TourKnife

TourKnife is a cloud-based tour creation, booking, and management platform designed specifically for multi-day and multi-service group tours. The system revolutionizes how tour operators, travel agencies, and destination management companies (DMCs) create and manage complex tour packages, providing complete control over inventory, pricing, and availability for sophisticated itineraries. While TourKnife was originally built for multi-day tour operators, they have recently expanded functionality to support single-day activity operators as well. The platform enables operators to manage direct sales to end travelers while simultaneously handling bookings from intermediaries like travel agents and wholesalers. TourKnife includes a powerful booking engine that allows customers to book tours, activities, and packages directly from your website with dynamic pricing, real-time availability management, and support for multiple add-ons and options. The system features robust CRM functionality to capture leads, track customer requests, automate email communications, and maintain a complete history of client interactions. TourKnife also provides tools for creating engaging, SEO-optimized websites specifically designed for travelers, with separate portals for intermediaries such as retailers, tour operators, and partners - all managed from within the TourKnife platform.

TourKnife offers a tiered pricing model with a base platform fee starting from €50 per month, though specific pricing details vary based on business size and requirements. The platform offers a 14-day free trial without requiring credit card details, allowing operators to test the full system before committing. Beyond the monthly subscription, TourKnife may charge transaction fees on bookings, though the exact rates are not publicly disclosed and appear to be negotiated individually based on volume and business needs. Implementation and setup fees are available but require contacting TourKnife directly for pricing - these costs depend on the complexity of your operation and customization requirements. Onboarding and training are provided with customized instruction to ensure your team can effectively use the platform. API access and integration support are included in the platform subscription, enabling connection to suppliers, distribution channels, and other systems. Payment processing fees are charged separately by your chosen payment gateway provider and are not included in TourKnife's platform costs. The pricing structure positions TourKnife in the mid-range market, making it more affordable than enterprise solutions like Tourplan but potentially more expensive than simple activity booking systems. Volume discounts do not appear to be formally structured, but custom enterprise pricing is available for larger operators. The investment in TourKnife is justified for operators managing complex multi-day tours who need sophisticated itinerary management, supplier coordination, and multi-channel distribution capabilities.

TourKnife is specifically designed for tour operators, travel agencies, and destination management companies (DMCs) that specialize in creating and selling multi-day group tours and complex travel experiences. The platform serves businesses that need to coordinate multiple services across multiple days - including accommodations, transportation, activities, meals, and guide services - all within a single itinerary. TourKnife is ideal for operators who sell both directly to end travelers (B2C) and through intermediaries like travel agents, wholesalers, and other tour operators (B2B), as the system handles both sales channels seamlessly. Inbound tour operators who receive international visitors and need multi-currency and multi-language capabilities will find TourKnife well-suited to their needs. The platform works particularly well for operators who create custom or semi-custom tour packages rather than just offering fixed-departure group tours. DMCs and ground handlers who need to manage supplier relationships, track commissions, and coordinate complex logistics across multiple service providers benefit from TourKnife's organizational capabilities. While the platform has recently added functionality for activity operators offering single-day experiences, its core strength remains in the multi-day tour segment where itinerary complexity requires sophisticated management tools.

TourKnife is best suited for small to medium-sized tour operators and travel agencies that have outgrown basic booking systems but don't yet need enterprise-level solutions. The platform works well for operators managing anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred multi-day tours annually, with the organizational tools to handle complexity without overwhelming smaller teams. Businesses with 5-50 employees typically find TourKnife's feature set appropriately sized - comprehensive enough to manage complex operations but not so elaborate that it requires dedicated IT staff or extensive training. Startup tour operators may find the monthly subscription cost and potential setup fees challenging compared to commission-only platforms, but once established, TourKnife provides the infrastructure needed to scale efficiently. Growing businesses benefit from the platform's ability to handle increasing booking volumes, expand into new markets with multi-language and multi-currency support, and manage relationships with multiple suppliers and distribution partners. Larger tour operators with hundreds of employees and very high booking volumes may eventually outgrow TourKnife and need enterprise systems with more advanced features, though the platform can support significant scale. Solo operators or very small businesses focused primarily on simple single-day activities may find TourKnife more robust (and expensive) than necessary compared to activity-focused platforms. The sweet spot for TourKnife is the growing tour operator who needs professional-grade tools to manage multi-day itineraries, coordinate suppliers, handle B2B and B2C sales, and maintain operational efficiency as they scale.

