Episode 10

Inside Your Ideal Customer’s Mind: Why Tours Get Booked with Corey Jay

How travelers actually search, compare, and decide which tours to book.

Apple Podcasts app icon. Purple square with white broadcast symbol.
Apple Podcasts app icon. Purple square with white broadcast symbol.
Apple Podcasts app icon. Purple square with white broadcast symbol.

What builds trust during the dreaming phase and what quietly kills it.

In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, we take a different approach to the Dreaming stage of the Growth Engine. Instead of talking about marketing tactics, we go inside the mind of an ideal customer.

Corey Jay from Zebulon joins us to break down how real travelers discover, research, and decide which tours to book. As someone who both works in the industry and regularly books experiences herself, she gives a clear, honest look at what actually influences decisions. We explore where travelers start their search, how they use Google, OTAs, social media, and AI, and why most decisions are shaped long before someone lands on your website.

Corey shares how trust is built through content, reviews, and consistency across platforms, and why red flags, poor experiences, or lack of clarity can quickly push potential guests away. We also dive into how decision-making changes based on the type of experience, why longer and higher-ticket tours require more validation, and how brand awareness plays a bigger role than most operators realize.

This episode also highlights what happens after someone finds your business, including what they look for on your website, how they evaluate your credibility, and what keeps them engaged over time. If you’ve ever wondered why some tours get booked while others get ignored, this episode gives you a clear look at what’s actually happening behind the scenes.

White background.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do travelers decide which tours to book?

    Most travelers start with a broad search for things to do, then narrow down options by reading reviews, watching videos, and comparing companies before making a decision.

  • Where do people usually start researching tours?

    Google is still the primary starting point, often followed by OTAs, blogs, YouTube, and increasingly AI tools that help personalize recommendations.

  • What makes a tour company feel trustworthy?

    Consistency across platforms, real reviews, strong content, and a clear online presence all help build trust before a guest ever books.

  • Do bad reviews stop people from booking?

    Not necessarily. Travelers often ignore one-star reviews but pay close attention to patterns in two- and three-star reviews and how companies respond to them.

  • How important is content in the decision process?

    Very important. Blogs, videos, and real guest experiences help travelers visualize the tour and build confidence before booking.

  • Does the type of tour affect how people decide?

    Yes. Short, low-cost tours require less research, while multi-day or high-ticket experiences require more time, validation, and trust.

  • What turns potential customers away?

    Poor website experience, lack of information, generic messaging, and overly aggressive sales tactics can quickly push people to competitors.

  • How does this fit into the Growth Engine?

    This episode primarily focuses on the Dreaming stage (inspiration and discovery) and Planning stage (research and trust-building), which ultimately drive stronger Booking decisions.