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Global Operator Landscape (4th Ed.): The Profitable Operator

The defining measures and best practices behind the travel experiences sector’s top-performing operators

Authors: Anne Failing and Douglas Quinby
Edited by: Janelle Visser


Summary

The tours, activities, attractions and experiences sector of travel consists mostly of privately owned small and medium-sized businesses. There is little in the way of financial benchmarks for the tours and activities sector of travel. So how are operators supposed to know if they’re as profitable as they could be — and what do the most profitable operators do differently?

In our most recent Global Operator Landscape (4th Ed.) study, based on a survey of over 5,000 operators worldwide, we delved into the topic of profitability and financial performance to uncover the practical habits, decisions, and approaches that consistently show up among the top operators.

Research Partners

The Arival Global Operator Landscape study would not be possible without the support from its many partners:

WHY READ THIS REPORT

  • Know where you stand: This report can help you understand where you fit within the wider market, and how you measure up vs. other operators. Are you keeping pace with your competitive set? Are you as profitable as you should be?
  • Learn what makes a profitable operator: We explore common traits of more profitable businesses in our industry. Discover what the most profitable operators are doing differently from their less profitable peers.
  • Gain insights into how to increase your profitability: We uncovered ten things highly profitable operators do differently. Get actionable takeaways on what you can do today to become more profitable tomorrow.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT

  1. How Profitable Were Operators in 2025? 
  2. Operator Profitability & Profit Margins
  3. Profitability by Operator Size
  4. Eight Indicators of High-Profit Operators
  5. 10 Things Highly Profitable Operators Do Differently
  6. The Path to Higher Profits

READ THE REPORT

Fielding Partners

 

The Global Operator Landscape (4th Ed.) Research Series

Arival’s annual survey of the global operator industry is the most comprehensive and in-depth study on travel’s third-largest sector: experiences. Based on a survey of more than 5,000 operators worldwide, the fourth edition of Arival’s Global Operator Landscape research study informs a series of reports on different sub-segments and geographic regions within the tours, activities and attractions sector.

ACCESS THIS REPORT

Arival’s Global Operator Landscape (4th Ed.): The Profitable Operator is available exclusively to Insider Pro Access members. To access it simply sign up for a Pro Access account, or ensure you’re logged in.

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.

Check Out Our New Report
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The Arival Guide to Modern Pricing in Experiences
The state of pricing in tours, activities and attractions, how to build a pricing strategy, and the pricing technology landscape​ Researched & Written by: Anne Failing and Douglas Quinby of Arival Mitchell Meyers and Briana Klein of BlackDog Advertising Edited by Janelle Visser, Martin Harlow & Douglas Quinby of Arival
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