Tour operators and activity providers are always looking for ways to reach new customers and grow their businesses. One of the most effective ways to do this is by partnering with online travel agencies (OTAs) that specialize in selling tours and activities. However, with so many online travel agencies out there, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones to work with. In this blog post, we will explore the best OTAs for selling tours and activities, based on factors such as reach, commission rates and key markets. Whether you’re a small independent tour operator or a large activity provider, this guide will help you make an informed decision about which online travel agencies to partner with to reach more customers and boost your revenue.
Get Your Guide
Get Your Guide is a marketplace specifically designed for tour and sightseeing professionals, offering experiences in over 110 countries and 2,500 destinations around the world. The company is also developing “predictive” artificial intelligence algorithms to anticipate consumers’ travel and purchasing interests and offer experiences that align with their preferences.
Get Your Guide attracts approximately 6 million monthly visits to its marketplace, which specializes exclusively in the sale of professional tours and experiences. Its audience is spread across several countries, with about 18% coming from the US, 10% from the UK, 4.5% from Germany, 3.5% from Spain, and more. This makes it an attractive platform for tour and activity providers seeking to capture a significant market share among European tourists visiting their destination.
Viator
Viator is the largest and most significant marketplace for guided tours and experiences worldwide, in part thanks to its acquisition by TripAdvisor, which generates an impressive amount of web traffic. As TripAdvisor transforms into a social network, Viator is slowly becoming a “Tripadvisor Experience,” a shift that will have a significant impact on the 11 portals in different languages and the more than 3,500 travel industry partners that work with this OTA worldwide.
The Viator marketplace generates approximately 9 million monthly visits, with 38.7% of the traffic coming from the United States, 6.6% from the United Kingdom, 4.5% from Canada, and 4% from Australia. As these numbers demonstrate, if your target audience is English-speaking, it’s crucial to showcase your guided tours on Viator. However, to be highly visible on this platform, tour and activity providers must also be actively involved in managing their pages on TripAdvisor, as more than 20% of the traffic to experiences comes from this platform.
Expedia Local Expert
Expedia Local Expert is a project launched by Expedia to cater to the needs of travelers looking for “Things to do” during their trips. The platform currently covers approximately 750 destinations worldwide and offers products presented in 24+ different languages. The most intriguing aspect of this project is its association with Expedia’s entire online booking system, which allows it to benefit from the millions of users who use Expedia, especially in countries where the OTA is dominant.
Expedia Local Expert is particularly popular among the U.S. audience, with approximately 66 million monthly visits, of which 79% come from the United States. Consequently, Expedia is the leading OTA for Americans who want to purchase tours and tourism activities online. While there is certainly room for improvement in terms of usability and ways of upselling experiences, it’s clear that tour guides need to list their services on Expedia Local Expert and stay up-to-date with future updates.
Musement
Musement is a leading niche provider of in-destination experiences in Italy, with ambitious plans to expand across Europe and beyond. Boasting over 600,000 monthly visits, Musement offers a vast inventory of more than 25,000 activities across 1000+ destinations in Europe, making it a go-to platform for travelers seeking unique and immersive travel experiences. The company supports eight different languages and over 52 currencies, allowing travelers to easily browse and book activities in their preferred language and currency. With a strong focus on the European market, Musement has positioned itself as a key player in the rapidly growing sector of in-destination experiences.
Klook
Klook is a specialized OTA that focuses on tours and activities, with a primary focus on the East Asian market. Established in 2014, the company has grown rapidly and attracted investment from high-profile firms such as Goldman Sachs and Sequoia Capital. Klook boasts over 5 million monthly visits to its platform, which offers a vast inventory of more than 40,000 activities in East Asia. The platform supports 22 languages and 8 currencies, making it accessible to a wide range of travelers. Its local team’s deep understanding of the Asian market can help providers market their activities effectively in countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
An overview of commission rates (%)
| Get Your Guide | 20-30% |
| Viator | 20-30% |
| Expedia Local Expert | 20-40% |
| Musement | 15-25% |
| Klook | 15-25% |
Online travel agencies are a powerful tool for providers of tours and activities looking to reach new customers and grow their businesses. By partnering with the right OTA, providers can access a vast network of travelers and benefit from the platform’s advanced marketing tools and resources. It’s essential to choose an OTA that aligns with your business goals and target market. Providers should consider factors like commission rates, supported languages and currencies, inventory focus, and the OTA’s marketing expertise when selecting a platform to partner with.
Keep reading: The best Booking Software for Tour Operators & Activity Providers
