Shows
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastBalancing Soul, Scale & Authenticity in Food Tourism (w/ Lauren Aloise of Devour Tours)What does it take to grow a food tour company without losing what made it special in the first place? Mitch Bach talks with Lauren Aloise, co-founder of Devour Tours and now VP of Marketing and Guest Experience at Walks-Devour Tours, joins us to unpack the hard-earned lessons of scaling with soul. From cooking classes in her Madrid apartment to managing operations across continents, Lauren shares how Devour stayed grounded in hospitality, storytelling, and meaningful local partnerships—even as it greatly expanded.Mitch and Lauren explore the tough questions many tour operators face: How do you train gu...2025-07-1556 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastSelling Tours Through Guide Platforms: Advice, Trends, and ChallengesMitch Bach is joined by ToursByLocals CEO Lisa Chen and Sherif Abiza, Chief Community Officer of Withlocals. Together they discuss a recent incident of guide poaching amongst tour platforms, and talk about what trust and fairness looks like in our industry.Guide platforms operate differently than other OTAs like GetYourGuide, Viator or Klook, since they deal primarily in solo entrepreneurs who themselves are the face of the tour.In this episode of Tourpreneur the group discusses:what does the platform's commission get spent on?how a guide platform acquires a customerwhat goes into a...2025-06-1649 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastSell More Tours through Partnerships (w/ Nicole Mahoney of Travel Alliance Partnership)Nicole Mahoney runs Travel Alliance Partnership, a small group of tour operators banding together to create more buying power with suppliers, resell each others' tours, and much much more. In this Tourpreneur episode Nicole talks with Mitch Bach about how powerful these kinds of B2B partnership models can be when it comes to growing your tour business.Watch the video, show notes, and more at tourpreneur.comAnd join us for our TourWeek 2025, our global conference in Charleston, SC November 10-13!2025-06-1244 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastBuilding a Next-Generation Multi-Day Tour Brand through CommunityKatalina Mayorga is the powerhouse founder of El Camino Travel, a multi-day tour company reimagining the group trip experience for a new generation.But she's also much more than a tour operator. To sell her trips she's leaned heavily into community, creating a membership that serves not only as a customer base, but a space for likeminded 'bold women' to share recommendations and advice. And to power this community, she's created a new tech platform that is re-imagining the travel booking flow in an age where we're all drowning in the mediocre recommendations of AI and endless...2025-05-261h 08Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastConnectivity Series: Multi-Day Tour Connectivity - Past, Present & FutureKelly Tompkins is the Founder & CPO of ReserveX, building software infrastructure that connects the components of our whole industry: Multi-Day tours, Day tours, Travel Advisors, OTAs, Meta-Search, and more.He's also been in the industry for a long, long time.Together with Tourpreneur host Peter Syme, Kelly talks about where the industry has been, and where it's going. He specifically looks at the disconnects in selling multi-day tours, how API connectivity can open your company up to more sales channels, but also the challenges in creating digital multi-day inventory.Along the way he...2025-05-0251 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastGetYourGuide’s Evolving Approach to Curating an Experience Marketplace (w/ Tao Tao, COO)GetYourGuide has recently surpassed 200 million tickets sold. Co-Founder & COO Tao Tao sits down with Tourpreneur's Mitch Bach, Peter Syme and Chris Torres to talk about the challenges and surprises of 16 years of scaling an online experiences marketplace.As always, we focus on takeaways for tour operators as Tao Tao shares data and insights. We examine the tensions inherent in balancing the needs of both suppliers and travelers, especially when it comes to curation—and Tao Tao shares news of new steps they're taking to curate their tour offerings and ensure quality.We covered a lot in...2025-01-221h 02Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe 70-20-10 Rule for Preparing for 2025A Christmas Eve gift for you! We're just days away from 2025, so it's clearly time to start thinking about how you're going to grow and improve your business next year!Tourpreneur hosts Mitch Bach and Peter Syme have a conversation about what Pete calls the 70-20-10 rule for how to spend your time doing business development in the off season. (You'll have to listen to find out).We cover topics such as:Leading guide training and innovation workshopsfinding new sales partnerslooking at your financesa system for figuring out what's working and...2024-12-2442 minTourpreneur Tour Business Podcast6 Easy Fixes to Improve Your Tour Business ImmediatelyTP hosts Mitch Bach, Peter Syme and Chris Torres have just returned from their California Road Show, in partnership with GetYourGuide.We spent a week hosting business development workshops in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, meeting dozens of operators in all sorts of verticals. Thanks to everyone who showed up, and to GetYourGuide who shared regional data on travel trends and customer behavior insights relevant to the local market. The Tourpreneur team paired that data with live business audits.The results were surprising.In this episode, we look at 6...2024-12-1747 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastScaling a DMC that's Challenging Conventions & Changing Communities (w/ Rodrigo Atuesta of Impulse Travel)This episode is going to inspire and surprise you. Rodrigo Atuesta is the CEO of Impulse Travel. From humble beginnings as a guide and Couch Surfer, Rodrigo and his partners have built a DMC in Colombia that has now served over 30,000 travelers. But the way he's built it has been extraordinary, challenging assumptions about how DMCs should work, and understanding the responsibility and power that a travel company has to transform destinations.In this far-reaching conversation, Tourpreneur's Mitch Bach talks a variety of topics with Rodrigo:What he learned about hospitality and “meaningful interactions” from his days...2024-12-051h 11Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastCan Airbnb's Third Attempt at Experiences Succeed?In this quick episode, Tourpreneur partners Peter Syme and Chris Torres dive into the latest buzz around Airbnb's third attempt to amplify their experiences offering.Despite previous failures, Airbnb is pushing hard again, proclaiming that experiences represent a massive market opportunity. But can they succeed this time? Peter and Chris weigh in on the challenges Airbnb faces, from curating high-quality experiences to ensuring sustainable pricing for operators.They discuss the potential pitfalls of relying on non-professional hosts and the importance of integrating API connectivity for seamless bookings. Will Airbnb's powerful brand and vast resources finally...2024-09-2026 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow three successful TikTokers use social video to sell toursMitch Bach interviews three tour guides