WINNERS: The 2024 Arival & TourReview Spotlight Awards

The results are in! See the complete list of winners for the awards celebrating the top operators and innovators in in-destination experiences

The 2024 Arival & TourReview Spotlight Awards winners

by and | 2 October 2024

And the award goes to… Drumroll, please! The results are in for the second annual Arival & TourReview Spotlight Awards, and we’re excited to announce the winners for each category! 

We awarded a number of well-deserving companies for two main award types: 

The winners were announced at Arival 360 | San Diego to a packed house in a special award ceremony hosted by LGBTQ+ travel influencer Ravi Roth on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024. The ceremony was also streamed live on LinkedIn. Meet the winners below!

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners!

Arival TourReview Spotlight Awards: Winners

The Arival TourReview Spotlight Awards includes five categories, with three awards per category based on company size. Company size was determined by number of reviews during the one-year period from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024:

  • Small: 250-1,000 reviews 
  • Medium: 1,001-5,000 reviews
  • Large: more than 5,000 reviews

The winners were chosen through a data-driven, independent and impartial analysis of customer reviews across multiple major review sites, online travel agencies (OTAs) and millions of customer reviews, powered by review management platform TourReview. Learn more about the methodology here and see the complete list of finalists here.

Sightseeing Tours Award Winners

This category includes companies that run tours within a city or destination with a primary emphasis on sightseeing, such as walking tours, urban cycling and hiking tours, segway tours, local driving or bus tours and city cruises or boat tours where the primary purpose is sightseeing.

Small Operator WinnerMedium Operator WinnerLarge Operator Winner
KactusThe Haunt Ghost ToursA Day in LA Tours

See the complete list of Sightseeing Tours Award finalists here. 

Culinary Tours & Experiences Award Winners

This category includes companies offering experiences with a primary focus on food and/or beverages, such as food tours, tasting experiences, brewery tours, winery tours and cooking experiences. 

Small Operator WinnerMedium Operator WinnerLarge Operator Winner
Brew DonkeyKey West Food ToursVallarta Food Tours

See the complete list of Culinary Tours & Experiences Award finalists here. 

Adventure Tours & Activities Award Winners

This category includes companies offering experiences with a focus on active outdoor adventure activities. This includes water sports and rentals,  hiking, kayaking, rafting, off-roading, whale watching, hot air ballooning, and a range of water- and land-based adventure tours.

Small Operator WinnerMedium Operator WinnerLarge Operator Winner
Amelia AdventuresJackson Hole Eco Tour AdventuresAlaska Tales

See the complete list of Adventure Tours & Activities Award finalists here. 

Visitor Attraction Award Winners

This category is for ticketed attractions both private and public, including amusement parks, museums, observation decks, landmarks and monuments, zoos and aquariums.

Small Attraction WinnerMedium Attraction WinnerLarge Attraction Winner
Turquoise MuseumThe Amish Farm and HouseThe National September 11 Memorial & Museum

See the complete list of Visitor Attraction Award finalists here. 

Day Tours & Excursions Award Winners

This category is for companies offering day tours & excursions which include transportation to destinations primarily outside of the city, such as by bus or boat.

Small Operator WinnerMedium Operator WinnerLarge Operator Winner
Greatland AdventuresGrand Adventures ToursExperienceFirst

See the complete list of Day Tours & Excursions Award finalists here. 

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Arival Spotlight Awards: Winners

The second annual Arival Spotlight Awards includes six categories, which honor tour operators, activities providers, experience creators, and the companies that support them, who reflect the growing innovation, creativity, diversity, specialization and technology within the in-destination experiences industry. 

Learn more about the awards here, meet the judges here and see the complete list of finalists here.

Tour Innovator Award Winner: Traveling Spoon

This category honors tour operators that demonstrate innovative approaches, offer creative itineraries, or have designed unique travel experiences that set them apart from traditional offerings.

Traveling Spoon is a platform that connects the best home cooks around the world with travelers to share private, authentic culinary experiences in their own homes. Traveling Spoon’s mission is to create meaningful travel connections, preserve food traditions, and provide income for food producers around the world; connecting travelers directly with hosts ensures that each host receives the majority of the tourism dollar. In addition to in-home cooking sessions, Traveling Spoon has also launched 150 online cooking classes led by home cooks, as well as producer tours and outdoor experiences.

See the complete list of Tour Innovator Award finalists here. 

Attraction Innovator Award Winner: DEM Museums

This category honors attraction operators who demonstrate innovative approaches, creative design, or unique experience offerings that set them apart from traditional offerings.

DEM MUSEUMS is an exhibition design company that partnered with the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism to produce the Ephesus Experience Museum. DEM MUSEUMS utilized cutting-edge technology, including virtual reality, 3D animations, and artificial intelligence, to blend reality with mythology and history, resulting in captivating visual experiences. By using contemporary digital display and animation techniques, the museum brings the social life and urban environment of Ephesus from different eras to life, helping visitors gain a deeper understanding of the city’s history.  

See the complete list of Attraction Innovator Award finalists here. 

Tech Trailblazer Award Winner: GoNexus Group

This category recognizes tour operators that have demonstrated exceptional innovation and integration of technology within their operations to enhance the traveler experience, streamline processes, and introduce cutting-edge solutions in the travel industry.

GoNexus Group is a tourism company renowned for its technological travel innovations, personalized services, and passion for creating unforgettable experiences, and their division NexusTours is the leading Destination Management Company in the Caribbean, Central America, and North America. GoNexus Group created the NexusTours App to transform their client experience and make Nexus teams more efficient. Through the centralization of key information, the app has resulted in a 50% efficiency increase in the airport “meet and greet” process, improved communication via an omnichannel platform that is available 24/7, and spurred significant growth in upsells and customer retention. 

