Let me guess—you’re sitting there looking at your profit margins, and something isn’t adding up.
You’re booking tours. Customers seem happy. But at the end of the month, after Stripe takes their cut, after your booking software subscription hits, after all those little processing fees nibble away at your revenue… there’s just less money than there should be.
And here’s the thing that really stings: you can’t just raise your prices. Because the tour operator down the street is listing their Bali adventure for $999, and if yours shows up at $1,050 in search results, well… you know how that story ends.
So what do you do?
This is where the WP Travel Engine Booking Fee Addon comes in. And I know, I know—adding fees sounds like the last thing you want to do when you’re trying to win customers. But hear me out.
Because this isn’t about nickel-and-diming anyone. It’s about being honest about what it actually costs to run a professional booking operation while keeping your advertised prices competitive.
Let me show you how this works.
What This Thing Actually Does
The Booking Fee Addon is basically a way to add a small percentage-based fee on top of your tour prices. Think of it like this: instead of secretly inflating your $1,000 Patagonia trek to $1,035 to cover your credit card fees, you keep it at $1,000 and add a transparent 3.5% “service fee” at checkout.
Same final price. But totally different psychology.
Here’s why that matters. When someone’s comparing tours on Google, they see your competitive $1,000 base price. They click through. They fall in love with your itinerary. Then they see the $35 service fee clearly explained at checkout—”covers secure payment processing and booking system costs.”
Compare that to showing $1,050 from the start with no explanation. Which one would you click on?
And honestly? Most customers get it. They’re used to booking fees. Airlines do it. Hotels do it. Airbnb does it. If you explain what the fee covers (and you should), people are surprisingly okay with it.
Why You’re Probably Leaving Money on the Table Right Now
Look, let’s talk real numbers for a second.
Credit card processing fees alone eat up 2-3% of every transaction. That’s just Stripe or PayPal doing their thing—before you factor in your WP Travel Engine subscription, website hosting, SSL certificates, customer support time, email automation tools…
If you’re absorbing all of that, you’re essentially giving yourself a pay cut on every single booking.
I talked to a tour operator last month who was running 150 bookings a year at an average price of $2,000. That’s $300,000 in revenue. But she was absorbing about 4% in operational costs—$12,000 annually. Just… gone. Vanished into the invisible costs of doing business online.
She implemented a 4% booking fee. Guess what happened to her conversion rate?
Nothing. Literally nothing changed. Because she was transparent about it, explained it clearly, and customers understood they were paying for a professional service.
That’s $12,000 back in her pocket. Same number of bookings. Same base prices. Just honest accounting.
The Features That Actually Matter
Here’s what this addon does that makes it worth the investment:
It applies to everything automatically. Once you turn it on and set your percentage, every trip on your site gets the booking fee. You’re not sitting there configuring fees for each tour like some kind of pricing spreadsheet prisoner.
It scales with your prices. That budget for $500 day trip? Gets a $17.50 fee at 3.5%. Your luxury $5,000 expedition? Gets $175. Both proportional. Both fair. The system just… handles it.
It plays nicely with partial payments. This is clever. If someone pays 20% down on a $2,000 trip, the booking fee only applies to that $400 deposit. When they pay the remaining balance later, no additional fee. The system remembers. You don’t have to.
You control the language. Don’t like calling it a “booking fee”? Call it a “service fee,” or “processing fee,” or “convenience charge.” You can even add a tooltip that explains exactly what the fee covers. Transparency is your friend here.
How to Actually Set This Thing Up
Alright, let’s get practical. I’m going to walk you through this like I’m sitting next to you, clicking through your WordPress dashboard. No tech jargon. No assumptions, you know what I’m talking about.
What You Need Before You Start
Make sure you’ve got:
- WordPress 5.0 or newer (if your site is less than five years old, you’re probably fine)
- WP Travel Engine plugin version 4.0.0 or later (check under Plugins in your dashboard)
- The Booking Fee Addon purchased from WP Travel Engine
- Admin access to your site (which, if you’re reading this, you probably have)
Getting the Addon Onto Your Site
First, you need to buy it from WP Travel Engine. I’m assuming you’ve already done that. If not, head to wptravelengine.com/plugins/booking-fee/ and grab it.
