Planning a bus tour for your customers? Keeping these factors in mind can make the experience more enjoyable for both your business and your travelers:

Your Target Demographic

As a tour operator, you've probably worked with groups of many ages and backgrounds. When you create a tour plan, you should keep your target demographic's needs in mind.

Age can influence your customers' enjoyment of the trip. Seniors and school-age children may need plenty of rest stops so they can have a comfortable bus ride. Professors taking a group of college students out of the classroom will likely prefer a tour centered around learning making it important for routes to include historical landmarks and other educational spots. If your tour will include plenty of teens or young adults, consider using buses with WiFi and plenty of outlets for charging electronics.

Weather Conditions at Every Part of the Route

Storms and other weather situations can make roads more hazardous to drive on. If you run tours during the summer or winter, research past weather trends for every part of your route, including places you don't even stop. For example, are you passing through an area known for getting a lot of snow in January? You might want to avoid that route, even if it takes a little longer to travel another path. To get an idea of historical weather patterns, you can use websites like Weather Underground to understand what temperatures and conditions looked like in past years.

Entertainment Time vs. Time on the Bus

Your customers go on your bus tour to have fun. So, you want to balance the time they spend on the bus with time spent experiencing the tour or seeking out their own entertainment. Spread out bus time between primary destinations evenly, so your travelers have plenty of time to sightsee and explore. Even adding an extra stop meant for fun and relaxation can improve your customers' experience.

All-In-One Venues

Including a stop at an all-in-one venue like Spooky Nook Sports can help you cover a lot of the factors already mentioned. All-in-one venues offer multiple facilities in one location. Spooky Nook Sports has lodging, dining, and activities like climbing. The variety of things to do caters to people of many ages and abilities, and you can include a stop at an all-in-one venue to give your travelers a break from the bus. Lodging and dining availability let you visit an all-in-one venue for as little as a few hours or as long as overnight.

Consider Lancaster as Your Bus Tour Destination

Have you thought about including Lancaster as part of your trip itinerary? It's close to the Northeast's major metro areas, but it also has plenty of attractions for your customers to enjoy, such as:

• Hersheypark, the home of Hershey's chocolate
• Amish country and its unique culture
• Shopping at Park City Center and Tanger Outlets
• Dutch Wonderland, an amusement park made just for children

Learn more about the Lancaster area and see why it is the perfect spot to include in your bus trip.