TourKnife provides API access for integration with external systems, enabling operators to distribute their tours through multiple channels and connect with supplier databases. The platform's API allows tour content, availability, and pricing to be shared with third-party distribution channels, online travel agencies, and partner websites. TourKnife includes tools for connecting with suppliers, managing supplier rates and contracts, and coordinating bookings across multiple service providers within complex itineraries. The system supports integration with payment gateways for processing credit card payments, though specific gateway partnerships are configured based on operator location and preferences. Financial management features include connectivity options for accounting software, enabling automated invoice generation and transaction recording, though specific accounting integrations are not extensively detailed in public documentation. TourKnife provides website integration capabilities, allowing operators to embed booking functionality into their existing websites or use the platform's built-in website builder that creates SEO-optimized sites specifically designed for tour sales. The platform includes separate portal systems for intermediaries (travel agents, wholesalers, partners) who can access inventory and make bookings on behalf of their clients. Email automation is built into the CRM system, enabling automated communications with customers throughout the booking journey. However, compared to platforms like TicketingHub or Rezdy, TourKnife appears to have fewer pre-built integrations with major OTAs and may require custom API work to connect with channels like GetYourGuide or Viator. The integration approach seems more focused on enabling operators to build their own distribution network rather than providing plug-and-play OTA connections.

TourKnife provides personalized customer support with teams that are described as always ready to help and teach users how to maximize the platform's capabilities. The company takes a consultative approach, adapting their product to meet the specific needs of each client rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution. During onboarding, TourKnife provides customized training to ensure your team understands how to use the system effectively for your particular operation. The support team assists with implementation, helping operators migrate data, configure settings, and establish workflows that match their business processes. Given the platform's focus on complex multi-day tours, support appears to be more hands-on compared to simpler booking systems, with guidance available for setting up intricate itineraries, managing supplier relationships, and configuring pricing rules. The 14-day free trial includes access to support resources so operators can ask questions and receive guidance while evaluating the platform. TourKnife's support model emphasizes relationship-building and ongoing partnership rather than just transactional ticket-based support. However, specific details about support availability (hours, response times, channels) and whether there are different support tiers based on subscription level are not publicly documented. The company appears to serve primarily European tour operators, which may influence support hours and language capabilities. Documentation, help articles, and self-service resources are less prominently featured compared to their emphasis on direct support, suggesting the company prefers working closely with clients.

TourKnife's core functionality centers on managing complex multi-day and multi-service tours with comprehensive control over every aspect of the itinerary. The tour creation tools enable operators to build detailed itineraries that include accommodations, transportation, activities, meals, and guide services, with day-by-day planning and customization capabilities. Inventory and availability management provides real-time control over capacity across all tour components, preventing overbooking while maximizing utilization. Dynamic pricing functionality allows operators to set rates that vary by season, group size, departure date, and add-on options, with automated calculations that ensure profitability. The booking engine integrates directly into operator websites, enabling customers to select tours, choose dates, add optional extras, and complete reservations with real-time confirmation. CRM tools capture incoming leads, track customer requests through the sales pipeline, maintain interaction history, and automate follow-up emails at key touchpoints. Financial management features generate invoices, track payments, manage supplier costs, and calculate commissions for agents and partners. The platform includes separate portals for different user types - a customer-facing booking interface, an intermediary portal for travel agents and partners, and an operator dashboard for managing all operations. Multi-language and multi-currency functionality enables international sales with content and pricing presented in the customer's preferred language and currency. SEO-optimized website templates are included, allowing operators to create professional travel websites managed entirely within TourKnife. Supplier coordination tools help manage relationships, track contracts, issue booking requests, and reconcile invoices across multiple service providers.

Yes, TourKnife was specifically designed for multi-day tours and excels at managing complex, multi-service itineraries that span multiple days. The platform provides sophisticated tools for day-by-day itinerary planning, allowing operators to build detailed tour packages that include accommodations, transportation, activities, meals, guide services, and optional extras across extended periods. TourKnife handles the complexity of coordinating multiple suppliers and service components within a single tour booking, ensuring all pieces are available and confirmed before accepting a reservation. Group tour management capabilities include tracking participant details, managing rooming lists, coordinating dietary requirements, and handling group dynamics across multi-day experiences. The system manages inventory at both the tour level (overall departures and capacity) and the component level (individual hotel rooms, activity slots, transfer vehicles), preventing overbooking while maximizing utilization. Pricing for multi-day tours can be configured with sophisticated rules that account for group size, accommodation choices, optional activities, single supplements, and seasonal variations. The platform tracks the status of each tour component throughout the customer journey - from initial inquiry through quotation, booking confirmation, voucher generation, and final reconciliation with suppliers. Financial management handles complex calculations including agent commissions, supplier payments, deposit schedules, and final balances for multi-day packages. While TourKnife has recently added support for single-day activities, its core strength and competitive advantage remain firmly in the multi-day tour segment where its comprehensive itinerary management capabilities provide significant value over simpler activity booking systems.

