Why 30 years of travel experience matters more in 2026 Travel has always been a people business. But in 2026, it’s also a data business, a trust business, and a speed business. After 30 years in travel (and 20+ in travel technology), you start to see a pattern: the tools change fast, but the winners are the companies that stay relentlessly focused on what travellers and travel businesses actually need. At Travelgenix, we’ve supported 300+ active clients across 60+ countries (with 80% in the UK). That perspective gives you a front-row seat to what’s working right now — and what’s quietly breaking. The biggest shift in 2026: trust is the new conversion rate The last decade trained customers to compare prices. The next decade is training customers to compare confidence. In 2026, travellers are asking: Is this company real? Will someone help me if things go wrong? Are the terms clear? Can I change or cancel without a fight? For travel businesses, that means your website can’t just “look good”. It has to prove credibility at every step — with clear policies, genuine reviews, transparent pricing, and fast, human support. This is also why we still believe support is a product feature. When you’re selling travel, problems don’t arrive neatly between 9 and 5. Trend 1: AI is everywhere — but the winners use it to amplify humans AI isn’t new in 2026. What’s new is how quickly customers can spot lazy, generic AI output. The opportunity isn’t “use AI to replace marketing”. It’s: Use AI to speed up content creation without losing your voice Use AI to personalise messages by destination, season, audience segment, or budget Use AI to turn supplier content into customer-friendly copy Use AI to keep your social presence consistent even when you’re busy That’s why our AI focus is practical: helping travel businesses create better marketing faster — without needing a full-time content team. Trend 2: The booking journey is fragmenting — your site has to hold it together In 2026, customers might discover you on: TikTok or Instagram Google’s AI-driven search experiences Meta groups WhatsApp recommendations A niche blog or newsletter But they still need one place to land where everything makes sense. Your website has to do three jobs at once: Convert (make booking easy) Reassure (make trust obvious) Support (make help immediate) This is where “bookable” matters. If customers have to call you to finish the job, you’ll lose a percentage of them — even if they love you. Trend 3: B2B is having a quiet renaissance While consumer travel gets the headlines, B2B travel is getting sharper. More businesses want: Clear B2B vs B2C separation Better agent dashboards More booking control Cleaner workflows for quotes, deposits, and amendments We’ve seen this directly in feature requests — and it’s why B2B upgrades and supplier connectivity remain a core focus. Trend 4: “More suppliers” isn’t the differentiator — better merchandising is In 2026, access is table stakes. The differentiator is how well you present and sell what you have. Travel businesses need: Smarter filters and search Clearer inclusions/exclusions Better content around the product (not just the price) Upsells that feel helpful, not pushy Technology should make it easier to sell the right trip, not just any trip. Trend 5: Speed wins — but only if the experience stays simple Customers expect instant results. Travel businesses expect fast setup. We’ve learned that the best systems are the ones you can actually launch, train, and run without needing a technical team. That’s why our implementation is designed to get you live quickly (typically 4–6 weeks depending on complexity), with the essentials done properly: Live search and booking Responsive design Widgets and customisation B2B portals where needed The marketing foundations that help you get found and convert What hasn’t changed in 30 years (and never will) Here are the lessons that keep proving themselves: Trust beats cleverness. Clear beats complicated. Support is part of the product. Especially in travel. Technology should reduce workload, not add to it. Small businesses win when the tools are affordable and flexible. That last point is why our model is built around “more tools for less money”. We’ve watched too many good travel companies get priced out of the technology they need. The next 12–24 months: what we’re watching closely If you’re a travel business planning for 2026 and beyond, these are the signals worth paying attention to: AI-powered discovery changing how customers find travel brands A rising expectation for transparent policies and real-time support Increased demand for B2B functionality and control The growing importance of content quality (not just volume) The need to turn website traffic into bookings with fewer steps Closing thought: the future belongs to practical technology Travel doesn’t need more buzzwords. It needs tools that help real businesses sell travel online, stay credible, and grow. That’s what 30 years teaches you: the best technology is the kind you barely notice — because it simply makes everything easier. If you’re an independent travel business looking to compete with bigger brands, the goal isn’t to outspend them. It’s to out-execute them: faster, clearer, and more customer-focused. That’s the lane we’ve built Travelgenix for.
