About the Author

Douglas Quinby is co-founder of Arival, the global research authority and community for the tours, activities and attractions sector. A travel industry analyst for nearly 30 years, he leads Arival’s research on the global experiences market, traveler trends, distribution, technology and the future of the in-destination experiences industry.

13–16 October 2026 · Spokane, Washington

Program overview

Six Core Themes Driving the
Destination Experiences Industry Today
0+
Attendees
0
Countries [placeholder — pending final count]
0+
Speakers
0 Years
of Arival Events
MONDAY

Experiential Learning

Placeholder: Arival 360 | Spokane kicks off Monday with Experiential Learning: hands-on tours, activities, and attractions around Spokane itself, letting attendees experience the destination the way travelers do. Full lineup and details to come.
01
Distribution

Distribution

Third-party vs. direct — the industry's oldest, most contested question

Who should control the booking: the operator, or the platform that brought the traveler in the door. Every OTA partnership, commission conversation, and pricing decision runs through this tension. This pillar carries the program's most prominent featured speaker, its widest session count, and a marquee live-debate format.v

02
Social commerce

Social commerce

The new top of the funnel

Discovery is moving from search to the feed. Vertical video on TikTok, Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts, and short-form on Facebook and X is now layered with AI-driven discovery tools that surface recommendations before a traveler types a query. This pillar examines what that shift means for how experiences get found and booked.

03
Meaningful travel

Meaningful travel

What travelers actually want, and what to call it

Meaningful, intentional, impactful, immersive, experiential, regenerative, sustainable, transformational — the industry has never had more words for the same instinct. Arival research heading into Spokane examines which terms actually move a customer to book, and which are largely internal marketing language.

04
AI for destination experiences

AI for destination experiences

The industry's most active pillar this year

AI is reshaping how travelers search, plan, and book, and how operators automate the work behind the scenes. Anchored by the fourth installment of Arival's recurring Great Debate, plus the ever-popular AI Labs rotating-table format.

MONDAY

Experiential Learning

Placeholder: Arival 360 | Spokane kicks off Monday with Experiential Learning: hands-on tours, activities, and attractions around Spokane itself, letting attendees experience the destination the way travelers do. Full lineup and details to come.
01
Distribution

Distribution

Third-party vs. direct — the industry's oldest, most contested question

Who should control the booking: the operator, or the platform that brought the traveler in the door. Every OTA partnership, commission conversation, and pricing decision runs through this tension. This pillar carries the program's most prominent featured speaker, its widest session count, and a marquee live-debate format.v

02
Social commerce

Social commerce

The new top of the funnel

Discovery is moving from search to the feed. Vertical video on TikTok, Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts, and short-form on Facebook and X is now layered with AI-driven discovery tools that surface recommendations before a traveler types a query. This pillar examines what that shift means for how experiences get found and booked.

03
Meaningful travel

Meaningful travel

What travelers actually want, and what to call it

Meaningful, intentional, impactful, immersive, experiential, regenerative, sustainable, transformational — the industry has never had more words for the same instinct. Arival research heading into Spokane examines which terms actually move a customer to book, and which are largely internal marketing language.

04
AI for destination experiences

AI for destination experiences

The industry's most active pillar this year

AI is reshaping how travelers search, plan, and book, and how operators automate the work behind the scenes. Anchored by the fourth installment of Arival's recurring Great Debate, plus the ever-popular AI Labs rotating-table format.

IGNITE
WEDS

First-Ever Arival Ignite

Arival Ignite brings a proven, fast-paced format to our main stage for the first time, built specifically for operators: the people who create these experiences every day. Each speaker gets exactly five minutes and twenty auto-advancing slides to tell one great story: fast, personal, and high-energy.

Other key themes

Digital marketing

Direct-booking conversion and channel strategy.

Digital marketing

Direct-booking conversion and channel strategy.

Digital marketing

Direct-booking conversion and channel strategy.

Digital marketing

Direct-booking conversion and channel strategy.

X
THE ARIVAL INSIDER PRO ACCESS MEMBERSHIP; YOU GET ALL THIS TO HELP YOU ADVANCE YOUR BUSINESS.

Included in Free Membership

Included in Arival Pro Membership

The Arival on-demand video library archive
Access to the entire library of over 150 video sessions and webinars

Arival.guides
Short, digestible research & trends reports delivering insights into our industry, such as The Tour Operator Outlook for 2021.

