What is Activity Booking Software? Why Is It Valuable for Travel Agencies and Tour Operators?
A simple but powerful activity booking software that makes booking experiences simple while also increasing your online presence and sales. Check it out.
Running an activity business is difficult enough without having to spend a significant amount of time each day manually updating your booking process. According to reports, 82% of consumers made travel bookings through their mobile phones in 2018, and recent years have demonstrated how vital the digital era has become for businesses.
This is where activity booking software comes in. It allows you and your employees to work more efficiently. Whether you offer a wide range of activities requiring multiple people and equipment, or high-volume activities, activity booking software provides a simple, intuitive interface to minimize your administrative tasks and make operating your business easier.
I. What is activity booking software?
Activity booking software enables customers of the resort to make reservations for beach cabanas and pool chairs, in addition to jet skiers and paddle boards. For maximum convenience, guests can access and use online activity booking software via their mobile phones, tablets, or PCs. Essentially, activity booking software replaces phone calls to the front desk or tracking down clipboard-wielding workers with a simple, seamless resort experience.
Travel companies can simply schedule tours using this software to handle customer information and data such as tour details, back-office activities, accounting, and reports.
Moreover, activity booking software simplifies the booking process for international clients by giving activity booking quotations, which ultimately increases bookings and income for the firm.
Furthermore, activity booking software is user-friendly, allowing you to distribute activity tickets through a variety of booking channels, allowing your activities to be discovered by global travelers.
It also allows visitors to view your current inventory and generates a large number of activity reservations for your firm. It enables customers to verify ticket availability, reserve them easily, and pay securely.
Also read: What is Car Rental Booking Engine? Manage Your Rental Activities
II. Explore outstanding features of the activity booking system
1. Memberships
Allow your consumers to join up for membership subscriptions. This might be a one-time or recurring payment.
2. Custom booking forms
Customize your booking forms for each event, validate responses, and include attachments for waivers and marketing opt-ins.
3. Online and offline payments
Accept payments online via your preferred payment method, offline with a “pay later” feature, or be flexible and accept both. Stripe, PayPal, and WorldPay accept online payments, and you can pass their fees on to your consumers if you like.
4. Confirmation and reminder emails
Confirmation emails include important information, a link to manage the booking, a calendar file, and wording that you can customize. Set a reminder email to go out at a predetermined time before the event.
5. Fast checkout
A simple basket system makes it simple to select tickets, and details may be saved to make feature checkouts even easier.
6. Discount codes and block booking discounts
Create unique discount coupons and limit their use to specific events or tickets. Automatic calculation of block reserving discounts occurs during the checkout process.
7. Customer list
A customer database that contains individual profiles of each client, including their booking history. Easily exportable marketing opt-in data.
8. Online event support
Only attendees who have been reserved can access the link; including joining instructions for any online streaming provider.
9. Calendar feed
Link your schedule page to a calendar application with ease. There are options for both public and private feeds, allowing you to determine whether to display the names of registered attendees for the event.
