As marketers well know, choosing the right title for your content is more important than the content itself. You could write an insightful article with impeccable style, but no one will read it if it doesn’t feature a catchy headline. Even if we like to pretend to be sophisticated and rational beings, we can’t help but judge books by their covers – literally. This is even more true in the digital age we are living in. We are constantly bombarded by a plethora of conflicting stimuli, to the point that we find it difficult to focus our attention on a particular piece of text for more than a few minutes. If you’re dedicating your time to this article instead of watching a reel on Instagram, it must mean I was able to come up with an amazing title, right? Unfortunately, I can’t pat myself on the back for this achievement because it was suggested to me by an AI, just like all the phrases enclosed in quotation marks that you will find in this post. At first glance, it seems that chatbots can be good copywriters, but what else can they do? In particular, can ChatGPT be useful for professionals in the travel industry?

If you’re looking for strategies and tools to streamline your business during the difficult economic conjuncture we’re living, check out our latest guide: How to sell more during a recession.

There’s a good chance you’re already familiar with ChatGPT, the state-of-the-art chatbot (or, to be more precise, language model) launched by OpenAI in November 2022. If you’ve already tinkered with it, you may still have some lingering questions. For example, what are the advantages of using ChatGPT? What are the main drawbacks? Are there other AI-powered tools that can automate menial tasks? With the help of my new AI friend, I will clarify all your doubts in the following paragraphs.

What’s ChatGPT?

Before discussing if ChatGPT is a viable solution for professionals in the travel industry, it’s essential to clarify what it really is. When I asked it to provide a comprehensive answer to the question, I received this answer:

“ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI. It is based on the transformer architecture and has been trained on a massive amount of text data to generate human-like responses to a wide range of questions and prompts. It is designed to perform a variety of natural language processing tasks, including text generation, translation, question answering, and summarization, among others.

For example, you could ask ChatGPT about the weather in a specific city, and it would respond with the current temperature and conditions. Or, you could ask it a question about history, and it would provide a comprehensive answer. The goal of ChatGPT is to make it easier for people to find information and get answers to their questions without having to search through multiple websites or books. It can also be integrated into conversational interfaces such as chatbots, allowing organizations to provide a more personal and interactive experience for their customers. The technology behind ChatGPT continues to advance, and it is expected to have a significant impact on various industries, including customer service, e-commerce, and marketing, among others.”

What are the main drawbacks of ChatGPT?

It is no accident that I asked the popular chatbot for a detailed answer to my previous question, because its limitations become more apparent when it tries to provide an in-depth analysis of any given topic. Below, we’ll see why using ChatGPT may not be the best idea for professionals in the travel industry.

ChatGPT is not so intelligent after all

ChatGPT is an outstanding technical achievement and one of the most advanced AI tools out there, but it is still computer software at its core. This means that it is not able to “think” as a human being does, it can’t develop original thoughts or insights based on the information it knows, and it tends to be extremely formal.

As a language model, it has been trained on a humongous text dataset and uses statistical techniques to learn common patterns in a given language. What ChatGPT does is predict what words it should use given a specific input, meaning that it can’t really “speak” in the most traditional sense of the term, but it’s more than capable of imitating human language. To give you an example, a simple language model trained on a dataset of English sentences, when given the prompt “The cat is sitting on the,” would generate a word that comes after the aforementioned line of text in most sentences, like “floor” or “mat.” Such language models always generate words that appear frequently in most sentences after a given line of text. ChatGPT is more advanced than that and can elaborate full answers to questions, write longforms, and much more.

ChatGPT may lie to you

Technically, ChatGPT can’t lie, given that it lacks both a moral system and the ability to consciously deceive the people it’s talking with. As we have seen, it is also unable to think and discern what’s true from what is false. I’ll repeat it for emphasis: ChatGPT can only use statistical probability to pick – given a certain input – relevant data from its archive. What I’m trying to say is that our beloved AI-powered chatbot may not lie, but surely it can provide wrong pieces of information if they’re part of its knowledge repository.

Take another read at ChatGPT’s answer to the following instruction, “Please tell me in detail who you are and what you do.” Got the answer? Did you notice that it contains an inaccurate statement? In fact, it’s also not true that it can tell you the current weather conditions and temperature for a location! If you don’t believe me, give it a try straight ahead. We can only speculate about why it told me it would be able to perform such a task. In all likelihood, giving information about the weather is referred to as a typical example of what AI can do in multiple texts featured in its database. The bottom line is that you should double-check everything ChatGPT says, especially if you’re asking it to create content that your customers will be reading and sharing.

ChatGPT will give you outdated information

If you’ve talked with ChatGPT about recent events, you may have noticed that it can provide you with outdated information. This is because, as a language model, it can’t access the internet to look for the latest news. It can only make use of the data that is already present in its database, which was last updated at the end of 2021. As you can imagine, updating this gigantic dataset in real time wouldn’t be feasible, given that the AI needs plenty of training time to elaborate it correctly. For this reason, using ChatGPT to create marketing content for your tour & activity business can be a little bit tricky. It can help you craft a fantastic headline for your latest blog post, but – for example – it can’t compose a whole article dedicated to the latest tourism trends with correct and updated info.

What are the advantages of using ChatGPT in the travel industry?

According to ChatGPT itself:

“ChatGPT can offer several advantages for tour and activity providers:

1. Data analysis: ChatGPT can process large amounts of data, such as customer interactions and booking history, and use that information to generate insights and make predictions. This can help tour and activity providers make data-driven decisions about pricing, promotions, and product development.
2. Automated marketing: ChatGPT can be used to create and distribute targeted marketing campaigns to customers. This can help tour and activity providers reach new audiences and drive more bookings.
3. Product development: ChatGPT can be used to analyze customer feedback and preferences, helping tour and activity providers understand what types of tours and activities are most in demand. This information can then be used to develop new products and improve existing offerings.
4. Increased scalability: By automating many routine tasks, ChatGPT can help tour and activity providers scale their operations and handle a growing customer base without adding additional staff.
5. Improved customer experience: By providing personalized and proactive customer interactions, ChatGPT can help tour and activity providers create a better customer experience, which can lead to increased loyalty and repeat business.
6. Customer service: ChatGPT can be used to provide quick and efficient customer service by answering frequently asked questions and helping customers make bookings. This can help reduce the workload of customer service representatives and improve customer satisfaction.”

Other than ChatGPT, what are some useful tools for professionals in the travel industry?

Is ChatGPT really useful for businesses in the travel industry? In my humble opinion, AI-powered tools aren’t yet polished enough to be used in a professional setting. At the moment, their limitations far outweigh the perks, given that you can’t trust the accuracy of the information they provide. On the other hand, compared to AI bots, automation software is a more reliable solution for those who want to streamline their workflow and processes. For instance, booking systems are programs that allow digital reservation management, online ticket sales, and connection to online travel agencies (OTAs). Regiondo, the leading player in this field, is an effective tool that can streamline your business operations and eliminate the need for paper. Furthermore, it can save you money by automating repetitive tasks, which is particularly useful if you have limited staff and difficulty hiring new employees. Here are some sleek processes you can implement with a modern booking system:

• Synchronize your offers and availability across multiple OTAs and resellers through the channel manager.
• Send automatic customer notifications for bookings, cancellations, and other transactions.
• Utilize automated feedback requests after each booking to increase customer reviews.
• Enable 24/7 online bookings without any manual intervention.

It’s worth noting that an all-in-one booking system already includes all the necessary tools for running a tour and activity business, from the channel manager to the POS, thus saving you the cost of purchasing separate tools from different providers.

Conclusion

As we can see, ChatGPT is a technical marvel, but it’s not reliable enough to be used by professionals in the travel industry. Luckily, there are other solutions to help you in your daily work. A booking system can effectively reduce expenses by simplifying repetitive tasks, automating the reservation process, and easily managing multiple distribution channels. To gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of using Regiondo, the premier booking software for tour operators and activity providers, you can schedule a free demonstration with one of our specialists.

