Tour Operator Growth Podcast

Nikki DeSantis & Greg Rosenhan
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Marketing

The Tour Operator Growth Podcast is for tour and activity business owners who feel like they’re constantly juggling everything and still wondering why growth feels harder than it should. Most tour businesses don’t fail because the experience isn’t good. They struggle because the business outgrows the systems holding it together. Bookings come from all directions. Marketing feels scattered. The website, the phones, email, reviews, and follow-ups all live in different places. And somehow you’re supposed to manage it all while still running trips. This podcast was built from that exact reality. The system behind it was created by a successful tour operator who hit those same walls and had to build a better way to grow without everything breaking. Today, Greg and Nikki from Resmark share the lessons, frameworks, and hard-earned insights from helping hundreds of tour operators simplify their business, get more consistent bookings, and regain control. We talk about the real problems operators face: feeling stuck, feeling overwhelmed, hitting growth ceilings, relying too much on OTAs, or not knowing what to fix first. Whether you’re just getting started, trying to break through your next plateau, or already growing fast and trying to keep it all together, this show is built for you. The goal is simple: help you build a tour business that grows in a way that’s sustainable, predictable, and actually enjoyable to run. Powered by Resmark.

  1. 5d ago

    How Travelers Actually Compare Tour Companies

    Would you rather book the tour with 219 reviews at 4.7 stars, or the one with 12 reviews at a perfect 5.0?  In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg play a round of "would you rather" with real booking scenarios, then pull back the curtain on the buyer psychology behind every choice. It's a fun, honest look at how two very different travelers actually decide who gets their money. What you'll learn: - Why more reviews at a slightly lower rating often beats a perfect score, especially as price goes up - How website design and a frictionless booking flow can win or lose you a sale in seconds - Why a clunky form on a day tour sends travelers straight to a competitor - The big takeaway: every buyer is different, so know who yours is and what they're searching for If this episode helped, share it with a fellow operator, and subscribe so you don't miss the next one. 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 0:33 Reviews vs. rating: 219 at 4.7 or 12 at 5.0? 3:39 Save money on a clunky site, or pay more for polish? 5:48 Thoughtful emails vs. a fully automated experience 7:10 Book instantly online vs. having to call 8:49 Scenic segment: take the free Resmark Growth Assessment 11:20 How Nikki is choosing her Serengeti tour operator 13:58 Why website design and booking flow make or break the sale 20:21 Who you ask before booking & different buyer types

  2. Jul 28

    When Should I Start Planning My Exit, and What Will I Get for My Outfit? with Pat Tabor

    Almost nobody in this industry plans for it until it's too late: how to step back from, hand off, or sell the business you've spent your life building.  In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg sit down with Pat Tabor, founder of Swan Mountain Outfitters and Swan Mountain Consulting Group.  Pat spent nearly 30 years at consulting firm RSM, where he led their national transition and advisory practice and completed close to 500 business valuations, then bought, ran, and handed down his own outfitting business to his kids. He's lived the transition himself, and he breaks down why "not ready to sell" is exactly when you should start planning. What you'll learn: - Why you should plan to exit even if retirement is 10+ years away, and what the business life cycle tells you - What buyers actually value, and why outdated technology gets you penalized at the negotiating table - The biggest mistake owners make: planning the business transition but forgetting the owner - Why 70 to 80% of family successions fail, and how honest conversations prevent it If this episode helped, share it with an outfitter who's been putting off their succession plan, and subscribe so you don't miss what's next. Connect with Pat: https://www.swanmountainoutfitters.com 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 1:37 Why you should plan to retire even if you're not ready to 3:00 Reading your business life cycle: startup to exit 6:17 What drives the value of a tour business (and the tech penalty) 11:07 The biggest mistake: planning the transition but forgetting the owner 13:27 What Pat did after handing the business to his kids 15:51 The emotional complexity of family business transitions 18:11 Why 70-80% of family successions fail 21:09 Why each generation holds the business for less time 25:38 Pat's one piece of advice: start planning now

  3. Jul 20

    How Tour Operators Should Optimize Their Google Business Profile

    Most operators use only about 30% of what Google gives them, and your Google Business Profile is often the first thing a traveler sees before they book.  In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg break down how to turn your profile from a static directory listing into a mini landing page that actually drives bookings, plus the features almost nobody is using. What you'll learn: - The foundation that matters most: NAP consistency, the right categories, services, and a strong description - Why authentic photos, recent reviews, and a real response to every review build trust (and why a 4.7 beats a 5.0) - The underused features (Google posts, messaging, booking links) that signal you're active to both travelers and Google - How to measure success with Insights and UTM tracking so you're counting bookings, not vanity metrics If this episode helped, share it with a tour operator who's letting their profile sit there, and subscribe so you don't miss the next one. 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 3:16 The foundation: NAP, categories, services & duplicate listings 6:19 Photos & videos: keep your profile active and authentic 8:08 Reviews: responding, why a 4.7 beats a 5.0, and recency 13:50 Scenic segment: Google warns against buying AI mentions 15:03 The features nobody uses: posts, social links & messaging 17:15 Turning your profile into a booking entry point 19:13 Measuring success: Insights, UTMs & vanity metrics 21:31 Quick audit: check your profile live with us

