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The Rise of
Experiential Travel
Intense global demand for travel experiences that resonate on a
deeper emotional level is driving travel brands to develop product
that is more adventurous, more personalized, and more attuned to
local culture, inspiring consumers toward a path of self discovery.
trends@skift.com.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Executive summary
Few phrases in the history of tourism have been co-opted by travel
brands as much as experiential travel. Seemingly every company
today operating in the hospitality and tourism sector is marketing it-
self as an experience versus a product, based on rising demand from
consumers for more authentic and engaging travel experiences.
This report examines how top travel brands are developing their services
to answer that demand, and how thats driving the evolution of adven-
ture/active travel and rampant interest in local cultural immersion.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Table of contents
Further Reading 31
About Skift 32
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Introduction
Source: Vayable
Today, travel brands are offering more connected, more social travel
experiences relying on technology and global networks of small and
individual operators. We live and travel in a highly connected world
via an almost infinite online matrix of social media networks. But
how connected are we, really? And how social are those networks?
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Another reason for the demand for more adventurous and experien-
tial travel is the sameness of so many mainstream travel experiences.
With contrived, packaged tourism losing its appeal, that begs the ques-
tion: Whos to say what is truly authentic travel? How much authentic-
ity do todays travelers want? How experiential or adventurous? And
how can travel marketers differentiate their product as more experien-
tial experiences amid an increasingly crowded travel landscape?
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
The growth is attributed in part due to the rise of interest in soft ad-
venture by a wider range of age demographics than in previous dec-
ades. The survey states: Nearly 54% of travelers plan to participate
in an adventure activity on their next trip, compared to the 42% of
travelers currently participating in adventure activities.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
For U.S. travelers, only 6.4 percent are looking for the safety of big
U.S. tour/travel brands anymore, our survey shows, while majority
would like to book local, in a nod to the experiential travel needs. In
the UK, that number is 16 percent, while the rest would prefer book-
ing local. Below, see the U.S. chart, followed by the UK chart, for
overall results.
Digging a little deeper into the survey, it is the older travelers that are
still going for safety, while the younger travelers are thinking about lo-
cal tour firms, to give them more authentic, deeper travel experiences.
Both U.S. and UK survey numbers reflect that.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
For full results, go here for survey results on U.S. travel audiences
and here for survey results on U.K. travel audiences.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Source: Trufflepig
Consumer Attitudes Are Changing When the same travel counselors were
polled about specific travel priorities, Fink
In an American Express survey commis- says, Over 20% indicated customers want
sioned last year, consumers illustrated adventure travel tours and arts and culture
their demand for more enriched lives and tour experiences. Our travel counselors
personal fulfillment through experience and are often receiving requests to plan trips
learning. Over 72% of respondents said they that include gondola lessons in Venice and
would rather spend money on experiences pastry-making classes in France.
than things. Further, 88% said travel is the
number one dream on their lifes bucket list, One of the most interesting takeaways
ranking higher than family or wealth. from the American Express survey is that
this shift in travel behaviors crosses all
Consumers want to have life-fulfilling expe- age groups. With so much focus on Mil-
riences when they travel, and they are seek- lennial travel trends, there is a tendency
ing travel experiences that closely align to to sometimes overlook how Boomers and
their own personal values, says Laura Fink, older Gen X are driving significant demand
VP of marketing at American Express Travel. for more experiential and adventurous travel
For example, we are seeing customers options. Their definitions of experiential and
looking for travel experiences that will allow adventure travel are sometimes just a little
them to interact with the local community; different however.
they want to visit private homes, schools,
orphanages and smaller villages. Tour Operator Industry Shifts
into Local Gear
American Express recently polled a group
of its travel counselors (agents) to ask For example, the United States Tour Opera-
them what trends theyre seeing for summer tor Association (USTOA) is seeing in increas-
travel. Of them, 34% responded that their ing numbers that travelers today are looking
customers are specifically looking to im- for more immersive experiences, but the
merse themselves in the destinations they rise in demand is spread across both emerg-
visit and to travel like a local. ing and traditionally popular destinations.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
In its 2014 annual member survey, the travelers spending so much time on travel
USTOA reported that 93.3% of active tour research, its incumbent on travel brands to
operator members anticipate a growth in make their content compelling, actionable
sales, with 59.6% of members forecasting and readily available.
growth anywhere from 7-10% or higher.
Regarding the top emerging destinations To do otherwise is turning their back on their
gaining popularity in 2014, members cited customers.
Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and India.
Meanwhile, the most popular destinations Wendy Perrin, travel advocate at TripAdvisor
for USTOA member clients in 2014 are Italy, and founder of wendyperrin.com, is one of
the U.K., China and Peru. Americas most respected travel experts.
