WhatsApp Marketing Automation for Travel Businesses: Complete Guide 2025

Are you still replying manually to travellers on WhatsApp? Or losing customers because updates don’t reach them on time?

Maybe your team is stuck answering the same questions again and again or forgetting to follow up on inquiries. Many travel and hospitality businesses face this daily: wasted hours, slow replies and missed direct bookings.

That’s where WhatsApp marketing automation travel solutions come in. With automation, you can cut down on manual work, keep travellers engaged throughout their journey and do it all effortlessly without overloading your team.

In this guide, we’ll break down what WhatsApp marketing automation is, how you can use it at different stages of the customer journey, how to set it up and more!

What is WhatsApp marketing automation?

WhatsApp marketing automation is the use of automation tools or the WhatsApp Business API (often connected with a software like CRM) to send messages automatically, manage customer interactions and run WhatsApp marketing campaigns — all without manual effort.

When you handle everything manually, follow-ups get delayed, updates don’t reach customers and your team wastes hours repeating the same tasks. The result? Frustrated travellers and missed bookings.

But with automation, routine communication and updates run on autopilot, saving you a lot of time and energy.  

Related read: What Is Travel Marketing? Why You Must Implement it in Your Travel Business in 2025

WhatsApp marketing use cases for the travel industry

In the travel and hospitality industry, timing and communication make all the difference. Travellers expect quick answers, instant updates and smooth experiences from start to finish. So how does WhatsApp automation actually help businesses deliver all this? Let’s look at the use cases stage by stage, which will help you understand all the possibilities from handling enquiries to keeping travellers engaged even after their trip is over.

Stage 1 – Pre-booking: when travellers are still deciding

Before booking anything, travellers are full of questions and you can expect to get travel inquiries about packages, availability or itinerary details. And if they don’t get quick answers from you, they’ll just move on to the next website or OTA.

That’s where chat automation travel becomes very useful. Instead of answering everything manually, you can set it up to answer FAQs instantly and qualify leads. You can also send personalised offers via WhatsApp shares based on customer preferences, making it easier to nurture potential customers and move them faster towards booking.

Stage 2 – Booking: when travellers need confirmation

When someone is doing the booking, they want to know things like: Is my booking confirmed? Do I have the ticket? Was the payment confirmed? If they don’t hear back from you on time, anxiety kicks in.

At this stage, automation really helps in making the entire booking process seamless. You can send booking confirmations, receipts, authentication messages and even boarding passes automatically. If there’s an itinerary change or important booking details, customers get notified right away. No waiting, no confusion. It builds trust and makes them feel they’ve booked with the right people. 

Stage 3 – During the trip: when travellers expect instant support

Now travel is something that comes with ups and downs; not everything will always go as planned. Flights get delayed, hotel check-ins shift or travellers just need quick info like “What’s nearby?” or “What time is pickup tomorrow?” 

So at this stage, you can automate sending important updates. With real-time triggers, WhatsApp messages can go out instantly when specific events happen, like a flight delay, a check-in reminder or a change in itinerary. You can also share local attractions or send tailored messages like weather tips or dining options.

And if you want to upsell, WhatsApp campaigns for travel add-ons work great because travellers might be thinking about what else to do. All of this makes them feel supported, exactly what they expect while travelling.

Stage 4 – Post-trip: when good experiences turn into repeat bookings

Most businesses drop off once the trip is done. But travellers don’t forget the ones who stay in touch. Think about this: after a trip, a traveller gets a friendly thank you message along with a discount for their next holiday. Or maybe someone books a flight through you and once they’re back, you send a loyalty reward for their next booking. In cases like these, they’ll remember you and are more likely to book with you again.

Automation makes all this simple. Right after the trip, you can send a quick message to collect feedback or share a thank-you note. A week later, you can follow up with loyalty rewards or personalised offers on WhatsApp about new packages.

This way, you get happy customers who remember you and a better chance of turning one-time customers into repeat ones.

Related read: How to Start a Travel Customer Referral Program in 2025

Ready-to-use WhatsApp templates for travel businesses

We’ve looked at how WhatsApp automation can help before, during and after the trip. Now, the next step is knowing what to actually say. Most good travel CRM software gives you pre-approved WhatsApp templates you can plug in right away.

They save you time, keep your messaging consistent and make communication seamless. Let’s look at some examples:

Pre-booking

This is your chance to grab attention, answer questions and create a little urgency.

1. “Hi [name], thanks for showing interest in [agency name]. Here are some holiday packages to [destination] we think you’ll love.”
2. “Hi [name], this is Priya from [agency name]. Saw you were checking out our Goa packages. Would you like me to share some personalised options that fit your budget?”
3. “Hi [name], noticed you were checking seats for our [route: city A → city B] bus but didn’t complete the booking. Here’s a special coupon: get ₹200 off your fare! Hurry, it’s only valid for the next 6 hours. Use coupon code: [code] and book now: [link].”
4. “Hi [name], still deciding on your next trip? We’ve got exclusive [season] offers for [destination]. Book now and save up to 15% on your holiday package.”

Booking process

This is where you keep things simple and share on-point details.

1. “Hi [name], your booking for [hotel name] from [date] to [date] is confirmed. Here are your booking details: [link].”
2. “Hi [name], we’ve received your payment of ₹[amount] for your trip to [destination]. Your receipt is attached here: [link].”
3. “Hi [name], here’s your boarding pass for [PNR], [flight details: from–to, flight number, date, time]. For a smooth journey, please:

-Reach the airport at least 2 hours before your flight

-Carry a valid ID proof

-Keep a printed or soft copy of your boarding pass handy

Download your pass here: [link] 

If you have any questions, just reply to this WhatsApp number — we’re here to help.”