The post ChatGPT for the travel industry: pros and cons of using AI tools appeared first on Regiondo.

Although the Covid pandemic is behind us, tourism is still struggling to reach 2019 levels. As reported by Statista, the war in Ukraine, the subsequent disruption to the supply chain, and the increasing feedstock prices (crude oil, corn, etc.) have cast a shadow on recovery. To make sense of this scenario, the Regiondo team has interviewed over 140 tour operators, activity providers, and other professionals in the travel sector. We asked them about their hopes and fears for 2023, so we could better understand what to expect over the upcoming months. The whole survey revolved around the question, “What’s the main challenge you will face in 2023?” As expected, almost half of the respondents answered with “inflation.” The impact of inflation on tourism can be disruptive, and that’s probably an understatement.

Do you want to know more about the challenges tour operators and activity providers will face in 2023? Download our infographic to get the latest insights – Click here.

For tour operators and activity providers, being aware of the current market dynamics is the best way to maintain profitability in the face of declining consumer confidence and spending. Understanding the economic implications of inflation and its effect on our industry will help businesses make informed decisions to stay afloat during these challenging times. In the following paragraphs, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the topic and suggest a few proven strategies to increase your bookings despite the gloomy economic situation. With our help, you’ll be able to face any upcoming challenge and emerge even stronger on the other side.

Understanding the impact of inflation on tourism

Before we analyze in depth the impact of inflation on tourism, it’s crucial to clarify the very definition of this term. The Cambridge Dictionary describes inflation as “the rate at which prices increase, or an increase in prices.” More precisely, we speak about inflation when there’s an overall increase in the prices of goods and services, which translates into the decline of customers’ purchasing power over time. When inflation rises, the currency loses value, meaning you can buy less with €50 today than you could yesterday. It’s important to note that inflation and recession – even though they often go hand in hand – are not synonyms.

For the Cambridge Dictionary, a recession is “a period, usually at least six months, of low economic activity, when investments lose value, businesses fail, and unemployment rises.” Also, it is usually characterized by a decrease in the gross domestic product (GDP) – a monetary indicator that measures the size of the total economic activity of a country during a specific timeframe. Keep in mind that we can speak about recession only if the economic decline is at the same time widespread among multiple industries, protracted and substantial.

It’s clear that inflation and recession are different concepts, but what’s the relationship between them? Well, as you can easily imagine, they’re strictly interlinked and can co-exist simultaneously. More often than not, one is the cause of the other. For example, inflation can lead to a slowdown in the economy (recession) as the costs of raw materials and labor increase. It can also happen that governments take measures to slow down the economy in an effort to contrast inflation, which can result in a recession or, in severe cases, deflation.

With rising inflation, travel is arguably one of the hardest-hit segments since customers tend to cut discretionary spending when their purchasing power decreases. 99% of the over 140 industry professionals that responded to our survey believe that inflation will drive tourists to alter their holiday plans, causing a notable rise in short-term bookings. 85% of them also fear that the economic conjuncture will have a significant negative effect on their business.

Statista, one of the leading online platforms dedicated to market data, has confirmed our findings in a recent series of surveys. According to their data, one out of three American travelers has decided to pick a cheaper destination in 2023 compared to the previous years. Similarly, 86% of Brits between 25 and 34 think inflation will impact their holiday decisions.

Ways to cope with the impact of inflation on tourism

Tour operators and activity providers have faced numerous challenges over the years, and the recent rise in inflation has only compounded those difficulties. To curb the impact of inflation on tourism, professionals in our industry can rely on some proven approaches. These include adopting cost-saving strategies, investing in marketing and promotional campaigns, exploring alternative revenue streams, constantly adapting to changes in consumer behavior, and enhancing innovation activities and investments.

Cost-saving strategies

Adopt green policies

Reducing unnecessary expenditures is paramount to preserving your profit margins during periods of economic uncertainty. Identifying areas of your business where you can effectively cut costs will require plenty of time and hard work, but there are some simple steps you can start taking now to find the right balance. We suggest killing two birds with one stone by adopting a few environmentally friendly policies that can also help save some money. For starters:

• Replace your lightbulbs with energy-efficient (LED) ones.
• Make better use of natural light to reduce energy consumption.
• Switch off electronics and unplug chargers when not in use to save standby power.
• Avoid disposable supplies of any kind.
• When possible and if applicable, allow employees to work from home.
• Invest in energy-efficient appliances and equipment made from recycled materials.
• Go paperless with the help of a booking system.

Automate tasks with a booking system

To elaborate on the last point, booking systems are applications that allow you to digitally manage reservations, sell tickets online, and connect with the major OTAs. Regiondo – the leading software in this category – is an effective tool to digitalize your business and say goodbye to paper. Not only that, it can also help you further reduce your expenses by automating menial tasks and administrative work. Automation can be a real lifesaver if you’re short on staff and have trouble hiring new employees. Here are a few examples of some neat processes you can set up with a state-of-the-art booking system:

• Automatically sync your offers and update availability across multiple OTAs and resellers from the channel manager.
• Enable automatic customer notifications, including booking confirmations, cancellations, and other transactions.
• Make use of automated feedback requests after each booking to collect more customer reviews.
• Accept online bookings 24/7 with no human intervention required.

Keep also in mind that an all-in-one booking system already includes all the tools needed to run a tour and activity business efficiently – from the channel manager to the POS – so you can save money on third-party tools.

Zero-based budgeting

A more advanced strategy to save money is to adopt zero-based budgeting. The idea behind this methodology is to start from scratch and allocate each expense based on current needs and priorities rather than using last year’s spending as a baseline. As a result, your income minus your expenditures should equal zero by the end of a specific financial period. Furthermore, every single expense must be justified with consideration of its impact on the company’s bottom line; this significantly helps organizations in determining which costs are essential and which can be reduced or eliminated. In other words, zero-based budgeting aims to ensure every investment is aligned with the organization’s goals and that resources are allocated efficiently.

Marketing and promotional campaigns to curb the impact of inflation on tourism

Tour operators and activity providers know well that leveraging digital marketing is key for any successful business. What they’re probably wondering – considering the devastating impact of inflation on tourism – is what strategies they must adopt to reach a new audience during a period of crisis. Below you can find our recommendations.

Stay true to your brand

Branding is all about differentiation and staying true to your company’s unique characteristics. Remember that those elements that make your value proposition stand out do not magically become unappealing just because we might be in a recession. For these reasons, sticking to your message during an economic downturn while others retreat is a huge opportunity to reinforce your brand’s unique qualities and prevent it from becoming a commodity. By adhering to your authentic identity, you can stand out from the competition and provide clear reasons for customers to remain loyal. The bottom line is that falling into the trap of embracing the lowest common denominator won’t help you reach a new audience, quite the opposite!

Focus on the hidden perks of traveling

Over the years, numerous studies have shown that going on vacation can reduce stress levels, improve psychophysical well-being, and enhance the overall quality of life. Furthermore, travel provides the opportunity to connect with family, which has become increasingly important in recent years. With the potential for an economic downturn in 2023, it’s crucial for tour operators and activity providers to highlight these benefits in their marketing and advertising campaigns.

Highlight the added value of your offers

During the Covid pandemic, tour operators and activity providers have learned that flexibility is the name of the game. This remains true during a recession, when customers may experience feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. To preemptively address any doubts they may have during the reservation process, it would be mutually beneficial if you could offer them easy cancellations, hassle-free refunds, and extended customer support. We suggest prominently highlighting these perks both in the description of your offers and in the copy of your ads because they can decide whether a traveler books your experiences or not.

Finding new revenue streams

One way to mitigate the impact of inflation on tourism is to diversify income by exploring alternative revenue streams. This can include offering new products or services, expanding into new markets, or forming partnerships with other companies in the industry.