Until this year, she was director of consumer
According to our members, travelers want news and digital community at Conde Nast
to forge deeper connections to the people, Traveler where she wrote the practical ad-
traditions and customs of the places they vice column The Perrin Report since 1996.
are visiting, and these experiences add a
meaningful and memorable component to a Perrin says shes used tour operators to
vacation, says Terry Dale, president/CEO of create highly customized itineraries because
USTOA. Nearly 40% of members cited Eu- they know how to move people efficiently.
rope as the region of the world offering the
most experiential travel options, perhaps The way I travel, and the way a lot of
not surprising given the wealth of cultural people I know who travel, time is your most
and gastronomic experiences available. precious asset, she says. So it might be
Asia ranked second, by 21% of participat- for someone like me, who wants to see as
ing members, followed by South America, much as possible and get back home to my
named by 12% of members. With regards children. Or it could be a lawyer who only has
to adventure travel, nearly 30% of members a week of vacation and needs to get back to
cited Costa Rica as the region of the world the office. So one of the things these firms
offering the most adventure travel options. are good about is they dont waste your
time. They also know the best local truffle
USTOA has become more active online com- hunter or the best local winemaker. They
municating these trends with its Travel To- have those connections.
gether campaign, featuring on-the-ground
experiences culled from AFAR magazine Perrin believes the most significant shift in
stories and videos from Tripfilms, highlight- experiential travel over the last five years is
ing local experiences with USTOA members less of a focus on the travel to-do list of
and their clients. iconic sites and monuments.
Travel brands have to be more active with I think more people are traveling for a per-
online blogs to promote their product, but sonal interest or a theme, she says. Like
many are not doing it well. Theyre often theyll fly to Lima to try out all the cool new
afterthoughts relegated to pages buried Peruvian restaurants. Or theyre going to
deep in the website, poorly written with sub- Italy, and its not about seeing the Leaning
par photography and/or too infrequently Tower of Pisa or Colosseum. Its about learn-
updated. ing how to make homemade Tuscan cuisine,
tiramisu or balsamic vinegar, meeting the
Equally important, just as much time should chefs and winemakers, and stomping grapes
be spent promoting and sharing travel during harvest season.
content as creating it, via social media and
search/email marketing, to establish a two- When questioned about her favorite tour
way dialogue with consumers. With todays operators, Perrin mentions U.K.-based Truf-
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flepig, which leverages a network of local off the mass tourism grid.
people worldwide to create fully customized
travel experiences. When we launched we really saw a hole
that wasnt being addressed in travel media
Trufflepig co-founder Charlie Scott says that needed to be talked about, which was
the companys philosophy revolves around this idea of traveling as a way to connect
finding and hiring non-guide guides. with people, immerse in the culture and
These are people who are not affiliated with really get beneath the surface of a place,
any large inbound travel companies, and says co-founder Joe Diaz. For us its about
often theyre not even in the travel industry. a deeper understanding of the world and
Rather, these are people who have indepth ultimately yourself.
knowledge of a specific niche in each des-
tination who are passionate about sharing Because of that focus, the magazines
their wisdom with travelers. reader base has jumped from 50,000 in 2009
to over one million in 2014. Diaz reports,
So lets say youre in Cornwall and you have Theres been a huge shift in the way that
an interest in tall ships, says Scott. Who companies are talking about travel in
would you rather have explain everything response to consumer demand and what
there is to know about tall ships? Is it some- people are sharing online.
one with a mass tourism industry background
or someone whos working on the ship? When people see through the beautiful
lens of Instagram all these incredible things
Scott says he would walk down to the end that their friends are doing, I think they find
of the dock and find a crew member who that extremely inspiring, he says. And they
was outgoing and well-spoken, and then ask only have to click a button or two to figure
them if they wanted to be a guide for Truf- out what their friends did, and how to do
flepig. A non-guide guide. it. So technology, like many things, has just
really accelerated the shift. And at the end
Experiential is All The Rage in Travel Media of the day were human, so when we see
our friends post these amazing photos of a
In five years since its launch, AFAR Maga- street market in Bangkok, or an incredible
zine has risen to the top echelon of the B2C outdoors experience in Montana, they want
travel magazine industry, and they did it in and they have the technology to make
right out of the gate with a focus on travel that happen.
