--- title: "Running a tour business, written by people who do." description: "Practical guides for tour, charter and rental operators: selling on GetYourGuide and Viator, card payments in the Caribbean, deposits, weather days and booking pages that convert." url: https://junglebee.com/blog/page/2 --- # Running a tour business, written by people who do. Guides on selling, getting paid and running the day, from operators in the Caribbean and beyond. [ Selling online5 min read ### What Makes a Good Tour Guide? What I Learned on the Boat What I learned from Eagle Tours: a strong tour guide pays attention to guests and crew, knows their limits, and gives new guides room to grow. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/what-makes-a-good-tour-guide-what-i-learned-on-the-boat)[ Running the day5 min read ### How to become a Viator supplier: what I would prepare What I would have ready before opening the Viator supplier portal: one trip, a clear meeting point, net vs retail, cut-offs, held seats, a weather plan. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/how-to-become-a-viator-supplier)[ Running the day9 min read ### Charter Boat Maintenance Checklist: What Keeps You Legal, Insured, and Running USCG inspection items, safety-gear service intervals, and the records insurers want — the charter-specific maintenance checklist generic boat guides skip. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/charter-boat-maintenance-checklist-legal-insured-running)[ Getting paid5 min read ### Boat Rental App vs Booking Software: What I Would Actually Compare A boat operator's practical comparison of guest apps, booking software, shared availability, payments, crew handoffs, and a two-week test. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/boat-rental-app-vs-booking-software-what-i-would-compare)[ Selling online13 min read ### Mailchimp vs Klaviyo for Tour Operators: Picking an Email Platform for a Seasonal Booking Business Both are built for online stores. Here's how Mailchimp and Klaviyo actually compare for a seasonal tour or charter business's pricing, lists, and reminders. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/mailchimp-vs-klaviyo-for-tour-operators)[ Running the day5 min read ### SEO for Tour Operators: The First Page I Would Fix Before Buying Ads A founder's practical take on SEO for tour operators: fix the trip page and booking path before buying ads or chasing more traffic. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/seo-for-tour-operators-first-page-fix-before-ads)[ Caribbean business5 min read ### Aruba Snorkeling Tours: What I Would Build Around as an Operator An operator's guide to building an Aruba snorkeling tour around clear promises, clean handoffs, weather plans, and a day the crew can deliver. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/aruba-snorkeling-tours-what-i-would-build-around)[ Getting paid7 min read ### Tap to Pay on iPhone for Tour and Charter Operators: Is It Worth Ditching the Card Reader? Tap to Pay on iPhone costs the same as a reader but needs signal for every sale. Here's when it works dockside and when charter operators still need a reader. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/tap-to-pay-iphone-tour-charter-operators-card-reader)[ Selling online5 min read ### How to Become a Travel Agent for Tours: What I Would Learn First Michael's operator-first advice for selling tours: learn the dock, confirm availability, and build a clean handoff before chasing more guests. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/how-to-become-a-travel-agent-for-tours-what-i-would-learn-first)[ Running the day5 min read ### OTA Advertising for Tour Operators: What I Would Actually Pay For A practical way to buy reach without buying more booking chaos, from a founder who has watched tour bookings break at the handoff. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/ota-advertising-tour-operators-what-i-would-actually-pay-for)[ Running the day7 min read ### USCG Vessel Documentation vs State Registration: What Actually Changes for Charter Boats Documentation and registration solve different problems. See which one your charter boat needs, what each endorsement allows, and common costly mistakes. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/uscg-vessel-documentation-vs-state-registration)[ Getting paid5 min read ### Checkfront Alternatives for Caribbean Tour Operators: What I Would Compare My practical comparison for Caribbean operators: test the booking handoff, payment path, partner bookings, and weather-day changes before you switch software. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/checkfront-alternatives-caribbean-tour-operators)[ Selling online10 min read ### Local SEO for Tour Operators: Win the Map Pack (No Agency) Map Pack ranking factors for tour and charter operators: the right GBP category, review cadence, and dock/service-area setup, no agency needed. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/local-seo-for-tour-operators-map-pack)[ Running the day5 min read ### The Online Reservation System I Wish We Had Before the First Booking An operator's test for an online reservation system: real availability, payment status, crew handoff, and the changes that happen on the water. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/online-reservation-system-tour-operator-first-booking)[ Caribbean business5 min read ### How to Start a Tour Business in Curacao: What I Would Set Up Before the First Guest Michael Rouveure's practical guide to starting a Curacao tour business, from the first trip and handoff to payments, cancellations, and guest care. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/how-to-start-a-tour-business-curacao)[ Running the day10 min read ### 100 Ton Captain's License: Moving Up From a Six-Pack What changes when a six-pack captain moves up to a 100-ton Master license: sea time, TWIC, the exam, real costs, and when the upgrade actually pays off. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/100-ton-captains-license-moving-up-from-a-six-pack)[ Selling online4 min read ### The Tour Booking Thank-You Email I Would Actually Send The first booking email should thank the guest, confirm the details, and make the next handoff clear. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/tour-booking-thank-you-email-that-gets-remembered)[ Running the day5 min read ### How to Build a Free Online Booking Website for Your Tour Business A practical guide to building a free online booking website for a tour business, from the booking path to payment and weather-day handoffs. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/free-online-booking-website-tour-business)[ Selling online10 min read ### Food Tour Booking Software: What Small Operators Need Multi-stop capacity limits, dietary vs. allergy intake, and no-show deposits: what food tour booking software needs that generic platforms miss. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/food-tour-booking-software-what-small-operators-need)[ Getting paid4 min read ### Ticketing System vs Booking System for Tour Operators: What I Would Use A practical comparison of ticketing systems and booking systems for tour operators, from guest handoffs to weather days. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/ticketing-system-vs-booking-system-tour-operators)[ Selling online8 min read ### Seller of Travel Laws: The States That Require Tour Operators to Register (and the Exemption Most Miss) Only CA, FL, HI & WA still enforce seller of travel laws. See which actually reach tour operators, the exemption most miss, and the registration risk. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/seller-of-travel-laws-tour-operator-registration)[ Running the day5 min read ### Tour Operator Management Software: The Handoff I Would Fix First A founder's view of the booking handoff that makes busy boat days harder than they need to be. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/tour-operator-management-software-busy-boat-day)[ Caribbean business5 min read ### Starting a Snorkeling Tour Business in St. Barts: What I Would Set Up Before the First Run The operator setup I would build before launching a snorkeling tour in St. Barts, from the first run to the first weather day. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/start-snorkeling-tour-business-st-barts)[ Getting paid10 min read ### Economic Nexus Sales Tax: A Guide for Tour Operators Running trips across state or island lines? Learn when economic nexus sales tax kicks in, the Texas/NY/Florida traps, and what multi-state operators should do. ](https://junglebee.com/blog/economic-nexus-sales-tax-tour-operators) **One useful email a month.**New guides for operators. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.