What’s on your travel bucket list? Mine used to be a list of places: Iceland, Scotland, Newfoundland, Costa Rica, Alaska. Now, it’s a list of things to do: camp under the Aurora Borealis (or Australis!), drink Scotch whiskey on one of the magical islands where it’s made; kayak around an iceberg; go on a SUP and yoga retreat somewhere warm; ride my motorcycle somewhere new.
According to The 2025 U.S. Experiences Traveler Outlook, the first report from Arival’s latest research series on The 2025 Experiences Traveler, I’m not alone. Nearly two thirds of experience travelers — 65% — say experiences have a significant role in their decision on where to go.
This new report, based on a survey of 800 U.S. travelers, and part of a wider study of 2400 travelers from Europe and the U.S., delves into the state of the U.S. experiences traveler – who they are, what they want, what are they looking for in 2025 – and some key trends shaping the tours, activities and attractions sector for the coming year.
Experiences Increasingly Drive Destination Selection
While a number of variables factor into the destination decision – including affordability, weather, and the general appeal of the destination — tours, activities, attractions and experiences play a significant role in how travelers choose where to go.
This is particularly the case for younger travelers: while the general brand perception and appeal of the destination remains the overall most important factor, some two out of three travelers aged 18-54 said available experiences, food and attractions were very or extremely important in their decision where to go.
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The Fastest-Growing Experience Categories
The types of experiences travelers are booking also continues to lean towards the more interactive, hands-on and interest-based experiences. Although demand for sightseeing tours and key attractions such as landmarks and museums remains consistent, there are some key areas of growing interest.
Culinary experiences, experiences with locals and tours focused on a special interest or theme are among the fastest-growing experience categories for travelers in 2025.
Operator Takeaway: Lean into Interest-Based Experiences
Younger travelers in particular are more focused on prioritizing experiences in their trip planning, and the fastest-growing experience categories center around specific traveler interests. Operators that find new ways to design or repurpose their experience offerings to focus on these interests will stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Dig Deeper with The 2025 U.S. Experiences Traveler Outlook
The latest Arival consumer report delves into the state of the U.S. experiences traveler – who they are, what they want, what are they looking for in 2025 – and some key trends shaping the tours, activities and attractions sector for the coming year. This outlook report, exclusively for Arival Insider Pro Access members, delves into the key trends, behaviors, sentiment and trip intentions of the U.S. experiences traveler.
Learn More with Arival Research
The 2025 Experiences Traveler Research Series
This consumer research series delves into the wants, preferences, attitudes and buying habits of the U.S. experiences traveler. Based on a survey of 2400 travelers from across Europe and the U.S., this series of reports examine different aspects of the tours, activities and attractions traveler: who they are, what they book, why they book and what they want, how and when they book, what matters most to them, and much more. This is an essential research series for any creator or seller of in-destination experiences in the U.S. and Europe.
Find the full list of publications in this research series here:
- The 2025 U.S. Experiences Traveler Outlook
- The 2025 European Experiences Traveler Outlook (Coming Soon!)
- The 2025 Tour Taker (Coming Soon!)
- The 2025 Attractions Visitor (Coming Soon!)
- The 2025 Affluent Traveler (Coming Soon!)
Get the full Arival experience by joining us at an upcoming Arival event. Be the first to hear about the latest consumer and industry research insights, and stay up to date on the latest traveler trends in the experiences sector directly from tours, activities and attractions industry leaders and experts.
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Header photo: Pexels / Karson