If you’re getting travel enquiries but not enough of them turn into bookings, the problem often isn’t your pricing or your product. It’s the gap between: A customer saying “We’re interested…” And you guiding them confidently to “Yes, let’s book.” The good news: you don’t need to become salesy. You just need a simple, consistent follow-up system that feels helpful, professional, and human. This playbook is designed for travel agents, small OTAs, and tour operators who want more bookings from the enquiries they already have. Why follow-up matters (more than you think) Most customers don’t ignore you because they’re not interested. They go quiet because: They’re comparing options (and you weren’t the easiest to progress) They got busy and forgot They’re unsure what happens next They’re nervous about trust, payment, or protection They need one detail clarified (dates, airports, budget, room types) Follow-up isn’t chasing. It’s removing uncertainty. The Follow-Up Rule #1: Speed wins If you can respond quickly, you instantly stand out. Even if you can’t provide the full quote straight away, send a “holding reply” within 60 minutes. Example (copy/paste): “Thanks Andy — got this. I’m just pulling the best options together now. Quick check: are your dates fixed, or do you have a bit of flexibility? I’ll be back to you by 4pm today.” That message does three things: Confirms you’re on it Asks one useful question Sets a clear expectation The Follow-Up Rule #2: Make the next step obvious A lot of follow-up fails because the customer doesn’t know what to do. Avoid vague endings like: “Let me know what you think.” “Any questions?” Instead, give a clear next step: “Which of these two options is closer — Option A (better hotel) or Option B (better price)?” “If you confirm your preferred departure airport, I’ll lock in the best availability.” “Want me to hold this for 24 hours while you check diaries?” You’re not pushing. You’re guiding. The Follow-Up Rule #3: Don’t send more info — send better info When someone goes quiet, the instinct is to send another long message with more details. Usually, that makes it harder to decide. Instead, send one of these: A simple comparison (A vs B) A short reassurance (what’s protected, what’s refundable) A single question that unlocks the decision Example: “Just to make this easy — is it the budget or the flight times that’s the main concern? If I know that, I can tweak the options properly.” A simple 4-touch follow-up sequence (over 7 days) Here’s a straightforward sequence you can use for most enquiries. Adjust the timings to match your business, but keep the structure. Touch 1 — Day 0 (same day): Acknowledge + clarify Goal: respond fast, ask one key question, set expectation. Template: “Thanks for your enquiry — I’m on it. Quick question so I can tailor this properly: are your dates fixed or flexible? I’ll come back with options by [time].” Touch 2 — Day 1: Options + a decision helper Goal: make it easy to choose. Template: “I’ve put together two strong options: Option A: best overall quality Option B: best value Which way are you leaning — higher quality or lower price? Once I know, I’ll refine it and confirm availability.” Touch 3 — Day 3: Reassurance + proof Goal: reduce risk and build trust. Include one or two of: Reviews/testimonial ATOL/ABTA protection (if applicable) What happens next (deposit, payment schedule, cancellation terms) Template: “Just checking in — happy to tweak this around your priorities. For peace of mind: we’ll confirm everything in writing, and you’ll have [ATOL/ABTA/other protection]. If you tell me your top 2 priorities (price, hotel, location, flight times), I’ll tighten the shortlist.” Touch 4 — Day 7: The polite close Goal: create a clean decision point. Template: “Should I keep working on this, or would you like me to close it off for now? If you want to revisit later, just reply with your dates and I’ll pick it straight back up.” This works because it’s respectful and gives them an easy out. What to do when they say “We’re just looking” This is normal. Don’t fight it. Reply with something that keeps the relationship warm and moves the conversation forward. Template: “No problem at all — most people compare a few options. To help me send only what’s relevant, what would make this a ‘yes’ for you: a specific budget, a particular hotel standard, or flight times?” The best follow-up question (steal this) If you only take one thing from this post, take this. When a customer goes quiet, ask: “Is it dates, budget, or departure airport that’s the sticking point?” It’s simple, non-pushy, and it gives you something to act on. Three key takeaways (quick and actionable) Respond within 60 minutes (even if it’s a holding message). Speed builds trust. Use a 4-touch sequence over 7 days so follow-up is consistent, not awkward. Ask one decision-unblocking question instead of sending more information. If you want, tell me what channels you get enquiries from (website form, Facebook, phone, email, live chat) and I’ll tailor the templates to match your exact process.
Building A Marketing Habit