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Source: Nihiwatu
On the Afar.com website, readers can create guided tours are up, so group travel is up in
their own short, geotagged travel High- our segment, says Diaz. Its still a relatively
lights stories with one photo and 1,500 small segment in experiential travel but its
characters. To date, there are over 55,000 up over 50% in the last several years, and I
crowdsourced Highlights covering over think thats a testament to how operators
7,000 destinations. are responding to what our readers are ask-
ing for, which are these deeper, richer, more
Now what were doing, and where the shift authentic, immersive experiences.
is happening for us, is were taking all that
great content and curating it from the top Q&A with Amy Farley, News Editor
down where our editors are going in and at Travel+Leisure
were reworking and relaunching our desti-
nation pages, says Diaz. What are the most interesting trends in
adventure travel that tie into local culture?
The reason for the success of the Highlights
is because theyre experiential and authen- Where travelers once talked about what they
tic, created by people who have participated saw or did, they now focus more intently on
in those experiences. The Highlights also whom they met on the road. Theres a real
provide a wide spectrum of data about interest in interacting in a genuine way with
reader interests. For example, India content other people and cultures. And tour opera-
is up over 50%, from 2011 to 2013. Theres tors and hotels are responding. Its now de
been a 32% increase in visitation to Eastern rigueur to offer travelers some sort of mo-
European and Russian content, and a 43% ment where a local opens up his or her doors
increase in interest about the Middle East for a conversation, a meal and more.
and Africa.
Whats remarkable are the new ways in
Clicks on family travel are also on the rise, which this is possible, including village hikes
jumping 15%, and adventure travel is up and homestays, river cruises such as Aqua
significantly, attracting a 30% increase in the Expeditions, small-ship travel with Lind-
last couple years. blad Expeditions, and bike trips in far-flung
locations such as Morocco and Vietnam. But
And another interesting thing is that not even as travelers get further off the grid,
only is adventure travel up, but packaged they still want to stay connected, especially
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
through social media. Theres a new im- How is experiential travel evolving in terms
mediacy, a new urgency to share images and of learning and education?
experiences.
Another trend weve been noticing is the
What is trending in terms of local TEDification of travelthe increasing
accommodations in adventure-themed priority placed on rubbing shoulders with
destinations? influencers and experts. Note the popular-
ity of TED, TEDx, SXSW and the Women in
One of the most interesting developments the World Summit. At the recently redone
is the rise of more curated/upscale home- Nihiwatu Resort in Indonesia, theres a
stays. Shakti Himalaya takes people on plan underway to create a guru village
multi-day village walks through northern In- a resort-within-a-resort where visiting
dia. Travelers sleep in traditional houses that artists, academics and assorted creative
have been fixed up, but they still retain their types are invited to stay for free. It is open
original, authentic charm. G Adventures has to professional yoga instructors, surfers,
been rolling out more of these programs photographers, dancers, etc., to come for a
throughout the world under the rubric of week, even a month. The only requirement
Local Living. They now include everything is that they meet and mingle with guests,
from basic accommodations in Guatemala and contribute to the community in some
to stylish Italian agritourismos. way. On a side note, the resorts Sumba Is-
land Foundation raises more than $600,000
a year for education, health and develop-
been noticing is the TED- Likewise, the new Gateway Canyons Resort
ification of travelthe in Colorado, owned by Discovery Channel
increasing priority placed founder John Hendricks, has launched a
series of Curiosity Retreats that offer travel-
on rubbing shoulders with
ers access to scientists, scholars and other
influencers and experts. experts in small, classroom-like settings.
Along the same lines is the new sophistica- How has adventure travel evolved in the
tion of locally owned and operated lodges luxury segment?
that showcase indigenous cultures and act
as economic engines for the surrounding Total curation/customization is essential.
area. At Newfoundlands Fogo Island Inn, High-end safari lodges are throwing away
locals are the heart of the operation. The their old rise before dawn and pile into the
inn, an architectural and design marvel, Land Rover playbook to allow travelers
runs entirely as a nonprofitby and for the to set their own schedules and agendas.
localsas a way to help preserve the islands Guests at the new Dhow Suites at Zarafa
distinct maritime traditions. Each guest is Camp in Botswana, for example, can sleep
paired with a local host, who acts as a cross in, hop a luxury pontoon for a late breakfast
between tour guide and friend-of-a-friend. cruise, and go on an all-night leopard-
spotting drive in the bush. The guides and
A similar dynamic is at work at Australias Ci- vehicles are there at guests disposal.
