The Outlook for Travel Experiences 2019–2029
- Published:
- February 2026
- Research Type:
- Report
- Figures:
- 18
- Segments:
- Air, Car Rental & Ground Transportation, Cruise, Hotels & Lodging, Online Travel Agencies, Rail, Tours & Packages, Traditional Agencies & TMCs, Short-Term Rental
- Regions:
- Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, U.S. & Canada
Summary
Experiences have long been called travel’s “next big opportunity.” A decade later, the sector is no longer emerging—it is expanding. After absorbing a deeper pandemic shock than any other major travel segment, tours, activities and attractions have rebounded, surpassed pre-COVID levels and are now outpacing the broader travel industry.
The Outlook for Travel Experiences 2019–2029, produced jointly by Phocuswright and Arival, sizes and forecasts the global experiences market through 2029, examining growth by region, category and distribution channel. Overall, the $271 billion strong sector is projected to exceed $340 billion by 2029, driven by rising per-trip spend, Asia’s acceleration and steady gains in online distribution. The next phase of growth will depend not only on demand, but on whether operators and platforms can use technology to convert complexity into durable, profitable infrastructure.
Learn more about our research partner at Arival.travel.
Key questions addressed by this report include:
- How is the global experiences sector evolving from recovery to sustained expansion?
- Which regions and categories are gaining momentum, and what structural forces are reshaping demand?
- How quickly is distribution shifting online, and what does that mean for operators, OTAs and direct channels?
- What operational and economic challenges continue to limit scale and profitability in this fragmented market?
- How will technology — including AI-driven discovery, dynamic pricing and agent-enabled commerce — influence the future structure of distribution and marketplace power?
