This is the question we hear most on calls with tour operators in Gangtok: "How much should I put into Google Ads?" It's a fair question. Nobody wants to spend ₹50,000 to find out it doesn't work.
The short answer: start with ₹12,000–15,000 a month in ad spend on one focused campaign, then raise it to ₹25,000–40,000 in the weeks before peak season once you know which packages bring bookings. That's our usual starting point, not a rule. The rest of this post explains how to work out the right number for your business.
Why there's no single right budget
With Google Ads you pay each time someone clicks your ad. What a click costs depends on three things: which search terms you target, the time of year, and how many other operators are bidding on the same searches. "Gangtok tour package" in October costs more than the same search in July, because more operators are fighting for fewer travellers' attention.
So instead of asking "what does everyone else spend?", ask "how much can I afford to pay for one booking?"
Work backwards from one booking
Take a simple example. The numbers below are made up to show the method; plug in your own.
Your average package sells for ₹25,000 per couple.
After hotels, cabs and permits, you keep about ₹5,000 profit.
Out of every 10 people who enquire on WhatsApp, 1 books.
That means one booking is worth ₹5,000 to you, and you need 10 enquiries to get it. To break even you can pay up to ₹500 per enquiry. To actually make money, aim for ₹250–350 per enquiry.
Now the budget is easy to reason about. If you want 8 bookings a month from Google, you need around 80 enquiries. At ₹300 each, that's ₹24,000 a month in ad spend.
If your team closes more enquiries, say 2 in 10 instead of 1, you can afford to pay double per enquiry. That's why replying to leads quickly matters as much as the ads themselves.
Plan your budget around Sikkim's seasons
Travellers book Sikkim weeks ahead, so your spending should rise before the season, not during it.
March to May: the busiest stretch. Start increasing budget from late January.
June to September: monsoon and landslide season. Keep a small campaign running for committed travellers and early bookings for autumn.
October to December: clear mountain views, the Puja holidays and New Year. Raise spend from August.
January and February: steady demand from people chasing snow at Tsomgo Lake and Nathula. Good for targeted packages.
Where to spend your first ₹15,000
With a small budget, focus beats reach. We'd put it all into one Search campaign built around searches that show someone is ready to book:
"Sikkim tour package from Kolkata"
"Gangtok Darjeeling 6 days package"
"North Sikkim tour Lachung Lachen"
Two settings make a big difference here. First, target the cities your guests actually travel from (Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and so on) rather than all of India. Second, add negative keywords like "jobs", "map", "weather" and "free" so you don't pay for people who were never going to book.
Three mistakes that waste most budgets
Sending ad clicks to your homepage. Someone who searched "North Sikkim 3 days package" should land on that exact package, with price and a WhatsApp button.
Not tracking WhatsApp clicks and calls. Most enquiries in India start on WhatsApp. If Google can't see them, it can't learn which searches bring customers.
Replying the next day. Travellers message three or four operators at once. The first useful reply usually wins.
The bottom line
Start small, track every enquiry and work out what one booking is worth to you. Once you know your cost per booking, deciding how much to spend becomes a simple business decision rather than a guess.
If you'd like us to look at your numbers, book a free 30-minute strategy call and we'll suggest a starting budget for your packages.