Walking Tours in the UK
Walking Tours in the UK is a privately held Scottish tour operator founded in 2017, running guided public and private walking tours in 16-18 cities across Scotland and England. It serves individual tourists and travel trade partners via direct online booking through a FareHarbor-powered website and marketplace listings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersGlasgow, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Walking Tours in the UK does
Walking Tours in the UK (legal entity: Walking Tours in Ltd) is a privately held, Scotland-based walking tour operator founded in 2017 by co-founders Liv and Jenny. The company provides guided walking tours in 16-18 cities across Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, St Andrews, Inverness, Oban, Aberdeen, South Queensferry) and England (Windsor, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Nottingham, Manchester, York, Bristol, Oxford, Bath). Its core products are public shared group walking tours at £12 per person and private tours starting from £99 for up to six people, supplemented by themed sub-products including Dark Side Tours, Street Art Tours, LGBTQ+ History Tours, whisky/gin tasting experiences, and Castle Tours. Gift cards are sold from £12 with no expiry.
The business is run by a small core team of 16 employees supported by a distributed network of local guides who are natives or long-term residents of each city. The technology stack is intentionally light: a Wix-hosted website integrated with the FareHarbor booking and payments platform, Google Analytics for web tracking, and listings on TripAdvisor and GetYourGuide marketplaces. The company has no mobile app, no proprietary AI, and no public API. Its primary distribution is direct-to-consumer through online booking, with a secondary travel trade channel for agents and tour operators arranging group bookings.
Revenue is generated entirely through one-time ticket sales, with three documented streams: public walking tour tickets (per-person), private tour bookings (per-group), and gift cards. The company has raised no external institutional capital, holds no patents, and is not pursuing geographic expansion beyond the UK. Its strategic positioning is built on local authenticity, sustainability commitments (Glasgow Declaration, Glasgow Circular Network, Climate Scotland), accessibility training (Wheel The World), and endorsement by official tourism bodies including VisitScotland, VisitGreatBritain, UKInbound, and Rick Steves.
Walking Tours in the UK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Walking Tours in the UK
- Legal name
- Walking Tours in Ltd
- Website
- https://walkingtoursin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Walking Tours in the UK is a privately held Scottish tour operator founded in 2017, running guided public and private walking tours in 16-18 cities across Scotland and England. It serves individual tourists and travel trade partners via direct online booking through a FareHarbor-powered website and marketplace listings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Walking Tours in the UK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Guided Walking Tours
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (487110)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation) (THAJAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides (THAJALAA), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Art, Street Art & Creative Scene Tours (THAJAAAE), Religious & Sacred Sites Tours (THAJAAAF)
Keywords
Where Walking Tours in the UK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glasgow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Walking Tours in the UK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Public Walking Tour Tickets: Per-person tickets for scheduled group walking tours across UK cities. Revenue is generated per attendee with pricing varying by tour type and duration.
- Private Tour Bookings: Private guided tours for groups up to 6+ people, priced as group bookings rather than per-person.
- Gift Cards: Prepaid gift cards redeemable against any tour, starting at £12 per person.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Public Tour - £12 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Glasgow City Centre Tour - £12.72 adult, £8.48 child |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private Tours - Starting from £99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards - Starting at £12 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Walking Tours in the UK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Walking Tours in the UK is a tour operator that sells guided walking tours across 17 UK cities. It offers scheduled public group tours priced per person (around £12) and private exclusive tours priced per group (from £99 for up to 6 people). The product mix includes general city centre tours plus themed variants such as Dark Side, Street Art, LGBTQ+ History, Castle, and whisky/gin tasting experiences, supported by digital gift cards.
Product overview
Walking Tours in the UK is a walking tour company offering guided tours in Scotland and England. The company provides public group walking tours and private exclusive tours across 18 cities, with various themed tour sub-products including Dark Side Tours, Street Art Tours, LGBTQ+ History Tours, Castle Tours, and whisky/gin tasting experiences. The core offering consists of shared public tours at standardized pricing and personalized private tours with flexible scheduling. The company was founded in 2017 by Liv and Jenny and operates with local guides in each city.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Public Walking Tours Shared group walking tours in city centres led by local expert guides, covering historical sites, street art and local culture with verbal commentary in English. Sold per person, targeting individual leisure travellers.
- Private Walking Tours Exclusive personalised walking tours with a dedicated local guide, offering flexible scheduling and customised routes for small closed groups. Priced per group rather than per person.
- Dark Side Tours Walking tours exploring the macabre history, crimes, executions, hauntings and sinister past of UK cities including Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen, Bristol, Nottingham, Windsor, Liverpool, Leeds, Inverness and St Andrews.
- Street Art Tours Tours focused on urban art, graffiti and modern culture in Glasgow and Aberdeen, featuring work by renowned muralists and local underground artists.
- Themed Tours Specialised themed tours including LGBTQ+ History Tours, Charles Rennie Mackintosh Tours, Necropolis Tours, and West End Tours, tailored to specific interests.