and operators who have become extremely popular on TikTok:Megan Marod (@themegandaily)David Harry (@the_london_spy)John O'Sullivan (@oneminutetours)These guides have all harnessed the power of TikTok in different ways that suits their personality, goals, and markets. But they have one thing in common: they say the key to success is showing up authentically.In this episode they tell their story and share their tips and strategies on a variety of topics:What videos of theirs had viral successHow to build authenticity and develop your...2024-09-091h 14Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTP Coffee Talk: What's been happening in the tours & activities industry?The Tourpreneur podcast is back! After a summer hiatus while operators were busy operating... we're returning to our weekly schedule of conversations and insights for the tours & activities industry.To kick off the fall season, TP partners Mitch Bach, Peter Syme and Chris Torres chat through everything that's been happening in the industry over the past month:What we hear about an industry 'slowdown' or 'softening' for tour operators, and whether it should change your business and marketing strategiesAI: is it overhyped? Is the bubble bursting? Pete and Mitch debate humans vs. AI: what's the future...2024-08-3159 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastPutting Vulnerability and Empathy at the Heart of Your Tour Business Strategy (w/ Kyle Campbell of Sudden Journeys)Excuse the length of this episode, but I jealously didn’t want to stop interviewing this week’s guest, Kyle Campbell, who runs her small-group multi-day tour company, Sudden Journeys. For some of you listening, this might be the episode you need to hear to relase yourself from the burden of thinking you have to keep producing more content to sell your tours.At first glance, this episode’s title might put you off: what do the seemingly “soft” words like vulnerability and empathy have to do with the hard realities and hustle of growing a tour business...2024-07-041h 28Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastContent Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Tour BusinessVisit tourpreneur.com for more show notes.Tourpreneur is hosting two conferences! Join us in November in Marrakesh, Morroco for CONNECT:Multi-day, and in February in New York City for CONNECT:Profit. More info here.In this episode, Lia Garcia, CEO of Practical Wanderlust and Louisville Food Tours, shares her journey from starting a blog to becoming one of the largest travel blogs in the world. She discusses her monetization strategy, which includes ad revenue and affiliate marketing. Leah emphasizes the importance of authenticity, trust, and storytelling in content creation. She also provides insights on partnering with bloggers...2024-06-081h 01Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastBeyond AirBNB: Essential Marketing and Partnership Strategies for Tour OperatorsIn this episode, we'll unpack why building direct sales through SEO and website optimization, along with embracing paid advertising on platforms like Facebook, can be game-changing, despite being time-consuming. We'll also discuss the importance of feeding Google's business profile and the significance of robust content production for SEO and AI.But the conversation doesn't stop there. We dive into the critical need for human-to-human partnerships to build resilient businesses, especially in light of Airbnb's controversial decision to remove a significant portion of their experiences inventory. Whether you're a tour operator or a small business owner, this episode...2024-05-2133 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastScaling Your Tour Business: Innovations and Strategies for Modern EntrepreneursSean discusses his contemplation on expansion strategies, weighing the pros and cons of growing his market in Ireland versus entering new territories like the UK with self-guided hiking tours. Amidst these considerations, Peter advises maximizing existing operations before venturing into new markets, highlighting the complexities of establishing business in new destinations.On the technology front, Luksa champions the potential of AI in streamlining communications and operations, a sentiment echoed by Edin who plans to integrate ThermoLogistix into his business operations. However, maintaining the human element in the business, especially in B2B relations, remains a key challenge...2024-05-091h 05
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastGuess Where Trips: Crafting self-guided surprise day trips (w/ Jessica Off)Mitch Bach speaks with Jessica Off, founder of Guess Where Trips, an e-commerce company creating physical and digital surprise road trips for customers across Canada and the U.S.Jessica is a serial travel entrepreneur, including work at G Adventures. In this episode, she talks about what led her to start an e-commerceThis episode will give tour operators the inspiration to think about ancillary product revenue streams that can complement their in-person business, utilizing the same destination knowledge and supplier connections to offer experiences to a new customer base!View the show notes...2024-02-1336 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTourpreneur Call-in Show - Driving Business GrowthWelcome to the Tourpreneur Call-in Show, where tour operators and travel industry professionals bring their burning questions to the table.Today, in our call-in episode, join hosts Chris, Mitch, and Peter as they tackle key topics around AI, attracting cruise ship agents and marketing to cruise customers, as well as questions around purchasing an existing business.05:43 Consider hotels for city stays to personalize experiences.10:16 Embrace failure as part of creative process.13:41 Marketing hidden gems creates its own challenges.17:14 AI travel planner focuses on commercial experiences.21:54 Consider demographics...2024-02-0159 min
Tourpreneur Multi-Day PodcastHow One Travel Blogger Became a Tour OperatorMariellen Ward is an award wining travel writer who fell in love with India. Her blogs, full of practical travel information for those considering an India trip, opened an opportunity for her to start operating trips in India herself.Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/2023-08-1454 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastBetter Business On Purpose: Make Money. Create Impact. Be A Force For Good. Conversation with Neil Witten on how tour operators can be highly profitable and be a force for good at the same time as having a very clear purpose. An engaging listen about how difficult and challenging doing business with a purpose is but one that when done correctly is highly rewarding. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/ For those interested, we recommend you check out Neil's book: https://amzn.eu/d/0TLas5o 2023-08-0752 min
Tourpreneur Multi-Day PodcastSelling the Experience & Crafting a Clear Customer Journey with Russel Astle-CoatesOn this episode of the Multi-Day Podcast with Russel Astle-Coates, we explore the importance of clear and prominent information on tour operators' websites. We discuss the placement of information, the use of testimonials, and the integration of chatbots to answer inquiries. Plus, we hear from Tourism Tiger about the value of building credibility with customers and maintaining a strong website.
Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023
https://tourpreneur.com/connect/
2023-07-2454 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWhat Makes a Great Tour Guide In this far-ranging conversation, Mitch and Claire Bown — two tour guide trainers — dive into the state of tour guiding today, and the skills that make a guided experience truly powerful. Find out more about Claire - https://thinkingmuseum.com/speaking/ Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/ 2023-07-171h 03
Tourpreneur Multi-Day PodcastThe Business of Ballooning: ROI, Safety, and Experience with Eliav CohenOn this episode of the Multi-Day Podcast, we explore the world of luxury hot air ballooning in Seattle.
Eliav Cohen details the intricacies of pricing, safety measures, and investment required for a ten-person balloon. We learn about the American Ballooning Safety and Training Association and the challenges faced by third world countries.
The episode also highlights the importance of cross-selling, marketing strategies, and automation, and our guest shares their experience with AI and building chat bot systems.
Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023
https://tourpreneur.com/connect/
2023-07-1049 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Power of Cultural Context in Travel ExperiencesOn this episode of our entrepreneur series with Kelly Lewis, we hear from Stephanie Flor, founder of a luxury travel company that focuses on providing a unique travel experience through a beauty lens. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/ Sponsored by https://tripadmit.com/tap-to-tip/ TripAdmit’s powerful digital tipping solution that doesn’t require an app or any additional hardware, enable guests to tip without cash and guides to receive payments seamlessly. Our tipping solution is entirely digital, providing a swift, effortless, and practical way...2023-07-0434 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTourpreneur Roundup 29th June 2023In this roundup, Mitch, Chris, Pete and Nikki are joined by our multi-day podcast host Mat Newton! Today we talk about Mat's Podcast, the importance of owning your own marketing accounts, Pete at the Travel Tech Conference and news on our venue for Tourpreneur Connect! Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/ Sponsored by https://tripadmit.com/tap-to-tip/ TripAdmit’s powerful digital tipping solution that doesn’t require an app or any additional hardware, enable guests to tip without cash and guides to receive payments seamlessly. Our ti...2023-06-2944 min
Tourpreneur Multi-Day PodcastTurning Your Social Media Following into a Successful Business with Denise CarnihanOn this episode of The Multi-Day Podcast, we learn from Denise Carnihan who had a large following of people interested in her personal journey and authentic local experiences. Her doubts about starting a tour group were put to rest when she posted on her Facebook page and received an overwhelming response.
Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023
https://tourpreneur.com/connect/
2023-06-261h 02
Tourpreneur Multi-Day PodcastWhy Quality Guides and Vehicles Make or Break a Safari Experience with Scott BrillsOn this episode of Tourpreneur, we explore the importance of educating potential guests for differentiation in the travel industry. Scott Brills shares their personal experience of a bad Kilimanjaro climb which led them to start their own Kilimanjaro trips. We also discuss the challenges of navigating the Serengeti, the value of having good guides, and the importance of partnerships in building a successful travel business.
Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023
https://tourpreneur.com/connect/
2023-06-1251 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Art of Crafting a Transformative ExperienceOn this episode of Tourpreneur, guest James Wallman shares his insights on designing unforgettable experiences, the shift from materialism to experientialism, and the importance of transformational experiences for happiness. He also shares his thoughts on the future of experientialism and the role of the organization in transforming the quality of life in the 21st century. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/2023-06-051h 09
Tourpreneur Multi-Day PodcastThe Ultimate Sales Machine: Converting Dream Clients into Reality with Ruth FranklinOn this episode of Tourpreneur, Ruth Franklin shares her secrets to success in the B2B market, using LinkedIn to create partnerships, building brand awareness through trade shows, and establishing a Maldives-based company that caters to local island tourism. Additionally, the episode will cover risk assessments, SOPs, health and safety manuals.
Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023
https://tourpreneur.com/connect/
2023-05-2948 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Tourpreneur Roundup: 24th May '23In this roundup, Mitch, Chris, Pete and Nikki chat about our Huddle in Puerto Rico, content creators, our Scottish meet-up and Huddle, announcing our 100 person event CONNECT in Seville and what the future holds for Tourpreneur. Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023 https://tourpreneur.com/connect/2023-05-2523 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business Podcast[Women] Travel Entrepreneurs: Moving Past Uncertainty to Build a Strong BusinessOn this episode of [Women] Travel Entrepreneurs, we delve into the multi-day business with Justa Alujiangana, who shares her journey of starting a business in Tanzania. With over a decade of experience in the industry, she talks about the challenges she faced and the lessons she learned along the way. Justa and Kelly discuss the importance of understanding your clients' needs, creating experiences from personal content, and the role of accommodations in the tourism industry.Join us for Tourpreneur Connect Seville, November 27-30, 2023https://tourpreneur.com/connect/2023-05-2238 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow the Concept of “Play” Can Improve Your Tours On this episode of Tourpreneur, we delve into the world of play and its importance in creating fulfilling and engaging travel experiences. Our guest expert—Samantha Hardcastle from The Storied Experience—discusses the various types of play and how they can be incorporated into your tours. We explore the demand for more interactive and creative experiences while learning how play promotes continuous learning and growth. Sam and Mitch both share experiences using gamification to engage children and adults, and how we can incorporate different modes of play in travel experiences to create a comfortable and enjoyable time for the guests. We lea...2023-05-1150 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastUsing Brain Science to Craft Immersive Tours w/ Paul ZakMitch Bach talks with neuroscientist Paul Zak about his latest book "Immersion", and how the brain principles he's discovered can help tour operators create more engaging tours. Read Immersion here. View video + show notes on the Tourpreneur website As always, Tourpreneur+ members get accesss to bonus content, including a course on designing more immerive tours. Guest Bio Paul J. Zak is a professor at Claremont Graduate University and is ranked in the top 0.3% of most cited scientists with over 180 published papers and more than 19,000 citations to his research. Zak’s two decades of...2023-04-2656 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWhat Tour Operators Can Learn from Content CreatorsJoin Nikki Padilla Rivera as she speaks with Amanda Walkins, (Wanderful, TMA) who shares her insights on how to bridge the gap between tour operators and content creators to foster more effective partnerships. Nikki and Amanda also discuss their experiences attending the Women in Travel Summit and how it provides a valuable opportunity for tour operators to connect with content creators. They share their thoughts on the importance of these types of events for building relationships, networking, and learning about industry trends. Women in Travel Summit tickets he...2023-04-1423 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastU.S. Tax Strategies for Tour Operators and GuidesIn this episode of Tourpreneur, Mitch Bach interviews Chris Foxcroft-Hibbs, the owner of Happy Lifestyle Accounting. Chris specializes in working with tourism businesses, including guides and operators. The episode focuses on income taxes and strategies for tour guides and operators to consider. Chris emphasizes the importance of making sure all transactions are recorded properly and all debts are in order. He also suggests working with a good accountant to help maximize deductions and ensure profitability.The discussion emphasizes the joys that can come from proper tax planning and preparation.