Ryan Connolly went from finance analyst to glacier guide to co-founder of Hidden Iceland. In this episode, he shares the numbers behind their most pivotal business decision: cutting small group tours that represented 50% of their departures but only 10% of revenue.That shift to exclusively premium and luxury private tours helped the company grow by 5% while improving quality and profitability. Ryan explains how relationship marketing drives 70% of their bookings directly without OTAs, why they lead with education when working with travel advisors, and why PR outperforms paid advertising when selling luxury experiences.Plus, the story of how a three-year journey across 40 countries led him to Iceland, where he met his wife on a glacier tour and built a business with two partners.Top 10 Takeaways for Tour Operators1. Cut unprofitable segments ruthlesslySmall group tours accounted for 50% of Hidden Iceland's departures but only 10% of revenue. After eliminating that segment, they grew 5% by focusing resources on premium and luxury private tours where margins are higher.2. Partner with competitors instead of viewing them as threatsWhen customers can't afford Hidden Iceland's luxury pricing, Ryan personally introduces them to partner companies that serve the budget segment. This maintains relationships and positions them as helpful experts rather than pushy salespeople.3. PR drives better ROI than paid ads for high ticket salesOver 450 articles in publications like Condé Nast, Forbes, and CNN have driven 70% direct bookings. For luxury trips ($20,000+), earned media builds trust better than Facebook or Google ads.4. Lead with personal story in first customer contactRyan's initial email starts: "Hello, my name is Ryan. I'm originally Scottish. I've lived in Iceland since 2016. I originally trained as a glacier guide..." This builds immediate trust and differentiates from transactional competitors.5. Educate travel advisors. Don't just sell to themHidden Iceland runs webinars teaching agents about Iceland's seasons, distances, and what each time of year offers. Not sales pitches. The education first approach builds meaningful advisor relationships that generate 30% of bookings.6. Vet activity partners on safety and environmental standardsBefore partnering with snowmobile companies, helicopter tours, or other providers, Hidden Iceland shares their own safety and environmental policies first, then asks partners to reciprocate. This creates collaboration, not just transactions.7. Train guides to be themselves, not follow scriptsInstead of teaching guides what to say at each stop, Hidden Iceland tells them: "Be yourself in the most authentic way possible and create genuine connections." This leads to reviews that praise the guide more than the destination.8. Choose conferences strategically. Avoid the herdRyan skips luxury travel conferences if more than 2 or 3 other Iceland companies will attend. Less competition means easier differentiation and more meaningful conversations with travel advisors.9. Keep the sales process low tech and high touchDespite having a CRM (LEMACS), Hidden Iceland puts key itinerary details in the body of emails and offers phone calls early. For luxury clients, human connection trumps slick automation.10. Build the business with partners you trust implicitlyRyan emphasizes: "Don't set up a company with anyone you don't trust inherently and that you believe will communicate effectively during the hardest times." Through pandemics and volcanic eruptions, Hidden Iceland's three owners have never shouted at each other because they chose partnership carefully.

