Despegar is accelerating its growth in the tourism activities market. The Latin American travel tech company has signed a global strategic alliance with Civitatis, a specialist in guided tours, excursions, and activities in Spanish and Portuguese. The objective is clear: to gradually integrate Civitatis's catalog into the Despegar ecosystem, allowing its customers to book more experiences in one place.
For tourism professionals, this agreement is more than just a distribution partnership. It confirms a fundamental trend: travel platforms no longer want to simply sell transportation or accommodation. They want to capture the entire value of the trip, from inspiration to booking activities on site.
Summary
Despegar wants to expand its playing field
According to the press release relayed by the specialized press, the agreement should allow Despegar's more than 30 million customers to access Civitatis' catalogue of tours, excursions and guided activities, once the technological integration is complete.
Civitatis boasts a catalogue of more than 4,200 destinations, more than 1.2 million travelers connected each month to local activities, more than five million verified reviews and an average rating of 9.1 out of 10. These figures, from the company's communication, give a sense of the stakes: Despegar is not just complementing its offering, it is adding a strategic element to its customer journey.
The precise deployment schedule has not been announced. The two companies indicate that they will work together on the technological and commercial aspects to offer a smoother experience throughout the journey.
Why the business segment is becoming so strategic
The market for tours, excursions, and local experiences has become one of the most important battlegrounds in tourism distribution. Long reserved for on-site purchases, this segment is now shifting towards online booking, personalized recommendations, and integration with major travel platforms.
For Despegar, the benefit is clear. Booking an activity after the flight and hotel increases the value of each customer, strengthens loyalty, and allows for better control of the overall experience. For Civitatis, the agreement provides direct access to a massive base of Latin American travelers in markets where Spanish and Portuguese are decisive advantages.
This logic illustrates a broader evolution in tourism. Travelers no longer simply want to purchase a trip. They want to organize their stay, compare experiences, book in their own language, and minimize friction at the payment stage.
Brazil, a key market for the alliance
The press release emphasizes Brazil's role. This is no small matter. Despegar has a significant presence there, while Civitatis highlights its expertise in Portuguese-speaking markets. The combination of the two could give a strong boost to the business segment in one of Latin America's key tourism markets.
Brazil presents several challenges: the volume of travelers, a growing appetite for experiences, the importance of mobile, the need for localized content, and the need for suitable payment solutions. For a platform like Despegar, expanding its offerings in this market strengthens its promise of a complete travel experience.
Since 2025, Despegar has also been part of the Prosus Group, which finalized its acquisition of the Latin American platform. This integration gives the group new leverage in technology, data, artificial intelligence, and digital ecosystems in Latin America.
What the agreement says about the new tourism distribution
The Despegar-Civitatis agreement demonstrates that tourism distribution is entering a more integrated phase. Players capable of offering flights, hotels, payment solutions, ancillary services, and local experiences have a significant advantage: they remain present at every stage of the traveler's journey.
This logic could be a game-changer for DMCs, destination management companies, guides, activity operators, and destinations. Their visibility will increasingly depend on their ability to be integrated into major digital channels, with reliable content, up-to-date availability, solid reviews, and offerings tailored to the customer's language.
For French-speaking professionals, this announcement deserves close attention. What's happening in Latin America also concerns Europe: platforms are seeking to capture the local experience, because that's where a growing share of the value perceived by the traveler is built.
Quotes that summarize the strategy
Andrés Spitzer, CEO of Civitatis, presents the agreement as a development step in a priority market: “This agreement symbolizes the union of two leading players who are committed to innovation and traveler satisfaction. For us, Latin America is a strategic market, and partnering with a giant like Despegar is essential for our growth.” He adds: “Our goal is for Despegar travelers to enrich their travel experience with high-quality, carefully selected services available in their native language.”
Iván Lovisolo, VP Global Partners at Despegar, emphasizes the company's commitment to supporting travelers throughout their entire journey: "Today's travelers want authentic experiences and to fully enjoy every moment of their trip. This alliance with Civitatis allows us to enrich our value proposition and take another step towards our goal of supporting travelers at every stage of their journey, with an increasingly comprehensive and personalized offering."
A signal that should not be underestimated
The true impact of this agreement will not be measured solely by the number of activities added to the Despegar ecosystem. It will be measured by the platform's ability to convert these experiences into additional sales, personalize recommendations, and integrate activities into a seamless buying journey.
For agencies and activity providers, the message is clear: experiences are no longer a travel add-on. They are becoming a strategic product, just like hotels or transportation. Whoever controls the distribution of activities controls a key part of the customer relationship during their stay.
Despegar and Civitatis are therefore not simply signing a commercial agreement. They are confirming that the next battle in tourism will be fought on experience, language, data, and the ability to sell the right product at the right time.
Sources
https://www.prosus.com/news-insights/2025/prosus-and-despegar-complete-acquisition
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