The latest Tripadvisor survey highlights travel is no longer just about 'been there, done that, got the T-shirt', but understanding the story of the T-shirt itself.
Scaling a walking tour experience in a famous city like New York isn't only about competing for the masses. It might sound counterintuitive, but five entrepreneurs chosen by the Alliance for Downtown New York will have to do the exact opposite to stand out.
Even if tourism companies are struggling to resume operations paused by Covid — let alone approach pre-pandemic levels — they must devise new ways to reach audiences interested in their products, even those tourists in their backyards. Especially if they've been popular, like many refugee-led tours have been.
Hornblower's acquisition of Walks and Lindblad's takeover of DuVine are great case studies. They show how young companies can land well even in times of crisis. The lessons ought to resonate across the travel sector.
While celebrity tourism isn't new, these two guides have certainly carved out a unique niche in covering Springsteen's origins at the Jersey Shore. Small and genuine experiences like the tours they offer may outperform generic, mass-market offerings during the travel sector's recovery.
Detour has redesigned the audio walking tour for the mobile generation, and the user experience is almost flawless. But there's still a lot of work to do to convince travelers that audio tours are relevant in this day and age, and a long way to go until the economics make any sense.
As more brands want to appear less touristy and more unique, focusing on attracting locals makes sense to establish credibility and good reputations. If locals approve of your tour product, tourists will likely follow.