The 580% Increase: How Max Tour Applied Corporate Tour Strategies to Private Groups
When we first started working with Matthew, the goal was to build a corporate tour sales process—but then something interesting happened.
“Hold on a second” I told him. “You took the strategies we developed for corporate, but instead, you applied them back to private groups?”
That’s the power of structured sales processes—they aren’t just for corporate groups. By shifting the focus from open-ended “custom private tours” to clear, structured offerings, Max Tours was able to scale their private group sales effortlessly.
“We get leads every day. It’s simple, it’s easy to run through email, give people quotes, and they book,” Matthew shared. Tour guides love it, the team loves it—it just works.
And he’s not the only one seeing these kinds of results.
Expanding Private Groups Beyond Corporate: From Travel Agents to School Groups
Midgi from Juneau Food Tours took the same framework and applied it to working with travel agents. Catalina Tours is using it to create packages for school groups.
The fundamentals don’t change—it’s about presenting what you offer in a way that makes it easier for the buyer to say yes.
And here’s the mistake most tour operators make:
🚫 They market private tours as “customizable private tours.”
That’s too vague. Too much work for the buyer to figure out what they want.
Instead, when you create:
✅ School group-specific packages
✅ Travel agent-specific packages
✅ DMO-specific offerings
…it instantly aligns with the needs of your ideal customer—making it easier for them to book.
“How” you deliver the tour stays the same, but the way you position it is everything.
Why This Works: The Customer’s Perspective
Lindsay from SeeSight Tours explained it best:
“It’s about thinking in a different way—thinking from the customer’s point of view instead of just the business side of things. What does the customer actually need?”
This shift in perspective transforms the way operators market their private group experiences.
How American Ghost Walks Used This Approach to Build Better Private Tour Products
Mike from American Ghost Walks put it perfectly:
“Instead of trying to fit people’s needs into our product, we create a product to fulfill people’s needs.”
That shift—going from trying to squeeze custom requests into existing tours to actually crafting an offer designed for a specific group—is what’s driving higher conversions and bigger bookings.
Private Group Sales at Higher Prices Than Ever Before
This isn’t just about booking more private groups—it’s about selling at the price points you deserve for creating such amazing experiences.
Take a food tour in British Columbia—by applying these strategies, they booked their highest-ever private group experience at $15,000 for one tour.
That’s not a fluke. That’s what happens when you make it easy for buyers to say yes by aligning your offers with what they’re looking for.
Applying Corporate Tour Strategies to Any Private Group Segment
Even outside of traditional tourism, this approach is proving itself.
Nili from Ringer’s Roller Rink shared:
“I’m going to use everything I’ve learned through corporate to apply to our field trip sales. It’s a little bit different customer, but really the same process.”
This is exactly the point—the process stays the same, the audience shifts.
Key Takeaways: How to Market Private Group Tours More Effectively
✅ Stop selling “custom private tours.” Instead, create clear packages tailored to different groups.
✅ Align what you sell with why they want it. The easier it is for someone to see how your tour fits their needs, the faster they’ll book.
✅ Think from the customer’s perspective. Build offers that make their decision simple.
✅ This strategy works across industries. Travel agents, school groups, DMOs, corporate clients—it’s all about positioning.
