A recent Litmus report (via EMarketer) showed what most of us already are aware of in our inboxes: clickthrough rate (CTR) is the top KPI for marketing emails, with 29% of marketers ranking it even above conversion rate and revenue generated. But most marketing emails still fall flat—nearly 80% of marketers worldwide say their emails don’t break a 5% CTR.

When we looked at our own tour operator clients, the contrast was even sharper.

Automated emails averaged a 10.4% CTR. Traditional one-off blasts? Barely scraping under 1%. The only exceptions were operators serving a significant number local customers, where loyalty and habit helped drive a bit more engagement.

The lesson: automation doesn’t just save time—it consistently earns more clicks.

Why Automations Win

Automated campaigns feel different to a guest because they are different:

• Timing: They’re triggered by a booking, sign-up, or website behavior, so the message lands when interest is fresh.

• Relevance: Automations draw from booking data, so you’re not guessing—you’re speaking directly to what the guest already cares about.

• Consistency: Once built, automations run in the background, plugging the cracks between the booking and the tour without you chasing every detail.

This is why automated emails feel useful to the guest—while blasts feel like spam.

3 Ways Tour Operators Can Improve Email CTR

• Make the CTA the Hero
  Buttons work. Litmus found 35% of marketers believe interactive CTAs are the most effective elements in an email. Instead of hiding your upsell or review link in a sentence, put it front and center in a bold button. Make it easy to click.

• Personalize Beyond the First Name
  “Hi John” won’t cut it. Guests click when the email reflects what they were actually looking at or already booked. If someone browsed your kayak tours but didn’t purchase, follow up within 30 minutes with an email about that exact tour—complete with photos and a buy button. If someone booked a morning zipline, send a same-day suggestion for an afternoon add-on before they arrive. Personalization isn’t about a name tag—it’s about timing and relevance.

• Know What Speaks to Your Guest
  Not every audience wants the same carrot. Retired couples booking a quiet boat trip probably don’t care about “top selfie spots.” Locals aren’t going to download “top things to do in town.” But they will click if you frame your offer in a way that resonates. Try lead magnets and upsell emails that use words guests actually respond to—“secret waterfalls,” “hidden hiking trails,” or “best-kept local spots.” Then follow up with buy buttons to turn curiosity into revenue.

The Takeaway for Tour Operators

If your email CTR feels disappointing, the problem isn’t email—it’s the way it’s being used. Blasts get ignored. Automations that are personal, timely, and written in your guest’s language get clicked. And when you layer in simple, bold CTAs, you don’t just get engagement—you get bookings.