Publishing your trip is just the beginning and getting bookings can be simpler than you think. In this series, we’re sharing real stories from real TourHero hosts who’ve successfully filled their trips using strategies that matched their own style, audience, and comfort level.
Whether you’re a first-time host or already planning your next trip, you’ll find clear, repeatable ideas you can apply today — and proof that, yes, your trip can sell out too! 🙌
How Sarah sold out her Peru trip
About the TourHero, Sarah
Sarah is a content creator living in Idaho, with a background in photography, videography, and social media. She’s also a passionate traveler, with more than 20 countries under her belt, she says, “I’m never going to stop exploring”. For her first trip as a host, she wanted a destination that was both adventurous and deeply cultural. Peru was the clear choice, with Cusco as the entry point and a week-long itinerary that combined hiking, local workshops, and immersive cultural experiences.
From the very beginning, Sarah saw her trip not just as a product to sell but as a way to bring her community together. “I tried not to really look at it as, ‘I’m selling a trip,’” she explains. “It was more, ‘I’m hosting a trip’ — creating an opportunity to travel together and make it easy for people who might not have traveled on their own.”
Trip: Are You Peru-eal: One Amazing Week in Peru with Sarah
Spots filled: 6 (total group size, including host: 7)
📣 How Sarah promoted her TourHero trip
1. Launch with stories and start conversations right away
Sarah’s trip launched in January 2025, and her first step was to use Instagram Stories to speak directly to her most engaged community. “Stories are where my main community comes to check in on me,” she explains. “It’s not necessarily the biggest reach, but it’s the people who are most invested in me.”
Her very first post was simple but effective: she let followers know she was planning something special, emphasized that spots would be extremely limited, and invited anyone interested to message her directly. “One story kind of sparked a ton of people messaging me,” she recalls, with questions like What are the dates? Do I need a passport? Where are we going to go? That initial burst of DMs gave her the momentum to keep promoting.
2. Pair stories with reels to show what travel with you looks like
She quickly layered in other content. Soon after, Sarah posted a reel from a previous trip to Guatemala, captioned with an invitation for people to join her next adventure. “I told people, ‘Maybe you want to do a trip like this with me next,’” she says. By showcasing a recent travel experience and connecting it directly to her Peru trip, she helped her audience visualize what traveling with her would be like.
3. Track interested names and keep following up
Rather than leaving interest vague, Sarah kept a running list of names in her phone’s Notes app. She checked back in regularly with anyone who hadn’t booked yet. “My first couple people, I made sure to message them every couple of days,” she explains. “Just checking, ‘Do you have more questions? Spots could fill up quickly — what are we looking for with booking time?’”
She admits this kind of persistent follow-up can feel repetitive, but it worked: “One of my friends would not have booked if I hadn’t just kept texting her, ‘We are going to Peru. Let’s do this. Let’s just make it happen.’”
4. Use polls as a low-pressure entry point
Sarah recommends using polls in stories rather than relying on open-ended question boxes. “I think people get a little scared to send a message in a box,” she says, “but with a poll, they’re just clicking a button.”
Her strategy: add a poll with options like “Yes, message me” or “Maybe, message me in a couple days.” Then follow up with everyone who clicked yes. “That’s kind of your in,” she says. “Then it’s not aggressive, it’s just responding to a decision they already made.”
5. Build early momentum with friends and social proof
Before strangers booked, Sarah’s first two sign-ups came from close friends. This gave her early confidence and material to share. “I actually shared little experiences to my stories that I had with those two girls, saying, ‘We’re going to Peru together — who wants to come with us?’”
That personal proof made the trip feel real to her followers. Seeing that others had already committed reduced hesitation for the rest of the group.
6. Keep the value clear and accessible
Sarah kept her trip affordable, choosing not to add a large markup. Her goal was accessibility and sharing that benefit. “Because of this, I kept the price low, and I was really upfront with everyone, basically explaining that if you take this trip, you won’t have to plan anything, you won’t have to organize anything. You won’t even have to call a taxi because this is basically the easiest way to travel.“
For her audience — many of whom had never traveled abroad — that reassurance was a powerful selling point.
🚀 The turning point for Sarah
Sarah knew her two friends would join, but the moment she felt the trip was truly happening was when two strangers booked. “That felt like the community-building aspect I’d been craving,” she explains. “Actual strangers wanted to come travel with me. That’s when I thought, this is definitely going to happen.”
💡 Sarah’s advice for future TourHero hosts
- Launch where your audience is already most engaged – use stories and polls to spark easy conversations.
