sara Wilson, Onboarding Manager:

“As you add and change products, remember that what is obvious to you may not be obvious to your customer.”

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Sometimes the names we give to our products don’t quite tell the customer all they need to know. Customers like to be absolutely certain of what they are getting themselves into before they get out their credit card. Make sure your product descriptions, ticket names, photos and ticket headers paint a crystal clear picture of your experiences.

Sara has provided some specific suggestions:

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Suggestion #1: Adding ‘the guide is included’ for a tour.

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Suggestion #2: Changing ticket header from "Select Tickets" to "Select Rental Options" for a bike or boat rental company.

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Suggestion #3: Updating the min & max number of tickets to 1, for private Charters where only 1 ticket per booking is necessary.

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For more hints on how to best use your widget configurations, check out this helpdesk article.

TOP TIP: Reduce required questions!

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When your customers go through your booking flow you have the choice to ask questions before or after a purchase is made.

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Decreasing the amount of required questions before payment is directly correlated to conversions! Each required question decreases conversions by 3%.

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Make as many questions optional, as possible!

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DAY 3: Increase last minute bookings with Smart Cutoffs & Availability Rules

Normally it makes sense to disable online bookings on your website a few hours before your tour begins, to give you and your team enough time to prepare for the activity.

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However, if your minimum number of seats are already booked, you’re going to run the tour anyway - so why not leave the booking open till the last minute?

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Your last seats are the most profitable as you’ve already met your fixed costs for the tour. Extend your online booking cutoff and accept as many guests as possible!

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Matthew Osterhaus, Product Manager:

“We’ve already seen a 5% increase in online bookings for partners using this feature!”

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This intuitive Peek Pro feature asks you for the minimum amount of guests needed to run a tour, and will keep online bookings open if this number is reached.

Enable Smart Cutoffs today on any activity!

Run more profitable tours with Peek’s Availability Rules

Funnel bookings into preferred times with Peek’s innovative Availability Rules so you can run more tours that meet and exceed your cost minimums.

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Customers will see availability for tours that dynamically changes depending on the bookings that have already been made.

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This encourages them to book at the same time as other guests which maximizes your resources.

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As tours fill up, new time slots will be unlocked.

This can be easily enabled in the configuration settings in your Peek Pro account - checkout this helpful guide and get it set up today!

DAY 4: Offer your customers more with Bundles & Add-ons

Bundles allow your customers to book and pay for multiple tours or activities all at once.

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Bianca Garcia, Training Manager:

“Bundles are a resourceful way to increase your customer’s cart size - get them doing more than 1 tour and improve their experience.”

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Our partners have seen a 20-25% increase in average order sizes using this feature!

There are three main ways bundles can optimize your customers’ booking flows:

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Case #1: Create an optional upsell to make sure customers can book multiple experiences in one booking flow.

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Case #2: Create a combo tour, offering customers a discount if they book more than one experience.

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Case #3: Sell required tour packages, for example if your customer books a food tour you can set an ‘Empanada tasting session’ as a requisite of the tour.

You can enable it right now in the product section of your PeekPro account; for more detailed instructions follow this guide.

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Our Success Specialists feel so strongly about the advantages of Bundles they presented a whole webinar on them! Check it out here.

Upsell your experiences with Add-ons

Peek Pro allows you to add all the extras you offer during your activities to the booking flow.
This means customers can book the extra wetsuit they need or make sure they’ll have a GoPro, at the point of booking.

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Make use of Add-ons to upsell your experiences.

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Amelia Hollis, Marketing Strategist:

“There are so many ways you can get creative with your Add-ons and they’re a great way to upsell your experiences!”

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TOP TIP: Our data shows that the average value per booking surges around public holidays. Customers are looking to spend more on their experiences when they are celebrating. So whether it’s the 4th of July or New Years Eve make sure you have your add-ons set up and featuring in your customer emails.

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Specific suggestions:

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Example #1: Offer some champagne for guests to toast in the New Year.

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Example #2: Hire in a live band to play on your boat before the 4th of July Fireworks.

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Example #3: Include the use of a GoPro for your passengers to capture the excitement of their family adventure.

DAY 5: Make money from cancellations!

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Cancellation policies are often tricky waters to navigate.

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When guests cancel a tour you end up with empty seats and lost revenue. But when you enforce a cancellation policy, you worry about being the bad guy and damaging your reputation.

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Cancellation insurance is the answer to your troubles! It negates the lost revenue and automatically provides a reasonable consequence for canceling a booking. Plus, when the customer doesn’t cancel it just makes you money!

