Tour Operator Growth Podcast
The Tour Operator Growth Podcast is for tour and activity business owners who feel like they’re constantly juggling everything and still wondering why growth feels harder than it should.
Most tour businesses don’t fail because the experience isn’t good. They struggle because the business outgrows the systems holding it together. Bookings come from all directions. Marketing feels scattered. The website, the phones, email, reviews, and follow-ups all live in different places. And somehow you’re supposed to manage it all while still running trips.
This podcast was built from that exact reality.
The system behind it was created by a successful tour operator who hit those same walls and had to build a better way to grow without everything breaking. Today, Greg and Nikki from Resmark share the lessons, frameworks, and hard-earned insights from helping hundreds of tour operators simplify their business, get more consistent bookings, and regain control.
We talk about the real problems operators face: feeling stuck, feeling overwhelmed, hitting growth ceilings, relying too much on OTAs, or not knowing what to fix first. Whether you’re just getting started, trying to break through your next plateau, or already growing fast and trying to keep it all together, this show is built for you.
The goal is simple: help you build a tour business that grows in a way that’s sustainable, predictable, and actually enjoyable to run.
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Tour Operator Growth Podcast
Why Most Tour Operators Ignore Local Partners with Josh Oakes
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Many tour operators rely heavily on OTAs or website bookings and overlook one of the most powerful growth channels available to them: local partnerships and reseller networks.
In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, we sit down with Josh Oakes of The Sunshine Tribe, a former tour operator who built and sold a multi-million-dollar tour company and now helps tourism businesses grow through smarter systems and partnerships.
Josh shares why most operators ignore reseller relationships, how strong partnerships can generate predictable bookings, and why building multiple sales channels is the key to sustainable growth. From hotels and travel agents to corporate groups and local organizations, these relationships can become a powerful engine for consistent revenue.
If you want to stop relying on a single booking channel and start building a stronger, more diversified business, this episode will show you where to start.
Local partners are not just referrals. When done right, they become one of the most reliable booking channels in your business.
**Free training Josh mentioned in this episode**
https://www.sunshine-tribe.com/optin-689955
👉 See how tourism operators are getting more bookings and building scalable systems with AI (limited founding member offer): https://www.sunshine-tribe.com/founders
Follow The Sunshine Tribe on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheSunshineTribeWW
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🚀 Take the Growth Engine Assessment to find out where you might need to improve: https://www.resmarksystems.com/growth-engine-survey
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📈 Want Help Growing Your Tour Business?
Visit https://www.resmarkweb.com
Book a call: https://www.resmarkweb.com/request-quote
Call or text us directly: 385-449-4079
Email Nikki: nikki@resmarksystems.com
00:00 Why Local Partnerships Are an Overlooked Growth Channel
02:45 Josh’s Journey from One Van to a Multi-Million Dollar Tour Business
06:10 Why Most Tour Operators Only Rely on OTAs and Direct Bookings
09:15 The Power of Diversifying Your Sales Channels
12:30 How Local Partners Can Drive Predictable Revenue
16:05 Why Most Partnership Efforts Fail
19:10 Building a Partnership Acquisition System
23:00 The Role of Email Marketing and Nurturing Partners
27:20 How to Track and Measure Partner Performance
31:20 Simple Steps to Improve Existing Partnerships
35:05 What a Strong Partner Pack Should Include
38:10 Capturing Guest Stories to Help Partners Sell Your Tours
40:00 How The Sunshine Tribe Helps Tour Operators Scale