How a new ResmarkWeb design, SEO strategy, and AI integration improved bookings, visibility, and guest experience.

Since 1964, Grand Canyon Expeditions has guided travelers through one of the most awe-inspiring places on earth. Known for their full-length Colorado River rafting trips, they’ve built a loyal following of guests who come back, often bringing family and friends along for the ride.

But even the most established tour companies need to evolve. By 2024, their website was outdated, difficult to edit, and disconnected from their Resmark booking system. The experience didn’t reflect the excellence of their trips or the family-owned care behind them.

When Marketing & Communications Director Allison Carlin decided to rebuild, she wanted a modern website that could keep up with both customer expectations and changing marketing trends. The result is a complete transformation powered by ResmarkWeb.

Background: A Legacy of Adventure Meets a New Digital Era

Grand Canyon Expeditions is one of the oldest and most respected rafting outfitters in the Canyon. Their full-length 277-mile expeditions are legendary for combining natural beauty, adventure, and connection.

But their digital presence wasn’t matching the experience.

“There was such a separation between our website and Resmark reservations,” said Allison. “It looked like you were going to completely different sites because you were. Now it’s seamless. We’re not losing people from the sales website to the booking system anymore.”

The company had long used Resmark Systems for reservations and WaiverSign for digital waivers, but in 2025 they added ResmarkWeb to complete the full suite, bringing their marketing, SEO, and booking systems under one roof.

The Challenge: A Disconnected Experience and Missed Conversions

Before partnering with ResmarkWeb, Grand Canyon Expeditions faced a few key challenges:

• Their website design didn’t align with their premium brand or easy-to-navigate customer journey.
  
• There was a disconnect between marketing and bookings, creating friction for guests ready to reserve.
  
• Limited SEO structure meant strong brand authority but underutilized keyword potential.
  
• Managing edits was difficult, slowing down content updates.
  
  

“We started looking at shifting our website about a year ago,” Allison explained. “We wanted something we could control, update, and that didn’t lose guests between our main site and the booking flow.”

The Solution: A Unified Website and Smart Optimization Plan

The ResmarkWeb team partnered with Grand Canyon Expeditions to:

• Rebuild the website from the ground up on a conversion-optimized, mobile-first framework.
  
• Integrate directly with Resmark Systems, creating a seamless user experience from browsing to booking.
  
• Launch ongoing SEO and optimization to build long-term visibility for high-intent search terms like “Grand Canyon rafting trips” and “Grand Canyon dory expeditions.”
  
• Implement live SMS chat (later evolving to AI chat) to increase lead engagement and response speed.
  
  

Throughout the process, communication and collaboration were key.

“ResmarkWeb provided checklists and structure that made everything easy,” said Allison. “We had a few personal things come up during the build, and the team was so patient and supportive. They held our hand through the process.”

“Katja, our project manager, is phenomenal. She’s overly responsive in the best way. Every call ends with a follow-up email, next steps, and action items. It’s refreshing.”

The Results: SEO Growth, Smoother Bookings, and Happier Guests

Since launching in mid-July 2025, the results have been impressive and measurable.

1. SEO Visibility Up 15.8%

According to verified SEMrush data, Grand Canyon Expeditions saw search impressions increase from 340K in August to nearly 395K by November 2025, a 15.8% gain in overall visibility.

Average ranking position improved from 26.1 to 14.2, nearly doubling their presence on page one for top industry searches.

2. Stronger Keyword Rankings

Top pages like Grand Canyon Dory Trips, Motorized Rafting Trips, and Grand Canyon Fun Facts are consistently ranking on page one. Blog content and informational pages are now driving meaningful traffic from educational and commercial-intent keywords.

3. Measured Booking Growth

SEMrush’s tracked e-commerce data showed a 101% increase in online conversions during the first 90 days post-launch. While booking data can vary by season, this early growth reflects stronger site engagement and a smoother conversion funnel.

4. Enhanced User Experience

Visitors now stay longer, click deeper, and complete more actions on-site.

“The site’s easier to navigate. That was our number one goal,” said Allison. “It’s seamless and beautiful.

We have more control, and we can make edits ourselves. It’s been wonderful.”

5. More Efficient Operations

Allison says combining ResmarkWeb, Resmark Systems, and WaiverSign has improved team productivity and guest experience.

“Using Resmark Reservations and ResmarkWeb has lessened our human error. Our staff has more time to talk to guests and be human. Waivers send automatically. It’s taken so much off our plates.”

Looking Ahead: AI-Powered Conversations

In fall 2025, Grand Canyon Expeditions introduced live SMS chat. Within weeks, they were receiving a dozen guest messages per day, including nights and weekends.

“It’s been wild,” Allison said. “People ask everything from trip details to things we didn’t even think to include on the website. It’s helped us build better FAQs and improve communication.”

Now, they’re taking it one step further.

ResmarkWeb is helping them pilot AI chat, designed to answer repetitive questions instantly while routing complex inquiries to real team members.

“Our team’s excited and a little nervous, but for me as a marketer, it’s exciting. It’s taking tedious tasks off our shoulders so we can focus on connection.”

Key Takeaways for Tour Operators

1. Unify your systems. When your website, booking platform, and marketing work together, you eliminate friction and increase conversions.
   
2. Keep optimizing. SEO isn’t one-and-done. Regular updates, content improvements, and CRO make all the difference.
   
3. Invest in experience. A user-friendly website builds trust and keeps guests engaged from first click to final booking.
   
4. Leverage automation. Tools like live chat, AI chat, and digital waivers streamline communication and reduce errors.
   
5. Collaborate often. The best results come from partnership, sharing ideas between your marketing team and your operator’s on-the-ground expertise.
   

A Word from Allison

“If I could describe Resmark in one word, refreshing. I look forward to my monthly calls every month. Every time I think the website is finished, Katja shows me something new. It’s like a living thing we get to nurture.”

“I’ve been in marketing for over 20 years, and this is one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’d be so far behind without ResmarkWeb.”

Ready to Grow Your Bookings?

Whether you’re building your first website or ready to level up your marketing, ResmarkWeb helps tour operators create websites that drive more direct bookings, powered by SEO, AI, and the experience of a team who truly understands your business.

👉Learn more about ResmarkWeb or contact us for a free strategy consultation.