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ExperienceFirst

Full company profile

uuid02m1wz1

Namestring
ExperienceFirst
Legal namestring
ExperienceFirst Corp
Websiteurl
exp1.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2009
Descriptiontext

ExperienceFirst is a privately held guided-tour operator founded in 2009 and headquartered at 222 Broadway in New York City. The company delivers walking tours and premium "Insider Collection" experiences across more than 20 cities in the United States and Europe, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, London, Lisbon, Athens, Tokyo, and Marrakech. Tours are led by credentialed local experts — former Wall Street traders, professional actors, architects, and observatory employees — whose specialized backgrounds differentiate the product from generic sightseeing offerings.

The company runs a direct-to-consumer model, selling tickets exclusively through its proprietary booking platform at exp1.com and a dedicated Premium Experiences site at experiencefirsttravel.com. Inventory is organized into standard walking tours, the higher-priced Insider Collection, private group tours, and digital gift cards redeemable across all destinations. Pricing spans roughly $35 to $132 per ticket, with multi-currency support (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD) and free cancellation up to 24 hours before tour start. Customer acquisition is built on SEO-optimized destination landing pages, a destination travel-guide blog, and email marketing, supported by an accumulated review base of 85,000+ five-star ratings.

Revenue is generated from one-time unit-priced ticket sales and gift cards, with no subscription or contracted enterprise revenue. The operating model is remote and capital-light, with guides recruited globally rather than concentrated in a single headquarters. The business has remained entirely founder-funded, with no disclosed institutional capital, and has earned industry recognition including TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2025, arival Best Day Tours 2025, and arival Best Tour on Two Feet 2025.

Short descriptiontext

ExperienceFirst is a privately held DTC tour operator offering guided walking tours and premium "Insider Collection" experiences led by credentialed local experts across 20+ U.S. and European cities, serving individual travelers through its exp1.com booking platform.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersNew York, United States
HQ citystring
New York
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices2 records

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
guided walking tours, city sightseeing experiences, insider tour collection, cultural tourism tours, private city tours
Industry3 codes
1Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators
CodeTHAAADAAPrimaryYes
2Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides
CodeTHAJALAAPrimaryNo
3Culinary Walking & Market Tours
CodeTHAJAGAAPrimaryNo
NAICS code3 codes
  • Tour Operators561520
  • Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land48711
  • Tour Operators56152
SIC code2 codes
  • Services-Amusement & Recreation Services7900
  • Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation7990
Product category
Guided Tour Services
Social media profiles1 record
GTM motion1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model2 records
1Tour ticket sales
TypeOne Time License
Description

Direct sales of guided tour experiences to individual travelers and groups via the company's website. Customers purchase tickets online for scheduled tours in various cities.

exp1.com
2Gift cards
TypeOne Time License
Description

Digital and potentially physical gift cards sold to customers, redeemable for any tour experience.

exp1.com
Marketing channels4 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components4 values
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Pricing details2 tiers
1Standard guided tours ranging from landmark visits to cultural experiences
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

Tour prices range from approximately $35 (9/11 Ground Zero Insider Tour at $35) to over $130 (Macaron Baking Insider Experience at $132). Main attractions like Statue of Liberty tours start at $74-$84. Insider/premium experiences command higher price points.

exp1.com
2Premium Insider Collection experiences
ModelUnit PricingBilling cadencePay-as-you-go
Notes

Premium behind-the-scenes experiences priced higher: French Baking from $109, Macaron Baking from $132, Barcelona Architecture Tour from $56.

exp1.com
GTM typeB2C
B2C
Offering typeServices
Services
Core offering1 text field

ExperienceFirst operates scheduled guided walking tours in major U.S. and European cities, led by local expert guides who share insider stories, historical context, and behind-the-scenes access. The premium "Insider Collection" pairs travelers with credentialed specialists (former Wall Street traders, professional actors, architects, observatory employees, French pastry chefs) for exclusive experiences including cooking workshops and landmark access before public hours. Bookings, gift cards, and private tour customization are handled online through the company's website.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product overview1 text field