Kevin and Sylvia launched iRide Arusha in July 2024, offering motorcycle tours and rentals in Tanzania. Within 18 months they scaled across four East African cities through a franchise model called iRide Africa, with partners operating in Rwanda, Nairobi, and Mombasa. The franchise structure allows riders to cross borders and book multi-country tours.The episode covers operational realities: importing equipment across borders, navigating tourism regulations, managing multi-country payment processing, and running rentals and guided tours as two distinct businesses with different customer profiles and sales cycles. Kevin and Sylvia share how they find customers through motorcycle clubs, price for premium buyers, and use immediate response times as a competitive advantage.TOP 10 TAKEAWAYS1. Test adjacent niches when your market is saturatedRather than launch another safari company in an oversaturated market, Kevin and Sylvia identified motorcycle touring as an underserved adventure niche in East Africa. Consider what adjacent experiences your destination supports that competitors aren't offering.2. Franchise models can scale faster than going soloWithin 18 months, iRide expanded across four East African cities through franchise partnerships. Partners share mechanics, bikes, marketing resources, and customer referrals. This creates a network effect where riders can start in one country and end in another, adding value no single operator could deliver alone.3. Target communities, not just individualsKevin reaches out directly to motorcycle clubs in major US cities. One Chicago BMW Riders club is bringing eight people in February. Booking one club creates the revenue of eight individual customers with a fraction of the acquisition cost. Find the clubs, associations, or communities that match your experience type.4. Customer service is a competitive advantage in developing marketsTheir immediate response times and willingness to hop on Zoom calls builds trust fast, especially for customers who've never been to Africa.5. Platform diversification requires testing, not guessingiRide is on Get Your Guide, Viator, Klook, WeTravel, and fielding Facebook messages, but hasn't found the magic channel yet. Test widely, track what converts, double down there.6. Price for the experience you're actually delivering, not your self-doubtKevin admits they severely underpriced at launch. Beginner business owners often can't see their own value clearly. If you're offering wow moments and authentic connections, charge accordingly.7. Guided vs. rental requires different marketing and operationsRental customers (experienced, self-sufficient, quick decision makers) need less hand-holding than guided tour customers (more questions, longer planning cycles, higher price points). These are functionally two different businesses with different messaging, pricing, and customer profiles.8. Gross revenue and net income are very differentVehicle maintenance, cross-border parts sourcing, and insurance eat into margins constantly. Build cash reserves and expect hidden costs, especially in asset-heavy businesses.9. Local language fluency unlocks competitive advantagesSylvia's Swahili fluency helped navigate Interpol holds on imported bikes, handle tourism police complaints from competitors, and build long-term supplier relationships. Language access isn't just customer-facing—it's operational power.10. Differentiation isn't just what you do, it's how guests connectGuests consistently cite the vastness of the landscape and local interactions (like lunch with Sylvia's 88-year-old farming grandmother) as their standout memories. Design for connection points your format uniquely enables.

This conversation with Jeff Gayduk, publisher of Premier Travel Media, reveals an industry at a transformative inflection point where specialized group travel is experiencing unprecedented growth despite predictions of its demise. Speaking from his unique vantage point overseeing multiple travel industry verticals, Gayduk identifies 2026 as a watershed year driven by three major events—the World Cup, Route 66's centennial, and America's 250th anniversary—while highlighting the explosive growth in niche markets from pickleball tourism to multi-generational family trips. The discussion underscores a fundamental shift in how travel experiences are designed and marketed, moving away from cookie-cutter itineraries toward highly specialized, passion-driven offerings that leverage everything from sports tournaments to career readiness programs, with successful operators focusing on authentic relationships and deep expertise rather than trying to compete with legacy brands on traditional offerings.10 Key Takeaways1. Group Travel is Experiencing Its Most Exciting EraThe group travel market has undergone a complete transformation since COVID, moving from a defensive position of proving relevance to an offensive surge of innovation and growth. Special interest groups, family bonding experiences, and educational opportunities are creating unique travel products unavailable to individual consumers. The pandemic's forced separation actually accelerated demand for meaningful group experiences rather than diminishing it.2. Three Major Events Will Define 2026 TourismThe World Cup across 16 North American cities will bring 6.5 million visitors with 40% from overseas, creating massive opportunities for tour operators in hub cities. Route 66's anniversary and America's 250th celebration will generate patriotic tourism and historical programming throughout the year. These events create both standalone opportunities and chances for creative tour operators to build complementary experiences around the main attractions.3. Sports Tourism Has Become the Industry's Hidden GiantYouth sports tournaments drive consistent weekend travel with families spending whatever necessary for their children's athletic participation, creating massive but underserved tourism segments. Adult amateur sports, particularly pickleball, are seeing explosive growth with facilities featuring 32-64 courts becoming destinations themselves. The opportunity lies not in the games themselves but in creating experiences for the downtime between matches, serving families who are tourists without tour infrastructure.4. The Student Travel Market Has Evolved Beyond Class TripsCareer readiness programs are emerging as students face AI-driven uncertainty about future employment, with manufacturers and trade schools becoming unexpected tourism partners. Small, specialized STEM groups and performance ensembles are replacing massive band trips, creating opportunities for highly targeted educational experiences. College visit tours have become sophisticated multi-campus experiences as the stakes for education choices continue rising.5. Niche Specialization Beats General Tourism Every Time"The riches are in the niches" has proven true as operators who focus on specific passions outperform those trying to compete on standard itineraries. Technology now enables operators to reach highly specific audiences globally rather than being limited to local marketing through yellow pages and park districts. The tighter the niche, the easier it becomes to market and the more likely customers are to pay premium prices for expertise.6. Multi-Generational Travel Represents Billions in Untapped OpportunityOlder Americans with disposable income are funding entire family trips, from luxury yacht cruises to Disney vacations, often including extended...

