The latest State of Travel 2025 report from Skift reinforces what many in the industry are seeing: guests are choosing experiences first, everything else second.
At Wherewolf, we help tour and activity operators understand what shapes guest behavior and use those insights to drive growth. Here are the key trends you should know.
1. Activities Drive the Booking Funnel
Gone are the days when visitors chose a destination first. Experiences now lead the way. Most guests start by researching what they want to do, then book flights and accommodation around that.
What this means for operators: Make sure your experiences are easy to find online and beautifully showcased. Guest reviews act as powerful social proof, often becoming the deciding factor. Using waiver data makes it simple to reach every participant and request feedback, helping operators generate more reviews that highlight the quality of their experiences and attract future bookings.
2. Entertainment, Adventure, and Culture Reign Supreme
Guests put entertainment and leisure first, followed by sightseeing, outdoor adventures, and cultural activities. Niche interests like education, sports, or volunteering lag behind.
Tip for operators: Position your experiences not just as informative but as fun and shareable. Think about the kind of moments guests want to post on social media or rave about to friends. Waiver insights can also capture guest preferences, making it easier to emphasize the aspects they will enjoy most.
3. The Right Tour Guide Makes All the Difference
Knowledge, trust, friendliness, and local expertise are the top traits guests look for in a guide. Nearly 90 percent prefer locals or subject-matter experts over influencers or celebrities.
Action step: Highlight guides’ local knowledge and personality in your marketing. A great guide can turn a good tour into a five-star one, and waiver-powered follow-ups help ensure more of those reviews get collected and shared.
4. Guided Tours Are Perceived Differently by Age
Boomers often value tours for the learning experience. Millennials and Gen Z are usually in it for the fun factor. A smaller group, mostly younger, still see tours as “tacky,” but they are the exception.
Pro tip: Know your audience and adjust messaging to appeal to the right motivations, such as learning, fun, or convenience. Collecting the right data from your waiver can make it easier to segment guests and personalize communication.
5. Tours Are a Legitimate Way to Explore
The majority of guests see guided tours as a meaningful way to learn, discover, and eat their way through a destination. Only 17 percent think they are for people who cannot explore on their own.
What this tells us: There is strong appetite for curated, insightful experiences, especially those that reveal the real character of a place. Reviews that showcase this authenticity are powerful in converting future visitors.
6. Activities Influence Length of Stay
Activities are the top reason guests extend their trips, more than budget, accommodation, or scenery.
Opportunity for operators: Use personalized SMS and email follow-ups to encourage rebooking or upsells. With waiver data, those messages reach every guest, not just the person who booked. This not only increases the chances of repeat visits but also captures more reviews that extend your reach even further.
Final Thought
Skift’s research is clear: experiences shape modern travel, and tour and activity operators are at the center of it. From what inspires a booking to what keeps guests engaged, the role of operators has never been more vital.
At Wherewolf, we help operators turn guest engagement into growth with tools that go beyond digital waivers. By using automation and AI, operators can effortlessly segment guests, personalize remarketing, and send timely review requests that transform everyday interactions into lasting impact.
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