4 Quick Tips to Get Your First Booking

We’ve got you covered with four powerful tips to make sure your product is optimized to grab travelers’ attention and get you your first bookings.

1 – Be Available Whenever Wanderlust Strikes

Every traveler has their own planning style. Some travelers meticulously plan their adventures months in advance, while others decide what to do on a whim over their morning coffee. To cater to both booking styles, make sure your product is available for booking both far in advance and at the last minute.

Our advice? Maintain at least six months of product availability to entice the planners to book. But don’t forget about the spontaneous adventurers! Set a booking cutoff time of four hours or less before the activity starts to capture in-destination bookers browsing their phones for last-minute activities.

With this dual approach, you cast a wide net to catch the eye of every type of traveler.

2 – Show, Don’t Just Tell: The Power of Visuals

They say a picture is worth a thousand words – and in the world of travel, it could be worth a thousand bookings. Your photos have the power to transport travelers straight into the heart of your experience, so make them count.

Choose stunning, high-quality images that showcase your product in its best light. Opt for natural lighting, genuine moments, and a narrative flow that tells the story of what awaits your guests. Research indicates that featuring six or more photos leads to the highest booking rates. From breathtaking landscapes to candid smiles, let your visuals do the talking.

3 – Reviews: Your Secret Weapon

In the battle for bookings, reviews are your best friend. Encourage your guests to share their experiences to harness the power of word-of-mouth and build your reputation.

Why are reviews so crucial? Because in the eyes of travelers, recent feedback reigns supreme. So, the sooner you collect positive reviews, the faster your product will outpace the competition.

Viator makes the process easy:

• Viator customers receive three emails and one SMS reminder to leave a review.
• Tools are available in the Management Center to help you collect reviews from travelers who booked outside Viator.
• All reviews undergo the same Tripadvisor approval process to maintain the highest levels of content integrity.

4 – Use Viator Accelerate to Increase Product Exposure

Once you’ve optimized your products by following the three previous recommendations, use Viator Accelerate to ensure they’re getting noticed. Viator Accelerate is the final step to earning product exposure and growth on your terms.

Viator Accelerate drives more attention to your products through exclusive ad placements in exchange for increased commission. The higher the commission, the more ad impressions are delivered through the Viator Accelerate ads, and the more likely they are to be seen by a traveler who wants to book.

You worked hard to get your new products into tip-top shape. Viator Accelerate is your opportunity to pass the workload to us and fast-track the success of your new products.

 

 

Originally published August 2019, updated April 2024.