How The Lost Close chose an online booking system that was right for them

“Using an event and booking management system is essential for ensuring smooth operations. It helps centralise our bookings, reduces manual administration, automates customer communications, and avoids scheduling errors – all of which contribute to a more professional and efficient visitor experience.”

Evaluate the options

When choosing a new system, The Lost Close looked for one that could deliver:

• an intuitive, clean modern interface
• strong integration with major booking platforms
• reliable and fast support
• competitive fee structure

The Lost Close chose Bókun. “Knowing that the platform was backed by TripAdvisor/Viator gave us additional confidence in its reliability and long-term stability.”

Using the system

Having selected their online booking system provider, The Lost Close began onboarding in December 2024 and went live with the new system in January 2025.

The onboarding process

From Katie’s perspective, the onboarding process was very straightforward, and they felt well supported throughout.

“From a standard user perspective, the platform is intuitive and straightforward, which made the transition smooth. The deeper configuration options provide a lot of flexibility and customisation, though those areas are naturally more complex to set up.” Even so,

The importance of user support

Katie explained that the team found the system to be very user-friendly – from taking bookings to creating new experiences and setting up online travel agents (OTAs).

“We’re a small team, so it helps that the system is straightforward; we don’t need an IT department to build products or change availability – the experience team can handle it all. This familiarity also means we resolve issues quickly.

“The Bókun support team have been fantastic – responsive, pragmatic, and happy to talk us through both simple and complex setups. The support we’ve received throughout our first year has been excellent, helping us understand and make the most of the more advanced functionality.”

Based on The Lost Close’s experience, Katie offers the following advice for any business considering using an online booking system.

“Choose a system that mirrors your real-world operation, makes it effortless for guests to book, and gives you the data to keep improving every week. It is important that your system reflects your operation and your experience – know your capacity, time slots, buffers and staffing, then choose a system that can mirror that reality precisely.

“Use distribution (eg OTAs and resellers) strategically, but protect your direct channel with strong content, clear pricing, and controlled allocations.

“The right system should quietly reduce admin while helping you sell more, serve better and learn faster.”