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Experiential travel

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Experiential travel, also known as immersion travel, is a form of tourism in which people focus on experiencing a country, city or particular place by actively and meaningfully engaging with its history, people, culture, food and environment.[1] It can often be transformative.[2] Therewith the concept is based on very similar mechanisms as for example experiential education, experiential knowledge, experiential interior design, and experiential marketing...

About

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Experiential travel can emphasize different areas of local life – culinary, culture, history, shopping, nature or social life[3] – and can therewith be the basis for a holistic travel experience. The goal is to more deeply understand a travel destination's culture, people and history by connecting with it more than just by visiting it.[4] Therefore, the traveler usually gets in touch with locals who give guidance how to experience a place.[5] This can be a friend, an accommodation host or another person.

Experiential travel tends to focus on travel that is inspirational, personalized and/ or creates a path to self-discovery.[6] Examples include driving a tank and shooting military weaponry at a test range, flying an airplane under instruction, and mining for gold or diamonds. Other mock experiences include reenactments of historical events, fighting a fire at a training facility, and running through a maze.

History

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The term "experiential travel" is already mentioned in books and publications from 1985[7] – however, it has become a more popular market trend in recent years.[8] In 2017, 65% of United States travelers preferred 'experiencing something new' over 'feeling rested and recharged'.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ New York Times "New Frontier for Tourists: Your Home"
  2. ^ "Why "Transformative Travel" Will Be the Travel Trend of 2017". Vogue. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  3. ^ Washington Post "Coming and Going: New hotel booking site, travel trends and more news"
  4. ^ "Experiential Travel: Manipulative Marketing or Transformative Trend? - TRAVEL COLLECTING". TRAVEL COLLECTING. 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  5. ^ Weekly Travel "African safaris: As experiential as it gets"
  6. ^ Peak Management Company (2014). "The Rise of Experiential Travel" (PDF). Skift Special Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
  7. ^ Google Books "Insights in strategic retail management"
  8. ^ How Experiential Travel Can Change Your Life
  9. ^ "U.S. Experiential Traveler Trends 2018: Annual Survey on Traveler Behavior, Motivations & Preferences". Skift Research. Retrieved 2018-08-13.