Our first Hawaiʻi Toolkit webinar explored how Hawaiʻi tour, activity, and attraction operators can put powerful FareHarbor features to work when guests have limited time on the islands and plans can change quickly.
We covered tools like Waitlist, Search by Date, and Combos that can help fill available seats and increase booking value, Bulk Booking Actions that allow teams to manage cancellations and rebooking, and reporting tools show where bookings come from.
Below, you’ll find the key takeaways, plus answers to operators’ live questions about booking sources, weather cancellations, and more.
1. Give guests more ways to book with you
A sold-out experience doesn’t have to end the booking journey. Waitlist lets guests join an availability that is full and receive an automatic notification when an opening becomes available. You can capture that interest without asking your team to follow up manually after every cancellation.
One Kauaʻi luau operator recovered $23,000 in two months through automated waitlist management.
Search by Date helps guests whose plans start with a day rather than a specific activity. They can choose when they’re available, then browse your bookable experiences for that date. If their first choice is full, they can see what else fits their itinerary.
For visitors working around flights, family plans, and other reservations, that makes it easier for them to find an experience they can actually attend.
2. Help travelers build more of their island itinerary
Once a guest has chosen an experience, you have an opportunity to help them plan what comes next.
Cross-Sell Combos let guests add an experience from another business you own or a local partner before checkout. Think of a snorkel tour operator recommending a sunset cruise to finish the day strong. Guests can book more of their trip in one place while you bring bookings to another business you own or support a local partnership.
Standard Combos help you recommend another of your own experiences. If you offer several complimentary activities, they give guests a convenient way to explore more of what you do.
Optional upgrades can also add value when they meet a clear guest need. Priority Boarding, offered through a paid custom field, may appeal to guests who want to board early and get settled first. Paid Seat Maps offer another option for businesses where guests value choosing a specific seat.
The right upgrade depends on your operation. Start with something customers already ask for or would appreciate having the choice to purchase.
3. Reduce repetitive work when plans change for everyone
Severe weather, equipment issues, or staffing changes can affect a whole departure’s worth of reservations. Bulk Booking Actions help you rebook or cancel multiple reservations at once and communicate with affected guests as part of the workflow.
Alongside those Dashboard actions, consider what guests need to know and which alternatives are realistic:
- Rebooking: Offer another date that fits the guest’s remaining time on the island, or let them reschedule themselves with Online Rebooking
- Gift card credit: Give travelers an option to return when a future visit is more practical
- Website updates: Use a callout banner and updated FAQs to explain your operating status and next steps
During a broader disruption, digital gift cards can also give guests a way to support your business now and visit later. If you’re supporting community recovery efforts, FareHarbor can help you explore adding a donation item.
4. Use booking data to guide your next move
You don’t need to overhaul your reporting routine to answer a useful business question. Start with what you want to understand, then choose the tool that helps you investigate.
Where are my bookings coming from? The Distribution tab shows your booking and gross transaction mix by source and payment type. Review sources such as Online, Affiliate, Direct, and Kiosk to understand which channels and partnerships are contributing to your business.
Who has booked with us before? The Customers Directory brings together booking history, last booking date, lifetime value, and Returning tags. It’s a useful starting point for identifying repeat guests, potential review candidates, or loyalty opportunities. It helps you understand customer history; you’ll still use an email marketing platform to manage email campaigns.
Which booking links are working? Reference tags help you compare bookings from different Book Now buttons, website pages, campaigns, or partner links. As the team clarified during the AMA, they support reporting and strategy. They don’t improve your search engine rankings.
Three questions Hawaiʻi operators brought to the AMA
The Hawaiʻi Toolkit webinar finished up with a live “ask me anything” discussion.
How do I enable Search by Date?
You can enable Search by Date through the relevant Booking Flow. Open your flow’s Page Settings and select the Search by Date option. If you need help confirming the setup, contact FareHarbor Support.
What’s the difference between Online Direct and Offline Direct?
Online Direct refers to bookings guests make through your own website or booking links. Offline Direct refers to bookings your team creates in the Dashboard without an affiliate attached. Understanding the distinction helps you interpret how guests are booking with your business.
What if guests want refunds after weather cancellations?
Offer rebooking or gift card credit early when those options fit the guest’s circumstances. Someone with several days left on the island may welcome another departure. Someone flying home tomorrow may need a refund. Consider their remaining travel window and the nature of the disruption when discussing next steps.
Choose one tool to put into practice next
Start with a challenge you’re facing now, whether that’s filling canceled seats or handling changes across multiple reservations. Explore the relevant tool in the Help Center, or connect with Support for help getting started.
To watch the full Hawaiʻi Toolkit webinar, participate in local conversations, and discover regional resources, join the FareHarbor Official Hawaiʻi Community.
You can also register for our next Hawaiʻi-specific webinar on December 10 for a deeper look at additional FareHarbor tools. Can’t attend live? Register to receive the recording.