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Customers who go on to cancel will buy it to protect themselves and everyone else is still likely to buy it because customers are risk averse. We recommend setting up cancellation policies that are simple to understand and establishing a clear time frame for cancellation. Check out some more helpful tips and learn how to set up cancellation policies here.

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DAY 6: Add a ‘Book Now’ button to your homepage

Once you generate traffic to your website, it’s critical that it’s prepped and primed for bookings.

The best way to do this? Add a clear and visible ‘Book Now’ button to your homepage.

This little button can lead to big sales! Adding this feature is one of the easiest and most effective ways to drive bookings.

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Andy Bourne, Onboarding Project Manager:

“Providing a clear, obvious and easily accessible call to action has been proven to increase conversions and provide an efficient booking experience for your customers.”

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Try adding it to your homepage today to turn lookers into bookers!

Where and how often this button appears on your website - along with size, color, words and font - is important for driving traffic through to the checkout process.

TOP TIPS for improving your book now button:

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Tip #1: Put the price of your tour or activity near the ‘Book Now’ button

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Tip #2: Place the button “above the fold”*

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Tip #3: Use a bold, clear Call-To-Action phrase; Book Now, My Seat, Build Your Trip!

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Tip #4: Make the button stand out by using contrasting colors

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Tip #5: Don’t forget to check how the buttons look on the mobile version of your website

*It’s imperative that visitors to your website don’t have to scroll down the page to see the ‘Book Now’ button. The term “above the fold” has been coined to reference the section of your webpage that the customer will see at first glance. Make sure we see it straight away.

DAY 7: Pass credit card processing fees onto customers

While you are sure to celebrate increased bookings, there is one by-product that is certainly not as pleasant -- greater credit card processing fees. These costs may seem small on individual transactions, but they can add up quickly.

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When you consider that the weighted average processing fees for Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover credit cards ranged from 1.3% to 3.5% in 2021, it’s easy to see how this extra fee would create a sizable increase in company costs.

Thanks to Peek Pro’s Taxes & Fees configuration, you have the power to choose whether to absorb this expense or pass it on to the customer.

If you would like to absorb the processing fee, make sure Partner Pays is highlighted in blue underneath the Processing Fees heading.

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If you would like the customer to pay the credit card processing fee, click on Customer Pays to highlight in blue.

For more info on how to configure taxes & fees, have a look at this helpdesk article.

DAY 8: Promote and personalize your gift cards

Now that people are gifting experiences over physical presents more and more, your tour or activity is the perfect gift!

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Make the most of this trend and sell gift cards directly through your website with Peek.

On Average 70% of Gift Cards don’t even end up getting redeemed! This means free money without you having to even lift a finger.

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They also increase your cart sizes - customers typically spend more on a purchase when using gift cards.

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Check out this article to learn more about setting up gift cards to boost revenue throughout the year

Step #1: If you haven’t already, use this guide to set up cash & activity gift cards on your website.

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Step #2: Be sure to advertise your gift cards on your website and in your marketing emails!

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Step #3: Customize your gift card booking flow, widget and emails.

Taylor Morgan, Customer Success Associate:

“I recently helped a partner customize their gift card emails, booking flow and widget. He was overjoyed that Peek would handle every aspect of gift cards for him and super excited to get them going!

Offering gift cards opens up a whole new audience for you to sell to! Show-off your amazing products to these new customers by customizing your gift card emails with photos and testimonials.”

DAY 9: Target your marketing with Google Analytics

Optimize your Google Analytics account by enabling enhanced ecommerce.

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Matthew Osterhaus, Product Manager:

“Enhanced ecommerce is a powerful extension of google analytics that gives you a more granular insight into how your customers are moving throughout the Peek booking flow on your website.”

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This powerful tool uses new action and product data to answer questions about how your customers behave.

Matt’s TOP TIPS for using enhanced ecommerce:

1. Create segments that break down why customers are booking your activities.

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Example #1: Are people more likely to book if they are spending less money?

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• You can create specific reports that show you, out of all the people that visit your website, who books your experiences.

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• Add a segment that tracks conversions for a particular time period, then filter for cart size.

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• You’ll be able to see how behavior changes for customers when they spend more or less.

2. Use these specific segments to create targeted audiences you can send to Google ads.

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Example #2: Turn the data produced into a targeting audience for Google ads.

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• Google analytics can produce a list of people that visited your website but didn’t book an activity.

