Return to Research Combined Shape

The Arival Guide to Modern Pricing in Experiences

The state of pricing in tours, activities and attractions, how to build a pricing strategy, and the pricing technology landscape​

Researched & Written by:
Anne Failing and Douglas Quinby of Arival
Mitchell Meyers and Briana Klein of BlackDog
Edited by Janelle Visser, Martin Harlow & Douglas Quinby of Arival

Coming Soon


Summary

Pricing may be the single most underutilized competitive advantage in the experiences industry. While airlines, hotels and live events have long used pricing to respond to demand and optimize revenue, most tour, activity and attraction operators still set a single price before the season begins and leave it unchanged all year.

This new Arival guide — which builds on Arival’s latest Global Operator Landscape and Experiences Traveler research, as well as subject matter expertise from BlackDog Advertising — explores where the industry stands on pricing today, how operators and technology providers are approaching it, and the practical steps operators can take to build a smarter pricing strategy.

Inside, you'll find a breakdown of static, variable and dynamic pricing models, why smarter pricing is emerging first in the most mature markets, and how pricing intelligence is becoming a new competitive edge. The guide also digs into what travelers think about changing prices and how dynamic pricing shapes their behavior, along with a simple pricing framework, real-world examples, common mistakes to avoid and an overview of the pricing technology landscape, including selected pricing and revenue management providers.

Whether you're just starting to rethink your prices or ready to adopt a more strategic pricing model, the guide offers practical tips and actionable strategies for all levels of experience operators, and is available at no cost to Arival Insider Free members – simply log in or sign up for a free membership to get your copy.

Strategic partner:

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT:

  1. Introduction & Key Findings​
  2. Pricing & the Experiences Industry
    • Static, variable and dynamic pricing
    • Operators using variable or dynamic pricing by company size
    • Operators using variable or dynamic pricing by region
    • Pricing as a strategic capability & competitive advantage
  3. Travelers and the New Reality of Pricing
    • Do travelers notice pricing changes?
    • How travelers feel about dynamic pricing for tours, attractions
    • Traveler behavior, and how travelers respond to dynamically priced tickets
  4. Getting Started: Building a Pricing Strategy
    • Static, variable, or dynamic: how to choose the right model for your business
    • Defining the goal
    • A simple pricing framework for any operator
    • Real world examples & mistakes to avoid
    • Six trends defining the future of pricing
  5. The Pricing Technology Landscape
    • Booking systems and pricing functionality
    • Evaluating pricing technology
    • List of selected pricing & revenue management providers
    • Pricing as the new competitive imperative

WHO THIS REPORT IS FOR:

This report is for tour, activity, and attraction operators looking to move beyond set-it-and-forget-it pricing, as well as booking system and technology providers, distributors, and anyone responsible for revenue, pricing, or commercial strategy in the experiences sector.

WHY READ THIS REPORT:

Get a clear picture of how pricing in tours, activities and attractions is evolving, what travelers really think about changing prices, and how leading operators are using pricing as a strategic capability. Learn how to choose the right pricing model for your business, avoid common mistakes, and evaluate the technology that can help you put a smarter pricing strategy into practice.

Insights Partners

 

ACCESS THIS REPORT

The Arival Guide to Modern Pricing in Experiences will be available at no cost to Insider Free & Pro Access members, thanks to our sponsors at TourIQ, Aloja AI, BlackDog, and Walkway.

Become an Insider Pro Access member today and get access to the full library of Arival research, plus many other benefits such as free consulting sessions, special discounts and 20% off in-person events, starting from $179 per year.

 

Check Out Our New Report
X
The Latin American Experiences Traveler
How travelers in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico plan, ​book and experience tours, activities and attractions​ Authors: Anne Failing and Douglas Quinby Edited by: Janelle Visser
The Latin American Experiences Travelers Report cover image
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
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