cado Lodge in the Northern Territory, which
is owned and operated by the Jawyn people. A similar idea underpins Eleven Experiences,
In Kenya, the Maasai-owned Campi Ya Kanzi which is something of mashup of villa rental
has set a precedent for community engage- agency and adventure tour operator. It oper-
ment with conservation and tourism that is ates luxury properties around the world like
being replicated throughout Africa. Crested Butte, the French Alps, and coming
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soon, the Bahamas and northern Iceland. perched at the end of the world and bringing
They have unprecedented access to adven- the outside in through ingenious architec-
ture activities from bonefishing to back- ture. Examples include Fogo Island Inn, Ice-
country skiing, all led by experienced guides lands Ion Hotel. Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador, the
who work around travelers schedules. forthcoming Pikaia Lodge in the Galapagos
and Chiles Tierra Patagonia. Luxury adven-
Luxury adventurers also have more op- ture operators, such as Red Savannah, Epic
portunity to get off the grid and be closer Tomato and Wild Frontiers are incorporating
to the ground. In Africa, companies such as these lodges into their itineraries.
Singita and Great Plains, and smaller lodges
such as Tanzanias Chem Chem and Tanda The destinations that are on the rise also
Tula in South Africa, are all opening explorer- reflect more adventurous tasteseven
style mobile camps that harken back to the among luxury travelers. We polled tour op-
original days of safari, with bucket showers erators about new itineraries for our recent
and tents on the ground. Safari-style tented Adventure Travel 2014 package in June and
camps are also appearing well outside of identified Sri Lanka, Georgia [Eastern Eu-
Africa, including Colorados Dunton River rope] and Iceland among the up-and-com-
Camp at Cresto Ranch, the Bespoke Hide- ing destinations. In all of these locations,
ways camp in Wadi Rum, Jordan, and the operators are focused on offering original
Ultimate Travelling Camp and Jawai Leopard and immersive experiences, whether its
Camp both in India. experiencing a Georgian homestay with Wild
Frontiers or heading deep into the UNESCO
At the same time, were noticing the emer- World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka with Natu-
gence of high-design lodges seemingly ral World Safaris.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
long-haul North American markets from and in many cases, it allows avid adventur-
39% in 2012/13 to 52% in 2013/14. ers to access new terrain in lesser-traveled
landscapes. Examples include Cat skiing
Since the campaign launch in 2012, Face- utilizing heavy duty equipment to access
book likes have jumped from 9,500 to high-altitude slopes, multi-day pack horse
159,000. Twitter followers increased from trips into the backcountry, and heli-trips for
57,000 to 117,000, and Instagram followers hiking, fishing and snowshoeing.
(joined in 2011) total over 22,000. The origi-
nal Remember to Breathe video has received Weve seen adventure product expand
more than 2.7 million views on YouTube, and in all areas of travel packaging with tradi-
collectively, Travel Albertas brand videos tional group tour operators adding Alberta
have received almost five million views since programs with adventure elements like
October 2011. rock climbing and whitewater rafting, says
Chwin. Many of these companies offer
Our destination videos inspire travelers by tours in smaller groups which allow for a bet-
magnifying those genuine human moments ter guest-to-guide ratio and an enhanced
found in experiences across the province, level of service. Were also seeing itineraries
says Chwin. We have a series of short built with flexibility, allowing more opportu-
vignettes that feature hidden gems intro- nity for travelers to decide what to do once
duced by unique Alberta characters. they get here.
The tourism board fosters and embraces Case Study: Tourism New Zealand
user generated content by engaging with
advocates and influencers such as bloggers Interest in New Zealand has exploded for the
and photographers to share their authentic U.S. long-haul market in the last five years
Alberta moments. Chwin says, Were very because its travel product is so well aligned
appreciative of the genuine conversations with experiential travelincluding adventure,
this creates for Alberta and our tourism culture and culinary/wineas well as todays
industry partners. We dont want to pretend demand for lesser known destinations. Tour-
to be something were not. ism New Zealand has broken down its target
traveler demographics into distinct sub
In terms of trends, a growing number of groups to maximize marketing efforts.
adventure outfitters in Alberta are making
extreme travel more accessible. This com- We have three distinct segments that we
pels more travelers to try new experiences, work very closely with, says Jacqui Lloyd,
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trade development manager for Tourism Few other countries have so many extreme SPRINGHILL SUITES
SURVEY
New Zealand, Americas. We have what travel experiences like bungee jumping, cliff
SpringHill Suites by Mar-
we call our Active Considerates, who are swinging and jetboat river tours so easily riotts 5th annual travel
actively considering a trip to New Zealand. accessible to major urban centers. For ex- attitude survey illustrates
how Americans are look-
Ideally, New Zealand is in their top five desti- ample, the worlds first permanent bungee ing to step outside of their
comfort zones to achieve
nations to travel to, and we try to push their jumping attraction is Kawarau Bridge Bungy their travel dreams.
