The summer season consistently delivers the biggest revenue opportunity of the year for experience providers on GetYourGuide. In fact, our data shows a 50% boost in bookings from July 15 to September 30 compared to other times of year.
With the right strategies, you can turn this summer surge into higher bookings and revenue.
In this post, you’ll find tips to grow your revenue during peak travel season. You’ll discover actionable ways to increase bookings, revenue, and customer satisfaction when demand is highest.
Top strategies to maximize your summer revenue
1. Optimize your pricing for peak demand
Travelers save up for their summer trips and understand that it’s worth investing in quality experiences during their limited vacation. They're often looking for unforgettable experiences rather than the lowest price.
This is your chance to set prices that reflect the unique value of your experiences when demand is highest. By thoughtfully adjusting your pricing strategy to match demand, you can make the most out of your busiest months.
There are a couple things to keep in mind in your approach to tweaking prices by season:
- Understand market context: Research what travelers typically pay for similar experiences in your area. This helps you understand what your customers expect and ensures your pricing is both competitive and fair.
- Adjust prices strategically: Your busiest time slots, like sunset tours, weekend experiences, or holiday dates, naturally provide more value to guests and can be priced to reflect this. Similarly, if there are special events during summer months, like festivals that enhance the experience, your pricing can acknowledge this added value.
🟢 Tip: Add a special offer during a quieter weekday morning to keep bookings steady.
Note: While it's smart to adjust pricing for peak demand, avoid dramatic price increases that could hurt the customer experience or create unfair competition. Focus on reasonable adjustments that reflect genuine added value rather than simply capitalizing on high demand.
2. Expand your capacity strategically
Summer brings increased traveler interest, making it the perfect time to thoughtfully expand your capacity.
Start by reviewing data from previous summers: This will help determine when your experiences are in highest demand and tell you exactly where and when to add capacity this season.
🟢 Tips for expanding your capacity during peak season:
- Add time slots during your most popular hours and dates. Also consider offering early morning or evening slots to accommodate guests looking to avoid midday heat. Availability is crucial to staying visible and capturing last-minute bookings.
- Offer different group sizes to appeal to a wider range of customers. Smaller groups might attract those looking for more personal experiences, while larger group sizes make sense during your most popular times.
- Plan staffing increases and make backup plans to manage the seasonal rush without added stress. Having the right number of well-prepared team members ensures quality remains high even as you welcome more guests.
Example: After digging into last year’s booking data, you notice that your summer evening tours fill up extra quickly. Add a timeslot or two and offer both small and larger group options. Also schedule an additional staff person during those evenings to handle the uptick in bookings.
🟢 Tip: Test one new time slot in your consistently sold-out period before expanding further. This gives you a chance to see results and make adjustments as needed.
3. Market your listing for summer
You don’t have to overhaul your experience offerings to benefit from seasonal demand. Simply refreshing your listings to appeal to summer travelers can make a big difference in attracting more bookings.
How to optimize your summer listings:
- Highlight summer-specific policies & features: You probably already offer summer-specific perks and special offers to your guests. Show these in your listing to make your experiences stand out. For example, if you offer cooling amenities (air conditioning, shaded areas, water stations), include these in the “Know Before You Go” section of your activity listing.
- Update your photos to highlight the benefits: Show happy travelers, seasonal landscapes, and depict special summer features of your experience. For example, if you offer a hiking tour with lunch, include a photo of a shaded picnic spot on a sunny day.
- Revise your description: Mention any perks of booking during summer, such as warmer waters for rafting, increased chances of seeing local wildlife, or better aerial visibility for helicopter tours.
🟢 Tip: Be sure to incorporate any relevant keywords travelers might be searching for (like “summer sightseeing” or “air-conditioned tours”).
- Update your calendar & add dates: If you’re going to expand the time slots you’re offering during summer, make sure this is reflected in your calendar listings. Keep everything up to date to make it easy for travelers to book. On the contrary, be sure to block off dates when they are fully booked or unavailable. Accurate availability information creates a better booking experience for travelers and helps build traveler trust.
Example: If you operate a city cruise, make sure to include photos in your listing of how your tour stands out. For instance, Sunshine Scenic Tours shows photos of happy guests with staff decked out in pirate costumes. Also emphasize in the tour description if prices include cool refreshments, and that summer offers better visibility for sightseeing.
4. Plan for summer challenges
When summer demand is high, even small setbacks can have a bigger impact. You may have more bookings, but that means a sudden summer storm or destinations already overrun with tourists can result in lower guest satisfaction.
If you’re proactive about these potential challenges, you can cut down on the stress and keep things running smoothly. Here are some ideas to help your planning:
- Create weather contingency plans: Create alternative routes if weather cuts time short, and make sure you adjust any activities to the weather conditions, like high heat or thunderstorms. This could include incorporating indoor alternatives for tours or identifying spots to go for cover on outdoor activities. Always communicate your weather policies clearly and offer reasonable rescheduling options when necessary.
- Beat the crowds: Take note of less crowded times to visit key sights and adjust time slots accordingly. Also consider offering alternative routes and smaller group sizes to appeal to guests who want to avoid the rush.
🟢 Tip: For walking tours, visit popular sites in reverse from most standard tours, and provide alternative time slots (like evening experiences) to avoid larger crowds. These simple adjustments can dramatically improve the guest experience.
- Set up communication protocols: Train your team on how to handle various scenarios and communicate changes professionally. Create simple scripts for common situations so your team can confidently address issues. Make sure everyone knows who makes decisions when plans need to change.
- Use our Pickup Planner to simplify your pickup process. This tool allows you to manage your pickup logistics and makes it easy to communicate any changes directly to travelers from a single dashboard.
🟢 Tip: Quick, clear communication about changes or adjustments is often what guests remember most. Responding to customer questions on time, keeping logistics organized, and having solutions ready in case plans shift are all factors that contribute to positive reviews.
Example: Train your staff on what to do if a sudden summer storm hits. You could move an outdoor city tour to focus on indoor attractions (like a food hall or cathedral) or adjust the start time to avoid peak crowds at these locations. You could then use the Pickup Planner to quickly update guests about the change.
Ready to boost your summer revenue?
Pick one of these tips to implement this week. It’ll help you capture more of the summer demand and can make a meaningful difference to your bookings this season.
Use this checklist to maximize your revenue during high season:
- Optimize prices during peak season by looking at similar experiences in your destination and identifying your most popular time slots.
- Expand your capacity strategically by drawing on last year’s booking data to add time slots, offer different group sizes, and schedule extra staff accordingly.
- Market your listing for summer by highlighting seasonal perks, showing relevant photos, considering keywords, and updating extra time slots on your calendar.
- Plan for weather and crowd management by preparing contingency plans, training your staff for sudden changes, and using the Pickup Planner to simplify your processes.
Head over to the Supplier Portal now to update your listings
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