Bucket Lists Are Now Waitlists: the Odds of Getting Into the World's Most Popular Events

Jade Peak's inaugural Access Index analyzed dozens of outdoor events and expeditions after building a register of more than 300 activities across 90 countries.

MADRID, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For many of the world's most in-demand events, you may now have to wait years to attend given the number of applicants. The New York City Marathon accepted just 1% of its 240,000 public lottery applicants this year. At the current rate, a reservation to raft the Grand Canyon could take up to 18 years to get.

Jade Peak, a travel editorial and expedition company, today published the first edition of its Access Index, "Bucket Lists Are Now Waitlists." The report built a register of more than 300 outdoor activities in 90 countries, then analyzed dozens of trips using factors like cost, qualifying standard, and time to sell out.

The likelihood anyone gets in via the public lottery system is dropping, while fees have barely moved.

"For US residents, nine in ten US national parks charge the same entrance fee they charged in 2020," said Marina Herraiz, co-founder of Jade Peak. "Against inflation, that's actually a price reduction in real terms."

For travellers, Herraiz's advice is to prioritize the events that are prioritizing you. "Some organizers have special routes for repeat applicants, where tickets double each consecutive year you apply."

Alongside the report, Jade Peak published Event Organizer Guidelines. "It's a living document we hope to maintain with event organisers," said Ian Zhang, co-founder of Jade Peak. "Our goal is to define fair and equitable standards for years to come."

The report, dataset, and charts are free to read and reuse with attribution under CC BY 4.0 at https://jadepeak.com/research

About Jade Peak

Jade Peak is a travel editorial and expedition company based in Madrid. The Access Index is its annual series on access to highly sought-after trips. Jade Peak has no financial affiliation to any entity mentioned and does not accept payment for inclusion, ranking, mention, or removal.