Big Bus Tours

What Big Bus Tours does

Big Bus Tours is a privately held London-headquartered operator of premium open-top double-decker sightseeing bus tours, operating in more than 30 cities across four continents under the Big Bus Group Holdings Limited parent entity. The company runs the world's largest network of open-top sightseeing bus tours, carrying approximately 5 million customers per year on a workforce of 1,200+ staff, with each city operated through a wholly owned local subsidiary. Its core product is the hop-on hop-off bus tour, supported by pre-recorded multilingual audio commentary (up to nine languages in some markets), a free mobile app with real-time GPS tracking and digital ticketing, and an online booking platform with tiered ticket structures (Essential, Discover, Explore) varying by city and duration. Beyond bus tours, the company has expanded into adjacent experience categories through acquisitions and sub-brands, including Tour Dubai (desert safaris and dhow cruises), Touristation (Rome guided tours and packages), Tower Tours (California day trips), and Big DUCKtours (Singapore amphibious tours).

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time ticket sales across multiple durations and tiers, with ticket prices ranging from approximately $24 to $115 depending on city, tier, and duration, supplemented by attraction-bundle commissions, private hires, and night tours. The go-to-market model is predominantly direct-to-consumer via the company website, mobile app, and on-bus sales, with additional distribution through hotel concierges, retail points, travel agent networks, and platform partnerships such as MakeMyTrip for Indian outbound tourists. The company is actively repositioning from a single-product sightseeing bus operator into a multi-experience city platform, evidenced by sequential acquisitions of Tour Dubai and Touristation, GSTC sustainability certification across nine cities, and a stated intent to replicate the integrated Rome model in other markets. Leadership comprises Alex Payne (CEO), Phil Boggon (COO), and Sean Wilkins (CFO).

Name

Big Bus Tours

Legal name

Big Bus Group Holdings Limited

Website

http://www.bigbustours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Big Bus Tours is a privately held London-based operator of open-top hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tours, running the world's largest such network across 30+ cities on four continents, serving roughly 5 million tourists annually through wholly owned local subsidiaries and a mobile-app-driven direct-to-consumer model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sightseeing Tours and Tourist Transportation Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (48711), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Charter Bus Industry (4855)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Double-Decker Bus Leasing/Rental (TLABADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tour Bus Leasing/Rental (Sightseeing) (TLABADAK), Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Sightseeing bus tours
• Hop-on hop-off tours
• Open-top bus tours
• City sightseeing tours
• Guided tourist experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hop-on Hop-off Tour Tickets: Primary revenue stream from sale of sightseeing tour tickets in multiple durations (24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour tickets). Revenue varies by city with different pricing tiers (Essential, Discover, Explore tickets).
2. Night Tours and Specialized Experiences: Revenue from night tours, sunset tours, and specialized experiences like Everglades tours, boat cruises, and land-and-sea adventures
3. Private Hires and Charters: Private bus hire services for groups, events, and custom tours
4. Attraction Tickets and Packages: Commission-based revenue from bundled attraction tickets and experiences alongside bus tours

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Big Bus Tours operates the largest global network of open-top double-decker sightseeing bus tours, offering flexible hop-on, hop-off services in more than 30 cities across four continents. Each tour is supplemented by pre-recorded multilingual audio commentary (up to 9 languages), a free mobile app for real-time bus tracking and digital ticketing, and complementary experiences such as night tours, boat cruises, and Everglades excursions.

Product overview

Big Bus Tours operates the largest network of open-top sightseeing bus tours globally, offering hop-on hop-off services across over 30 cities on four continents. The core product is the open-top double-decker bus tour, supplemented by a free mobile app providing real-time tracking and digital ticketing. The portfolio extends beyond bus tours through acquisitions (Tour Dubai for safaris and cruises, Touristation for Rome operations) and partnerships with complementary operators including Tower Tours (California land tours), Big DUCKtours (Singapore amphibious tours), and experiences integrated via MakeMyTrip's booking platform for Indian travelers. Additional offerings include themed tours such as Everglades experiences, night tours, boat cruises, and private charters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tour Dubai: Tour operator offering desert safaris and dhow cruises in Dubai, acquired by Big Bus Tours in May 2024.
• Tower Tours
• Big DUCKtours