See the complete list of Attraction Innovator Award finalists here. 

Inclusive Operator Award Winner: Santorini Experts

This category recognizes tour operators that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, going above and beyond to ensure that their travel experiences are accessible and welcoming to individuals of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and needs.

Santorini Experts is a tour operator providing a wide variety of local-led tours in Santorini, Greece. The company understands that Santorini, with its predominantly pedestrian areas, numerous steps, and steep paths, can present significant challenges for those with mobility issues. To meet these challenges, they offer specially designed tailored tours that bypass the difficult areas while still showcasing the island’s breathtaking scenery. Santorini Tours also provides wheelchair rentals via partnerships with local providers, accessible transportation, and personalized service from staff trained to meet travelers’ accessibility needs.

See the complete list of Attraction Innovator Award finalists here. 

Community Engagement / Social Purpose Award Winners: Invisible Cities

This category acknowledges tour operators that actively engage with local communities, supporting local economies, empowering residents, and promoting cultural exchange.

Invisible Cities is a UK-based social enterprise that trains people who have experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city. Invisible Cities offers free training first and hires second while providing a living wage to all employees. Their training focuses on transferable skills like confidence building, public speaking, and customer service. Invisible Cities partners with professional tour guides to build bespoke tours and to practice routes, for tours that tell stories that are all too often forgotten and that draw from guides’ own experiences. 

See the complete list of Attraction Innovator Award finalists here. 

Industry Innovation Award Winner: Peek

This category recognizes operators, tech companies, or startups that have developed an innovative technology or tool that is integral to the advancement of the in-destination experiences industry. The Finalists presented their innovations on-stage during the Innovation Showcase on 2 October 2024, where the live theater audience voted on the winner.

See the complete list of Attraction Innovator Award finalists here. 

The Arival TourReview Awards at Arival 360 | Valencia 

While the Arival TourReview awards presented in San Diego are based on North American customer data (including Canada, U.S. and Mexico), we present awards for other regional markets as well—European Arival TourReview Awards will be presented at Arival 360 | Valencia in April 2025.

The Arival Spotlight Awards are global awards, and will next be presented at Arival 360 | Washington D.C. in September 2025—stay tuned for more details.

Congratulations to all the winners!

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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARIVAL | ACTIVATE EDINBURGH AND ARIVAL 360 | VALENCIA AND WHICH SHOULD I ATTEND?

Since 2019, Arival has hosted one major event in Europe each year. For 2024-2025, we’re thrilled to offer two exciting events: Arival 360 | Valencia and Arival | Activate Edinburgh. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide which event to attend—or why you might want to come to both:

Arival 360 | Valencia (28-30 April 2025)
  • Scope: Flagship European Event with a global reach; up to 30% of attendees from outside Europe, including the U.S., Middle East, LATAM, and APAC.
  • Audience: Experience creators, tech and distribution companies, and industry professionals from around the world.
  • Arival Theater Content: Global topics including: over-tourism and sustainability, technology, distribution, European consumer and operator trends.
  • Breakout Sessions: In-depth workshops on operational best practices, product expansion, AI, channel management, marketing tech, a Spain-specific track and an Innovation Showcase highlighting the most tech-savvy companies in our industry.
  • Networking: Connect with leading OTAs and distribution companies, and build valuable partnerships.
  • Location: Valencia, a stunning coastal city offering rich cultural experiences.
  • Attendees: Approximately 800, providing extensive networking opportunities.
Arival | Activate Edinburgh (23-25 November 2024)
  • Scope: Regional focus on the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic regions.
  • Audience: Operators and industry professionals from the region.
  • Content: Gain insights on regional topics like technology, distribution strategies, and hear from top regional tourism leaders.
  • Breakout Sessions: Experience hands-on learning at Edinburgh’s top attractions and tours, with sessions on visitor experience, digital journeys and innovative tour development. In-depth sessions for companies at the beginning of their digital journey and more advanced sessions for people and companies looking to elevate their experience.
  • Networking: With a more intimate setting. you’ll have more time to build deeper connections and create more meaningful interactions with your current and future partners including distributors, tech companies, DMOs and more.
  • Location: Edinburgh, known for its stunning architecture and historic charm
  • Attendees: Approximately 400, fostering an intimate peer-to-peer learning and networking environment.
Key Differences:
  • Global vs. Regional Focus: Valencia is a global event with an international audience, while Edinburgh is a regional event focused on the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions.
  • Event Size: Valencia hosts about 800 attendees, providing broad networking opportunities, whereas Edinburgh’s 400 attendees create a more intimate, focused environment.
  • Content and Sessions: Valencia features global themes and advanced topics, whereas Edinburgh provides region-specific insights and hands-on experiential learning.
  • Location Experience: Valencia providing a coastal escape and Edinburgh offering historic and iconic attractions.
  • Who Will Be There: The most valuable part of Arival Events is the connections you make and the partnerships you build to grow your business. At Arival | Activate Edinburgh, you’ll engage with key industry players in the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions. If your business focus is on these areas, Edinburgh is where you need to be. For those targeting broader European or global markets, Arival 360 | Valencia offers the ideal platform to network with international leaders and innovators. 
Why attend both?

With limited opportunities for business development, learning, and networking in our industry, attending both events is a strategic move. By participating in both Edinburgh and Valencia, you maximize your exposure to diverse markets and influential contacts. 

However, if budget constraints or a specific regional focus dictate your decisions, choose the event that best aligns with your primary business goals. Join us in Edinburgh for regional insights or Valencia for global perspectives—or better yet, attend both to fully leverage the potential of Arival’s expansive network.

For service providers such as a restech or ticketing platform, distribution company, or other services including marketing, AI tools, etc., attending both gives you access to attendees from both markets to connect with your current customers and to meet new ones!

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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.

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