Vikram books 30 hotels per month. His colleague Priya books 30 hotels per month. Vikram makes SGD 12,000. Priya makes SGD 24,000. Same number of customers, double the revenue. The difference? Priya upsells tours and activities on 80% of her hotel bookings. Vikram treats hotels as standalone transactions.
Most travel agents think upselling means being aggressive or pushy. Wrong. Real upselling solves problems your customer didn't know they had. It's about enhancing their experience while increasing your revenue. Done right, customers thank you for suggesting additions.
Why Hotel-Only Bookings Cost You Money
Let's do the math on a typical Singapore booking:
- 5-night hotel booking
- Net rate: SGD 600 total
- Your sell price: SGD 750
- Your margin: SGD 150
That SGD 150 seems fine until you realize the same customer will spend another SGD 800-1,200 on activities and transfers during their trip. If they book those through another agent or directly, you just lost SGD 160-240 in additional margin.
Worse: that customer might've paid you the same total amount or even saved money by bundling everything together. You both lost.
The Psychology of the Upsell
People don't book a hotel to sleep in a room. They book a hotel as the base for their experience. Your job is connecting those dots.
The Right Mindset
Stop thinking "I need to sell them more stuff." Start thinking "What experiences will make their trip amazing?" When you genuinely help, upselling becomes natural.
Timing Is Everything
There are three perfect moments to introduce activities:
- During initial inquiry: "Great choice on dates! Have you thought about what you'd like to experience in Singapore?"
- After hotel confirmation: "Your hotel is confirmed. Now let's make sure your actual days in Singapore are sorted."
- 2-3 weeks before travel: "Your trip is coming up! Most guests add a couple of tours at this point to lock in their itinerary."
Never wait until the day before. That's too late for planning and builds stress instead of excitement.
The Proven Upsell Framework
Here's the exact framework top agents use:
Step 1: Qualify the Customer
Before suggesting anything, understand:
- Who's traveling? (Couple, family, solo, group)
- First time or returning?
- What type of experiences interest them?
- How hands-on do they want their planning?
Two questions that reveal everything:
- "Is this your first time in Singapore?" (Determines if they need must-dos or off-beaten-path)
- "Are you more into cultural experiences, adventure activities, or relaxation?" (Narrows activity type)
Step 2: Suggest the Obvious Must-Have
Every destination has 1-2 non-negotiable experiences. For Singapore:
- First-timers: Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay
- Families with kids: Night Safari, Sentosa Island
- Couples: Singapore Flyer, River Cruise
Frame it as help, not sales:
"Most first-time visitors to Singapore do Universal Studios on day 2 or 3. Tickets are SGD 78 per adult. Would you like me to add that to your booking so it's sorted?"
Notice: no hard sell. You're positioning it as what others do (social proof) and removing a planning burden.
Step 3: Bundle for Value
Single activities are harder to sell than bundles. Bundles feel like deals. Compare:
Option A: Itemized
- Universal Studios: SGD 78
- Gardens by the Bay: SGD 35
- River Cruise: SGD 40
- Total: SGD 153
Option B: Bundled
"Singapore Essentials Package: Universal Studios + Gardens by the Bay + River Cruise = SGD 140 (Save SGD 13)"
The bundled option sells better even though it's the exact same activities. The SGD 13 savings makes the decision easy.
Step 4: Make It Optional (But Recommended)
Never force. Always recommend.
"I can include the Singapore Essentials package, or we can keep it hotel-only and you decide activities later. Most guests prefer locking it in now since it saves the planning headache, but totally your call."
You've made your recommendation clear ("most guests prefer...") while leaving the decision to them. This converts 65-75% of the time when positioned correctly.
Activity Suggestions by Customer Type
Personalization beats generic suggestions every time. Here's what converts by segment:
Families with Young Kids
- Must-suggest: Universal Studios, Night Safari, Sentosa Beach
- Upsell angle: "Skip the ticket lines and save planning stress"
- Bundle name: "Family Fun Package"
Couples and Honeymooners
- Must-suggest: River Cruise, Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, Romantic Dinner
- Upsell angle: "Create those Instagram-worthy memories"
- Bundle name: "Romance & Views Package"
Solo Travelers and Backpackers
- Must-suggest: Food tours, Walking heritage tours, Chinatown exploration
- Upsell angle: "Meet other travelers and see the real Singapore"
- Bundle name: "Cultural Discovery Package"
Business Travelers with Free Day
- Must-suggest: Half-day city tour, Spa session, Quick food trail
- Upsell angle: "Maximize your limited free time"
- Bundle name: "Express Singapore Package"
Transfers: The Forgotten Upsell
Airport transfers convert at 85%+ when positioned correctly. Here's why most agents miss this:
They ask: "Do you need airport transfer?"
Instead, frame it as default with opt-out:
"I'll include airport pickup and drop-off in the quotation. Saves you dealing with taxis after a long flight. The round-trip transfer is SGD 60."
You're not asking if they want it. You're telling them it's included unless they opt out. Conversion rate jumps from 40% to 85%.
Transfer Upsell Tiers
Don't just offer one transfer option:
- Basic: Shared shuttle (budget-conscious)
- Standard: Private sedan (most popular)
- Premium: Private van for families or luxury car for executives
Most customers choose the middle option. The premium tier makes standard look reasonable.
