Looking to up the ‘fun’ level for your excursion guests and give them something to really remember? Want to be remembered for a lifetime by helping them celebrate a birthday, or special occasion in style? In this article we’ll outline three ways in which to inject some extra zing into your excursion making it extra memorable.
1. Social Media Mavens
In an era when we’re all so connected, it’s hard to ignore social media especially when your tour guests on vacation — After all, they have to let all their friends know that they just zip lined across the Amazon! Successful excursion operators know this, and have begun to help their guests remember their time on the tour by taking lots, and lots of pictures. It’s not only a great way to document the adventure, and add value to the activity, it’s an incredible way to upsell guests by offering photo packages they can purchase.
For example, RainforestAdventures.com offers special packages for all types of explorers including an “I Do” wedding package, complete with a wedding album and CD of digital photos to share on social media. With so many excursions in the area, the company needed to find a way to set themselves apart from other excursion operators, and what better way to do so than to have couples soar high above the canopies for an incredibly memorable wedding.
2. Pay Attention to Detail
The little things are what sets good excursions apart from great ones. They are also the reason many customers take to review sites like Yelp to give praise for their experience. Things like offering guests bottles of water, complimentary beach towels, or even token souvenirs could go a long way in helping them remember their tour (and the company's name next time a friend asks for recommendations).
3. Great Guides
Possibly without even knowing it, guides wear many hats. They’re storytellers, entertainers, teachers, drivers and professionals as they provide a service in exchange for compensation. Having a personable tour guide as guests explore unknown territory is key to a memorable trip. We’ve all been in taxis or on busses with wonderful drivers that have shared lots of great knowledge about their home, and conversely, we’ve had completely silent trips around cities with not-so-great drivers as we wondered to ourselves what things were outside the window.
Having a fun and engaging tour guide adds so much value to the trip. They can offer incredible insight into the location, sharing first-hand stories and experiences travelers otherwise wouldn’t have heard. Many guides have their own jokes and little anecdotes for each part of the tour, adding a personal touch to the excursion. Guides keep group energy levels up, and have the significant ability to influence a tourist’s experience.
All three of these tips will help you make your excursion memorable. While most excursions are already scenic, fun, and inspiring, it’s these things that will set yours apart from the masses. When travelers have a good time on a tour it will inevitably spur positive word-of-mouth, kind and passionate reviews, and will likely result in more sales for excursion operators.
