The Best Part of Travel | Inside the Business of Destination Experiences Overtourism, Ticket Access, and More Hot Topics from Berlin
Summary
In this episode, Stephen and Janelle discuss the hot topics panel from the Arival 360 Berlin event. They focus on the issue of access to attraction tickets for tour operators and the challenges they face in getting enough tickets to fulfill demand. They also explore the concept of concentrated tourism and the need to shift demand away from popular attractions to lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path experiences. The conversation highlights the importance of destinations, OTAs, and operators working together to create unique and interesting products that offer a more diverse and enjoyable travel experience for tourists.
Key Takeaways:
- Tour operators face challenges in accessing enough attraction tickets to meet demand.
- There is a need to shift demand away from popular attractions to lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path experiences.
- Destinations, OTAs, and operators should work together to create unique and interesting products.
- AI and personalization can be used to recommend and promote alternative experiences.
- The focus should be on providing a great customer experience and minimizing the negative impact of tourism.
You can find out more about and connect with the speakers here:
- Roisin O'Sullivan, COO Walks
- Luuc Elzinga, Founder & President Tiqets
- Gudrun Thorisdottir, President of Gray Line
You can find out more about the research that we mention in the episode here:
- 2024 Experiences Traveler Outlook - The 2024 U.S. Experiences Traveler Outlook report delves into the state of the U.S. experiences traveler – who they are, what they want, what are they looking for in 2024 – and some key trends shaping the tours, activities and attractions sector for the coming year.
- 2024 US Tour Taker - The second report from the 2024 U.S. Experiences Traveler study delves into the state of today’s tour taker – who they are, what they want, and how they choose, book and share.
Connect with the hosts of The Voice of Experiences, Stephen Joyce and Janelle Visser.
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