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• Download these contacts to create a targeted mailing list - these are really high value customers, as they have shown they are interested in your experiences.

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• Now send this list to Google ads.

Now we have an improved integration, this data will feed right into your Peek Pro account!

This in-depth helpdesk article walks you through exactly how to set up enhanced ecommerce and how best to use it.

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DAY 10: Take advantage of pricing customizations in Peek Pro!

Advanced Pricing rules give you the flexibility to automatically adjust ticket prices to drive customer behavior and maximize profits at any time of the year.

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In Peek Pro you can easily set clever rules that change your prices depending on demand, such as a price increase for busier times of the year.

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Drew Chowhan, SIS Trainer / Quality Assurance:

Drew’s favorite Advanced Pricing rules

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Rule #1:“Combo of day of the week and time of day”

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• If you are attracting less customers on Tuesday mornings, offer a discounted price for these time slots.

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Rule #2:“Minimum guest rule (cost goes up or down based on how many people have booked)”

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• If you need to fill 3 seats to cover your overhead costs, make the 4th, 5th and 6th seat cheaper. This will incentivize guests to book onto a tour that you're running anyway, which maximizes profit.

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Rule #3:“Date range rules are great to up the price based around holiday seasons”

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• Boat tour sales surge around the 4th of July, so increase your prices for the first week of July.

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This step-by-step guide walks you through all the ways you can optimize prices for your activities in your Peek Pro account.

DAY 11: Get more bookings with Peek Plus

Widen your customer pool with Peek Pro’s various integrations.

‍Ben Kind, Director of Business Development:

“Peek has partnered with some of the largest platforms in the world to generate more exposure, sales, and customers for your business!

We’ve built connections with Groupon, Expedia and others to ensure that wherever ‍customers are discovering things to do - your activities are front and center. We have more integrations coming in 2022 that we think you’ll be excited about as well!”

Just hit the links above for instructions, or if you’re looking to learn more about Peek Plus reach out to our team at support@peek.com and start generating more sales on our network of distribution partners.

How does Peek widen your customer pool?

Example #1: Peek.com

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Peek.com is a one-stop-shop for travelers looking for incredible experiences, our very own platform for you to advertise your products.

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After a few simple steps you can offer your activities to a whole new audience; they are listed in this article.

Example #2: Peek Pals

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Once you’re all set on Peek.com you will be eligible for Peek Pals!

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Peek Pals allows you get more sales from other tour operators in the Peek network, while also helping your customers find more activities by featuring non competitive activities.

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Once a customer completes a booking with you, they’ll see other non-competitive activity recommendations nearby on the confirmation page.

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Additionally, you’ll be featured as a recommendation whenever a customer books with one of your fellow Peek Pals.

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You get to review the list of activities that will display in your booking flow, giving you control over the types of activities that you want customers.

Find out more about this growth-boosting opportunity in this helpdesk article.

DAY 12: Increase the quantity & quality of your reviews

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Matthew Osterhaus, Product Manager:

“Did you know that 72% of customers will not convert until they have read some sort of review?!”

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Customers are constantly bombarded with content, so more and more they are relying on reviews to help them make decisions.

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Peek Pro understands the importance of this and so has set up Smart Reviews. This feature sends out an automated email to every customer after each activity.

TOP TIP: Customize this review email to maximize its potential!

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• Make it sound and look like your company
• Add a promo code as an incentive
• Add photos
• Add options to book another activity/re-book the activity
• Include a link to gift cards

Just head to the product section of your Peek Pro account to get Smart Reviews set up.

Smart Reviews+ not only sends this email to the primary customer (the person that made the booking) but also to all other emails collected, from waivers or customer questions.

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Our Partner Support team is available to install Smart Reviews+ on your account. You can call +1 (415) 361-5564, email support@peek.com, or chat in anytime!

We hope you enjoyed these tips! Please let us know if you found them useful.
Drop us an email or fill out this feedback form.

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Updated 5/1/2020

We have created this page as a hub for advice, resources and updates regarding the impact of COVID-19 on tour operators.

We know this is a difficult time for the industry and understand that you may have questions and concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19.

We wanted to let you know that we are here to help and it’s not a losing battle - there are many ways you can adapt and fight back.

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Coming Soon

• How to Design, Launch and Sell Online Tours & Experiences Webinar - Join Kelsey Tonner and Ingo Albrecht from Be a Better Guide & Online Tourism Academy on May 5, at 11am PST, for a practical guide to creating and selling online products and services.

