Tours and activities tips

Borders across Israel are now closed, and flight options are diminishing as major airlines stop commercial operations in Israel. Certain governments, including the United States, will use charter flights to evacuate their citizens.

Luxury tour operator Black Tomato has unveiled a new small-group tour travel product, “See You In The Moment.” Black Tomato has seen a 35% increase in demand for group-oriented itineraries since 2019, especially for multi-gen families or large groups of friends, according to Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato.

ToursByLocals has appointed Lisa Chen as its new CEO. The leadership change comes as co-founder and former CEO Paul Melhus steps into the role of Executive Chairman of the Board.

Attraction World Group (AWG) has been acquired by Montana World Investments, a newly founded international investment group, in a deal facilitated by alternative asset management firm Highmore Group.

Israeli-based tour guides are facing a wave of cancellations as the country unites in response to the fatal missile attacks on Saturday. As of Monday, more than 1,000 people had lost their lives.

Today’s travelers are in pursuit of emotional engagement, meaningful connections, and memorable moments, and AI is going to be a pivotal tool in fulfilling these desires.

The co-founder of Musement, Claudio Bellinzona, is leaving TUI Musement. He will be taking on an advisory role with the tours and activities arm of Europe’s leading tour operator.

TUI Group has consolidated its digital activities in Portugal by opening a new tech center in Porto.

Adventure booking platform TourRadar has added two new partners, Local Adventures and TRAVLR, to its business-to-business tool for selling organized multi-day adventure travel.

Sandemans Tours has partnered with TripAdmit to integrate its digital tipping and reviews platform, TipDirect, across its network of guides in more than 30 cities across Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

Rocco Forte Hotels have launched two urban art-themed tours which have been designed to immerse guests into the deep history of the world of graffiti and street art in Berlin and Munich. 

“Morocco is open, Morocco is safe, and Morocco is still an incredible place to visit.”

TUI Group wants to shift more than 50% of its bookings to its TUI App, an ambitious long-term goal for Europe’s largest holiday package tour operator, given that app bookings account for less than 10% of its sales in key markets like the UK and Germany. 

Ongoing demand for experiences points to a potential market worth hundreds of millions of dollars. With 70% of tours and activities still offline, companies are investing in tech that reduces booking friction and also enhancing the in-person experience.

Moving away from mundane heritage walks, Eesha Singh, co-founder of No Footprints, brings a new take to storytelling through tour experiences. 

Secret Food Tours, a global food tours company located in over 60 cities, is hedging its expansion and growth through niche acquisitions and partnerships.

Online travel platforms that pay close attention to the unique curation of their tours and activities will own the longtail game of discovery.

Luxury hotels and resorts, with all their amenities, are usually the playgrounds of the rich and famous and are reserved exclusively for overnight guests who pay top dollar to stay there. 

Sicily is turning to out to be every bit as seductive as the hit HBO satire series White Lotus makes it out to be. 

Yoga enthusiasts wanting an immersive cultural retreat, football fans looking to meet their sporting heroes or individuals with a penchant for the mixology of gin — these everyday interests and hobbies are shaping “passion-driven” itineraries for travelers looking for more meaningful travel experiences.

Travelers are hungry for high-end experiences, and there appears to be no sign of the luxury bubble bursting anytime soon, with China still expected to add weight to the post-pandemic revenge travel surge.