A common complaint at Arival conferences is this: there simply isn’t enough time to dig into the topics that really matter most.
This year, we’re taking a new approach to the last day of the conference, with an array of extended deep dive sessions to close out the event. These interactive working sessions and forums proved extremely popular at our San Diego conference last October, so we’re bringing them to Europe, dedicating the final afternoon of the conference on Wednesday, April 30th to those who want the chance to really dig in.
Each will be devoted to key topics – from the growing private tours market to social media, culinary experiences, AI and more – to help you grow your business.
Each of these sessions, guided by experts, are designed to bring you together with your peers, to discuss and build upon what you’ve learned during the previous days’ sessions. They will also help you start putting that learning into action before you leave.
Learn more about these in-depth specialized sessions and interactive industry forums below, and check out our sneak preview of the full event here!
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 €340 as an Insider Pro Access Member
Six Interactive Industry Forums and In-Depth Specialty Sessions to Finish Strong
Each of the sessions below will take place on the final day of Arival 360 | Valencia: Wednesday, 30 April 2025. These are 90 minute sessions designed to be small group, expert led discussions. Determine the topic that most aligns with your interests and be a full participant in a true P2P (peer-to-peer) learning environment. So when you’re booking your travel to attend Arival, make sure you are staying all day Wednesday in order to participate in these sessions!
Private Tours, Big Profits: How to Win in the Growing Market
Private tours are booming, offering operators the chance to deliver premium, personalized experiences with higher margins. But how do you price, market, and scale these tours effectively?
Join two industry experts specializing in private tours — Shrada Bhatia, Chief Growth Officer of Withlocals and Edit Preka, CEO of CityEyes / Eyes of Rome — for an interactive discussion on strategies, challenges, and opportunities in this growing segment. (Shradha Bhatia spoke on the main stage at Arival 360 | San Diego in October, check out that session here: How Withlocals Leveraged Gen AI to 5x Their Destination Footprint.)
This discussion will start with the basics of private tours and advance to include pricing, distribution, product design and more. Bring your questions, insights, and ideas to this lively and collaborative session!
AI in Practice: A Hands-on AI Forum for Operators
Bring your laptop, roll up your sleeves, and get read y to dive into the world of AI. This extended workshop provides an immersive, hands-on experience where you will work directly with experienced professionals and experts in AI and tourism. In this session, you’ll rotate through hands-on guided learning sessions led by Alex Bainbridge, CEO of Autoura, Brennen Bliss, CEO of Propellic, Kelsey Tonner, Founder of Guest Focus, Joshua Ryan-Saha, Director of Travel Tech at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, and Christian Watts, Founder and CEO of Magpie Travel.
Discover how to harness the power of AI to transform and improve your business operations today.
Buying or Selling? Everything You Need to Know About Buying or Selling a Tour Operation
Engage with experts and peers who have gone through the process of both buying and selling to learn from their experiences through valuation, identifying potential buyers, and preparing for the transition.
This is a small group discussion led by Oliver Mernick-Levene, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Secret Food Tours, and Stephen Oddo, Founder of Walks and Advisor at Airbnb. In this session, you’ll have ample time to ask questions and get answers from tour operators who have very successfully acquired other tour companies.
Converting with Social Media: Strategies, Audits & Real-Time Feedback
Social media platforms have become essential tools for travelers discovering experiences and for operators reaching new customers. Now, social commerce is the name of the game and conversions are the winning card. Join this interactive session led by Oliver Green, the Co-Founder and Head of Marketing and Growth for Carpe Diem Tours. He’ll walk through key social media strategies, content strategy, campaigns and best practices to drive conversions before diving into live account audits of your social accounts. (Get a sneak peek at Oliver Green’s insights in his guest-authored Arival article on 5 Ways Every Operator Can Grow Their Instagram.)
Bring your Instagram accounts, TikTok content, and Facebook pages to get real-time feedback on your profiles, content, and engagement. Come with questions and get ready to leave with actionable insights to elevate your social media presence and better connect with your audience.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to develop a campaign to drive sales.
- Key social media strategies to grow your presence and engagement.
- Best practices for creating compelling content across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
- Real-time feedback on your social media profiles to identify improvement areas.
- How to increase audience engagement and drive more traffic to your tours and activities.
- How to up your social game from inspiration to conversion
The Future of Food & Drink Experiences
How do we evolve and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive and rapidly changing food and drink experiences industry? In this interactive small-group discussion, join experienced and innovative leaders Kenny Dunn, Managing Director at Eating Europe, Lauren Aloise, Co-Founder of Devour Tours and VP of Marketing at Walks/Devour, David Mora Gomez, Program Coordinator at Basque Culinary Center, and Lauren Shannon, General Manager at Arigato Travel, to explore the next decade of culinary tourism.
- Where is the industry headed? We’ll explore trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of food and drink experiences.
- How do we drive demand beyond the hotspots? We’ll discuss some creative strategies to shift interest to new locations, neighborhoods, and untapped markets.
- How do we tackle overtourism? We’ll review real solutions to balance sustainability and growth while keeping experiences authentic.
Come ready to share, collaborate, and leave with actionable insights to future-proof your business.
The Website Slam
Are you ready to have your website critiqued by marketing and conversion experts? Take the no holds barred test to see what is, and isn’t working on your website in this small group session where multiple websites will reviewed by expert session leaders Carmen Fernandez, Digital Marketing Director at Weldwood Marketing and Luis Busquets, SVP of Marketing at BlackDog Advertising, and the rest of the attendees.
Dig Deeper at Arival 360 | Valencia 2025
Join us at Arival 360 | Valencia to learn more about the latest trends and research insights in tours, activities and attractions. Level up your business with hands-on learning about everything from distribution and technology to marketing and pricing, and private tours to innovations with AI. Make game-changing connections with leaders, peers, distributors and tech providers from the “Best Part of Travel”.
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 €340 as an Insider Pro Access Member
We hope to see you there, and if you are joining us, make sure you plan to stay through at least 4:30pm on Wednesday to participate in the discussion groups that will be the most impactful for your business.
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.
Header photo: Pexels / Andrea P. Coan
