How it works

Visitor Payback schemes can be incorporated into your business in a variety of ways, meaning you can pick and choose whichever system works best for you and your customers. The options are

• Opt out (or in)
• Sponsored products
• Match funding
• Donation boxes or envelopes

Read our  case studies  to see what other businesses are already doing

Opt Out

This raises by far the most money for your chosen conservation project. It works well for accomodation providers. Opt out works by adding an OPTIONAL extra charge to the bill - perhaps £1 per person to a hotel bill, for instance, but the amount added is entirely up to you. Choose whatever suits your customers best.

Your customers will then tick a box to "opt out" if they do not wish to pay the donation. It is important that you explain the charge, so they understand where the money goes to and that is is optional! We can provide plenty of materials to help you communicate the message to them, too.

Opt In, is the same process, however they must tick the box in order to make the donation.

We recommend Opt out, as 90% of people choose to donate through opt out, compared to around 40% via Opt in.

Sponsored Products

This is also a popular and effective way of joining in with Visitor Payback. It is great for retail businesses or those providing a service, such as a tour, for example.

In this case, you choose a product or product line and make a donation from the sale of that item. It can be a set amount, such as 50p per mug sold, or a percentage of the profit from a line, for example 5% on all soap sold. Similarly, the same can be applied to the price of a guided tour, entry ticket or other service. It is really flexible and can be set as high or as low as you feel comfortable with, and on as many or few products or services as you like.

Simple to promote and again, we can provide help with materials for promtion of the scheme.

Match Funding

Match funding can really boost the efforts of your customers in their support of your chosen project. As a business, you offer to match the amount of money raised by your customers through whichever means you used (as listed here).

Again, this can be tailored to you. You can match to whatever level you feel happy with, be that by adding an extra 50p for every £1 donated by your customers, or £1 for £1. Some companies have even donated double whatever their customers have raised!

It is quite a commitment, and times are certainly tough, but if you feel you could manage this, your project will really fly, generating more publicity and taking you with them. Most of the projects are run by charities or small community organisations, who are also feeling the effects of a reduction in funding opportunities, making Visitor Payback a lifeline through this difficult time. The wildlife and landscapes they are working so hard to protect need your help now more than ever!

 Donation Boxes and Envelopes

Simple and low administration, donation boxes and envelopes are an easy first step to see how you go, however, once you see the difference to the projects your help is making, you're bound to want to do more!

We will provide you with a donation box for your counter, bar or reception, with some posters and promotional material and twice a year we'll collect whatever has been dropped in! Boxes are great for all types of business with a reasonable number of people passing through.

Donation envelopes are similar, but designed with accomodation providers in mind, however, if you have a waiting area or similar there's no reason they couldn't be used there, too. We supply pre-printed envelopes, explaining the scheme, which you place in the rooms or communal areas where people may want to pick them up. They simply place their donation, of any amount they wish, into the envelope and hand it in to your staff.

Posters and other materials are available for promoting these, too.