How To Convert Cancellations Into Future Travel Reservations For Your Business
As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, the travel industry is looking at further trip...
Group travel is an exciting way to experience the world, no matter how you do it. Whether you’re out exploring with a bunch of friends, or under a tour guide with like-minded individuals, you’re sure to have an enriching experience.
Of course, as a travel organizer, you have to get through the planning stages before the trip part can begin. Part of a successful tour is filling the spaces you have to sell, so we have put together some tips to help you increase group trip conversions for your travel company.
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Increase Group Trip Conversions With These 6 Tips
1. Offer Real-Time Online Bookings
These days, websites are a lot more secure than they used to be. As a result, if there’s a payment gateway available, travelers are more confident in making online travel bookings on their own. You may even be losing out on bookings if your website doesn’t offer them in real-time.
The ability to click book now, there and then, will help to increase group trip conversions on your website. This is because travelers can go ahead without having to wait for your input to confirm something. They’re interested in securing a booking at that moment, and any delay in this could lead to them leaving your website to search elsewhere.
It also means that your business can function 365 days of the year. By not limiting bookings to your office hours, the possibility to secure more is there. You can also receive bookings in advance, as well as get them last-minute.
2. Have a Well-Designed Booking Page
Never underestimate how important a well-designed booking page is to increase group trip conversions. When people arrive on your page, they should immediately be put at ease and know that they have come to the right place.
Clumsy design, poor layout, bad use of imagery, and incomplete travel product descriptions will not help to reassure customers. It’s therefore advisable to make sure that your booking page projects trust and authenticity to your visitors.
Simple things such as using security certificates, providing an FAQ's section, or displaying reviews can help to build trust. The longer people stay on your booking page, the more likely it is that they're interested and follow through with the conversion.
3. Offer Seamless Payment Options
Payment is one of the biggest barriers travelers face when performing a booking. Once they've found the perfect group trip to join, making a deposit instantly and securely becomes a priority.
Some websites only offer credit card payments, and for others, bank charges or international currencies are a problem. Travelers will not hand over their money to anyone or any site without certain reassurances either.
Being able to offer a seamless solution to these issues is therefore vital. Of course, with access to the WeTravel platform, you can perform all of these functions and more.
4. Make Sure That Site Navigation is Simple
Having an easy to navigate website or booking page can only increase group trip conversions. With strategically placed prompts or call-to-actions which point travelers in the right direction, going ahead with the next step is hugely simplified.
Is it possible to get to a booking page by making a single click, no matter a person's location on your website? You want this to be prominent and accessible so as maximize traveler’s opportunity to make the conversion.
A wish list might be an option too for those who are still in the decision-making phase. This is because it makes it easier for them to continue browsing without losing sight of the group trip they’re interested in. Or even to compare a few that have caught their eye.
If travelers were to switch browsing devices, would they have an equally amazing experience on mobile as they do on desktop? Mobile plays an increasingly important role in search, so making sure that users get a great experience across all devices is key.
5. Write Amazing Trip Descriptions
Amazing tour descriptions can stop travelers in their (browsing) tracks. If you’re not writing one that sells, how do you expect to be seen over your competition?
Start by writing a headline that accurately represents your trip. You don’t want it to be too long – people should be able to scan it and decide whether it’s worth investigating further. At the same time, you do need to be a bit more descriptive than Group Trip to Bali for example.
Once you have a catchy title, move onto the description itself. In this section, be sure to highlight what is unique about the trip. Let people know what makes it special, and what they can expect to experience.
Also, include several bullet points which summarize the main highlights travelers can expect. This way, they can skim the details and delve in further should the group trip seem relevant to them.
6. Include Lots of Imagery
Imagery and video are both key to securing travel bookings. They complement your trip descriptions to give travelers a better idea of what they can expect and subsequently help to increase group trip conversions.
Any potential client is going to want to get a visual of the trip before booking. If you have some eye-catching images or videos on display that will give them an immersive experience, this will work in your favor.
Don’t have the imagery? Someone else will, and they’ll be more likely to land the sale. Luckily, hiring a good photographer doesn't cost the earth. Plus, you’ll be doing your business a favor in the long run by getting some professional shots.
Summary
Getting your business online has many benefits, one being the potential to reach so many more travelers on the internet. Of course, that means there’s even fiercer competition though.
Ultimately, the key to increase group trip conversions for your travel company is to make the booking experience as simple and enjoyable as possible. A secure and friendly online interaction will see your business go a long way.
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