To give you some food for thought, did you know that – according to travel industry news site Skift – the wealth of high-end consumers is increasing faster than inflation? Therefore, tour operators and activity providers should not shy away from putting a premium on the prices of services and packages that cater to this demographic, like offering the possibility to book a transfer from your customers’ hotel to the site where your experience takes place and charging more for such services. On the other end of the spectrum, you may choose to attract a higher number of “budget-conscious” tourists by offering more bare-bones versions of your tours or giving them a chance to book using a Buy Now, Pay Later service.

Adapting to changes

As you can imagine, staying attuned to your target market’s changing behavior, desires, and travel patterns is crucial. This means being open to new ideas, experimenting with different approaches, and staying ahead of industry trends. As suggested above, companies can offer more flexible booking and cancellation policies, embrace sustainable tourism, and offer virtual or hybrid travel experiences to appeal to a changing customer base. Keep also in mind that the impact of the recession on customers’ choices can be so massive that it might change the demographic interested in your value proposition entirely. According to a Semcasting report that analyzes the influx of tourists in Cape Cod, the destination has registered a 60% increase in baby boomers visitors in 2022 compared to the previous year. At the same time, the number of millennials visiting has decreased by 40%, because they were hit the hardest by inflation.

By being proactive and adaptable, tour operators and activity providers can weather the economic turbulence and emerge from the recession even stronger.

Don’t be afraid to innovate

As extensively explained in this post, finding ways to save money is an absolute priority during a recession. That being said, you need to strike the right balance between cutting costs and pursuing innovations that can help you generate more revenue. In our survey on trends in 2023, we asked our interviewees about their plans for keeping up with the competition. 67% answered that, despite the economic situation, they plan to invest in improving their online presence.

Luckily, you don’t need a huge budget to reach this goal. For instance, did you know you can create and update your company’s official website all by yourself instead of contracting an expensive communications agency?

Website builders are applications that allow you to create a web page by simply adding your content to a pre-made template that can be personalized in every single detail. It’s cheap, takes only a few minutes of your time, and you don’t need to learn how to code to get amazing results. If you want to learn how to create a booking website for tour operators and activity providers with Regiondo’s website builder, check out this guide.

Conclusion

As we have seen, the impact of inflation can be disruptive, but applying the right strategies and adopting some smart tools can help you navigate the tides of economic turbulence with ease. In particular, using a booking system can help save costs by streamlining menial tasks, automating the reservation process, and managing multiple distribution channels with a few clicks. To learn more about Regiondo, the leading booking software for tour operators and activity providers, you can book a free demo with one of our consultants.

The post The impact of inflation on tourism: navigating the economic storm appeared first on Regiondo.

Website builders are tools that allow you to put together a website without coding experience. They have a “drag and drop” interface that is easy to use, while at the same time offering plenty of flexibility and customization. With some good photos and catchy descriptions, you’ll create a fantastic website in no time. Sounds pretty straightforward, right?

If you work in the leisure industry, Regiondo Website Builder is your best option. We have carefully crafted it with the intent of delivering the definitive website builder for tour operators and activity providers. It’s such an intuitive program that you’ll be able to master it just by following this 10-step tutorial.

1) Set a clear goal

Before starting, you should ask yourself why you’re creating a website. Do you intend to mainly sell tickets or vouchers? Which tours or activities do you want to showcase? Maybe your objective is to get more reviews?

It would be best if you defined your goals from the very beginning: they will influence both the structure and the content of your website. It’s a good idea to follow the SMART framework to set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. 

2) Choose your template

When your objectives are clear, you can finally open Regiondo’s website builder. The first step is to choose which template you want to use. Our templates are sleek and inherently responsive, which means they automatically adjust for different-sized screens. In other words, your website will look fantastic on both your laptop and your smartphone. 

Each template is crafted to satisfy the needs of different types of businesses. In this phase, don’t worry about the colors and images, you can edit them during the next steps. Instead, look for a template with a layout that helps accomplish your goals. With different options to choose from, you can easily find one built for a similar purpose to the site you’re about to create.

3) Define your global design

Now that you have an incredible template, it’s time to customize it to show your brand’s unique personality. We recommend starting with the Design section, which can be found in the top right corner of your dashboard. Here, you can set all the site-wide customization settings, such as the fonts you want to use, default background, and color of the buttons.

Defining precise guidelines from the get-go will drive consistency and speed up your processes. This way, your website will look more professional, and you won’t waste time configuring each element. 

4) Place the main info regarding your business

The next step is making sure that your clients can quickly find what they’re looking for on your website. For instance, they surely need to know where you’re located, how they can contact you, and your opening hours. Believe us, even if you have plenty of experience, it can be easy to forget including some of this information. Thankfully, the content section of your dashboard will give you a complete rundown of all the details you should include. From there, you can also upload your logos and pictures, which helps keep your branding consistent. 

You can also use this section to upload the most important files related to your business; just keep in mind that the size limit is 50 MB. For more info on uploading and importing your data, you can check out this guide.  

5) Decide how to structure your website

All our templates (except for the one-pagers) include several pre-built pages, giving you a good starting point. Of course, you can modify the default structure however you want. Again, the top priority is finding a setup that allows you to achieve your goals. You can create new pages in the pages section, delete or rename existing ones, and modify their order. For example, you can decide if the Contact Us page should be a subpage of the About Us page or if it should be directly reachable from the Home page. 

You can modify the order of your pages by just dragging and dropping them around, but if you need some more info, you can find it here.

6) Configure your pages

With a clear structure in place, you can focus on configuring each webpage. Just go to the Pages section of your dashboard and select each webpage to edit its specific settings. It’s particularly essential to pay attention to the SEO tab. As you may know, optimizing your website SEO-wise, will improve its visibility on Google so that more customers can discover your business. To get better results, make sure that the keywords and the description are genuinely related to the page’s content. If you want to master this field, check out our beginner’s guide.

7) Create content for your pages

Our editor arranges content in rows and columns. As you can imagine, rows are the horizontal sections of your site, and you can easily insert more of them through the Add button in the editor. To edit the design of a Row, right-click an empty space within that row. Next, select Edit Design. This menu allows you to change the row’s background and spacing. 

Every row contains a maximum of four columns. By default, columns are arranged side-by-side in desktop and tablet view and stacked vertically for mobile users.

Thanks to widgets, you can add content like text, images, and videos to your website. To add a widget, select it from the editor’s left panel. Pick the one you want, and drop it where it fits best. 

To edit it, right-click anywhere on the widget to open the Contents menu. If you’re unsure about what you’re doing, you can find some additional resources here.

8) Catch your visitors’ attention with pop-ups

Now you have created all your pages, but what if some piece of information is still missing? Let’s imagine that you want to highlight your newsletter or a limited-time promotion. In scenarios like these, you can use pop-ups, which are windows that appear while browsing a webpage and immediately catch the reader’s attention. You can create pop-ups from the Personalize section of your dashboard using a simple drag and drop editor. When the pop-up is ready, the only thing left is selecting the page where you want it to appear.

9) Edit your site-wide settings

Before going time, it’s best to check the general setup of your website from the Settings section of the dashboard. In this section, you can customize some essential features, including your favicon. The favicon is a small image that appears next to your page title in the tab of your browser. It allows users to identify your website at a glance, even if they’re multitasking. You can upload your custom favicon from the Site Icons tab.

That being said, there is a lot to unpack in Site Settings, so we invite you to read our support article explaining these features. It will only take you four minutes.

10) Go live!

Before publishing your website, here is a list of some things you should check:

• Consistent branding (fonts, logo, favicon)
• SEO optimization
• Copy of your content, buttons, and forms included
• Responsiveness (desktop, tablet, mobile)
• Legal aspects (privacy page, opt-in fields)

If everything works out perfectly, you’re ready to go live! Click on the Publish button in the top right corner and let the magic happen. Now you’re the proud owner of a website that will help you attract more customers and improve your brand’s image!

To check if your website performs well in terms of speed, SEO, security and content, try SEO grader. This free tool provides an overview of your website and gives recommendations on how to rank higher in search engines and drive more organic traffic. 

