The Modern Day Tour Taker

Once the afterthought of the trip planning process for most travelers, day tours have become central to the travel experience. Nearly four in five U.S. travelers  and 83% of European travelers took a tour on a trip in the past year.  But what travelers are looking for in tours continues to evolve. 

Based on a survey of 2,550 travelers across the U.S. and Europe, Arival’s latest report The 2026 Day Tour Taker explores how travelers choose tours, what experiences they value most, and how tour preferences are changing across markets and traveler segments.

Here are a few highlights from the report.

Sightseeing is Still In…

Sightseeing remains the most popular tour category by a wide margin in both the U.S. and Europe. Shopping and market tours remain popular as well. Beyond those traditional experiences, however, traveler demand is spread across a diverse mix of food and wine tours, nature and adventure experiences, specialty tours and experiences led by local guides.

…But Travelers Want More

The more important story isn’t which tour types are most popular, however; it’s how the mix is changing. In the U.S., travelers are increasingly choosing culinary tours and experiences, speciality and immersive tours, adventure tours and self-guided experiences. European travelers show the same general direction, though the shift is less pronounced, with growing interest in nature, wellness and self-guided tours.

So What Does This Mean for Operators?

For day tour operators, the message isn’t to abandon classic sightseeing. Those experiences remain the foundation of the market and still the highest source of demand. The opportunity is to build around them, adding culinary experiences, neighborhood walks, outdoor adventures, excursions, specialty tours and other immersive products that encourage travelers to spend more time – and often more money – exploring a destination. 

The modern tour traveler still wants to see the icons. But they want to experience them differently, and explore the destination in a more immersive way. 

Explore the latest Experiences Traveler research with Arival

Dig deeper into the latest research on the U.S. and European experiences travelers – who they are, what they want, what are they looking for in 2026 – and some key trends shaping the tours, activities and attractions sector for the coming year with Arival’s 2026 Experiences Traveler research series.

The 2026 Day Tour Taker is available at no cost to Insider Pro Access members, or for $495 to non-members.

Header photo: Pexels / Lena Netkach