Behind the scenes: How FareHarbor improves your booking flow

Every day, thousands of travelers book tours, activities, and rentals through FareHarbor. That scale gives us an incredibly valuable advantage: the ability to learn what actually helps more customers complete a booking.

Rather than relying on assumptions, we use real booking data to run Growth Experiments that test small improvements to the booking experience. Sometimes it’s a new feature. Other times it’s something as simple as changing a button label or adjusting the layout of a page. 

You may occasionally notice these changes to your booking flow as we test new ideas. By running these experiments across our network of global operators, we can confidently identify what improves the booking experience and ultimately helps you effortlessly increase conversions. 

What is a Growth Experiment?

Growth Experiments are short-term, controlled tests that help us understand what works best for operators and their customers.

Many of these experiments are  A/B tests that compare different versions of a feature to see which performs best. One group of customers will see one version of the booking flow while another group sees a slightly updated version, for example with a small text change. 

Not every experiment becomes a permanent feature. Sometimes, the data shows us that an idea isn’t as effective as expected or it needs more refinement to make a difference. Either way, these experiments help us make informed decisions about how to improve our product for the greatest impact.

Why scale matters

Most individual tour operators don’t have enough booking volume to confidently test dozens of booking flow variations on their own.

Because FareHarbor powers bookings for thousands of operators across multiple regions and industries, we can reach statistically significant results much faster. Once we identify a change that consistently improves conversions, we can confidently roll it out to help operators across our platform.

It’s one of the biggest advantages of being part of the FareHarbor network.

Using the power of copywriting and design

Not every improvement requires a complete redesign. Some of the biggest leaps in revenue can come from the smallest changes in language or color. By running controlled A/B tests across our vast network, we found that making the booking process feel clearer and less intimidating can significantly boost sales.

Rethinking the “Book Now” button

We tested changing the call-to-action (CTA) button on the item page from “Book” to “View dates”. This simple update resulted in a 3.31% increase in click-through rates and a 2.43% lift in overall conversions. 

In another experiment,  changing the booking flow item CTA to “Select date,” increased conversions by 1.5%. 

Color psychology

 When customers attempted to leave the checkout, they received a pop-up asking, “Are you sure you want to close?” By simply switching the primary highlight color from the “Leave Checkout” button to the “Stay” button, we saw a 40% increase in customers choosing to stay, and a 1.6% increase in overall conversion rates.

Making the booking experience even smoother

Our Engineering and Product teams are constantly improving the foundation of our software to make the booking journey as easy as possible, from reducing clicks to modernizing the booking flow. Because we service so many different industries, we can confidently identify which structural changes universally benefit operators.

Enclosed checkout

Traditionally, customers booking through a calendar embed were redirected to a new booking window or mobile tab to complete their purchase. We tested an Enclosed Checkout experience that allows customers to stay on the operator’s website throughout the entire checkout process which resulted  in a massive 4.3% increase in conversions. 

This was so successful that we rolled it out to everyone using calendar embed integrations. 

Refreshed booking flow

We recently refreshed the design of The Lightframe, our online booking flow, and migrated it to a new platform. This structural improvement yielded a 1.96% conversion uplift.

Upgraded calendar embeds 

By migrating our calendar embed to a new foundation with slight structural improvements, we drove an average 2% increase in conversions.

Before:                                                                             After:

Giving customers the payment options they expect 

Since Fareharbor supports operators from around the world,  we understand that payment preferences vary from region to region. By tailoring the payment methods available to the customer in different countries, businesses can capture bookings that might otherwise be abandoned.

Buy Now, Pay Later

By offering Afterpay as an option, we saw a 0.65% overall lift in conversions, including a 1.3% conversion lift for our operators in New Zealand.

Regional payment methods 

When we introduced Vipps as a payment method for clients in Norway, we observed a staggering 5.78% increase in conversions for Norwegian customers.

How we make experiences better for everyone

When our operators succeed, so do we. We know that running a successful tour or activity business takes constant improvement, and we believe your booking experience should evolve just as much as your business does.

That’s why we invest in Growth Experiments backed by real booking data. Every test helps us better understand what encourages travelers to complete their bookings, allowing us to make meaningful improvements that benefit operators across the FareHarbor network.

Ready to see how FareHarbor can help grow your business? Request a free demo today.