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Preparing for the Booking and Communicating with Your Traveler

FOR EXPERIENCE MAKERS: How to get ready and stay connected with your Traveler, from booking to day of Experience.

All communication with your Traveler happens through Fernwayer Chat — for how the tool works and why we designed it this way, see Using Fernwayer Chat For Building Traveler Trust.

What you'll know about the Traveler from a booking

Name of the person who made the booking, names of other travelers in the party, their phone number, and any notes they added when making the reservation. The country code of their phone number will typically tell you where they're travelling from — a useful cue for your welcome message. See Where Do I See My Bookings? for how to view the full booking details.

Before you reach out

Once a booking comes in, take a moment to check your Experience listing is set up correctly for this Traveler:

  • The meeting point — is it clear, precise, and accurate? If you meet at a specific spot, it should be pinned on the map. If you pick up at a hotel, this should be indicated clearly. If it needs fixing, update it yourself, or ask Fernwayer Support to help.

  • The inclusions and flow — read through everything listed as inclusions in the Experience description; deliver as posted.

  • Onboard a team member, if applicable — if someone else from your team will be delivering the Experience as a guide, send them the Experience write-up now, so they're familiar with the flow, the inclusions, and the theme well before the day.

Then reach out to the Traveler.

When to reach out

  1. Within a day or two of the booking — a first welcome message, and an invitation to share anything you should know

  2. One week before the Experience — reconfirmation of meeting place and time, mobility or dietary questions if they haven't already shared, hotel details if pickup is involved

  3. Three to four days before, if weather may raise safety concerns — for a boat, a hike, or any outdoor Experience where conditions matter

Your first message

A good first message:

  • Welcomes them by name

  • Confirms the essentials — date, time, meeting point

  • Invites them to share anything you should know — dietary needs, mobility considerations, ages if it's a family, any other details that will help you host well

  • Invites them to ask questions about the destination before their arrival

  • Sets expectations for what happens next — that you'll reach back closer to the day

Keep the tone warm, kind, and thoughtful — the same voice a Traveler will experience on the day.

What Travelers commonly ask

In the days after a booking, the most frequent questions are:

  • The meeting point — where exactly, how to get there, what it looks like

  • Dietary requirements — allergies, restrictions, preferences

  • Mobility concerns — if any

  • What to wear or bring — beyond what's in the listing

  • Local logistics — where to stay nearby, weather or transport questions

Answering promptly and specifically is part of what makes a Fernwayer Experience feel considered.

One week before the Experience

Reach out again to reconfirm:

  • The meeting point and time.

  • Anything they absolutely need to bring — a passport for entry into a monument, for instance. You don't need to remind them about a camera, sunscreen, or basics.

  • Your direct phone or WhatsApp number — so they can reach you if they need directions or are delayed on the day.

If rain is forecasted for an outdoor adventure, advise the Traveler to bring a raincoat or umbrella, and let them know how you'll adapt the route or use sheltered places so the tour still proceeds as planned.

Tours proceed as planned - rain or shine - unless you decide to cancel for safety reasons.

Three to four days before, if weather raises safety concerns

If the Experience involves a boat, a hike, or an outdoor activity — and the weather is so severe that local authorities have advised against travel or activities in the area — reach out to the Traveler with your view on how conditions look, and that there is a possibility of cancellation. Be clear when you will make the call (date/time) so they are clear what to expect.

Two scenarios worth knowing:

  • If Experience Maker cancels for safety — the Traveler gets a full refund, Fernwayer absorbs the processing charges, and there's no payout to you.

  • If the Traveler cancels within the last seven days due to preference or a change in plans — they don't get a refund, and you receive your full payout.

For any weather-related discussion that might turn into a cancellation, direct the Traveler to Fernwayer Support.

What to discuss with the Traveler vs. Fernwayer Support

Discuss directly with the Traveler through Chat:

  • Meeting point, time, and directions

  • Dietary needs, accessibility, family composition, special interests

  • Dress code or what to bring

  • Weather-related updates and route adaptations

  • Anything about how the Experience will unfold

Bring in Fernwayer Support for:

Booking changes, refunds, or anything that touches the cancellation policy — party-size additions or reductions, reschedules, weather cancellations. Direct the Traveler to Fernwayer Support, and let us know as well.

If you're unsure whether a request is yours to answer or one for Fernwayer, ask us first through Chat.

Keep it on Fernwayer

Our policy. All communication with a Traveler should happen through Fernwayer Chat — not through personal email, phone, or WhatsApp. While it might seem easier at times, off-platform communication affects the value and trust we're building together, and it goes against the integrity of our platform.

Two exceptions where reaching out through phone or WhatsApp is expected:

  • The day of the Experience — for directions, delays, or last-minute needs

  • When a Traveler isn't responding through Chat and you need to reach them before the day

Beyond these, keep the conversation on Fernwayer. Any conflict or dissatisfaction that arises from matters discussed off-platform cannot be resolved by us.

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