[00:02:52] Tax strategy for small businesses.[00:04:54] Saving on y...2023-03-2753 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastMultiday Marketing, Websites, and Tour DesignMelbourne-based tour operator Mat Newton is one of the tour industry’s most insightful leaders, and has worked in all sides of our industry. He’s the founder of the respected Tourism Tiger website design agency, ran marketing for reservation technology company Peek Pro, has worked in SEO, and is now a multiday tour operator running several tour brands, including Patch Adventures (https://patchadventures.com.au/).In this episode, we talk about everything pertinent to the multiday tour operator: How to best set up your tour websiteHow to market a multiday tourComparing the day and multiday tour industriesHow to t...2023-01-121h 01
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTourpreneur Roundup: Looking Ahead to 2023Mitch, Pete and Chris look back at 2022 while also looking ahead to what the future brings in 2023. AI has potential to improve customer experiences in-store and online through personalized recommendations and marketing content Upcoming Demo Day with 18 resellers and OTAs presenting platforms and available for one-on-one conversations with attendees Tourpreneur website launches several new directories, including a travel technology software directory, a "green list" of vetted service providers, a directory for buying and selling tour businesses, and a Tour Operator World Map Tour Operator World Map allows operators to connect with local service providers and fo...2023-01-0923 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTipping, TikTok and Evolving Your BusinessTalking to tour operator John O'Sullivan is always a breath of fresh air; he likes to think deeply about the tour industry, and experiment with new ideas that often challenge the tour operator orthodoxy. John runs Depot Adventures in Melbourne, Australia and Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as a new TikTok-based venture, One Minute Tours. John's first Tourpreneur podcast was recorded with Shane back in 2019, where he shared his thoughts about the economics of the "free tour" model. It's still a worthy listen. Now he's back with a new venture, new locations for his old company. We cover a wide va...2023-01-0659 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Tourpreneur RoundupChris, Pete and Mitch discuss what's happening in the industry and share their thoughts. We also discuss upcoming events at Tourpreneur like our demo day and Huddles in the US and Europe. Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.2K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur2022-12-0530 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastCreating Bingeable Tours to Drive Repeat BusinessCreating Bingeable Tours to Drive Repeat Business John Kanaster of Battlefield Tours of Virginia explains how leaving his guests on a cliffhanger brings them back for more! Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 5.2K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit John's Website: https://battlefieldtoursofvirginia.com/2022-12-0146 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Challenge of Building a Water Sports Operation in FloridaKevin O'neil describes all the challenges he has faced when building his business including losing his location, legal challenges and having a heart attack! Join Tourpreneur+ for even more content: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ Join our free tour operator community of over 4.5K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Check out Kevin's business: https://destinywateradventures.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-oneil-787798156/2022-11-161h 03
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastResponsible Tourism In IndiaA discussion with Sachin Bansal from City explores and Regenerative Travel in India about doing tourism better for all stakeholders.Join our Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneurJoin Tourpreneur+https://tourpreneur.com/plus/2022-10-2447 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastGrowing Your Tour Business Through LinkedinGrowing Your Tour Business Through LinkedinPeter Syme and Chris chat about how Peter has made six figures growing his business through a seldom used social platform for the tours and activities sector… LinkedIn.Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneurVisit our website: https://tourpreneur.com2022-10-061h 01
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWomen in Travel: How to Craft Tours Focused on Telling the Stories of WomenWomen in Travel: How to Craft Tours Focused on Telling the Stories of Women Amanda, Carol, Zakia, Caroline and Mary discuss how they craft female focused stories and products in their tours. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com2022-10-0327 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThree Things Some Marketing Agencies Won’t Tell YouJust about every operator who I come across has a horror story about working with a marketing agency. This has left them with a bitter taste in their mouth and wary of trusting another to do the job they want them to do. Believe me, as an agency owner, this makes my job so much harder, but as an Agency owner, a lot of this ‘bad experience’ comes down to how an agency educates its customers and clearly manages expectations. In some instances, it also comes down to out-and-out lying on the part of the agency. So...2022-09-1511 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWomen in Travel: The Highs and Lows of Changing your Career into Tours & ActivitiesAmanda, Carol, Zakia, Caroline and Mary all moved from jobs outside of tourism to become tour operators. they share their stories to help those thinking the same. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com2022-09-0224 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastAI in tourism is here. You need to grasp the potential.AI in toursim is already here but just like electricity it is in the background. The potential and threat to tour operators from this tech is high. Jonathan Elkoubi and Peter Syme discuss the threats and opportunities. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Join Tourpreneur+: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/ 2022-08-301h 07
