ToursByLocals Blog Posts
The Year That Was Travel in 2024
Dec 27 2024
Every year, as the calendar winds down, we dive into our bookings data to uncover a treasure trove of fun insights about the year that’s just passed. How many travellers explored the world with us? Which tours topped the charts? What destinations were the must-visit hotspots? And what trends might shake things up next year? Sure, this data helps us plan for the future, but it also gives us plenty of fascinating tidbits we can’t wait to share with you! And so, we present:
Congratulations to Chia in Tokyo!
Chia (who also goes by Justin) only delivered his first ToursByLocals tour in May of 2023. We’re impressed to see him go from a newbie that year to leading the pack in 2024! Chia's also a world traveller himself, and has been to nearly 50 countries already. As your guide, Chia will introduce you to hidden corners, historical landmarks, and scenic spots that bring Tokyo and Kyoto’s history and culture to life. He’s also a foodie! In Chia’s own words: “Japan’s food scene is constantly evolving, and I’m always on the lookout for the latest flavours and traditional gems. I’ll guide you to some of the best local spots, from tucked-away eateries to popular favourites, so you can enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine as part of your journey.” Get ready to have a great time with Chia - but book early; we don’t think his calendar is going to slow down in 2025!
And another big congratulations to our runner up Daisuke in Kyoto
Daisuke (Dice) is a specialist in Kyoto, where his knowledge of Japanese history, culture, food and crafts makes him the perfect expert to immerse yourself in Kyoto. As a bonus, he’s also a high end mixologist and a professional photographer! Expect to leave your tours with the bonus of quality photographs to take home. Daisuke’s most recent traveller review sums up what many are saying about him: “I can’t say enough positive words to describe our two days with Dice. He is knowledgeable, thoughtful and respectful. My wife and I have had many tour guides over the years. Dice was the best. After two days I felt like we have a friend in Kyoto.”
The top-selling country overall was perennial favourite Italy. By now, we have a feeling this nation might just be a permanent fixture in the top spot!
The runners up? First off is Japan! Japan, which was one of the last countries to re-open its borders after the pandemic, burst back into the top 3 last year, and has moved into second place behind Italy this year for total number of tours sold. In third spot is sunny Spain, bolstered by the well-known popularity of destinations like Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Granada.
Hot on Tokyo’s heels was perennial favourite Rome! And the third city? No surprises here: Rome was followed closely by Paris, who was in the spotlight this year as the host to the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the long-awaited re-opening of Notre Dame this month.
Between those three cities you can find over 280 amazing tour guides on the ToursByLocals platform!
ToursByLocals Travel Trivia: 2024 Edition!
How many people went on tour in 2024?
The pace of travel maintained its post-pandemic momentum, and we sent approximately 350,000 travellers on tour this year. And we’re expecting to hit a major milestone in 2025, when we reach 3 million total travellers served since our launch in 2008!How many brand new tours were created in 2024?
The guides on ToursByLocals created 7811 brand new tour itineraries to book in 2024! And those don’t even include custom tour itineraries. From hiking through Patagonian forests and lakes in Bariloche, Argentina to a quiet backwater cruise in Kochi, India, that’s a whole lot of unique exploring for you to do!What percentage of tours were one-of-a-kind, customized tours?
Did you know you can do that? While we have over 35,000 tour itineraries already created and ready to book on ToursByLocals, you can also tweak any of them or design your own! Just message any guide in advance and they’ll customize an itinerary to make it perfect for you. (And the official answer is 27.3% - up 2% from 2023!)
What attractions were in the most demand in 2024?
Like last year, heavy hitters like the Acropolis, The Louvre, and the Colosseum were in high demand, sometimes to the point of challenges in gaining admission. Local guides had to be on their game to secure tickets, as traveller numbers in Europe surged this summer. Also extremely popular were Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal, and the Alhambra in southern Spain. Lesson learned? Plan ahead and ask your guide to help you book tickets early! Expect to see Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris very busy in 2025, as it finally re-opens to the public five years after a devastating fire.Which guide gave the most tours in 2024?
This is a pretty impressive category to lead. It means a lot of hours spent on foot, and also a lot of hours talking! By the end of the year, guides are definitely ready for a well-earned rest. For the first time ever, this category was won by a guide in Japan. Not only that, but the runner up is Japanese as well! They’ve both taken ToursByLocals travellers on close to 300 tours in 2024.Congratulations to Chia in Tokyo!
Chia (who also goes by Justin) only delivered his first ToursByLocals tour in May of 2023. We’re impressed to see him go from a newbie that year to leading the pack in 2024! Chia's also a world traveller himself, and has been to nearly 50 countries already. As your guide, Chia will introduce you to hidden corners, historical landmarks, and scenic spots that bring Tokyo and Kyoto’s history and culture to life. He’s also a foodie! In Chia’s own words: “Japan’s food scene is constantly evolving, and I’m always on the lookout for the latest flavours and traditional gems. I’ll guide you to some of the best local spots, from tucked-away eateries to popular favourites, so you can enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine as part of your journey.” Get ready to have a great time with Chia - but book early; we don’t think his calendar is going to slow down in 2025!
And another big congratulations to our runner up Daisuke in Kyoto
Daisuke (Dice) is a specialist in Kyoto, where his knowledge of Japanese history, culture, food and crafts makes him the perfect expert to immerse yourself in Kyoto. As a bonus, he’s also a high end mixologist and a professional photographer! Expect to leave your tours with the bonus of quality photographs to take home. Daisuke’s most recent traveller review sums up what many are saying about him: “I can’t say enough positive words to describe our two days with Dice. He is knowledgeable, thoughtful and respectful. My wife and I have had many tour guides over the years. Dice was the best. After two days I felt like we have a friend in Kyoto.”
Which country sold the most tours in 2024?
ToursByLocals has tours in 176 different countries. Who was the big winner this year?The top-selling country overall was perennial favourite Italy. By now, we have a feeling this nation might just be a permanent fixture in the top spot!
The runners up? First off is Japan! Japan, which was one of the last countries to re-open its borders after the pandemic, burst back into the top 3 last year, and has moved into second place behind Italy this year for total number of tours sold. In third spot is sunny Spain, bolstered by the well-known popularity of destinations like Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Granada.
Which city sold the most tours in 2024?
The most popular city to book a tour in 2024 was Tokyo! This is the first time a city other than Paris or Rome has topped the list since we founded, 16 years ago!
Hot on Tokyo’s heels was perennial favourite Rome! And the third city? No surprises here: Rome was followed closely by Paris, who was in the spotlight this year as the host to the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the long-awaited re-opening of Notre Dame this month.
Between those three cities you can find over 280 amazing tour guides on the ToursByLocals platform!