You could also like to learn more about: 

Free SEO grader

SEO in 2022: SEO tips for leisure providers

Web design inspiration – checklist for leisure providers

The post How to use the Regiondo Website Builder in 10 easy steps appeared first on Regiondo.

Web design can be this easy – let’s get started right away!

Web Design Inspiration – Checklist for Leisure Providers

1. Intuitive and well-organized Page Structure
2. Well-placed CTA Buttons
3. High-Quality Photos and Videos
4. Optimization for Mobile Devices
5. Separate Page for Contact and Arrival
6. Search Web Design Inspiration from Competitors
7. Calendar with all Availabilities for your Activities
8. Social Networks for Maximum Presence
9. Informative and easy to understand Content
10. Online Booking System on your Website

1. Intuitive and well-organized Page Structure

Our first web design inspiration: The optimization of your site should start with the page structure and navigation. On the one hand, this helps you immensely with a better search engine ranking, because an important Google ranking factor is a simple and user-friendly structure. Furthermore, it helps your customers to navigate through your website with just a few clicks and to make a booking in the end.

Above all, make sure that you have a clear and easy-to-understand menu, from which your customers can access the most important pages of your website with just one click. If you cannot manage with just a few menu items, you should create additional subcategories, for example for different leisure activities. Therefore, link only the top categories on the homepage and allow your customers to open another drag-down menu if they are interested in the subcategories within a category.

(Source: Regiondo)

Shhh… a simple but effective tip we have: Also keep your URLs clear and as short as possible!

2. Well-placed CTA Buttons

The CTA (‘Call-to-Action’) button entices your website visitors to take the decisive step and book your leisure offers. Thus, the choice of words on the CTA button should be short and precise, prompting the customer to buy or book. “Book now!” is simple, but effective. Also, pay attention to the color choice. The CTA button’s color should not be red, as those signals “stop” to the user. Green or blue are ideal, but it’s also recommended to try different colors and see which one achieves the highest conversion rate. It is also important to place it in a visible position so that the user will not have to search for it.

CTA-samples (Source: Vertus)

3. High-quality photos and videos 

Photos and videos of your leisure activities and business give customers a good impression of your offerings and what they can expect when they book. At the same time, photos and videos are also a great way to stand out from the competition. Make sure all your videos are high quality and not pixelated. If you plan to feature multiple videos on one page, keep page speed in mind. If your page takes a long time to load, many users will quickly bounce and close your page before they can post (“bounce rate”).

4. Mobile device optimization

Everyone has a smartphone these days, and many people even own a tablet. The use of the Internet via mobile devices is higher than ever before. Very often, the number of mobile users even exceeds the number of users accessing from the desktop. Especially for you as a leisure provider, this is important because people often spontaneously or on the go make a booking of exciting leisure activities on their cell phone. So, make sure that your website is also optimized for mobile devices so that you don’t lose any customers. At the same time, Google also rewards you with better search engine rankings if your site is optimized for mobile devices.

5. Dedicated page just for contact and travel

Ensure it’s as easy as possible for your customers to contact you, whether it’s for questions or to make a booking. A separate page is ideal, where customers can find contact details such as a phone number, an email address, and the address. Having a contact form is also excellent, as users don’t have to go to their email inbox first. A live chat and Whatsapp number are also popular, especially with younger target groups. In addition, you could create your own “Contact” button, which is visible on all pages of your homepage and is linked to your email address.

Below you can see how to contact us at Regiondo. As you can see, we even give you several options on how to get in touch with us – depending on your very personal request.

Example of contact (source: Regiondo)

6. Look at your competitors for web design inspiration

Are you looking for web design inspiration or want to find out what the competition’s sites look like? Good, because you are supposed to. Find out who your competitors are and learn from their websites what they do well and what you could do better than them. Google will help you out here. Take notes and pay attention to things like page structure, navigation, content, CTA buttons, photos, and videos.

7. Include a calendar with all the available days and times for your activities

For an easier booking experience for your customers, you should include a calendar on your website with available days and times for all your activities. This way, customers don’t have to contact you with questions about availability and can decide to book right away. Make sure that your calendar is always up-to-date. With Regiondo, it’s easy to add a calendar to your website. The automatic update is included. A little web design inspiration from our Partners Eifelnomaden: Here you can see how our partner implemented the Regiondo calendar feature into their website.

Example calendar view (Source: Eifelnomaden)

8. Include social networks for maximum presence

In addition to a website, you should also have a presence on major social media platforms. These include Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, for example. By using multiple channels, you can reach even more customers and also easily share more impressions of your activities. In addition, customers themselves can also share their experiences on your social media pages and contact you there. On your website itself, you should link your social media pages with clearly visible buttons so that visitors to your website can access them quickly. The number of followers and fans on your social media accounts will also show your website visitors that you are a reputable and recommendable leisure provider (“social proof“).

Some web design inspiration from us: If you have a very nice Instagram feed, for example, you can integrate it into your website using various tools. This way, your website also reflects the look and feel of your social media presence.

9. Provide informative and easy-to-understand content

As a matter of course, the texts of all pages on your website must be informative enough to convey all important information to the user in a short time. This includes detailed information about your offers as well as prices and booking options. Your texts should be easy to understand and quickly give the visitor a good picture of your company. Also, make sure to always use paragraphs so that the visitor is not put off by too large a block of text. To optimize your texts for SEO, you should perform keyword research, for example with SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMRush.

10. The online booking system on your website

As a leisure provider, you should definitely integrate your own online booking system on your website. Valuable customers can be lost if they can’t book easily and immediately on your website. One of the many advantages is that a booking system on your website is “open” 24/7, i.e. it is not subject to any opening hours. This means that your customers can book at any time. Customers can also see immediately which offers are available when and how much they cost. With Regiondo’s booking system, you will be able to attract more customers, optimize your bookings and significantly increase your sales. Arrange a no-obligation consultation now and learn more about how we can effectively support you as a leisure provider.

• Create your own tours and activities website in 10 minutes

• How to use the Regiondo Website Builder

• SEO in 2022: 8 SEO tips for leisure operators

The post Web design inspiration for leisure providers appeared first on Regiondo.

This increased focus on building online traffic comes as a result of the growth in online bookings, which, according to Phocuswright, currently sits at 21%.

SEO proves that it’s worth your time and money, because the more viewers you get to land on your site, the more leads you create and opportunities to convert those viewers into buyers.

So, how do you get started with SEO as a tour or activity business?

There are on-site and off-site SEO strategies that are available for you to consider. From researching relevant keywords and redesigning your site for mobile devices, to building quality backlinks and optimizing various web contents. 

In this article, we’ll describe these SEO strategies in detail, but first, let’s take a look at the definition of SEO and go through its importance for tour and activity providers. 

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization, as the name suggests, is the process of optimizing your website in order to rank on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). 

While this is one of the most effective ways of increasing web traffic, it does not offer quick results. So unlike paid advertising like Pay Per Click (PPC), SEO’s rewards will not be seen overnight. It is therefore important to be patient and consistent, so you can reap the benefits of your successful SEO, which include increased and consistent organic traffic.

If you’re serious about SEO, you should take the time to learn various tactics and implement them on your site. 

How can I check SEO performance of my website?

There are a number of platforms that allow you to analyze your SEO performance in terms of website speed, on-page SEO, security, domain rate, backlinks, keywords, etc. Try Regiondo’s SEO grader – it’s a free tool that rates your website and provides you with a PDF report that also contains useful recommendations on how to improve your performance. 

Why is SEO essential for tours and activities?

1. Increasing visibility and improving site ranking

The results of effective SEO marketing is evidenced by raised ranking and higher visibility to potential clients.

This way, as travelers search for various products and services, they can come across your company in search results. This is helpful for building awareness for your business. Once they click on your web page, that view becomes a potential new sales opportunity. 

2. Generate more leads

As SEO enables you to rank higher in search engines like Google, the likeliness of getting more organic clicks to your site increases. This creates lead generation opportunities for your business. Now let’s look at how this comes about. 

