A truly memorable travel experience: the three things that set a holiday apart
- Novelty, involvement or social interaction is needed for most people to have a transformational travel experience, a new report on Chinese travellers says
- Searching for perfect Instagram selfies could mean missing out on gaining deep insights into the places you visit
In recent years the travel industry has been falling over itself to offer “memorable experiences” – something special that elevates a regular trip to transformational travel. Sometimes this is little more than a rebranding exercise – selling an existing product as an “experience” – or else shoehorning one into an itinerary. So what makes for a memorable tourism experience and how do we go about having one?
Chances are it’s down to one of three things: novelty, involvement or social interaction, according to a recent study in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, which asked residents of three cities in China to recall their most memorable trips.
Nick Gollner, head of marketing at travel company WildChina, says that while the novelty factor is a vital part of travel, as it inspires us to explore, what makes travel compelling is the human story to be found behind these new experiences.
“We avoid the tourist traps that characterise some of the most novel destinations and attractions in favour of opportunities for travellers to interact with local people and communities, to support local crafts, and gain a personal understanding of the traditions that define a place and its people,” Gollner says.
Gollner sees interaction with local communities as an indispensable part of creating memorable travel.