Once you’ve purchased it:
Step 1: Log in to your WP Travel Engine account at wptravelengine.com/my-account/
Step 2: Find the Booking Fee addon in your account. Instead of seeing a “View Pricing” button (that’s for people who haven’t bought it yet), you’ll see a “Download” option on the right side.
Step 3: Click that Download button. You’ll get a file called wp-travel-engine-booking-fee.zip. Save it somewhere you can find it—like your Downloads folder.
Now you’ve got two ways to install this. I’m going to show you the easier way first.
Installing Through WordPress (The Easy Way)
Step 1: Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard. You know, that backend area that looks like it was designed in 2008. We’ve all learned to love it.
Step 2: In the left sidebar, hover over “Plugins” and click “Add New Plugins.”
Step 3: At the top of the page, you’ll see an “Upload Plugin” button. Click it.
Step 4: Click “Choose File” and find the wp-travel-engine-booking-fee.zip file you just downloaded.
Step 5: Click “Install Now.” WordPress will do its thing for a few seconds.
Step 6: When it’s done, click “Activate Plugin.”
Done. The addon is now live on your site.
The FTP Method (For When Upload Limits Are Being Annoying)
If you get an error about file size limits, or you’re just comfortable with FTP, here’s the alternative:
Step 1: Take that wp-travel-engine-booking-fee.zip file and extract it on your computer. You’ll get a folder with the same name.
Step 2: Open your FTP client—FileZilla is free and works great if you need one.
Step 3: Connect to your website and navigate to /wp-content/plugins/
Step 4: Upload that entire wp-travel-engine-booking-fee folder into the plugins directory.
Step 5: Go back to your WordPress dashboard, click on Plugins in the sidebar, find “WP Travel Engine – Booking Fee” in the list, and click “Activate.”
Same result. Just a different route.
Configuring Your Booking Fee (This Is Where It Gets Good)
Okay, the addon is installed. Now let’s make it actually do something.
Step 1: In your WordPress dashboard, find “WP Travel Engine” in the left sidebar and click it.
Step 2: Click “Settings” from the submenu that appears.
Step 3: You’ll see several tabs at the top. Click “Payments.”
Step 4: Look for “Booking Fee” in the options that show up and click on it.
Now you’re looking at the control panel for this whole operation. Here’s what each setting does:
The On/Off Switch
At the very top, there’s a toggle. This is your master control. Flip it to “ON” and the booking fee becomes active across your entire site. Every trip. Every booking.
You can turn this off anytime—like if you want to run a no-fees promotion for Black Friday or something. Your settings stay saved. Just flip it back on when you’re ready.
The Label (What Customers Actually See)
This is where you decide what to call this thing. The default is probably “Booking Fee,” but you can get creative here:
- “Service Fee” (my personal favorite—it sounds like they’re paying for value)
- “Processing Fee” (accurate and straightforward)
- “Bank Charges” (if you really want to pass the blame to the banks)
- “Convenience Charge” (positions it as payment for the convenience of online booking)
Here’s my advice: avoid negative-sounding words. “Surcharge” feels like a penalty. “Extra Fee” sounds like you’re trying to sneak something past them. “Additional Charge” is just… ugh.
Go with something that frames the fee as payment for a service you’re providing because it is.
The Percentage (The Money Part)
This is where you set how much to charge. Just enter a number. If you want 3.5%, type “3.5” (not “0.035”—the system handles the math).
What should you charge? Here’s how I’d think about it:
2-3% if you’re just covering credit card processing fees. This is the bare minimum to break even on payment processing.
3-5% if you want to cover processing fees, plus your booking software subscription and basic operational costs. This is the sweet spot for most tour operators.
5-7% if you’re providing white-glove service—extensive customer support, flexible cancellations, free modifications. At this level, you need to really explain the value.
Anything above 8% starts to make people squirm unless you’re offering something truly exceptional.
For most operators? I’d start at 3.5% and see how it goes.
The Description (Your Chance to Explain)
This is the tooltip that appears when someone hovers over your booking fee label. Use it. This is where you win people over.
