Travel Unscripted
The economy is on the mend, the baby boomers are entering retirement and the millennial generation is now in their 30’s with more earning power. These factors and other societal trends spell greater demand for experiential travel. Experiential travel can be loosely defined as unscripted interaction with local inhabitants in genuine, non-touristy environments. This is in contrast to past travel trends that focused on groups of tourists viewing shows put on by performers.
The travel industry has responded offering genuine experiences and new touring features and amenities. Travel packagers like G-Adventures and others are offering more exotic destinations in real life settings than ever before. From Southeast Asia to Brazil, Costa Rica and across the pond to Croatia and Montenegro and of course Africa, the Experiential Travel Trend is growing.
While you have always been able to go off the beaten track, travel operators are providing the opportunity to create your own custom adventures too. Imagine if you practice Yoga at home and would like your India vacation to include visits to a local Yoga studio in Mumbai. You get to improve your downward dog by practicing and learning from a local Indian Yogi! What if your Indian holiday also included a night at a desert oasis like Oasis Camp Sam in the Great Indian Desert. They provide an authentic desert oasis experience complete with a Sultan and traditional dances. You will feel like you are back in Biblical times. How cool is that?
Consider how cool it would be to help prepare and share a meal with a local chef to get a more genuine idea of what it’s like to live in that country. Take a look at Classic Journeys for travel foodie Packages to Europe and beyond.
Bottom line: The travel industry is changing along with people’s tastes and preferences. This has opened up an entirely new world of travel experiences. Travel people are some of the most creative entrepreneurs around. I’m looking forward to all the new experiences they are creating. . .just for me.
Enjoy the Journey!