Demand generation
SEO, AI search and Google Ads aimed at the searches that convert, measured on cost per booking rather than traffic.
Tour Operator Consultant
Consultancy for Bespoke Tour Operators and DMCs
A tour operator business consultant works out why a travel business is not converting, retaining or earning what it should — and then fixes the system underneath it. Tour Operator Growth is a full turnkey consultancy for tour operators, covering demand generation, sales, operations, bookkeeping and business sale preparation.
A short conversation first — no pitch and no proposal deck.
Book a call
Consultancy from an exited founder
The founder of Tour Operator Growth spent a decade in search marketing, the second half of it generating enquiries for a tour operator he co-founded.
He was hands-on across every part of that business — marketing, sales, operations and the finances. It was built over six years and sold to a private equity backed group in late 2025.
Most advice sold to tour operators comes from people who have never made those decisions with their own money at stake.
What we do for tour operators
We work on the five key areas that make a tour operator profitable and sellable.
Sales
Quoting and pricing, commission structures, and measurement of what converts and what it earns.
Operations
Rates manuals, supplier terms, booking and payment systems which improve tour delivery and maximise scalability.
Bookkeeping
Guiding on correct accrual accounting and tour departure based bookkeeping so the accounts can answer commercial questions.
Business sale preparation
Numbers that stand up to due diligence, provable acquisition channels, and a business that runs without you.
Not sure which?
The diagnostic examines all five areas of the business. One month, £3,500, ending with a written roadmap of what to fix and in what order.
The Tour Operator Diagnostic — £3,500, fixed
One month, fixed fee, covering demand generation, sales, operations, bookkeeping and business sale preparation. It examines every area, not just the one you suspect is the problem, because the real constraint regularly sits somewhere the owner was not looking.
You receive a written report setting out what is broken in plain language, a sequenced roadmap of what to fix first, and a walkthrough call to agree priorities.
Book a call to scope your diagnosticFrom roadmap to retainer
The roadmap is the beginning rather than the end. Once priorities are agreed, retainer work is offered on a minimum six-month contractual basis, scoped from what the diagnostic found.
There is no set pricing. Requirements are not one size fits all, as every business is at a different stage of its journey. Each retainer is built around what that operator actually needs.
Frequently asked questions
What does a tour operator business consultant do?
A tour operator business consultant diagnoses why a travel business is not converting, retaining or earning what it should, then fixes the underlying system. In practice that means auditing the 5 areas that allow a tour operator to run smoothly. The work is specific to tour operating — deposits and deferred income, booking curves, margin per departure, supplier terms and seasonality — rather than generic small business advice.
Do you offer retainer services?
Yes. Flexible retainers are available across all our areas of expertise — demand generation, sales, operations, bookkeeping and business sale preparation. Retainers run on a minimum six-month contractual basis and are scoped from what the roadmap actually found rather than from a fixed package. Digital marketing services can be taken on their own without the diagnostic and can be a stand-alone service.
How much are the monthly retainer services?
The payment plan is tailored to each client. Some businesses need help in more areas than others, and operators are at different stages and sizes, so there is no set plan — but retainers generally sit in the region of £2,000 to £5,000 per month. A £2,000 engagement might cover running Google Ads and SEO. A £5,000 engagement might cover consultancy across every area. The only fixed cost is the diagnostic and roadmap at £3,500.
Do you offer in-person consultancy?
Primarily over Teams, as we are based in Edinburgh. In-person arrangements can be made for UK-based clients and for international companies if needed.
What happens after the diagnostic and roadmap?
The roadmap is usually the beginning rather than the end. Where an operator wants the work delivered, retainer work is offered on a minimum six-month contractual basis, with the expectation that it is extended if it is producing results.
Which tour operators do you work with?
The ideal fit is multi-day tour operators and DMCs that want to grow deliberately — small group, luxury, adventure, tailor-made and special interest. But we can work with all tour operators, particularly from a demand generation and search perspective.