Finding qualified clients remains the number onechallenge for travel agencies in 2026. With increased competition from online platforms and evolving buying behaviors, traditional strategies are no longer sufficient.
Yet, opportunities have never been more abundant: 35% of new client acquisitions now come from social media marketing (Source: WiFi Talents 2025), and referrals show an exceptional conversion rate of 9.5% (Source: Ruler Analytics), nearly double the average conversion rate.
This guide presents 3 tested and quantified client acquisition strategies, specifically tailored for travel agencies, DMCs and tour operators looking to sustainably grow their client portfolio.
Strategy 1 : Local SEO to Capture a Local Clientele
Why Local SEO Works
Organic search generates 30.7% of travel agency webtraffic (Source: Ruler Analytics), with an 8.5% conversion rate, making it the second most effective channel after referrals.
For a local agency or a geographically specialized DMC, local SEO captures high-potential clients: those actively searching for"travel agency [your city]" or "Paris DMC" have immediatepurchase intent.
Concrete Actions to Implement
1. Optimize your Google Business Profile
- Complete 100% of your profile (description, hours, photos, services)
- Regularly publish updates (offers, destinations)
- Collect and respond to customer reviews
- Add local keywords to your description
2. Create targeted local content
- Write destination guides, such as: "Top 10 Activities in [destination]"
- Create landing pages by destination or travel type
- Publish detailed itineraries and redirect visitors to your services
Expected result: A well-executed SEO strategy can generate 15-25 qualified leads per month after 6 months, with an acquisition cost up to 70% lower than Google Ads.
Strategy 2: B2B Partnerships to Multiply Your Reach
The Power of Strategic Partnerships
47% of travelers are influenced by recommendations from close contacts in their choices (Source: LLCBuddy 2025). B2B partnerships extend this recommendation logic to a professional scale.
For DMCs, partnerships with foreign sending agenciesare essential. For agencies, collaborating with local businesses opens accessto their clientele.
3 Types of Partnerships to Develop
1. Partnerships with Complementary Agencies
For DMCs: Establish relationships with international sending agencies looking for local experts. Your destination expertise becomes their commercial asset.
For agencies: Collaborate with DMCs for destinations where you lack expertise. This allows you to offer an expanded catalog without direct investment.
2. Local Business Partnerships
- Wedding planners (honeymoons, destination weddings)
- Corporate committees (incentive trips, seminars)
- Luxury boutiques (high-end clientele)
- Gyms / wellness centers (sports trips, retreats)
Corporate events and MICE represent high-margin opportunities (25-35%) foragencies developing this B2B network.
3. Formalized Referral Program
Referred clients have a 25% higher conversion rate (Source: Elite Escapes case study) and an acquisition cost up to 6x lower.
Implementation:
- Offer a €100-200 gift voucher for each referred client who books
- Create a unique referral code per client for tracking
- Automate post-trip follow-ups with a "Refer Us" email
Expected result: 10-35% of new clients come from referrals after 12 months of an activeprogram (Source: Impact.com)
Strategy 3: Automation to Convert More Leads
The Conversion Challenge
The average conversion rate for a travel agency ranges between 12% and 30% (Source: Business Plan Templates 2025). This means that 70-88% of prospects never becomeclients.
The difference between a stagnating agency and a growing agency often lies in its ability to track, follow up, and quickly convert its leads. Response time is critical: a 24-hour delay reduces yourconversion chances by 50%.
Essential Automation Tools with Ezus
1. Integrated CRM to Centralize Leads
80% of agencies now use a CRM (Source: WiFi Talents2025). Ezus' integrated CRM centralizes all your customer relationship management:
- Centralized client directory with detailed client files (contacts, preferences, history)
- Visualization of all your ongoing projects with list, pipeline, or calendar view
- Task management assigned to your team members with progress tracking
- Customizable statuses to automate your project stages
- Dashboard with global statistics and daily project summary
Key feature: Ezus CRM directly displays all projects and documents associated witheach client (proposals, quotes, invoices), allowing you to access the completehistory in one click.