preference so that were the next trip they outside Queenstown. Adjacent to the According to the survey,
conducted by Kelton
take overseas. And thats allowed us to tar- bridge, theres a large viewing deck jutting Global, 48% say vacation-
ing to see new places is
get in the U.S. market what we believe to be out from the side of the gorge, where a DJ important to them.
about 22 million. Then we break that down cranks out Aerosmith and AC/DC music to Some of the results:
into three segments. We have our Young Ad- pump up the audience. Part of the survey com-
venturers, who are aged between 22 and 45. pared Millennials (18-34)
to those 35 and up. The
Our Independent Explorers, which are the In 2013, over 400,000 people visited the most notable differences
are related with adventur-
45 to 65 year olds. And then our organized bridge, with about 10% actually making ous activities, including
tours, which are in that older bracket, the the jump. setting foot on all seven
continents (37% vs. 17%),
65-plus crowd. And what weve found in all bungee jumping or skydiv-
ing (26% vs. 6%) and hiking
of those segments, all of them have a very So even if youre not doing it yourself, a famous mountain or trail
strong want for experiential travel. youre part of the adventure and thats why (29% vs. 11%).
they built that center to be able to cater to Across all ages, 51% of
those polls say they are
Lloyd says even with traditional-style people like me, says Lloyd. I dont think I not encouraged by their
bosses to take all of their
organized group tours like cruises or a bus would ever jump off that bridge, so its about allotted vacation days, and
coach, todays travelers still want to get out creating a product for all different levels 23% claim they get no paid
vacation days at all.
and explore and experience the real New thats really important.
55% of employed
Zealand. Popular stops include meeting Americans with a boss
have used an excuse to
locals at farmers markets and winemakers New Zealand is also an interesting case sneak an unplanned day
at wineries. study with regard to the countrys reliance off from work, with Mil-
lennials even more likely
on travel agents. to use this tactic (63%,
compared to 48%).
And thats something thats interesting
41% of Americans say
from a product standpoint because New The travel agent is still very, very important keeping an eye on their
Zealand in many ways is designed around all for us, says Lloyd. New Zealand is a long budget is the most stress-
ful thing about vacationing.
of those experiences, says Lloyd. About haul destination, its not something you can
28% wouldnt be able to
95% of our tour operators have less than five easily book online. Yes, you might be able go without checking their
email today compared to
people on staff, so youre always going to to book your flights and accommodations, 17% just four years ago.
meet the locals, youre always going to meet but a lot of people will still use a travel agent Travelers use their
the person who runs the company, whether to discover more of the country, because smartphones to take
photos and videos (37%),
its parasailing or hiking or even a garden although its small, its not as well known as search the web (22%) and
use GPS/map apps to get
tour. Youre always going to meet the people other destinations. So you find the travel ad- around (20%). And 59% of
connected to those, and thats worked out visor can tailor the adventures to whatever social media users access
their networks on vaca-
really well for us because we havent really their client needs. And sometimes it takes tion, with 51% posting
content at least as often
needed to create that product. Its already an agent to push people a little out of their as they would during their
existed organically, and continues to evolve. comfort zone to try something new. daily routine.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
The Rise of Experiential Hotels such as The Ranch at Emerald Valley, oper-
ated by The Broadmoor in Colorado, which
Traditionally, hotels have always tried to has the longest continuous 5-star ranking
keep their guests within the hotel grounds in the country. The luxury cabins are tucked
to maximize guest revenue. With the boom away in 100,000 acres of forest just a few
in experiential travel, hotels are more and miles from The Broadmoor.
more acting like community portals by intro-
ducing guests to popular local experiences. Theres also widespread acceptance among
hotel industry executives that their custom-
Forbes Travel Guide, rebranded from the ers are more interested in exploring outside
Mobil Travel Guide in 2009, is the originator the hotel walls than generations past.
of the five-star rating system in America
dating back to 1958. Travel content, reviews For our hotels that are committed to great
and ratings are delivered at both forbestrav- guest service, it is literally about meeting
elguide.com and forbes.coms travel section. those guests needs, and with the trends
the way they are, guests want to get out of
In 2009 we became the exclusive partner the hotel, explains Cascone. They want to
for Forbes Media, so were not owned by experience the local culture, cuisine, activi-
Forbes Media, were the exclusive licensee ties and so on, so what weve found is a lot
of their brand globally in travel, says Mike of the properties have taken their concierge
Cascone, president of Forbes Travel guide. service to the next level. While you may still
So were a private entity at forbestravel- have the desk-side concierge, you have
guide.com with our star rating system and these specialized concierges that plan ac-
our star-rated hotels, restaurants and tivities and adventures long before the guest
spas worldwide. arrives. And I think that connection with the
guests, where the hotel staff provides great
Cascone says hes seeing the demand for seamless connectivity to the local experi-
experiential travel manifest in the hotel ences, is where the hotel in the guests mind
space in various ways. One is new product really drives value.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Q&A with Hotel Writer Barbara DeLollis superficially and those who deliver real
experiences?
