Our review guide compares five of the most popular adventure tour booking software solutions — we include options for small and growing tour operators and larger multi-location teams. In each section, we cover features, pricing, and recommendations from user reviews. 

We kick off the guide with our solution, Bókun, made for tour operators and activity providers, big and small, from all around the world. Our platform is easy to use so anyone can learn the ropes, build a custom site, and begin accepting bookings online. We’re a Tripadvisor brand and partner with Viator and GetYourGuide to offer one of the most affordable solutions with the lowest booking fees in the category. 

You can start a free trial (no credit card required) of Bókun here. 

1. Bókun

Best tour operator software for small & growing teams

Bókun tour operator software is built for tour- and activity-based businesses, with an intuitive dashboard and easy-to-learn features that require no training to get started. 

Our solution comes with a customisable website builder so you can bring your business online, and we partner with leading online travel agencies (OTAs) like Viator, so you can receive and manage bookings across dozens of online channels in one user-friendly calendar. 

Then, we give you the tools to manage the customer experience, make partnerships with travel agents and nearby tour operators, and keep business running smoothly (as you grow and get busier). 

Bókun goes toe to toe with competitors in terms of features and functionality, with the lowest booking fees across all competitors — 1.5%, and 0% fees on all Viator and offline bookings. 

Let’s explain how the platform works.       

Features

If you don’t yet have a website, you can choose from a library of beautiful website templates and begin building your site via Bókun. The website builder requires no development experience or technical background; just plug the details in each section of the template. You can add logos, branded fonts, custom colours, menus, and more. Then select a website name (we include a free domain) and push your site live. 

Note: For users who already have a website, we also offer a booking widget; simply copy the code and add it to your site. 

You can begin adding products (the tours and activities you sell) into Bókun. We automatically display new products on your site, but you can always edit product details and manage inventory in the dashboard. 

Like the website builder, the product builder is user-friendly. The tool prompts you through each step, and you can add custom details with every product (type, pricing, pickup and dropoff details, etc.).  

Increase bookings by connecting with OTAs & connecting with partners via Marketplace

Once you’re online, you can connect Bókun with multiple sales channels to expand your reach. We offer free bookings from Viator but we also partner with countless other sites (GetYourGuide, Klook, Civitatis, Google things to do) so you can sell your products across OTAs and introduce your name to millions of potential travellers.

Note: We also offer a seamless integration with Viator so you can instantly push Viator products to Bókun. Updates to Viator products will automatically reflect in our platform.

In addition, we offer a robust Marketplace where you can connect with other tour and activity providers in your area. Here, you can find businesses with similar offerings and create reseller partnerships: you increase bookings by listing your tours on partner sites, or increase revenue by reselling others’ activities for commission.

Working with travel agents and businesses like hotels and resorts is also beneficial: they want to offer fun activities to their customers (they also earn commission from their recommendations), so they’re constantly making partnerships with suppliers. You can introduce your businesses to travellers from all over the world, plus, you don’t pay fees on bookings from resellers.     

Connecting with OTAs and leveraging Marketplace connections lets you get in front of audiences interested in your types of tours and activities, regardless of where they start their search, and gives you the best chance of booking out. 

One hub to manage your entire operations

Bókun lets you keep operations organised and oversee all moving parts of your business. For example: 

• Reservation management features let you see new bookings as they roll in across channels and prevent overbookings. 
  
  
• Real-time availability tools let you update availability across all online platforms from your Bókun calendar — keeping on top of your availability increases the chance of earning last-minute bookings. 
  
  
• You can gather employees’ availability and simplify scheduling. 
  
  
• We integrate with top payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Worldpay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, etc.) so you can offer customers secure online payment options. 
  
  
• The reporting dashboard lets you track bookings, payments, and income; generate financial reports; determine popular activities and busy seasons; see performance across sales channels; and more. 
  
  
• Mobile apps keep all of your staff connected, even when out in the field. 

Create an outstanding customer booking Experience

There are obvious benefits to bringing your business online: that’s the way in which practically everyone books — it’s easier and more secure, allows out-of-towners to research what’s available, and grants the convenience of planning ahead. But aside from features to gain more bookings, you also need tools to manage and improve the customer experience. 

Happy customers = positive reviews and repeat bookings. 

Bókun has an entire set of features to support customers and make their experience with your business as smooth as possible. 

For starters, we have useful automated communications: 

• Bókun sends booking confirmation emails to customers right after they make their reservation. 

• We can also send follow-up emails with more details about the customer’s upcoming activity, like itineraries, information about pick up or drop off, any digital waivers they need to complete, and their tickets. You can customise emails and tickets during set-up.   

• After their reservation, we can also send customer’s a thank you email — you can link your review pages in these emails and use this opportunity to extend discounts. 

The Bókun customer portal also lets users edit or cancel reservations freely; they don’t have to contact your team, and you don’t have to field these requests — you can instantly see updates in your calendar. 

Then, we offer fast check-in features to avoid arrival-time congestion. As mentioned, we automatically email customers their waivers and tickets ahead of time; customers can complete waivers online and save tickets to their mobile devices (or print paper tickets). Then, staff can use the ticket scanning feature in our mobile apps to quickly check customers in as they arrive. No extra steps required. 