TourKnife integrates with payment gateways to enable secure credit card processing directly through the booking engine, though specific gateway partnerships are configured based on operator location and business requirements. The platform supports payment collection at various stages - operators can require full payment at booking, collect deposits with the balance due before departure, or set up installment schedules for expensive multi-day tours. Multi-currency functionality allows customers to view prices and pay in their preferred currency while operators receive settlements in their base currency, with exchange rate management built into the system. The financial management tools generate invoices automatically when bookings are made, track which invoices are paid or outstanding, and reconcile payments received against amounts owed. For B2B bookings from travel agents and intermediaries, TourKnife can handle net pricing arrangements where agents book at wholesale rates and manage their own customer payments, with commission calculations tracked separately. Supplier payment management helps operators track what they owe to hotels, activity providers, transportation companies, and other service suppliers, coordinating accounts payable across complex multi-day itineraries. Payment processing fees charged by credit card gateways are separate from TourKnife's platform costs and vary based on the gateway provider and operator's merchant agreement. The system provides financial reporting that shows revenue by tour, booking source, agent, and time period, helping operators understand their cash flow and profitability. However, specific details about supported payment gateways, payment hold capabilities, and refund processing workflows are not extensively documented in public materials and would need to be confirmed with TourKnife directly.

TourKnife implementation typically requires several weeks due to the complexity of multi-day tour operations and the platform's comprehensive feature set. The initial setup phase involves configuring your company profile, setting up user accounts and permissions, establishing pricing rules, and building your tour inventory with detailed itineraries. For operators migrating from another system or spreadsheets, data migration adds time - transferring existing tour content, supplier information, customer records, and booking history requires careful planning and execution. TourKnife provides customized onboarding and training tailored to your specific business needs, which may span multiple sessions to ensure your team understands how to use all relevant features effectively. Building out detailed multi-day itineraries with all components (accommodations, activities, transportation, meals) takes longer than setting up simple activity products, as each element needs to be configured with availability, pricing, and supplier details. Integration work, such as connecting payment gateways, embedding booking widgets on your website, setting up email automation, and configuring API connections to distribution channels, adds additional implementation time. Most operators should expect 4-8 weeks from initial signup to being fully operational with bookings flowing through the system, though simple operations with fewer tours could be faster while complex operations with extensive customization needs might take longer. The 14-day free trial allows initial exploration but isn't typically sufficient for complete implementation of a business-critical system. TourKnife's implementation support includes assistance with this process, but operators should plan for significant staff time investment in providing content, testing workflows, and training team members during the setup period.

TourKnife operates on a monthly subscription model with pricing starting around €50 per month, though specific contract terms (monthly versus annual commitments) are not publicly detailed and may vary based on negotiation and business size. The platform offers a 14-day free trial without requiring a credit card, allowing operators to evaluate the system without financial commitment. Given the complexity of multi-day tour operations and the significant implementation effort required to set up TourKnife (data migration, itinerary building, staff training), most operators would naturally use the platform for extended periods to justify the setup investment, even if not contractually obligated. Unlike commission-only platforms that can be paused during off-seasons with no cost, TourKnife's monthly subscription structure means you'll continue paying during slow periods, though this is typical for tour operator management systems. The platform's pricing includes ongoing access to updates, support, and infrastructure, justifying the recurring cost as an operational expense rather than a transaction fee. Custom enterprise agreements for larger operators may include multi-year terms in exchange for better pricing or enhanced service levels. Operators considering TourKnife should factor in the "switching cost" - once your tour inventory, supplier relationships, and customer data are in TourKnife, migrating to a different system would require significant effort, creating a practical commitment beyond any contractual terms. Contract terms, cancellation policies, and minimum commitment periods should be discussed directly with TourKnife during the sales process, as these may be negotiable based on your business needs and scale.

TourKnife occupies a specialized niche focused on multi-day tour operators, setting it apart from activity-focused platforms like TicketingHub, Peek, or FareHarbor that primarily serve single-day experiences. Compared to other multi-day tour systems like Tourplan, TourWriter, or Traveltek, TourKnife offers a more modern, cloud-based interface while maintaining sophisticated itinerary management capabilities. TourKnife's strength lies in its comprehensive approach - combining tour creation, booking management, CRM, supplier coordination, and financial tracking in one integrated platform, whereas some competitors require multiple systems or add-ons for complete functionality. The platform's ability to handle both B2C direct sales and B2B intermediary bookings through separate portals is particularly valuable for operators who sell through multiple channels, though this dual-channel capability is shared by several competitors. TourKnife's built-in website builder and SEO optimization tools provide marketing advantages over systems that only offer booking widgets, though dedicated website platforms may offer more design flexibility. The pricing model (monthly subscription starting around €50 plus potential transaction fees) positions TourKnife in the middle market - more affordable than enterprise solutions like Tourplan but potentially more expensive than commission-only platforms for operators with very high volumes. However, TourKnife appears to have fewer pre-built OTA integrations compared to platforms like Rezdy or Bokun, which may require more custom API work to connect with major distribution channels. The platform's focus on the European market and tour operator community may influence its feature priorities and support approach differently than US-focused competitors. For operators who need sophisticated multi-day itinerary management with integrated supplier coordination and dual-channel sales capabilities, TourKnife offers strong value, though the implementation effort and learning curve are higher than simpler systems.