13 mistakes you must avoid
Is your tourism website getting visits but not bookings? The usual culprits are not glamorous: a slow site, a fiddly booking path, copy that says nothing, and no tracking to tell you what is going wrong. Operators pour their energy into the experience itself, and the website that sells it gets left behind.
tldr; everything you need to know
Most of these mistakes are easy to make and just as easy to fix. Here are the 13 we see most often on tourism websites.
1. Neglecting mobile optimisation
In Australia, phones now account for about half of all web traffic, level with desktop. Check your site on your own phone, then try to book something on it. If it is fiddly for you, it is fiddly for the people tapping through from your ads.
2. Not understanding your target audience
A site written for everyone speaks to no one. Decide who your ideal guest is before you spend a cent, then write every page for them.
3. Slow tourism website speed
Google says Core Web Vitals, which measure how fast and stable your pages feel, are used by its ranking systems. Slow sites lose people before the page loads. Compress your images, pay for decent hosting and test your speed with Google’s free PageSpeed Insights.
4. No SSL certificate
An SSL certificate moves your site from HTTP to HTTPS. Without it, browsers warn visitors your site is not secure, and few people will enter card details after that.
5. Unoptimised photos
Your photos do the selling, so use good ones. Then shrink the file size so they load fast without looking soft.
6. No clear call to action
Every page needs one obvious next step: book now, check dates, send an enquiry. Put it where nobody has to hunt for it.
7. An unclear booking path
Count the clicks from your homepage to a confirmed booking. Every extra step loses people, so cut what you can and offer payment options people trust.
8. Vague and unintentional copywriting
All of the copy on your website should be there for a reason.
Say what you offer, who it is for and why it beats the place down the road. Then get someone to edit it.
9. No Google Analytics 4 tracking
Google Analytics 4 is free. Set it up, connect it to Google Search Console, and track bookings and enquiries as key events, so you know which channels bring in money, not just visits.
10. Poor web hosting
Choose reliable and respected web hosting to ensure optimal website performance. Investing in quality hosting will positively impact speed, performance, and security.
11. No Meta Pixel? Why not?
Understanding that social media is crucial for tourism brands doesn’t take a genius, especially if you’re considering paid advertising.
If you plan to advertise on Facebook or Instagram, install the Meta Pixel and ask your developer about Meta’s Conversions API alongside it. Both are free, and together they measure bookings from your ads and let you retarget people who visited but did not book. Mention them in your privacy policy.
12. Infrequent content updates
Regularly update your website content, especially through blogging. This benefits SEO, increases organic traffic, and engages your audience, positioning your brand as a trusted thought leader.
13. Broken links
Check and fix broken links on your website to enhance user experience and maintain positive rankings. Use tools like Dead Link Checker for efficient link management.
What to fix first
Fix the basics first: mobile, speed, a clear booking path.
Then work down the list. Most of these fixes take an afternoon, not a rebuild, and every one makes it easier for someone to book.