More Attractions Visitors Looking For Guided Experiences in 2023

New Arival research shows a significant shift in traveler preferences post-Covid towards guided experiences. Here’s how attractions can adapt to this latest shift.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 37 seconds

by | 30 December 2022

After two years of severely restricted travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic, travelers’ attractions preferences have shifted dramatically.

Released in late December 2022 and conducted in partnership with Phocuswright, Arival’s latest report The Global Attractions Traveler compiled and analyzed survey responses from more than 4,000 travelers across Europe and the U.S. The report unveils how travelers choose and book visitor attractions, how these trends have shifted since the pandemic, and what this means for attraction operators and marketers in 2023.

One of the things this study found is travelers have been preferring — and paying more for — guided, small-group and private tours and experiences. While attractions typically rely more on tickets than tours, there are a few ways attractions can adapt to draw in travelers seeking guided experiences:

1.  Offer Guided Tours or Unique Experiences as Part of Your Attraction

Overall, iconic visitor and natural attractions, long the leading driver of tourism visitation, took a back seat to guided tours and experiences for both U.S. and European travelers. However, sightseeing remains the most popular type of tour and has gained ground since pre-pandemic times, as the figure below shows.

This suggests that travelers are not just buying an entry ticket: they want to make the most of their visit with a tour or guide. One way attractions can adapt to this is to find ways to offer more guided tours or unique experiences as part of their attraction offerings.

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2.  Build Reseller Partnerships with Local Tour Operators

Most travelers purchase tickets to cultural attractions and museums directly as stand-alone tickets. However, a significant percentage of travelers — especially from the U.S. — accessed such attractions via a tour in 2022.

Nearly half of U.S. and one in three European travelers visited a cultural attraction or museum via a tour in 2022, as the below figure shows.

In order to make the most of this shift in traveler preferences, attractions should consider expanding their reseller partnerships with local tour operators.

3.  Invest in Self-Guided Technology

Another thing the study showed is a rise in self-guided tours. More and more attraction visitors are using self guided tours via their mobile phones, and not only that but they are willing to pay for them.

One in four European and 31% of U.S. travelers purchased a self-guided mobile audio tour for an attraction visit in 2022.

As this data suggests, the right investments in self-guided experiences could be a meaningful ancillary revenue opportunity for attractions.

Learn More About Attractions Visitor Trends, Preferences and Booking Behavior

Understand the latest trends in how travelers choose and book attractions in the Global Attractions Traveler. Or dig into Arival’s 2023 Experiences Traveler report to understand the latest traveler trends across the tours, activities and attractions sector as a whole.

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Feature photo: Matheus Bertelli / Pexels

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Tags: attraction visitors, attractions, experiences, traveler trends, research, Featured, Group tours, Travel Trends, Guided Tours, Small Group Tours, Travel Experiences, 2023, self-guided, visitor trends, attraction operators, group travel

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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.
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  • 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. 
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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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