The power of a balanced channel mix: Solé Watersports’ strategy for growth

“No matter where you operate, direct bookings through your website should always be a goal."

Andrew Slaga
Director of Search Engine Marketing

In the competitive waters of the Florida Keys, tour operators need every advantage to stand out. Solé Watersports, a family-run business, has mastered the art of maximizing direct bookings, capturing walk-in traffic, and optimizing their marketing mix to drive revenue. 

By leveraging FareHarbor’s tools and Google Things to do (GTTD) ads, Solé Watersports achieved impressive results, including a high return on ad spend (ROAS) through GTTD ads, a diversified revenue stream that combines online, offline, and affiliate sales, as well as a streamlined customer booking experience with optimized activity pages. 

Let’s dive into how they balanced their channel mix to increase bookings and improve their customer experience.

Solé Watersports

Solé Watersports is a premier water adventure company based in the stunning Florida Keys. Specializing in boat rentals, watersports, and guided excursions, Solé Watersports offers an exciting way to explore the lake’s crystal-clear waters. 

Guests can enjoy tubing, wakeboarding, and waterskiing or opt for a relaxing pontoon cruise. With a passion for adventure and a commitment to top-tier service, Solé Watersports provides unforgettable experiences for thrill-seekers and leisure lovers alike.

Breaking into a competitive market

Operating in a tourism hotspot like the Florida Keys means competing with OTAs, local businesses, and major tour providers. Andrew Slaga of Solé Watersports knew they needed a multi-pronged strategy to stand out.

“For anyone familiar with the cutthroat market of Key West, it’s probably considered ‘Things to do Land.’ Pretty much all operators are on Things to do. That was something I really wanted to figure out.”  -Andrew Slaga

The first step? Optimizing direct bookings with a refined website strategy and targeted Google Things to do ads.

How Google Things to do ads drove a 20X ROAS

Solé Watersports tested different ad placements and landing page structures to maximize conversions while keeping costs low.

“We’re seeing a 10X ROAS on Things to do ads, and our new site is already performing twice as well as before. Right now, I’m seeing about 20X ROAS.” -Andrew Slaga

A key factor in their success? Sending ad traffic to tour-specific pages rather than directly to the booking form.

“Having well-structured activity pages is key. I send my ads to tour-specific landing pages instead of the book form because it helps customers navigate more easily and see related activities.”  -Andrew Slaga

By refining landing page structures, keyword optimization, and pricing strategies, Solé Watersports kept cost-per-click low while attracting high-intent customers ready to book.

“It’s all about keeping someone’s attention when they’re on their phone. Everyone knows how easy it is to click on a Google ad and immediately X out. You need to keep them engaged on your website.” -Andrew Slaga

Maximizing sales with a diversified channel mix

While digital marketing played a key role in their growth, Solé Watersports didn’t rely on just one strategy. They built a multi-channel approach to reach customers at every touchpoint which included ads, flyers, QR codes and more — all which work very well in the Florida Keys. 

They also leveraged partnerships with local hotels, bars, and restaurants to capture customers already in the area.

“A combination of organic traffic, hotel referrals, and recruiting restaurants and bars to send people to our business works well. Now, we’re offering affiliate commissions to bartenders and servers — which is another great way to drive bookings.” -Andrew Slaga

To track offline and affiliate sales, they use custom referral URLs through FareHarbor’s reporting tools, allowing them to easily monitor bookings generated by specific bartenders and servers.

Key takeaways for tour operators

Solé Watersports’ success shows that a well-balanced marketing strategy can increase bookings and maximize revenue. Here’s what worked:

• Prioritize direct sales: Optimized activity pages increased online conversions.
• Leverage GTTD ads: Sending traffic to tour-specific pages drove higher ROAS.
• Diversify sales channels: QR codes, flyers, and partnerships expanded reach beyond online efforts.
• Track everything: Referrer URLs in FareHarbor reports provided data to refine strategies.

“No matter where you operate, direct bookings through your website should always be a goal.” -Andrew Slaga

Looking ahead: Be an early adopter

As more tour operators embrace Google Things to do, competition will only increase. Slaga recommends getting ahead of the curve.

“I think there’s going to be a big wave of tour operators jumping on Things to do in 2025. It’s best to be first in your market.” – Andrew Slaga

For tour operators looking to increase direct sales, reduce OTA reliance, and maximize ad spend, Andrew provides a winning roadmap to success.

 Want more expert insights? Tune into our podcast, Growth Powered by FareHarbor for an in-depth conversation with Andrew Slaga soon.