Tourpreneur Tour Business Podcast

Akila McConnell, founder of Unexpected Atlanta, discusses her impactful business pivots, revealing how virtual tours now make up 75% of her revenue. She shares her journey of creating experience boxes, shipping over 20,000 units annually. Akila dives into the importance of clear branding, strategic planning, and understanding market dynamics. Insights on navigating tough conversations within her team, defining a business’s end game, and conducting effective market research shed light on her entrepreneurial philosophy.

Chris, an expert in Facebook ad strategies, shares essential tips for successful advertising in the travel industry. He emphasizes the importance of precise audience targeting to ensure ads reach the right people. The discussion also covers the significance of creative ad design and how it impacts engagement. Chris highlights ways to effectively track ad performance, enabling businesses to refine their strategies for better results. Listeners gain valuable insights to boost their tour-focused advertising efforts.

Akila McConnell of Unexpected Atlanta shares her journey from food blogger to tour operator. In this first of several episodes, Akila talks about the power of first mover advantage, finding market gaps you can creatively exploit, always iterating your tour design, why she's adopted Apple's philosophy of product lineup, plus how to use your team's strengths, how to balance the fun and difficult stories, and how to make your tour experience feel different than others.

Amanda, 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.com

Tony Carne, a seasoned tourism expert with over 40 years of experience, shares invaluable insights into the tourism industry's evolution. He discusses the post-pandemic landscape, highlighting personal anecdotes and the challenges tour operators face. The conversation delves into sustainability issues and the impact of Airbnb on local dynamics in Edinburgh. Carne emphasizes the importance of authentic travel experiences and the shift towards multi-day tours. He also touches upon the critical role of technology for small operators in adapting to modern demands.

We 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, that’s just the beginning... When you’re ready, we think our Tourpreneur+ membership is the easiest, lowest-cost way to truly transform how you run your business, and increase your profits. We have created an unbeatable amount of learning and support to grow your business. Being a tour operator is hard, overwhelming, and often lonely. TP+ Membership helps you grow your tour business with a community of likeminded professionals eager to share and connect and become more profitable together. Short, actionable Courses Weekly Livestreams with industry thought leaders Actionable Newsletter every day In-Depth, well-researched Pulse articles and videos covering a range of topics Private Mastermind Groups focused on your area of business Individual business coaching sessions Weekly Group Coaching Calls In-Person Meetups In-Person Business Development Retreats And so much more. We hope you join us on this journey. Find out more at: https://tourpreneur.com/plus/  

Neil Lapping, Founder of Macs Adventure, grew a multi-million-pound tour company from a kitchen table operation to 90 employees. He discusses adapting to industry changes and the impacts of Brexit on travel. Neil shares his unexpected journey from a traditional career to adventure tourism, emphasizing creativity in overcoming challenges. He delves into the importance of digital marketing and maintaining client trust in a shifting market, while reflecting on unforgettable adventures like the Tour de Mont Blanc that inspire his passion for travel.

Marica Brewster, a social media marketing expert from the Von Mack Agency, shares invaluable tips for enhancing social media presence. She discusses creating an authentic brand voice and the power of video content for engagement. Marica highlights the importance of focusing on a few platforms for meaningful interactions and the strategic use of Facebook groups to build community. She also emphasizes that long-term strategies are key to fostering brand awareness and generating genuine connections with audiences.

If you haven't listened to part one of this two part series, then I would recommend going back and listening first to episode 183.Mitch is back with two guests, which are two tour guides, Jazz Dottin and Leigh Jameson.Both of whom spent a lot of time thinking not only about the craft of storytelling, which we talked about in a great discussion last time. But also content. What kinds of information should you be looking for? How do you tell the whole story of a destination, the full, complete picture of the history of a place and how do you do it in a way that connects truly with your audience?Throughout this episode, you'll be hearing not only from our two guests, but also from your fellow Tourpreneur community members who have submitted recordings of their thoughts about storytelling. And you'll be hearing from them throughout the episode as well.

Peter 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/