III. List of top activity rental booking software
1. FunAway
FATbit Technologies’ FunAway is a specialized online activity booking software that assists business owners in establishing an online travel activity marketplace. As a specialized app, FunAway provides all the latest features, including:
– User management
– Commission management
– Ratings & Reviews
– Growth & Finance management
– Activity booking management
2. Trekksoft
Trekksoft is an activity booking software for tour and activity companies. The solution is niche-specific, with market-ready features to help you develop an effective online tour and activity booking marketplace. Trekksoft’s major features are as follows:
– Calendar Sync
– Book now button
– Point of Sale Desk
– Automate Processes
– Multi-channel sales
3. Rezdy
Rezdy is an activity booking software that empowers tour operators and activity booking enterprises through technology. The program is intended to help entrepreneurs who want to launch online tours, tickets, charters, and other related enterprises. Rezdy’s best features are as follows:
– Multi-screen control
– Advanced business reports
– Live real-time inventory management
– Resource management
– Guest manifest creation
4. Beyonk
Beyonk is a modern activity booking software that promises to make running a tourism and leisure business easier. It enables experienced providers to create more sales and includes robust features that aid in customer delight. Beyonk’s outstanding features include:
– Invoice and Payment automation
– Ticket Management
– Customer Management
– Cost-efficient
– SEO Friendly-Pages
5. Xola
Xola is an online activity booking software that allows you to easily expand your travel activity business online. It is a leading online activity booking software that assists entrepreneurs in starting their online activity and tourist operators’ businesses. Some of the top features provided by Xola are:
– Point of Sales
– Resource Management
– Marketing Tools
– Reporting
– Scheduling
6. Fareharbor
Fareharbor is a tour and activity booking software with specialized software. It is a versatile software solution for running and managing your online tour and activity booking company. Fareharbor provides the following appealing features:
– Seamless communication
– Data Safety
– Advance Resource Allocation
– 24/7 Support
– Fast and easy check-in and check-out
7. TryTN
TryTN is an online activity booking software system for entrepreneurs who want to create an online activity booking and reservation platform. The software is well-equipped with features and functionalities for tour and activity business reservation management. TryTN provides the following top features:
– Staff Management
– Advanced Marking Tools
– POS Tools
– Automated Communication
– Reservation Management
IV. How does an activity booking engine work?
For decades, flyers, print catalogs, and brochures were the primary means of promoting experiences, until the digital age and the development of the internet transformed everything.
These days, travelers mostly get their information online, and they are slowly giving up old-fashioned ways of getting information like print. Still, a lot of hotels and activity companies only use old-fashioned methods of advertising to get people to book their services.
One of the most important ways that activity booking software can help your business is by taking it to the future. Does that sound too much? In a nutshell, this means that it allows you to market and sell your activities in the most popular way in the digital age. The Internet.
By showcasing all your fantastic experiences on your website, your consumers may get informed, psyched, and book the activities they desire with the click of a mouse. It’s as simple as that.
If you want to explore what is travel app MVP development, you can read the article here.
V, How does activity booking software benefit your business growth?
1. Track your activity performance and make better decisions
As a travel professional, you need the correct data in the right form to drive your decisions.
You may view a breakdown of your activity booking allocations, revenue, and expenses using an activity booking software, which will help you better manage your selling methods and strengthen your decision-making.
You can monitor the performance of your experiences at any time and from any device, allowing you to keep track of everything even when you’re on the go.
2. Automate communication with all parties
Communication between multiple parties might be difficult, very difficult.
An activity booking software will help you alleviate that pain by allowing you to automatically communicate with all parties participating in the activities you provide.
How? You may send out automatic emails and SMS messages to your suppliers and customers. As a result, the first can be notified of new bookings, while the second can obtain useful information about their planned experiences.
Forget about waiting by phone for a booking confirmation. Everything is now possible through the platform in real-time.
VI. Bringing value for travel agencies and tour operators by integrating into your website
1. Consider integrating the activity booking software into your website as a project
Integration with the existing website is sometimes a good option. However, it’s not always the best option. Let’s go over the main reasons for integrating with an existing website.
Correct reasons for integration:
– Your page has a high page rank and ranks high in search engines.
– Your page attracts a large number of visitors and generates a large number of leads.
– Your page’s analysis reveals that it is user-friendly and simple to navigate.
Wrong reasons for integration:
– The idea that this will result in significant cost savings.
– The idea that this will save a significant amount of time in development.
– Sentimental reasons (for example, you are used to working with the present site).
So, you examined your options and opted to keep your current website? This is great news for you since it suggests your present website is doing something correctly!
The integration of the activity booking software into the existing website is a major undertaking that will necessitate your effort and frequent monitoring. Assign someone to be the project leader and schedule some time for that individual to work with the software vendor’s team on the integration.
Prepare yourself for the following:
1.1. The new integration will take time
This time will vary depending on the integration model used. However, it is not possible to elect to integrate and then have the integration completed. It will always necessitate some effort on the part of the team that created your site or the team of the online activity booking software vendor. Or perhaps both. Even if the connection is touted as “just add a widget here,” someone must still implement it, learn how it works, and adapt it to match your company’s needs.
