The tours and activities segment has had a huge year with significant investment, serious acquisitions and further expansion into new areas.
A panel during The Phocuswright Conference brought together tours providers, online distributors and the investment community to discuss current excitement around the space.
Recent funding for companies such as GetYourGuide, Hong Kong-based Klook and Amsterdam-based Tiqets and the huge potential to bring the still largely offline sector to the digital world were both on the agenda.
Also up for discussion was the recent acquisitions of technology providers Bokun by TripAdvisor and FareHarbor by Booking Holdings. While they might demonstrate the importance of the segment to the online giants, existing providers and intermediaries remain concerned about the implications.
Worries about bias in search results were also raised following TripAdvisor’s revelation during the Arival Conference in September.
Panelists stressed the need for independent technology providers going forward, as well as the importance of not putting all your distribution into the hands of online travel agencies.
Executive Roundtable: Tours and Activities
Later, Jonne de Leeuw of HPE Growth Capital joined us in the PhocusWire studio.
PhocusWire @ Phocuswright 2018 - HPE Growth Capital on picking investment goals