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastAlways Be Pivoting!In this second part of our interview with Akila McConnell of Unexpected Atlanta, Mitch Bach speaks with her on a wide range of topics, including:how virtual tours became 75% of her business, even after the pandemichow she's grown her experience box business to shipping 20,000+ units a yearworking with corporate clientsdoing a complete rebranding of a successful businessfinding your "zone of genius"understanding your business's end game, and crafting a business planhaving difficult conversations with yourself and your teampricing and profit marginsher top tip for conducting market research...and much more!**Tourpreneur+ members also get...2022-08-2848 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastFacebook Ad Basics: 5 Top TipsChris provides some Facebook Ad Basics you must follow to make sure your ad campaigns are hitting all the right notes with your audience and your business. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com Visit TMA: https://tourismmarketing.agency2022-08-2511 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWhy We Need More Women Mentors in TravelAmanda, Carol, Zakia, Caroline and Mary discuss those women who inspire them and why we need more female mentors in our industry. As always, we are looking for more women to share their voices. Please do email hello@tourpreneur.com if you wish to be considered. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com2022-08-1820 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Changing Face of Tour Operating and TourismPeter brings on Tony Carne—an old industry friend with over 40 years between them—to talk how the industry has changed: the good, the bad, mistakes that have been made, and successes and opportunities ahead.Join the Tourpreneur communityJoin Tourpreneur+ membership2022-08-151h 10
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastJoin Tourpreneur+: Less burnout, more profitsWe are excited to announce the lunch Tourpreneur+ Less burnout. Fewer mistakes made. More profits. Shane Whaley had a vision for Tourpreneur, one that he entrusted Mitch Bach, Pete Syme and myself to take to the next level. Well today we are excited to share with our community the launch of Tourpreneur+. Up until now, we have offer hundreds of hours of podcast episodes and hundreds of articles and an in-depth newsletter every week, plus a thriving Facebook community of thousands. At zero cost to you. This will not change! But...2022-08-1204 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastOperator Story: Neil Lapping of Macs AdventureNeil will share his story on how he grew the business, adapting to changes in the industry, how Brexit has affected his business and providing advice for others in the sector.Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneurVisit our website: https://tourpreneur.comVisit Macs Adventure: https://www.macsadventure.com2022-08-0942 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business Podcast5 Social Media Marketing TipsChris is joined by Marica Brewster of the Von Mack Agency shares 5 top social media marketing tips on how to grow your social presence and staying true to your brand. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: https://tourpreneur.com Visit Von Mack: https://vonmackagency.com2022-08-0430 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastCreating a Commission Free OTAPeter Syme sits down with Charles Odom of Painted Circle to discuss the ideas behind Painted Circle, and how he will make it commission free and how it will benefit operators.Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneurVisit our website: https://tourpreneur.comVisit Painted Circle: https://www.paintedcircle.com/2022-08-0151 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastInnovation for Tour OperatorsInnovation for Tour Operators In these challenging times for tour operators innovation is more important than it ever was. Marc and Peter discuss how tour operators can innovate and also some hints and hacks to help them. Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: tourpreneur.com Find out more about Marc: https://www.marcmekki.com2022-07-281h 06
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastOperator Story: Zakia Moulaoui Guery of Invisible CitiesOperator Story: Zakia Moulaoui Guery of Invisible Cities We take a look back at an interview Chris conducted in 2019 that has been previously unavailable on Tourpreneur. Zakia discusses how she came up with the idea of this amazing global social enterprise, by helping homeless people become tour guides! Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit our website: tourpreneur.com https://invisible-cities.org2022-07-2533 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWomen in Travel - How Women Can Be Better Represented in Travel Tourpreneur believes our industry needs more diverse voices so welcome to the first of our Women in Travel series. In this episode, the first 4 four recordings with Amanda Walkins, Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Caroline Conner and Carol El Hawary, they discuss how women can be represented in travel, from top level C-Suite positions to speaking at events. As always, we are looking for more women to share their voices. Please do email hello@tourpreneur.com if you wish to be considered. Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tourpreneur Visit the website: https://tourpreneur.com 2022-07-0621 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Experience Economy in Tours and Activities with Joe PineThe Experience Economy in Tours and Activities with Joe Pine In this episode, Chris Torres, Mitch Bach and Pete Syme talk with author Joe Pine to discuss The Experience Economy and how this can help deliver transformational experiences in tours and activities. We discuss... - What the Experience Economy is - How to design an experience - How to deliver an experience at every stage - Delivering transformational experiences in day tours and multi-day tours - How the Experience Economy fits in with the digitisation...2022-06-161h 00
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastLaunch of the New Look Tourpreneur and Tourpreneur+At Tourpreneur, it is our mission to make sure every tour operator who is a member of our Facebook group or a listener to the podcast achieves one thing, and that is to grow their profit margins. Our aim is to build upon the incredible foundation and values that were created by Shane, while adding more ways for you to learn and grow your business. The core of Tourpreneur will never change. We will continue to grow our community, producing the valued content you have all become accustomed to. If anything, between myself, Mitch And Pete, you will see...2022-05-1807 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastNew Ownership Announced at Tourpreneur'How lucky i am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.' After three years, Tourpreneur's Shane Whaley announces why he is leaving the show and revealed why he is thrilled to hand over the reins of the podcast and community to three industry veterans. Tourpreneur, the leading educational podcast and online community for tour operators around the world, will be under new ownership as of 11 May 2022, with big announcements to follow on 18 May regarding the new trajectory of the business. The new owners are travel industry veterans Mitch Bach, Co-Founder of TripSchool...2022-05-1125 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastArival San Diego – 9 Takeaways from 3 Tour OperatorsToday we hear from 3 tour operators who attended the in-person Arival San Diego event, they share what they learned and experienced. I was keen to hear what first-time attendees of Arival thought of the event, so today we are joined by Brian Cain of Crawl New Orleans and Jarrod Riddle of Sprit of Arizona Tours. We also invited Heather Fortes of Sactown Bites to our tour business round table discussion. Arival San Diego is Heather's second Arival event, she shares how she had set up her Sacramento food tour business just a few weeks before at...2022-02-1051 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business Podcast11 Tour Operators Reveal the One ‘Game Changer’ Skill They Want to Focus on in 2022 to grow their business.It's January, a time for new years resolutions and goal setting.In today's episode, Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley asked 11 activity and tour operators what one skill or competency they are focusing on to grow their business in 2022.If you are able to help our guests with advice on where they can master that skill or competency please share your thoughts with them and others in our online community.Shane also shares why he made the decision to attend Arival San Diego and reveals new features coming soon to Tourpreneur.If you...2022-01-1123 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTour Operator Round Table – What We Learned at Tourism Innovation Summit – TIS SevilleToday on Tourpreneur we hear from three listeners who attended the TIS Seville. What did they learn? And what are they going to do differently in their businesses as a result of attending? TIS is a new one for me so here is the official blurb. 