Hey friends,
I have been researching about experiential travel and how it is changing travel. Here is a research that I wrote specifically for Steemit to see whether Steemit readers are open to these sorts of research studies.

GROWTH OF EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL IN GENERATION Z AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY

Introduction:

Experiential travel is the type of travel that enables an individual to be immersed in a destination by talking to the people and learning about history and culture. Generation Z are the people who come after the millennials and their preferences are different. They want to do things differently and they have changed the face of travel.

Experiential travel different because unlike normal travel. It does not focus on conventional activities like seeing tourist sites and visiting famous hotels but rather doing something that connects the traveler to the locals and to the place. Some of the areas that experimental travel focusses on are food, history and social life.

Generation Z travelers look at how the locals live instead of looking for a tour guide. They do not care about prices too much as long as something can fulfil their needs. The main impacts of experiential travel in this generation are changes in how people book hotels, travel companies changing offerings, marketing efforts, people seeking connection and itineraries changing.

Learning about South African Braai

Literature Review.

According to Fuggle (3), experimental tourism is where people want to learn more about culture, history and people of a place where they visit. Generation Z travelers want a different and new ways to experience the places that they go. They want to learn more and they want to come out better than they were before.

Travel has transformed many people and the people who interact with the locals always go back home transformed (1). Hotels and lodges also have to rethink what they are offering people. Sales people are also getting in on the movement and they want to show the post-millennial traveler that they can take the wheel and decide. It is important for the experience to feel authentic and to offer some form of value to the visitor. According to hospitalitynet.org experimental travel is a topic that the travel industry cannot ignore (6). Technology makes the world smaller because people can communicate and travel very easily. Individuals want to go to unchartered waters and forge their own path. Technology has been the main cause of the shift in thinking (5).

With the advent of technology, a lot has changed and this as given people access to different communities and cultures. It is very easy for people to travel to different parts of the world and they can find useful information online and in mobile apps. While this has made different places accessible, Generation Z travelers now want to travel bigger and deeper (2). They want to experience a place more. This shift in perspective has had different impacts on people, hotels and the tourism industry as a whole. People want the travel experience to change them for the better. Companies that have not adjusted to this shift may have a problem.

Some of the major booking engines like Airbnb have embraced the movement and they have come up with experience trips for the locals. The Airbnb experience seeks to help locals make money by helping the visitors. They must craft an ideal tour that the person would not get anywhere else and they must make it interesting. Airbnb has made its mark in so many countries and is already making strides.

Airbnb in Kenya/ The Brandy Bus

How experimental travel affects the travel industry

Bookings in hotels and accommodation.

There have been reduced booking to the main hotel chains because Generation Z want to do more than stay in hotels. There are some hotels that have not adjusted to this need and there are some that have made it work for them. Some lodges have their own special activities that can be fun in the area. For example, learning to make a traditional meal in a hotel would be an attraction that would make people book the hotel.

An example of a hotel that has embraced experimental travel is Club Med. According to (4), the hotel encourages people to do things their way. The website of the hotel helps people to choose what they want to do depending on the area that they want to visit. People can also choose what they want to do as a family, alone or as a couple. The fact that this hotel has helped people to create their finest vacation means that the visitor can consider booking here and that is what people are looking for. The choices are vast from biking, climbing mountains, visiting different villages, snorkeling, water sports, swimming or other activities (6).

Tour companies perspectives.

Post-millennials want to escape from doing the ordinary and ‘touristy’ things. Therefore travel companies are also competing to give great itineraries that accommodate that. There are also very many companies that are coming up that are catering to people’s needs for experiential travel. People want to carry stories of what they did and who they met. So this need for integration forces companies to rethink their offerings. The tour operators need to realize that they should tell peel why something that they offer is authentic or different and how it transforms the travelers’ perspectives. They ought to prove experiences that make people learn more about who they are. These experiences teach people about other cultures and how life is in her places.

Cake Festival in Kenya

Change in itineraries to leave room for spontaneity

Another impact is post-millennials want to be in charge of their itinerary. Instead of having a packed itinerary, people want to feel that they can do something that can change their itinerary as well as give them a leeway to make their own plans.

We took a chance and deviated from our itinerary to go whalewatching

Human connection

More than anything, experiential travel makes people connect with individuals from other walks of life. Sometimes they want to connect with the local community. Social media has made it easier for people to connect with the locals but if they want to truly feel the link, travelers want to go to places and meet new people and then hear their stories. People are looking for experience as opposed to attraction and the ideal company or marketer has to learn that.

Nothing like meeting people when travelling and becoming friends instantly

Marketing efforts

Marketing efforts have changed because how the companies would reach out to the people before will not work today. Technology has changed and there are many apps that help travelers make their own experience. Generatin Z are switched on, they are good multitaskers and are always on their devices People want to sleep in places that a local would sleep and they are renting out their apartments and homes through platforms like Airbnb and Couchsurfing.

People are also interested to choose their journey and visit local food joints. There are thousands of apps that help people find these amenities and facilities. In terms of cuisine, locals have now come out to create something for travelers to enjoy. For example, there are many places that offer street food and live cooking on the streets. This is alike an arena for visitors to see how food is prepared. They would not get the same experience is they were only trying the restaurants. It is sad that some restaurants don’t even serve the local traditional food of the place and they have a more “Continental” menu.

Accessibility has also changed. There were some places that were not accessible because people have decided to go off the beaten path, local entrepreneurs have made profits from operating tuk-tuks or motorbikes. This gives way to other ideas because individuals don’t want to stick to the conventional routes. There has been an overall shift in the travel industry.

Mangrove forests of Zanzibar

Markets of Zanzibar

Conclusion

In conclusion, the travel industry needs to understand experiential travel and what it means for their business and offerings. They need to understand how they can create human relationships and connection in all their trips because their target market are looking for this. Experiential travel has had many impacts in the world of travel, especially for Generation Z travellers. This is about forming genuine relationships with the locals. There are many online guides dedicated to experiential travel and travelers will; be pleased to discover that some companies are changing their perspective.

The companies that have realized this will also continue to get more clients and they will also change the lives of the locals. Locals can now get people who are genuinely interested in interacting with them and they can also learn how they can make an income as well as interact with different people. Technology has been the main force behind making experiential travel a topic that cannot be ignored. This is because as the world becomes smaller and travel becomes accessible and cheaper, post-millennial travelers want to travel deeper.

Overall, I want to be flexible and I want freedom when traveling. I want to make my own rules. Solo travel helps you do that

References

1. Edgell, D. (2006). Managing sustainable tourism. 1st Ed. New York: Haworth Hospitality Press.
2. Fein, J. (2010). Life is a trip. 1st ed. Traverse City, Mich.: Spirituality & Health Books.
3. Fuggle, L. (2017). The rise of experiential travel and its impact on tours and activities. [Online] Trekksoft.com. Available at: http://www.trekksoft.com/en/blog/rise-of-experiential-travel [Accessed 7 Jan. 2018].
4. Smilansky, S. (2009). Experiential marketing. 1st ed. London: Kogan Page.
5. Smith, J. (2017). Travel Trends for 2016: this year it’s all about ‘authentic’ and ‘experiential’. [Online] Travel Industry Blog, Reports, Press Releases | WTM London. Available at: http://news.wtmlondon.com/travel-trends-for-2016-this-year-its-all-about-authentic-and-experiential/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2018].
6. Young, A. (2017). Hospitality Net - What is Experiential Travel and Why Does It Matter to Hotel and Travel Brands? | By Alan E. Young. [Online] Hospitality Net. Available at: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4075442.html [Accessed 7 Jan. 2018].