Smart Booking, Happy Elephants: The Tech Behind a Thai Sanctuary’s Success

In this Pride Month special, Rebekah speaks with Captain Jen and Captain Janet of Sundog Sailing about their journey as queer women in the sailing and tourism industry. They share how they built a business rooted in inclusion, hospitality, and joy all while creating a safe space on the water for everyone. Together, they reflect on the importance of visibility and representation in tourism, the personal stories that shaped their business, and how being themselves has been the most powerful form of leadership. Captain Jen and Captain Janet encourage donations to the following organizations: PFLAG The Trevor Project We Are Team Jake This episode must-listen for queer entrepreneurs and anyone who’s ever built something from the ground up with heart. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the full episode on YouTube!

In this engaging conversation, Rebekah speaks with Captain Jen and Captain Janet of Sundog Sailing about their experiences as queer women in the sailing industry. They discuss the importance of inclusivity, visibility, and mentorship within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the unique experiences they offer through their sailing tours. The captains share their journey of love, friendship, empowerment, and the joy of creating a safe space for all individuals to express themselves while enjoying the beauty of sailing. Looking to create a more welcoming experience for your guests? Let Sundog Sailing show you what it means to lead with authenticity and purpose! Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Charlie from Adventure Cat Sailing joins Rebekah to share how one of San Francisco’s most iconic tour businesses creates a smooth, guest-first booking experience on and off the water. They discuss what it takes to build trust through branding, how FareHarbor tools help remove friction from the guest journey, and why thoughtful pricing, team culture, and follow-up reviews all matter. If you're thinking of upgrading your booking flow, scaling your guest experience, or exploring reservation softwares built for tour operators, this episode is for you! Listen in for insights on marketing, operations, and what makes guests come back for more.

What happens when a growing ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand upgrades to a smarter reservation system? In this episode, Rebekah sits down with Vincent, General Manager of Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, to explore how FareHarbor helped them streamline operations, improve guest experience, and scale sustainably. Vincent shares the sanctuary’s growth story, including how they survived the pandemic, embraced ethical tourism practices, and now manage up to 300 guests per day—all while protecting their elephants and educating travelers.  We also dive into: - The launch of FareHarbor in Thailand - The benefits of mobile-first booking -Pivoting your business when things go awry - How FareHarbor’s tools and support helped Vincent’s team scale, automate, and thrive. - What ethical tourism is, especially when it comes to caring for animals Whether you're researching reservation software or already scaling your tourism business, this episode is a great look at how the right tech partner can power thoughtful, impactful growth.

How can tour and activity operators use Google Things to Do (GTTD) to drive more direct bookings and increase visibility? In this episode of Growth Powered by FareHarbor, FareHarbor Community Manager Rebekah Costley dives into how operators can leverage Google Things to Do to capture more organic traffic, optimize their listings, and reduce reliance on OTAs. Tune in to learn: ✔ What Google Things to Do is and how it works for tour and activity businesses ✔ How to optimize your listings to appear in Google search results ✔ Strategies for increasing direct bookings using GTTD ✔ Common mistakes operators make with GTTD listings and how to avoid them This is a great episode for anyone looking to improve their Google presence, attract more customers, and stay ahead of industry trends. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts! #FareHarborPodcast #GoogleThingsToDo #TourismMarketing #TourOperators #DirectBookings #ScalingYourBusiness #TravelIndustry

Join host Rebekah Costley for a special International Women’s Day edition of Growth Powered by FareHarbor, where we celebrate the resilience, innovation, and success of women entrepreneurs in the tourism industry. In this episode, five inspiring women share their entrepreneurial journeys, challenges they've overcome, and strategies for success—from running food tours in Puerto Rico to leading adventure tourism businesses in Australia and Canada. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: How these women built thriving tourism businesses The biggest challenges they’ve faced—and how they overcame them Strategies for scaling, adapting, and staying competitive in tourism What it means to balance business, family, and personal growth The future of women-led tourism and leadership Featured Guests: Paulina Salach (Spoon Experience, Puerto Rico) – Culinary tourism & food-focused experiences Kaija Pack (Break Life, Houston) – Innovating with alternative therapy businesses Margit & Amy (Walk and Eat Spain, Madrid) – Expanding food tourism globally Tanya McCready (Winterdance Dogsled Tours, Canada) – Growing a seasonal adventure business Kate Forrester (Gold Coast Watersports, Australia) – Transitioning into adventure tourism Watch the extended version of this episode on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@FareHarborOfficial Connect with FareHarbor: https://fareharbor.com/blog/category/podcast/ | Join the Conversation at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fareharbor |  [Follow FareHarbor on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/fareharbor/posts/] 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow tourism entrepreneurs!

This episode is #incredible. Rebekah chats with co-founder Lia Garcia of Louisville Food Tours, about her journey from travel blogging to running a successful food tour business. Leah shares how she used SEO, influencer marketing, and affiliate programs to increase visibility and drive sales. Leah also discusses in detail the power of authentic storytelling and using it to build meaningful partnerships with local businesses to grow her revenue. If you’re a tour operator looking to enhance your marketing strategy and boost bookings via social media marketing and blogging, this episode has some valuable insights on how to leverage creativity as well as FareHarbor’s tools to achieve success!

We’re bringing you authentic stories from Spark 2024 in New Orleans in this episode! Join clients from diverse industries like Best Cabo Yachts, Cajun Food Tours, Navajo Tours Direct (and more!) as they share how FareHarbor has helped streamline their operations and boost bookings. From enhancing the customer experience to utilizing powerful features like FareHarbor Dock and our affiliate tools, these tour operators reveal how they’re using our platform to grow their businesses. Listen now for key insights on how FareHarbor empowers operators to succeed in an ever-competitive industry!

Rebekah sits down with FareHarbor’s CEO, Andrea, to discuss the future of the company and the recent changes that have sparked conversation across the industry. Andrea shares his vision for FareHarbor, insights into new product releases, and the “why” behind recent updates like the API and direct booking fees. Tune in for a transparent conversation on how FareHarbor aims to support clients' growth and keep pace with the evolving tourism landscape.

This episode of Growth Powered by FareHarbor is recorded at the historical Molly Brown House! Rebekah visits the home of the “unsinkable” Molly Brown to chat with the team behind the Molly Brown House, Historic Denver. They share how they’ve leveraged FareHarbor tools like FareHarbor Dock to streamline operations and boost walk-up sales. Plus, they dive into what it takes to stay relevant in the tourism industry while preserving Denver’s rich history.