Automating guest communication with WhatsApp and Ventrata

Key Takeaways

• WhatsApp outperforms email for time-sensitive guest communication in tourism‍
• Ventrata integration enables automated, personalized messaging without manual data entry‍
• Seasonal businesses can scale communication during peak periods without adding administrative staff‍
• Centralized inbox keeps small teams organized across multiple channels

Manchester River Cruises is a family-run river cruise operator in the UK, offering seasonal tours and themed experiences including Santa Cruises, day tours, and tribute night events. Managing more than 1600+ conversations per month during peak season with a small team, the business needed to scale guest communication without adding staff or losing their personal touch.

With the business owner heavily involved in day-to-day operations, often captaining boats, Manchester River Cruises doesn’t have a dedicated, full-time communications role. By integrating Trengo with Ventrata, they automated booking confirmations and reminders via WhatsApp, eliminating missed tours and reducing manual communication workload by 15 hours per tour!

Challenge: Email wasn't working

Manchester River Cruises relied on email to send booking confirmations, tour times, and pickup locations. The problem? Guests weren't reading them. 

This led to:

• Late arrivals and missed tours
• Frustrated guests and negative social media feedback
• Operational delays and added stress for staff

Without a dedicated communications role and with the owner often captaining boats during tours, the team needed a system that could reach guests proactively on channels they actually used

Solution: WhatsApp automation via Ventrata integration

Manchester River Cruises implemented Trengo to centralize communication across WhatsApp, email, SMS, and social media. The Ventrata booking system integration became the foundation for automated guest workflows.

How it works:

Automatic booking sync
Confirmed bookings are automatically pulled into Trengo, including customer name, tour date, time, pickup location, and digital ticket links. This creates a single source of truth for all guest communication.

Proactive WhatsApp reminders
WhatsApp became the primary channel for guest communication. Automated workflows trigger personalised messages ahead of each cruise, sharing:

• 24 hours before departure:Tour time,pickup point, digital ticket links
• 2 hours before departure: Parking instructions and boarding details
• Themed events: Custom messaging for Santa Cruises and special occasions

This ensures guests receive, read, and act on critical information.

Smart triggers for seasonal and high-volume tours
Special workflows were created for events like Santa Cruises and themed nights, sending reminders based on specific time windows. For example, the day before or a few hours before departure.

Omnichannel fallback
If a guest doesn't respond on WhatsApp, staff can automatically follow up via SMS or email without switching platforms.

“Trengo helped us move from chasing guests across emails and messages to a system that just works in the background. Our guests show up informed and on time, and our team can focus on delivering a great experience on the water.” - Manchester River Cruises Team Member

Results: Fewer no-shows, less manual work

The impact has been clear and immediate:

• Fewer late arrivals and missed tours: Guests now receive timely, personalised reminders on a channel they actively read WhatsApp.
• Reduced staff workload: Automation and AI-powered FAQs have eliminated much of the manual follow-up and repetitive messaging. Up to 15 hours per tour!
• Smoother day-of-operations: Communications are monitored from a single inbox, even when the owner is captaining boats or managing on-site.
• Improved guest experience: Clear, proactive communication leads to happier guests and fewer negative social media comments.
• Scalable growth: With automated workflows in place, Manchester River Cruises can confidently grow their seasonal and themed offerings without increasing administrative overhead.

Manchester River Cruises worked with Trengo's Solutions Consultants to design custom workflows tailored to seasonal tourism operations, including themed event messaging and last-minute weather-related communications.

Curious about what our Solutions Consultants can do for your business? Discover the possibilities, or take the next step and book a meeting with our team today!