Experiences have stopped being a complement to travel and have become its main reason. Experiential tourism is an economic driver and a powerful strategy for place marketing, brand building, and digital positioning, and it will remain one of the key trends in the industry throughout 2026.
The report The Era of Experiential Travel by Statista reveals how experiential tourism enables brands, destinations, and platforms to generate emotional value, competitive differentiation, and social visibility; this market, which reached between $1.1 and $1.3 trillion in 2024, concentrates $250 to $310 billion in structured and paid experiences such as tours, events, and guided activities.
Brands and platforms capitalizing on the experiential tourism phenomenon
Digital platforms have become the new storefronts for travel experiences, and many brands are integrating this model as part of their growth strategy. According to Statista, sector leaders include:
- Viator (Tripadvisor): grew from $55 million in revenue in 2020 to $840 million in 2024, becoming the company’s fastest-growing unit.
- GetYourGuide: recorded a 355% increase in app downloads since 2019.
- Klook: reached 9.8 million downloads, consolidating its position as the leading experiences platform in Asia.
These platforms understand that offering experiences does not only generate transactions, but stories that connect with users, which later turn into social content, recommendations, and loyalty.
Even Airbnb, Booking, and other brands in the travel ecosystem are pushing hybrid models that range from accommodation bookings to curated tours, gastronomic routes, and workshops with local hosts.
How is experiential tourism linked to emotional marketing?
Experiential tourism is, by definition, an emotional product. It is not just about what is done, but how it feels. In that sense, it aligns with one of the core pillars of contemporary marketing: building lasting connections between brands and consumers through authentic emotions.
Experiences activate multiple dimensions of marketing:
- Storytelling: each activity becomes a lived story that users later share.
- User-generated content: experiences are shared on social media, generating organic visibility.
- Loyalty: brands or destinations that connect emotionally are more likely to be recommended or revisited.
- Personalization: experiential tourism allows for tailor-made experiences, strengthening perceived value.
In an environment saturated with visual stimuli, experiences are remembered, felt, and shared, turning travelers into natural ambassadors for a brand or place.
What lessons does Statista offer for designing effective strategies?
The report provides several key insights for turning experiences into marketing assets:
- Adopt an “experience-first” logic: Experiences should not be treated as an add-on, but as the core of the tourism strategy. In other words, the tourism product is the experience, not just the destination.
- Segment by behavior and willingness to pay: Statista shows that markets such as India, China, and Brazil have a high willingness to pay for unique experiences, while countries like Mexico, Portugal, or Italy tend to prefer free activities.
- Leverage digitalization: 60% of experience bookings are already made online, requiring intuitive platforms, flexible payments, mobile-first design, and discovery tools.
- Design “shareable” experiences
What isn’t shared isn’t remembered. Visually compelling experiences, emotional narratives, and “Instagram-ready” moments are essential.
Generations acting as ambassadors of experiential tourism
Millennials and Gen Z are the groups most motivated by experiential travel. According to Statista:
- 83% of Gen Z and 77% of millennials plan trips around events, concerts, or specific activities.
- They are digital natives, so they discover, book, and recommend experiences via their mobile devices.
- They expect personalization, authenticity, and immediate attention.
2026: tourism marketing and experience
Experiential tourism has evolved from a niche into one of the most powerful and profitable marketing strategies today. Statista’s data confirm that the future of brands, destinations, and platforms lies in their ability to design, distribute, and amplify experiences that emotionally connect with travelers.
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