• Skift IDEA Awards - Promote your ideas for the tour sector to move forward, and celebrate those of other industry players in regards to innovation, design, and guest experiences. Winners will be announced in September.

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Webinar Recordings

Newest:

• Workshop + Q&A: How to Take Your Experiences Online – Learn how to set up a virtual tour from scratch, which aspects are likely to make it successful, and more with Junket (a virtual tour software provider).

Not to Be Missed:

• Tour Operator Roundtable I & II - Delve into some of today’s crucial questions: how to access capital, how to adapt tours or activities, how to best communicate with customers, and more. Find the recording of Part I above and of Part II here.

• ‘The CARES Act Explained’ Webinar, Pt. I & II - Make sense of the options on offer through the CARES Act, with Mike Lousteau, General Counsel for ServiceTitan. Find the recording to Part I above and to Part II here. Plus, access all the helpful links mentioned on these presentation slides. [U.S.-based operators only]

• 'Planning for Recovery: Essential Marketing Advice’ Webinar - Listen as the co-founders of Wildebeest discuss how to market your business in these extreme circumstances, prepare your operations for recovery, and more.

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Access to Capital

Newest:

• Apply for a PPP Loan with Peek & Womply - If you have not yet applied for a PPP loan, we strongly recommend that you immediately apply for a loan via our Womply application page. You should also apply through Womply if you have applied through your bank and they have not yet submitted your application to the SBA — Womply’s lenders move fast and have already been able to help businesses rejected or ignored by their bank get approved. If you do this, you should ensure you’re notified before either lender submits your application, or withdraw your application with your bank, to avoid applying for multiple loans. [US operators only]

• Update on SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans -
• The EIDL program is currently 20x over-subscribed and has received over 3 million requests totaling $400bn.
• If you have applied for an EIDL, you should expect at least 10-14 additional days of processing time as the SBA deals with this demand.
• Allocation per business is being reduced and the EIDL Grant Advance will be based on a formula of $1,000 per employee.
• If you’ve applied for an EIDL, you should wait to hear updates from the SBA via email.
• EU Leaders Approve Half-Trillion Bailout Package - EU leaders agreed on Thursday, April 23, to draw up plans for a recovery fund worth 540 billion euros ($580 billion), set to be available by June 1. Details such as how it will be distributed have yet to be determined.

• Hourly Job Alternative: Become a Driver & Deliver with DoorDash - With furloughs becoming the norm across industries, help staff, friends, or family find flexible, convenient earnings opportunities through Peek's initiative with DoorDash. DoorDash is currently looking for drivers across hundreds of cities - get started now here.

Not to Be Missed:

• Google's $800M+ Aid to Support Small Businesses and Crisis Response - Read Google's announcement to provide aid to small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Its commitment includes a $200M investment fund to help provide small businesses with access to capital, $340M in Google Ad credits for SMBs, and more.

• $100M in Cash Grants and Ad Credits from Facebook - Browse the aid Facebook is providing for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries. Apply here.

Access more information on the latest loans, financial aid, and similar relief opportunities available in our Guide to Accessing and Protecting Capital here.

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Best Practices

Newest:

• Peek's Account Tuneup Checklist - To help you make the most of this slow period, we’ve compiled a checklist of key business-optimizing actions you can take to help you prepare for the future.

• The Role Destination Marketing Can Play in the Recovery of Events - Learn strategic ways Destination Marketing Organizations can adapt for recovery in today’s rapidly changing landscape.

• Beginner’s Guide to Successful Facebook Ads - Discover three important considerations for creating an effective Facebook ad campaign in Social Media Examiner’s recent article.

• Financial Strategies for Operators During Economic Uncertainty - Gain insights on the best business tactics to employ during a downturn in Adventure Travel Trade Association’s free brief-style report.

Not to Be Missed:

• How 4 Event Brands Tackled Covid-19 Crisis Communications - Learn four key strategies for responding to a crisis, gleaned from examining event companies with particularly effective communications to attendees and stakeholders.

• 13 Ways Businesses Can Use SEO & Marketing to Combat Coronavirus Impact - Check off the Search Engine Journal's SEO & Marketing tasks to do now for a faster recovery.

• Facebook's COVID-19 Guide for Businesses - Read Facebook's tips on communicating with your customers when it comes to important announcements, measures you're taking, and maintaining engagement.

• 'Why Companies Turn to Digital Marketing to Survive COVID-19' - Read why Forbes says an effective digital marketing strategy is the “deciding factor” in whether companies will make it through the tough times ahead and get a free digital audit of your website from 9068 Creative here.