Arival.travel articles
Topical articles about marketing, tech, operator business and operator stories in all areas of tours, activities & attractions & experiences

Job board access
Find a job from our regular listings, post a resume to the talent network and learn strategies from the job resources articles

New webinars
Helpful, instructional sessions covering subjects such as Mastering Facebook Ads, Grow Your Business and How To Work With OTAs — topics to help advance your business.

Discounts on all Arival in-person events
20% Discount on all Arival in-person events (save up to $300)* based on business type

Insiders Pro Access member exclusive webinars
Paid membership-only webinars to deepen your understanding of important industry topics.

Job postings & talent directory
Post jobs & connect with candidates most applicable to your business.

Private roundtables to connect, learn and engage
Small, focused and intimate discussions exclusive to Arival Insider Pro Access members.

Full access to Arival’s library of in-depth reports
Up to date, deep analysis of tourism topics ranging from Self-guided Tours to Sales & Distribution Trends and Outlooks, based on the data that defines the industry.

The latest on-demand videos
Over 400+ on-demand videos featuring hot topics in tours, activities & attractions

Insider discounts in digital marketing, tech, e-learning, and more
Save money on additional tools, services and learnings you need to run your business. Exclusive to paid members.

Membership Overview
X
Welcome to Arival!​

Arival is pleased to welcome all of its international attendees to the USA and would like to make the process as seamless as possible.

If you are traveling to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less, you may be eligible to visit the US without a visa if your country is participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Visitor Visa​
Overview

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).

Here are some examples of activities permitted with a visitor visa:

How to Apply

There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary by U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please consult the instructions on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website.

Complete the Online Visa Application

  • Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – Learn more about completing the DS-160. You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
  • Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

Schedule an Interview

Interviews are generally required for visa applicants with certain limited exceptions below. Consular officers may require an interview of any visa applicant.

If you are age: Then an interview is:
13 and younger Generally not required
14-79 Required (some exceptions for renewals)
80 and older Generally not required

You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.

Visa Appointment Wait Times

Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early. Click the button below for more information on wait times, required documentation, interview tips, extending your stay and more.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please contact us at [email protected] if you need personal assistance.

These are the terms and conditions (the “Agreement”) governing Your participation in any Arival owned and/or operated event, meeting, show, seminar, or conference, whether held as a live, virtual, or hybrid (both live and virtual) event (the “Event”). By registering for the event, You agree to these terms, which form a binding legal contract between the Event owner and host, Arival, LLC (“Arival” or “Owner” or “Organizer”) and the registered attendee (“You,” “Your” or “Attendee”). If You are registering on behalf of another individual, it is Your responsibility to ensure the person participating is aware of these terms and accepts them. By completing the registration on behalf of another individual, You are warranting that You have made the Attendee aware of these terms and that they have accepted these terms.

ATTENDEE PROVISIONS

Access. Your registration entitles You to access the Event for which You have registered. Any and all other costs associated with Your attendance shall be borne solely by You, and the Event shall have no liability for such costs.

Event Content. You acknowledge and agree that the Event, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to change any and all aspects of the Event, including but not limited to the Event name, themes, content, program, speakers, performers, hosts, moderators, venue, and time. Some Event content may be recorded by Arival and made accessible to paid Attendees.

FEES AND REGISTRATION

Payment. The payment of the applicable fee for the Event is due upon registration. If such payment is insufficient or declined for any reason, Arival may refuse to allow You to access the Event and shall have no liability in that regard.

Event pricing varies based on company type. You are responsible for registering using Your applicable company type.

Taxes. The fees may be subject to sales tax, and value-added tax, or other taxes and duties, which, if applicable, will be clearly stated and charged to You in addition to the fees.

Electronic Communications. Once You have completed Your registration, You will receive Your registration confirmation by email. Please ensure that Your valid email is entered correctly on the registration form. Be sure to check Your junk email box, too, if any of Your Virtual Event email(s) are caught by spam filters. Arival shall not be liable for mis-entered email addresses or other data.

If You do not receive Your registration confirmation and fail to notify us by email at least 24 hours prior to the event, Arival shall not be liable if you cannot view the event live.

You will receive essential Event information for registered attendees electronically at the email address provided on Your registration form.

In addition, You will also be subscribed as an Arival Insiders Free Access member if You are not already a member, which includes notifications of future events as well as the Arival newsletter and other communications. If You would like to opt-out of any of these benefits, a link is provided in each email to provide the ability to opt out.