Long a fixture at USA Today as arguably
Americas most learned hotel expert, Bar- This is a great question, and one that we
bara DeLollis seeks out hotels that offer the should keep thinking about as more big-
complete package. Following is a brief Q&A brand marketers sprinkle the term expe-
about how hotels can deliver more experien- riential in their advertising messages. To
tial travel. me, it smacks of a lack of creativity, and even
perhaps a lack of confidence in the product.
What types of hotels and active experi- After all, isnt all travel about experience?
ences do you look for personally?
For many travelers, throwing around a word
When it comes to active travel, we get like that sounds forced and fake. Todays
excited about a trip that combines great Gen X and Millennials have sparked a new
activities, food, options for when were skepticism about traditional marketing, and
tired or when it rains, a comfortable hotel, yet many suppliers dont get it. Inundating
and amazing food. For spring break, for ex- consumers with a slogan doesnt help win
ample, I usually take my boys skiing in Park their trust.
City where we know we can get everything
in one spot. This topic came up recently during a con-
versation with Laurie Wooden, a former top
Weve skied the Canyons and Deer Valley; marketer for brands such as Ritz-Carlton
the boys love hotels so we book hotel rooms and Waldorf Astoria whos now in charge of
instead of condos. We always stay right on revamping the face of Hostelling Interna-
the slopes so we can get first tracks in the tional USA, the non-profit association that
morning, and then we ski until we break. Af- runs about 55 hostels around the country.
ter a day of moguls, terrain park adventures Staying in a hostel is all about the experi-
and long runs, they hit the outdoor pool and ence, so instead of a marketing slogan,
I hit the spa. expect to see stories and visuals describing
the experiences that guests can have while
Whats the difference between travel staying in a hostel.
brands who use the word experiential
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Basically, she said there is no need to pro- every traveler reads reviews on TripAdvisor,
mote the word experience because its Yelp, Orbitz and other sites, so they know
inherently part of a hostel stay. tons of details about a given hotel, tour
operator, airline or destination. What Id
How can hotels brands best communicate recommend hotel brands do is to focus on
the emotional connection you can make consumers emotions and sense of curios-
with a destination? ity. Suppliers should be sharing stories that
show their overall experience via their web-
In a nutshell: Less talk, more action. Its sites, social media channels, email newslet-
critical to keep in mind in 2014 that virtually ters and digital campaigns.
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
More flexibility, more tech integration and Theres also significant evolution among
new online programs are a few ways that tour tour operators that traditionally attract
operators today are evolving and morphing middle aged and older travelers, due in part
their product in line with experiential and ad- to the fact that the 45+ crowd today vaca-
venture travel trends. Theres movement at tions more actively than their predecessors
both ends of the age spectrum, and at times, did a generation ago.
some tour operators are managing to create
experiential travel opportunities suitable for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, for example, which
multi-generational families and groups, one is the countrys largest concessioner of
of the fastest growing markets in tourism. national parks, has been acquiring numerous
biking and walking tour companies of late.
For younger generations, the Adventure Within the last 16 months, Xanterras hold-
Travel Trade Association reported this year ings now include CW Adventures (formerly
that, Tech-savvy Millennials are adept at Country Walkers), VBT Bicycling & Walking
researching destinations and experiences Vacations and Austin Adventures.
online, however tour operators that person-
alise their offerings still have a role to play. Whats notable here is that these tour com-
panies are catering to wider age brackets and
For example, its implicit that tour operators budgets, including high-end groups, and their
catering to Gen Y only package accom- operations have rapidly expanded across the
modations with free and fast WiFi. Mariette globe due to hefty demand. VBT, for instance,
du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of the tourism which began in Vermont now operates every-
consultancy Destinate, adds that Millenni- where from the Dolomites to Vietnam.
als expect instant email confirmation, web
tickets and digital boarding passes delivered You know, well be sitting at a table, whether
to their smartphones. its in California or Europe, where were
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
drinking wine and eating great food, and we Carne, general manager of Urban Adven-
can see the vineyards from where the wine tures. Its a great value way to travel, as
was made, says Gregg Marston, president youre not locked into a fixed itinerary and
of VBT. Because of those types of experi- can take advantage of late deals and spe-
ences, were seeing a lot more multi-genera- cials. Plus it suits travelers who want to be a
tional programs since this is something that bit more spontaneous, as the international
all ages can do together. SIM card means you can make your trans-
port and tour bookings when you want to.
