How to get other websites to sell your boat tours

Whether you run a one-man wildlife tour in Alaska or manage a fleet of sunset sailboats in Key West, you’re probably spending a lot of time trying to fill your calendar, while also juggling maintenance, staffing, and customer service. What if there was a way to get more travelers on board without doing all the selling yourself?

By opening your boat tours to trusted third-party sellers — like OTAs, travel bloggers,  local hotels, and even destination marketing groups — you can reach new customers who would never find your site on their own. And with the right tools, it doesn’t mean giving up control.

In this guide, you’ll learn the main ways to get other sites to sell your boat tours, how to manage those relationships, and the tools that make it easier.

You don’t need to add another boat. You just need more ways for travelers to find the one you’ve got.

Why partner with other websites?

Even if your tour ranks on Google for “sunset boat rides near me,” there’s a whole group of travelers who skip search engines entirely. Many turn to travel blogs, online travel agencies (OTAs), and other trusted sites to plan their experiences.

By letting those sites sell your tours directly, you can connect with travelers who might never land on your website at all. This not only boosts your visibility but also strengthens your credibility by appearing on platforms customers already trust.

Best of all, partnering with other websites diversifies your channel mix, helping you reduce reliance on walk-ups or direct bookings.

Option one: Work with online travel agencies (OTAs)

Online travel agencies (OTAs) like Viator, GetYourGuide, and TripAdvisor are some of the most popular ways travelers discover and book tours. These platforms connect you to a global audience, making your tours visible to people who might never find your website on their own.

OTAs bring massive exposure and instant credibility. Travelers already trust these sites, so being listed alongside other experiences in your area helps position your boat tours as a reliable choice.

We get it, handing off sales feels risky when you’ve built your tour from the ground up. But the right partners can free you up to focus on the guest experience. Of course, there are trade-offs. OTAs charge commission fees. That’s why it’s smart to treat OTAs as part of a broader sales strategy.

Pro tip:  Balance OTA sales with direct bookings. Use OTAs to get in front of new audiences, but encourage repeat and returning customers to book directly through your site to maximize profit.

Want to learn more? Check out our guide to OTA marketing strategies to maximize your reach.

Option two: Build affiliate partnerships

Affiliate partnerships let other people — from local bloggers to influencers to nearby businesses — sell your tours for a commission. It’s a win-win: affiliates earn money every time they drive a booking, and you get exposure to audiences you might not reach otherwise.

Affiliates can be especially powerful in travel. Think about a local travel blogger writing a guide to your city. With the right setup, they can link directly to your booking flow, making it seamless for customers to reserve a spot.

The key is to manage the relationship well. You’ll want to set clear rules for payouts, track affiliate performance, and provide partners with the information they need to showcase your tours.

GetUp and Go Kayaking created structured affiliate rules in FareHarbor. By doing so, they turned local partnerships into a steady stream of bookings.

Not sure where to start? Think about the people already referring you: the kayak shop down the road, the whale-watching Instagram account, or the travel YouTuber who filmed on your boat last season. With a little structure, they can become revenue-generating partners.

Pro tip: Don’t think of affiliates as one-offs. Building a network of reliable partners can create long-term, sustainable sales outside your own website.

Check out our step-by-step guide to managing affiliate relationships.

The best of both worlds: Join the FareHarbor Distribution Network (FHDN)

Working with OTAs gives you visibility. Building affiliate partnerships gives you local reach. But managing both can be time-consuming. That’s where the FareHarbor Distribution Network (FHDN) comes in.

FHDN connects your tours to more than 200 distribution partners, including OTAs, affiliates, and local resellers. Instead of juggling multiple agreements and tracking commissions manually, everything runs through your FareHarbor dashboard. You stay in control of pricing, availability, and branding, while FHDN handles the heavy lifting of connecting you to new sales channels.

One example is Sea Maui, which earned $109,000 in FHDN boat tour bookings in a single year, simply by opening its tours to the network. That’s growth they couldn’t have reached with direct sales alone.

Pro tip: Think of FHDN like your tour’s marketing assistant. It combines the reach of OTAs with the personal touch of affiliates, all managed from one place. 

Option three: Partner with local businesses and DMOs

Beyond OTAs and affiliates, local partnerships can be a powerful way to boost sales. Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and visitor bureaus often feature tours on their websites, in social campaigns, or travel guides. 

Reach out directly to your local DMO as the first step. Many have partnership programs or listing opportunities designed for operators.

You can also connect with local hotels, restaurants, and shops to create referral pipelines. A hotel concierge desk can book tours on a guest’s behalf, or a restaurant can include a discount card for your sunset cruise with the check. 

Collaborate with restaurants or attractions to create special offers that combine experiences. Even local gift shops or breweries may be open to cross-promotion when your customers overlap with theirs.

By aligning your tours with trusted community partners, you position yourself as a go-to experience for visitors, while building relationships that can drive steady bookings.

Here’s everything you need to know about working with DMOs.

Optimize your presence for resellers

Resellers are more likely to feature your tours if your content is professional, clear, and easy to use. Focus on:

• High-quality visuals: Use photos and videos that make your tours stand out.
• Accurate descriptions: Highlight what makes your experience unique.
• Clear pricing and availability: Keep details updated to avoid booking issues.
• Consistent listings: Tools like FareHarbor Sites help you stay aligned across your own site and partner platforms.

The easier you make it for resellers, the more likely they are to choose your tours.

Manage partnerships and measure results

Once you’ve opened your tours to resellers, it’s important to track performance so you know which channels are worth the investment. Focus on:

• Track bookings by source: Use reporting tools to see where each booking comes from.
• Measure ROI: Compare commission costs from OTAs and affiliates with the revenue they generate.
• Identify top partners: Double down on affiliates, OTAs, or local businesses that consistently deliver.
• Refine your mix: Adjust your strategy if one channel is underperforming or costing too much.
• Leverage FareHarbor reporting: Tools like FareHarbor’s reporting features give you clear visibility across all channels.

Staying on top of performance ensures your partnerships remain profitable and sustainable.

Expand your reach without extra work

Getting other websites to sell your boat tours isn’t about replacing your own sales. It’s about multiplying them. From OTAs and affiliates to local partnerships, each channel helps you reach travelers you might never connect with directly. And with tools like the FareHarbor Distribution Network, you can manage them all in one place.

Want more ideas to grow your bookings? Explore our latest marketing strategies for tour operators.