First, travelers love using Search Engines to plan their trips. Among leisure travelers, search engines make up 60% of the online information gathered, while for business travelers, it’s 55%. That’s much higher than any other resource, such as dedicated travel websites like TripAdvisor.

In addition, the top five listings on SERPs claim over 75% of all clicks. This goes to show just how many opportunities you get by investing in SEO and ranking on search engines. 

3. SEO is cost-effective 

SEO costs money and time but compared to other alternative sources of traffic, e.g. PPC, it’s often cheaper and more effective in the long run.

If, for example, you run a paid advertising campaign using Google Ads, traffic increases immediately depending on your budget. Once you stop paying for the adverts, there will be a decrease in traffic.

With SEO, once you’ve successfully optimized your website and are ranking on SERPs, you will continue getting traffic at no additional cost.

4. Consistent business growth

If your company website has a constant flow of targeted traffic, this makes business growth smoother.

For example, when you invest in growing organic traffic, you will not have to rely on one-time miracles, influencer campaigns, or advertising. Instead, you will get a consistent flow of relevant traffic, assuming you produce regular content that’s adapted to your target audience.

4 SEO tips for tours and activities

1. Effective keyword research and use

Keyword research is one of the fundamental steps when carrying out SEO for tour operators and activity providers. Choosing the right keyword will significantly boost your success.

So what is a keyword? This is the text or phrase someone types into Google or any other search engine when looking for particular information. 

To target the right keywords on your website, first ensure the keywords are relevant to your industry. Put together a number of potential phrases and compare their relevance, difficulty, and search volume, along with other parameters.

You can use tools such as KW Finder or SEMrush when doing your keyword research.

After deciding on a keyword, create a blog post or page around it, making sure to include it in the following places:

• In the page URL
• Once in your page title and meta description
• In at least one subheading.
• In the body copy: within the first 100 words and 2-3 times within the body. 

As you research and use keywords and phrases, keep in mind the searcher’s intent: why the user typed that search query, and what information they expect to find. This will help you make better keyword choices and create more relevant content on your website. 

2. Optimization of different types of content

When adding any piece of information to your website, consider how to optimize it for the search engines. Here are a few examples to get you started:

Local Web Page – These pages are targeted at the locals or people near your business location. How it works is: when searchers key in location-specific key phrases (e.g. “escape room in Berlin), they can find your tour or activity business. Position yourself by creating a Google My Business account. Verify your business address and optimize the page by filling in your profile details.

Images – If someone only wants to view images related to a certain keyword phrase or text, they can select the “images” tab on the Google search engine for this. This is another opportunity to market your site through your images. Before posting images online, you should optimize them by adding an ALT tag and naming the image using the target keyword.

Videos – Optimizing videos is another way to take advantage of SEO. To begin, ensure your videos are clear, well-edited, and most of all, eye-catching. These could be videos of you and your clients during one of your tours or activities. For optimization, edit the file name to include search queries. 

Whether you post on YouTube or Vimeo, remember to make the video public. Write a detailed keyword-rich description, add relevant keyword tags, and include your target keyword in the title. 

3. Site optimization for mobile

Today, SEO for tour operators and activity providers should include site optimization for mobile. Did you know that Google has implemented mobile-first indexing for over 50% of websites?

This means that Google prioritizes the mobile version of your website before the desktop one when ranking it for a given keyword. This move has occurred right in tandem with the rise in internet usage on mobile phones. Surveys reveal that 62% of travelers research their upcoming tours on smartphones. 

This statistic is proof that optimizing the mobile user experience can attract even more leads and mobile bookings. 

Some of the important elements to note when it comes to optimizing your site for mobile are:

• Ensure your web page is mobile-friendly.
• Have easy navigation.
• Good speed on mobile.

4. Building quality backlinks

So far, we’ve looked at “on-page optimization” strategies, which are methods of boosting SEO by directly addressing the issues on your website. 

Furthermore, tour and activities companies need to work on “off-page optimization” as well. One of the best ways of doing this is building quality backlinks. 

Backlinking is by far one of the best strategies with the greatest impact on your website’s competitiveness. It involves getting other websites to link back to your site, in order to boost credibility and increase authority. 

Here are some methods of acquiring quality backlinks to your tour or activities website:

• Guest posting – This method involves writing a blog post for another website/blog for free. In exchange, most companies will offer you one or two links back to your website.
• Link roundups – You can write a roundup blog of different companies and link out to each of their websites. If you later request a backlink from them, they are usually more willing to do so. 
• Writing great content – As you create amazing content for your blog, other authority websites and blogs may want to link to you to quote some of that information. 
• Using great images – If you have catchy images on your website, e.g. of happy clients on tour with your company, other bloggers may want to use those images. The truth is, most will not ask for your permission but will likely link back to your site. 
• Broken link building – For outdated articles online, it’s no surprise to find them leading you to pages that no longer exist. You can look for such opportunities and write an article on the topic that the link was originally pointing to. Approach the webmaster and inform them of the broken link and offer your post. There’s a chance it will be accepted, and some backlinks may follow.

Conclusion

By following and implementing these SEO tips for tour operators and activity providers, your business is bound to get increased visibility, generate more leads, and raise its bottom line. Although this does not occur overnight, it’s worth the effort as it will get you organic traffic for an indefinite period of time.

To recap, these are the SEO tips we mentioned above that will help grow your website traffic:

• Doing proper keyword research.
• Optimizing different types of content.
• Setting up mobile-friendly websites.
• Building quality backlinks.

You might also like:

• How to Use Images Effectively to Sell More Tours and Activities
• A Simple Guide to Google Analytics for Tours & Activities
• 7 Email Marketing Tips to Grow Your Tour and Activity Business
• The Keys to Effective Video Marketing for Activity Providers

The post An Introduction to SEO for Tours and Activities appeared first on Regiondo.

In this blog article, we’ll show you exactly what the new Dayticket is all about and how you can benefit from it with your activities!

Flexibility for your guests

Until now, customers were able to choose a suitable date for their activities before the actual activity. This still makes sense. Especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fixed dates and thus a controlled number of guests are essential to ensure safe business operations. For some activities such as amusement parks, zoos, and others, fixed tickets are important and ensure a planned daily schedule. Nevertheless, guests do not always arrive on time or change their minds and want to start the activity a little later. This is exactly where the day ticket comes in. After purchasing the day ticket, your guests are free to decide when to start their activity within the opening hours.

The new Day Tickets will be available from 10 June 2021. If you need help setting it up or don’t know how to best take advantage of the new feature, please let us know here support@regiondo.com or check out our Knowledge Base Article.

Summary

In summary, with the new Dayticket you can give your customers more freedom when they want to start their booked experience. In our knowledge base, you can take a detailed look at how the new day ticket can be entered via the Regiondo System. It’s easy!

Not using our new Product and React widgets yet? Then take a look at how you can implement them quickly and easily.

The post Product News: The new Dayticket is here! appeared first on Regiondo.

Over the years Regiondo has established as an award-winning company for software development based in Munich, Germany. Our company was specially founded to address management and commercialization needs for in-destination tour & activity providers. Currently, more than 7,500 suppliers coming from over 42 countries reach their targets thanks to our integrated booking system.

Between 2019 and 2020 we paved the way to the establishment of our French and Italian offices, two big milestones for our company. Since then, our dedicated international team has been committed to providing our customers with our best software solutions according to the inbound markets.

The path we have undertaken together

On the occasion of our 10th anniversary we have collected some memories and thoughts about this shared path over the years which has led us where we are today. Here we can show you the most significant steps:

At present, we boast an international and dynamic team of 120 colleagues from 12 different nationalities, speaking 8 different languages. We are a cutting-edge team, passionate travelers and visionary entrepreneurs who aim at transforming innovation and technology to your advantage.

The rapid expansion of Regiondo has given every tour operator the opportunity to have access to a high-quality technological set of tools in order to manage resources and bookings. It’s of paramount importance that our partners can intercept contemporary travelers’ needs and adapt to this ever-changing scenario.

