When to cancel a trip?

You've set the date. This is definitely a trip your community will love, you think.

You've made reservations. Maybe you've even spent some money upfront because you're convinced that when your community learns about this trip, it’s going to sell out.

But the week of your trip, the weather forecast is looking iffy.

So reservations are slow. And everyone's reaching out to see if your trip is still is happening.

And those questions start to play mind games with you. You're thinking, Maybe I should cancel?

Should you cancel or should you go?

The only reason you should cancel any trip is if the weather compromises the safety of your guests. Otherwise, you should never cancel your trip.

Why? Because unless they're paying, guests will cancel. For any reason. Especially if your cancelation policy is vague or non-existent.

If someone who books your trip (or RSVPs) checks in asking if you're canceling your trip, they've already canceled. They're just hoping that you cancel it first so they don't feel guilty. Or worse, they don't feel FOMO.

I've actually had guests cancel as far out as 10 days in advance of a bad weather forecast!

From a business perspective, canceling your trip due to weather is really about canceling your trip based on how your cancelation policy is worded.

So, where do you get a strong cancelation policy? You can easily search online for a template (here's my company's policy). But you're going to have to build one based on your business.

But in addition to a well-written cancelation policy, you’ll also need to have some procedures in place to minimize the impact to your reservation revenue. Here are 3 simple things you can do:

1. Reach out early and frequently leading up to your trip date.

2. Be transparent and honest.

3. Offer credit first, but always offer refund.

For example, when I cancel (because of the weather or because I get sick and injured, too), I always reach out to my guests as far in advance as possible. I let them know that whatever the reason for my canceled trip, it's because it would be unsafe to run that trip. Then, I'll either offer credit for a future or rescheduled trip or offer a full refund before they even ask.

Guests who reached out asking about weather cancelations will suddenly say, Oh no! I was so looking forward to going! 😂 

But because you canceled your trip first and specifically said it was for their safety, there's a 99% certainly you'll see that same guest book another trip in the future.

Based on my company's proprietary data, 8 out of 10 guests who's trips we've had to cancel have booked other trips within the same year.

Furthermore, it's OK to accept reservations for a trip you're already thinking about canceling until the very last minute. Is that ethical?

Yes because you're going to give them a choice after you've officially canceled the trip. And 50% of the time, your guests will select a credit for a future trip vs. a full refund.

Also, don't be scared of refunds. A refund is actually an investment in disguise.

By being proactive with a refund, you're increasing the likelihood by 50% that a one-time guest will return to book again. Often for a higher-priced trip, too, because now they know they can trust you.

Cancel for your guests' safety, not the weather. You can't control the weather, but you can control your experience.

If your experience depends on clear skies (i.e. sky diving, hang gliding) or seasons (i.e. ski resorts, water parks), you'll have to rely more on walk-in business vs. advanced reservations. And without advanced reservations (i.e. season passes), it'll take years to build and learn your business' patterns.

But if you're able to make adjustments or better yet, create experiences that can occur rain or shine in any season, you'll be able to build more predictability and advanced reservations into your business.

Either way, I strongly recommend referencing the wide variety of outdoor experiences listed on Outerthere.com for inspiration. And when you've selected a cancel-proof trip you'll want to host, go ahead and list it here.