Fraud Blocker
December 21, 2021
7 min read

A Quick Guide to Tour Booking Software

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Are you plowing on with research for the right tour booking software for your business?

Are you still confused about adopting a tour booking system?

There is a lot more information available about online booking software for tour operators. We are here to help you digest the information in the easiest way before you decide on whether to buy one or not.

What is Tour Booking Software?

An online tour booking software will help you automate bookings, sell via multiple channels, automate workflows, manage operations and a whole lot more. An Online booking software can replace many manual processes, allowing tour, activity, and attraction operators to focus more on the customer and less on the tedious desk work.

In a nutshell a Tour booking software is a software solution used for managing bookings, It helps you automate and manage bookings as well as streamline day-to-day business operations.

 

Benefits of tour booking software explained

Do Tour Operators Need Booking Software?

Even when you hear about the benefits of tour booking software, it’s natural to have a lot of questions. Everything may have worked out well for you in a pen and paper system. So, why an online booking system now?

Let’s just consider these scenarios:

  • Are you able to accept bookings 24/7?
  • Is your staff tied to the phone during peak season answering customers’ queries?
  • Do you get calls from guests checking whether their booking came through or not?
  • Have you ever messed up bookings and ended up overbooking?
  • Have you struggled with payout calculations?
  • Have you ever wished for an easier way to distribute your tours?

If you have been through any of these scenarios, it’s best to reconsider your current booking process and explore other systems that can make your life a lot easier.

Advantages of Tour Operator Reservations System

Get Direct Bookings Any Time

Tour booking software enables your potential customers to make a booking anytime, from anywhere and boosts your revenue. An online reservation system breaks language and payment barriers and helps your travel booking reach travellers worldwide with its multi-language and multi-payment options.

When guests decide to reserve their spot for your tours, they can go to your website, check the availability via the online booking system, book tickets, and make payment—everything in a few clicks! Whenever the reservation is made, the system automatically gets updated and avoids the risk of overbooking.

Distribute Your Tours Efficiently

Distributing tours and activities through an online travel agency and other networks is a proven strategy to reach enthusiastic travellers globally and support your sales channel. However, managing various sales channels and calculating the commission can often be a headache for a tour operator.

Tour booking software can simplify the process for you. It has a centralized system to oversee all your sales channels and manage your bookings. The online booking system is equipped with a Channel Manager and it enables a tour operator to administer the reseller channels. And best of all, commissions and payouts are automated. No more struggle with excel formulas!

Upsell More

Is it tough to convince customers over the phone or email to add another tour or product to their existing bookings? An online tour booking software makes it easy for you by promoting other tours, activities, or products to guests when they are ready to check out.

The tour operator software displays information about relevant tour add-ons at the check-out stage. At the last stage of purchase, customers might be more tempted to enhance their experience by adding additional tours to their cart. It eventually boosts the average booking value and increases your revenue.

Use Marketing Tools To Increase Revenue

A tour operator software has built-in tools like promo codes and gift cards that can be used for marketing and promotions. These tools can drive more revenue during the low season.

Besides the built-in tools, tour operator software has third-party integrations such as payment gateways, digital waivers and marketing platforms, to name a few. They can help you enhance your customer experience, boost your brand, and make tours popular.

Measure Your Success

Tour operator software comes with built-in reporting capabilities to give insights into various aspects of your business. Without breaking a sweat, get an in-depth analysis of total revenue or booking volume. Having a good grasp on your sales performance empowers you to make an informed decision and create a game plan for the next season.

The reporting feature of an online booking system comes in handy when you analyze your promo codes or gift vouchers. You will have the metrics and analytics from the previous campaign to effectively strategize the next marketing campaign.

Wrapping Up

An online reservation system is not just for big tour operators. Even small tour operators or those with a small team benefit from using an online booking system. It empowers you to manage your resources efficiently with reduced admin costs. And more importantly, it helps you supercharge your travel bookings and revenue.

Did we pique your curiosity? Discover more about our tour booking software and get a demo specific to your business.

Talk to a Zaui Expert to Learn More!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about how our travel booking software can elevate your business.
Is there a long-term contract or commitment?

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.

Are there any hidden charges?

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.

How does payment processing work and what fees apply?

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.

What support and onboarding are included? Are there any extra costs?

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.

Can I try Zaui before buying?

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.

Can I change my plan (upgrade/downgrade) later?

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.

Are there fees for offline or manual bookings?

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)

Are all features included, or do I need to pay for add-ons?

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