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Product Expansion Planning

Plan and track the development of new tours, experiences, and offerings

Hayden Zammit Meaney avatar
Written by Hayden Zammit Meaney
Updated today

Product Expansion Planning

Expanding your product range is a powerful way to grow your tourism business. Whether you're adding new tours, creating package deals, or developing entirely new experiences, the Tourism Accelerator helps you plan and execute your expansion strategy.

Why Product Expansion Matters

Adding new products to your portfolio can:

  • Attract different customer segments

  • Increase revenue per customer

  • Reduce seasonality impacts

  • Strengthen your competitive position

  • Utilise existing resources more effectively

Assessing Expansion Opportunities

Analysing Current Performance

Before expanding, understand what's working:

  • Navigate to /growth to review your business data

  • Identify your best-performing products

  • Understand why certain offerings succeed

  • Spot gaps in your current range

Gathering Customer Insights

Learn what your customers want:

  • Review feedback and suggestions

  • Analyse common requests

  • Look at what competitors offer

  • Consider trending experiences in tourism

Evaluating Market Demand

Research the market opportunity:

  • Is there unmet demand in your area?

  • What experiences are travellers searching for?

  • Are there underserved customer segments?

  • What seasonal gaps could you fill?

Creating a Product Expansion Goal

Step 1: Define Your New Product

  • Go to /goals and create a new goal

  • Select Product Launch or Product Development

  • Describe the new product or experience

  • Set your target launch date

Step 2: Break It Into Milestones

Create milestones for each stage:

  • Research and planning: Market validation, costing

  • Development: Creating the experience, training staff

  • Testing: Pilot runs, gathering feedback

  • Launch: Marketing, taking bookings

  • Review: Evaluating performance

Step 3: Set Success Metrics

Define what success looks like:

  • Number of bookings in first 3 months

  • Revenue generated

  • Customer satisfaction scores

  • Repeat booking rate

Types of Product Expansion

New Tours or Experiences

Adding completely new offerings:

  • Different activity types

  • New locations or routes

  • Unique themed experiences

  • Special interest tours

Product Variations

Creating versions of existing products:

  • Private vs group options

  • Different duration options

  • Luxury or budget versions

  • Family-friendly adaptations

Package Deals

Bundling products together:

  • Multi-day itineraries

  • Experience combinations

  • Accommodation + activity packages

  • Seasonal specials

Add-On Services

Enhancing existing products:

  • Photography services

  • Meal upgrades

  • Equipment hire

  • Transport options

Planning Your Expansion

Resource Assessment

Consider what you'll need:

  • Staff training requirements

  • Equipment or supplies

  • Venue or location access

  • Permits or licences

  • Marketing materials

Financial Planning

Calculate the investment required:

  • Development costs

  • Ongoing operational costs

  • Pricing strategy

  • Break-even analysis

  • Projected return on investment

Timeline Planning

Create a realistic timeline:

  • Research and validation: 2-4 weeks

  • Development and preparation: 4-8 weeks

  • Soft launch and testing: 2-4 weeks

  • Full launch: Ongoing

Risk Assessment

Identify potential challenges:

  • What could go wrong?

  • How will you mitigate risks?

  • What's your contingency plan?

  • What's the minimum viable product?

Tracking Your Expansion Progress

Milestone Tracking

Monitor progress through your milestones:

  • View your product expansion goal at /goals

  • Update milestone completion status

  • Note any delays or changes

  • Adjust timelines if needed

Launch Metrics

Once launched, track:

  • Booking numbers

  • Revenue generated

  • Customer feedback

  • Operational efficiency

  • Marketing effectiveness

Post-Launch Review

After your new product has been running:

  • Review against your success metrics

  • Gather comprehensive feedback

  • Identify improvement opportunities

  • Plan any necessary adjustments

Best Practices for Product Expansion

Start with Your Strengths

Build on what you already do well. New products that leverage your existing expertise are more likely to succeed.

Test Before Full Launch

Run pilot experiences to:

  • Gather real customer feedback

  • Identify operational issues

  • Refine the offering

  • Build initial reviews

Price Appropriately

Consider:

  • Your costs and desired margin

  • Market rates for similar experiences

  • Your brand positioning

  • Customer perceived value

Plan Your Marketing

Prepare to promote your new offering:

  • Update your website

  • Create promotional content

  • Notify existing customers

  • Consider launch offers

Be Patient

New products take time to gain traction. Give your new offering at least 3-6 months before evaluating success.

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