3 Ways to Make Your Tour Business Go—and Stay—Viral

How going viral transformed this kayak operator’s business, and how media-savvy founder Justin Buzzi keeps the exposure coming.

Reading Time: 6 mins

How going viral transformed this kayak operator’s business, and how media-savvy founder Justin Buzzi keeps the exposure coming.

If the superstar status of Justin Bieber—the Canadian singer who at 15 was rocketed to fame by his Youtube videos—is any indicator, going viral can slingshot anyone into the national spotlight. Defined as a video, image or link that becomes very popular by circulating quickly from person to person through the internet, the implications of going viral could have a big impact on your business, to say the least. 

There are lots of articles on the web offering tips to help you understand how to go viral—an interesting and visually appealing story is needed; luck is often involved.

But what happens when a business such as a tour, activity or attraction experiences explosive attention? And how can operators ensure this momentum is converted into ticket sales for the long run? 

Justin Buzzi, founder of the Florida-based, clear kayaking tour operation Get Up and Go Kayaking, had a crash course in managing virality when his company gained international attention in 2017. 

A Lucky Break

Shortly after he quit his job to work on Get Up and Go Kayaking full time, he was contacted by a reporter at Insider, a media site that has nearly 5 million Youtube subscribers. “The reporter had found footage of our tours on Instagram because we were getting statewide popularity from local destination marketing organizations such as Visit Florida and Visit Orlando,” says Buzzi. The company’s use of 100% clear kayaks—enabling visitors to see more sea life—were extremely eye-catching on social media. 

Luckily, Buzzi had a lot of videos and images from his tours on hand. Every time he guided a tour he always brought his GoPro and iPhone along to take beautiful pictures. “I sent a link with all of our footage, and within the next couple of days they posted an edited video with text describing our business. Within the first day we got millions of views.”

With those views, came thousands of inquiries about available bookings. Get Up and Go Kayaking’s website crashed due to all of the additional traffic, forcing Buzzi and his friends to scramble to get their site onto a dedicated server.

A day later, Buzzfeed reached out to make a video about Get Up and Go Kayaking’s Bioluminescent Tour—a nighttime kayaking experience that showcases Florida’s microscopic bioluminescent plankton, which glows when agitated by a kayak’s movement. 

Then, Travel & Leisure reached out. And Yahoo. The Insider video had caused a ripple of media attention that directly translated into bookings. So new was Get Up and Go Kayaking that Buzzi didn’t even have an online booking system to take reservations. In the weeks following the popularity, he often stayed up until 3 A.M. answering emails about tours, and making bookings manually. 

In many ways, the viral video intensely kick started his business. “It presented a cool challenge, as it made me step up the game and examine our processes,” Buzzi explains.

He adopted a booking system for his website to make reservations more automated. With the larger demand for tours, he hired more tour guides. The viral video also gave Buzzi the confidence to franchise Get Up and Go Kayaking, and open up six more locations.

Most notably, the viral experience gave Buzzi direct contact with reporters and editors at some of the biggest media outlets around the world. Periodically, he sends particularly cool footage—such as a video of a manatee hugging the underside of his kayak—to editors in hopes of publication. This both keeps his company on the radar of such outlets and may lead to more viral content. 

Counterintuitively, personal videos he takes from his iPhone or GoPro as opposed to professional photography or drones are more appealing to editors. “One editor told me is more engaging because it makes the viewer feel like they’re actually the ones taking the footage. I think clear kayaks are eye-catching because they’re relatively new in the outdoor space, and it’s stimulating to your eyes. You just want to keep watching it,” says Buzzi. 

Going viral transformed Buzzi’s business by sharing the unique experience his tours provide travelers. With a great story, first-person visuals, a strong social media presence and a hefty bit of good fortune, perhaps your company could go viral, too. 

Ways to Go—and Stay—Viral 

  • Work with organizations such as your local DMO to help promote your tour on social media.
  • Have high-quality images and videos of your tour on hand to send to media immediately.
  • Maintain the relationships you made with reporters and editors. Send them updates on your business, including new and notable tours, or beautiful new footage you captured.

Justin Buzzi

Meet Justin Buzzi of Get Up and Go Kayaking at Arival Orlando and learn more about how he turned a tiny kayaking outfit into a multi-location franchise across the Sunshine State.