2. Fast Generation of Professional Quotes
The average response time for an agency is 48-72hours. Agencies that respond in less than 12 hours increase their conversionrate by 40%.
With Ezus' itinerary creation module and document automation, create personalized quotes in 15 minutes instead of 2-3 hours:
- Library of templates and pre-recorded content (hotels, activities, transportation)
- Automatic calculations (VAT, multi-currency, margins) in real-time
- Professional branded documents generated in 1 click (PDFs, programs, vouchers)
3. Traveler Area to Facilitate Validation
The personalized traveler area allows yourclients to:
- View their quote and itinerary online (updated in real-time)
- Electronically validate their booking (integrated digital signature)
- Make online payments via secure portal
- Communicate directly with you via integrated messaging
Impact: Agencies using Ezus' traveler area see a 40% reduction in validation time and a 25% increasein customer satisfaction.
4. Automated Nurturing Emails
Email marketing generates a 4.7% conversion rate intravel (Source: Ruler Analytics). Set up automated sequences, for example:
- Day 0: Request confirmation email
- Day 3: Automatic follow-up if no response to quote
- Day 30: Alternative offer or targeted promotion
- Cold leads: Monthly newsletter with travel tips
Expected result: Up to 20-30% increase in overall conversion rate by optimizing responsetime and systematic follow-up.
Centralize Your Client Acquisition with Ezus
The 3 strategies presented (SEO, partnerships, automation) have one thing in common: they require rigorous organization and appropriate tools to maximize their impact.
Ezus centralizes all your client acquisition in an all-in-one platform :
CompleteSales Management
- Centralized client directory with detailed files (multiple contacts, associated projects, documents)
- Customizable statuses to automate sales stages
- Dashboard with statistics and daily summary
Accelerated Production
- Quotes generated in 15 minutes with automatic calculations (margins, VAT, multi-currency)
- Library of pre-recorded content (hotels, activities, transportation) for tailor-made itineraries
- Professional documents generated in 1 click (programs, vouchers, invoices)
- Customizable templates according to your brand guidelines
Margin Optimization
- Real-time margin tracking by trip, by source, by destination
- Automated client and supplier invoicing
- Financial dashboards for strategic management
Premium Customer Experience
- Personalized traveler area with itineraries viewable online
- Secure payment portal (credit card, SEPA transfer)
More than 600 agencies in 75+ countries use Ezus too ptimize their client acquisition and increase their margins.
Take Action Today
Client acquisition is not about luck: it's amethodical process that combines visibility (SEO), network (partnerships), and operational efficiency (automation).
Agencies that consistently apply these three strategies see an increase of at least 25% in qualified leads over 12 months, with a reduction of approximately 30% in acquisition costs.
Whether you're considering launching your agency or developing your existing portfolio, start with one of these strategies and measure results for 90 days before optimizing.
Transform Your Leads into Clients with the Right Tools
Reduce your response time, automate your follow-ups, and precisely track your acquisition sources. Discover how Ezus can help you convert 30% more leads and maximize your marketing ROI.
Book a personalized demonstration and discover how Ezus can help you to optimize your client acquisition today.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average client acquisition cost for a travel agency?
Client acquisition cost (CAC) varies by channel: Google Ads costs an average of €150 per client, while a referral program can drop to €25 per client (Source: KPI Analysis 2025). SEO offers the bestlong-term ROI with a CAC of €40-60 after the first 6 months.
What is the best acquisition channel for a DMC ?
For DMCs, B2B partnerships with international sendingagencies are the most profitable channel. B2B lead conversion rates reach 25-40%, compared to 12-15% for B2C leads. Invest in trade shows and networkslike ASTA, ADMIC, or ADEME.
What conversion rate should I aim for ?
A conversion rate of 12-15% is decent, 20-30% is excellent, and 30%+ is exceptional (Source: Business Plan Templates 2025). Luxury agencies and DMCs often reach 25-40% thanks to ultra-qualified leads via partnerships.
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