1. “Hi [name], liked your booking experience with [agency name]? On a scale of 1–10, how likely are you to recommend us to your friends and family [link].”

During the trip

Keep travellers engaged and show them you’ve got their back.

1. “Hi [name], just a reminder: your check-in at [hotel name] is scheduled for [time]. Need help with directions or special requests? Reply here and we’ll sort it out for you.”
2. “Hi [name], while you’re in [city], here are a few local attractions you shouldn’t miss: [attraction 1], [attraction 2], [attraction 3]. Tap here for more details: [link]. Enjoy exploring!”
3. “Hi [name], since you’re in [city], we thought you might like these [add-ons]. See all options with details and pricing here: [link].”

Post-trip

This is where you collect feedback, reward loyalty and bring them back for more.

1. “Dear [name], we hope you had a pleasant journey from [city] to [city] on flight [number]. We’d love to know about your travel experience. Please share your feedback by clicking the survey link below: [link].”
2. “Hi [name], thanks for choosing [agency name] for your holiday. As a thank-you, here’s a 20% discount on your next trip with us. Use code TRAVEL20 while booking.”
3. “Hi [name], we’re excited to announce the launch of our new [bus service]. And here’s the best part: we now have an exclusive drop-off point at [location name] for your convenience.

Bus timing: [time/details]

Book your seats now with [agency name]: [link].”

1. “Hi [name], since you enjoyed [destination], we thought you might like our new package for [similar destination]. Check it out here: [link].”

How to set up WhatsApp marketing automation for your travel business

To start with WhatsApp automation for your business, you’ll first need to pick the right WhatsApp solution. Here are your two options:

• WhatsApp Business app – perfect if you’re a very small business. It lets you create a business profile, send quick replies and organise chats.
• But it’s still mostly manual, no advanced automation features, no bulk campaigns and no integrations.
• WhatsApp API – built for travel businesses that want to do more. With the API, you can send automated messages at scale, run WhatsApp marketing campaigns and connect WhatsApp with CRM software and other tools.
• This is what you need if you want features like automated booking confirmations, real-time updates and personalised offers.

So, if automation is your goal, the API setup is a must. 

Understand that the API alone won’t automate anything. Think of it as the bridge. To actually run campaigns and workflows, you’ll need an automation platform like CRM software that connects with the API. 

Here’s what the setup usually looks like:

• Get access to the WhatsApp Business API through a provider (like Telecrm).
• Create your official WhatsApp Business account.
• Submit and get your core message templates (confirmations, updates, receipts) approved.
• Use your CRM dashboard to set up automation workflows, triggers and campaigns.

Before you pick an API provider, make sure to do an automation platform comparison. Here are some key features that you should keep in mind when you’re deciding:

Why travel agencies choose Telecrm

Telecrm isn’t just about WhatsApp marketing automation. It’s built to handle the day-to-day challenges travel agencies and hospitality businesses face — from capturing leads to sending follow-ups and managing team performance. Along with all the features we’ve covered before, you also get:

• Auto lead capture from ads, booking platforms, Excel, web forms and more.
• Follow-up reminders so enquiries don’t get forgotten.
• 1-click dialer & call tracking to speed up calls and monitor conversations.
• Custom itineraries & quotations you can create and share right from the CRM.
• Team performance reports to see what’s working and where improvements are needed.
• Mobile app so you can manage WhatsApp chats, bookings and everything on the go.

Overall, it’s a solid pick if you’re looking to automate processes, keep customers engaged and boost conversion rates.

Related read: 10 Challenges for Travel Sales Teams in India (& How CRM Solves Them)

Practical tips to get started with WhatsApp marketing automation

To make things easier, here are some practical tips to help you get started with WhatsApp marketing automation:

• Start easy: Don’t automate everything at once. Start with basic automated WhatsApp messages like booking confirmations and reminders and then slowly add up.
• Personalise as much as possible: Use names, dates and preferences to send personalised offers. Keep it conversational so it doesn’t feel like spam.
• Map the customer journey: Identify different touchpoints- before, during and after the trip. Journey mapping for WhatsApp helps you plan what to send and when.
• Set up workflows and triggers: Use automation workflows, travel and real-time triggers to handle things like itinerary changes, cancellations or feedback collection automatically.
• Don’t forget a multichannel approach: Travellers switch between WhatsApp, calls, email and even social media. With multichannel integration travel, you keep all leads in one place.
• Track and improve: Use message conversion tracking and check campaign performance. Double down on what’s working to improve your WhatsApp marketing ROI.
• Balance automation with human touch: Not every query should be a bot. Keep complex or high-value interactions for your team. Make sure your messages come across as human-like conversations and not robotic.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, WhatsApp marketing automation is all about making life easier for you and your customers. It takes care of the routine stuff so your team can focus on building real connections.

So, if you’ve already decided to automate, you’ve made the right call. It’ll save time, keep travellers engaged and bring in more repeat bookings. And if you haven’t yet, it’s worth exploring. Start small, test a few automated workflows and see how it benefits your business.

Many travel agencies and operators are already using Telecrm to streamline operations and provide exceptional customer service. Feel free to explore it for your business.

Book a free demo now and see it in action.