There was a little bit of magic on stage at Arival | Activate Edinburgh, quite literally.
The event featured sessions on AI, the latest research insights on the experiences sector, working with online travel agencies (OTAs) and destination marketing organizations (DMOs), digital marketing and social media, and yes… a little bit of magic, courtesy of the TikTok-famous tour guide (and magician) David Harry.
Here’s a few of our top takeaways from the event, which was the first-ever Arival dedicated to tours, activities and attractions in the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic regions.
1. Travelers Want Experiences that Go Beyond Sightseeing
The experiences sector of travel is outpacing the growth of the travel industry as a whole, according to research shared by Arival CEO Douglas Quinby during his opening address. Travelers are, in general, looking for more experiences while they travel, with affluent travelers leading the pack, and a rise in private and/or VIP tours and experiences.
While sightseeing as a category remains strong, Arival’s latest consumer research shows that among younger (18-34) travelers, categories such as active adventure, food tours and “special interest” tours (such as the Harry Potter or Outlander-themed tours that are popular around Edinburgh) are growing.
It’s the availability of unique experiences that drive visitation to a destination — and ultimately business to the operators of tours, activities and attractions there. A plenary session panel on the future of experiences dug into the shifting industry trends and traveler preferences featured top leaders from VisitScotland, UKInbound, Scottish Tourism Alliance and the European Tourism Association. The discussion focused on how experiences are attracting travelers, as well as the importance of getting more experiences and operators online and bookable.
2. Operators Need to Adjust their Marketing to Reach Younger Travelers
TikTok is the name of the game, particularly for younger travelers, many of whom bypass Google entirely when searching for things to do online. Yet, according to Arival industry research on the Global Operator Landscape, many operators have yet to update their marketing strategies to match how travelers are discovering experiences.
Short-form video in general and TikTok in particular were a key focus during some of the sessions at Arival | Activate Edinburgh. David Harry, a.k.a. The London Spy, shared about becoming TikTok famous during his session on the main stage, and offers tips to operators looking to level up their social media game.
“You can never tell what’s going to take off,” shared Harry. “Just do more, and vary and experiment, and something will happen.”
Breakout sessions during the event dug deeper into social media strategy, including TikTok and short-form video. Propellic CEO Brennen Bliss led a session on strategic digital marketing, Director of The Tourism Marketing Agency Chris Torres led a session on vertical video marketing for travel experiences, and the Chief Marketing Officer of Carpe Diem Tours Oliver Green led a “Social Media Slam” breakout session, sharing some best practices and conducted live operator account audits to help operators bolster their online presence.
30 September – 3 October 2025
Insider Pro Access Members Save 20%
THE event of the year for growth-minded creators and sellers of Tours, Activities, Attractions & Experiences.
Get Your Super Early Bird Ticket Through 21 January!
3. Integrating AI in your Business is Easier than it Looks
Since ChatGPT came onto the scene about two years ago now, generative AI has been one of the hottest topics in travel, and many companies have jumped in to develop new ways to apply the technology. But for many operators, it’s still a bit too much mischief to manage — tour and activity operators are behind on AI, with just 12% using it in their businesses today, according to the latest Arival research.
“I get that it can be scary, it can be hard, it can be difficult to get started,” offered Holiday Extras’ Tom McGarry. During his main stage presentation “AI is for Everybody,” McGarry offered encouragement to operators, and illustrated how his company has gone through the process of integrating AI — and getting their staff comfortable with using it.
Breakout sessions and workshops went deeper, with an Intro to AI session led by Magpie Travel’s Christian Watts. This was followed up the next day by an in-depth, hands-on “AI in Action” breakout session during which attendees rotated through different workshops led by a variety of professionals with experience in AI and tourism to try out different applications for AI that are currently out there, and explore how they are being integrated in tour, activity and attraction businesses.
4. An Experience is Worth a 1,000 Words (at Least)
An event about experiences should itself be an experience, we reasoned when putting together the plan for Arival | Activate Edinburgh. So we added something extra special: experiential learning sessions that took attendees out of the conference center and into some of the most iconic attractions and experiences around Edinburgh.
During these sessions, which kicked off the conference on Sunday morning, attendees explored how to design experiences that go beyond traditional tours and experiences, in hands-on sessions developed specifically for Arival delegates.
28-30 APRIL 2025
Insider Pro Access Members Save 20%
THE event of the year for the European in-destination experiences industry
Save up to €580 with the Winter Special ticket
5. Tour Operating Ain’t Easy — But We’re In This Together
Let’s face it. Running day tours and experiences is no easy feat. There is the daily grind of often complex logistical managing — staffing challenges, dealing with upset guests, figuring out your tech, frustrations with OTAs, the list goes on.
As a tour, activity, or attraction operator, it can be isolating, but one of the most magical parts of Arival is seeing like-minded operators and leaders come together to share experiences, frustrations, learnings and a sense of camaraderie.
In a featured talk during the opening plenary session, one senior executive leader — Roisin O’Sullivan, newly promoted to the lead role of Global Managing Director for Walks and Devour Tours — spoke openly of some of the challenges she’s dealt with throughout the years, and offered her learnings for other operators.
The Operator Town Hall featured a panel of experienced tour company leaders and invited an open forum discussion among attendees. In the session, operators discussed the challenges of hiring (and keeping) good staff, finding the right tech providers that not only help with online booking but also operational needs such as guide scheduling, working and negotiating with OTAs, and planning for future growth.
Many of these types of discussions happened more informally throughout the event as well, as operators connected during the various events-within-the-event, such as the welcome party at the National Museum, pub night in the Grassmarket pub district, and happy hour and tea time in the networking lounge. Often it’s in these moments where connections are made that the real magic of Arival happens.
Join Us at the Next Arival Event!
Want to get in on the magic next time? Join us at an upcoming Arival event in Valencia, Spain in April 2025 or Washington DC in October 2025, and stay tuned for future event location announcements!
Also, if you missed the event or want to re-watch a session, all the theater sessions from the event were recorded and will be available to Arival Insider Pro Access members on the event page here.
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.
Sign up to receive insights tailored for the in-destination industry as well as updates on Arival.