ExperienceFirst is a tour company offering guided walking tours across U.S. and European cities. The core product consists of walking tours led by local expert guides, supplemented by the Insider Collection — premium experiences offering behind-the-scenes access led by professionals with specialized expertise (architects, Wall Street traders, theater actors). Additional offerings include private tours for small groups and gift cards. Key tour products include Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tours in New York, Wall Street Insider Tours led by former traders, Broadway and Times Square tours led by theater professionals, Barcelona Architecture tours with architects, French Baking and Macaron Baking experiences in Paris, and Griffith Observatory tours led by observatory employees.

Product and service4 records
1Walking Tours
CategoryGuided walking tours
Description

Guided walking tours across major cities in the U.S. and Europe, led by local expert guides who share insider stories and historical knowledge. Offered to individual travelers and tourists.

2Insider Collection
CategoryPremium experiential tours
Description

Premium guided experiences offering behind-the-scenes access to city attractions, cooking classes, and exclusive tours led by credentialed professionals such as architects, former Wall Street traders, and theater professionals. Targeted at higher-spend travelers.

3Private Tours
CategoryCustom private tours
Description

Personalized private tour experiences for individuals or small groups, offering exclusive access and customized itineraries. Available across the company's U.S. and European city portfolio.

4Gift Cards
CategoryGift card product
Description

Digital gift cards for tour experiences, never expiring and redeemable across all destinations on the platform. Available in multiple currencies.

Scale indicator2 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move5 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight6 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Market position
Competitive moat3 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Named customers1 record

Each record includes

Name, Industry, Type, Use case, Source, UUID

Segment1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile2 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

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

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

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

ExperienceFirst

Guided Tour Servicesexp1.com

ExperienceFirst is a privately held DTC tour operator offering guided walking tours and premium "Insider Collection" experiences led by credentialed local experts across 20+ U.S. and European cities, serving individual travelers through its exp1.com booking platform.

What ExperienceFirst does

ExperienceFirst is a privately held guided-tour operator founded in 2009 and headquartered at 222 Broadway in New York City. The company delivers walking tours and premium "Insider Collection" experiences across more than 20 cities in the United States and Europe, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, London, Lisbon, Athens, Tokyo, and Marrakech. Tours are led by credentialed local experts — former Wall Street traders, professional actors, architects, and observatory employees — whose specialized backgrounds differentiate the product from generic sightseeing offerings.

The company runs a direct-to-consumer model, selling tickets exclusively through its proprietary booking platform at exp1.com and a dedicated Premium Experiences site at experiencefirsttravel.com. Inventory is organized into standard walking tours, the higher-priced Insider Collection, private group tours, and digital gift cards redeemable across all destinations. Pricing spans roughly $35 to $132 per ticket, with multi-currency support (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD) and free cancellation up to 24 hours before tour start. Customer acquisition is built on SEO-optimized destination landing pages, a destination travel-guide blog, and email marketing, supported by an accumulated review base of 85,000+ five-star ratings.

Revenue is generated from one-time unit-priced ticket sales and gift cards, with no subscription or contracted enterprise revenue. The operating model is remote and capital-light, with guides recruited globally rather than concentrated in a single headquarters. The business has remained entirely founder-funded, with no disclosed institutional capital, and has earned industry recognition including TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2025, arival Best Day Tours 2025, and arival Best Tour on Two Feet 2025.

