How Easy Is It for Visitors to Buy Tickets for Your Attraction Online?

Why it matters

The way people buy experiences is changing fast. The Outlook for Travel Experiences 2019 to 2029 by Arival and Phocuswright, reported by Midwest Meetings in 2026, found that only 33% of gross bookings for experiences were made online in 2025, compared with 64% for travel as a whole. Online channels grew from 17% of bookings in 2019 and are projected to reach 42% by 2029. Visitors are also planning earlier. Arival's 2026 US Experiences Traveler Outlook, based on a survey of 800 US experiences travelers and reported by Breaking Travel News in April 2026, found that more than 80% now reserve experiences at least a day in advance, and one in four travelers under 35 book experiences on their phone.

Many attractions are not ready for this shift. Arival's research on the state of visitor attractions, based on a survey of nearly 700 attractions worldwide and announced in February 2025, found that one in three attractions do not use a modern online ticketing system and have no online connection to reseller partners. The same study found that online travel agencies now deliver 18% of all attraction bookings globally, up from less than 10% before the pandemic. If a visitor cannot book with you easily online, there is a good chance they will book a competitor, or buy your ticket through a reseller that takes a commission.

How to check where you stand

• Can a visitor find your ticket prices within one click of your home page?
• Can someone buy a ticket on their phone in under two minutes, without creating an account?
• Does your Google Business Profile show your ticket prices and a link to book directly with you?
• Do visitors get a clear confirmation with the date, time, what is included and how to get in?
• Do you know what share of your tickets are sold online, at the door and through resellers?

How to improve step by step

1. Test your own booking on a phone. Ask a friend or family member to buy a ticket on their phone while you watch. Note every moment they hesitate, scroll back or ask a question. Time it from your home page to the confirmation. If it takes more than two minutes, you have found your first job.
2. Make prices and options clear. Show all ticket types, prices, opening hours and what each ticket includes on one page. Explain family tickets, concessions and add-ons in plain words. Visitors leave when they cannot work out what they will pay or which ticket they need.
3. Shorten the checkout. Ask only for what you need: date, time if you use time slots, number of tickets, name, email and payment. Let visitors check out as a guest, accept common card and phone wallet payments, and avoid surprise fees at the last step.
4. Add your tickets to Google. Google Business Profile lets attractions and tour operators add ticket and activity details, with a name and a booking link for each ticket. This lets visitors who find you on Google Search or Maps see what you offer and book directly on your website. Many ticketing systems can also connect to Google for you.
5. Choose resellers on purpose. Online travel agencies and local partners can bring new visitors, especially tourists who plan on these platforms. Decide which ones you want to work with, keep prices and availability the same everywhere, and connect them to your ticketing system so you never oversell a time slot.
6. Send a helpful confirmation. The confirmation email or message should include the date and time, a scannable ticket, the address, parking or transport tips, what to bring and how to change or cancel. A clear confirmation cuts questions at the door and makes the start of the visit smoother.
7. Track where tickets are sold. Each month, check how many tickets came from your website, the door, Google and each reseller, and how many people started a booking but did not finish. Fix the step where most people drop off, then check again the following month.

How AI assistants see this

When a traveler asks ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or Google AI Overviews whether they need to book tickets for an attraction, how much entry costs or what the opening hours are, these tools look for clear, consistent answers on your website, your Google Business Profile and partner sites. An attraction with one plain ticket page, the same prices everywhere and a direct booking link is easier for AI assistants to describe correctly. If your prices differ between your website and resellers, or your site does not say whether booking ahead is needed, AI answers may be wrong or may send visitors to a reseller instead of to you.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Selling tickets only at the door, or hiding the online option, when most visitors now plan and book before they arrive.
• Making visitors create an account, fill in long forms or face extra fees at the final step before they can pay.
• Showing different prices or opening hours on your website, Google and reseller sites, which confuses visitors and AI assistants alike.

Key takeaways

• More visitors book experiences online and before the trip, and the share is still growing.
• Aim for a phone booking that takes under two minutes, with clear prices and no surprises.
• Add your tickets and a direct booking link to your Google Business Profile.
• Keep prices and availability the same on every channel, and track where your tickets are sold.

Frequently asked questions

What is attraction ticketing?

Attraction ticketing is the system and process an attraction uses to sell tickets and manage entry: online sales on its website, sales at the door, sales through resellers and partners, time slots and capacity, and scanning tickets at the entrance. A good ticketing setup keeps all of these in one place, so availability and prices stay accurate everywhere.

Should my attraction sell tickets through online travel agencies?

They can help you reach tourists who plan on those platforms, but they charge a commission. Many attractions use them for reach while making direct booking on their own website the easiest and clearest option. Whatever you choose, connect resellers to your ticketing system so availability is always correct.

How do I add tickets to my Google Business Profile?

Open your Business Profile, go to the Tickets or Activities section and add each ticket with its name and booking link, which are required. Google's Things to do policies apply. If you use a ticketing system that connects to Google, it can send your ticket details for you.

Sources

1. Arival and Phocuswright, The Outlook for Travel Experiences 2019 to 2029, reported by Midwest Meetings (2026): https://midwestmeetings.com/?p=257446
2. Arival, 2026 US Experiences Traveler Outlook, reported by Breaking Travel News (2026): https://www.tripinfo.com/itm/articles/us-travelers-take-fewer-trips-but-spend-more-on-experiences-finds-new-arival-report
3. Arival, The State of Visitor Attractions, reported by Travel Professional News (2025): https://travelprofessionalnews.com/otas-surge-ahead-in-attraction-ticket-sales-new-arival-research-reveals/amp/
4. Google Business Profile Help, Manage your ticket and activity details (2026): https://support.google.com/business/answer/12944910?hl=en-GB