“These are the types of trends that help the team at Viator validate the broad selection of destination activities we strive to offer to our customers,” said Rod Cuthbert, CEO and founder of Viator. “It is easy to stay on the path most-traveled, but it is a true ‘traveler’ who appreciates what is unique about their destination and does all he or she can to truly experience it.”

Digging Deep into the Culture
To truly experience a destination, whether a new city or old favorite, a deep connection needs to be made. More and more, travelers are choosing activities that help them go beyond their comfort zone and enable them to be moved, to be taught, to be in the moment. How better to learn about Paris than Dining with Parisian Hosts in a private home, discussing culture and unique experiences over a gourmet catered French meal? In the kitchen of a typical Florentine home in Italy, travelers are taught to prepare a traditional Tuscan meal and the appropriate wine pairings during the Tuscan Cooking Course and Dinner, before sitting down to indulge in their accomplishments. Private guided tours of museums like the Louvre, Uffizi and Accademia give travelers the opportunity to gaze upon masterpieces by Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli while listening to compelling narration detailing the impact of those artists and their work on European culture and history.

The Best of Both Worlds
With more than 2,000 activities in 40 European cities, Viator customers can create itineraries that are leisurely and independent, busy and group-focused, or a combination of both. More and more travelers are taking advantage of multi-day tours, in many instances to help them explore smaller, more remote cities, or to consolidate multiple journeys out of the city. Visitors to Dublin can become immersed in the Emerald Isle with the Three-day Rail Tour to Cork, Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry and Cliffs of Moher. Territory throughout the dramatic Highlands of Scotland can be experienced from Edinburgh with the Three-day Isle of Sky Tour by Minicoach. Travelers to Spain who want to venture beyond Barcelona and Madrid can take a Four-day Excursion to Cordoba, Seville and Granada. With hopes of crossing borders with a group of fellow travelers, the Five-day Morocco Tour from Costa del Sol explores the exotic cities of Rabat, Meknes, Fez, Casablanca and Marrakech.

Tried and True
As more travelers branch out to create unique destination experiences, Viator Traveler Reviews and ‘most popular’ ratings also point to the continued significance of the perennial favorites which can also serve as an important part of the overall experience of a destination. Activities like the Tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel and the Papal Audience at St. Peter’s in Rome; Dinner and Show at the Moulin Rouge in Paris; viewing Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan; admiring the Queen’s Royal Collection during the Summer opening of Buckingham Palace; may seem conventional and expected but they continue to draw crowds and sell out on a regular basis. By purchasing these activities before departure, travelers avoid waiting on long lines or the dreaded sold-out sign upon arrival, ensuring their memories will be complete.

The Viator Europe Trip Planner and the Viator Travel Blog (http://travelblog.viator.com) are useful resources for anyone planning a trip to Europe, whether first-timers or return visitors, featuring suggested itineraries, first-hand accounts and Traveler Reviews.

*Specific details regarding the activities mentioned including prices and availability can be found at www.Viator.com.

About Viator
Viator is the world’s leading online resource for travel experiences – the things you do when you get there – providing access to more than 5,000 sightseeing tours, attractions and activities in 450-plus destinations in more than 75 countries, as well as customer reviews, star ratings and the Viator Travel Blog. Viator -- the Latin word for traveler -- offers online consumers a one-stop shop to plan, research and book trip activities that meet a variety of tastes and preferences, including sightseeing tours, theater tickets, soft adventure trips, attraction passes, wine and culinary excursions, and many “well kept secrets” off the beaten path. Viator’s in-house travel experts help take the guess work out of planning by hand-picking respected and trusted local operators to ensure a quality experience, value and service. Viator, founded in 1995, sells its products directly to consumers at www.viator.com and through its growing global network of more than 3,500 affiliates that include major hotel and airline companies, online travel agencies, city-specific sites and more. Viator is headquartered in San Francisco with regional offices in Sydney, London and Las Vegas.

Contact:
Kate Sullivan
1-973-568-7589