Products and services

• Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours Open-top double-decker sightseeing bus tours operating in more than 30 cities across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, allowing passengers to board and alight at any stop during the validity of their ticket (24, 48, or 72 hours). Includes pre-recorded multilingual audio commentary. Targeted at international and domestic leisure tourists.
• Big Bus Tours Mobile App Free mobile application for iOS and Android providing route maps, real-time bus tracking, digital ticketing, stop and attraction information, walking directions, and exclusive ticket offers to Big Bus Tours customers.
• Tour Dubai (desert safaris and dhow cruises) Premium tour experiences in Dubai operated under the Tour Dubai brand, including desert safaris and dhow cruises. Offers a complementary product line to the Big Bus Tours hop-on hop-off service.
• Tower Tours (California day trips) California day-trip tours including redwoods, Napa and Sonoma Wine Country excursions, marketed under the Tower Tours brand alongside Big Bus Tours.
• Big DUCKtours (Singapore land and sea adventure) Amphibious land and sea adventure tours in Singapore operated via Big DUCKtours, combining a Marina Bay harbour water segment with a Civic District land segment.
• Big Bus Everglades Experience 4-hour Everglades day tour from Miami including return coach journey, a 45-minute airboat ride through the Everglades, live guide narration, priority boarding, wildlife and reptile exhibits access, and a complimentary photo. Sold as an add-on to Miami bus tickets.
• Millionaire's Row Boat Cruise 1-hour boat cruise along Miami's waterfront, included with the Miami Essential Ticket, showcasing the Millionaire's Row celebrity homes along the shoreline.
• Night Tours Evening panoramic sightseeing tours of approximately 75-90 minutes offering illuminated views of cities at night, available in multiple destinations including Miami, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Hong Kong.
• Private Hires & Charters Private bus charter services for groups, corporate events, team outings, weddings, and special occasions, contracted directly with Big Bus Tours for customized itineraries.
• Hong Kong Essential + Airport Express Package Hong Kong tour ticket bundle that includes the Essential Tour (all three Big Bus routes with Star Ferry round trip) plus a one-way Airport Express train ticket to or from Hong Kong International Airport.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 million customers transported annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• MakeMyTripcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 January 2026Strategic partnership enabling Indian tourists to book Big Bus Tours experiences (open-top sightseeing in London, Paris, Rome) directly through MakeMyTrip's platform with prices displayed in Indian Rupees. Part of MakeMyTrip's Tours & Attractions platform expansion for European travel experiences.
• Merlin EntertainmentscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 January 2026Partnered with Merlin Entertainments (London Eye, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE) on MakeMyTrip's European attractions platform, allowing bundled booking of experiences.
• Jungfrau Railway GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 January 2026Partnership for Swiss Alps rail journeys on MakeMyTrip platform. 30% of Switzerland-bound travelers book Jungfrau experiences through this platform.
• Rail EuropecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 January 2026Partnership for continental train tickets including Swiss Travel Pass on MakeMyTrip platform. Over 75% use Rail Europe for train tickets.
• Touristation (Rome)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2025Acquisition of Touristation, a Rome-based tour operator offering guided tours, packages, and activities. Deal signed August 9, 2025. Positions Big Bus Tours as multi-experience operator and one-stop-shop for discovering Rome. Managing director Raffaella Scarano continues leading the business.
• Tour DubaimajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2024Acquisition of Tour Dubai expanding portfolio to include safaris and cruises alongside existing bus tour operations.
• Tour DubaimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary Tour Dubai Tourism LLC operating desert safaris and dhow cruises. Offers premium tours including exhilarating desert safaris to luxurious dhow cruises.
• Tower ToursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Tower Tours for California day trips including redwoods, Napa and Sonoma Wine Country tours.
• Big DUCKtours (Singapore)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Big DUCKtours Singapore offering unique land and sea adventure with Marina Bay harbour tour.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City Sightseeing Worldwide: City Sightseeing Worldwide operates the largest franchise network of hop-on hop-off open-top sightseeing buses globally, with presence in dozens of cities. It directly competes with Big Bus Tours in core sightseeing bus markets and even appears as one of Big Bus Tours' own DBA brands (City Sightseeing Washington DC, City Sightseeing Sydney).
• Gray Line Worldwide: Gray Line is a global sightseeing tour franchise network offering hop-on hop-off bus tours, day trips, and city excursions across hundreds of destinations. Comparable business model and customer base to Big Bus Tours; notably, Chicago Gray Lines is already a Big Bus Tours subsidiary.
• TopView Sightseeing: TopView is a New York City-focused hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus operator offering open-top double-decker tours. It directly competes with Big Bus Tours' New York operations and Open Top Sightseeing NYC subsidiary on similar routes and tourist customer base.
• Tootbus: Tootbus, owned by Paris transit operator RATP Group, operates open-top double-decker sightseeing buses in London, Paris, and other European cities. Directly comparable open-top bus sightseeing model serving the same tourist customers as Big Bus Tours in overlapping European markets.

Broad incumbents

• GetYourGuide: GetYourGuide is a Berlin-based global tours, activities, and attraction ticketing marketplace operating in thousands of destinations. While broader than Big Bus Tours' core sightseeing bus focus, it competes for tourist booking share and acts as a key distribution partner/marketplace alongside Big Bus's direct channels.
• Viator: Viator, a Tripadvisor-owned global tours and activities marketplace, offers hop-on hop-off bus tours among thousands of other experiences. Functions as both a competitor (broader marketplace) and a distribution channel for sightseeing bus tour operators like Big Bus Tours.
• Klook: Klook is a Hong Kong-based Asia-leading tours, activities, and attraction booking platform. Competitor and distribution channel in Asia-Pacific markets where Big Bus Tours operates (Hong Kong, Singapore), offering overlapping sightseeing and tour products.

Emerging players

• Musement: Musement is a European tours and activities marketplace (acquired by TUI) offering sightseeing experiences across European cities. Smaller and more regionally focused than global marketplaces but competes for tourist bookings on the same sightseeing categories as Big Bus Tours.
• TourRadar: TourRadar is an online marketplace specializing in multi-day guided tours and adventure experiences globally. Adjacent competitor in the broader tours and activities category with overlapping customer base of international travelers seeking curated city experiences.

Others

• Headout: Headout is a New York-based last-minute attraction and experience booking marketplace. It is thematically related to Big Bus Tours' attraction ticketing add-on revenue stream but does not directly operate sightseeing bus tours; serves as both competitor for ancillary experience bookings and a potential distribution channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bigbustoursbudapest
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigbustours
• TikToktiktok.com/@bigbustours.com
• Xx.com/bigbustours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-bus-tours

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Bus Tours