Bad description: “Fee for processing”
Good description: “Covers secure credit card processing and payment gateway costs”
Better description: “This fee covers secure payment processing, instant booking confirmation, and 24/7 customer support. It helps us keep our base prices competitive while providing professional service.”
See the difference? You’re not just charging a fee. You’re providing value. Make that clear.
Save Your Settings (Don’t Forget This Part)
Once you’ve filled everything out, scroll down and click “Save Settings” or “Save and Continue.” You’ll see a confirmation message.
And just like that, your booking fee is live.
Testing Before You Let Real Customers See This
Before you start promoting this to the world, you need to test it. Trust me on this. Nothing kills trust faster than a broken checkout.
Here’s how to test properly:
Step 1: Open your website in a regular browser window (not your WordPress dashboard).
Step 2: Navigate to one of your trip pages like you’re a customer.
Step 3: Pick dates, select the number of travelers, and add any extras.
Step 4: Click through to checkout.
Step 5: Look at the booking summary. You should see:
- Your base trip price
- Your booking fee with the custom label you created
- The calculated fee amount
- The total
Let’s say you’re testing a $1,000 trip with a 3.5% booking fee labeled “Service Fee.” You should see:
- Trip Price: $1,000
- Service Fee (3.5%): $35
- Total: $1,035
Step 6: Hover over the fee label to make sure your tooltip description shows up.
If everything looks right, you’re good to go.
Testing Partial Payments (If You Offer Them)
If your trips allow customers to pay a deposit upfront, test this scenario:
Step 1: Select a trip that has partial payment enabled.
Step 2: Choose to pay 20% as a deposit.
Step 3: Verify the booking fee only applies to that 20%, not the full price.
So on a $1,000 trip with 20% down and a 3.5% fee:
- Deposit: $200
- Service Fee (3.5% of $200): $7
- Total due now: $207
Step 4: The clever part—when the customer comes back to pay the remaining $800, there should be NO additional booking fee. The system has already charged it on the deposit.
This is one of those features that sounds simple but is actually really smart. A lot of booking systems get this wrong and charge the fee twice. WP Travel Engine doesn’t.
The Psychology of Making This Work
Okay, you’ve got it set up. Now let’s talk about how to actually implement this without tanking your conversion rate.
Because here’s the thing: booking fees are fine. People expect them. But how you present them matters enormously.
Rule #1: Show the Fee Early
Don’t wait until the final checkout page to spring this on people. Show it on the trip page. Mention it in your FAQs. Make it part of your normal pricing structure.
Why? Surprises at checkout are the number one reason people abandon bookings. If someone’s mentally committed to paying $1,000 and suddenly sees $1,035 with no warning, their brain screams “SCAM!” and they bail.
But if they knew about the fee from the beginning, it’s just part of the expected total. No surprise. No abandonment.
Rule #2: Explain, Don’t Apologize
Your tooltip description shouldn’t sound defensive. Don’t say “Unfortunately, we need to charge this fee to cover costs.”
Instead, frame it as a fair exchange: “This fee supports our secure payment system, instant confirmation, and 24/7 customer service.”
You’re not apologizing for charging the fee. You’re explaining what valuable services it provides.
Rule #3: Keep It Reasonable
Look, I get it. You might be tempted to set a 10% fee and really pad your margins. Don’t.
High fees create sticker shock. They make people question whether you’re trustworthy. They give competitors ammunition to undercut you.
Stay in the 2-5% range. At these levels, the fee feels like a normal cost of doing business online. At 10%, it feels like you’re trying to pull a fast one.
Rule #4: Monitor Your Numbers
After you implement this, watch what happens:
- Check your booking completion rate (how many people who start checkout actually finish)
- Monitor your overall conversion rate (visitors to bookings)
- Read customer feedback and support emails
- Track your profit margins
If you see a significant drop in conversions, don’t panic. Maybe your fee is too high. Maybe your explanation needs work. Maybe you need to position it better on your trip pages.
This is a dial you can turn. Start conservative, test, adjust.
Real-World Examples (How Other Operators Use This)
Let me give you some examples of how different types of tour operators structure their booking fees:
The Budget Day Tour Operator
Base trip: $500 Booking fee: 3% (“Credit Card Processing Fee”) Fee amount: $15 Total: $515
Their explanation: “This small fee covers secure payment processing so we can keep our base prices as low as possible.”