'Tourism Innovation Summit is aimed to help tourism and travel industry to face all those short and long-term challenges. Seville will host again three days of disruptive masterclasses where success stories of travel are going on stage. Digitalization and innovation will be main discussion and plenty of solutions will be presented to the...2021-11-2358 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastArival 360 2021 postponed to January 2022 - The Tourpreneur TakeArival 360 2021 postponed to January 2022 - The Tourpreneur Take. Shane shares the sad news that Arival has been postponed to January 2022. He walks you through what this means for those of us who are registered. Shane also shares more about upcoming episodes and why you should join the Tourpreneur community if you are looking to create, launch and/or grow your tour business.2021-08-1413 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastBig Announcement! Two new series for tour operatorsThe Tourpreneur Tour Operator Podcast host Shane Whaley announces an upcoming new line up and features for Tourpreneur listeners. Tourpreneur will be back in July. 2021-06-0815 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWhy I decided to join Redeam and why it's good news for TourpreneurTourpreneur host and founder Shane Whaley shares why he has decided to join Redeam.com as VP of Sales and why this is good news for Tourpreneur listeners.Passionate sales leader known for implementing global business development, growth, and strategies focused on driving revenue and increasing market share joins rapidly growing travel technology companyBroomfield, CO (May 3, 2021) – Redeam, the leading and only independent global connectivity stack with digitized channel management and touchless voucher redemption/reconciliation solutions for the Experiences and Things To Do industry, today announced that highly respected, long-time travel industry veteran and Tourpreneur publi...2021-05-1513 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWhy 2021 is going to be a year of focus, plus Arival Insiders Pro and Clubhouse on Shane's Audio Journal.Many of you have written in asking me why I no longer produce a What I Learned This Week episode on Tourpreneur. In this short episode, I reveal what I learned in 2020 and how I am trying to be laser-focused in 2021 so I can deliver you even better content. Shane is not the only one trying to be more focused, he is in good company with Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky calling 2021 a year of focus. Also in this audio journal, I share more about how I organize my working week as a content creator and how I stay productive...2021-02-2519 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastPodcasts for Tour Operators - Day 19 of the 30 Day Tour Operator ChallengeAngela shares her favorite 3 episodes of the Tourpreneur Podcast and Shane suggests other podcasts for tour operators Sometimes, all you need to keep going is to hear from other tour operators on a similar journey. You’re not alone in the challenges you face. And the Tourpreneur Podcast is just the place to find out what tour operators all over the world are doing differently and learning along the way. 2020-11-1910 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastBoost Your Instagram Engagement - Day 6/30 Tour Operator ChallengeOn today's Tourpreneur, content marketing expert Kyla Steeves shares her tips on Instagram for tour operators. Engagement feeds engagement. By initiating interactions on Instagram, you can get your brand noticed while showing off a bit of personality. Most Instagrammers are flattered when a brand compliments them. So, the more you engage, the more visibility and followers you’ll gain Join the challenge at www.tourpreneur.com/challenge2020-11-0607 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWhy I Admire Tour Guides Even More After the Redeam Tour Guide ThrowdownThis week I was honored to be one of four judges at the first ever online tour guide throwdown hosted by Redeam. The event was a resounding success, well done Redeam and on this episode of What I Learned This Week I share with you why I admire tour guides even more following the event. I share with you how I combated groupthink and how refreshing it was to spend two hours enjoying a virtual event that was positive and fun.Check out the Tour Guide Throwdown Winners here.In this episode, I...2020-08-2513 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Story Behind Berlin Food Tour Company Fork And Walk Tours' Dov Selby.Tour operator Dov Selby joins us today to share the story behind Berlin Food Tour Fork and Walk Tours. He discusses the hurdles that he faced to become a tourpreneur and to start his own Berlin Food Tour business. He shares how Fork and Walk Tours in Berlin and Munich create interest around its products and the roles of OTAs, organic marketing, and paid advertising. Dov reveals how he builds relationships with local business and tour guides and highlights why it is vital to create a team that is passionate about your business. Dov also discusses how his new...2020-08-2246 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow To Build A Multi-Day Tour that is Unique and Different - with Peter Syme and Matthew SmithTour industry veteran and adventure specialist, Peter Syme, joins us today to share his perspective and advice on Matthew Smith's multi-day tour business, SOE Expeditions. This is a unique podcast episode of Tourpreneur as Matthew is at the early stage of building this particular tour business and he goes into detail for us about how to build a multi-day tour with a difference. Matthew shares the type of clients who are booking his niche multi-day tours and the physical and mental endurance needed to complete them. We discuss how to find a balance between pricing and profit and how...2020-08-181h 01
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastCopywriting Tips for Tour Operators with Dorene WhartonDorene Wharton joins us today to share copywriting tips for tour operators. She shares how writing copy is an art and science that tour operators can learn to produce powerfully engaging copy. We discuss what has changed since Covid-19, how to establish trust, and what hasn’t changed in terms of effective copy. Dorene's copywriting tips for tour operators highlight the must-haves for your content and stresses the importance of authenticity. She also discusses why good copywriting starts with your purpose and reveals how you can find the right balance between SEO keywords and your brand’s voice. 2020-08-0445 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastThe Future of Tourpreneur and why I need your help.In this episode of the Tourpreneur Podcast for tour operators, you can learn how you can help shape the content for future episodes. I explain why creating content for tours, activities, and experiences is challenging and ask you for your feedback on how I can create the content that will help you grow your tour business. The survey is available here - www.tourpreneur.com/survey2020-07-2613 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastFrom Digital Travel Executive To Popular Podcast Host - The Story Behind TourpreneurOn this 100th episode of Tourpreneur the podcast for tour operators, Rob Pitingolo of TripHacks DC turns the tables on founder and host Shane Whaley and pulls back the curtain on Tourpreneur at we celebrate episode 100. Tourpreneur Founder Shane shares his journey, from his decade long career at Booking.com and how he played a pivotal role in what Skift called ‘travel greatest acquisition’ to leading OTA GetYourGuide in the Americas to founding and producing a podcast for tour operators. On Episode 100 of Tourpreneur the podcast for tour operators, guest host Rob expertly quizzes Shane and asks:What...2020-07-071h 06