1.2. The new integration will have a cost
Yes, depending on the features and development time, this will cost you. Some suppliers may charge for services such as widgets and iFrames. Others may provide them for free but charge technical support. Some may simply give away the API, but then there are the costs of your developers who must utilize it. Some charge for the API but offer free technical support. The integration with your present website will cost you money, regardless of payment plan.
1.3. The new integration will make some changes to your current website
We’ve had clients who wanted to integrate their existing websites yet maintain everything the same. Everything is fine. However, most software systems are incapable of doing so. You can have it entirely customized to your website or apply standard controls, depending on the integration technique. Again, this is dependent on time and money. However, even with the greatest of efforts, it is difficult to get everything the same, so don’t even attempt. Accept the potential that the folks conducting the integration have some experience and may have a better solution for you than the one you now have. Prepare for the unexpected.
2. Integration methods
2.1. iFrame integration
You will obtain the HTML code for iFrame elements from your program provider. These parts then contain pages from the travel software system, such as the search box and full hotel details… and permit the entire online booking procedure to take place within the iFrame elements.
2.2. Widget integration
The software vendor team will offer you a code snippet or a widget of some kind, which you will simply insert into the code of your website. This will add pieces of the online booking user interface to your website where you want them to appear (e.g., search box, hotels on special offer, search results…).
2.3. API integration
Some travel software solutions include an API system. This solution enables your website developers to query the travel software and handle the data however they see fit. This allows for comprehensive customization of the website’s style, feel, and online booking procedure. Nevertheless, it takes some time for the development team to fully understand all the API system functions.
3. Compare different methods
iFrame | Widget | API | |
Development time | Quickest | Quick | Significant |
Functionality customization | None | None | Full |
Online booking process customization | None | Some | Full |
Design customization | None | Some | Full |
Location of pages containing data | Travel software server | Website server | Website server |
SEO | Data does not count for SEO | Data counts for SEO | Data counts for SEO |
VII. Why choose Adamo as an activity booking software solution company
If you are planning to increase your customer bookings, employing an online activity booking software will be an effective solution. Customers can make reservations at any time. It saves them money and time. Also, they can check the ticket availability and order tickets from any place as well.
Adamo Software is a premier B2B/B2C travel portal development company that develops lucrative tours and activities booking engines for tour operators and travel activity providers to manage reservations, automate lots of processes, and more through various channels and boost business growth. Besides, we also offer many booking engine solutions that you can read here.
FAQs of tours and activities booking solution development company
1. Can I offer promo code redemption and group discounts to attract larger groups and repeat business?
When issuing and redeeming promo codes, special offers, or seasonal discounts, be sure your online activity booking system program can manage tracking, code production, and redemption. Look for software that allows you to rapidly generate unique codes, change and modify descriptions, control start and end dates, and even select which specific activities or days of the week the promo code can be used for. This application allows running promotions and tracking leads generated by various marketing efforts relatively simple.
2. Is the backend software easy to use for employees?
You also need something easy to set up on the backend—your managers and staff should be able to quickly bring up reservations, examine calendars, arrange promotions, and generate reports. Look for an online booking system that has sophisticated features like the ability to easily add-ons to activities, color-coded calendars, and flexible email templates. Cooperate with a company that offers a software program with a professional layout and appealing design that will fulfill the needs of both your customers and your employees.
3. Is the activity booking software able to generate thorough reports?
A good reporting system is essential to handle leads, estimate revenue objectives, and track bookings for a certain week, month, or season. Make sure your online activity booking software includes printable reports and easy-to-access summaries of all activities. Therefore, you can analyze performance targets, track seasonal trends, and determine what works and what doesn’t with your email marketing, online advertising, and offline campaigns. Most reports are available in spreadsheet format and may be sent to managers or staff as digital files with a few clicks.
4. Will the software/website support my growing business?
Even if you are currently only providing guided tours or activities, you may wish to expand your business offerings to include rentals such as bikes, kayaks, boats, and other services. Make sure the online activity booking software you choose can scale to meet the needs of your growing business. For example, you may want to include equipment rental options for clients during the purchasing and checkout process. Look for a platform that offers numerous options for quickly modifying experiences and installing add-ons.