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Advice from Industry Veterans

Newest:

• Industry Experts Offering One-on-One, Free Consulting Help - Leading tour industry players have come together through Tourmaggeddon to volunteer free consulting sessions for others in our industry. Set up a session with the link above.

Not to Be Missed:

• Wildebeest's Essential Marketing Advice for Tour & Activity Operators - Read about the actionable steps operators can take to mitigate the damage caused by today's COVID crisis and prepare for the industry's eventual recovery.

• Navigating a Crisis: Arival's 5-Step Action Plan for Tour Operators - Read the industry giant's advice on minimizing unnecessary expenses, creating a cash flow forecast, diversifying current and future revenue-generating activities, and more.

• ‘5 Things Tour Operators Should Be Doing Right Now’ Webinar - Watch Josh Oakes, co-founder of The Sunshine Tribe, delve into the critical strategies every tour operator should be embracing to push forward.

• 'Attracting Tourists After Troubled Times’ Blog - Regroup and prepare your business for when the dust settles and bookings ramp up with the tips and insights from Stephanie Fiero of Tourism Tiger in this guest blog.

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Examples of Operators Adapting

Not to Be Missed:

• Virtual Food and Drink Experiences - Our recent favorites: The Table Less Traveled's live cooking classes with featured chefs and home cooks via Zoom; Boutique events company EETTAFEL's online cooking and wine classes, featuring conversations with a life coach; Avital's Remote Culinary Teambuilding, Virtual Chefinars, and Virtual Mixologist classes.

• Virtual Yoga Classes - Sup Yo, which usually offers paddleboard yoga classes, hiking excursions, and retreats, is engaging customers with online yoga classes. Namaste in Nature has adapted similarly, switching up its former mediation and yoga hikes with online meditation and yoga classes on YouTube.

• Online Escape Room Experience - trap't Escape Room Adventures has created an at-home puzzle hunt to bring the escape room experience right to customers' living rooms.

• Other Adapted Activities - Browse a wide range of adapted activities across the industry, including everything from virtual tours to "Shelter-in Style" kits to "Food Tours in a Box.

• Collaborations with Community Foundations - Check out how our partner ‘Your Biker Gang’ has teamed up with the Austin Community Foundation to help raise the funds needed to protect local businesses feeling the effects of the virus.

• Adapted Refund Policies - Keep track of how the industry is adapting their refund policies in response to COVID-19 with this travel company refund tracker.

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Stay Updated and Connected

Newest:

• What Would a Timeline for Travel’s Reopening Look Like? - Read why the return to tourism (starting with domestic travel) will likely begin toward the end of June/beginning of July for some destinations around the world.

• Reopening America: A State-By-State Breakdown of Coronavirus Restrictions - US governors have taken vastly different tactics in developing plans to reopen businesses in their states and remove social-distancing restrictions. Stay updated on changing policies here.

• What Do Post-Coronavirus Events Look Like? - Explore what events will look like after lockdowns have been lifted. In this article, Event discusses the key questions: “Which conditions are needed for events to happen?”, “What type of events will happen?”, and “What will those events look like?”
  

Not to Be Missed:

• #Tourismstrong - Check out the new site tour operators have created to join with others in the industry, share free resources, and provide inspiration for one another.

• Tourmageddon: A COVID-19 Resource and Advice Hub - Find more resources, top tips, recovery plans, and more, edited by industry experts, Alex Bainbridge (Autoura / DestinationCTO), Peter Syme and Chris Torres. Sign up to receive email updates or follow them on Twitter @TourmageddonH.

• Facebook Forums for Tour Operators - Join the groups Tour Operators United, Tourpreneur for Tour Operators/Tour Professionals, andTour Strategy if you haven’t already for discussion, advice, and support.

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Appeal to Your Local Community

Not to Be Missed:

• ‘Driving Community Support’ Blog - Learn tips on how to help your community best support your business. We’ve also included email templates and social media posts in this blog to help you get these campaigns up and running, without having to start from scratch.

• 11 Ways Your Community Can Help Travel Companies - See examples of how your community can help businesses like yours in this article by Linsey Stevens from Travel Awaits.

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Once again, we are here to help. If you have any questions just reply to this email or give us a call on +1 (415) 361-5564, our Partner Support team is here to help 24/7.

Thanks,

The Team at Peek

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What a kick off to the summer season! With Memorial Day weekend fast approaching, Peek Pro wanted to make sure you were fully equipped to enter your peak season with all the tools necessary to make this your biggest year yet!That's why we brought together five industry experts for an online event to arm you with some useful tips from three awesome workshops.Check out the information below to find links to recordings and anything else you may have missed!