Through our technology we seek to improve our partners’ daily operations, such as:

• Streamlining online processes
• Implementing new features and tools
• Broadening online channel integrations
• Fostering analytics and data management

Together with our partners

Now we would like to leave the floor to some of our partners in order to celebrate together this achievement:

“Regiondo is ideal for every experience provider who searches for efficiency and transparency. Its booking engine simplifies sale procedures. It’s an essential added value for our company”.

Giulio Girolami – VeloLake, specialized bike travel & rental provider at Lake Garda, Italy.

“Our indoor surf center integrated Regiondo 3 years ago. Since then, we have been able to manage properly every booking slot and streamlining our all-in-one ticketing processes. It is best suited to our needs!”.

Daniel Kater – Hasewelle Sporthaus at L&T center in Osnabrück, Germany.

Towards the rebirth (and beyond)

Certainly a lot has changed since 2011 and Regiondo shows its resilience while facing current challenges. Digitalization has proved itself to be a meaningful driver which has pushed all the segment towards the online world (especially in this period).

If experience-based tourism can be seen as the driving force of modern tourism, technology is exactly its springboard.

During this unprecedented time we have taken charge of an ambitious objective: we would like to put in play all our strategies to support the rebirth of the sector, promoting a widespread digitalization and fostering an effective restructuring.

What in-store for the future?

As a wish for our first “tenth birthday”, we would like to carry on with our vision and mission, explore new markets and become a privileged reference partner towards the digital transition.

In the future Regiondo strives for consolidating its role as European and worldwide leader in our core business and establishing itself as a trusted partner, accelerator and champion into the digital space.

For this reason our team is working passionately in order to provide our customers with best tailored professional advice for every business case.

But our ambitions do not end here: we try to reach the top and namely becoming the most beloved booking engine at a European and international level, thereby improving online customer journey and leading you to the tangible results.

Becoming partner and client of Regiondo means focusing on what you care the most: your travelers and customers.

As Jochen Schweizer, founder and shareholder at Jochen Schweizer mydays Group (JSMDG), has wished us in his video: “Do not rest long on the laurels of first success but be able to question yourself to strive for excellence: in order to be the best you always need to become better”.

Here are some initiatives to celebrate our tenth anniversary together: Discover our special offer for our all-in-one booking system integration!

The post 10 years of online bookings, 10 years together! appeared first on Regiondo.

Well, now this feature is a reality – today we’d like to introduce the new POS solution by Regiondo, built for the tours and activities industry.

With this new technology in hand, you get a flexible way to serve and interact with your customers in-person. This is especially useful for high-volume experience businesses like trampoline halls, amusement parks and zoos where direct, in-person bookings drive the majority of revenue.

Among other things, the Regiondo POS solution allows you to create a faster checkout and thus improve both the customer experience and the way your staff completes their duties.

Let’s dive in for some more details.

What can you do with a dedicated POS solution?

Receive bookings on multiple devices
First and foremost, this dedicated POS solution allows you to receive bookings on multiple devices such as mobile phones and tablets.

The POS dashboard can be accessed via any browser so it’s a dynamic way to serve your customers and deliver a better experience.

For example, you can set up multiple tablets and serve several customers at a time without having to invest in expensive computers. The POS solution acts as an extension to your standard Regiondo dashboard so you will be able to check-in customers who purchased online in addition to placing new bookings.

Tablet view of the POS Dashboard

Faster checkout
With a new and responsive technology, the POS solution lets you get through the checkout process faster than ever. This means smaller queues on busy days and an improved capacity for your team to spend quality time with your customers or give attention to other crucial tasks in your business.

Improve customer experience
Ultimately, the flexibility in placing bookings and faster checkout work to drastically improve customer service and employee performance. We’re dedicated to improving this solution in parallel to our standard Regiondo system so you can expect a consistent evolution in how you serve your customers and how we meet your changing needs.

How does it work?

Single back-end, connected with your Regiondo dashboard
This new POS solution is an extension to your Regiondo dashboard and so shares the same back-end. This means you can track and manage your bookings in both systems, allowing you to check in customers who purchased online and communicate with them in real-time.

New, responsive tech
We developed this feature from scratch and used new, modern technology to make the checkout experience ultra-fast.

This allows for a slick experience on mobile devices and lets your team receive and track bookings more easily. We’re confident this addition will streamline your checkout experience to delight both your customers and staff.

Feature highlights
We’ve enabled most of the crucial functions from Regiondo into the new POS solution so you can integrate it seamlessly into your existing process.

So you can receive bookings, activate different payment methods, check availability and communicate with your customers using the POS solution.

We’ve also enabled multiple languages to help your staff navigate with ease and deliver speedy service.

The available languages when using Touch-POS

Next steps

Ready to get on board?

If you’re an existing Regiondo customer, go to pos.regiondo.com and log in with your normal credentials to try out the new POS solution. Remember, you can always get in touch with our customer support team using the chat button in the bottom right of your screen.

If you’re not using Regiondo but curious about how your business can benefit from this POS solution, you can book a short demo with one of our experts to see the full functionality.

In addition, you can start a free trial of the Regiondo system where you get 30 full days to experience what our system has to offer.

The post Introducing: Touch POS for Tours and Activities (by Regiondo) appeared first on Regiondo.

We asked everyone on the team to share a little bit about themselves and their role so you get a glimpse of what it’s like working here.

If you’re interested in joining this LEGEN (wait for it…) DARY team, then read on.

Christopher – Head of Sales

You may have met Christopher at a convention or perhaps seen one of his presentations. Christopher is the “big boss” in the sales team, he coordinates everything and ensures that everyone has the right goal in mind.

What’s your story at Regiondo?

I have been with the company since it was founded and have experienced many ups and downs since then. From the very beginning, I took care of sales development, partner support and other projects.

What’s your working day like? And tell us about your goals!

Generally, I try to push my team to their maximum performance

I take care of our sales processes, CRM system, train the employees and support them in their daily work. From time to time I pick up the phone and help leisure providers use our booking system.

Why are you a good Head of Sales?

Humour and ambition combined with a good sales strategy.

What do you like most about working at Regiondo?

A very good team that works together and constantly tries to improve.

Any other questions? Ask Christopher in the comments or contact him via LinkedIn.

Nicholas – Sales Manager

Nicholas is one of our sales managers. He and Christopher have been with us the longest. Nicholas comes from rainy England and contradicts the typical cliché of an Englishman –shocking– he doesn’t drink tea but coffee.

Nicholas, what’s your story at Regiondo?

I have been with Regiondo for almost 2 years now, having previously worked for a big tour operator in Munich. So from the beginning, there were thematic overlaps with the tourist experience segment, but at its core, Regiondo is a very different concept than the traditional travel products. I like the fact that you yourself have a lot of creative scope for your way of working. Anything that works is permitted. Sales also suits me well and has proven to be very entertaining. In only a few professions, success is as dependent on you as it is in sales.

What’s your working day like? And tell us about your goals!

I spend 80% of my time on the phone, either in conversations or in web-based product demos. Most of the time it’s about clarifying questions and showing customers that Regiondo can save them a lot of time.

Why are you a good Sales Manager?

Perseverance, a good workflow and a pinch of charisma.

What do you like most about working at Regiondo?

A pleasant working atmosphere and a technically interesting product that is constantly evolving.

Any further questions? Ask Nicholas in the comments or contact him via LinkedIn.

Sascha – Sales Manager

Sasha is our sales manager for the Berlin area. If you come from Berlin, you might get a visit from Sascha. His speciality are the on-site demos, so that he can convince you live of the Regiondo product.

What’s your story with Regiondo?

I have been working for Regiondo for over a year as a Sales Manager based in Berlin. I am responsible for the partners in Berlin and the surrounding area as well as the East and also look after the Dutch-speaking market.

What’s your working day like? And tell us about your goals!

The daily routine is very multifaceted, I contact potential partners and meet them on-site or arrange web demos to present our software. My goal is to help tour and activity operators understand how Regiondo can help them and decide if it’s the right fit for their business.