Oct. 27-30, 2019
Orlando, FL

Berlin
1-3 March, 2020

Registration Open Soon

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Arival Guide to OTAs & Digital Distributors

A comprehensive directory of OTAs and online resellers for operators of tours, activities and attractions Authors: Brittani England & Martin Harlow Edited by: Douglas Quinby & Janelle Visser

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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARIVAL | ACTIVATE EDINBURGH AND ARIVAL 360 | VALENCIA AND WHICH SHOULD I ATTEND?

Since 2019, Arival has hosted one major event in Europe each year. For 2024-2025, we’re thrilled to offer two exciting events: Arival 360 | Valencia and Arival | Activate Edinburgh. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide which event to attend—or why you might want to come to both:

Arival 360 | Valencia (28-30 April 2025)
  • Scope: Flagship European Event with a global reach; up to 30% of attendees from outside Europe, including the U.S., Middle East, LATAM, and APAC.
  • Audience: Experience creators, tech and distribution companies, and industry professionals from around the world.
  • Arival Theater Content: Global topics including: over-tourism and sustainability, technology, distribution, European consumer and operator trends.
  • Breakout Sessions: In-depth workshops on operational best practices, product expansion, AI, channel management, marketing tech, a Spain-specific track and an Innovation Showcase highlighting the most tech-savvy companies in our industry.
  • Networking: Connect with leading OTAs and distribution companies, and build valuable partnerships.
  • Location: Valencia, a stunning coastal city offering rich cultural experiences.
  • Attendees: Approximately 800, providing extensive networking opportunities.
Arival | Activate Edinburgh (23-25 November 2024)
  • Scope: Regional focus on the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic regions.
  • Audience: Operators and industry professionals from the region.
  • Content: Gain insights on regional topics like technology, distribution strategies, and hear from top regional tourism leaders.
  • Breakout Sessions: Experience hands-on learning at Edinburgh’s top attractions and tours, with sessions on visitor experience, digital journeys and innovative tour development. In-depth sessions for companies at the beginning of their digital journey and more advanced sessions for people and companies looking to elevate their experience.
  • Networking: With a more intimate setting. you’ll have more time to build deeper connections and create more meaningful interactions with your current and future partners including distributors, tech companies, DMOs and more.
  • Location: Edinburgh, known for its stunning architecture and historic charm
  • Attendees: Approximately 400, fostering an intimate peer-to-peer learning and networking environment.
Key Differences:
  • Global vs. Regional Focus: Valencia is a global event with an international audience, while Edinburgh is a regional event focused on the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions.
  • Event Size: Valencia hosts about 800 attendees, providing broad networking opportunities, whereas Edinburgh’s 400 attendees create a more intimate, focused environment.
  • Content and Sessions: Valencia features global themes and advanced topics, whereas Edinburgh provides region-specific insights and hands-on experiential learning.
  • Location Experience: Valencia providing a coastal escape and Edinburgh offering historic and iconic attractions.
  • Who Will Be There: The most valuable part of Arival Events is the connections you make and the partnerships you build to grow your business. At Arival | Activate Edinburgh, you’ll engage with key industry players in the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions. If your business focus is on these areas, Edinburgh is where you need to be. For those targeting broader European or global markets, Arival 360 | Valencia offers the ideal platform to network with international leaders and innovators. 
Why attend both?

With limited opportunities for business development, learning, and networking in our industry, attending both events is a strategic move. By participating in both Edinburgh and Valencia, you maximize your exposure to diverse markets and influential contacts. 

However, if budget constraints or a specific regional focus dictate your decisions, choose the event that best aligns with your primary business goals. Join us in Edinburgh for regional insights or Valencia for global perspectives—or better yet, attend both to fully leverage the potential of Arival’s expansive network.

For service providers such as a restech or ticketing platform, distribution company, or other services including marketing, AI tools, etc., attending both gives you access to attendees from both markets to connect with your current customers and to meet new ones!

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At Arival, we believe travel can make the world a better place. Our mission is to establish and inspire a diverse community of individuals and companies in the In-destination Industry by providing opportunities to gain insight, share knowledge and build connections. To make it possible for true collaboration, creativity, innovation, and idea exchange to thrive, we are committed to facilitating a welcoming and respectful community for all. This Conference Code of Conduct shares our community expectations and applies to all attendees, employees, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and other participants at Arival- produced and sponsored events. We empower all participants in our community to actively engage in creating a friendly, inclusive and safe environment for all.

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