Travel is no longer just about where people go, it’s about how travel makes them feel and who they connect with along the way. As traveler expectations evolve, experiences have become an increasingly important part of how people plan and remember their trips, reflecting a broader desire for connection, belonging and authenticity.
In this session, I’ll share research insights that explore the growth of the experiences category and what it reveals about changing traveler motivations. Drawing on mixed-method research, the talk will examine how travelers define meaningful experiences, how experiences foster connection with local communities and cultures and how these expectations vary across traveler segments.
The session will focus on what research reveals about how the travel category itself is evolving. I’ll discuss how insight work can uncover emerging patterns in traveler behavior, clarify how experiences fit within the broader travel ecosystem and help researchers better articulate the value of experiences as a distinct category.
Key insights:
- How research can illuminate community-driven needs and values.
- How researchers can be storytellers whose insights create impact.
- How research helps us understand not just where people travel but why their experiences matter.
