Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Expedia are powerful tools for getting your tours in front of a global audience. Two-thirds of travelers use them to plan trips. Yet relying too heavily on third-party sellers can pose challenges for tour operators.
As you may know, these platforms often limit your control over listings. This makes it harder for your company to stand out and prevents you from owning valuable customer data. On top of that, OTA commissions— which can range from 15% to 40% — significantly cut into your revenue. Striking the right balance between working with OTAs and capturing guest bookings directly is essential for every tour operator’s success. Let’s dive into the top 9 ways you can drive more direct bookings for your fishing charter business.
- 1. Optimize your website to capture mobile bookings
- 2. Leverage automation tools
- 3. Write great tour descriptions
- 4. Email campaigns
- 5. Make it easy for guests to checkout
- 6. Invest in the right booking software
- 7. Create relevant content that brings the right customers to your site
- 8. Offer website-only discounts
- 9. Run retargeting ads
1. Optimize your website to capture mobile bookings
In 2023, nearly one-third (32%) of travelers used their mobile phones to book their travels, whether buying a flight or reserving a spot on a tour. Meanwhile, 23% specifically used an app — like Expedia — to book their trips. Travelers are increasingly booking travel on their phones, meaning your website needs to be optimized for mobile bookings.
A good mobile site ensures potential guests can easily find, learn about, and book their fishing trips while on the go. Consider a fishing charter that uses a mobile-optimized booking system integrated with social media promotions. Potential guests who come across an Instagram post highlighting an epic catch or scenic sunset trip can instantly navigate to a booking page from their smartphone.
Quick-loading pages and a clean design ensure a seamless checkout on a tiny mobile screen. Your site should also offer popular mobile payment methods like Google Pay or Apple Pay that allow guests to quickly checkout without hassle. With a smooth mobile booking experience, your fishing charter company can capture more direct bookings and outpace competitors who have yet to adopt mobile-first strategies.
2. Leverage automation tools
Automation tools like our XolaBot can help capture bookings throughout the customer journey. XolaBot integrates directly into your website, engaging potential guests with features like “Lightning Deals” to fill under-booked slots. For example, if you have several low-occupancy fishing tours during off-peak hours, you can offer time-sensitive discounts to incentivize bookings. This approach optimizes your inventory while minimizing revenue losses due to empty spots.
Another powerful XolaBot feature is the “Resume Booking” function, which targets potential customers who abandon their booking mid-process. A simple chat prompt or follow-up email can remind and re-engage them, turning lost opportunities into confirmed bookings. This helps mitigate the industry’s typically high cart abandonment rates.
Finally, upselling capabilities allow fishing charter operators to increase average order value by presenting bundled service upgrades or deals during checkout. For example, pairing a deep-sea fishing trip with a sunset cruise at a discounted combined rate can convince customers to spend more in a single transaction.
3. Write great tour descriptions
If your tour descriptions include an itinerary, price, and a quick paragraph about the tour, that’s great! But if you’re not locking in enough bookings, something could be missing. Writing a tour description that sells requires effective copywriting that hooks a reader right off the bat.
You’ll want to start with a compelling title that captures attention, like “Reel in the Adventure: Gulf Coast Deep Sea Fishing Charter.” Highlight what sets your charter apart, whether expert guides, unique fishing spots, or high-end equipment. Include visually appealing elements, such as professional photos of past trips showing happy customers. This immediately draws potential guests into the experience.
Next, focus on a descriptive narrative describing what guests can expect. Describe the “thrill of the chase” as they cast their line into the open water and the “cotton candy sunrises” over the ocean. Use storytelling techniques to connect emotionally with your audience, making them envision themselves on this adventure. Then, break down key features using bullet points to make information easily digestible. Think: a list of fish species, available amenities, or customizable trip options.
Transparency and authenticity in your tour description are essential. Make sure to outline what is and isn’t included, like meals, licenses, or specific gear. This helps manage expectations and builds trust with potential guests. Incorporate testimonials from satisfied customers to add credibility and illustrate your value. An engaging tour description can convert website visitors into excited, eager customers ready to book their next fishing trip.
4. Create email campaigns
Email campaigns are a powerful way for fishing charter businesses to drive direct bookings. You can communicate with customers directly via email, nurturing potential customers and keeping the conversation going even after they visit.
By tailoring your email content to different customer segments, you can personalize messages that resonate with your audience, like offering exclusive discounts to past customers or sharing exciting news about upcoming trips. When subscribers feel that your emails cater specifically to their preferences or interests, they’re more likely to respond positively by booking directly through your site rather than a third-party platform.
Promotions and limited-time offers shared via email can further drive direct bookings. Highlighting deals such as “early bird specials” or discounts for group bookings can create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to take immediate action. In addition, sharing compelling content like photos of recent trips, guest testimonials, or fun facts about local catches keeps your subscribers engaged and invested in your offerings, making them more likely to choose your charter over competitors.