Case Study: Urban Adventures
Consumers are responding. Carne says,
Urban Adventures introduced three new We reported a H1 revenue growth figure of
unique programs this year designed to im- 48%.... In September we are expecting to
merse travelers deeper within a destination. finish the year around the 60% growth mark
Home Cooked tours pair travelers with local for the full fiscal year.
families to cook and share a meal together
and get a unique insight into local family life. Urban Adventures has also extended its
Customized Private Tours are tailored excur- range of free city guide apps known as
sions based on particular interests, ranging Treasure mApps. Launched in 2013, these
from culture to ecotourism. And Festival & provide travelers the inside scoop on where
Seasonal tours provide a behind-the-scenes to eat, drink, shop and sightsee off-the-
look of major events, rather than just experi- beaten-track, thanks to the recommenda-
encing them from a tourists perspective. tions of Urban Adventures guides. The apps
work offline and use geo-fencing technology
Earlier this year, Urban Adventures launched to let travelers know when theyre within
Fun Independent Travel (FIT) passes, which 100 yards of a recommended spot. To date,
combine a flexible ground transport pass there have been more than 15,000 down-
with Urban Adventures day tours at major loads of the iOS app.
destinations, plus an international SIM card.
New apps have just been released for
These enable travelers to benefit from local Sydney, Philadelphia, Siem Reap and Phnom
know-how, while seeing their destination Penh. New destination tours, ranging from
at their own pace, staying where they wish 1-12 people, include Ljubljana and Taipei.
and making their plans on the fly, says Tony
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Source: Contiki
The places listed in Urban Adventures ential travel also includes our conservation
Treasure mApps arent crowd-sourced or opportunities with Celine Cousteau and our
cloud-sourced, they are all genuine recom- Contiki Cares initiatives.
mendations from locals who have the inside
scoop on their city, and you cant get better Since the launch of these tours in 2009,
recommendations than that, says Carne. Contiki has seen an increase in departures
for Peru (25%), Costa Rica (40%) and Mexico
Case Study: Contiki (70%). The theme of adventure and the
growing trend towards experiential travel is
Contiki has been a youth-centric tour opera- evident in Contikis popular #NOREGRETS
tor for over 50 years, originally focused on Adventure Challenge. The 8-week competi-
summer trips to Europe. The company has tion highlighted eight different regions of-
always resonated especially well with young fering great deals with a focus on adventure
travelers because Europe has always been for the Millennial market, says Spears.
considered a rite of passage after college.
The Wealthy Adventurers Changing Needs
However, we have definitely noticed a shift
towards more experiential and adventure Experiential travel can mean different
travel with the increase in interest for our things to different people, and it is 100%
Asia products, including Cambodia, Laos, overused, but for me its about experienc-
Thailand, Vietnam and China, and our Latin ing the core of the destination, says Jaclyn
America product in Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Sienna India, owner of the Sienna Charles
Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galapagos, luxury travel agency. When I design trips for
says spokesperson Vy-Uyen Spear. New my clients, whether its Italy or South Sudan,
destinations for 2015 include Belize, Guate- that experiential element is always the com-
mala and Colombia. mon thread in everything I create.
Weve noticed that young travelers have India, who says her clients range from ce-
become interested in destinations that offer lebrities to billionaires, reports that wealthy
hands-on, adventure activities, and getting vacationers have always been the pioneers
off-the-beaten path and doing activities like of adventurous travel into emerging destina-
cooking classes, whitewater rafting, hiking tions. This flies in the face of the myth that
Machu Picchu, etc., says Spear. Experi- adventure travel is primarily dominated by
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
hearty youth willing to risk life and limb for to do wilderness travel and mountain TRAILS OF INDOCHINA
heart-stopping thrills. climbing. For people who were traveling Trails of Indochina is a lead-
ing Southeast Asia tour
as a family or couple, there wasnt anything operator with over 14 years
of experience and 250
The wealthy were going into Papua New for them. staff members, offering
Guinea and Bhutan and Mongolia before both individual and group
programs. The company
they started hitting The New York Times, Originally, the demand for luxury adventure specializes in programs
delving into local culture in
she says. They thrive on that, like The was coming primarily from the British, and a Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos,
Explorers Club. Many people dont know few companies began offering group tours. Thailand, Myanmar, Bali
and China.
