We have already talked about some changes and trends that are growing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, such as Slow Travel, Bleisure and the wellness tourism. In this article, we are going to talk about experience tourism, a modality that has existed for many years, but should gain even more space post-pandemic, as people are looking for immersive travel, with hitherto unprecedented experiences in their lives. lives.
This type of tourism characterizes trips with significant experiences. The trip stops being a tourist trip and starts generating excitement through the traveler’s participation. The UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) stated, even before the health crisis, that tourists currently wish to “travel to destinations where, more than visiting and contemplating, it would also be possible to feel, live, be moved and be a character of your own journey.”
The concept gained ground because, during the pandemic, people rethought the way they lived and, consequently, the way they traveled. They understood that a trip can be synonymous with learning, awareness and personal transformation. It must be more than an “instagrammable” script. It should be an opportunity to connect and meet other cultures and people outside your “social bubble”.
Although some aspects are similar to Slow Travel, there are some differences. Both value immersive experiences, however, Slow Travel prioritizes longer experiences in the local community, generally in places off the conventional tourist route. This type of trip often involves the intention of disconnecting from the outside world, taking advantage of the trip to become more offline.
On the other hand, experiential tourism can be carried out both in the local community and in specific (and even tourist) points in the city. It does not necessarily require several days of experience and can be done in traditional tourist destinations. A classic example is the character dinner offered at Walt Disney World in Orlando. See more details!
What defines experience tourism
Sebrae Manual, from 2018, lists five things that make the trip considered experiential tourism:
1- Awaken the senses: This type of tourism needs to provide synergistic experiences, that is, when the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) are stimulated. In a simple example, it's like visiting a chocolate factory, enjoying the chocolate being melted, hearing the noise of the machines, feeling the texture of the still unshaped chocolate, tasting the finished chocolate and, of course, that characteristic smell.
2- Feeling: The objective is to develop affective activities that appeal to the tourist's feelings and emotions. This activity can generate a loving relationship between the visitor and the destination. It's like diving into the history of the place or who made it.
3- Thought: Offer activities that stimulate creativity and are new to tourists. They must stimulate free, flexible and original thinking, generating learning. Traditional in Rio Grande do Sul, but which has already spread to other parts of Brazil, visiting wineries, giving tourists the opportunity to step on grapes to crush them, is an example, as long as the origin of the practice is explained.
4- Action: The idea is to provide physical and interactive experiences between tourists and local residents. Some examples are trails, historical routes – such as the Gold Route, on Estrada Real, in Minas Gerais – and other community activities.
5- Identification: Focus on activities that stimulate personal experiences, reaching the tourist's individual feelings – in general, these are actions that put the tourist in direct contact with the social and cultural context of the destination. It's like visiting Salvador, Bahia, on Lavagem do Bonfim day, and talking to one of the Bahian women to understand what this tradition means to her and her family.
Opportunity for the hotel sector
Just like other types of tourism, the hotel sector must be aware of the upward trend in experience tourism. Hotels can offer guided tour options that meet the criteria above or offer this type of experience on the premises, if possible. Mainly establishments surrounded by nature have this potential.
It is also possible to complement the experience offered by the city. For example, in cities where wine tourism is part of experience tourism, it is possible to offer wine-based amenities or spa products. Harus offers Vinotage amenities, a cosmetics brand from the Famiglia Valduga Group, whose objective is to provide the benefits of wine therapy.
Consult us to find out more about Harus products and services! And, if you liked this content, share it with your contacts.