- Wee Walk & A Whisky Tours Walking tours combined with whisky or gin tasting experiences in Oban, Stirling, Edinburgh and Glasgow, led by local guides.
- Castle Tours Guided walking tours that include admission and visits to Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle, offered as private experiences with a local guide.
- Gift Cards Prepaid digital gift cards redeemable against any public tour across the UK, starting at £12 per person with no expiry date, enabling gifting of tour experiences.
Companies that use Walking Tours in the UK
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Walking Tours in the UK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Walking Tours in the UK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Glasgow Circular Economy / Glasgow Circular NetworkminorRegistered member of Glasgow Circular Network to connect, collaborate and learn alongside other local businesses regarding circular economy practices.
- The Glasgow DeclarationminorSigned global climate initiative commitment from COP26 to reduce tourism emissions through climate action plan.
- Climate ScotlandminorSigned Climate Scotland's petition for protection of Scotland's natural environment alongside 6,272 other businesses.
- VisitScotlandcoreOfficial tourism organization partnership. Company is recognized and featured by Scotland's national tourism organization.
- VisitGreatBritaincoreOfficial national tourism body partnership. Company is recognized by Britain's national tourism organization.
- Rick StevesminorFeatured/recommended by Rick Steves' travel media and resources.
- UKInboundminorInbound tourism association membership linking the company with tour operators and travel agents.
- TripAdvisorcoreListed tour operator on TripAdvisor with active reviews and ratings management.
- GetYourGuidecoreListed tour provider on GetYourGuide marketplace platform for tour distribution.
- FareHarborcoreBooking platform integration provider enabling online tour bookings and payment processing.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Walking Tours in the UK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GetYourGuide: Major online marketplace for tours, activities, and attractions worldwide and an active distribution partner of Walking Tours in the UK. Comparable as both a channel and a competitor aggregating many UK walking tour suppliers.
- Viator: Large online tour-and-activity marketplace (Tripadvisor-owned) where Walking Tours in the UK is also listed. Comparable as a distribution channel and competitor aggregating many walking tour operators.
Direct peers
- City Wonders: Operator of guided walking and small-group tours across major European and UK cities. Comparable on city walking tour format, themed tours (skip-the-line, history), and direct-to-consumer + OTA distribution.
- Context Travel: Expert-led small-group walking tours focused on history, art, and culture in major cities. Comparable on small-group, expert-narrator positioning and high-value private/small-group experience offerings.
- The Tour Guy: Tour operator offering small-group guided tours across European destinations including UK cities. Comparable on small-group guided tour format, themed content, and direct online booking model.
- Rabbie's: Scotland-based small-group tour operator offering guided tours across Scotland, England, and wider UK. Directly comparable as a locally-rooted, guide-led tour company with similar storytelling positioning and Scotland heritage.
- Highland Experience: Scotland-focused tour operator offering guided day tours and small-group excursions from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Comparable in Scottish tourist market overlap, small-group positioning, and storytelling-led tour content.
- Sandemans New Europe: One of the largest walking tour operators in Europe offering free and paid walking tours across major cities including UK cities like London and Edinburgh. Directly competes on guided city walking tours with similar pay-what-you-wish / paid tour business model.
- Walks: Walking-tour specialist running small-group guided tours across major European and UK cities. Directly comparable on guided walking tour format, small-group pricing, and themed-tour product structure.
Emerging players
- Free Tour Community: Global free walking tour community operating tip-based tours in many UK cities. Comparable product (guided walking tours in UK cities) but competes on price model rather than premium positioning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Walking Tours in the UK social profiles
Digital presenceWalking Tours in the UK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Walking Tours in the UK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Walking Tours in the UK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Walking Tours in the UK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Walking Tours in the UK
What does Walking Tours in the UK do?
Walking Tours in the UK is a tour operator that sells guided walking tours across 17 UK cities. It offers scheduled public group tours priced per person (around £12) and private exclusive tours priced per group (from £99 for up to 6 people). The product mix includes general city centre tours plus themed variants such as Dark Side, Street Art, LGBTQ+ History, Castle, and whisky/gin tasting experiences, supported by digital gift cards.
Is Walking Tours in the UK a public or private company?
Walking Tours in the UK is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Walking Tours in the UK founded?
Walking Tours in the UK was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Walking Tours in the UK based?
Walking Tours in the UK is headquartered in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Walking Tours in the UK make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Public Walking Tour Tickets are the primary driver. The others are private Tour Bookings and gift Cards.
Who are Walking Tours in the UK's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GetYourGuide and Viator. Direct peers are City Wonders, Context Travel, The Tour Guy, Rabbie's, Highland Experience, Sandemans New Europe and Walks. Free Tour Community is listed as an emerging player.
Does Walking Tours in the UK have an API?
No public API is recorded for Walking Tours in the UK.
What industry is Walking Tours in the UK in?
Walking Tours in the UK's product category is Guided Walking Tours. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAAAA, Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation), with a secondary code of THAJALAA, Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides. Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7900.