We’ve known for a while that multi-day tours are having a moment — this was a key takeaway from the Multi-Day Track at the last Arival event. However, the latest Arival report puts numbers to that knowledge — and offers insights into how operators, both new and established, can get ahead.
This comprehensive report, The State of Multi-Day Tours (2nd Ed.), combines quantitative survey data (over 560 operators), executive interviews (nearly 50 interviews across the multi-day ecosystem), and desk research. We explore the multi-day tour landscape in depth, how the sector is changing — across product design, traveler demand, distribution, and technology — and what it will take for operators to grow and compete in an increasingly complex marketplace.
Arival thanks our report partners TourRadar, Lemax and KimKim for supporting this research.
A Growing, Complex Sector with Room for New Players
One of the most striking findings in the report is just how diverse this market is. It’s not a sector dominated by a handful of legacy players. More than half of operators surveyed have been in business for at least a decade — but nearly one in four were founded since 2020. That steady flow of newer entrants signals continued and growing traveler demand for new experiential tours and fresh approaches to multi-day travel.
The market also represents a diverse range of experiences: from escorted group tours to custom private itineraries, cultural journeys to adventure travel, and much more. This breadth of travel products shows there is plenty of room for differentiation, specialization and new ideas, and new operators continue to enter the market. But it also is a signal of marketplace complexity, with many product types, business models, distribution channels and technologies.
In Multi-Day, a Mix of Channels
Most travel today is booked online. However, multi-day tour operators sell across a diverse set of channels. Offline – which includes phone calls, email, website enquiry forms, and third-party resellers excluding online travel agencies (OTAs) – account for a majority of bookings. Online sales, through tour operator websites (when payment is made online) and OTAs together represent nearly 40%.
The sector’s complexity is a key factor keeping bookings from moving online as quickly as other travel sectors. Tours are complex and typically represent a significant expense for travelers, who seek more personal guidance and support, especially for more customized itineraries.
But change is happening, and rapidly, especially as the rising generation of younger travelers demand digital discovery and booking. The OTA landscape for multi-day tours is diverse and expanding, with more than 50 platforms (see Arival’s full list here) offering a variety of multi-day experiences.
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The Tech Shift Underway
The multi-day tour tech landscape is also changing. There are more technology providers than ever, with a growing ecosystem of startups and platforms focused on solving long-standing challenges. Tech adoption is on the rise; more than six in 10 now use a third-party booking system or custom platform, and APIs and connectivity are slowly improving.
At the same time, new technologies — especially AI — offer real potential to address some of the sector’s most complex, manual processes. Some 63% of operators say they are actively using or experimenting with AI within their business.
In short, the competitive landscape is shifting — and operators who invest in the right systems and distribution strategies now are better positioned to capitalize on the growth ahead.
Learn More about Multi-Day Tours with Arival
Dig deeper with the full report: The State of Multi-Day Tours (2nd Ed.) goes deep on all of this and more: operator performance and outlook, product and traveler trends, distribution, technology, AI adoption, and what it will take to grow and compete in this complex but rewarding sector.
The full report is available exclusively to Insider Pro Access members. Insider Free members can view a summary version of the report here, thanks to our report sponsors.
Are you a day tour or activity operator thinking about breaking into multi-day? The data suggests the opportunity is real — and you don’t need to be a large operation to compete. Here are some lessons from day tour operators who’ve made the leap.
Also, get the full Arival experience by joining us at an upcoming Arival event in Valencia, Brisbane and Spokane, where you can hear the latest research insights directly from multi-day tour industry leaders and experts, and have the opportunity to connect with other multi-day tour operators, as well as distribution, technology and marketing providers focused on multi-day tours. We hope to see you there!
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Header photo: Unsplash / Felix Rostig
