Six months ago, we launched Fieldstories with a simple goal: to shine a light on all the behind the scenes work that goes into running unforgettable tours.
Since then, we’ve spoken to people from all corners of the tour operator community: a two-time tour business owner, a second-generation operator, an operations guru, and a tourism lecturer turned program manager.
I want to share some of the best practices and lessons I’ve come across in those conversations: the daily habits, routines, and processes operators have built into their workflows because they lead to better tours.
Experience Design
On some level, I knew operators went to great lengths to make their tours unforgettable… but I underestimated just how far they went. Every tour is meticulously planned, with every detail considered and every hour (sometimes every minute!) intentionally designed.
Lesson 1: Plan the “Flow” of a Day
Lisa shared how her team thinks deeply about the rhythm of each day. “We put a lot of thought into making sure the ‘flow’ of a day feels right,” she told me. “The goal is to avoid a day that feels chaotic or rushed - we want guests to truly ‘be’ in a place, to arrive, pause, and immerse themselves.” Lisa Marshall, GirlsTrek
Lesson 2: Build Towards Magic Moments
Andrew spoke about designing tours around what he calls “magic moments” those planned wow experiences that leave a lasting impression. “You could see the magic moment hit them,” he said, recalling a trip that included a helicopter ride to a remote valley for a surprise lunch. “Those are the things people talk about when they get home.” Andrew Wells, ex-New Zealand Trails
Operational Resilience
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face” - Mike Tyson. For tour operators, that punch can come from anywhere: sudden weather changes, challenging guests, last-minute supplier cancellations. The reality is, things will go wrong. And when they do, it’s the guide, and the team behind them, who must respond with calm, adaptability, and leadership
Lesson 3: Remain Calm in Uncertainty
Beverly emphasised the importance of composure when the unexpected happens. “If something unexpected happens (and it will!) the first thing is to stay calm. Only when you’re calm can you think clearly and make the right decision.” Beverly Chia, Ability Expeditions
Lesson 4: Steady Guides in Crisis
Casey shared how staying calm has become her default when guides call with issues on the road. “Even if I have no idea what the solution is yet, my role is to steady the situation. That sense of calm helps the guide feel in control, and that carries through to the guest experience. If a guide is flustered in front of travellers, it reflects poorly on the whole business.” Casey Xia, Untamed Escapes
Lesson 5: Letting Go of Control
Charlie reminded me that no matter how well you plan, the group’s energy ultimately shapes the experience - and that has to be nurtured. “You can map out the perfect itinerary and triple-check every stop, but the real magic comes from the group itself - their stories, their connections.” Charlie Leon, ex-Backroads
Supplier Management
Strong supplier relationships came up time and again. Suppliers aren’t just logistical contacts, they’re a vital part of the guest experience. Great suppliers help make the magic happen, but trust takes time to build. Many operators go to great lengths to find hyper-local partners and invest real time and care into turning them into long-term collaborators.
Lesson 6: Build Trust Over Time
Mairtin reflected on the shift from informal agreements to more structured supplier partnerships as the business grew. “As we scaled, we knew we had to formalise things - but we didn’t want to lose the personal touch. Consistent, proactive communication became the cornerstone of maintaining trust and professionalism.” Mairtin Óg Lally, Lally Tours
Lesson 7: Strike the Right Balance
Charlie spoke about maintaining relations with hyper-local experiences vs large-scale hotels. “Formal contracts didn’t work - this was about relationships. We’d call, ask about the family, and chat about what’s in season. It wasn’t just a meal; it was an experience guests never forgot.” Charlie Leon, ex-Backroads
Lesson 8: Pick Suppliers that Align with Your Brand
Lisa shared how supplier partnerships can reinforce the mission behind the tour. “Supporting female-led and small businesses is a core part of our mission at GirlsTrek. We’re passionate about ensuring the money from our trips goes directly to the local operators and small businesses. It’s our way of giving back and supporting the local communities we visit.” Lisa Marshall, GirlsTrek
Guide Itineraries
A huge amount of work goes into creating an unforgettable tour. The guide itinerary remains the cornerstone document that ensures guides have everything they need to deliver the experience as intended. The level of detail matters. With the right guide itinerary in place, delivery becomes seamless.
Lesson 9: Tiny Details Matter
The more detail that’s built into the guide itinerary, the more freedom guides have to focus on delivering a great experience and not figuring out logistics on the fly. “I provide detailed guide itineraries for every departure - 30 or 40 pages long, with timing, stops, distances, travel time, and notes. The more detail we include, the easier it is for guides to run a smooth trip and make adjustments confidently on the day.” Casey Xia, Untamed Escapes
Lesson 10: Documents Should Empower
A detailed guide itinerary helps businesses grow. It gives other guides the clarity and confidence to deliver the same high-quality experience, even if they’ve never run the trip before. “We documented everything: where to park, which table to ask for, what to say to the supplier. I remember handing off an itinerary to a new guide once, and he said, ‘I can run this trip just from what you’ve written here.’” Andrew Wells, ex-New Zealand Trails
Post-Trip Reviews
This was one of the biggest learning moments for me. I knew post-tour reviews were important - but I was surprised by the level of structure and rigour many operators apply to ensure each trip is better than the last. Over time, this becomes a company’s real “intellectual property.” The more you run a tour, the more you learn: the ideal flow, the best stops, and even when guests prefer free time over another activity.
Lesson 11: Use Guidelines to Assess Feedback
Not all feedback warrants change, clear internal guidelines help teams stay aligned on when to act and when to hold course. “There’s a balance that needs to be struck when considering whether to redesign an itinerary. We’ve set clear guidelines on when it’s appropriate to make changes and when it’s better to leave things as they are. These rules help the team stay aligned.” Lisa Marshall, GirlsTrek
Lesson 12: Run Annual Reviews
Even if you can’t debrief every tour, setting time aside for a structured review process helps spot trends and drive continuous improvement. “Because we can’t debrief after every single tour, the annual product review becomes a key part of our process. I track feedback in a spreadsheet, tag the guide’s name, and look for recurring issues. If the same concern shows up more than once, we know it’s time to make a change.” Casey Xia, Untamed Escapes
Lesson 13: Turn Negative Feedback into Positive Change
Negative feedback is hard to hear, but learning to sit with it leads to positive change. “Everyone says they value negative feedback because it helps you improve, but the truth is - it stings. That initial feeling of defensiveness is natural. You want to say, ‘But they don’t know what went on behind the scenes.’ Over time, I’ve learned to push through that reaction and really listen. When you let the sting settle and ask, ‘What can I learn from this?’, that’s when the best changes happen.” Laurie Pritchard, Small World Journeys
Featured Fieldstories
Want to go deeper into these insights? Here are the full interviews with the operators featured in this article:
