How TourBase Is Disrupting the Travel Industry Through Local Expertise and Franchise Expansion

Travis Vaughan, co-founder of TourBase, is revolutionizing the travel industry by franchising a platform that connects travelers with authentic local experiences. By leveraging local knowledge and cutting-edge technology, TourBase empowers franchisees to create curated travel experiences that compete with major players like TripAdvisor and Booking.com.

“The secret sauce was having people who truly knew Alaska sell the experiences, differentiating us from big players,” Vaughan shared with 1851 Founder and Chief Growth Officer Nick Powills on the "Franchisor Hot Seat" podcast. “We decided to franchise during COVID, and even though it was risky.” 

TourBase started as a small business in Alaska, helping travelers book shore excursions through a centralized platform. Recognizing the power of local expertise, Vaughan and his business partner decided to scale the model through franchising, allowing local operators to offer curated tours backed by robust technology. Today, TourBase serves 30,000 guests annually and continues to expand by partnering with franchisees worldwide.

“We had two options: grow it ourselves or franchise,” said Vaughan. “We chose franchising because we wanted local knowledge and customer care that a centralized company couldn’t provide. Local franchisees can give personalized recommendations and create a better experience than aggregators like Viator or TripAdvisor.” 

By blending local expertise with powerful technology, TourBase is redefining how travelers book experiences. As it continues to expand globally, the brand remains focused on creating profitable opportunities for franchisees while delivering authentic, curated travel experiences.

A transcript of Powills’ conversation with Vaughan has been provided below. It has been edited for brevity, clarity and style.

Nick Powills: Travis, first you, then the brand. How did you accidentally fall into franchising? What's your franchise back story?

Travis Vaughan: Yeah, it was an accident. I spent the first part of my career in banking, lending and consulting, working with big Fortune 500 companies, the opposite end of franchising and small business. But I'd always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I had looked at franchises before, but it wasn’t until I met my current business partner, who had a great idea in the travel tourism space, that we decided to franchise it.

TourBase is a booking experiences platform, like Priceline or Expedia, but specifically for tours and activities. My partner built a business in Alaska, helping people book shore excursions through a one-stop shop. It became a profitable business with strong technology, and he wanted to grow. I was looking to buy a business and didn't expect to get into a tech company or become a franchisor, but as we discussed how to scale, franchising made sense.

The secret sauce was having people who truly knew Alaska sell the experiences, differentiating us from big players like TripAdvisor and Booking.com. We decided to franchise during COVID, and even though it was risky, I left my corporate job. Now, we’re replicating the Alaska model and using our tech to grow tour-based businesses in other destinations.

Powills: Your partner started in Alaska. How many customers are you serving annually? What numbers intrigued you?

Vaughan: Seeing the growth was exciting. It started as a side hustle with one site and grew to multiple websites as demand increased. People were asking about excursions in different Alaskan towns, so he expanded geographically. Currently, the business serves around 30,000 guests a year.

It was also rewarding to see how he could choose to work with tour operators who aligned with our values, like environmental sustainability and good customer service. That ability to support quality local businesses was a big draw for me.

Powills: At that point, was he doing tours himself, or was he brokering with other tour groups?

Vaughan: It’s 100 percent reselling other people’s tours. The value a franchisee brings is in curating the best local experiences. My partner went out, tried the tours and picked the best ones. There’s no tour operation on our end. We’re solely a platform that makes it easy for users to find and book tours.

Powills: So it's like Airbnb or Uber for tour bookings. Are cruise companies leveraging you as the broker to curate their tours?

Vaughan: It’s similar to Airbnb's experiences platform, but cruise companies see us more as competitors because they make money off excursions. However, more travelers now prefer to book independently for two main reasons: to find less expensive options and to avoid crowded, large-group tours.

Our technology integrates directly with local tour operators' systems, showing live availability and automating bookings. This allows us to provide real-time, trustworthy experiences vetted by locals without the hassle of traditional travel agents.