Automated follow-ups and drip campaigns help convert potential leads into paying customers. For instance, if a visitor starts a booking but leaves before completing it, a well-timed follow-up email can remind them to come back, sweetened by a limited-time offer or a gentle nudge highlighting the trip’s unique benefits. Loyalty programs and referral incentives can also be effectively promoted through email campaigns, fostering repeat customers and expanding your reach through word-of-mouth referrals.
5. Make it easy for guests to checkout
Nobody likes a simple or lengthy checkout. The first and foremost strategy is simplicity — keeping the checkout process straightforward, intuitive, and free of unnecessary clutter. Minimize the number of steps and form fields customers must fill out, focusing on collecting only essential information like their name, contact details, and payment data.
Adding social proof, such as testimonials, ratings, or awards, can also build trust and reassure guests that they’re making a great choice. Displaying guest reviews from previous bookings right at the point of checkout instills confidence, making it more likely that visitors will proceed with their booking. Similarly, incorporating trust signals, like secure payment badges or certifications, can make customers feel safer about sharing their payment details.
As previously mentioned, you want to ensure your checkout page is mobile-friendly. Given the increasing number of travelers booking trips on the go, having a checkout page that works just as well on a smartphone screen is essential.
6. Invest in the right booking software
The foundation of a successful direct booking strategy starts with choosing the right booking software. A robust platform like Xola turns your website into a 24/7 booking engine, making it easy for potential guests to book fishing charters anytime, from anywhere. With real-time tour availability displayed, customers can quickly see open spots, which increases the likelihood of them finding and booking the date and time they want.
An effective booking system also simplifies internal operations. With centralized management of your schedules, guest rosters, and inventory, it’s easier to avoid double bookings or scheduling conflicts. This automation allows you to focus more on delivering memorable fishing experiences and less on administrative hassles.
Moreover, top-tier booking software integrates seamlessly with other booking channels, such as Tripadvisor, to consolidate all your reservations under one dashboard. If you list your fishing charters on a third-party site, you can manage all your bookings in one place.
7. Create relevant content that brings the right customers to your site
Content marketing is a long-term strategy. Unlike Google Ads, which deliver quick results but stop driving traffic once the budget runs out, high-performing blog posts generate ongoing, targeted traffic from potential customers genuinely interested in your fishing charters.
Many tour operators struggle to come up with content marketing ideas, so here are a few ways you can get started:
- Destination-specific travel articles: Think travel guides like how to best visit your city and what attractions tourists can’t miss. Try to tailor the article to your niche and include your company.
- Listicles: Feature a list of places to visit or things to do in a particular destination. Again, include your tour company on the list.
- Surveys: Survey your customers, employees, or business partners about topics in your niche and compile results into an information-rich article.
Beyond traffic, content marketing builds brand awareness by consistently putting your business in front of your audience and associating your brand with key topics in your niche. Over time, a library of valuable, well-optimized blog content can establish credibility and improve your website’s rankings on search engines like Google.
8. Offer website-only discounts
Promoting website-only discounts through social media or email is an excellent way to encourage direct bookings while saving on OTA commission fees. For example, offering a small 5% discount can capture guests directly, saving you from hefty OTA commission rates. This means you’re not only incentivizing customers to book directly with you but also retaining a larger share of your revenue.
Craft a clear and enticing message that highlights the discount’s exclusivity. Use phrases like “Available only on our website” or “Save more when you book directly with us” to create urgency among potential guests. Additionally, target your audience with well-timed email campaigns or engaging social media posts with direct links to your booking page. For example, you can send an email blast promoting the discount during peak booking seasons or share an Instagram story highlighting the savings alongside stunning visuals of your tours.
Of course, ensure that the discount is easy to apply at checkout. Consider using promo codes like “BOOKDIRECT5” or integrating automatic discounts into your website’s booking system. By simplifying the process and providing a clear value proposition, you can effectively convert more customers while strengthening your direct booking pipeline.
9. Run retargeting ads
Retargeting ads let you promote your tours to people who have previously engaged with or shown interest in your company. On Facebook, for example, you can show your ads to previous website visitors who haven’t completed a booking, past customers, or email list subscribers. By targeting these warm leads, you can present tailored ads encouraging them to complete their reservations.
However, recent privacy updates from major tech companies have introduced challenges to traditional retargeting methods. Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework requires apps to obtain user consent before tracking their activity across other companies’ apps and websites. Similarly, Google has announced plans to phase out third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, limiting the ability to track users’ online behavior. These changes make relying solely on third-party data for retargeting purposes more difficult.
In light of this, it’s increasingly essential for tour operators to focus on building and maintaining their customer data. Cultivating a robust email list allows you to retain direct communication channels with your audience.
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Direct bookings don’t just save on commission fees—they also allow you to build lasting relationships with your customers. You can boost your direct bookings and reduce dependency on OTAs by leveraging tools like mobile optimization, loyalty programs, retargeting ads, and exclusive website-only discounts. Now, it’s time to put these actionable steps to the test for your fishing charter business.
