Exploring the Rise of Day Tours and Experiences in Travel: New Skift Research

Skift Take

Day tours are a common yet growing trend, highlighting the need for diverse, immersive experiences offered at competitive prices to attract customers.

Varsha Arora, Skift Research

Day tours are more than just a trend — they’re a significant part of modern travel: In the first quarter, nearly half of all travelers went on one.

What’s driving this interest? Skift Research dives deep into the issue in the latest edition of our “U.S. Travel Trends” series: The “U.S. Travel Trends Q1 2024: Exploring Day Tours and Experiences.”

Our report reveals that attractions play a pivotal role, with 27% of travelers choosing day tours to explore new places. Nature/adventure tours top the list of preferred experiences, closely followed by cultural and sightseeing tours.

Age also plays a significant role in tour preferences. Older respondents (65+) tend to favor sightseeing tours, while the middle-aged group (35-44) shows a strong interest in nature/adventure and cultural tours.

In contrast, the 18-24 age group has a higher percentage of respondents who took nature/adventure tours, as well as a notable interest in culinary tours.

When it comes to booking, convenience is key. Most travelers prefer to book directly through mobile websites or apps, with price, reviews, and guide expertise influencing their decisions. Despite high satisfaction levels, there’s room for improvement, particularly in managing weather-related disruptions and transportation delays.

Most travelers opt for one to two tours a year, spending between $50 and $200 per person. This presents a significant opportunity for companies to tailor their offerings and pricing strategies to attract more customers and boost revenue.

The new report also unveils insights across various travel segments. From a potential revival in business travel to the rise of alternative accommodations like vacation rentals, the travel landscape is evolving. Travelers are also increasingly turning to digital platforms for trip planning, indicating a shift in how they research and book their journeys.

As travelers look ahead, optimism is in the air. Despite challenges, there’s a growing confidence in travel spending. The ‘U.S. Travel Trends’ report is a must-read for industry stakeholders, offering valuable insights to navigate the ever-changing travel landscape and meet the evolving needs of today’s travelers.

What You’ll Learn From This Report

• Featured Insights on Day Tours and Experiences
• U.S. Travel Highlights
• Booking Trends
• In-Destination Trends
• Travel Expense and Pricing
• Sustainability in Travel
• Consumer Sentiment

This is the latest in a series of reports and data products that Skift
Research puts out to help you analyze the biggest trends in the travel
industry. Tap into the opinions and insights of our seasoned network of
staffers and contributors. More than 200 hours of desk research, data
collection, and/or analysis goes into each report.

By subscribing to Skift Research, you will gain access to our entire
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Tech Benchmark, and data from our regular traveler surveys.