How to reduce no-shows and late cancellations

Why travellers don't show up

Most no-shows are not bad intentions. People forget, get lost, misread the start time or change plans and don't know how to tell you. Each of these has a simple fix.

Take payment upfront

Travellers who have paid, even a deposit, are far more likely to turn up. Free bookings that cost nothing to abandon are the ones most often missed.

Send reminders that answer questions

A reminder the day before should include the start time, the meeting point with a map link, what to bring and a way to contact you. That one email prevents most 'where are you?' phone calls.

Make the meeting point impossible to miss

Describe it like a local would: the landmark, the side of the street, what your guide is wearing. Add a map link that opens on a phone.

Make changing easier than not coming

If rescheduling is easy, travellers who can't make it will move their booking instead of disappearing. Offer a simple way to change the date within your policy.

Use a waitlist

When a departure is full, keep a waitlist. If someone cancels, the next person can take the seat, so a cancellation doesn't become an empty seat.