Session 1: How to Effectively Use Facebook Ads (on Any Budget) 

Chris Torres - Director, Tourism Marketing Agency

Our good friend Chris Torres gave a super tactical workshop showing you how to create an implement an effective Facebook ads strategy, including tips on what kind of ads to use, how to target effectively, how much to spend and what content really helps engage potential customers. This is stuff you can apply TODAY to start seeing results - not one to miss!Click here to watch the recording!

Session 2: Get More Customers, Scale Operations and Drive Profits in your Tour or Activity

Josh Oakes - Founder, The Sunshine Tribe & Kelsey Tonner - Founder, Be a Better Guide Project

Industry titans Josh Oakes and Kelsey Tonner are not short on experience. Having previously ran tours and worked as a guide respectively, their insights are super helpful to any tour operator not sure where to take their business next. In this session, they take us through a wealth of tips on how to effectively scale your operations, expand your reach and get back to doing the things you do best.Click here to watch the recording!

Session 3: What Gets People to Buy? 

Drew Renner - Former Operator and Tourism Business Coach & Samantha Hardcastle - Founder, Amore Social

This pair are a force to be reckoned with. Drew is a former tour operator and has used his vast experience to help other operators to get where they need to be with their business. Samantha is a social media marketing champion and encourages operators to share their story as a way to engage and attract customers. In this session, they go through some of the ways to stand out from the crowd and attract the customers that YOU want.Click here to watch the recording!

Our good friends over at TourismTiger know a thing or two about how to make your mark online as a tour and activity operator. In this post, Senior Content Coordinator Emma Russel takes us through some effective ways to ensure you're making the most out of your online presence. Social media can seem daunting, but trust us, this article is sure to steer you in the right direction. Thanks Emma!Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, Linkedin, YouTube...feeling overwhelmed yet? You’re not alone. Many tour operators struggle to market themselves effectively on social platforms, and even more fail to get started in the first place.Here are a few reasons why:

1. I don't have the time.
2. I don’t think it’s important.
3. I don’t know which platforms to target.
4. I don’t know what to post.
5. My target market doesn’t use social media.

As a tour operator, your time is valuable, and you want to be sure every investment is worthwhile. You need a guarantee that dedicating time and effort to social media will benefit your company. You may also ask yourself: do my customers even use social media?The short answer: yes. A common misconception is that companies don’t need to worry about social media if they’re targeting anyone older than a millennial. In reality, the majority of your customers -- young and old -- use some form of social media. A 2018 report revealed 64% of adults aged 50-64 are on at least one social media site, and according to Internet Marketing Inc 76% of travelers post photos of their holiday online, while 52% gain inspiration from their friends’ Facebook photos. No matter your demographic, social media matters. Creating an online presence requires work. But ignoring this aspect of your business could mean ignoring direct channels to your customers. Social media shouldn’t be an afterthought: these platforms present a great opportunity to increase brand awareness, boost traffic to your website, and increase bookings.

Source: https://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media/

Not sure where to start? Below we’ve shared a few tips to help you craft a solid, profitable social media plan:

Slow down and give it some thought

Of course you want to see fast results, but effective social media marketing requires some thought. Before setting up accounts on every platform imaginable, dedicate time to creating a plan. Are you looking to establish a brand for your company? Increase traffic? Advertise special offers? By having a clear idea of your goals, you can establish which platforms are most beneficial for your company. Before you begin, consider the factors necessary for a successful campaign:

• An understanding of which type of customer is relevant to your business and what they want

• Attractions/locations/activities people want to share

• A commitment to sharing other content outside of your own

• An eagerness to connect with your customers -- i.e. respond to reviews, reply to comments, etc.

Below are some examples of companies that know their audience:

Many of Wild Rover Tours’ Instagram and Facebook followers are ex-customers that are interested in returning to Ireland. Their social media posts are aimed at interacting with their followers and showing the best spots in Ireland.

Harry Potter Universal have a large fan base they stay engaged with. They often repost their followers’ experiences and offer the chance to be featured on their social media platforms.

Competitions are a great way to keep your followers engaged while promoting your product. In the above post, Secret Food Tours turn a new tour offering into a competition.