Simple. Honest. Hard to argue with.
The Mid-Range Adventure Company
Base trip: $2,000 Booking fee: 4% (“Service Fee”) Fee amount: $80 Total: $2,080
Their explanation: “Our service fee covers secure booking, instant confirmation, 24/7 support, and free date changes up to 30 days before departure.”
Notice how they’re bundling the fee with actual services. You’re not just paying for payment processing—you’re getting flexibility and support.
The Luxury Expedition Operator
Base trip: $5,000 Booking fee: 5% (“Booking Convenience Fee”) Fee amount: $250 Total: $5,250
Their explanation: “This fee provides you with premium booking services including dedicated trip planning support, priority customer service, flexible cancellation up to 60 days out, and complimentary trip insurance consultation.”
At the luxury level, people expect premium service. This fee explicitly pays for that. The $250 seems reasonable when you list out everything it includes.
When Things Don’t Work (Troubleshooting)
Okay, let’s say you’ve set everything up and something’s not right. Here are the most common issues and how to fix them:
The Fee Isn’t Showing Up at Checkout
First, the basics:
- Go to Plugins and make sure the addon is actually activated (green “Deactivate” button means it’s active)
- Go to WP Travel Engine > Settings > Payments > Booking Fee and verify the toggle is ON
- Clear your cache if you’re using a caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, etc.)
- Try viewing the checkout page in an incognito/private browser window
If it’s still not showing, your WP Travel Engine core plugin might need an update. Check for updates under Plugins.
The Percentage Seems Wrong
Double-check your math. Remember, you enter “3.5” for 3.5%, not “0.035.”
Also, verify that the fee is calculated on the right amount. It should calculate on the subtotal before taxes. So:
- Trip price: $1,000
- Booking fee (3.5%): $35
- Subtotal: $1,035
- Tax (10%): $103.50
- Total: $1,138.50
If you’re seeing weird numbers, this is probably where things went wrong.
Your Custom Label Isn’t Showing
Make sure you clicked “Save Settings” after entering your label text. I know that sounds obvious, but… we’ve all forgotten to save things.
Also, check for special characters. If you used quotes or weird symbols in your label, that might break the display. Stick to letters and basic punctuation.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Actually Matters
Look, at the end of the day, this isn’t really about a booking fee. It’s about running a sustainable business.
You’re providing a service. A real service. You’re maintaining a website that doesn’t crash. You’re processing payments securely. You’re answering customer emails at 10 PM because someone has a question about trip insurance. You’re keeping your booking system up to date with the latest security patches.
All of that costs money. And if you’re not recovering those costs somehow, you’re eventually going to burn out or go broke or both.
The Booking Fee Addon gives you a transparent way to cover your operational expenses without playing games with your base pricing. You’re not hiding costs. You’re not inflating prices. You’re just being honest about what it takes to run a professional booking operation.
And honestly? Customers respect that. The travel industry has trained people to expect fees. Airlines charge them. Hotels charge them. Vacation rental sites charge them. Online travel agencies like Booking.com take 15-25% commissions from properties (and you better believe those properties pass those costs along somehow).
A 3-5% booking fee from a direct tour operator is nothing compared to industry standards. You’re actually saving customers money by letting them book direct instead of through an OTA.
One More Thing Before You Go
If you take nothing else from this guide, remember this: transparency wins.
Set your fee at a reasonable level. Explain what it covers. Show it early in the booking process. And don’t apologize for charging it.
You’re running a business, not a charity. And the customers who appreciate what you do—the ones who value professional service, secure transactions, and reliable support—won’t blink at a small booking fee.
The ones who complain? They were probably going to be difficult customers anyway.
Install the Booking Fee Addon. Set it at 3-4% to start. Write a clear, honest description of what it covers. And watch your profit margins improve without sacrificing a single booking.
Your future self, looking at those end-of-month numbers with less stress and more breathing room, will thank you.
Want to dive deeper into specific features, need help with advanced customization, or have questions about your particular setup? Drop a comment below or check out the official documentation at WP Travel Engine.
