Setting Minimum Participants
Some products require a minimum number of participants to run profitably or provide a quality experience. Setting minimum requirements ensures bookings meet your operational needs.
Why set minimums?
Minimum participant requirements help you:
Cover costs — ensure each departure is financially viable
Create atmosphere — some experiences need a group to feel right
Manage resources — allocate staff and equipment efficiently
Set expectations — customers know upfront what's required
Common scenarios
Tours with fixed costs
A guided tour might have costs regardless of group size:
Guide salary
Vehicle fuel
Entry fees
Catering minimums
Setting a minimum (e.g., 4 people) ensures you cover these costs.
Group experiences
Some experiences work better with more people:
Cooking classes need multiple stations filled
Team building requires group dynamics
Wine tastings benefit from shared discussion
Private vs. Shared
Offer both options:
Shared tour — minimum 4, join other travellers
Private tour — minimum 1, but higher price
How to set minimums
For rates
When creating or editing a rate:
Go to Products
Click on your product
Click Edit or navigate to rates
Find or create the rate you want to configure
Set the Minimum Quantity field
Save your changes
For the product
Some products have an overall minimum:
Edit your product
Find the Minimum Participants or Minimum Booking field
Enter your minimum number
Save
Setting appropriate minimums
Consider your costs
Calculate your break-even point:
Fixed costs per departure
Variable costs per person
Your target margin
Set your minimum where bookings become viable.
Think about experience
Beyond finances, consider:
Does the activity need group energy?
Is equipment shared among participants?
Does instruction work better with multiple learners?
Research competitors
Check what similar operators require:
Are your minimums in line with the market?
Can you offer lower minimums as a competitive advantage?
Do higher minimums indicate premium experiences?
Communicating minimums
In your listing
Make minimums clear:
"Minimum 2 participants required"
"Tours run with 4+ guests"
"Private tours available for smaller groups"
During booking
Show minimum requirements:
Before customers start booking
When they select dates
In booking confirmations
When minimums aren't met
Have a clear policy:
Cancel and refund
Offer to reschedule
Provide upgrade to private tour
Combine with other bookings
Handling small bookings
When bookings don't meet minimums:
Option 1: Wait and see
Keep the booking open
Hope more customers book
Confirm or cancel closer to date
Option 2: Confirm anyway
Run with fewer people if viable
Build goodwill with customers
Use quieter times for training
Option 3: Offer alternatives
Suggest different dates with confirmed departures
Offer private tour upgrade (at a price)
Combine with other small bookings
Minimum nights (Accommodation)
For accommodation, minimums might be nights:
Minimum 2-night stay on weekends
Minimum 3 nights during peak season
Minimum 7 nights for holiday rentals
Set these in your rate configuration:
Edit your accommodation product
Configure rates
Set Minimum Nights for each rate or period
Save
Best practices
Be transparent
Display minimums prominently
Explain why minimums exist if helpful
Make policies clear before booking
Be flexible when possible
Consider running under minimum occasionally
Build customer loyalty by being accommodating
Track when you run under minimum and why
Review regularly
Are your minimums still appropriate?
Have costs changed?
Is market demand different?
Clear minimum requirements help you run a sustainable operation while setting proper expectations for customers.