Have you considered working with local DMOs to promote your tours and activities? With Tourism Exchange Great Britain, British operators can work with DMOs and resellers across the entire country.
We're really excited about the simplicity of the connection and the breadth of distribution it could offer local tour operators and activity providers.
About Tourism Exchange Great Britain
Founded in 2019, Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB) is a B2B platform created to bring English tourism products to the world. A partner of VisitEngland and funded by the Discover England Fund, TXGB allows English suppliers to connect with a network of local DMOs and global distributor systems.
TXGB was created in response to the fragmented tours and activities sector, which made it difficult for end-consumers (local or international) to find and book experiences seamlessly. TXGB hopes to simplify the increasing complex distribution network for operators of all sizes and technical capabilities.
Through TXGB, operators will be able to share live availability, pricing, product descriptions, and images to all their distributors. For a low fee of 2.5% plus VAT, British operators finally have a tool that helps them expand their reach and sell to a larger audience.
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
What can British tour operators expect from TXGB?
1. Access a large network of local and international distribution channels
When we say operators will be able to connect to a large network, we mean it. To date, TXGB has signed on 60 DMOs, spanning Cumbria in the north to the Isle of Scilly in the south. It is the only platform offering this breadth of connectivity across England. With commission rates between 0% to 7.5%, this could be a very cost effective way for operators to market their experiences on these destination websites.
Additionally, they're also connected to niche and global OTAs like Booking.com, Trip.com, priceline.com, orbitz and more.
How could you take advantage of this breadth of distribution options?
For example, if you run experiences in York, you could be listed on websites like VisitYork.com, Yorkshire.com, Cycle-England.co.uk, ExplorersRoad.com and EnglandOriginals.com. You could also work with niche distribution channels such as Rugby League World Cup 2021, CoolPlaces.co.uk, Away with the Kids, and a targeted list of larger OTAs.
2. It's free to get started
Unlike other reseller platforms (*cough*Viator*cough*), there are no upfront fees to connect to the platform and upload your products.
You only pay TXGB's platform fee plus VAT (2.5% + VAT) and the reseller commission when you secure a booking. This could total up to anywhere between 2.5% to 10% depending on the DMO you work with through TXGB.
A quick note on commission and fees
When calculating your commission rates, remember to total up TrekkConnect's platform fee of 2.5%, TXGB's platform fee of 2.5% + VAT, and the DMO or reseller's commission rate. It is stated on their website that DMOs currently charge between 0% to 7.5%. For other resellers, commission rates are not mentioned on their site.
While this seems like a lot of numbers, operators might be charged anywhere between 5% to 12.5% when working with local DMOs. Based on our knowledge of the market, the commission charged is much lower than other distribution options currently available.
3. Get support when you need it
TXGB is cognisant that not all tour and activity operators might be familiar with their distribution system which is why they offer support via phone or email. They've got you covered if you need help connecting you booking system to their platform, or if you have questions about their dashboard.
Interested in getting started with TXGB?
4. Plug and play with TrekkSoft
Even better news, TrekkSoft's connection to TXGB allows users to easily share product content, schedules and prices, in just a few clicks.
First, submit an application to TXGB to join their supplier network and when that's approved, head over to TrekkConnect, our very own channel manager. From here, it only takes two steps to share your activities:
1. Select TXGB
2. Select the activities to share
And you're done! It couldn't be any simpler.
Find out how TrekkSoft can help you get started with TXGB and other resellers to power your distribution.