  4. Jul 14

    Why Most Tour Operators Get GA4 Wrong

    Do you actually know what's driving your bookings? Not "traffic is up," but which channel, which page, which campaign? In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg dig into Google Analytics 4 and why having it installed is not the same as having it set up right. They cover what GA4 should really be telling you, the events worth tracking, and the simple setup steps that connect a single visit straight through to a booking. What you'll learn: - Why default GA4 (page views, new vs. returning) tells you almost nothing about revenue - The key events to track: bookings, form submissions, phone clicks, and more - How to confirm tracking is firing, turn on enhanced measurement, and set up cross-domain tracking with your booking engine - The common mistakes (double tracking, internal traffic, never actually looking) that wreck your data If this episode helped, share it with a tour operator who's making budget decisions off incomplete numbers, and subscribe so you don't miss what's next. 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 1:38 Why installing GA4 isn't the same as setting it up right 3:26 What GA4 should tell you: asking Claude real revenue questions 6:45 Scenic segment: the May 2026 Google core update 8:36 Setup walkthrough: tags, firing, enhanced measurement & key events 14:58 The numbers that actually matter (without drowning in data) 18:50 Common mistakes that wreck your data 21:12 Your GA4 action plan for this month

  5. Jul 7

    Should Tour Operators Still Blog in the Age of AI?

    If AI is handing travelers the answers before they ever reach your website, why would any tour operator still bother blogging? In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg make the case that content matters more now than ever. They break down where blogging fits in the dreaming and planning stages of the Resmark Growth Engine, why AI and Google both reward firsthand expertise, and how to build a content engine that's actually sustainable instead of writing five posts and calling it a year. What you'll learn: - Why AI pulls from credible, helpful content, which makes your blog more important, not less - How to organize topics into top, middle, and bottom of funnel using the 70/20/10 rule - How to write for EAT (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trust) so your posts rank and get cited - How to use AI to research, outline, and draft without publishing generic filler If this episode helped, share it with a tour operator who's wondering whether blogging is worth it anymore, and subscribe so you don't miss the next one on tracking your results. 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 1:36 What AI really is and why it rewards credible content 6:17 Picking topics: funnel buckets & the 70/20/10 rule 10:00 Keyword research & writing with intent: the Kilimanjaro story 12:30 Scenic segment: 68% of searches now end in zero clicks 16:16 What makes content rank: EEAT & firsthand experience 24:41 Building a content engine that's actually sustainable 29:14 Automating research & drafting with Claude (and where it goes wrong) 32:11 How long until blogging actually pays off?

  6. Jun 30

    The Lifetime-Value Playbook: Repeat Bookings, Referrals, Merch & UGC

    A happy guest who walks away with just a memory is a marketing opportunity that didn't compound. The operators winning right now turn one trip into repeat bookings, referrals, walking billboards, and content that sells future trips. In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg close out the Sharing stage of the Resmark Growth Engine with a deep dive into lifetime value. Using the Savannah Bananas and their fan-first mindset as a model, they make the case that any operator can be outspent on ads, but no one can out-build the relationships you create with your guests, and they share the exact systems to do it. What you'll learn: Why treating a booking as the start of a relationship changes everythingThe 11-month anniversary email that recaptures guests as they plan next seasonSeasonal and behavioral triggers plus cross-selling to drive repeat bookingsHow to systematize referrals without feeling pushy, using two-sided incentivesWhy referrals land best 30 to 60 days after a trip, separate from review requestsHow to treat merch as marketing first and revenue second (and limit inventory risk)Why user-generated content outperforms branded content by 2 to 4x, and where to use itA quick-fire action list you can start on this weekIf this series helped you map out your own growth engine, share it with another tour operator who needs this framework, and subscribe for the next chapter. 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 0:00 Intro: the lifetime-value playbook 1:08 The Savannah Bananas & fan-first thinking 5:34 Why the guest relationship starts before booking 7:24 Word of mouth is a process, not luck 8:11 When to invite a guest back: the 11-month email 10:48 Systematizing referrals without being pushy 13:30 Timing referrals & cross-selling the next trip 15:53 Merch is marketing first, revenue second 18:07 What merch actually works: stickers, ornaments, SKUs 20:47 User-generated content: cheapest, highest-trust marketing 24:30 Where to put UGC + quick-fire action recap 26:57 Series recap & what's next