CANCELLATION, CHANGE AND REFUND POLICY

All cancellations must be submitted in writing to [email protected]. Cancellations outside of 60 days shall be refunded in full without an administrative fee. Cancellations received inside 60 days of the published event start date are subject to loss of all monies paid with no credit for future events. Registration fee refund coverage may be offered.  Name change requests and ticket transfers are subject to a 100.00 change fee. The currency of refunds and fees will be the same as the currency in which tickets are sold.

Virtual Events. Please note that you are still responsible for payment if You do not cancel and do not access the Virtual Event. In no event shall Arival be obligated to refund all or a portion of the registration fee.

Health & Safety Protocols. Arival is committed to producing a successful, productive, and, above all, safe Event for all Attendees, Arival staff, and hotel staff. We establish on-site preparedness plans and health & safety protocols to allow each attendee to feel as safe as possible and reduce the possibility of COVID transmission. Final protocols will be determined by 60 days prior to the event and will be based on recommendations from national, local and other health authorities.

By registering for the event, you confirm that You will abide by the safety measures that Arival puts into place. Failure to abide by the safety measures may result in the cancellation of Your registration with no refund.

Policies for attendance at the Event will be subject to change as conditions change regarding Covid-19. A final determination of policies will be made no later than 70 days prior to the event start date. This provides You with one week to cancel Your registration if You are not willing or able to comply with the Event policies. Arival reserves the right to set the safety measures at its sole discretion.

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the CDC, senior citizens and guests with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable.

BY ATTENDING ARIVAL, YOU VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL RISKS AND AGREE TO HOLD HARMLESS, RELEASE AND INDEMNIFY ARIVAL, ARIVAL’S VENDORS, AND SUPPLIERS FOR ANY AND ALL LIABILITY RELATED TO EXPOSURE TO COVID-19 INCLUDING SERIOUS HEALTH AILMENTS AND DEATH.

CONDUCT OF ARIVAL ATTENDEES

Each Attendee agrees that during Arival, he/she shall conduct themselves professionally and courteously at all times with respect to Arival staff, sponsors, and Attendees. If an Attendee fails to comply with these expectations or behaves in a rude or unacceptable manner, Arival reserves the right to terminate the Attendee’s continued attendance at the Arival Event and will revoke their credentials. The Attendee agrees to return the credentials to an Arival representative upon request and will lose all fees paid to Arival. Expenses resulting from this revocation of Arival credentials are the sole responsibility of the Attendee. See our full Code of Conduct here.

LIMITATIONS ON USE

By registering for an Arival Event ticket, you agree not to sell, trade, transfer, or share your access link and/or code unless the Organizer grants such transfer. If Arival determines that You have violated this policy, Arival may cancel Your access, retain any payments made by You, and ban You from future Events, in addition to any other actions deemed appropriate.

RECORDING, LIVE STREAMING AND VIDEOTAPING

Attendees may not record or broadcast audio or video of sessions at Arival Events.

UNETHICAL/NON-COMPLIANT BUSINESS PRACTICES

Arival reserves the right to deny participation to anyone who engages in or is reputed to engage in unethical or non-compliant business practices

ARIVAL SPONSORSHIP AND OTHER FUNCTIONS/EVENTS

The undersigned hereby acknowledges that Arival provides various companies with the opportunity to sponsor and host a variety of functions and social events during Arival (herein “Sponsored Event”) and that these sponsors pay an additional fee to host these events. To provide the sponsors with the maximum opportunity to host a successful Sponsored Event, Arival will not permit functions, social events, or gatherings of ten or more attendees to take place during the Arival event that would detract from the attendance of Arival attendees at any/all Sponsored Events. Exceptions for special circumstances may be granted if they have been previously requested in writing and approved by an authorized Arival representative. Therefore, the undersigned agrees not to organize, sponsor, or operate any function, social event, or gathering of ten or more attendees, either directly or indirectly, during Arival. If any individual, company, or entity breaches this agreement, the undersigned acknowledges that Arival shall have the right, to terminate the participation of that attendee, as well as any of its/their associates, representatives, and/or employees participating at Arival.

PRIVACY POLICY AND PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION (“PII”)

Please review our Privacy Policy here

Your decision to register for an Arival event indicates your understanding of and agreement with our Privacy Policy.

Attendee acknowledges that Arival provides our sponsors with the PII of our Attendees/Attendees and hereby provides consent to have their PII included in the list provided to sponsors. The data provided will be used by sponsor companies for the sole purpose of marketing the products and services of the sponsor companies and will not be sold, traded, or otherwise given to any other company or person. All sponsor companies provided with PII have warrantied that they are GDPR compliant.

