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.

Opinion / Technology

Consolidation to come in technology for tours and activities

By Douglas Quinby - Arival | October 2, 2019

Scores of overlooked companies are laying the essential plumbing to wire up travel’s third-largest and most fragmented sector. Read More

News / Online

Airbnb says it will IPO in 2020

By Kevin May | September 19, 2019

A listing of Airbnb on the public markets will, following those for Uber and Lyft during 2019, be one of the most eagerly awaited IPOs in the travel industry in years. Read More

News / Online

Sojern launches co-op marketing program for DMOs and local businesses

By Mitra Sorrells | September 19, 2019

Sojern's new Digital Co-Op Program is intended to help DMOs create campaigns in collaboration with local hotels and attractions. Read More

News / Online

VIDEO: Air New Zealand on using a destination to ride the marketing wave

By Kevin May | September 19, 2019

The airline has worked with national tourism groups, movie producers and actors to put New Zealand's recent role as a hub for film making at the center of its marketing. Read More

Opinion / Online

What’s good for millennial travelers is good for all generations

By Matt Walker - LikeWhere | September 18, 2019

The soft boundary lines have come in this not-so-exact science of generation naming and these parameters no longer circumscribe the soundest foundation on which to base travel's marketing efforts. Read More

News / Distribution

Mobile and millennials continue to dominate tours and activities online booking

By Linda Fox | September 12, 2019

A study from TourScanner finds smartphones are dominant for searching tours and activities and millennials are leaders in online booking. Read More

News / Online

VIDEO: How Booking.com will weave every element of a trip together

By Kevin May | September 12, 2019

Details of exactly how the giant will achieve its ambition to connect hotel guests with activities and transportation, plus a myriad of other travel-related services, are becoming clearer now. Read More

News / Online

Klook on target to hit 60M bookings in 2019, outlines expansion plan

By Jill Menze | September 10, 2019

By the end of 2020, Klook plans to double its headcount from 1,200 to more than 2,500 across 30 offices; it also plans to continue to penetrate the Asia-Pacific region as well as bolster its presence in... Read More

Interview / Startups

STARTUP STAGE: Sherpa wants to shake up walking tours with AR avatar guides

By Linda Fox | September 4, 2019

Sherpa was founded earlier this year to bring augmented reality avatar guides to walking tours. The Chicago-based company wants to have 100 tours in major cities around the world by the end of 2020. Read More

News / Online

Festicket in double acquisition for Event Genius and Ticket Arena

August 28, 2019

Event Genius is a ticketing and point of sale system for customers, whilst sister brand Ticket Arena is a competitor of Festicket. Read More

News / Online

Zhiketong raises $42.5M to develop WeChat-led hotel marketing tool

By Kevin May | August 27, 2019

The service is designed entirely around using the WeChat social media platform for brands. The latest round brings its total raised to date in the region of $53 million. Read More

Interview / Startups

STARTUP STAGE: Clear Chain Travel wants to reimagine distribution through blockchain and AI

By Linda Fox | August 22, 2019

Clear Chain Travel is bringing blockchain principles and AI-driven robotic processes to the groups and meetings space to improve transparency, drive efficiency and save costs. Read More

Travel Leaders tours and activities from Viator

News / Distribution

Travel Leaders adds Viator tours and activities for business travelers staying on

By Mitra Sorrells | August 9, 2019

Travel Leaders Corporate has created a new service that offers more than 200,000 bookable activities for business travelers who want to add a leisure component to their trips. Read More

News / Online

TripAdvisor focuses on good news in Experiences as overall revenue continues to fall

By Kevin May | August 8, 2019

Revenue increased from $376 million to $422 million over the course of the first and second quarters of 2019 but year-over-year the business is down 3% in the comparable three-month periods. Read More