How to turn tour weather disruptions into loyalty-building moments

Every tour operator — whether you run kayak rentals or ghost tours — knows the feeling: you’ve got a full day of bookings, the team is prepped, and then the weather takes a turn. 

You can’t control the rain, high winds, or unexpected heat waves, but you can control the customer experience. This guide helps you turn weather curveballs into loyalty-building moments.

Here’s how to prep your bookings, your team, and your tools so no storm catches you off guard.

Why you need a weather policy

Bad weather is out of your hands, but how you handle it is fully within your control. A great way to build trust with your customers is through open, honest communication from the moment they book.

If there are consistent (or even occasional!) delays or cancellations due to weather at your business, implementing a weather policy will help handle disruptions. 

A few other benefits:

• Increase customer satisfaction as customers know what to expect.
• Meet expectations with clear rules instated.
• Protect your business in case of complaints or if the customer cancels on you.

What to include in your weather policy

A well-defined weather policy is crucial for your outdoor business to run as smoothly as possible. Think about including the following points in your policy:

• Clear criteria for refunds, credits, or rescheduling
• Self-service rebooking tools
• A formal refund or credit statement
• Contact details for questions or concerns

You can tailor your weather-related cancellation policies to each individual experience, especially helpful if weather conditions don’t impact some of your offerings.

Pro Tip: Utilize features like Online Rebooking or Online Cancellation refunded to a gift card so you can keep earned revenue in-house while allowing customers to reschedule themselves. To access our Help Pages, log into your FareHarbor dashboard!

Where to share your weather policy

Add your weather policy in places customers already look for key info — your standard cancellation policy, confirmation emails and texts, and your FAQ page.

Pro Tip: For details on how to update or change your cancellation policy, or add in an inclement weather clause, visit our Help Center, exclusive for FareHarbor operators, for step-by-step instructions.

How to communicate weather disruptions to your customers

The earlier you communicate, the better. Most customers can roll with the weather, as long as they know what’s going on. Reaching out before they ask shows that your team is on top of things and puts bookers at ease.

Email or text message

In most cases, you can simply send a canned email or text message to all customers booked on your experience. Send this communication as soon as possible, but we recommend at least giving a 2-hour warning. 

You can set up the Canned Messages feature in the FareHarbor Dashboard to prepare your emails for any occasion. For bad weather instances, a mass email can be sent to all customers on availability. If you’re a FareHarbor client, you can access our help center with step-by-step instructions found here. 

Here’s an example of a template you could use:
Subject: Weather Update for Your Upcoming Tour – Action Required

Hi [Customer First Name],

We’re keeping an eye on the weather for your upcoming [Tour Name] scheduled for [Date & Time]. While we’re still planning to go ahead, there’s a chance that [brief weather description, e.g., strong winds or heavy rain] could impact the experience.

Here’s what you need to know:
– We’ll send a final update by [Time].
– If weather conditions don’t improve, you’ll have the option to reschedule or receive a refund/credit.
– You can always check live updates here: [Link]

We’ll keep you informed every step of the way. Thanks for rolling with the weather—and with us.

— The [Your Company Name] Team

Operators who use this proactive template often see fewer cancellations and stronger reviews, even on stormy days.

Phone call

If you are canceling very close to the tour start time or have a smaller-sized group, it may be worth giving a phone call to all customers. This is a great tactic to help with customer satisfaction as it shows you care.  

Use the Contacts Report, a FareHarbor reporting feature, to gather the phone numbers of customers who are participating in the affected activity. 

Website or social media announcement

If you have a full-day or multi-day closure due to weather, you can also add a banner or pop-up announcement to your website and make a quick post on your business’s social media pages. Keep in mind, not all customers will see social media posts. 

Pro Tip: If weather events are a frequent occurrence in your area, create a template post for your social media pages that you can update and reuse as needed. This way, you won’t have to start from scratch each time. Canva has many options that can be saved and updated with ease.

Be sure to update your team on any changes to tours or activities to ensure they are prepared for their day!  

Make rescheduling seamless

When tours need to be rescheduled, keep the process as simple as possible. A complicated or unclear policy will only increase frustration and decrease the chance of a rebook.

Offer options like open-ended rebooking vouchers or calendar holds that let customers choose a new date when it works for them. Even better, provide a direct reschedule link in your communication so customers can act on their own timeline.

Customers will remember how easy you made it for them, and that’s what builds long-term loyalty and glowing reviews.

A clear refund policy goes a long way

Sometimes, a refund is the right call. But that doesn’t mean you lose the relationship. What matters is that your policy is easy to find, simple to understand, and fair.

Offering a choice between a full refund and a credit (with added value like a discount or bonus gift) gives customers a sense of control and shows you value their business, even if the tour doesn’t happen.

Little changes like this not only improve your team’s workload, they build trust with your customers, who feel empowered and informed.

Operating rain or shine

There may be times when you decide not to cancel your tour even when the weather is not great. When you do not typically cancel for inclement weather, you should state that your tours and activities happen “rain or shine.” 

If this is your standard operating procedure, it is essential to include this in your cancellation policy in order to avoid complaints or disputes due to less-than-perfect weather. 

To make sure your customers are in the know, you can also incorporate the following items into your bad-weather strategy.

• Include a “what to bring” section in your confirmation emails (raincoat, umbrella, waterproof shoes)
• Add weather details to your tour description in the Dashboard and on your website
• Send a canned message confirming the tour is still on
• Provide extras like umbrellas, ponchos, water, or hand warmers
• Thank customers for showing up despite the weather

Offer weather-proof alternatives

A downpour doesn’t have to mean a downturn. Having a Plan B, even if it’s not perfect, shows that you’ve thought ahead. 

Have a few indoor or covered experiences in your back pocket that can serve as substitutes. These could be shorter activities, venue-based experiences, or even a collaboration with a nearby business.

If you host a walking tour, for example, you could partner with a local distillery to showcase the history of the area with a private tasting.

The result? That operator turned rainy days into a unique, high-margin experience—bookers left raving about the “unexpected upgrade,” and the distillery saw new business too.

Don’t underestimate the value of nearby businesses. Is there a coffee shop, gallery, or venue within walking distance of your main tour? A little coordination goes a long way in giving customers a memorable “Plan B” they’ll still write five-star reviews about.

If possible, allow customers to choose a weather-proof option during the booking process. Giving them control over their backup plan makes it feel like part of the adventure, not a consolation prize.

Build trust, rain or shine

You can’t predict every thunderstorm, but you can control how your business responds when skies turn gray. From a timely message that eases customer nerves, to a seamless rescheduling flow, or a thoughtful indoor backup plan — you have more power than you think.

Rainy days don’t have to ruin the experience. In fact, they might become the moment your customer tells everyone, “That company really had it together.”

With FareHarbor’s flexible tools and the right strategy, your team can turn disruptions into delight — and turn one-time bookers into returning customers.

The weather is unpredictable. Your strategy shouldn’t be. Explore how FareHarbor can help you prepare, adapt, and shine—even when the forecast doesn’t. Book a demo today.