Creating Effective Activity Packages
Packages sell better than individual activities. Build 3-4 standard packages per destination:
Package Structure That Converts
- Name it clearly: "Singapore Family Essentials" not "Package A"
- Include 2-4 activities: More than 4 feels overwhelming
- Add one transfer element: Airport pickup or day tour transport
- Show the savings: SGD 320 if separate, SGD 280 packaged
- Describe the experience: Not just what's included, but what they'll feel
Sample Package Template
Singapore First-Timer Package - SGD 280
Perfect for families experiencing Singapore for the first time
Included:
- Universal Studios tickets (skip the queue)
- Gardens by the Bay admission with SkyWalk
- Night Safari with tram ride
- Round-trip airport transfers
Value: SGD 320 | Package Price: SGD 280 | You Save: SGD 40
Use DMCQuote's platform to build these packages with live inventory across Singapore, Dubai, Thailand, and more.
Overcoming Common Objections
You'll hear objections. Here's how to handle them:
Objection: "We'll decide activities when we get there"
Response: "Totally understand wanting flexibility! Just a heads-up: popular activities like Universal Studios often sell out 2-3 days in advance during peak season. Booking now locks your preferred dates. If plans change, most activities have 24-48 hour cancellation policies."
Objection: "That seems expensive"
Response: "I get it. Here's the thing - this is actually the wholesale rate I'm passing through. If you book these activities separately on their websites or at the hotel concierge, you'll pay 15-20% more. I can show you the public pricing if you'd like to compare."
Objection: "We prefer to explore on our own"
Response: "Perfect! I'll send you a curated list of what's worth visiting and what's skippable. That said, the airport transfer is worth having sorted - you don't want to negotiate taxi prices after a 6-hour flight. Can I at least include that?"
The Follow-Up Sequence
Most upsells don't happen in the first conversation. They happen in the follow-up:
Follow-Up Timeline
Day 1: Send hotel confirmation + suggested activities package
Day 3: "Any questions about the Singapore Essentials package I mentioned?"
1 week before travel: "Your trip is coming up! Last call to add activities at pre-booked rates."
That third email converts 30-40% of people who didn't buy initially. Why? The trip is now real and imminent. Planning anxiety kicks in. Your pre-packaged solution becomes the easy answer.
Commission vs Markup on Activities
Activities typically offer better margins than hotels:
- Hotels: 10-15% commission or 15-20% markup on net rates
- Activities: 15-25% commission or 25-40% markup on net rates
A SGD 600 hotel earns you SGD 90-120. Activities worth SGD 400 earn you SGD 100-160. Higher percentage, less competition, easier upsell.
Technology Makes Upselling Easier
Manual upselling is hard. You're checking availability across multiple suppliers, calculating pricing, creating quotations. It's slow.
Smart agents use B2B platforms where they can:
- Search hotels and activities simultaneously
- Build packages with one click
- Generate professional quotations showing itemized and bundled pricing
- Access real-time availability
DMCQuote lets you build complete hotel + activity + transfer packages in minutes. When you can create a professional quotation in 5 minutes instead of 45 minutes, you upsell more because it's not painful.
Measuring Your Upsell Success
Track these metrics monthly:
- Upsell rate: Percentage of hotel bookings that include activities
- Average booking value: Hotel only vs hotel + activities
- Revenue per customer: Total revenue divided by number of customers
- Activity attach rate: Average number of activities per booking
Priya tracks this in a simple spreadsheet. When her upsell rate dropped from 78% to 62% one month, she realized she'd stopped sending the follow-up email. Fixed it, rate jumped back to 75% the next month.
Common Upselling Mistakes
Mistake #1: Suggesting Too Many Options
Offering 12 activities confuses customers. Offer 1 curated package + 2-3 optional add-ons maximum. Choice paralysis kills conversions.
Mistake #2: Asking Instead of Recommending
"Would you like activities?" gets a no. "I recommend the Essentials package - here's why" gets a yes. Be confident in your suggestions.
Mistake #3: Upselling Wrong Activities
Don't suggest a Night Safari to a business traveler with one free afternoon. Suggest a quick city tour or spa session. Match activities to customer type and trip duration.
Mistake #4: Giving Up After One No
Just because they said no to activities during hotel booking doesn't mean they won't say yes one week before travel. Follow up.
Scripts That Convert
Here are word-for-word scripts top performers use:
The Assumption Close
"Your hotel is confirmed for 5 nights. For activities, I'll include the Singapore Essentials package - Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay, and Night Safari. This covers your major must-dos. Total with hotel and activities: SGD 1,180. Sound good?"
The Social Proof Technique
"Just so you know, 8 out of 10 guests who book this hotel also add at least 2-3 activities. The most popular combo is Universal Studios plus Gardens by the Bay. Want me to add those?"
The Value Stack
"If you book hotel + activities together, I can offer the bundle at SGD 1,150 versus SGD 1,220 if booked separately. Saves you SGD 70 and means everything's confirmed in one go."
Taking Action
Start small. Don't try to upsell activities on every booking tomorrow. Instead:
- Pick your top 2 destinations (probably Singapore and Malaysia)
- Create 2 activity packages per destination
- Add transfers as default (with opt-out)
- Test the "assumption close" script on your next 10 bookings
- Track what converts and what doesn't
Amit started doing this six months ago. His average booking value went from SGD 680 to SGD 1,150. Same customers, same destinations, 69% more revenue per booking. He didn't work harder. He just stopped leaving money on the table.
Your customers are going to book activities somewhere. They're going to arrange transfers somehow. The question is: will you make it easy for them to book everything through you, or will you let them figure it out elsewhere?
Build better packages faster with DMCQuote's comprehensive B2B platform. Access hotels, activities, and transfers across Dubai, Maldives, Hong Kong, and more. Your next upsell is one quotation away.