  7. Jun 23

    How to Build a Review Engine Guests Actually Want to Use

    90% of travelers read reviews before booking, yet most great trips never turn into a single review. Why? Timing. In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg open the Sharing stage of the Resmark Growth Engine and break down how to build a review system guests actually want to use. They dig into the 24 to 72 hour window when guest excitement peaks, how to set up an automated SMS and email review sequence that feels personal, where to send guests to leave reviews, and how responding to every review (especially the critical ones) can turn browsers into bookings. What you'll learn: Why reviews drive SEO, AI search, and OTA rankings, not just social proofThe 24 to 72 hour window when guests are most likely to leave a reviewHow to build an automated, personalized review sequence over SMS and emailWhere to send reviews: Google for direct bookings vs. OTAs like TripAdvisor and ViatorWhy a great response to a 3-star review can convert better than a 5-star oneHow to handle negative reviews, fake or bot reviews, and total silenceSimple tactics you can implement this week to capture more reviewsIf this episode helped, share it with a tour operator who's earning reviews but not capturing them, and subscribe so you don't miss part two. 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 1:15 The Sharing stage & the 5-stage Growth Engine 2:30 Why reviews matter: 90% of travelers read them 5:43 What's in a guest's head after a trip (the 72-hour window) 8:11 How to capture reviews in the moment 10:57 Building an automated review sequence 15:25 Where to send reviews: Google vs. OTAs 17:48 Why you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket 19:27 Responding to every review (and the 3-star secret) 24:43 Handling bad, fake & missing reviews 30:51 Top tactics to get more reviews this week 33:04 Recap & what's coming in part two

  8. Jun 16

    When Guests Show Up: The Trip Experience That Sells Itself

    What actually makes a guest remember a tour for years after it ends? In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, we break down the part of the customer journey that matters most: the actual experience itself. From guides who create unforgettable moments to small details that turn guests into lifelong fans, we explore why the best operators do not leave great experiences to chance. They build systems around them. Greg and Nikki share real stories from rafting expeditions, Kilimanjaro, safari experiences, and the tiny moments guests still talk about years later. They also unpack how tour operators can improve check-in, create memorable “surprise and delight” moments, empower guides, and turn every trip into a content engine that fuels future bookings. This episode is all about Stage 4 of the Growth Engine: Experiencing. Because the experience your guests have today directly impacts the reviews, referrals, and bookings you get tomorrow. 🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey 📲 Follow Us on Social Media - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResmarkSystems - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resmarkllc - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RESMARKSystems - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resmark-systems 📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business? Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079 Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Why the Trip Experience Matters Most 01:22 The Tours Greg Still Talks About Years Later 04:16 How a Kilimanjaro Guide Changed Nikki’s Life 07:20 Small Human Moments Guests Never Forget 09:41 Why Guides Can Make or Break Your Business 12:27 The Safari Story That Almost Became a Bad Review 15:18 The Check-In Experience Sets the Tone 16:48 Surprise and Delight Moments Guests Remember 20:47 The Jump Rope Story and Creating Fun During Downtime 22:14 Turning Guest Experiences Into Your Marketing Engine

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About

The Tour Operator Growth Podcast is for tour and activity business owners who feel like they’re constantly juggling everything and still wondering why growth feels harder than it should. Most tour businesses don’t fail because the experience isn’t good. They struggle because the business outgrows the systems holding it together. Bookings come from all directions. Marketing feels scattered. The website, the phones, email, reviews, and follow-ups all live in different places. And somehow you’re supposed to manage it all while still running trips. This podcast was built from that exact reality. The system behind it was created by a successful tour operator who hit those same walls and had to build a better way to grow without everything breaking. Today, Greg and Nikki from Resmark share the lessons, frameworks, and hard-earned insights from helping hundreds of tour operators simplify their business, get more consistent bookings, and regain control. We talk about the real problems operators face: feeling stuck, feeling overwhelmed, hitting growth ceilings, relying too much on OTAs, or not knowing what to fix first. Whether you’re just getting started, trying to break through your next plateau, or already growing fast and trying to keep it all together, this show is built for you. The goal is simple: help you build a tour business that grows in a way that’s sustainable, predictable, and actually enjoyable to run. Powered by Resmark.

Information

  • Creator
    Nikki DeSantis & Greg Rosenhan
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Tour Operator Growth Podcast
  • Show Website
    Tour Operator Growth Podcast

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