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTour Operator Check in - Catia of Lisbon StoriesIn this quick call, we check in with Catia , the tour operator behind Lisbon Stories Today we have a COVID-19 to operator check-in. I might even start calling these, just tour operator check-ins. I hate writing the word COVID-19 and today we feature our first ever Portuguese tour operator on the Tourpreneur Podcast. Catia of Lisbon Stories wrote to me saying: 'I'm writing to you from Portugal and our official tourism board has launched a program called clean and safe .It requires a few hours of online education. You have to elaborate a plan for your own company, and...2020-06-2125 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastMajor Arival news plus the beta launch of our free new resource for tour operators.In this week's episode, I share with you: Why we pulled an episode of Tourpreneur this week. How being candid and honest as a content creator requires a thick skin. Arival announced they are moving their Phoenix event from September to November. Arival Phoenix Cancellation policies and why I credit them for their clarity around what will happen if they are forced to cancel the event due to COVID regulations. My dilemma about whether to attend Arival Phoenix or not this year The beta version of the Tourpreneur Approved Directory What is coming up on the Tourpreneur Podcast.2020-06-0722 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow A Food Tour Operator is Growing Her Business During COVID-19 PandemicFood Tour Operator Theresa Nemetz of Milwaukee Food Tours joins us on the Tourpreneur Podcast. Theresa shares with us how she pivoted her food tour business during the Coronavirus pandemic to generate revenue and grow her business despite the lockdown.I love working in the tours and activities industry because the vast majority of tour operators are willing to share not just their success story but how they achieved success, with other tour and activity providers.My inbox blew up with Tourpreneur listeners asking me to interview Theresa on the show following a blog post...2020-05-1936 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastI've had enough. Let's build an independent resource for tour operatorsI have had enough. Not a week goes by when I don't receive an email from a tour operator who paid for a service/product/tool/app/course that did not deliver. None of us can afford to be taken for a ride. So today I am asking you to help me create the 'Tourpreneur Approved' directory. This will be a free online directory of services/products/tools etc. recommended by tour operators for tour operators. My idea is that each listing will be accompanied by a genuine testimonial from a tour operator (or 2) who is open to being...2020-05-1012 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow the WFTA can help grow your food tour business with Erik WolfWelcome to episode 69 of the Tourpreneur Podcast. Today we discover how the WFTA can help you start or grow your food tour business. We're joined by Erik Wolf, the founder and executive director of the World Food Travel Association. The world's leading authority on food and beverage tourism. The WFTA mission is to 'preserve and promote culinary tours through hospitality and tourism' and on this episode of the Tourpreneur podcast, you will hear how they strive to achieve that.2020-04-1230 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTour Operator Website Review and Tune-Ups with Jennifer Burke (66)This week, digital marketing expert Jennifer Burke and Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley put two tour operator websites through the Tourpreneur Tune-Up. We review TheTourGuy.com and TypicallySwissTours.com Listen in and hear our suggestions on what we like, dislike and how these tour operators could supercharge their websites.2020-04-0155 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow can the Tourpreneur Podcast serve you during the Coronavirus crisis?Our industry is hurting badly right now, there is no sugar-coating this. Shane wants to know what you wantto hear on the Tourpreneur Podcast as we battle through the coronavirus crisis together. My name may be on the intro but this is your show. Tell us what you need to learn or hear going forward. 2020-03-1614 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow Lauren built a Bay Area food tour business in a 'secondary' marketBuilding a profitable food tour business is tough. Building a food tour business in a 'secondary' destination with the foodie heaven of San Francisco right on your doorstep? Even tougher! On today's Tourpreneur, the podcast for tour operators, you will hear the story of Lauren McCabe Herpich, the tourpreneur behind Local Food Adventures in Oakland, California. In this candid conversation with Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley, Lauren McCabe Herpich shares with us the highs and lows about starting her own food tour business from scratch.2020-01-1454 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business Podcast2019 in Review: OTAs, Booking Platforms - with Chris TorresTourpreneur Host Shane Whaley and Digital Travel Show Host Chris Torress discuss the major events of 2019 for the Tours and Activities Industry. includes: OTAs for tour operators. Good or a bad thing or both?The changing face of the tours and activities OTA landscape.Booking.com pulling out of the Experiences sector (for now.)Massive changes at Expedia.What exactly is Groupon doing in the tours and activities space?How was Arival 2019 in Orlando for Shane and Chris? What did we learn? What did we enjoy?We give you our opinions on that res tech debate between Peek...2020-01-071h 08
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastSocial Media Tips for Tour Operators w/ Shawn TeasleyShawn Teasley sat down with Tourpreneur Podcast Host Shane Whaley and shared three social media tips for tour operators.I was excited to chat with Shawn, as she is a social media expert with vast experience of working within the tours and hospitality industry. She is also very generous with her time and knowledge because she is passionate about social media and tours. In this quick chat, I asked Shawn to share with us her top three social media tips for tour operators. Shawn has kindly agreed to come back on the Tourpreneur Podcast on a future...2019-11-2614 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastSpecial Announcement - Daily Dose of Inspiration for Tour Operators.Shane announces a new format and series of episodes for the next month on Tourpreneur. For the next four weeks, Tourpreneur will deliver you a daily dose of inspiration as we distill tips and strategies of fellow tourpreneurs in 10 min episodes.2019-11-1706 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastWho are Checkfront and how can they help your tour business? Round Table.On Episode 34 of Tourpreneur, the podcast for tour operators, we sat down with Checkfront who provide reservation software for tour operators, to find out more about the company and specifically how they can help tour businesses. An important element of selecting a booking platform for your tour business is getting a feel for the company, its mission and of course its employees. We can all take an online demo, read the publicity and the 'About' pages but will their values really align...2019-11-1531 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow do I promote my specialty tours? - Ask the ExpertHow do I promote my specialty tours asks an Edinburgh based tour operator? In this special Ask the Expert edition of Tourpreneur, Shane Whaley brings together tour operator, Olga the owner of Cobble Tales and a digital marketing expert and tour operator Ben Oliver of Drinking History Tours to tackle tough marketing questions. With practical and actionable advice any tourpreneur can implement, this hour is packed full of value. 