Pete Syme talks with Drew Falkman about vibe coding, a way for tour operators to build custom software tools using plain English prompts instead of traditional programming. Drew explains how AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude have been trained on code repositories, allowing them to generate working applications from simple descriptions. The conversation covers why this matters for small operators, what you can build, the learning curve, costs, security considerations, and how this technology could shift the relationship between tour operators and the software they depend on. Pete emphasizes that operators already have the same AI access as hundred million dollar companies and encourages spending at least an hour daily experimenting with these tools.Top 10 TakeawaysYou can build tools without coding knowledge. AI tools trained on code repositories can generate working applications from plain English descriptions, making app building accessible to anyone.Most SaaS tools don't fit your exact workflow. You end up paying for applications where 80% of features you're not using because they're designed for other industries, but the things you do use aren't quite refined enough.Start with internal workflows, not customer-facing apps. Build tools for internal processes first. Don't go public with what you build until you have experience, as you can get 80 to 90% correct quickly, but that last bit is more challenging.Map your processes before building. Write down all your processes on paper, rank what's most important, and list what you really don't like doing. This helps identify where custom tools can have the biggest impact.The learning curve has three main steps. First, learn to plan what you want to build (20 to 30 hours). Second, design the workflow and user interface (a few hours). Third, understand data and databases (a couple days). Total time to get comfortable is roughly a few weeks of focused learning.Tools like Lovable cost around $20 per month. There are small monthly fees for vibe coding platforms, plus hosting costs if your tool is public-facing. Tools like Lovable, Bolt, Replit, Magic Patterns, and N8n each serve different purposes.Keep data storage minimal for security. Don't store sensitive information like credit card numbers or social security numbers. Use third-party authentication (Google, Microsoft, Apple) and payment processors like Stripe to handle sensitive data.You can build custom booking flows and optimize conversions. Create your own booking engine where you control every step, then use analytics tools to see where people drop off and experiment with improvements to increase completion rates.This threatens the traditional SaaS industry. Large companies spending millions monthly on SaaS are already exploring vibe coding to reduce costs. What happens at that level will cascade down through the industry to the tools small operators use today.Just try it to understand the possibilities. Go to lovable.dev, run a prompt, and build something. You won't fully understand what you can do until you experiment. You have nothing to lose with free versions, and no one else will see your experiments.Want to learn vibe coding yourself? Drew teaches courses on building apps without code. Visit drewfalkman.com to explore free resources and paid courses that walk you through the process step by step.

Born from a wine import business and shaped by deep relationships with multi‑generational wineries, Joy of Wine Journeys built a premium, multi‑day model with a ~75% repeat rate. Natalie shares why they skip big cities, how “depth over density” creates value, and how pricing, partnerships, feedback, and tight ops compound into growth.Top 10 takeaways1) Repeat guests keep coming back. About 75% rebook, often bringing friends and family. Nail the first trip and lifetime value follows.2) Win the in between. Don’t try to run Paris or Venice. Guests fly into a gateway, then the tour connects the regions in between where long winery relationships unlock access and stories.3) Fewer stops, deeper moments. Five wineries in ten days. Hosted visits. Family meals. Time to linger. People remember conversations and rituals, not mileage.4) Price for the value you deliver. Raise prices as the experience improves. Let booking behavior and guest comments set the ceiling, not nerves.5) Partners make you resilient. When a bus failed, local partners mobilized vans, cold water, and support within the hour. Good relationships turn problems into loyalty moments.6) Feedback is the roadmap. Debrief during and after each tour, then keep, change, or cut. Trim bloat, smooth pacing, and upgrade hotels, meals, wines, and transport.7) Know who you serve. Average age ~63. Well traveled. Hungry for hosted, exclusive experiences without snobbery. Design pacing, teaching, and access for that person.8) Confirm, confirm, confirm. Book a year out, then reconfirm at six months, three months, one month, and day‑of. Fewer surprises. Smoother days.9) Help in the cities even if you don’t operate there. Refer guests to vetted guides in Venice, Milan, Paris, Nice, and Florence so the whole trip feels looked after.10) Use tech to support margins, not as the magic. TravelJoy for CRM, WeTravel for euro payments, Travelfy for itineraries, QuickBooks for the back office. The differentiator is still access, hosting, and relationships.

