OTA Bookings Hit Surge, Direct Sales Slide Across Global Experiences Industry

Major Arival study reveals a steep rise in OTA bookings between 2024 and 2025 – amid a new era of disruption for a fast-growing industry

 

NEW YORK, NY – Jan. 29, 2026 – Arival, the global research authority for the tours, activities, attractions and experiences sector, today released its Global Operator Landscape 4th Edition: The State of Experiences, the most comprehensive study of the in‑destination experiences industry.  Based on more than 5,000 qualified operator responses worldwide, the report shows an industry that has surpassed pre‑pandemic performance but is now navigating a new era of digital disruption, shifting traveler behavior, and operational pressure.

 

The report confirms that global operator revenue has not only recovered but exceeded 2019 levels in both 2024 and 2025. However, regional performance uneven. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region following its delayed reopening, demand for Europe remains very strong, while the U.S. outlook remains uncertain following a drop in inbound tourism in 2025.

 

Online travel agencies (OTAs) have surged to record levels, now accounting for 37% of all tour and activity bookings, up from 33% in 2024.  This growth has come at the expense of direct channels: operator website bookings fell from 29% in 2024 to 25% in 2025. Rising digital marketing costs and AI‑driven changes in search are making customer acquisition and conversion pricier and harder.

 

AI adoption, however, is accelerating, and use is shifting from experimentation to impact.  Half of all operators are now actively using or testing AI tools, up from one third in 2024.  Enterprise operators lead the way, with 68% using AI across content creation, internal operations, and customer‑facing applications such as chatbots.

 

The global travel experiences sector has reached a pivot point, moving from recovery into a new phase of expansion,” said Douglas Quinby, Co-Founder and CEO of Arival. “Operators have largely recovered, but they’re entering a far more competitive landscape — defined by higher marketing costs, AI-driven disruption, and the growing influence of OTAs. The operators shaping the future of this industry will be those that invest in systems, diversify their distribution, and build differentiated products that deliver real value to travelers. This is a pivotal moment — and the most innovative operators are already leaning in.”

 

About the report

The Arival Global Operator Landscape 4th Edition: The State of Experiences is based on 5,664 qualified survey responses collected from August–November 2025 across six languages. It provides the most detailed view of the global tours, activities, and attractions sector, covering business performance, distribution, marketing, AI adoption, pricing, and operator priorities for 2026.

 

About Arival

Arival produces conferences, insights and community for tours, activities and attractions and is the global research authority for in-destination experiences. Arival research offers exclusive, primary quantitative and qualitative research to help tour, activity, and attraction industry professionals understand key market trends, identify new opportunities, set their strategies, track their competitors and understand their customers. Learn more at Arival.Travel.