- Follow up consistently – keep track of names and check in regularly, even if it feels repetitive.
- Highlight specific activities – share the things you are personally excited about. It will resonate
- Secure friends first – early bookings create social proof and reduce hesitation for others.
- Frame your trip as an opportunity, not a sales pitch – position it as the easiest way to travel: stress-free, organized, and once-in-a-lifetime.
As Sarah puts it: “Almost having a delusional optimism helps. Just keep telling people, ‘It’s happening, so you better book it.’”
🌅 The big highlight during Sarah’s adventure
For Sarah and her group, the most unforgettable moment came early in the trip, on their second day in Peru. By coincidence, the date lined up with August 1st, a day dedicated to Pachamama, or Mother Earth, celebrated with rituals and music across the region.
They joined a local ritual with music, drums, and flutes. A fire was lit, and each traveler was given tea leaves to offer into the flames in thanks to Pachamama. An elder blessed each member of the group, predicting they would have a beautiful trip filled with connection.
“All of us were crying at this ceremony.” Sarah recalls. “It was the most beautiful thing. That shared experience bonded the group from early on. Even after the trip, they still keep in contact, reminiscing about the moments shared. “I think we’ll stay in touch forever and I genuinely think all these girls are going to travel with me again next year.”
How Zuzana sold out her Morocco trip
About the TourHero, Zuzana
Zuzana is a flight attendant from Slovakia who splits her time between home and Saudi Arabia. With a job that takes her around the globe, she’s no stranger to adventure, but Morocco holds a very special place in her heart and she wanted to launch a truly immersive and legitimate TourHero trip to make the Moroccan experience real for others.
“It’s a country I truly love,” she shares. “I wanted others to feel what I feel there — the culture, the food, the landscapes.” Her goal was simple: create an experience so unforgettable that her guests would still be talking about it months later.
Trip: Exploring Morocco One Bite at a Time with Zuzana
Spots filled: 9 (total group size, including host: 10)
📣 How Zuzana promoted her TourHero trip
1. Post consistently about different aspects of the trip
Instead of repeating the same message, Zuzana broke her promotion into specific themes: one day focused on food, another on accommodations, another on activities like the Sahara Desert experience. This variety kept her content fresh and allowed potential guests to imagine themselves in different parts of the trip — a tactic that many real TourHero hosts use to keep their audiences engaged.
2. Combine public posts with personal outreach
She did not rely solely on general promotion. Zuzana sent direct messages to people she thought might be interested, as well as to those who had liked, commented on, or otherwise engaged with her posts. This made her promotion more targeted and increased the likelihood of conversions.
3. Use early bird pricing strategically
To encourage faster decisions, she offered a discounted early bird rate. Even though this reduced her markup, she saw it as an investment — prioritizing delivering a strong first trip and collecting positive feedback over immediate profit.
4. Clearly communicate value against alternatives
Zuzana researched other tours to Morocco and compared their pricing, accommodations, and activities to her own. She emphasized her use of authentic riads over chain hotels, the inclusion of cultural immersion activities, and the level of comfort offered throughout the trip. This gave potential guests clear reasons to choose her experience — reinforcing the credibility and value people expect from legit TourHero trips.
🚀 The turning point for Zuzana
For much of the promotion period, bookings came in slowly. Zuzana kept posting and reaching out, even when responses were minimal. Most guests confirmed their participation just before the booking deadline, highlighting the importance of consistent promotion and patience.
💡 Zuzana’s advice for future TourHero hosts
- Share dates earlier – even tease them on social media to gauge interest.
- Don’t panic if it’s quiet at first – last-minute bookings are common.
- Focus on the guest experience – happy travelers are your best marketing.
- Reach out 1:1 – personal invites go a long way.
“There’s nothing to lose,” Zuzana says. “Either you have a successful trip or you learn for next time.”
🌅 The big highlight during Zuzana’s adventure
For Zuzana’s group, the most memorable moment was the Sahara Desert experience: a camel trek to the dunes, watching the sun set over the desert horizon, and spending the night in a luxurious glamping camp. The combination of stunning views, cultural immersion, and high-quality accommodation exceeded expectations and became the story participants shared most after returning home.
Need more questions answered? Explore our articles below:
🚀 What is TourHero? Everything you need to know
💰 8 Ways hosting a trip with TourHero will benefit you
😍 How to build a travel community that loves you
🎉 How TourHero makes group travel more fun (and profitable!) for creators