Why are you a good Sales Manager?

I see my strength in recognizing the needs of the individual partners in this diverse industry and fulfilling them in the best possible way. The personal contact and lively exchange are vital here and it feels great when our partners see the benefits of our product.

What do you like most about working at Regiondo?

The great team and the working atmosphere at Regiondo. It’s always motivating and inspiring. The varied activities – no two days are the same – as well as the personal contact with our partners. It is simply fun to work for Regiondo and the leisure industry.

Any further questions? Ask Sascha in the comments or contact him via LinkedIn.

Matthias – Sales Manager

As a personal trainer in his spare time, Matthias brings a lot of joy and enthusiasm to his work as Regiondo’s Sales Manager in Hamburg.

What’s your story at Regiondo?

Moin Moin from Hamburg! I have been responsible for the distribution of our beautiful booking software since December 2018. It is my first job in sales and at the same time as a remote employee (working from home). Now you probably think: “What, salescalling? And from home? – Is he crazy?” Yes, I am and it’s fun too – it’s a wild roller coaster ride of emotions!

What’s your working day like? And tell us about your goals!

I arrange appointments with potential customers and host online demos. The customer sees my screen and I can show them Regiondo from the comfort of my home.

It is my goal to continuously develop my sales workflows and help even more customers understand how Regiondo can improve their business.

Why are you a good Sales Manager?

3 things:

1.) Open-mindedness: I’m open with my customers and try to see things from their perspective.

2.) Ambition: The telephone is constantly on fire.

3.) Self-discipline: Especially when working remotely, because at home there are countless things that could distract you.

What do you like most about working at Regiondo?

If you’re looking for work where you don’t immediately fall asleep and have relaxed colleagues and bosses (all talking informally to each other), you’ve come to the right place.

Any further questions? Ask Matthias in the comments or contact him via LinkedIn.

Lukas – Sales Manager

Lukas came to Munich from the Alps. He is new to Regiondo, so his story is still in the making.

What’s your story with Regiondo?

It’s still being written!

Why are you a good Sales Manager?

I am convinced that Regiondo helps a lot of people and that inspires me. As a former founder of a tour operator, I have a deep understanding of our clients’ needs. I also bring my enthusiastic nature to every customer interaction.

What do you like most about working at Regiondo?

After my short time at Regiondo, I am already impressed with all the different people and the helpfulness within the team! I am happy to learn something new every day.

Yasemin – Working student

Yasemin is a working student from the Munich University. She assists Christopher with preparing internal presentations, meetings and other projects in the sales team. In addition to that, she always brings a smile on her colleagues faces.

What’s your story with Regiondo?

I just started as a working student at Regiondo at the beginning of 2019. Originally I am from Upper Franconia, now I am a student at the Munich University of Applied Sciences.

What’s your working day like? And tell us about your goals!

I work in the sales team and support the guys in lead management and many other administrative and creative tasks. I can’t imagine my life without Salesforce now :).

My goal is to educate myself on a daily basis and help our sales managers as much as possible to grow with them and our system.

Why is the job perfect for you?

I love going on trips with friends, especially outdoors! Why not work for a company that inspires you? Knowing what it looks like behind the scenes of the leisure industry is a big plus for me and super interesting!

Working for a company like Regiondo is the perfect career move to gain work experience and deep insights into the leisure industry.

What do you like most about working at Regiondo?

To grow with our intercultural and open-minded team, as well as our cool office with the atmosphere of a startup. But what I like most is our cheerful sales team!

Any further questions? Ask Yasemin in the comments or contact her via LinkedIn.

Miruna – Dual student

Miruna was one of our first dual students. For more than a year, she has supported the DACH sales team and our customers.

What’s your story with Regiondo, Miruna?

I joined Regiondo in April 2018 as a dual student. It turned out that the dual system of working and studying is pretty good for me. The leisure industry and technical developments are so fast-moving that the weekly change between university and work keeps me on my toes.

What’s your working day like? And tell us about your goals!

When I arrive at the office the magic begins. I support the sales managers and make sure our CRM system is up to date every day.

My goal is to show future customers how Regiondo can make their daily work easier and more effective. But for now, it’s “watch and learn”.

Why are you perfect for this job?

I am always in a good mood and bring enthusiasm with me at the office. Due to my marketing studies, I jump back and forth between the marketing and sales departments to help in both areas. Unusual ideas and leaps of thought are confusing for some, but inspiring for me.

What do you like most about working at Regiondo?

I like the combination of different languages, cultures, religions, and personalities together in one place. I also improved my language skills in English, Spanish and French by chatting with people on our lunch break. All in all, I love Regiondo for its diverse and interesting crowd. I would advise every student to work with Regiondo, whether as a working student or in cooperation with a dual university.

Did our dynamic team convince you? Help us to bring attention to Regiondo and to take the technical world one step further!

APPLY NOW!

The post Get to know our biggest sellers: The Sales Stars appeared first on Regiondo.

What is customer relationship management (CRM)?

CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a strategy for managing an organization’s relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. A CRM system helps companies stay connected to customers, streamline processes, and improve profitability. – Salesforce 

To sum it up, customer relationship management is the interaction between your business and your customers. Like you may know there are a lot of possibilities to interact with your customers and make them happy. A CRM activity could be an email with a survey to get feedback or newsletters to make sure that your customers always know what you are going to do.

Why is CRM important?

Superoffice.com calls CRM the heart of every growing business. In economics, they call it “the change from an industrial society to a service society”. That means selling your product is not enough anymore. It also means your service could be insufficient. Of course, your product is amazing but now you have to make your CRM amazing too.

But do not worry. We are very proud to support you and your CRM. Before we start to identify ways to use the Regiondo Booking Solution to improve or create your CRM we will check some CRM numbers.

• Research from Innoppl Technologies shows that the number of archived sales quotas grows up to 43% more with mobile CRM activities.
• CRM is an extra service and 25% of the customers are willing to pay more for a better service.
• The biggest challenge to start a CRM is collecting the data (manually)
• CRM creates a better experience for the customer and this leads to an increasing word-of-mouth rate. 70% of the customers refer activities to their friends and families after a good experience
• A CRM increases your customer retention rate by an average of 27%!

Starting a CRM opens up many good opportunities to increase sales and improves customer loyalty. So if we checked the numbers we all agree to create a CRM. If you are already a customer of our Regiondo booking solution, you have a lot of possibilities to start right now! If you think about starting with Regiondo, you can easily book a demo with our experts or start right now with our free trial.

How to use Regiondo as your CRM system

You have different possibilities to do your CRM with Regiondo. In general, Regiondo is an amazing base to start with your customer relationship management because of the data you collect and the possibilities of data output. Now let’s take a look at the ways you can improve your customer relationship management.

Automatically import customer data

Your Regiondo booking solution creates a customer database automatically as the fundamental base for all your CRM activities. We collect the data for you and prepare it for successful use. You can also connect with thousands of other tools via Zapier such as MailChimp and Google Sheets.

Use the integrated review system

At first, it might be interesting to know why reviews are important to work with. There are different points of views when it comes to reviews. First, reviews are interesting to know so you can improve your customer satisfaction. Customer loyalty and trust is growing when they are able to read and write reviews because they feel more valued and know that you care about their opinion. Also, you can use Reviews as part of marketing. It’s called “Review Marketing” and includes activities related to customer reviews. So you can catch new customers while showing them good reviews from your current customers and improve your SEO positions in search engines because reviews are part of the mysterious algorithms.

Regiondo has an integrated review system that allows you to collect your own reviews from your customers. The advantage of your own review module is your control of the content, the SEO advantages, and the full integration with your booking solution. Also, you can embed your reviews on your website to show them to your current and future customers. The review module is fully integrated into your Regiondo booking solution. So your customer will automatically receive an email to review your offer and a review reminder if they haven’t replied yet.

