5 Booking Mistakes Tour Operators Make (and How to Fix Them)

Jarod LaFalce
Co-Founder / COO of BookingTerminal
Published on: July 15, 2025 | Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes
Small Mistakes, Big Impact
As a tour operator, you carry a lot — planning, guiding, managing, marketing. You can't catch everything, and honestly, you shouldn't have to.
At BookingTerminal, we’ve seen plenty of operators succeed (and struggle) with the booking side of the business. We've learned what works, what doesn't, and what quietly costs you bookings.
If you're looking to make the most of your booking flow — and avoid the headaches we see far too often — here are five common mistakes to watch out for (and how to fix them).
1. Not Offering Online Booking At All
Not offering online booking is the biggest mistake a tour operator can make today. We’re long past the point where “call to book” feels normal — especially post-COVID. For most people, the first filter for what they book, reserve, or order is simple: Can I do it instantly online?
Beyond meeting customer expectations, online booking saves you a ridiculous amount of time. Real-time availability eliminates back-and-forth emails, reduces errors, and helps prevent overbookings — something spreadsheets and sticky notes can’t do.
See how booking software can transform your business here →

2. Hiding the ‘Book Now’ Button
What good is offering online booking if your customers can’t figure out how to book? Maximizing conversions is all about minimizing clicks. A good booking platform will streamline the checkout process — but it’s up to you to make sure the path to that checkout is obvious.
Your “Book Now” button should be visible on every page (ideally in your site header), clear in its language, and distinct in size and color. If guests have to search for how to book, you’ve already lost them.

3. Requiring Too Many Steps (or Guest Accounts)
Online booking should be simple. But some platforms — or well-meaning customization choices — add unnecessary friction.
- Forcing customers to create an account
Unless you’re running a membership business, account creation is a mistake. Most tour operators don’t rely on repeat bookings — and requiring a login adds a pointless barrier. Guests just want to check out and move on.
- Overloading your booking flow
Flexibility is great. But too many custom fields, long instructions, or optional add-ons can overwhelm guests. Keep it fast, intuitive, and friction-free.
4. Not Sending Reminder and Follow-Up Emails
No-shows, late arrivals, and guests who vanish without leaving a review — these aren’t just annoyances, they’re lost time and missed opportunities. Fortunately, you can solve both with simple, automated communication.
- Reminder Emails
A well-timed reminder the day before their tour helps guests show up on time, prepared, and confident about what to expect.
- Follow-Up Emails
After a great experience, many guests are happy to leave a review — they just need a gentle nudge. A short, sincere follow-up with a review link helps capture that positive momentum. Want some pointers on writing a converting follow-up? We broke it down here.
A reputable booking platform can handle this communication automatically, eliminating the need for manual work or custom-built workflows.
5. Not Syncing Your Calendar or Availability
Overbookings don’t happen because you’re careless — they happen because there’s no clear source of truth.
When you’re managing bookings through a mix of spreadsheets, email, and manual notes, it’s easy to lose track of what’s still available. One missed update can lead to double-booking, awkward reschedules, and frustrated customers.
Booking software solves this by centralizing your availability in one place. As long as you’re entering any offline bookings (like phone calls or walk-ins), your schedule stays accurate in real time across your site and OTAs.
And beyond accuracy, it’s just easier. Managing everything in a single dashboard is a lot more efficient than juggling sticky notes and spreadsheets.

Booking Shouldn’t Be the Hard Part
The truth is, most of the mistakes in this list aren’t the result of bad decisions — they’re the result of trying to do too much, too manually, or without the right support.
The good news? Every one of them is fixable. And once they’re fixed, you’ll spend less time clicking around… and more time running your business.
At BookingTerminal, we build tools specifically for tour and activity operators — no unnecessary steps, no bloated dashboards, and no setup fees. Just the features that matter, done right.
If you're ready to simplify your booking process, let's talk.