WP Travel Engine – Trip Fixed Starting Dates Add-On Review

Running a travel business online means juggling a lot of details. You need to show trip information clearly, manage bookings, and make sure travelers know exactly when a trip starts. One of the best ways to handle this inside WordPress is by using the Trip Fixed Starting Dates Add-On for WP Travel Engine.

This add-on lets you set specific start dates and times for trips so that visitors can only book on the dates you make available. It also supports recurring trips, spots per trip, and flexible front-end display settings.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything from installation to setup, with examples and real use cases along the way. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to set fixed dates for your tours and make your booking system easier to manage.

What the Trip Fixed Starting Dates Add-On Does

When you run tours or trips, people often ask, “When does this trip run?” If you don’t have a clear system, you’ll spend a lot of time answering the same question.

This add-on solves that by giving you a structured way to display dates on your website.

With it, you can:

• Set exact start dates for each trip
• Add start times (useful for day tours)
• Limit how many spots are available per date
• Create recurring trips (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)
• Show available dates on the trip page so visitors can book directly

So instead of managing inquiries manually, you let your site handle it.

What You Need Before Installing

Before you jump in, check these:

• WP Travel Engine plugin must already be installed, version 5 or later.
• Use the latest version of the add-on itself to avoid problems.
• A valid license key for the add-on, which you’ll get after purchase.

If you don’t have WP Travel Engine yet, install that first since it’s the foundation.

Installing the Add-On

Here’s how to install it step by step:

1. Log in to your WordPress Admin Dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins > Add New.
3. Click on Upload Plugin.
4. Choose the zip file of the add-on you downloaded after purchase.
5. Click Install Now.
6. When installation finishes, click Activate Plugin.

Now it’s installed but not ready to go. You need to activate the license.

Activating the License

Without activating the license, the plugin won’t fully function. Here’s how:

1. From your dashboard, go to WP Travel Engine > Plugin License.
2. Find the Trip Fixed Starting Dates Add-On in the list.
3. Enter the license key you received via email.
4. Click Save Changes.
5. Then click Activate License.

Once you see the green success message, you’re set.

Setting Up Global Settings

Global settings affect how trip dates are shown across your site.

To configure them:

1. Go to WP Travel Engine > Settings.
2. Click Extensions.
3. Select Fixed Starting Dates.

Here you can:

• Set a section title: “Upcoming Dates” or “Available Schedules.”
• Choose the layout: Dates as a list or grouped by months.
• Limit how many dates appear on the homepage.
• Set pagination so visitors aren’t scrolling endlessly.

This is where you match your booking system with your site’s overall look.

Adding Dates to a Trip

Now for the main part.

1. Go to Trips > All Trips.
2. Edit an existing trip or create a new one.
3. Scroll to the Pricing and Dates section.

Here you’ll find options:

• Add specific dates: Pick start dates and times.
• Set available spots: Example, max 12 people per trip.
• Recurring trips: Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.
• Limit recursions: Example, repeat weekly for the next 10 weeks.

This is handy for tours that run on a schedule.

How It Looks on the Front End

After saving, refresh your site. Visitors will see available dates on the trip page.

• Past dates don’t show up.
• They can select a date and start booking.
• They see how many spots are left.
• If a date fills up, it disappears.

It makes the booking process simple and avoids back-and-forth emails.

Adjusting the Display Later

If you don’t like how dates look, go back to Global Settings and change:

• The section title
• Layout (list or months)
• Number of dates per trip card
• Pagination

You can also hide the fixed dates section if you want to pause it.

Example Setup: City Tour

Say you run a Kathmandu Heritage Walking Tour. It runs every Saturday at 10 am with 15 spots.

Here’s how you’d set it:

• Start date: October 5th
• Time: 10:00 am
• Spots: 15
• Repeat: Weekly
• Recursion limit: 20

Now it shows on your site every Saturday morning for 20 weeks.

Example Setup: Multi-Day Trek

For a 5-Day Annapurna Trek, once a month, 10 spots:

• Start date: November 1st
• Time: 7:00 am
• Spots: 10
• Repeat: Monthly
• Recursion limit: 6

Travelers will see November 1, December 1, January 1, and so on.

Example Setup: Daily Activity

If you run a rafting trip every day at 9 am with 20 spots:

• Start date: October 1st
• Time: 9:00 am
• Spots: 20
• Repeat: Daily
• Recursion limit: 90 (3 months of dates)

Now your site shows 3 months of daily rafting trips without extra work.

Tips for Using Fixed Dates Well

Some practical advice:

• Don’t overload with dates: Keep it simple.
• Use clear titles: Instead of “Dates,” say “Book Your Trek.”
• Test the booking flow yourself.
• Plan recursions carefully: Unlimited daily repeats can create messy lists.
• Match pricing to dates: Higher pricing on weekends or holidays.

What Customers See

From their perspective:

1. They open the trip page.
2. See available dates.
3. Pick one.
4. See how many spots remain.
5. Click Book Now and checkout.

No emailing, no waiting.

Advanced Use Cases

Here are some ways different businesses can use it:

• Small day-tour operators: Daily walking tours, fixed start times.
• Trek organizers: Seasonal trekking windows (October–December, March–May).
• Holiday packages: Christmas or New Year packages with one fixed date.
• Adventure sports: Bungee jumping, rafting, zipline trips with daily slots.
• Educational tours: School or university trips that run only on specific months.

FAQs

Q: Can I set different prices for different dates?
Yes, you can. Each date entry allows pricing adjustments.

Q: What happens when a trip is full?
It disappears from the booking list, so no overbooking.

Q: Can I hide dates temporarily?
Yes, from global settings you can hide the section.

Q: Does it support time zones?
It uses your WordPress site’s timezone, so check that in settings.

Q: Can I import/export trip dates?
Currently, dates are added manually inside the trip editor.

Q: What if I delete the add-on?
Your trips remain, but the fixed dates won’t show until you reinstall.

Q: Can I limit bookings to a specific group (like members only)?
This depends on your overall site setup. The add-on itself just handles dates.

Q: Can I use it for free tours?
Yes, you can set price to zero and still use dates for registration.

Troubleshooting

If something’s not working:

• Update both WP Travel Engine and the add-on.
• Double-check the license is active.
• Look for conflicts with other plugins.
• If still stuck, open a support ticket with screenshots.

The Trip Fixed Starting Dates Add-On is one of those simple tools that saves you time. Instead of chasing customers with emails about availability, you set the dates once and let your site do the talking.

Whether you run short city tours, seasonal treks, or daily activities, this add-on gives you the flexibility to manage bookings without hassle.

If you already use WP Travel Engine, this is a natural addition to make your booking system more professional and customer-friendly.