Hey there!
It's fantastic to have you here. We know running a tourism business means juggling a million things at once – from exciting new tour ideas to managing your amazing team and keeping everything running smoothly. Sometimes it can feel like you need an extra pair of hands, right?
That's exactly where our "Manage Projects Guide" comes in! Think of it as your friendly assistant, helping you keep track of all those moving parts so you can focus on what you do best: creating unforgettable experiences for your guests. We've designed it to be super easy to use, so let me show you how it works!
What This Does
In a nutshell, this feature helps you take any big goal or idea you have for your tourism business and break it down into manageable steps. Whether you're planning to launch a brand new adventure tour, overhaul your website, organise a big marketing campaign, or even just manage your property's seasonal maintenance – "Manage Projects" is your go-to.
It helps you:
Stay super organised: No more sticky notes or scattered spreadsheets! Keep all your project details in one clear place.
Know what needs doing: Easily see every task, who's responsible, and when it's due.
Work better with your team: Assign tasks to different team members and track everyone's progress, so you're all on the same page.
Keep things on track: Set deadlines and milestones so you can launch that new initiative without a hitch.
Reduce stress: By having a clear plan, you'll feel more in control and less overwhelmed by the day-to-day hustle.
It's all about making your big dreams feel achievable and your daily operations run like a well-oiled machine.
How to Get There
Don't worry, it's simple! Getting to your Project Management area is really straightforward.
First, make sure you're logged into your Tourism Accelerator account.
Once you're on your main Dashboard, look over to the left-hand side of your screen. You'll see a menu there.
Click on Projects. It's usually pretty easy to spot!
And just like that, you'll be in your Project Management hub, ready to start organising your next big thing!
Step-by-Step Guide
Let's walk through how to create and manage your first project. It's a breeze, I promise!
Step 1: Create a New Project
Once you're on the Projects page, you'll see a button that says + New Project (it might be in the top right-hand corner or prominently displayed). Click on it!
Here's what you'll see: A simple form asking for some details about your project.
Project Name: Give your project a clear, descriptive name. For example, "Launch New Sunset Kayak Tour" or "Winter Marketing Campaign 2024".
Description: Briefly explain what this project is all about. This helps everyone involved understand the main goal.
Start Date & End Date: When do you plan to kick off and wrap up this project? Don't worry if these aren't exact, you can always adjust them later.
Project Manager: Select who will be overseeing this project (it might be you!).
Once you've filled in these details, click the Create Project button.
Congratulations! You've just started your first project.
Step 2: Add Tasks to Your Project
Now that you have a project, it's time to break it down into smaller, actionable steps. These are your 'tasks'.
From your project's main view, look for a section or button that says + Add Task or something similar. Click on it.
You'll see another small form pop up:
Task Name: What specific action needs to be done? Be clear! Examples: "Research local kayak suppliers", "Design new tour brochure", "Update website with new tour booking link".
Description: Add any extra details someone might need to complete this task.
Assignee: Who on your team is responsible for doing this? Select their name from the dropdown list.
Due Date: When does this task need to be completed by?
Priority: Is this a High, Medium, or Low priority task? This helps you and your team know what to focus on first.
Click Save Task.
Repeat this process for all the individual steps needed to complete your project. Don't be afraid to break things down into really small steps – it makes it much easier to tackle!
Step 3: Track Progress and Update Status
As tasks get done, you'll want to update their status so everyone knows where things stand.
On your project page, you'll see a list of all your tasks.
Each task will have a Status (e.g., 'To Do', 'In Progress', 'Completed').
To update a task's status, simply click on the current status next to the task name, and a dropdown menu will appear. Select the new status.
Once a task is marked as Completed, you'll often see a satisfying tick mark or it might move to a 'completed' section.
That's it! By following these simple steps, you'll be managing your projects like a pro in no time.
What You Can Do
With our Project Management feature, you'll have the power to:
Create unlimited projects: Plan as many initiatives as your business needs, from major expansions to small improvements.
Define project goals: Clearly outline what each project aims to achieve.
Break down projects into tasks: Make big goals manageable by splitting them into smaller, actionable steps.
Assign tasks to team members: Delegate responsibilities clearly so everyone knows their role.
Set due dates and priorities: Keep everything on schedule and focus on what's most important.
Track task progress: See at a glance what's 'To Do', 'In Progress', or 'Completed'.
Add notes and comments: Communicate with your team directly within each task.
View project timelines: Get a visual overview of your project's schedule (depending on your subscription, this might include Gantt charts or calendar views).
Filter and sort tasks: Easily find specific tasks or see what's due soon.
Tips to Get the Most Out of This
Here are a few friendly tips to help you really shine with project management:
Start Small: Don't feel like you need to plan your entire year in one go. Pick one upcoming project – maybe a new social media campaign or a small facility upgrade – and practise using the tool with that.
Be Specific with Tasks: Instead of "Marketing," try "Draft email newsletter for August promotion" or "Create 3 Instagram stories for new tour." The more specific, the easier it is to complete!
Delegate Wisely: Use the 'Assignee' feature to empower your team. It helps them take ownership and reduces your workload.
Use it for Everything: Think beyond big launches. You can use projects for weekly team meeting agendas, monthly inventory checks, staff training schedules, or even just organising your favourite recipes for your café menu!
Review Regularly: Make it a habit to check your projects and tasks at least once a week. This keeps things fresh in your mind and helps you spot potential bottlenecks early.
Celebrate Wins! As tasks and projects are completed, take a moment to acknowledge the hard work. It's a great motivator for you and your team!
Need More Help?
We totally get it – sometimes you might hit a snag or have a question that isn't covered here. That's absolutely okay! We're always here to lend a hand.
If you find yourself stuck, confused, or just want to chat through how to best use this feature for your unique tourism business, please don't hesitate to reach out to our friendly support team.
You can contact us via:
The Help button within your Tourism Accelerator account.
Sending an email to [email protected].
Or giving us a call on 1300 ACCELERATE (1300 222 353).
We're passionate about helping your business thrive, and we're always happy to assist!
⭐ Requires: Professional, Premium, Enterprise