How to Sell Travel Packages Online: Tips and Tricks that Pay Off
In the fiercely competitive tourism industry, where demand is already sky-high and the range of offers is overwhelming, selling travel packages online has become challenging. With the added complexities of e-commerce, the entire tourism sector is navigating through one of its most demanding periods in history.
To thrive in this evolving landscape, selling tourism requires specialized expertise to tap into new customer demands and explore diverse sales channels. To effectively sell travel packages, you must be well-informed about the industry and understand what potential customers truly desire. If you are looking to get information on what’s trending in the travel market today visit our blog about Travel Marketing Trends and Ideas. Before delving into the topic of selling travel packages online, let us first establish the definition of a travel package.
What is a Travel Package?
A travel package is a comprehensive product that combines at least two of the following services within a single trip or holiday, all covered by a bundled or all-inclusive price:
- Transportation: This includes flights, buses, trains, or ships.
- Accommodation: Providing a place to stay during the trip.
- Car or scooter rental: Offering convenient mobility options.
- Other significant travel services: These services can include concerts, sports events, excursions, guided tours, ski passes, rental of sports equipment, or spa treatments, among others. These services may be provided by a single service provider or multiple entities. The true essence of a package emerges when these services come together.
How did Travel Packages come into existence?
Package tourism has witnessed significant changes in recent times. Tour operators have expanded their offerings to include niche tourism, allowing travellers to design their personalized tour packages.
It started off in 1841 with the pioneering efforts of Thomas Cook who organized the first package holiday for 500 travellers. This was a groundbreaking idea since disposable incomes were rising, leisure time was becoming more abundant, and people were yearning for new and thrilling destinations to discover. Cook understood this burning desire for exploration and crafted an experience that catered to it perfectly. Since then, this phenomenon has transformed the travel industry.
The popularity of packaged tourism has been evolving from the very beginning especially with Travelers gaining the power to conduct their own research, no longer reliant on travel agents to create their itineraries or travel arrangements.. The proliferation of travel blogs, comparison websites, and online travel agents further affected the appeal of traditional package holidays. Nevertheless, package holidays still persist globally, now often referred to as dynamic packages. Travelers can choose the components of their package and assemble them with the assistance of online travel agents. In today’s world, there are many types of packages that are being offered including niche tourism, spa packages, romantic packages, adventure packages, etc. catering to different customer segments.
Now, let's delve into the top four tips to successfully sell travel packages online:
1. Craft the Perfect Travel Package
This is where your selling journey begins! Start by creating a captivating tour package that appeals to your target market and is unique enough to gain you that competitive edge. A great starting point is to understand who you are creating it for. For instance, if you're targeting "Generation X," recognize their preference for family-friendly tours that offer affordability and relaxation.
Another vital aspect of creating a perfect package is making it unique. One of the current trends that is gaining popularity is offering "travel like a local" packages. This approach allows tourists to move away from crowded destinations and seek immersive and culturally enriching experiences. If you are a small tour company, this is your opportunity to shine. Instead of providing tours to popular destinations, offer a distinctive experience that includes lesser-known locations, local cuisines, and culturally immersive activities.
2. Utilize an Efficient Booking System
To streamline your processes and facilitate online bookings, invest in a reliable booking system. It will help you streamline your operations, making them seamless and leaving you enough bandwidth to grow your business. This system should be specifically designed for travel businesses, offering advanced functionality to help you in every aspect of your business, including creating travel packages, selling them, and providing advanced reporting for strategy purposes. Consider trying Zaui, a leading and dependable booking system that has been assisting travel and tour businesses for over two decades.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of the rising trend of partnering with resellers to increase your visibility and generate additional income. There are various ways to collaborate with resellers and promote your products, and Zaui System excels in this aspect. With Zaui, you gain access to an advanced Channel Manager that connects you with thousands of resellers. Additionally, Zaui offers the "Zaui Connect" feature, enabling connections with other Zaui Customers to distribute your bookings. Another remarkable advantage is that Zaui provides unlimited Agent Logins without any extra charges or fees. This allows you to expand your reach without worrying about additional expenses. By joining a tour operator software like Zaui, you can tap into a vast network of resellers worldwide, maximizing your exposure and increasing your customer base. Curious to see if Zaui's Channel Manager is the right fit for you. Book a demo today!