FORCE MAJEURE

Should acts of God, acts of war or terrorism, pandemic, strikes, lockouts, labor disputes, inability to obtain labor or material, governmental restrictions or regulations, judicial order or other casualty or cause, not within the control of Arival make it impractical or impossible for the Arival Event to be held, Arival shall have the right, without obligation, to select an alternate date and venue for in-person events, and in such case Attendee agrees to participate per the terms and conditions herein.

If Arival is prevented from carrying out its obligations as it pertains to the Event for which You registered as a result of any cause beyond its control, or such Event cannot be conducted Live or Virtually due to any cause, not within the control of the Organizer, (collectively a “Force Majeure”) Arival shall have the right to immediately terminate the affected Event without liability and shall be relieved of its obligations to Registrant. If an affected Virtual Event is terminated due to a Force Majeure occurrence before the first day of the Virtual Event, then Arival will make every effort to reschedule the affected Virtual Event, and Your registration fee will be applied to the rescheduled Virtual Event. In such case, as the Virtual Event cannot be rescheduled within 60 days as a result of any Force Majeure event, Arival shall have the right to immediately and permanently terminate the affected Virtual Event without liability and shall be relieved of its obligations to Registrant.

For purposes hereof, the phrase “cause not within the control of the Organizer” shall include failures of a software or issue with the hosting or other required platform in the case of virtual events, or in the case of all events both virtual and in-person shall include fire, casualty, flood, epidemic, earthquake, explosion or accident, blockage, embargo, inclement weather, governmental restraints, restraints or orders of civil defense or military authorities, act of public enemy, riot or civil disturbance or commotion, malicious damage, sabotage, vandalism, acts of terrorism, or other similar activities, strike, lockout, boycott or other labor dispute or disturbance, inability to secure sufficient labor, technical or other personnel, absence of premises required for the Exhibition, failure, impairment or lack of adequate transportation facilities, inability to obtain or requisition or commandeering of necessary supplies or equipment, change in local, state or other law, ordinance, rule, order, decree or regulation, whether legislative, executive or judicial, and whether constitutional, or act of God and the words “act(s) of” shall include “threat of or perceived threat of”.

A Force Majeure event specifically includes the following:

  • If a local, county, state or national governmental authority issues any order or recommendation: (i) for individuals in the local government area of the scheduled Event to limit their time away from their residence or property (except for essential activities, functions, and businesses); (ii) for persons arriving at any airport from any one or more major cities or metropolitan areas (population greater than 500,000) to isolate or self-quarantine for any period of time (even if subject to certain exceptions) when the total of originating cities represents 5% or greater of total event attendance; (iii) to restrict public gatherings in enclosed spaces to less than 400 people in the scheduled local government area.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All intellectual property rights in and to the Event, the Event content, and all materials distributed at or in connection with the Event are owned by Arival or the Event sponsors or speakers presenting at the event. You may not use or reproduce or allow anyone to use or reproduce any trademarks or other trade names appearing at the Event, in any Event content, or in any materials distributed at or in connection with the Event for any reason without the prior written permission of Arival.

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to vest in you any legal or beneficial right in or to any trademarks or other intellectual property rights owned or used under license by Arival or any of its affiliates; nor does this Agreement grant to You any right or license to any other intellectual property rights of Arival or its affiliates, all of which shall at all times remain the exclusive property of Arival and its affiliates.

MEDIA RELEASE

You as Attendee hereby authorizes Arival to use, reproduce, and/or publish photographs and/or video that may pertain to the Attendee —including image, likeness, and/or voice without compensation. The Attendee understands that this material may be used in various publications, public affairs releases, recruitment materials, broadcast public service advertising (PSAs), or other related endeavors. This material may also appear on the Arival website, web blogs, social media pages, and posts. This authorization is continuous, and Arival may publish materials, use the Attendee’s name, photograph, and/or make reference to the undersigned in any manner that Arival deems appropriate in order to promote/publicize Arival events. The Attendee hereby releases Arival, its partners, employees, contractors and agents, the photographer/videographer, and any other associated vendors from any and all claims or liabilities.

Use of Likeness. By participating in the Event, You acknowledge and agree to grant the Event the right at the Event to record, film, live stream, photograph, or capture Your likeness in any media now available or hereafter developed and to distribute, broadcast, use, or otherwise globally to disseminate, in perpetuity, such media without any further approval from You or any payment to You. This grant to the Event includes, but is not limited to, the right to edit such media, the right to use the media alone or together with other information, and the right to allow others to use or disseminate the media.