In addition to your own review module, you can use TripAdvisor Review Express to collect TripAdvisor Reviews automatically. You just have to connect your Regiondo Dashboard with TripAdvisor Review Express. You also can modify the automatic email which will be sent to your customers.  We built this partnership with TripAdvisor to level your visibility to another level. Nowadays you need reviews to be displayed on TripAdvisor.

With Review Express, you’ll create and send professional-looking emails that encourage guests to write reviews of your business. These emails can be customized with your property’s branding. There’s also a Review Express dashboard that provides in-depth analysis and tracking to help you fully optimize your campaigns.  On average, regular Review Express users see an uplift of 28% in the amount of TripAdvisor reviews for their property. – TripAdvisor

If you already decided to build your own CRM with Regiondo, you can read more about the connection between Regiondo and TripAdvisor in our knowledge base. 

Regiondo review module  tripadvisor review express

Send Automated Emails and SMS

Nowadays, people are used to getting confirmations, reminders, and additional information via email or SMS before an event. Creating such complicated workflows can be exhausting and impossible to do for fast running businesses. Regiondo delivers automated emails and SMS to your customers from the very beginning!

An extract for automated emails and/or SMS:

• booking confirmations with tickets
• appointment reminder
• Review request
• Reminder for a review request

When you automate this kind of message you will have time to do more important tasks and you can be sure that every single customer receives them if you want. Also, you can design and modify them with the information you want to communicate.

Use Zapier for more integrations

Zapier is a great option to improve your CRM. With the connection between Regiondo and Zapier, you can create thousands of new automated workflows. We talked about sending newsletters as a CRM activity. With this connection, you can create your newsletter management just like you want to.

Example: 

You can easily connect your Regiondo customer base with your MailChimp account via Zapier. This connection allows you to for example to add every new customer from your Regiondo database to your MailChimp subscription list. So it will be easy for you to send newsletters to all your new customers.

Conclusion

Customer Relationship Management will be more and more important to grow your business. Also, CRM creates trust and will increase your repurchase rate. With Regiondo you will receive a great possibility to start or improve your CRM workflows. A good base to collect your customer data is one of the most important features when it comes to CRM and other marketing activities. With Regiondo you already have that great base and some automated CRM workflows automatically. With Zapier we created thousands of possibilities to extend your CRM and let your customer loyalty grow!

If you have any questions about our booking solution please do not hesitate to leave a comment! Otherwise, book a demo with our experts or try it for free to convince yourself!

You might also like: 

• How to Protect Your Business and Customers with Digital Waivers
• The Ultimate Guide to Generating Positive Customer Reviews
• How to Boost Your Sales with Add-ons and Merchandise
• 7 Email Marketing Tips to Grow Your Tour and Activity Business

The post How to Use Regiondo as Your CRM System appeared first on Regiondo.

So what next for you? Do you already have online booking software? Are you looking for one? If you are, you’re in the right place. In this article, we are going to share the top 10 online booking system requirements that will help you choose the best tool for your business.

We have to admit, it is difficult for us to give unbiased tips on choosing an online booking system since we run one and love ours. That aside, we would direct customers to other booking systems if we think that our software won’t be a good fit for them. At the end of the day, our key focus is on building good relationships with our customers, so we will provide you with unbiased advice on the most important booking system requirements.

1. Talk to Your Team

Before you start researching which online system to work with, interview your team about their needs. You should brainstorm every key area of your business; from admin to finance, marketing, operations, and sales. Ask them what their key requirements for the online booking system are and which of them aren’t being met at the moment.

Align that list with your company’s overall goals so that you have a comprehensive understanding of what your company needs and wants from tour and activity operation software. This first step helps to give you a foundation for your research.

2. Figure Out What You Need and Want

Compile a list of all the things you need, and then sort the list into two columns: must-haves and nice-to-haves. This will help you understand the difference between what your business needs and wants. And that will ultimately impact your purchasing decision.

Your team should be around when you do this so that you don’t miss any key need or want.

Here are some of the differences between basic and complex booking software systems. Align your wants and needs list with this one to figure out which type of booking system you need.

Basic online booking system requirements:

• Cloud-based
• Payment options (Credit card, bank transfer, PayPal, deferred payment processing, cash)
• Inventory system
• Real-time booking
• User-friendly interface
• Customer support
• Integrations with an email marketing software

Complex online booking system requirements:

• SMS and email automation
• Language and currency settings
• Email customization
• Integration with third-party software (e.g. POS Systems, Rating Portals, etc.)
• Detailed sales reports
• Voucher and promo code management
• Distribution channel management (e.g. the Regiondo Channel Manager)
• Resource management

3. Align Booking System Requirements with Your Company’s Goals

Your team has provided their input and you have your list of must-haves and nice-to-haves. You need to add your company’s goals to this list to draw a clean line between those two columns. Sure, having a particular feature is nice, but if it does not align with your goals, you shouldn’t really be making that extra investment. The key is to focus on what is important for your business.

4. Consider Your Budget

In an ideal world, you shouldn’t base your decision on the cost of the software. However, in the real world of business, you need to figure how much you are willing to pay for an online booking system. If you go with a standard option, you will need to factor in the cost of commissions and fees as that would affect your bottom line and profit margins.

5. Is it Simple and Easy to Use?

One of the first things you need to think about while looking for the right online booking system is simplicity. How easy is it to use? Will your customers find it user-friendly and easy to book their tour? Is it easy to integrate with the other systems you are using? Think about your CMS system!

Time is essential in your business and one of the main booking system requirements is simplicity and ease of use.

6. Can You Configure Your Travel Policy?

An online booking system needs to enable you to set an advanced policy configuration. Without that feature in place, and without compliance, your business is exposed to a lot of unnecessary fees and fines.

A good online booking system will allow you to define your service, the value of transactions, departure and destination cities/countries, tour buses, meeting points, additional information, etc.

7. Reporting

Reporting is a key part of any business and is an important feature to look for in an online booking system. An in-depth report will enable you to have a better view of your reservations and increase your level of control in tweaking and adjusting policies and other features.

A reporting tool would easily enable you to download customer details, itineraries, and other important analytics data. One of the important online booking system requirements is also to give a clear view of your financial data, payout reports, and tax information.

8. How Will Your Internal Processes Change?

You need to think about how your internal processes will change and prepare for what you may need, like additional staff training. Some of the changes that are likely to take place are as follows:

• Your daily processes will most likely become automated or be significantly reduced. For example, you probably won’t be spending as much time communicating with customers via email or phone since everything will be handled via the online booking system.
• Your staff can easily and readily view and share information among the company more efficiently.
• Your mobility will increase as bookings can be managed anywhere and anytime, on a mobile or tablet. Your staff will know the status of your business and can better and more flexibly manage schedules.

9. Is the Software Easy to Integrate into Your Site?

Cloud-based online booking systems usually have widgets that can be easily added to your site. Keep in mind that although they are very easy to integrate, you won’t have much control over the booking flow. Users are often redirected to the booking platform to complete their booking, which means that the user leaves your site during the process.

You can have more control over the process if you go with a custom solution. That way, you’ll be able to better analyze how users are behaving during the booking process and can thus optimize conversions.

10. What about the Quality of Customer Support?

This point is very important for consideration. Getting support when you need it is vital to your business. Yes, self-service support systems are great, but you need to get answers in a timely manner when you’re having technical issues. It could have a huge impact on all your business.

So you need to ask the following questions: What’s the turnaround for support? Do we need to pay extra to get our questions answered on time? Is customer support available in our time zone? Do the technical support team speak my language?

Wrapping Up

Going through booking system requirements and choosing the best tool takes time. You need to think about costs, which features you need and want; and a lot of other questions highlighted above. Go with the option that best suits your needs and gives you and your customers the best user experience.

You might also like:

• SaaS vs On-Premise: Which Solution is Cheaper in the Long Run?
• 12 Free Marketing Tools To Boost Your Online Sales
• SaaS Booking System vs In-House Development: Which is Right for You?

The post Online Booking System Requirements: 10 Things to Consider appeared first on Regiondo.