Pricing

Bókun is available at one flat subscription fee — $49/month — for all customers. You receive access to our full feature set, as well as perks like a free domain, free Viator bookings, and four free monthly Viator product checks. 

We offer the lowest booking fees — 1.5% for online bookings — and we never charge for offline bookings. 

Customer support is free and our team is available to help any time you need. 

We offer a 14-day free trial of Bókun so you can test our platform risk-free — get started here.

2. Origin

3. The Flybook

Flybook is an advanced booking management system for adventure-based businesses — they work with small tour operators as well as adventure parks, rental providers, lodging properties, ski resorts, and other attractions. It was created in 2006 as a solution to manage fishing tour operations. The company is based in the U.S. and primarily works with teams in North America. 

Features

• Online booking widget
  
  
• Customisable booking calendar with real-time availability.
  
  
• Reservation management tools, with features to connect with OTAs, partner with travel agents, and support group sales.
  
  
• Rental management, with tools to list rental equipment and sell reservations online. 
  
  
• Staff and resource management 
  
  
• Marketing tools to automate customer communications, sell gift cards and vouchers, and offer promo codes and bundle deals.
  
  
• Smartwaivers 
  
  
• Kiosk mode where customers can book reservations and sign waivers on the fly. 
  
  
• Payment management tools 
  
  
• Rain checks 
  
  
• Land use reporting tools 
  
  
• Integrations 
  
  
• Reporting & back-office tools 
  
  
• Mobile apps 
  
  

Pricing

Flybook does not share information about pricing online. If you’re interested in learning more about the solution, you can contact them for details or join one of their weekly demos. 

4. Trekksoft

Our next option, Trekksoft, is a tour booking solution for EU-based activity providers. They work with businesses that provide bike tours, walking tours, cooking classes, food tastings, canoe rentals, zipline tours, the works. Reviews suggest they’re most popular among small businesses, but they also have experience with mid-size and large teams. 

Features 

• Custom website builder
  
  
• Booking engine 
  
  
• Channel management 
  
  
• Reseller network to partner with travel agents and tour companies in your area 
  
  
• Native POS and integrations with Stripe, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay
  
  
• Payoo, Trekksoft’s payment gateway 
  
  
• Back-office reporting tools to manage schedules, availability, and upcoming bookings; process payments and track finances; monitor resources   
  
  
• Mobile apps for staff members
  
  

Pricing

Trekksoft offers three different plans:

• Commission Model (€0) includes the booking engine, OTAs and channel management, resource management, partner network (limited access), and the integrated payment gateway.
  
  Despite being free, this plan costs you the most in the long haul. You have to sign on to a 12-month commitment and pay a €799 one-time set-up fee. Then Trekksoft charges 5% for direct online bookings, 3% on bookings from OTAs, and a €0.55 fee for every offline booking. They also charge a transaction fee for online payments (2.5% + €0.25 — for all packages). 
  
  
• Trekksoft’s recommended plan, Accelerate (€140/month), includes everything listed in the free package plus access to the entire reseller network. You can enjoy lower booking fees in this plan: 2.5% for direct online bookings and bookings from OTAs, and a €0.55 fee per offline booking. However, transaction fees remain the same. 
  
  
• Ultimate (€234/month) grants access to Trekksoft’s business intelligence tools and developer API. You pay the lowest booking fees in this package: 2% for online bookings and €0.55 per offline booking.
  
  

We should note: Trekksoft offers annual plans for a discount, but they still have some of the highest pricing, regardless of the package you choose. In addition to high subscription costs, they also charge substantial booking fees. The platform and customer support earns positive reviews, but they’re not the most budget-friendly option on our list.   

5. Peek Pro

Peek Pro is an advanced online booking platform that appeals to teams ready for fast growth and large companies in need of new ways to drive revenue. The platform has everything you’d expect from typical tour operator software, with additional tools to increase online reservations and maximise revenue from bookings — these include features to retarget users who abandon checkout, dynamic pricing, add-ons, bundle deals, and memberships. They also offer solutions to apply for business loans (Peek Capital). 

Features

• Online booking engine
  
  
• Customisable booking calendar 
  
  
• Channel management 
  
  
• Reseller network 
  
  
• Resource management
  
  
• Availability management 
  
  
• Marketing tools to recapture lost sales 
  
  
• Add-ons, bundles, memberships, gift cards, vouchers, and promo codes
  
  
• Dynamic pricing, to automatically adjust tour and activity prices by demand 
  
  
• Automated customer notifications 
  
  
• Digital waivers & fast check-in features 
  
  
• Native POS & flexible online payment options 
  
  
• Integrations & API 
  
  
• Mobile apps
  
  
• Reporting 
  
  

Pricing

Peek Pro does not list details about pricing on their site, but user reviews say that Peek Pro has no subscription costs but booking fees are high (~6%). Some users also note a $199 one-time set-up cost.

Bókun makes it easy to bring your activity business online and increase sales, manage reservations across channels, and improve your operations. Our platform requires no training, so you can get set up in no time, and our team can work with you as you increase bookings to develop personalised growth plans. Plus, we’re one of the most affordable solutions in the market. Try Bókun for free.

Related reads: 

• Tour & activity booking system pricing comparison guide
  
• Best tour operator software: Bokun + 6 runner ups
  
• 7 travel and tourism trends for tour and activity operators