2019-10-2256 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow To Build a Sustainable Tour Business with Anula GalewskaAnula Galewska, is a Tourpreneur, and a sustainable tourism expert. She helps small and big tourism businesses grow by improving their sustainability operations and marketing. Over the last decade, she has audited tour operators and hotels for sustainable tourism, so she's a real expert in this space. I wanted to talk to Anula Galewska because sustainable tourism means different things to different people. We all want to do more for the environment. We all want to do more for our local economy. We all want to build a sustainable tour business. We are all trying to make a profit...2019-10-0135 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow to improve guests experience on your tour with Josh Liebman.On Episode 27 of the Tourpreneur Podcast Guest Experience Expert, Josh Liebman of the Attraction Pros podcast shares his tips on how we can improve guest experience on our tours. I ask Josh what he's learned by evaluating theme parks and attractions that we can as tour operators implement in our business to improve the guest experience. How to improve guests experience on your tour with Josh Liebman and Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley. Welcome to Episode 27 of the Tourpreneur podcast where we flatten the learning curve to help you grow your tour business and delight your customers and...2019-09-2459 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow I built City Sightseeing San Francisco and now Magpie Travel- Spotlight on Christian WattsChristian Watts, founder of City Sightseeing San Francisco and now CEO at Magpie Travel shares his journey in the travel industry in our Tourpreneur Spotlight series. Christian Watts reveals in a candid conversation with Tourpreneur host Shane Whaley, how he moved to San Francisco and climbed the ladder in the travel industry. Christian started his career in tours and activities as a pedicab driver near Fishermans Wharf and went on to found the hop on hop off City Sightseeing bus tour company which he managed and grew for over two decades.2019-09-1150 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastSpotlight on Anna Karnowski: From Idaho to the One World ObservatoryOn Episode 21 of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Anna Karnowski, Senior Sales Director at the One World Observatory in New York City shares her journey in the travel industry in our Tourpreneur Spotlight series.Anna Karnowski reveals how she grew up in Idaho, brought up by a single Mom, moved to NYC and climbed the ladder in the travel industry.2019-08-291h 00Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow Jesse turned his passion for music into a thriving walking tour businessOn Episode 20 of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Jesse Rifkin shares his journey of how he turned his passion for music and music history into a thriving tour business.Jesse reveals in a conversation with Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley how he has built a full-time walking tour business in just eight months.He is the tour operator behind Walk on The Wild Side Tours NYC billed as:'NYC walking tours for music nerds - see where your favorite artists lived, performed, rehearsed, and recorded the records you love.'2019-08-2054 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow We Attracted 3000 Guests in our first year of starting a tour businessOn this episode of Tourpreneur a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, Ben Dolgoff of Forever Vacation shares his journey of how he opened his tour business and acquired 3000 guests in his first year of business.Ben pulls back the curtain on his online media marketing setup and generously shares his tour marketing strategy with Tourpreneur listeners.On this episode, he reveals:What motivated him to start a tour business.How he promoted his tours.How he uses Facebook to acquire customers for his tours from as little as five bucks a day...2019-08-071h 09Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastMeet the OTA: Who is TourRadar? How can they help you sell more tours?TourRadar. Who are they and how can they help sell your tours?On this episode of Tourpeneur, the podcast for tour operators, host Shane Whaley pulls back the curtain and reveals the inner workings of OTA TourRadar.Tourradar specializes in multi-day tours. Even if you don't offer multi-days, I would urge you to continue listening to today's episode today because you'll get an understanding of how an OTA works.We talk with various TourRadar department heads including:Christian Wolters - Managing Director.Brendan Roberts, VP Business Development.Iris Serbanescu, Director of Partnerships.P...2019-07-151h 25Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastTraining Tour Guides using Improv with Margaret HicksHow to train tour guides is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive in our postbag here at Tourpreneur.So on this episode of Tourpreneur, a podcast for tour operators and tour professionals, we asked Margaret Hicks of tour guide training company The Tour Boost to share some tips on tour guide training with us.2019-06-1744 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow Joris turned his passion for military history into a thriving tour business.On today's episode of the Tourpreneur Tour Podcast we talk with the tourpreneur behind The Battlefield Explorer Tours. You don't have to be into World War 2 history to enjoy today's conversation.Dutchman Joris Nieuwint has been leading tours of the Operation Market Garden battle sites since 2012.'Sharing what I’ve learned over the years has been my passion and becoming a tour guide has always been one of my dreams. Keeping the sacrifices of these men alive by telling their stories and showing the locations where it happened is my greatest passion.'2019-02-2253 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow Mike built a ghost tour business around his passion for ghosts and historyMike Brown's Ghost Tour and accompanying ghost story podcast Pleasing Terrors slogan is 'Some Stories are Never Meant to be Told'. On today's episode of the Tourpreneur podcast, Mike opens up to Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley and reveals stories about his business and ghost tours.2019-02-0855 minTourpreneur Tour Business PodcastHow Jennifer turned her passion for the outdoors into a thriving tour business.On Episode 2 of the Tourpreneur Podcast, Host Shane Whaley discovers how Jennifer Gruhn turned her passion for nature and the outdoors into a thriving tour business.Jennifer is the owner of Asheville Hiking Tours and today we learn more about how she got started, the challenges she overcame and how she has developed her tour business.Tourpreneur Jennifer also shares with us how used a very well known app to measure customer demand and gather feedback before launching her tours.2019-01-1858 min