that, but these people are the ones who Mosquera then stepped in with Aracari to
We customize our
have the money to pay for the right kind of offer customized, upscale adventure travel itineraries rather than just
printing out a standard
tour guides to take you into a place safely, for individuals. program, says Matt Mas-
and they do get a kick out of that. Theyre son, CEO of Tours of Indo-
china. One of the things in
getting the most authentic experience and My vision was people wanted flexibility and Asia thats a big advantage
is offsite experiences are
thats the most important thing you can cre- they wanted to do their own thing, and they accessible and not overly
ate as a travel advisor. didnt want to be with people they didnt expensive. So you can
create a lot of wow factor,
know, she says. Since I started that niche like dinner and a live show
at the foot of Angkor Wat
India says tourism in Ethiopia and Uganda it has grown like crazy and everyone now Temple in Cambodia.
have been popular in recent years, which is wants to get in there. Another one of the most
causing some challenges. Due to their ex- popular experiences
is Henry Cabot Lodge,
posure with Western travelers, some of the Oftentimes, the connotation around au- the restored house of
President Nixons one-
tribes look and act much different that when thentic travel in emerging destinations time U.S. ambassador to
she visited just a few years ago. refers to engaging with rural classes and dis- South Vietnam in Ho Chi
Minh City. Masson says
advantaged urban communities. Mosquera his cooking class in the
elegant courtyard is one
A lot of white travelers gravitate to those had other ideas. of the companys most
tribes, and you can see how different in-demand activities.
those tribes are over the years, says India. My view when you go to a country, and Also, more travelers are re-
questing customized expe-
Theyve started asking for money, they when you talk about authenticity, I dont riences in the countryside,
from raft building lessons
dress differently, theyre wearing New Bal- talk about meeting the poor people or the
to surfing in Da Nang.
ances now, they have drinking problems. uncultured people, she explains. I mean
People will have a go
I mean, everything is changing in some of authenticity in a way that includes all the and break out of the city
to somewhere like the
those areas. things a country can offer. In Peru, we have a Mekong Delta in Vietnam,
a couple hours south of
very sophisticated elite of intellectuals, writ-
Ho Chi Minh City, he
Instead, India tracks nomadic tribes and ers, journalists and business people. So if explains. Then theyll
jump on a small boat or
drops people into the region from helicop- someone is visiting Peru and they dont have go mountain biking. Were
also the only company to
ters. Different tribes are chosen every time friends, I think its very cool to mix these
do a farmland dinner in a
so that way we dont overuse the same people with them. rice field. That is some-
thing not off the shelf.
tribes, says India. Were providing the more
authentic experience. The biggest trend for Aracari is how clients
are now providing so much feedback after
In Peru, Marisol Mosquera founded her trips via email and online, which Mosquera
luxury tour company Aracari 18 years ago. often relies on for constantly updated
At the time, she says no one was offering ad- information. She says that older clientele in
venture travel product for upscale clientele. the 50s and 60s are especially interested in
engaging with the brand and other clients.
From the beginning, Peru offered a destina-
tion to do cultural and adventurous activities They see what you cant see, and they
all together, but when I started this company come back to us and say they love the trip, it
nobody was doing that, says Mosquera. was fantastic, but I would suggest that you
Back then, people were doing hardcore do this, this and this, says Mosquera. Its
trekking adventures, and they were young really great. Theyre like a partner.
and strong, and they liked to travel in groups
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
Aracari just launched a new program called of companies dont work with her because
Go Local with a Friend in the City. Guests there are liabilities.
contact locals directly to set up custom-
ized visits, which can mean a day in the So why does Aracari work with her?
market, lunch at a museum, or dinner in
someones kitchen. Because thats the whole point, says
Mosquera. Theres a lot of demand for
For example, the woman who does our learning and education. People want to
cooking classes in her house doesnt want to understand how things are done in foreign
be driven in a car that isnt hers, says Mos- places much more these days, and the only
quera. She wants to drive to the hotel with way you can achieve that is by empowering
her baskets and her maid and collect the people to be themselves.
guests as if they were her friends, and a lot
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
FURTHER READING:
http://www.ustoa.com/press/2014-Member-survey
http://files.adventuretravel.biz/docs/research/adventure-
tourism-market-study-2013-web.pdf
http://about.americanexpress.com/tc/lifetwiststudy.pdf
http://keltonglobal.com/in-the-media/bungee-jumping-taking-a-safari-
and-flying-first-class-survey-reveals-game-plan-for-travel-bucket-lists
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Peak + Skift The Rise of Experiential Travel SKIFT REPORT 2014
About Skift
Skift is a business information company focused on travel intelligence
and offers news, data, and services to professionals in travel and
professional travelers, to help them make smart decisions about travel.
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