Booking systems are certainly no longer a “nice to have” for tour, activity, and attraction operators — they’re essential infrastructure. But our latest Global Operator Landscape (3rd Edition): The State of Booking Tech report reveals a surprising truth: nearly 40% of operators worldwide are still running their businesses without one.
Based on survey insights from thousands of operators across the globe, this report takes you inside the current state of booking tech in our industry: who’s using it, who’s not, and why. It uncovers the challenges operators face in finding the right system, what features matter most, and why satisfaction levels remain mixed. Whether you’re running a single walking tour or managing a multi-location attraction, you’ll get a clear-eyed look at where the industry stands today — and where it’s headed next.
What Counts as Booking Tech?
Confusion over what actually counts as a booking system is holding some businesses back. Others feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options — more than 300 platforms were named by survey respondents. The report offers practical guidance to cut through the noise, starting with an internal needs assessment to identify exactly what your business requires, now and in the future.
And for those already using a system? The research highlights why “set it and forget it” doesn’t work. With technology evolving fast — from advanced analytics to AI-powered tools — regular reviews of your tech stack are essential to stay competitive. The right booking system isn’t just about managing reservations; it’s about future-proofing your business, improving guest experience, and freeing up your time to focus on what you do best: delivering unforgettable experiences.
Read the full report — available exclusively to Insider Pro Access members — to benchmark your own tech against the global landscape, learn what other operators are doing, and get the tools to make smarter, more confident tech decisions for your business.
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Get Your Tech Right: Essential Operator Resources on Booking Tech
Check out these resources designed specifically to help tour, activity and attraction operators with booking tech and beyond.
- Mastering the Experiences Industry: Tech and connectivity expert Martin Harlow offers a primer on booking tech and distribution for tour, activity and attraction businesses. Arival Insider Pro Access members can also watch Harlow’s online session on this topic here — better yet, join us at the next Arival event to experience this session live and in person!
- Arival Guide: How to Choose a Booking System: A comprehensive guide for operators of tours, activities and attractions to find, evaluate and choose a booking system to improve your operations and grow your business. Log in to access this free Arival Guide.
- Internal Needs Development Worksheet, Internal Needs Assessment Checklist & Booking System Vendor Assessment Checklist: These companion checklists to the above booking system guide, exclusive to Insider Pro Access members, will help you jumpstart your booking system evaluation — it’s essentially a DIY RFP (request for proposal) process.
- The Experiences Tech Directory: Currently in beta, Arival is in the process of developing this directory as a resource for tour, activity and attraction operators. Be one of the first to see it!
Learn More with Arival Research
This report is based on findings from Arival’s Global Operator Landscape (3rd Edition) study, exclusively available to Insider Pro Access members.
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 distribution and connectivity for the experiences sector directly from tours, activities and attractions industry leaders and experts.
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