The Follow-Up Playbook: How to Convert More Travel Enquiries (Without Being Pushy)
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.
