From the Arival 360 show in Berlin, Douglas Quinby, Arival’s CEO and co-founder, quizzed an expert panel on current hot topics for the tours and activities sector – including Viator’s CEO, Ben Drew.  The topic was what prominent trends are we seeing within the industry post-COVID.

“The shift to shorter-haul European destinations is the most significant post-covid trend”
From the stage at Arival 360 in Berlin, Ben Drew, CEO of Viator, said: “For us [in Europe] since COVID, the shift towards shorter-haul European destinations is really rising, and that is the most significant thing rather than the trends that sit within it.  Within Europe, we’re seeing people travelling in more types of family groups and private tours, so we are focused on elevating the things that these groups of travellers want to do in these popular destinations.

“Also, trends that existed before covid are coming back stronger now, so there are shifts taking place in what travellers are looking for.  One of the most prominent trends is the search for more meaning, greater connections and a better understanding of places travellers visit.”