Travel has always balanced curiosity and control. Once, the most memorable trips were those shaped by spontaneity, by wandering through side streets, striking up conversations, or discovering a hidden café by chance. Today, that same desire for discovery is often filtered through algorithms and digital marketplaces.
Platforms like GetYourGuide have turned experiences once found by accident into bookable moments such as cooking with locals, joining street art walks, or tracing history with expert guides.
Jump to: Curated Explorers • The Rise of Experience • The Digital Interface • Genuine Immersion • Digital Age • Looking Ahead • FAQ
TL;DR
- 70 % of travelers now book guided experiences, led by Gen Z and millennials.
- Cultural and food-based tours are the fastest-growing experience categories.
- Digital booking makes niche local experiences accessible worldwide.
- Authenticity remains central even in an algorithm-driven world.
- GetYourGuide markets culture through storytelling, not just sales.
- Travelers increasingly want slower, ethical, community-based tourism.
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From Independent Wanderers to Curated Explorers
Walking through a city without an itinerary used to be the archetype of the independent traveler. Backpacks and guidebooks symbolized autonomy. Yet surveys commissioned by GetYourGuide in 2024 show that 70 % of leisure travelers now want to book a guided tour and 94 % of those who did plan to do so again.
Younger demographics drive this change: millennials and Gen Z see experiences as the heart of a trip rather than an add‑on. A McKinsey survey echoes this shift; Gen Z travelers prioritise experiencing somewhere new over cost or convenience , and younger generations are twice as likely as baby boomers to splurge on experiences.
What once might have been a self‑directed stroll through a museum is now a curated tour featuring skip‑the‑line access and storytelling guides. GetYourGuide CEO Johannes Reck notes that experiences have become the core reason for travel and that travelers now plan trips around what they want to do.
He argues that humans crave connection, not screens, and digital tools should amplify rather than replace human guides. This inversion of the travel pyramid—from seeing activities as an afterthought to designing itineraries around them—frames GetYourGuide’s role in shaping modern tourism.
The Rise of Experience
The appetite for experiences increasingly centres on culture, cuisine and creativity. GetYourGuide’s surveys reveal that nearly 40 % of travelers book guided tours to explore local cuisine, while meeting locals and diving into history are also strong motivators.
More than half of millennials and Gen Z travelers prioritise food‑focused tours. In an interview with Arival, Johannes Reck observed that travelers are “hungry for niche categories,” particularly food experiences like market visits, cooking classes and workshops.
Independent research supports this trend. Travel Agent Pro notes that almost one‑fifth of travelers choose destinations based on culinary offerings and that culinary tourism is the fastest‑growing segment in luxury travel. The same article underscores that travelers crave immersive experiences that engage all the senses and provide lasting memories.
Beyond food, cultural immersion now includes art and craft workshops, homestays and festivals. A Trend Talk article describes travelers participating in local festivals, taking language and cooking classes and working with artisans to create their own souvenirs.
Digital platforms have broadened access to such experiences. The Executive Woman Media article cites GetYourGuide’s regional manager Carlee Stellfox Loya, who notes that tours and activities used to be analog but are rapidly digitalising. Platforms now connect travelers to local cooks and artisans, making classes in gelato making, pottery or painting accessible in a few taps. This explosion of choice transforms culture from something observed to something practiced.
The Digital Interface
The convenience of digital booking is a key driver of this transition. Online travel agencies (OTAs) like GetYourGuide, Viator and Klook collectively increased their share of operator bookings from 24 % in 2019 to 33 % in 2024 , a testament to the growing role of digital intermediaries. GetYourGuide leverages AI and marketplace data to match niche interests and help small suppliers quickly test products. Yet the company insists that technology should elevate rather than commoditise experiences.
At GetYourGuide’s Unlocked Summit in 2025, co‑founder Tao Tao acknowledged that OTAs are criticised for turning unique tours into price‑driven commodities. He said the platform’s recent updates emphasise differentiation and quality, with AI‑powered review summaries and tools that help operators highlight what makes their experiences unique.
Tao argued that, in an AI‑driven world, “it’s the quality of the human connection … that truly matters”. To foster that connection, GetYourGuide offers features like custom links, QR‑code review requests and enhanced mobile search.
The platform’s expansion into multi‑day tours and events also shows how digital booking can influence cultural exposure. New categories such as West End shows and VIP experiences allow travelers to weave local performing arts into their itineraries. This move reflects a broader industry trend: Arival research notes that affluent travelers are almost twice as likely as others to base their destination choice on desired experiences , and interest in private, community‑driven and niche tours is surging.