When Justin Buzzi launched a clear kayak tour in Florida, his goal was to offer something memorable. What he built was one of the most highly rated kayak experiences in the country—with over 50,000 five-star reviews and 30+ franchise locations.In this episode, Justin joins Dustin Miller of Conversion Assist to unpack how they built a guest experience that keeps working long after the paddles are down. From guide training to personalized automations, they reveal the systems and strategies behind their flywheel of reviews, repeat customers, and referrals.Whether you run one tour or many, this conversation offers clear, actionable ideas for tightening operations, earning stronger reviews, and building a reputation that scales.Top 10 TakeawaysStart with experience. Build with systems. Clear kayaks got attention, but it was the systems behind the scenes—like training, hiring, and guest communication—that turned Get Up and Go Kayaking into a scalable business.Google reviews matter most. While they still collect reviews on TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and Facebook, the team prioritizes Google for its impact on search visibility and conversion. That focus shapes everything from email copy to in-person asks.Follow up with every guest, not just the booker. After each tour, automated messages go out to everyone who attended—not just the person who paid. That alone tripled their review volume in one year.Set expectations before guests arrive. Automated pre-tour texts help guests feel informed, reduce no-shows, and create a smoother arrival. That positive start lays the groundwork for better reviews.Empower guides to own the guest relationship.Top guides build connection, read the group, and ask for reviews in ways that feel natural. Some have personally earned over 2,000 five-star reviews through great service and follow-up.Automation can still feel personal. With name-based SMS, segmented follow-ups, and smart timing, Dustin’s system balances efficiency with a human touch. Guests feel supported without extra strain on the team.Use your off-season to get stronger. Slow months are for updating SOPs, refreshing content, replacing gear, and optimizing tools. When the season picks up again, the whole operation runs better.Your reviews are a roadmap. Use AI to analyze common praise and complaints in your reviews. What guests love should shape your messaging. What they question should inform training or improvements.Bad reviews are a chance to show who you are. Reply quickly, stay calm, and put future guests at ease. Dustin recommends using AI to help write thoughtful, emotionally neutral responses if needed.Great reviews grow more than bookings. Consistent five-star reviews improve search rankings, boost conversion rates, and increase the long-term value of your company. It’s not just a feedback loop—it’s a growth engine.

