Travel trends shift to shorter tours AI automation and loyalty upgrades

Shorter, More Intimate Tours Gain Popularity

A recent report by Arival reveals that travelers in the U.S. and Europe are increasingly opting for shorter, smaller, and more flexible tour experiences. The 2025 Tour Taker report, based on input from 800 U.S. and 1,600 European travelers, found that:

• 69% of travelers took tours lasting three hours or less in 2024.
• 50% booked at least one private tour.
• Small group formats (six people or fewer) were chosen by 50% of Americans and 43% of Europeans.

Douglas Quinby, CEO of Arival, noted, “Travellers want experiences that fit into their plans, not the other way around.” This shift is driving tour operators to adopt more agile, mobile-friendly formats.

Generational and Regional Differences

• Younger travelers prefer immersive, participatory experiences.
• Older travelers still favor classic sightseeing.
• 70% of Americans and 61% of Europeans book tours less than a week in advance, often via mobile.

DerbySoft’s AI Voice Agent Automates Outbound Calls

DerbySoft has launched an AI Voice Agent to automate high-volume outbound calls to hotels, addressing a major pain point in business travel:

• 30% of global hotel bookings still require manual intervention.
• The AI handles tasks like confirming booking details, verifying payments, and managing changes.
• Pilot programs show 70–90% reduction in manual call-related costs and 75% of bookings no longer require human follow-up.

Nadim El Manawy, Head of Business Travel Solutions at DerbySoft, said, “Let’s face it, calling properties all day isn’t scalable, fun, or efficient.”

STARFLYER Upgrades Loyalty Program with IBS Software

STARFLYER Inc., Japan’s premium airline, has revamped its STAR LINK loyalty program by partnering with IBS Software and adopting the iLoyal platform. Key upgrades include:

• A modern, cloud-native solution replacing the legacy in-house system.
• A fully overhauled mobile app and member portal with real-time updates and digital membership cards.
• Personalized customer interactions using IBS Software’s customer-centric engine.

Hiroshi Goto, STARFLYER’s SVP of Innovation Promotion, called this “the first move in a broader digital overhaul.”

MakeMyTrip’s Global Experiences Platform Drives Growth

MakeMyTrip has launched a global experiences booking platform for Indian travelers, offering:

• 200,000+ activities across 1,100 cities in 130 countries.
• Booking in Indian rupees and integration with flights and hotels.

The launch coincided with strong Q1 fiscal 2026 results:

• Gross bookings rose 12.4% to $2.61 billion.
• Revenue increased 5.6% to $268.8 million.
• Adjusted net profit grew to $49.4 million.

CEO Rajesh Magow emphasized the company’s long-term confidence despite short-term travel disruptions in India.

Information Overload Drives Up Agency Costs

A Sabre survey highlights the impact of content fragmentation on travel agencies:

• 91% operate four or more booking systems.
• Over half manage seven or more.
• 80% of agents believe unified access could cut costs.
• 91% see AI as a path to better productivity, though 41% are wary of its long-term workforce implications.

Sabre has launched the SabreMosaic Travel Marketplace to simplify workflows and reduce tech overhead.

For more details, visit Arival, DerbySoft, or Sabre.