Where are you now?

Hi,

Thanks for subscribing to my newsletter – a fortnightly read packed with real-world advice, strategies, and tools designed to help travel business owners increase revenue, grow profit, and strengthen the foundations of their business, without burning out or inflating their costs.

This series is for you if you’re a tour operator, travel agent, retreat planner, or any travel entrepreneur looking to build a resilient, scalable business. Each edition will offer practical ideas you can apply immediately, with a strong focus on financial clarity, operational efficiency, and using AI and data to make smarter decisions.

In this edition, we will be looking at how you can start to build a more profitable travel business with a targeted Business Health Check.

Where are you now?

Before you can grow profitably, you need a clear and honest picture of where your business stands today.

That’s where the Business Health Check comes in, a simple financial and operational audit explicitly designed for travel businesses.

Running this check once a quarter can help you:

✅Identify hidden leaks and wasted spend

✅Understand which parts of your business are (and aren’t) profitable

✅Track progress over time

✅Set smarter goals based on data, not guesswork

✅7 Things to DO This Week

1. Complete the Business Health Check Audit

2. Calculate your true profit per booking (not just revenue).

3. Review your customer repeat rate over the past 12 months.

4. Map your customer journey and identify drop-off points.

5. Highlight your top 3 most profitable products or trips.

6. List out your top 5 monthly costs and consider where you can reduce or renegotiate.

7. Set a date for your next quarterly business review.

❌3 Things to AVOID

1. Guessing your numbers – Decisions based on vibes won’t scale.

2. Focusing only on sales – Revenue means nothing without margin.

3. Avoiding the data – Even basic tracking beats no tracking at all.

📊5 Key Metrics Every Travel Business Owner Should Track

1. Profit per Booking – Are you making money on each booking aftercosts?

2. Repeat Booking Rate – How many clients come back? Loyal customers are more profitable.

3. Average Order Value (AOV) – Are you maximizing what each customer spends?

4. Lead Conversion Rate – How many enquiries turn into bookings?

5. Fixed Costs vs Variable Costs – Are your overheads eating into your margins?

Don’t forget to complete the FREE business health check audit

💜Why This Matters – The Purple Umbrella Promise

At Purple Umbrella, our mission is to help travel business owners make confident, informed decisions that lead to sustainable profit and personal freedom. We believe that business success should not come at the cost of well-being, and that with the correct data, tools, and mindset, small changes can create big results.

📬 Coming Up Next

Issue #2: Are You Sitting on a Goldmine?

Uncover hidden revenue in your current customer base, and how to turn enquiries into high-value bookings.

About Me

I have over 40 years of hands-on experience within the travel industry, including working with some of the UK’s most established and well-known brands, such as Trailfinders, Hays Travel, and Abercrombie & Kent. This wealth of practical experience, combined with my qualifications in coaching and mentoring, uniquely positions me to help other travel business owners achieve revenue and profit growth.

As a certified Profit Coach, I specialise in helping travel business owners overcome growth plateaus and boost profitability through my 9-step framework to predictable profit.

My approach is strategic and empathetic, ensuring you not only achieve business growth but also enjoy a better work-life balance.

You’ve probably already tried going it alone — courses, webinars, guesswork. What you need now is focused support and a real, actionable plan.

🔧Take the Next Step

I’m Charlie Bateson, travel business Profit Coach. I work with business owners like you to identify opportunities, simplify processes and achieve sustainable growth.

If you’re ready to build a business that delivers real profit, it all starts with a conversation.

📅 Book a Free 20-Minute Profit Call: Book A Discovery Call

📱 Call Directly: +44 (0)74 7136 9258