WAIVER OF LIABILITY

Attendee and each of its agents, employees, and representatives, hereby waive and release any claim of any type or nature whatsoever against Arival and each of its agents, partners, employees, representatives, successors, and assigns, arising out of or relating to his/her/its participation in Arival or attendance at Arival, including, but not limited to personal injury, damage to personal property, theft, etc. Furthermore, Attendee for itself and each of its agents, employees, and representatives, hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless Arival and each of its agents, partners, employees, representatives, successors, and assigns from any claim, demand, lawsuit, or dispute of every type or nature whatsoever (including their reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred), arising out of or relating to his/her participation in Arival or attendance at Arival.

LEGAL

This contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Colorado. The prevailing party in any arbitration or litigation concerning the terms and conditions of this proposal shall be entitled to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.

Disclaimer of Warranties, Limitation of Liability

Arival gives no warranties in respect of any aspect of the Event or any materials related thereto or offered at the Event and, to the fullest extent possible under the laws governing this Agreement, disclaims all implied warranties, including but not limited to warranties of fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, timeliness, and merchantability. The Event is provided on an “as-is” basis. The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the speakers, attendees, or sponsors at the Event are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of Arival or any employee thereof. Arival makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability, or validity of any information presented by speakers, attendees, or sponsors at an Arival Event and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Arival does not endorse and expressly disclaims all liability relating to any of the products or services provided by speakers, attendees, or sponsors.

Except as required by law, neither Arival nor its affiliates shall be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential costs, damages, or losses arising directly or indirectly from the Event or other aspect related thereto or in connection with this Agreement.

The maximum aggregate liability of Event for any claim in any way connected with, or arising from, the Event or this Agreement, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise (including any negligent act or omission), shall be limited to the amount paid by you to Arival under this Agreement.

Miscellaneous

Arival’s failure to exercise any right provided for herein shall not be deemed a waiver of any further rights hereunder. Arival shall not be liable for any failure to perform its obligations hereunder where such failure results from any cause beyond Arival’s reasonable control. If any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that this Agreement shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable. This Agreement is not assignable, transferable, or sub-licensable by you except with Arival’s prior written consent. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, and the parties shall submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Colorado courts. A party that substantially prevails in action brought under this Agreement is entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. Both parties agree that this Agreement is the complete and exclusive statement of the mutual understanding of the parties and supersedes and cancels all previous written and oral agreements, communications, and other understandings relating to the subject matter of this Agreement and that all modifications must be in writing signed by both parties, except as otherwise provided herein. No agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment is created as a result of this Agreement, and you acknowledge that you do not have any authority of any kind to bind Arival in any respect whatsoever. a

X
ARIVAL CODE OF CONDUCT​
CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY SPACES​

At Arival, we believe travel can make the world a better place. Our mission is to establish and inspire a diverse community of individuals and companies in the In-destination Industry by providing opportunities to gain insight, share knowledge and build connections. To make it possible for true collaboration, creativity, innovation, and idea exchange to thrive, we are committed to facilitating a welcoming and respectful community for all. This Conference Code of Conduct shares our community expectations and applies to all attendees, employees, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and other participants at Arival- produced and sponsored events. We empower all participants in our community to actively engage in creating a friendly, inclusive and safe environment for all.

Arival’s core values include the following, and create an expectation for conduct at our events and in online community spaces:

We demonstrate a deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live.
We value integrity and strive to consistently interact with others in ways that are authentic, ethical, and fair.
We are dedicated to transparency, committing to clear, open and honest communication.
We actively pursue and advocate for inclusion, diversity and representation of varying cultural backgrounds, perspectives and ideas

Arival welcomes people from all cultural backgrounds, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender (including pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity, religion (including religious dress and grooming), marital status, domestic partner status, genetic information, age, national origin or ancestry, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Accordingly, participants must refrain from displaying any demeaning, harassing, aggressive, or intimidating behavior or materials that would interfere with others’ experience and participation in our community.

If you witness or are subjected to inappropriate or disruptive behavior or have any other concerns, notify an Arival staff member as soon as possible.

Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Arival reserves the right to refuse entry to or remove any party from any event or community space at any time when participation or behavior create a disruption or hinder the event or enjoyment of the event by other participants. All determinations are at the sole discretion of Arival, and the decision of the Arival team will be final. Severe breaches of this Conference Code of Conduct may result in disqualification from participating in future events. Individuals expelled due to violating this Conference Code of Conduct will not be eligible for a refund or other consolation.

If you have questions regarding this Conference Code of Conduct or its implementation, please contact us at [email protected].

X