Skift Take
The newspaper business continues to go through an evolution in the digital era, all while the travel industry is thriving and demand grows for tours and activities. City Tours probably won't be the biggest revenue generator for the Times anytime soon, but it could do a lot to make the publisher cooler and more relevant.
The New York Times is growing its tours and activities business as it launches City Tours, based on its popular 36 Hours series, with Urban Adventures this week. The partnership is the latest in a trend of branded experiences as more publishers and travel brands want a piece of the sizzling global tours and activities sector.
City Tours, which will last an average of four hours each and is bookable up to 48 hours in advance, follows the Times' launch in 2013 of Times Journeys, its multi-day tour product. The tours will be co-branded as New York Times and Urban Adventures tours, and Urban Adventures will handle all bookings and customer service. Nine tours will initially be available in Budapest, Marrakech, New York City, Tokyo, Toronto, Paris, Philadelphia (see sample itinerary below), Prague, and Mexico City, which have all been featured in 36 Hours.
All tours are hands-on, include interactions with locals, and have a behind-the-scenes element, and will be limited to 12 people. "In Marrakech, travelers will get to go into a family’s home and have lunch," said Victoria Hanson, director of Times Journeys. "In Tokyo, they’ll be interacting with humanoid robots. In Philadelphia, they’ll be step
