TL;DR: Tripadvisor can put your tours in front of millions of travelers. Create or claim your listing, connect it to online booking software for instant reservations, and use guest reviews to boost credibility and sales.
Tripadvisor is the world’s largest travel review platform, with over 800 million reviews and for many travelers, it’s the first stop before booking a tour. For tour companies, having a presence there boosts visibility and credibility, and connecting your listing to online booking software makes it even easier for guests to reserve their spot instantly.
Beyond driving bookings, Tripadvisor is a powerful place to gather guest feedback that can help win over future visitors. When that feedback is positive, it’ll give future guests the confidence to book with you.
Once your company is on Tripadvisor, you can actually sell your tours and experiences through Viator, the platform’s booking partner. Even if you prioritize direct bookings, listing your experiences on an online travel agency can help you build brand recognition and reach people all over the world.
In this post, you’ll learn that listing your company on Tripadvsior isn’t difficult. In fact, your company may already be there without you even knowing.
- How much does it cost to appear on Tripadvisor?
- How do I create a listing for my company on Tripadvisor
- Manually create a new listing for your company on Tripadvisor
- Automatically connect Tripadvisor to your booking software
Quick answers
Is it free to list on TripAdvisor?
Yes. Creating a basic listing costs nothing. You’ll only pay commission if you use Viator (TripAdvisor’s booking partner) for reservations.
Do I need a website to list?
No, but having one helps with credibility and gives you a way to drive direct bookings.
How long does it take to get listed?
Manual listings typically appear within 48 hours. Automated listings via booking software sync instantly.
How much does it cost to appear on Tripadvisor?
There are no fees associated with listing your business on TripAdvisor. In fact, there’s a good chance that your business is already on there.
Any time a guest reviews a hotel, restaurant, or tour operator for the first time, Tripadvisor will generate a listing for that business. So if one of your guests previously reviewed your company, you’ll already have a profile on the platform.
You can go ahead and check if your business is already listed by searching for your company name here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Owners.
Surprise! Your business is already listed on the platform, isn’t it?
The next step is to claim that listing. At this point, you should click on your business name and choose the “Claim Your Business” option.
Once you’re set up as the owner of your business, you’ll be able to customize your listing details, upload photos, respond to reviews, and track your brand’s performance on the platform. You can access all of these features for free.
But let’s say you search for your business and don’t find anything. Then, you’re free to create a new listing for your business.
We’ll break down how to get listed on Tripadvisor in the next section.
How do I create a listing for my company on Tripadvisor
There are two ways to get your company listed on Tripadvisor. The first is done manually, and the second is through your booking software. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown for both.
Manually create a new listing for your company on Tripadvisor
Anyone who owns a business or provides a service can create a Tripadvisor listing.
The very first step is to set up a personal Tripadvisor account. This will make it easier to manage your business account.
Next, you’ll begin adding your company’s name and information here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/CreateListing.html.
Tripadvisor will first ask you to define your business as an accommodation, activity, restaurant, or vacation rental. Then, you’ll be asked to specify your business category (i.e. kayaking tour operator) and your role in the company (i.e. owner).
Once Tripadvisor sees that you’re a tour company, it’ll direct you to Viator, the platform used for tour and activity bookings.
There, you’ll need to again define your business. The categories will be supplier, point of interest, or travel agency.
Tour companies fall under the “supplier” category since they provide a service to help travelers experience a place or point of interest.
You’ll then need to fill out a more detailed questionnaire about your company.
This is where you’ll share important details like your company name, location, website, and a short description of your services.
Soon, you’ll be prompted to upload photos of your experiences. The first photo will be your cover photo, or the first visual guests will see on your listing.
Viator has a few recommendations for your photos:
- They should be high-quality photos taken with a camera or smartphone
- Horizontal orientation is preferred
- You should own the rights to the photos or be authorized to use them
- Candid photos of people having fun are a great idea
As you go through the rest of the questionnaire, you’ll be asked to further catergorize your services. This is so that Tripadvisor and Viator know exactly what you’re offering. This way, the platforms can attach the right keywords to your listing to make you easily discoverable for travelers looking for the kind of tours you offer.
Before you know it, you will have created your first business listing. It should be visible to users within 48 hours.
