A Need for Niche: 50 Specialist OTAs in Tours, Activities & Attractions

More startups seek to fill gaps they say are left unmet by the big global platforms. Here’s a list of 50 online travel agencies that focus on a particular sub-segment within tours, activities and attractions.

Reading Time: 3:35

by | 13 September 2022

Most of us in tours and attractions are well aware of the leading global online travel agencies in the sector (OTAs): Viator, GetYourGuide, Airbnb,TUI Musement, Headout, Klook and KKDay in Asia, Expedia, Groupon and a few others. But there are many startups that have stepped in to focus on specific market segments within tours and activities. 

Operator Takeaway: If you are an operator looking to grow your bookings with distribution, it may be worthwhile to look beyond the better known OTAs to see if some of these specialist platforms are good fit for your business – or for some of your products. 

The opportunity emerges because of the highly fragmented nature of the tours, activities and attractions industry. This sector of travel and tourism comprises many different industries, from walking tours and food tours to boat rentals, museums and theme parks.

The needs of customers and operators in some of these markets differ greatly. Travelers organizing a fishing experience, as well as the fishing guides and boat operators, have specific needs that often are not addressed with other OTAs according to founder and CEO Jonathan Newar of Captain Experiences, which focuses on fishing and outdoor experiences. 

Diana Isac, CEO of Winerist, makes a similar case for wine tours and experiences. Many of their guests are passionate about wine and require a level of expert customer service that only a platform specializing in those experiences could provide. She adds that wineries also have specific needs around planning and delivering wine experiences.

Niche OTAs at Arival Las Vegas

At Arival 360 Las Vegas, Captain Experiences’ Newar will give a talk on the need for specialist OTAs.

Brittany Palmer of Beeyonder will give a talk on the intersection of virtual tours and accessible travel. 

Winerist’s Isac as well as Rachel Dickey, chief strategy officer of TripShock, which specializes in water-based sports and activities, will join a panel discussion on the future of OTAs and the role for smaller, specialist platforms, with speakers from Expedia, GetYourGuide and Savor Seattle. 

OTAs Specializing in an Experiences Category

Here is a list of more than 50 OTAs focused on a particular segment in tours, activities and attractions. Have we missed a brand? Let us know: [email protected]

Note: we are not including OTAs for multi-day tours. If you are interested in that category, see Arival’s directory of multi-day tour OTAs.  

There are also OTAs that focus on a particular geography, such as JochenSchweitzer in German speaking countries, Civitatis serving Spanish-speaking markets, Ceetiz for the French market, Thrillophilia in India, Veltra and Asoview in Japan, MyRealTrip and WAUG in Korea, and many more. We’ll explore those OTAs in a future post.  

Adventure & Outdoor Experiences

Attraction & Theme Park Tickets

Boat Rentals & Charters

Classes & Activities

Culinary Experiences

Family or Kids Activities

Gifting Platforms

Motorcycle Tours

Pet-Friendly Activities

Photography

Private Tours / Tours with Locals

Virtual Tours

Water-based Sports & Activities

Wellness

Youth Travel / Backpackers

Join us at Arival 360 | Las Vegas in October and connect with leading OTAs in tours, activities and attractions, including many specialist marketplaces such as Beeyonder, Captain Experiences, TripShock, Winerist and more.

Rachel Dickey
Chief Strategy Officer
TripShock

Diana Isac
Founder & CEO
Winerist

Jonathan Newar
Co-Founder & CEO
Captain Experiences

Brittany Palmer
Founder & CEO
Beeyonder

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Tags: online travel agencies, otas, culinary, distribution, Featured, Wellness, adventure travel, gifting, private tours

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