When Christian Wolters rejoined Intrepid Travel, his goal wasn’t to reinvent the brand—it was to reconnect it to its core. As President for Canada and GM of Marketing for North America, Christian brought a global perspective to a local challenge: how to ensure that Intrepid’s messaging reflected its values, operations, and guest experience.At the time, Intrepid already had strong credentials as the world’s largest B Corp-certified travel company—but its marketing had become noisy. Christian’s task was to bring back clarity and alignment.In this episode, he shares how the team rebuilt trust through transparent messaging, simplified their email strategy, and launched bold campaigns—like “Offsetting is not enough”—that prioritized substance over slogans.We explore how brand credibility starts internally, how even small teams can clarify their voice, and why the most effective growth strategy is simply this: make sure what you say matches what you do.Top 10 TakeawaysHere’s what stood out from Christian’s approach to brand leadership at Intrepid Travel—and how you can apply the same principles no matter your team size or marketing budget:Marketing only works when it reflects what’s realBefore crafting new campaigns, Christian focused on whether the brand’s messaging matched the guest experience. Effective marketing starts with operational alignment, not just creative ideas.Less content can create more impactIntrepid eliminated 70% of its email marketing output. By reducing noise and focusing on relevant, high-quality communication, they saw stronger engagement and a better connection with their audience.Transparency strengthens your positionInstead of promoting carbon offsets as a total solution, Intrepid launched a campaign that openly stated: “Offsetting is not enough.” That honesty sparked deeper trust among travelers who care about sustainability.Internal stories are the foundation of brand identityChristian built Intrepid’s external messaging around what employees already cared about and talked about. That made the brand more authentic, more consistent, and easier to rally around.Clarity attracts the right peopleGetting specific about Intrepid’s values helped bring in better-fit travelers, partners, and employees. When you know what you stand for, the right people find you—and the wrong ones self-select out.Show up with your real voice, not someone else’sChristian encouraged small operators to speak in their own words. You don’t need slick campaigns to earn trust—just a clear point of view and consistency in how you show up.Sustainability starts with how you operateFor Intrepid, being a responsible travel company isn’t just a message—it’s built into how trips are run, how suppliers are chosen, and how decisions are made. Marketing simply tells that story.Internal alignment makes external messaging strongerChristian made sure every team member could explain the brand’s purpose and values. When your team understands the story, they can embody it and share it more naturally with guests.Rebrands can help clarify—not just refresh—your identityIntrepid’s rebrand wasn’t just about visuals. It was about focusing the company’s message and voice to reflect its mission more clearly and consistently across all channels.Small teams can apply the same approachEven without big budgets or a full marketing department, operators can...

When Kirstin Reeder’s first-ever bookkeeping client turned out to be a tour operator, she didn’t expect it to change the course of her business. But that relationship revealed how often tour operators are misunderstood by traditional accountants. Today, Kirstin and her teammate Amber Call run Purple Sapphire Business Solutions, a firm focused entirely on the unique financial needs of the tour and activity industry.This episode is packed with real-world guidance on how to set up your books, track profitability, avoid fraud, and prepare for seasonality. Whether you are just getting started or running a multi-day operation, Kirstin and Amber share the habits and systems that help operators build financially healthy businesses and reduce stress at tax time.And if you're attending TourWeek 2025, you can come meet Kirstin in person!Download their free expense audit calculator

As part of our Growth series, recorded live in Berlin at GetYourGuide's 2025 Unlocked Summit, we now turn to Naples, Italy. Tourpreneur host Mitch Bach talks with Jasmine Palmieri, Commercial & Product Director for World Tours Italy.World Tours has scaled by keeping everything in-house—from their fleet of vehicles to employed tour guides—allowing them to maintain strict quality control as they grow. Jasmine explains their strategy of offering small group tours in multiple languages daily, staying ahead of competitors through constant innovation, and creating unique experiences like a Roman-era dining experience paired with archaeological tours. She emphasizes the importance of personal connection, having guides proactively reach out to clients and serve as local advisors throughout their stay, turning tourists into enthusiastic advocates who spread the word to friends and family.Episode sponsored by GetYourGuide. Join Tourpreneur in November for TourWeek 2025 in Charleston, South Carolina!

Welcome to the Growth Series! Tourpreneur hosts Peter Syme and Mitch Bach attended GetYourGuide's Unlocked event in Berlin in September, and recorded several conversations with tour operators who have scaled their businesses to tens and hundreds of thousands of travelers. They share their insights and secrets in this series.In this conversation, Peter talks with Arzu Tutuk, Founder and Managing Director of Walks in Europe. She shares her journey from being a solo tour guide in Istanbul to running a scaled operation across multiple cities in Europe. They talk about the importance of delegation, leveraging technology, understanding pricing strategies, managing cash flow, and enhancing customer communication. Arzu highlights the need for small operators to expand their partner networks and adapt to market trends, particularly the growing demand for personalized and private tours.Key takeawaysDelegation is crucial for scaling a business.Your time as a business owner is more valuable than guiding.Invest in customer service to free up your time.Utilize technology to streamline operations and bookings.Pricing strategies should be dynamic and responsive to market demand.Cash flow management is essential for business sustainability.Effective communication with customers can increase bookings.Private and customized tours are becoming increasingly popular.Expanding your partner network can accelerate growth.Diversifying sales channels is key to reaching more customers.More on tourpreneur.com