The fact is, your website is one of the most important channels for direct online sales. When properly created and maintained, it essentially becomes a tool that sells your tours and activities 24/7.
How does that work? Imagine your ideal customer. Let’s say you posted a video on your Instagram profile that performed really well and reached a large audience. Now that customer is interested in the next step – they want to learn more about your tours. Maybe they’ll head over to your website from Instagram.
By the time they get to that step, the entire experience of browsing your website needs to be extremely simple. The page should load quickly, images and text must be high quality and clear, and all essential information should be easily accessible.
Here’s the deal: people today have the shortest attention span ever – even shorter than a goldfish. The latest data shows that human attention span has dropped to just 8.25 seconds. That means you literally have eight seconds or less to engage a guest long enough for them to learn more about you, your tours, and how to book.
And now we get to the tricky part. Most tour operators still collect bookings the old-fashioned way – via a form the guest has to fill out just to get the most basic tour info, like the price, departure times, or whether there are even any spots left.
Think about how much time is wasted – not just on the guest’s side but yours as well. You have to be constantly available, always answering messages and calls, and repeating the same information like a parrot. Then there’s all the manual work to keep track of booked guests, tour availability, paid and unpaid reservations, and so on.
Of course there is – and it’s called Orioly. But we’ll get to that in a moment. Let’s first go through a few things that will actually help turn your website into your strongest sales ally for tours and activities.
You’ve probably heard that Gen Z barely uses laptops for online shopping, unlike Millennials. In fact, 74% of Gen Z completes online purchases via their mobile phone rather than any other device.
Responsive design ensures that your website looks good and works flawlessly on any device – whether it’s a computer, tablet, or smartphone. This way, Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z can always access the information they need, and your website fulfills its purpose.
Reviews from people who’ve been on your tours can be more powerful than all your paid ads combined. People want to see real experiences, read how others felt about the tour, and what amazed them the most. You can showcase reviews right on your homepage, immediately after the section with your tour info.
Your website must be trustworthy. To reassure guests that they’re in the right place, you need to have clear terms of service and tour cancellation policies, including details about refunds and similar scenarios.
Your privacy policy should also be clear, transparent, and aligned with relevant data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Having a blog section is also a great addition to a good website – and you’ll get extra value if those blogs are SEO optimized.
Read more about the website features that can boost your direct bookings.
Once you’ve handled the basics that make your website look professional and trustworthy, it’s time to turn it into a sales channel.
You do this by implementing a Book Now button. This is essentially a booking widget that your web developers can add to your CMS by inserting an HTML code.
The ideal spot for this button is at the top of the tour description page. This way, once guests see the main info about your tour, they can immediately proceed with the booking.
A few tips for correctly implementing the Book Now button:
A website is not a one-time investment – it needs regular maintenance to continue delivering results. This includes:
A high-quality website can significantly increase your tour and activity sales but only if it’s well-optimized and user-friendly. With proper design, a clearly visible “Book Now” button, and regular maintenance, your online presence can become a powerful tool for boosting revenue. Tourism digitalization is no longer the future, it’s the present, and those who embrace it the right way will have a competitive edge.
The Orioly booking system was created specifically for small and medium-sized tour and activity operators, working not only in well-known destinations but also in emerging ones. It allows you to easily manage bookings, automate sales, and increase guest numbers. With Orioly, your website becomes your most efficient sales channel.
Contact us at sales@orioly.com or sign up here.
ORIOLY
on April 10, 2025
Receive the latest news and resources in your inbox
In this ebook you will learn strategies to boost your digital marketing efforts, and the best part, at a low and even zero cost for your business.
Get eBook
As tourism slows for most tour operators and suppliers, now is the perfect time to prepare. Travelers are already planning next year, giving operators, guides, wineries, adventure parks, and tourism providers a unique chance to fill their calendars. This blog shows why early planning matters and how digital tools like Orioly help secure more bookings. […]
by Nena Salopek on October 27, 2025
