Ever buy something and find yourself refreshing your inbox to make sure everything went through as you expected? Do you get a sense of relief when you see a booking confirmation message lands in your inbox immediately?
A booking confirmation email simply confirms an action taken by a customer. Guests receive this type of confirmation message once they’ve made a purchase from you.
Not sure what to put in your reservation confirmation email? I mean, do people even open them once they’ve booked?
Yes — and they can be one of the most underrated marketing tools in your tour business. From building a relationship and instilling confidence from the moment they book, your booking confirmation email can foster an experience centred on trust.
As an experience provider, sending a booking confirmation email out automatically means guests will have all the necessary information at their fingertips. I’ll share the essential details of what to include in these magical confirmation messages to your guests.
What is a booking confirmation email?
Customers expect to receive a booking confirmation email once they exchange money for an experience. Secondly, guests anticipate receiving something to prove the transaction took place.
This email can be as simple as saying, “Hi, you’ve paid XX amount for your booking on XX day. We look forward to welcoming you!” Similar to how a thank you letter for a tour, this message confirms an action they’ve taken and addresses these queries automatically.
As an activity provider, you have enough to do without having to manually update every customer who books with you. By making booking confirmation emails part of your workflow, guests are less likely to phone in and pepper you with questions that can be summed up in an email.
Why your guests love confirmation emails
Your guests love booking confirmation emails for a few reasons. For one, it assures them that they’re officially booked. Secondly, when you send a confirmation email, you alleviate stress. It reiterates what they’ve paid for to minimize confusion and allows for easy change/cancellation if they made an error in the booking process.
Meaning — guests won’t be left wondering; Did their credit card go through? Have they booked the correct dates or is there something they should know before they arrive? Your confirmation email conveys trust and professionalism before guests even step foot on location.
So, what do guests look for in this confirmation email? Certainty.
Guests appreciate seeing the most important information first. You can explore tailoring the subject line to be something like “Booking Confirmed,” or “You’re Booked,” or “Thanks for Booking – details within” to make it easy for people to find these booking confirmations in their inbox.
As one of the most important types of booking emails, a confirmation email tells guests what they have booked. And, an automated email triggered by a confirmed booking gives people something to refer back to as much as they need.
What to put in your reservation email confirmation?
A standard booking confirmation includes details like names, dates and the location where the booking will take place.
In fact, people are conditioned to look for an email after making a purchase. Why? Because this email confirms they’ve done what they set out to do. This means, if they don’t receive confirmation right away, they may start to think something is wrong.
Instill confidence in your customer instead of having them wonder if they booked for two or three nights or if they secured the tour on the day they wanted. Automating your email confirmation takes care of these queries – no phone call or manual email required.
Travelers appreciate having a reservation confirmation to reference on the go. So, by creating mobile-friendly messages, you’ll increase the chance someone will open your booking confirmation email.
As a busy tour business owner, you want to start things off on the right foot and this email is an opportunity to create a solid first impression. Next, we’ll show you how to create one that guests will be excited to open.
How to write a booking confirmation email
If you’re wondering how to write a reservation reminder email, booking software can help you manage the legwork. A standard confirmation email includes essential details like dates booked, amount or deposit paid and booking location.
Email confirmation subject line examples:
- “You’re going fishing! View booking details within”
- “Pack your sunscreen – your trip to Tofino is booked!”
- “Reservation confirmed – curious about our pet-friendly perks?”
Your booking confirmation should include:
- Guest name(s)
- Booking date and time(s)
- Booking details
- Location (especially if you have multiple)
- Timing, if early arrival is advised or required
- Booking invoice
These emails are similar to thank you email messages, in how they confirm an action taken by a guest. In addition, these emails have a high open rate, more so than your monthly newsletter or other email marketing travel examples. Lastly, sending personalized confirmation emails can help forge a connection with your tour business.
Find the right words to say
Your guests are waiting to hear from you. Save time crafting the best message before and after the experience by copying and pasting email templates that are timely, useful, and relevant.
Signup to download your email templates now
Sample booking confirmation email template
Start with a basic message that includes information a guest may have inputted during the booking process.
Use simple words like booked, confirmed or reserved in your subject line. In the body, include clickable links and info buttons to enhance the experience for your reader.
And if you’re feeling fancy, try using bold text and images to help draw the reader in. Further, you can highlight key details that give guests the ability to scan the message. Your email validates an action they took with a confirmation message. Here is an example:
Subject: You’re booked! Pack your bags – see you on [Booking date]
Body: Hi [First Name],
Your booking is confirmed, and we’ll see you on [booking date]! Thank you for booking [name of activity] with us on [location]. You’ll find details of your reservation and payment details enclosed below.
If you need to get in touch, you can email or phone us directly. We look forward to welcoming you soon!
Thanks again,
The team at [Company Name]
[Your name]
More info: your email, phone number, business address and website
These emails are similar to thank you email messages, in that they confirm an action taken by a guest. Booking confirmation emails have a high open rate — even more than a marketing newsletter or other emails.
Setting up automated booking confirmation notifications in Checkfront
Email:
If you’re wondering how to write a reservation reminder email, online booking software can help you manage the legwork. You’ll want to start by creating a booking confirmation template.
One of the time-saving benefits of an online booking system is how customers can book, pay online and automatically receive an email confirming their booking.
When you’re setting up your email, you’ll want to create your booking confirmation email using Notifications. Follow this email notifications tutorial in our Knowledge Base for a step-by-step guide to initiating and personalizing your email confirmations using Checkfront.
Text messages:
In addition to email notifications, many businesses have started sending confirmation notifications via text with Short Message Service (SMS) Marketing.
With Checkfront, you can harness the power of automated SMS notifications and get customers the information they need right in the palm of their hands.
If you want to learn more and see some examples, check out our blog to explore how to use automated SMS notifications to support your bookings. Then, head over to our Knowledge Base for a guided tutorial on how to get it set up.
Final thoughts
Aside from being expected by customers, a well-worded email confirmation sets your guest up for a seamless experience.
Reservation confirmation emails are poised to deliver value, encourage upsells, start conversations and help you stand out from the crowd. Use the message to invite guests to join your newsletter, share helpful travel tips and give your guests first dibs on upcoming promotions.
And, when it comes to designing your message, you want to impress a positive first impression on your guests. Most travelers are accustomed to seeing a confirmation message land in their inbox immediately after booking. So, create a personalized email that’s fun to open and gives them the information they’re expecting to see.
As a tour operator, every minute you spend matters. These booking confirmation emails heighten the chance of having all of your guests show up ready to have the best experience possible.
Want to see how automated booking confirmation emails can help your tourism business?
Get started with Checkfront today!
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