Be selective

It’s only natural to want to get your brand out there, utilizing all possible channels -- but for some, this means biting off more than they can chew. There’s nothing worse than an out-of-date company profile. Large gaps between posts or neglected sites imply laziness, disorganization, and a lack of interest. The fewer platforms you have to manage, the more time you can dedicate to getting it right. Rule of thumb: Facebook is your most solid option and the most widely used platform. This is not only due to its larger network of users, but also to the fact that you can display a list of your products, making it incredibly easy for a visitor to move from your Facebook page to the booking page on your site.

An example of Facebook’s capabilities on Wild Rover’s Facebook page.

Instagram is your next best option. Users on this platform are steadily increasing and Instagram is gradually becoming the platform of choice for many. Whichever (select few) platforms you ultimately choose, ensure that they are popular among your target market and focus on making your posts count. There’s no need to spread yourself too thin. Instead, be critical about which platforms can really be of benefit to you.

Source: https://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media/

Understand what works

Follow successful companies and fellow operators on social media, and take note of what works for them. Pay attention to which posts have the most engagement or which had the most impact on you. Remember: the point of social media is interaction, but as a tour operator, it needs to go deeper than that. Gently encourage your customers to leave reviews on Facebook. Try offering discounts and special offers to those that share your posts. Add a face to your company by featuring your incredible guides; posts images of happy customers on your tours; link to your website. Doing all this keeps your customers/followers engaged and excited about your product. Trafalgar Travel is a fantastic example of an operator maintaining customer engagement while posting relevant material. Here is the proof.They show they care about what they do:

They always respond to messages:

They listen to their customers:

Get organized

As mentioned above, an inactive site can do more harm than good in terms of how your company is perceived. Rather than attracting customers, a disorganized account will do nothing but repel potential clients. Even if you’re short on time, there is no excuse for allowing your site to fall to the wayside. Creating a schedule ensures you always have consistent, high-quality content to share. Not only that: by scheduling what you post, you can take advantage of the most active times your users are on social media.

Source: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/

There are a ton of resources available to help you with planning and scheduling. Hootsuite is a popular social media management (SMM) system and is used by over 20% of companies including Ebay, UPS, and Gap. TweetDeck and SocialEngage are also popular with businesses.Simply input your posts, add the date/time you want to share it, and allow Hootsuite to take care of the rest. By scheduling posts in advance, you reduce the need to dedicate time to social media every day. You could even set aside time to bulk schedule posts every month or so. Plus, no need to set your alarm in the middle of the night to target overseas followers.

Set up alerts

For business owners, time is money. Scrolling through Twitter or Facebook in search of useful content to engage with can be way too time-consuming. Google Alerts sends notifications directly to your email, notifying you of activity surrounding your business. You can set them up to ping you with industry-related news or when your company’s name is mentioned. Essentially, Google Alerts takes care of the scrolling, making it easier for you to stay up to date with the latest news and activity.

Google Alerts is incredibly easy to set up.

If you’re a tour operator, social media will likely be a part of present and future marketing strategies. This is no longer a secondary aspect to tourism marketing. Social media offers incredible opportunities to increase brand awareness, draw in new customers, provide a platform for reviews and feedback, advertise your product and share relevant content.The good news is, the more thought and energy you invest in your social media marketing strategy at the beginning, the easier it will be to maintain. Take some time out to plan a strategy. The payoff could be huge if you do. If you’re a novice, don’t despair. Start small, focusing on Facebook or a similar platform, and work on expanding your audience. Scan the internet, pick and choose which aspects could work for your company, and craft a campaign that makes a splash. And remember: the goal is not to churn out content with little engagement; the goal is to create an online presence which both promotes your brand and provides a two-way channel between you and your customers. What are you waiting for? Your audience is waiting. Emma is a Content Coordinator for TourismTiger – the premier web design agency for tour and activity operators. We build websites that sell tours. Get started on yours today.

Today, we are happy to announce a dramatic change to our system that makes it easier for you to say “Yes” to more of your guests and offer the flexibility you’ve been asking us for.Summer 2019 makes 6 years of Peek Pro. Which is why we’re announcing Peek Pro 6: a series of upgrades coming all through 2019 that will change the game for your business.Here’s what we’ve got for you in this round of changes:

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• Helping Your Guests: TEN new ways that you will be able to say yes to your guests.

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• Bonus Releases: Add fire to your growth and cut operational headaches. See below!

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If you’re a Peek Partner and excited about these changes, contact Partner Support to check your eligibility to be part of this phase of the rollout. You can also learn more about Peek Pro 6 in our helpdesk here.

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Not a Peek Partner yet? Schedule your demo to see how Peek Pro 6 can work for you.

