More Attractions Offer Guided Tours, VIP Experiences

With the rise of the affluent traveler, attractions are leaning into guided tours and VIP experiences, latest Arival research finds

by | 17 February 2025

As travelers increasingly prioritize experiences, more attractions are getting on board, adding guided tours and exclusive VIP experiences as part of their offerings, according to the latest Arival research. 

In The State of Visitor Attractions, the latest report from the Global Operator Landscape (3rd Ed.) research series, reveals key insights into the state of the industry and key trends for visitor attractions. Based on qualified responses from over 650 attractions worldwide, this research provides a comprehensive view of the state and structure of visitor attractions worldwide. The study covers key trends in market structure and firmographics, sales and distribution, technology, product development, and more.

As part of this survey, Arival asked attractions what products they are offering or planning to offer in the future, and guided tours and VIP experiences were at the top of the list. 

Elevating Attraction Products with Guided Tours & VIP Experiences

There has been a wave of guest experience product change over the past decade, driven by technology innovation, changing consumer trends, and of course the pandemic. 

One of the most notable factors driving this change is the growing importance of the affluent traveler segment (see The Affluent Experiences Traveler report), which has led to a surge in demand for VIP and guided experiences: 61% and 51% of attractions currently offer guided tours and exclusive VIP experiences, respectively, with many more planning to add them in 2025. 

Self-guided tours offered via an app will also double, with 16% of attractions offering them currently, and 17% planning to offer them in the near future. Learn more about Self-Guided Tours in the upcoming Arival Guide to Self-Guided Tours and Audio Experiences.

Also, the broad consumer shift toward online and mobile ticketing, as well as the need for capacity managing and planning (especially during the pandemic), has driven the adoption of advanced booking and timed-entry tickets. See the full State of Visitor Attractions report to learn more about product trends as well as trends in distribution, marketing, pricing and tech adoption. 

Dig Deeper with The State of Visitor Attractions Report 

The latest Arival report reveals key insights into the state of the industry and key trends in technology, distribution, marketing, product, pricing and more for visitor attractions. Gain unparalleled insight into the global visitor attractions marketplace, and learn key benchmarks in performance, sales, distribution and more to track your business against the broader industry.

Learn More with Arival Research

The Global Operator Landscape (3rd Ed.) Research Series

Arival’s annual survey of the global operator industry is the most comprehensive and in-depth study on travel’s third-largest sector: experiences. Based on a survey of more than 7,000 operators worldwide, the third edition of Arival’s Global Operator Landscape research study  informs a series of reports on different sub-segments and geographic regions within the tours, activities and attractions sector.

Arival thanks our study sponsors: Launch Partner GetYourGuide, and Strategic Insights Partners Catalunya, Expian, Rezgo, Tripworks and Viator, as well as the many Fielding Partners that helped distribute the survey — see the full list here. 

Get the full Arival experience by joining us at an upcoming Arival event, and hear the latest research insights and tips on digital marketing for the experiences sector directly from tours, activities and attractions industry leaders and experts. 

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.

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Header photo: The Edge NYC / Hudson Yards Experiences

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Tags: attractions, Global Operator Landscape, Featured, Guided Tours, travel research, travel industry research, visitor attractions, attractions research, experiences research, vip experiences, exclusive tours, exclusive experiences
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