ExperienceFirst firmographics

Firmographics
Name
ExperienceFirst
Legal name
ExperienceFirst Corp
Website
https://exp1.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2009
Operating status
Operating
Short description
ExperienceFirst is a privately held DTC tour operator offering guided walking tours and premium "Insider Collection" experiences led by credentialed local experts across 20+ U.S. and European cities, serving individual travelers through its exp1.com booking platform.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

ExperienceFirst industry classification

Industry
Product category
Guided Tour Services
NAICS
Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (48711), Tour Operators (56152)
SIC
Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
akta.pro primary industry
Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA)
akta.pro secondary industries
Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides (THAJALAA), Culinary Walking & Market Tours (THAJAGAA)

Keywords

  • Guided walking tours
  • City sightseeing experiences
  • Insider tour collection
  • Cultural tourism tours
  • Private city tours

Where ExperienceFirst is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
New York
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

ExperienceFirst business model

Business model
GTM type
B2C
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

  1. Tour ticket sales: Direct sales of guided tour experiences to individual travelers and groups via the company's website. Customers purchase tickets online for scheduled tours in various cities.
  2. Gift cards: Digital and potentially physical gift cards sold to customers, redeemable for any tour experience.

Pricing tiers

ModelBillingPrice
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goStandard guided tours ranging from landmark visits to cultural experiences
Unit PricingPay-as-you-goPremium Insider Collection experiences

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

ExperienceFirst product offering

Product offering

Core offering

ExperienceFirst operates scheduled guided walking tours in major U.S. and European cities, led by local expert guides who share insider stories, historical context, and behind-the-scenes access. The premium "Insider Collection" pairs travelers with credentialed specialists (former Wall Street traders, professional actors, architects, observatory employees, French pastry chefs) for exclusive experiences including cooking workshops and landmark access before public hours. Bookings, gift cards, and private tour customization are handled online through the company's website.

Product overview

ExperienceFirst is a tour company offering guided walking tours across U.S. and European cities. The core product consists of walking tours led by local expert guides, supplemented by the Insider Collection — premium experiences offering behind-the-scenes access led by professionals with specialized expertise (architects, Wall Street traders, theater actors). Additional offerings include private tours for small groups and gift cards. Key tour products include Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tours in New York, Wall Street Insider Tours led by former traders, Broadway and Times Square tours led by theater professionals, Barcelona Architecture tours with architects, French Baking and Macaron Baking experiences in Paris, and Griffith Observatory tours led by observatory employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • Walking Tours Guided walking tours across major cities in the U.S. and Europe, led by local expert guides who share insider stories and historical knowledge. Offered to individual travelers and tourists.
  • Insider Collection Premium guided experiences offering behind-the-scenes access to city attractions, cooking classes, and exclusive tours led by credentialed professionals such as architects, former Wall Street traders, and theater professionals. Targeted at higher-spend travelers.
  • Private Tours Personalized private tour experiences for individuals or small groups, offering exclusive access and customized itineraries. Available across the company's U.S. and European city portfolio.
  • Gift Cards Digital gift cards for tour experiences, never expiring and redeemable across all destinations on the platform. Available in multiple currencies.

Companies that use ExperienceFirst

Customer profile

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

ExperienceFirst technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

ExperienceFirst partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

ExperienceFirst competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

ExperienceFirst social profiles

Digital presence

ExperienceFirst financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

ExperienceFirst leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

ExperienceFirst funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

ExperienceFirst M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about ExperienceFirst

What does ExperienceFirst do?

ExperienceFirst operates scheduled guided walking tours in major U.S. and European cities, led by local expert guides who share insider stories, historical context, and behind-the-scenes access. The premium "Insider Collection" pairs travelers with credentialed specialists (former Wall Street traders, professional actors, architects, observatory employees, French pastry chefs) for exclusive experiences including cooking workshops and landmark access before public hours. Bookings, gift cards, and private tour customization are handled online through the company's website.

Is ExperienceFirst a public or private company?

ExperienceFirst is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.

When was ExperienceFirst founded?

ExperienceFirst was founded in 2009.

Where is ExperienceFirst based?

ExperienceFirst is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.

How does ExperienceFirst make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Tour ticket sales are the primary driver. The others are gift cards.

Does ExperienceFirst have an API?

No public API is recorded for ExperienceFirst.

What industry is ExperienceFirst in?

ExperienceFirst's product category is Guided Tour Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAADAA, Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators, with a secondary code of THAJALAA, Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides. Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7900.

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