Fotaflo Blog

Congratulations to Gage Morrow from CLE Tiki Barge, who is the August winner of the  Fotaflo Monthly Advocate Contest.

In today’s fast-evolving travel landscape, personalization and thoughtful post-trip engagement are proving to be powerful tools for fostering loyalty. For example, Phocuswire points out in this article that leveraging first-party data to “deliver more relevant, personalized experiences” strengthens customer relationships, as guests feel truly understood and valued.

In today's digital landscape, the power of social media is undeniable. For tour and activity operators, the guests who walk through your doors are not just customers—they are your most valuable brand ambassadors. 

Tour operators often focus on attracting new customers while neglecting the potential of return guests. This approach can be detrimental to your business’s profitability. Here’s why focusing on repeat guests should be integral to your marketing strategy.

Embarking on the journey of capturing the perfect moment is not just an art; it's a science. For tour and activity operators, the ability to standardize this process ensures that each guest leaves with at least one unforgettable memory. A memory that will serve as a portal through time, forever connecting your guests with your brand, your staff and the emotions sparked by the amazing experience you provide.

Congratulations to the group of guides from Camp Winnamocka in Arkansas, who are the June winners of the new Fotaflo Monthly Advocate Contest.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) have become powerhouses in the travel industry, monopolizing the booking pool for tours and activities. While OTAs can provide essential exposure and a steady stream of bookings for tour operators, they also pose significant risks and drawbacks.

The substantial budgets of OTAs allow them to outbid small and medium-sized operators in ad spending and SEO, effectively siphoning bookings that might otherwise go directly to the operators. This dynamic not only reduces operators' margins due to the OTA's commission but also subjects them to the whims and rules of the OTA.

OTAs prevent tour operators from collecting customer contact information, hindering operators' ability to build direct relationships with their clients, limiting opportunities for personalized service and marketing. This dependency on intermediaries for repeat business can lead to increased costs and reduced brand loyalty, as operators struggle to establish a long-term customer base.

The Tourpreneur Travel Community conducted a survey among travel technology companies to better understand the challenges tour operators encounter. Here we explore the top three identified challenges faced by operators and discuss effective solutions to address them.

Congratulations to the guide from Runners Adventures in beautiful Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, who is the May winner of the new Fotaflo Monthly Advocate Contest.

This episode highlights the importance of leveraging social media for peer-to-peer discovery and the benefits of nurturing existing customers over constantly acquiring new ones. Forbes provides concrete examples of how Fotaflo’s approach has led to substantial business growth for its clients, emphasizing the importance of customer referrals and repeat business in the travel and tourism industry.