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Creating a Manual Booking

Learn how to add bookings manually for phone, email, or walk-in guests

Hayden Zammit Meaney avatar
Written by Hayden Zammit Meaney
Updated today

Creating a Manual Booking

While many of your bookings will come through your online booking system, you'll often need to create manual bookings for guests who contact you by phone, email, or walk in directly. Tourism Accelerator makes this process quick and straightforward.

When to Create Manual Bookings

You might create a manual booking when:

  • A guest phones to make a reservation

  • You receive an email booking request

  • A walk-in guest wants to book a future experience

  • You're transferring bookings from another system

  • A corporate client requests a group booking

  • You're booking a complimentary experience

Step-by-Step: Creating a Manual Booking

Step 1: Open the Booking Form

  • Navigate to Calendar from your main menu

  • Click the + New Booking button, or

  • Click directly on your desired date in the calendar

Step 2: Select the Experience

  • Choose the experience or tour from the dropdown menu

  • Select the date for the booking

  • Choose the time slot from available options

  • The system will show you current availability

Step 3: Enter Guest Details

Fill in your guest's information:

  • Full name (required)

  • Email address (for sending confirmations)

  • Phone number (for contact purposes)

  • Number of guests (adults, children, infants as applicable)

Step 4: Add Booking Options

If your experience has optional extras:

  • Review available add-ons (equipment hire, refreshments, photos)

  • Select any extras the guest has requested

  • The total price will update automatically

Step 5: Process Payment

Choose how to handle payment:

  • Pay now: Process card payment immediately

  • Pay later: Mark as pending payment (guest pays on arrival)

  • Send payment link: Email a secure payment link to the guest

  • Record cash payment: For walk-in guests paying in cash

Step 6: Confirm the Booking

  • Review all booking details for accuracy

  • Add any internal notes for your team

  • Choose whether to send confirmation email to the guest

  • Click Create Booking to finalise

After Creating the Booking

Once you've created the booking:

  • It appears immediately on your calendar

  • The guest receives a confirmation email (if selected)

  • Your availability updates automatically

  • The booking is ready for any future modifications

Tips for Efficient Manual Bookings

  • Keep guest details handy while on the phone to speed up the process

  • Confirm email spelling to ensure confirmations reach your guests

  • Mention add-ons that enhance the experience while booking

  • Set payment expectations clearly, especially for pay-later bookings

Common Questions

Can I create a booking without an email address? Yes, but the guest won't receive automatic confirmations. Consider taking a phone number for contact purposes. What if the time slot shows as unavailable? Check your capacity settings or consider whether you can accommodate additional guests. You may need to adjust availability in your experience settings. Can I apply a discount to a manual booking? Yes, you can adjust the price or apply promotional codes during the booking process.

Manual bookings give you the flexibility to serve every guest, no matter how they choose to book with you.

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