Tours & Activities

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PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of the tours, activities and activities sector is produced in partnership with Arival, the essential resource for the in-destination experiences industry.

InPhocus, episode 4 - A jolt to make us all think
News / Online
InPhocus, episode 4 - A jolt to make us all think
By PhocusWire | April 3, 2020
WebInTravel's Yeoh Siew Hoon discusses the impact of COVID-19 and how its arrival is giving brands and workers the opportunity to consider how they might emerge in better shape. Read More
InPhocus, episode 3 - Living with the virus, thinking about a reset for tourism
News / Technology
InPhocus, episode 3 - Living with the virus, thinking about a reset for tourism
By PhocusWire | March 27, 2020
Destination specialist Doug Lansky to gives his account of contracting coronavirus and shares his perspective on the current climate for destinations and what could (or should) happen next. Read More
Tours are at an absolute low - here’s how they can recover after COVID-19
Opinion / Online
Tours are at an absolute low - here’s how they can recover after COVID-19
By Alex Govoreanu - Questo | March 26, 2020
It's starting to look like a perfectly terrifying mix between the Spanish Flu and the Great Depression, with the tours and activities sector likely to never be the same again. Read More
Youth and student travel sector looks to previous crises for coronavirus recovery clues
News / Distribution
Youth and student travel sector looks to previous crises for coronavirus recovery clues
By Linda Fox | March 25, 2020
In its latest analysis of the business impact of COVID-19, WYSE says that although every crisis is different, longer term youth and student travel was less impacted by the financial crash than... Read More
wit-tours-and-activities-coronavirus
News / Online
The long tail of travel may get cut off - automation is one way to get it back up
By Marissa Trew - WiT | March 25, 2020
Tour and activity distribution CEOs offer perspective on how the sector can recover from the coronavirus setback. Read More
"What just happened?" - Tours and activities come to grips with coronavirus
News / Distribution
"What just happened?" - Tours and activities come to grips with coronavirus
By Jill Menze | March 20, 2020
The date February 23, 2020, marked a significant turning point for some tours and activities brands. Read More
Online booking rates for activities halve and cancellations jump by a fifth due to coronavirus
News / Online
Online booking rates for activities halve and cancellations jump by a fifth due to coronavirus
By Kevin May | March 11, 2020
The gloomy business outcome of the spread of the virus to more than 100 countries around the world, including some of Europe's big tourist hotspots such as Italy, which is now on lockdown, has ignited... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Freddy is changing city tours with augmented reality
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Freddy is changing city tours with augmented reality
By Steven Lerner | March 10, 2020
Freddy is an interactive augmented reality travel map, city guide and game designed for parents and children. Read More
Checkfront raises $9.3M round, talks up independent role for activities
News / Technology
Checkfront raises $9.3M round, talks up independent role for activities
By Kevin May | March 9, 2020
The Canada-based company, which this year celebrates a decade of operations since its creation, received the round in a deal led by Framework Venture Partners. Read More
As travel giants circle, understanding the economics in tours and activities is vital
Opinion / Distribution
As travel giants circle, understanding the economics in tours and activities is vital
By Olan O'Sullivan - TrekkSoft | March 3, 2020
In the past 24 months, the tours and activities sector has moved from, to borrow a Cinderella analogy, the cinders to the palace, where its untapped potential has moved into the sights of major travel... Read More
toristy-tours-activities
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Toristy wants to make it easier for travelers to find local experiences
By Linda Fox | February 19, 2020
Toristy recently received a funding round, which it will devote towards speeding up its white label pilots with a plan to have them in place for summer 2020. Read More
holibob-tour-activity-marketplace-startup
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Holibob is a marketplace connecting activity suppliers with resellers
By Mitra Sorrells | February 13, 2020
Holibob is a B2B marketplace for tours and experiences that provides resellers such as airlines, hotels, travel agents and OTAs with an inventory that has been vetted for safety and quality.  Read More
google-maps-new-features
News / Online
Google Maps adds features allowing users to explore and share more
By Linda Fox | February 12, 2020
The service, which Google claims has a billion users, now presents users on its Android and iOS app with five tabs: Commute, Contribute, Explore, Saved and Updates. Read More
tui-group-q1-2020
News / Distribution
TUI alters forecast for 2020, 737 MAX grounding bites but digital investment continues
By Linda Fox | February 11, 2020
The tour operator estimated earnings before interest and income tax of between €850 million and €1,050 billion for the full year ending December 2020. Read More
Travel-tech-europe-2020-survey
News / Technology
Travel tech pros put sustainability behind economy as key challenges for 2020
By Linda Fox | February 10, 2020
A Travel Technology Europe survey highlights economic uncertainty as the greatest challenge facing the industry - but sustainability and climate change follow close behind. Read More