A new report from research authorities Arival and Phocuswright shows that the travel experiences sector is growing faster than the travel industry itself.
After returning to its pre-pandemic value of $253 billion in 2024, the experiences market grew 17% to $271 billion in 2025, compared with 6% growth across the rest of the travel industry. Arival projects the experiences sector will reach $342 billion by 2029.
The Travel Experiences 2026: Market Sizing, Operator and Consumer Behavior Highlights report surveyed 2,550 American and European travelers to examine how they choose, book and pay for experiences. Among the findings is that, despite the growth of the experiences sector, most experiences are booked offline. Only 33% of experiences were booked online in 2025, compared with 64% of bookings in the travel market as a whole. Also of note is that more than 70% of experience operators are small or micro businesses.
Andres Spitzer, CEO of survey sponsor Civitatis, sees opportunity in this data. Civitatis is a marketplace for guided tours, excursions and activities led in Spanish and Portuguese in more than 4,200 destinations.
"Travelers want more from every trip, and in a market this fragmented, curation is what makes that possible,” Spitzer said. “As the sector moves online, the platforms that make that trust easy to find will be the ones that capture this growth."
How Travelers Are Booking Experiences
Traditional booking habits have not disappeared, according to the report. Fewer than half of U.S. and European travelers booked their most recent experience online. Nearly one in five respondents under 55, and almost a quarter of those 55 and over, purchased tickets by simply walking up to a provider or ticket office.
That said, a growing number of travelers are booking experiences in advance. The data shows that between 27% and 34% of respondents booked ahead because they were concerned spots might sell out. Correspondingly, same-day bookings are decreasing significantly, with only 18-24% of experiences being booked dy-of, compared to as much as 60% in 2023. The report also shows that U.S. travelers who booked an experience averaged more than four tours on vacations that average 7.1 nights long.
“This shows us that more travelers are choosing destinations based on the ‘why’ of travel and booking those experiences in advance more than ever before,” said Bruce Rosard, co-founder of travel research firm Arival. “The size and growth of this sector is now well established, and this research shows the behavior behind it: Travelers are doing more in destinations than ever before.”
What Kinds of Experiences Are Travelers Booking?
Within the experience market, preferences vary. Forty-seven percent of Europeans surveyed were most interested in cultural sites and landmarks, while Americans preferred sightseeing tours (42%) and culinary experiences (40%). Europeans showed a stronger preference for spa and wellness activities at 33%, versus 23% for U.S. travelers.
Other popular experiences for U.S. and European travelers include festivals (37% for Americans, 30% for Europeans); concerts and theatrical performances (33% and 30%); amusement parks (32% and 34%); and sporting events (29% and 26%).