Surfing is at the core of your business, there’s no doubt about it. It’s the main reason your guests choose your destination and your camp. They want to connect with like-minded people and catch some nice waves. Running a business that is based on your surf passion is what attracts your clients to book with you.
However, what if you added something new to your offer this year? Now it may be the right time to try out new activities that can make the guest’s experience even more memorable.
Finding ways to expand your offer is beneficial both for you and your guests. With new services, you can reach new groups of travelers and that means more possible bookings.
Exploring new income streams improves your business’s financial stability which gives you more room for doing the things you love.
At Bookinglayer, we’ve been helping surf camps combine activities with accommodation and arrange them into neat packages for 7 years now. Based on our experience and stats from our booking system, we identified 12 non-surf activities that go well with surf packages.
Adding new services to your offer doesn’t need to be a huge investment. Try exploring potential partnerships in your region. Joining forces with others can bring great results for smaller businesses and improve local cooperation.
Let’s take a look at the activities that have proved to be great additions to surf holidays. I hope this post will inspire you to create new exciting packages for your guest.
1. Yoga
Surf and yoga are the most popular package combination that many camps already offer. What is worth rethinking is the way you present yoga classes. Who is your target audience? Would they prefer a flexible yoga schedule or a course with fixed practice hours?
Giving your guests the flexibility to choose their yoga option can improve the likelihood of them making the booking. Should yoga be a form of relaxation or a powerful energy boost? Or both? Let your guests decide which option they prefer.
2. Day trips and cultural excursions
Partner up with a local travel agency that organizes tours in your region. Offer the trips as a part of your online package or give the guests the possibility to explore their options and book later.
3. SUP
Invest in a couple of stand-up-paddle boards to give your guests an opportunity to try something new.
4. Massages
Give your guests an option to have a relaxed afternoon after a good surf. You can go professional with creating a fully-equipped wellness space or partner up with a local massage studio to find an optimal way to offer massages without any additional investments.
5. Meditation
Just like with yoga, the calming benefits of the meditation practice can be translated into the “real life”, be it on the surfboard or beyond. Meditation classes are relatively easy to organize as they don’t require too much equipment.
6.Climbing
Chances are the surfing guests you welcome at your lodge like spending time on other sport-related activities. Give them the possibility to try climbing and work on different kinds of muscles this time.
7. MTB / Trekking
As an alternative to regular trips or excursions, offer options that are a little more demanding physically, but allow the guests to appreciate the natural beauty of the region.
8. Martial arts or fitness classes
Being on vacation doesn’t need to equal abandoning our daily workout schedule. For a lower season, when the weather conditions are not ideal, try out an alternative that you can do indoors.
9. Bike rentals
Let people leave their cars in a garage. Give them bikes as an alternative means of transport to explore the surroundings of your lodge in an eco-friendly way.
10. Horse riding
Partner up with a local horse riding club or school. If you are lucky to be located near a business like this, don’t miss out on this opportunity. The horse-riding community is a global and diverse one, so it may be worth trying to address this group.
11. Kayak or sailing trip
As for water sports, another popular activity is a kayak or a sailing trip. It works both as a rental or as an excursion with a guide. It can be an exciting form of spending an afternoon in a less conventional way.
12. Cooking classes
Offer your guests a possibility to discover local flavors. Culinary tourism has been on a rise for some time now, so it may be a good idea to add it to your offer. Improving the cooking skills and tasting new dishes will help create great memories for all kinds of travelers.
Explore new activities
Think about your current offer and how you can improve your guest’s experience. It’s the best starting point for any business decision. I encourage you to try the activities that you feel will be the most interesting for your guests and that are in line with your surf house’s overall vibe.
Are you planning to make changes to your offer this year? Let us know what your ideas are and if there are any new partnerships that you decided to go for.
Written by Aneta Szotek
Aneta writes articles for Bookinglayer's blog and takes care of Bookinglayer’s marketing. She loves yoga and dreams of sharing this passion with others as a teacher someday.
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