What You Can Do Today To Help Your Tour Business Website

It’s April and it’s time to get to work. Specifically, it’s time to get to work on your website. You can do all of these things on your own!

Reading Time: 1 minute 24 seconds

Breathe. Maybe you spent March full of anxiety and checking your bank balance every day. Maybe you spent March relaxing with your family and putting off business decisions until we had a better idea of what’s to come. Regardless of how you spent your March, it’s April and it’s time to get to work. Specifically, it’s time to get to work on your website. You can do all of these things on your own, but if you’re stumped and need expert advice, Tourism Tiger would be happy to help!

Before you do anything long-term, do these things:

Communicate your current plans to your clients.

Are you closing your business permanently? Are you closing temporarily? Have you moved into virtual tours or online classes? Tell them! People can’t support you unless they know what they’re supporting.

How can you do this? The most common way is putting a banner on your website that shows your updates. It’s an easy way to make it clear that yes, you are still open for reduced hours or no, you’re not currently offering tours but they should check out your new YouTube channel for a taste. 

Things are changing so fast these days and it’s important for your website to reflect the changes that you’re making. Instead of putting all of your information into that banner (and remembering to update that and all social media platforms), try creating a special page on your site. Something like TourismIsAwesome.com/CoronaIsNotAwesome. You can put your cancelation policy, new initiatives, updated hours, etc. Link that page to your banner ad and pin it to the top of your social media pages. When things change, update that one page instead of creating a new banner and posts everywhere.

Add discounts if offered.

Obviously. People want to support small businesses right now. Show them why their money goes further with you than your competitors. Put this on the /CoronaIsNotAwesome page or even update your homepage to display it prominently. Similarly, if you offer gift cards, put the link to purchase in your main menu. Make it easy. (And if you don’t offer gift cards, start. At least for now.)

Make your contact info prominent.

I know, I know. No one likes answering the phone or being tied to their email and you already have a page on your website with all of the information that they need. This is a good PR move though. If you make yourself available and transparent when times are tough, people will trust you when times are good. 

LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS

Okay, if you’ve followed the advice above, your website is Corona ready. What can you do to prepare it for a post-COVID-19 world? Obviously, I recommend doing all of these things but if you pick just one or two, you’re going to be in a good place.

Check your analytics.

You’ll get a lot of information here; use it to inform your choices. Some things to look for:

  1. Which of your tour pages perform the best? The worst? What’s the difference? Remember: don’t compare March to February. You already know that March was worse than February. Look at your high season data to learn what people are looking for when it’s time to buy.

I don’t know what to tell you to do with this information. Take the data you’ve found and use it to take a good, honest look at your site. Maybe Tour A’s page has a serious, scholarly tone that is right for your company and tour type. If Tour B has a funny tone with a lot of wordplay… well, that doesn’t really fit the serious style of tours. Change the tone to match Tour A. Maybe Tour A is on your homepage and Tour B is only on the menu. Put Tour B on the homepage too. The changes necessary here will be unique to your site, but you can look at other tour websites for inspiration.

  • Where is your traffic coming from? If you’re paying for ads on Google and all of your traffic is coming from Facebook, you’re wasting your money. 
  • You can also look at your keywords on Google Analytics or Search Console. These are a bit trickier than your other analytics, but if you have time to put into learning it, you’ll see what keywords are doing well and which aren’t. You can then adjust your content accordingly and be sure that your site is targeting the audience you want.

Update your photos.

Nothing makes your site look fresh like new photos. Look through your photos and find ones that make your tours look as amazing as they are. More than that though, make sure that your photos are optimized. This will help them appear correctly and keep your site speed flying. No one wants to wait a minute (or even half a minute) for a website to load. And if after that minute the pictures are fuzzy or distorted? No, thank you!

We recommend using TinyPNG to reduce the file size. You might also want to change the dimensions. If your photo is 2000×2000 and the space you have is 400×400, change the photo before uploading. This is very easy. Anyone can do it. It’s even possible in Microsoft Paint!

Author Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-fiero/

Website: https://tourismtiger.com/

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Arival spotlight winners announcement.