Powills: Let's talk about the brand. Franchising gives you local ownership and operation, which cruise lines don’t have. It seems like a no-brainer for hotels to use a locally owned franchisee as their concierge. Am I seeing this right?

Vaughan: Exactly. We had two options: grow it ourselves or franchise. We chose franchising because we wanted local knowledge and customer care that a centralized company couldn’t provide. Local franchisees can give personalized recommendations and create a better experience than aggregators like Viator or TripAdvisor.

We’re also excited about our new tools for hotels. We can quickly spin up a custom landing page with their branding and local tour options, making it easy for guests to book activities. This helps small and midsize hotels that don’t have dedicated concierge desks while generating commissions for them without any operational burden.

Powills: You chose franchising, which means the franchisee is the local expert. What does their day-to-day look like?

Vaughan: Franchise owners spend a lot of time building their product by curating experiences for their website. This involves meeting with local tour operators, trying out tours and creating video previews. They also focus on digital marketing, creating social content and blog posts, or using our provided services to boost organic traffic and run effective paid advertising campaigns.

Taking care of customers is another critical part of the job. While most bookings are automated, franchisees handle customer inquiries by email, chat or phone to ensure a smooth experience.

Powills: Your career at Accenture — did you plan to use that experience as a springboard into entrepreneurship?

Vaughan: Yes, exactly. I went to business school at the University of Washington with the intention of becoming an entrepreneur but felt I needed more experience. At Accenture, I learned how Fortune 500 companies operate and how consultants solve problems and drive innovation.

My last role involved running an innovation hub, helping leaders think creatively and iterate quickly. That experience has been invaluable as we navigate rapid changes in SEO, AI and other technologies.

Powills: How many franchisees do you have?

Vaughan: We have three franchisees and about a dozen corporate locations. Our first franchisee worked with my partner in Alaska, knew the business model and was immediately on board. The second met our first franchisee on a sailing trip and became interested. It’s been word-of-mouth so far.

This year, we’re looking to expand by leveraging franchise broker networks and other referral channels. Our goal is to reach five to ten franchisees by year-end and maintain that growth pace moving forward.

Powills: What's the cost to get in, and what can franchisees expect to make?

Vaughan: The entry cost is just under $70,000. The franchise fee is $35,000, and we charge $30,000 for the website build-out, which covers the first few months of SEO-rich content, operator relationships and paid ad campaigns.

We also charge a 3% royalty on total sales, which is baked into the checkout fee. Franchisees don’t feel the royalty directly. The main cost to budget for is digital marketing — around $10,000 to $30,000 in the first year, depending on growth goals.

In terms of earnings, our Item 19 shows mature numbers from Alaska, which is a 10-year business. It can potentially generate hundreds of thousands of dollars, but new franchisees won’t reach that level in the first few years. It typically takes three to five years to achieve profitability, so franchisees need to be prepared for a slower start.

Powills: You’re on the right path, but the entry cost might attract franchisees expecting quick returns. Have you considered a different pricing model?

Vaughan: We’ve thought about lowering the franchise fee to attract more franchisees, but we want people who are committed and have some skin in the game. There’s also a significant cost in training and supporting each new franchisee, so we need to make sure the numbers work for both sides.

We’re also looking at ways to shorten the path to profitability, such as partnering with hotels and travel agents to get more immediate traffic. Our focus is on building a strong support platform so franchisees see a clear return on their investment.

Powills: Consider alternative models, like spreading out the franchise fee or requiring a larger initial marketing spend. It could accelerate profitability and attract more serious franchisees.

Vaughan: That’s great advice. We’re constantly thinking about how to improve the franchise model, and these ideas could definitely help us grow faster. We want to attract the right people and make the investment worthwhile for them while ensuring we’re providing top-tier support.

I appreciate the feedback and encouragement. We’re excited about where we’re headed.

Watch the full interview above or on YouTube.