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Ok, enough talk. Let’s get into it!

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#1: SPLIT PAYMENTS

Your Guest Says: "I'm here with my friend. Can I pay cash, and he pays with a card?"Yes! You can now take as many payments as needed via any method.This is available right now.

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#2 UN-CANCEL BOOKINGS

Your Guest Says: "Yesterday, we had to cancel but I have good news! We're able to proceed. Can you please un-cancel our booking?"

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‍Yes! You can now easily reactivate a canceled booking to bring all your guests info - including questions, answers & credit cards on file - back from the dead.

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This is available right now.

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#3 DEPOSIT ANY AMOUNT

Your Guest Says: "Instead of a $450 deposit.. can I pay $400? That's all I have on me."Yes! You'll be able to apply custom amounts to a deposit in the back-end of Peek Pro. This is especially useful for large bookings or corporate customers!

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Note: this is a feature only available through the back-end of Peek Pro.

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This is available right now.

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#4 PAY TOWARDS MY TOTAL

Your Guest Says: "I’ve got a $3,000 booking on Saturday - which I made a $300 deposit for. Can I pay $150 towards the total right now and pay the rest on the day?

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"Yes! This is a common scenario when selling larger bookings, and demonstrates the new flexibility that Peek Pro 6 gives you. This will be especially handy when you have groups paying towards a transaction.

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This is available right now.

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#5 RESCHEDULE ORDERS & PAY/REFUND THE DIFFERENCE

Your Guest Says: "Hi, I booked for Monday. Can you switch me to Saturday? I'm happy to pay the difference!"

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‍Yes! While on Peek Pro we could always change dates, now you can easily charge the difference with the payment details already on file.

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Bonus: If the guest is switching to a cheaper time-slot, you can also refund them the difference.

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This is available right now.

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#6 CANCEL AND REFUND THE DIFFERENCE / ADD GUESTS AND PAY THE DIFFERENCE

Your Guest Says: "Hi, one of our group is sick and can no longer make it. Can we cancel their spot and receive a refund for that ticket?

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"Yes! Now on Peek Pro, you can easily change group sizes and charge or refund based on the final result. Previously, you'd have to cancel and refund the booking and create a new one. Add a guest and Pay the Difference: You can also ADD a new ticket and take the payment using the payment method on file, or any other method depending on the guest preferences.

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This is available right now.

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#7 TRANSFER OVERPAYMENT BETWEEN BOOKINGS:

Your Guest Says: "Instead of refunding me, can we put the balance towards an additional or longer activity?"

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‍Yes! Any time one of your guests has an additional balance, you'll be able to transfer it to any other activity or day, instead of refunding.

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Coming soon.

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#8 ADD CHARGE & PAY THE DIFFERENCE

Your Guest Says: "Hi, when I booked my ticket, I forgot to select the GoPro Add-On. Can you please just add that to my booking and charge the card on file?"

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‍Yes! You can add any upsell with the card on file, no problem. In fact, this applies to Add-Ons, Custom Questions With Charges, and Additional Charges.

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This is available right now.

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#9 MULTIPLE EXPERIENCES, ONE BOOKING

Your Guest Says: "I'd like to book multiple experiences, and just give you my Credit Card details to pay for them all at once. Can I do that?"

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‍Yes! Previously available only on PoS, you can now flexibly take as many bookings for experiences or upsells in the one booking and charge the one time.

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This is available right now.

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#10 GIFT CARDS COVER ALL COSTS

Your Guest Says: "I've got a gift card for $100 but the website is still trying to charge me taxes and fees. Can't I just pay for everything with my gift card?"

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‍Yes! Gift cards can now pay for ALL charges associated with a booking, so long as they have the balance. You just need to configure it.

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Coming soon.

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Other Improvements You Don’t Want to Miss:

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• Tomis Integration. We’ve integrated with Tomis Tech, a marketing software and service company. Check them out.
• Export Manifest. You can now export your daily manifest in order to manage them in other tools.
• Create Rental Bookings on Mobile. Coming later this year, the ability to create rental bookings will now be available on all devices.
• Linked Flows. See image below. You can now easily place a link between different booking flows to assist guests with their navigation.
• A New Help Desk! Have you logged into the Peek Pro help desk lately? It's changed - significantly. And for the better.

WHAT’S NEXT?

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If you’re interested in moving to Peek Pro 6, and taking advantage of all these great changes, contact Partner Support for more info!Not a Peek Partner yet? Schedule your demo to see how Peek Pro 6 can work for you.