Trending

Check Out Our New Report
X
Global Operator Landscape: The State of Experiences (3rd Ed.)
More than 7,000 operators worldwide contributed to this exclusive new research from Arival which reveals key insights into the tours, activities, and attractions industry in 2024 & beyond, covering trends in sales, tech, and market growth. Authors: Anne Failing and Douglas Quinby Edited by: Janelle Visser
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!

already a member?

Lost your password?

NEED TO REGISTER?

Become an Arival Insider
X
THE ARIVAL INSIDER PRO ACCESS MEMBERSHIP; YOU GET ALL THIS TO HELP YOU ADVANCE YOUR BUSINESS.

Included in Free Membership

Included in Arival Pro Membership

The Arival on-demand video library archive
Access to the entire library of over 150 video sessions and webinars

Arival.guides
Short, digestible research & trends reports delivering insights into our industry, such as The Tour Operator Outlook for 2021.

Arival.travel articles
Topical articles about marketing, tech, operator business and operator stories in all areas of tours, activities & attractions & experiences

Job board access
Find a job from our regular listings, post a resume to the talent network and learn strategies from the job resources articles

New webinars
Helpful, instructional sessions covering subjects such as Mastering Facebook Ads, Grow Your Business and How To Work With OTAs — topics to help advance your business.

Discounts on all Arival in-person events
20% Discount on all Arival in-person events (save up to $300)* based on business type

Arival ProShield – Insurance program
Access to tailored insurance solutions by Granite Insurance is available exclusively for Arival Insider Pro Access Members. Insider Pro Access Members also have access to a suite of resources from Granite Insurance including templates, forms and other informative documents.

Insiders Pro Access member exclusive webinars
Paid membership-only webinars to deepen your understanding of important industry topics.

Job postings & talent directory
Post jobs & connect with candidates most applicable to your business.

Private roundtables to connect, learn and engage
Small, focused and intimate discussions exclusive to Arival Insider Pro Access members.

Full access to Arival’s library of in-depth reports
Up to date, deep analysis of tourism topics ranging from Self-guided Tours to Sales & Distribution Trends and Outlooks, based on the data that defines the industry.

The latest on-demand videos
Over 350+ on-demand videos featuring hot topics in tours, activities & attractions

Insider discounts in digital marketing, tech, e-learning, and more
Save money on additional tools, services and learnings you need to run your business. Exclusive to paid members.

Membership Overview
X

Get on the List
Sign up to receive insights tailored for the in-destination industry as well as updates on Arival.
  *
 *
 *
 *
 
 
You can sign up to receive email updates from topics that may interest you.
*Required fields
Note: It is our responsibility to protect your privacy and we guarantee that your data will be completely confidential.
ARIVAL CODE OF CONDUCT​
CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY SPACES​

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.

Arival’s core values include the following, and create an expectation for conduct at our events and in online community spaces:

We demonstrate a deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live.
We value integrity and strive to consistently interact with others in ways that are authentic, ethical, and fair.
We are dedicated to transparency, committing to clear, open and honest communication.
We actively pursue and advocate for inclusion, diversity and representation of varying cultural backgrounds, perspectives and ideas

Arival welcomes people from all cultural backgrounds, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender (including pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity, religion (including religious dress and grooming), marital status, domestic partner status, genetic information, age, national origin or ancestry, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Accordingly, participants must refrain from displaying any demeaning, harassing, aggressive, or intimidating behavior or materials that would interfere with others’ experience and participation in our community.

If you witness or are subjected to inappropriate or disruptive behavior or have any other concerns, notify an Arival staff member as soon as possible.

Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Arival reserves the right to refuse entry to or remove any party from any event or community space at any time when participation or behavior create a disruption or hinder the event or enjoyment of the event by other participants. All determinations are at the sole discretion of Arival, and the decision of the Arival team will be final. Severe breaches of this Conference Code of Conduct may result in disqualification from participating in future events. Individuals expelled due to violating this Conference Code of Conduct will not be eligible for a refund or other consolation.

If you have questions regarding this Conference Code of Conduct or its implementation, please contact us at [email protected].

X