Arival | Activate: 6 Not-to-Miss Sessions

Arival | Activate will be a different kind of conference, with a big focus on small-group discussions and collaborative learning. It wasn’t easy, but we’ve chosen a few key sessions you won’t want to miss

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In Berlin, Arival | Activate will prioritize you — the operator — and give you more opportunity to delve into the topics that matter most to you. Connect with like-minded operators and industry experiences in interactive and collaborative sessions. With no Arival theater, learning will be structured, collaborative and centered around open discussions. Here’s our pick of some sessions to attend, but of course there’s much, much more.

The Future of Experiences: A Fireside Chat with Johannes Reck, Co-founder & CEO, GetYourGuide

Arival | Activate: 6 Not-to-Miss Sessions Arival Ben Finch
What does Johannes Reck think is coming in the rest of 2022? — Raja Sen / Unsplash

Tours, activities and attractions have been among the most profoundly affected by the pandemic, but it’s also one of the most resilient. In this extended interview with Johannes Reck, CEO of one of the world’s leading experience OTAs, we’ll delve into the future of the best part of travel. We’ll discuss how traveler expectations and behavior are changing, what they are looking for in 2022, the role of OTAs, travel marketing in a Google-TikTok world, and more.

TikTok for Tours & Experiences

ARIVAL 360 | VALENCIA

28-30 APRIL 2025

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THE event of the year for the European in-destination experiences industry

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TikTok has taken the world by storm with its easily editable and all-too-addictive short-form video. This session will explore TikTok and the future of mobile video, discusses best practices, and walks through how you can connect with more younger travelers through the rapidly growing platform.

Everything is Storytelling

Arival | Activate: 6 Not-to-Miss Sessions Arival Ben Finch
Mitch Bach will take people through how experience design and storytelling are related — Mnyar Samir / Unsplash

This interactive buzz session led by Mitch Bach looks at how experience design and storytelling are related. At a micro level it is up to the tour guide to tell the story and for the company there is a wider lens that has to take into account the entire customer journey.

Self Guided Tours and Apps

Arival | Activate: 6 Not-to-Miss Sessions Arival Ben Finch
Questo and Vidi Guides will show off one of the hottest segments in experiences — Zach Rowlandson / Unsplash

One of the hottest sectors of the in-destination experiences industry is only going to get hotter. Self-guided tours and experiences have risen rapidly over the past several years. They could be a new product for your tour operation or attraction. Should you get into the game? Join this interactive buzz session with two startups — Questo and Vidi Guides — leading the way.

Developing Decarbonization Strategies

This interactive session will take you through how to decarbonize — Photo Boards / Unsplash

Learn about the Net Zero Travel Challenge and how you can help safeguard the planet. This hands-on session will walk you through step-by-step how you can measure your carbon footprint and develop a plan to decarbonize your operation. 

Livn: Sponsored Innovation Lab — Google Things To Do

Livn will cover all the new aspects from Google Things To Do — Florian Wehde / Unsplash

Google is now rolling out the introduction of the Things To Do program. Users can easily compare options for buying tour and attractions tickets and are able to click through to the operators’ website to complete the transaction. The program is available for attraction operators of all categories and sizes and now for tour operators as well. 

In this Livn Innovation Lab where we’ll be covering:

  • What is Google Things To Do
  • What Google Things To Do looks like on mobile and desktop
  • How does the program differ between the attractions and tours and activities user experience
  • What are the benefits of Google Things To Do for all sizes of operators 
  • How to be part of the program 

Get out the full program with all of the sessions covering digital marketing, direct booking, working with OTAs, growth and planning, sustainability, and much more right here

Arival | Activate will be held in Berlin on 29–31 May 2022 Tickets for Arival | Activate start at €319 for small operators who are Insider Pro Access members. Become a Pro Access member and gain easy access to all of Arival’s online learning, events and premium research for a full year, starting at just US$179

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Global Operator Landscape: The State of Experiences (3rd Ed.)
More than 7,000 operators worldwide contributed to this exclusive new research from Arival which reveals key insights into the tours, activities, and attractions industry in 2024 & beyond, covering trends in sales, tech, and market growth. Authors: Anne Failing and Douglas Quinby Edited by: Janelle Visser
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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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.
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