Genuine Immersion
The proliferation of digital platforms raises questions about authenticity. Reviews and ratings help travelers avoid poor experiences, as illustrated by a travel blogger on My Vegan Travels who loves using GetYourGuide because reviews prevent her from “wasting hours with uninterested guides”. Yet reliance on OTAs can also create homogenised itineraries, and some operators fear commoditisation and pricing pressure.
At the Unlocked Summit, Athens Walking Tours manager Konstantinos Papagiannopoulos cautioned that new product announcements should be approached with scepticism , hinting at underlying concerns about platforms prioritising growth over quality.
Scholars and travelers alike debate whether curated tours dilute spontaneity. For some, digital convenience can mean missing serendipitous encounters. Luxury Travel Magazine encourages travelers to choose ethical tours that respect local communities and support local agriculture, arguing that cultural connection should take precedence over “tourist traps”.
McKinsey’s travel report adds that culture and authenticity seekers—who make up 18 % of travelers—actively avoid familiar destinations and spend more on authentic experiences. Another segment, “strategic spenders,” selectively splurges on carefully curated experiences while watching budgets. These archetypes illustrate the tension between convenience and genuine immersion.
Authenticity in the Digital Age
Travelers increasingly seek authenticity, but what counts as authentic is evolving. Social media has become a major source of inspiration—92 % of younger travelers say their last trip was influenced by friends and family posts. Meanwhile, social media conversations are shifting from aspirational #wanderlust imagery to more honest, even self‑deprecating travel content such as #travelfail, indicating a desire for realistic and relatable experiences.
We Are Social’s Matt Brown argues that travelers want authenticity and connection; brands must move beyond glossy campaigns to share unscripted stories. Paul Greenwood adds that social media is now the heart of travel planning and younger travelers want to see “real journeys”.
GetYourGuide’s marketing reflects this shift. The company’s summer 2025 campaign paired travelers with celebrities like the Kaulitz brothers and Marseille rapper Soprano to celebrate local culture and hidden spots. Another collaboration with Sky Sports offered behind‑the‑scenes tours of European football stadiums.
These campaigns aim not just to sell tours but to craft narratives that connect travelers, guides and destinations through authentic storytelling. The result is a brand identity built around “unforgettable” moments, leaning into experience culture rather than transactional booking.
Beyond marketing, data from GetYourGuide’s own trend tracker shows that 98 % of travelers consider experiences very or extremely important when choosing where to go , and travelers are unwilling to cut spending on activities even during economic turbulence.
The “Explorer” segment—high‑value travelers who book online and prioritize authenticity—accounts for a large share of leisure travel spending. According to Deloitte and GetYourGuide research, these explorers view experiences as non‑negotiable, with categories like water, food, culture and nature dominating their itineraries.
Looking Ahead
As 2025 unfolds, travel trends point toward community‑driven experiences and slower, more thoughtful travel. Studies reveal that 73 % of global travelers seek more authentic, local experiences , and a quarter of people plan to explore lesser‑known destinations. Interest in farm‑to‑table dining and guided heritage walks suggests a move toward sustainability and supporting local economies.
Researchers at DEPT note that off‑peak and off‑the‑beaten‑path travel is popular, with 89 % of travel providers observing rising interest in authentic experiences. This dovetails with overtourism concerns; Arival reports that travelers are increasingly avoiding crowded cities in favour of under‑the‑radar locales , prompting operators to adapt to emerging destinations.
In this evolving landscape, GetYourGuide is both a symptom and a driver of change. It channels demand for curated culture into streamlined, bookable products while striving to preserve the human element that makes travel meaningful.
The challenge will be balancing growth and technology with respect for local communities and the serendipity that fuels discovery. As travelers navigate between the ease of curated tours and the allure of independent exploration, they are likely to continue demanding authenticity, immersion and ethical engagement. And as GetYourGuide expands into new niches—from cooking classes to concerts—it’s easy to see how curated experiences now shape what travelers define as “authentic.”
FAQ
Why do travelers book more experiences now?
Gen Z and millennials prioritize connection and culture over possessions, driving demand for guided experiences.
What kinds of experiences dominate GetYourGuide bookings?
Culinary tours, creative workshops, heritage walks, and immersive local activities lead the charts.
Does digital booking hurt authenticity?
It can, but thoughtful curation and strong guide storytelling preserve the human element.
How does GetYourGuide ensure cultural integrity?
It works with local operators, applies ethical guidelines, and promotes experiences that respect community traditions.
What’s next for experience-based travel?
Expect slower, sustainable tourism and community-driven itineraries replacing mass sightseeing.