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All about authenticity - 3 major trends influencing the travel industryAs tourism continues to rise (2018 saw a global increase of 6% in 2017) consumers are not shy to make their preferences known on how they want to travel and, afterwards, what they thought of the experience. While there’ll always be culturally- or regionally-specific microtrends, some larger trends are quite easily noticeable. ![]() Jared Ruttenberg Self-directed and self-researched vacationsConversations I’ve had with several accommodations and tour operators have confirmed that more travellers are opting to take self-drive holidays rather than group packages or arranged tours. It seems that the desire to handpick their itinerary and a plethora of material available online is resulting in more self-curated holidays. Certainly, gone are the days when the local travel agent was the trusted fount of knowledge concerning all things travel. TripAdvisor and the host of accompanying social media platforms have become the experts. As a travel writer operating in the social media context, I’m inundated with requests from people asking for my various travel recommendations, and it’s always a pleasure to direct them to the lists that I’ve curated. Experience-drivenAnother very visible trend is that holidays are no longer for just kicking back. Yes, we all love to wind down on a beach for a day or two with a good novel, but recent trends such as volunteer-tourism and educational-tourism have grown in popularity, showing that hands-on experiences are now a vacation must. Whether it is a bucket-list adventure activity or gourmet food lessons, travellers are looking for intimate and hands-on curated experiences. We’re seeing larger hotels partnering more with tour companies and service providers, whereas smaller boutique accommodation offerings are able to more easily tailor-make experiences themselves. Experiential travellers are willing to pay more for these curated travel experiences, providing of course that they are authentic and personal. Local-inspiredThere's definitely seeing a rise in travellers wanting to spend time with locals. Part of feeling at home in another country is experiencing it through the lens and footprints of a local. Several online services – for example, Airbnb Experiences, Like A Local, Withlocals, etc. – help facilitate these experiences and connect travellers with locals. About Jared RuttenbergJared Ruttenberg is an independent travel journalist, regularly contributing to some of South Africa's most respected publications. His social media engagement leads him to partner with various clients highlighting Cape Town, South Africa and abroad. As a qualified tour guide he also offers bespoke private tours and experiences in and around the Mother City. Find him online at www.jaredincpt.com or www.instagram.com/jaredincpt. View my profile and articles... |