3. Master the Art of Timing Promotions
The timing and execution of your promotions significantly impact your booking rates. While high seasons may seem like the obvious choice, competition can be fierce. To ensure steady bookings throughout the year, strategically plan alternative packages that target slow tourism seasons in your region.
Be patient, as it may take a couple of years to witness substantial profit growth. Implementing an online booking system like Zaui, which offers customizable tools and connects you with agents, will simplify the booking process for your customers. With over two decades of experience, Zaui has continued to evolve and provide its customers with advanced features like dynamic pricing to maximize profits and achieve higher ROI as demand fluctuates.
4. Secure Listings in Directories and Travel Guides
Take advantage of destination guides that tourists consult when planning their vacations. Getting your tour company listed in these publications enhances your visibility and attracts potential customers. Travel guides provide detailed information on various destinations, including ratings and reviews of hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Additionally, explore directories that offer advertising opportunities to further increase your company's exposure. Consider applying directly or utilizing listing services that can expedite the process and expose your business to a larger audience. By leveraging these resources, you can ensure that your tour packages are showcased to the right audience, thereby driving more sales and propelling your business to new heights.
Final word
Selling travel packages online demands expertise and adaptability in an ever-evolving industry. By understanding your target market, creating enticing packages, utilizing efficient booking systems, timing your promotions strategically, and securing listings in relevant publications, you can effectively navigate the competitive tourism landscape and achieve success in selling travel packages online.
See how Zaui can help build and sell great tour and activity packages by booking your Personalized Demo Today!
Related Posts
How Bus Travel and Ticketing Services Are Going Digital: A Look at the Modern Passenger Journey
Discover how Bus Travel and Ticketing Services are going digital for a smoother, smarter passenger journey. Explore the latest innovations today!
Customer Success Story: TourExpress.ca’s Journey – Technology-First Transportation with Zaui
Read our latest Zaui Success Story featuring Tourexpress.ca's journey to scalable point-to-point transportation with Zaui's powerful platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Zaui’s pricing is fully pay-as-you-go. You aren’t locked into any long-term contract. In fact, leading platforms emphasize this flexibility. Similarly, Zaui lets you start and stop anytime. You can change or cancel your plan freely, so you only pay for what you use.
Absolutely not. Zaui’s pricing is 100% transparent. We disclose all fees up front with no surprise add-ons or “sneak-in” charges. In fact, Zaui’s plans include all core features “without additional fees”. Industry experts note that hidden fees undermine trust so we avoid them entirely. All costs are clearly outlined in our pricing, and there are no extra setup charges or undisclosed surcharges at checkout.
Zaui integrates with major payment gateways (e.g. Stripe) so you only pay standard credit-card processing rates (roughly 1.9%+$0.30/transaction) and we don’t mark them up. Only the published platform commission is added on bookings. You also have full control over who pays the commission, we let you decide whether to absorb booking fees or pass them on to customers. In short, you’ll only pay the transparent booking commission and normal gateway fees, nothing extra.
Your onboarding and support are included in the price. We provide white-glove setup help and ongoing 24/7 support at no additional cost. Our dedicated customer-success team will guide you through every step, ensuring a smooth launch. You won’t pay extra for training or service other than the onboarding fee; it's all built into your plan.
You can schedule a free demo with our team. Our Zaui ninjas will walk you through pe how Zaui can work for your business and highlight opportunities to grow with our advanced features all without any upfront payment. This way, you can feel confident it’s the right fit before making a commitment.
Of course. Zaui’s plans are fully flexible. You can upgrade or downgrade at any time to match your needs, without penalties. You can move to a higher tier or back down easily, and your billing adjusts automatically.
No. Zaui does not charge its commission on offline/manual bookings. “No fees on offline bookings” You only pay the commission when a booking is processed online through our system. Manual reservations (or bookings from partner channels we set up for you) incur no extra platform fee. (30% or less)
All of Zaui’s core features are included in your plan at no extra charge. We believe in value and transparency: Zaui provides over 15 advanced features (Google Things to do, reporting tools, marketing tools, reports, etc.) at no additional cost. Many competitors charge extra or require higher plans for the same features, but with Zaui you get the full suite of tools in one package. Any optional add-ons (if any) will always be clearly listed and optional there are no surprise paid upgrades for standard features.
Each Zaui plan is designed for clarity and fairness, following industry best practices. You can trust that our pricing is transparent and flexible, with the support you need built in.
Extra accounts- unlimited agents, resellers, user