Automatically connect Tripadvisor to your booking software
If you don’t want to manually list your tour company on Tripadvisor, your booking software might be able to do it for you.
Xola, for instance, integrates with all of the most popular OTAs, including Viator. The integration is as easy as locating Viator in the Xola App Store, installing it, and configuring your settings. You’ll then select the listings you want to appear on Viator.
Now, your customers will be able to book tours and activities directly through Viator. Integration with your Xola account ensures that those bookings appear on your calendar. It also ties these bookings into your capacity and equipment settings so that you don’t get overbooked.
Keep in mind that each of your offerings on Viator must align with only one of your Xola listings. Also, the schedule offered in your Viator listing must match the corresponding listing in Xola.
Once everything is set up, your Viator bookings will need to be edited through Viator directly. However, your Xola account will reflect the changes made within Viator’s system, including cancellations, refunds, arrival date or time changes, and guest quantity.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Ignoring reviews
Unanswered reviews signal that you don’t care about guest feedback. Respond to every review within 48 hours.
For positive reviews:
“Thanks for joining us! We’re glad you enjoyed [specific detail]. Hope to see you again.”
For negative reviews:
Acknowledge the issue, apologize if appropriate, and explain how you’re addressing it. Don’t get defensive.
2. Using low-quality photos
Blurry, dark, or poorly composed photos kill bookings. Invest in a decent camera or hire a photographer for a half-day shoot.
3. Vague descriptions
“Come experience the beauty of [City]” tells guests nothing. Be specific about what they’ll see, do, and learn.
4. Not updating availability
Out-of-date availability frustrates guests and tanks your ranking. Use automated syncing or update manually at least daily.
5. Listing every tour as a separate business
Don’t create multiple TripAdvisor listings for the same company. Instead, list multiple tours under one business profile.
TripAdvisor vs. Viator: What’s the difference?
TripAdvisor is the discovery platform. Guests read reviews, browse photos, and compare options.
Viator is the booking engine. When guests are ready to book a tour listed on TripAdvisor, they’re sent to Viator to complete the reservation.
Both are owned by the same company (Tripadvisor, Inc.), so your Viator listings appear on TripAdvisor automatically.
Viator takes a percentage of each booking (typically 20-30%). There’s no cost to list, only when you receive a booking through their platform.
Should you also list on Airbnb Experiences, GetYourGuide, etc.?
Yes, if you can manage inventory across multiple channels.
Multi-channel distribution benefits:
- Reach different audience segments
- Reduce reliance on one platform
- Fill empty tour slots faster
The catch: You need a way to sync availability in real-time to avoid double-bookings. Booking software that integrates with multiple OTAs (online travel agencies) makes this manageable.
Tracking your performance
TripAdvisor provides free analytics for claimed listings:
- Page views
- Clicks to your website
- Review trends
- Ranking changes
Use this data to:
- Identify which tours are getting the most interest
- See where you rank for different search terms
- Spot seasonal trends
If you’re getting views but not bookings, your photos, pricing, or description likely need work.
Final checklist
Before you hit publish on your TripAdvisor/Viator listing, make sure you have:
- [ ] Clear, specific title with duration and location
- [ ] Detailed description answering common guest questions
- [ ] At least 10 high-quality photos
- [ ] Accurate pricing and availability
- [ ] Relevant categories and tags selected
- [ ] Contact information and website link (if applicable)
- [ ] Booking software integration set up (to avoid manual updates)
What happens after you list
Expect a slow start. New listings don’t rank high until they accumulate reviews and engagement.
How to accelerate visibility:
- Send past customers a link to your listing and ask for reviews
- Promote your TripAdvisor profile in email signatures and marketing
- Respond to every review quickly
- Keep your availability and photos up to date
- Experiment with pricing to find your sweet spot
Over time, TripAdvisor can become a significant booking channel, especially for travelers who discover you through search or while browsing other tours in your area.
Bottom line
Listing on TripAdvisor is free and gives you access to millions of travelers planning their next experience. The setup takes an hour or two, and if you integrate with booking software, ongoing maintenance is minimal.
Start with a solid listing, collect reviews, and refine your photos and description based on what converts.
Your next booking could come from someone who’s never heard of you but found you on TripAdvisor.
If you’re ready to get more bookings and give guests a friction-free way to reserve their spot, explore how Xola can help. Book a free demo.
