Why We're Building Sunrise Bookings
Tired of commission fees? Sunrise Bookings is a commission-free booking system for tour operators, offering powerful features for a flat, predictable fee.
For most tour operators, the biggest headache isn't guiding the tour—it's the software that runs the business. Many booking systems charge a significant commission on every sale, eating into hard-earned revenue. Sunrise Bookings offers a different path: a clean, powerful booking system that operates on a flat, predictable fee, not a percentage of your sales.
If you want a practical guide to managing complex trips, check out our post on How to Take Bookings for Multi-Day Trips.
This post explains:
- The core problem with commission-based booking software
- The landscape of existing tools
- How a flat-rate model provides a better alternative
- Who it's for
The Problem: Why Pay a Commission on Every Booking?
Interviews with tour operators revealed a deep frustration with the status quo. Beyond the obvious logistical challenges of managing trips, the most significant pain point is financial: why should booking software get a cut of every booking?
Operators find themselves struggling with:
- High commission fees that penalize growth
- Manual spreadsheets and email chaos to avoid costly systems
- Generic form builders that don't handle payments or deposits
- Lack of control over customer relationships and branding
The fundamental issue is that most software options force a choice: either deal with manual chaos or give up a percentage of your revenue.
What Existing Tools Get Wrong
The booking software market is crowded, but most options fall into a few categories that aren't ideal for independent operators.
1. Commission-Based Booking Engines
This is the most common model. Platforms like FareHarbor or Peek provide powerful booking tools, but their business is built on taking a percentage of every booking. While they solve many logistical problems, they introduce a new one: a variable, often costly, fee that scales with your success.
2. Aggregator Marketplaces
Marketplaces like Viator or GetYourGuide not only take a high commission but also position themselves between the operator and their customer. Businesses are listed among direct competitors and lose ownership of the customer relationship.
3. Generic Form Builders & Hotel Platforms
These tools are either too simple (Google Forms) or built for the wrong industry (hotel software). They don't offer the specific features needed for multi-day trips, like deposit handling, automated reminders, and capacity management.
The Alternative: A Flat-Rate Booking System
The core idea behind Sunrise Bookings is simple: tour operators should keep their revenue. Instead of charging a commission, the platform provides everything you need for a flat, predictable fee.
Pay for Software, Not a Share of Your Sales
By connecting your own Stripe account, you get paid immediately and maintain full control. No middleman, no hidden fees.
In addition to flat-rate pricing, Sunrise Bookings provides the essential features for managing multi-day experiences, all included:
- Deposit + Remainder Support: Set fixed or percentage-based deposits and automate balance reminders.
- Automated Emails: Send branded confirmations, receipts, and reminders without lifting a finger.
- Designed for Multi-Day Trips: Manage start/end dates, capacity, and trip variations.
- Embeddable on Your Own Site: Keep customers on your website for a seamless booking experience.
Who It's For
If you're a retreat leader, guide, or small tour operator, you've probably asked:
"Why am I paying a percentage of my revenue for booking software? Isn't there a flat-fee alternative?"
Sunrise Bookings is for operators who:
- Believe they should pay for software, not give up a share of every sale.
- Want to escape commission fees and move to a predictable, flat-rate model.
- Need professional tools for multi-day trips, from deposits to automated emails.
- Use Stripe (or want to) and want to own their customer relationships.
If you're interested in best practices for running an adventure operation, see our tips in Tour Booking Management: 5 Essential Tips for Adventure Operators.
A New Way to Manage Bookings
The best experiences start with clarity and control—not booking friction. If you run multi-day trips and are tired of commission fees, Sunrise Bookings was made for you.
If you're interested in joining visit our pricing page.
Sunrise Bookings helps experience-based businesses manage multi-day trip bookings and payments—without commission fees. Built for independent operators.