LAURA RIEVELEY, co-founder and CMO, Smartvisit, offers some helpful advice to help you grow your travel business.
Every day, it’s the same message: AI is the future! AI is a must! AI or die!
But let’s be real – if you’re a small or medium-sized tour operator, already juggling staffing, bookings and the million other things that keep your business running, AI might not be your top priority right now. And that’s okay.
Here’s the truth: you don’t need AI to grow your revenue. What you do need is a sharper strategy, one that doesn’t rely on raising prices, overloading your schedule, or adopting tech for the sake of it.
That said, AI isn’t the enemy. When used properly, it can help automate repetitive tasks like scheduling, customer inquiries, or analysing booking trends.
But it’s not a magic bullet and for many operators, it’s simply not the best place to focus their energy right now.
Instead, let’s talk about practical, easier ways to increase revenue and long-term value – without burning yourself out.
Maxed Out? Get Smarter
If your tours are already at capacity, the usual “growth” strategies don’t apply. You can’t just add more slots without sacrificing quality and increasing prices isn’t always the answer. So, how do you increase revenue without increasing workload?
You get strategic.
There’s an old-school retail rule: if you’re selling shoes, don’t set up shop in a street with no shoe stores. Set up on the street that already has two. Why? Because where there’s demand, there’s opportunity.
In the tourism industry, that principle translates into collaboration. You don’t need to operate in a silo. You can harness the demand for other experiences to elevate your own – whether that’s through bundling, cross-promoting, or integrating your product into a broader tourism ecosystem.
Better yet, work with a company that specialises in doing this for you.
Collaboration is the New Competition
Stop viewing every other tour operator as a competitor. Start seeing them as your biggest growth opportunity.
Bundle Up: Running a food tour? Team up with a cooking class. Own a kayak rental? Pair up with a sunset sailing tour. Travelers love experiences that flow together seamlessly and bundling them creates more value.
Cross-Promotion: Partner with hotels, restaurants, or local attractions. Offer package deals, co-market your tours, or create exclusive discounts for each other’s customers.
Loyalty Loops: Encourage repeat bookings by offering perks for customers who book multiple experiences with your network of partners.
This isn’t just a theory. Look at Universal Studios Hollywood and their Hollywood Plus Pass, bundling experiences like Warner Bros. Studio Tour, sightseeing and theme parks into a single ticket. Why? Because they know their visitors are already interested in exploring beyond their park gates. Small and medium operators can (and should) do the same thing at a local level.
Take Back Control of Your Customer Data
Here’s what’s really holding a lot of operators back: lack of direct customer relationships.
If your bookings mostly come from third-party sellers, you’re giving away your most valuable asset: your customer data.
Sure, online travel agencies and resellers offer visibility, but at what cost? If you don’t capture emails, preferences and booking behaviours, you’re not just missing out on repeat business – you’re handing over your future revenue.
Yes, AI can help analyse customer data, but only if you have it in the first place. Stop relying on middlemen. Start owning your customer pipeline.
Here’s how you can take control today:
✔ Start collecting emails through post-tour surveys or booking forms.
✔ Use customer data to send exclusive offers and keep them engaged long after their trip.
✔ Build your direct booking channels so you don’t depend on third-party platforms.
Because the easiest person to sell to isn’t a stranger – it’s a customer who already knows and loves what you do.
Play Smarter, Not Harder: Here’s Your Next Move
Growth doesn’t come from hype – it comes from knowing your market, leveraging what you already have and being smart about partnerships, pricing, and customer retention.
Instead of chasing AI, take action today with these three steps:
# Audit your current partnerships – Are you missing out on bundling or cross-promotional opportunities?
# Identify one local business to collaborate with in the next quarter.
# Start collecting customer emails (if you’re not already) and use them to build long-term relationships.
Because sustainable growth isn’t about tech trends – it’s about making smarter business moves.
So, what’s your next step?
