Tourists book holiday excursions just 11 days ahead
Tourists booking holiday excursions themselves are making the call just 11 days before the activity, based on the median booking time. Those using travel agencies book 31 days ahead. The figures come from Civitatis’s Global Travel Trends & Activities Index 2026, which tracks more than 1.2 million travellers in over 160 countries.
Agencies plan much further ahead
The gap is even wider when average booking times are compared. Travel agencies reserve activities 49 days in advance on average, against 26 days for direct customers — an 88% longer lead time, according to Civitatis.
Guided visits dominate direct bookings, accounting for 80.64% of reservations, including guided tours and free tours. Agency bookings are spread more widely: day trips make up 24.39%, while attraction tickets account for 15.37%.
Southern Europe keeps the largest share
Southern Europe took 49.3% of Civitatis bookings in the first half of 2026. Its share is expected to ease to 44.7% in the second half, but the region remains the largest in the company’s analysis.
Couples are the biggest booking group through both channels, making up 32.21% of direct reservations and 27.51% of agency bookings. Solo travellers account for more direct bookings, while families with young children have a larger share through agencies.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com