Experiential Travel:

Differentiating Your Destination While Spreading

the Benefits to Communities

How to Craft and Market Customer-Centric Tourism Experiences

Source: Mr. Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary General.

Tourism: A Vital Force

By the end of 2012, one

seventh of the world’s

population will have crossed

international borders as

tourists in a single year. This

“extraordinary number” will

contribute to more jobs, higher

income possibilities, and

countless opportunities for

development.

Customer-Centric Benefits

.

•Focus on visitors whose interests match

what you have to offer.

•Create unique market-responsive

products and experiences.

•Enhance the customer experience.

•Select the best business and marketing

partners.

•Differentiate against competition.

•Target your marketing and PR strategy

•Improve return on investment

Cutting Edge

Consumer Travel Trends .

Destination Choices

Significant shift in the countries that are experiencing real tourism

growth. Traditional tourism 'hotspots' are being overshadowed by

rising star emerging destinations.

Travelers’ desire to seek authentic vacation experiences has led

to a rise in travel to exotic and off-the-beaten path destinations.

Multi-generational Travel

Baby boomers are becoming grandparents. Seniors are more

affluent, active, and travelling more.

Families vacationing more with children and grandchildren. They

are opting for more far-flung and active adventures.

Women’s Travel

Women are travelling more often without men. Women-only tours

and retreats choices are increasing.

Number of women-only travel companies and women-only travel

sites has grown rapidly.

Over half of all adventure travellers worldwide are women, and

their average age is 45.

Photos: www.adventurewomen.com

Meaningful Travel

People are more conscious of their

values and seeking more

connectedness and meaning.

Increased interest in self-growth

and helping others. http://www.i-to-i.com

Learning Tourism

.

There is a growing demand for lifelong learning and

fun learning travel experiences.

Cultural impact of ‘being there’ creates memorable,

personally enriching experiences.

Photos: www.contexttravel.com/

Let’s Learn from Each Other….

.

What your experience?

Are you seeing these trends?

What other visitor experience trends?

Experiential Travel:

Overarching Global Trend

The E-Factor

.

85% say experiential travel is important/extremely

important for growth and sales.

53% plan to offer new experiential programs. 26%

plan new culinary tours and 22% new culture

tours. Nature, adventure and photography also

popular.

The E-Factor

.

Baby Boomers 46 to 65 years of age largest

group of seeking “E Factor” vacations.

Europe (37%) and South America (20%) most

popular destinations because they offer the

most experiential travel options.

Source: Canadian Tourism Commission.

Experiential Travel Defined

Engages visitors in a series of authentic,

memorable travel activities, revealed over

time, that engage the senses, are inherently

personal and makes connections on a

physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual or

social level.

Experiential Tourism

.

Most successful are experiences that offer active,

participatory and engaged learning. Ones that are

sensation-rich, world-view altering, instill a sense of

wonder, beauty and appreciation.

Photo Credit: Celes Davar Photo Credit: GMIST Photo Credit: Experience PEI

How is it Different?

“A tourism Product is what you buy ...

A tourism experience is what you remember. “

Photo Credit:

Theresa Storm

Goods

Services

Experiences

Greater

Differentiation

Higher Yield

Commodities

Undifferentiated

Lower Yield

Value of Economic Progression

• WOW Guest Experiences

• Good Partnerships

• Word of Mouth and Word of Mouse

ROE drives value pricing

The Experience Economy

Transformation

Authors: Joe Pine & James Gilmore (1999)

Greater

Differentiation

Higher Yield

Cashews (Commodity) Undifferentiated

Lower Yield

Value of Economic Progression

Agri-Tourism

Preserves (Goods)

Cashew Roasting (Experience)

Rock View Lodge www.rockviewlodge.com

Meals &

Gift Shop (Services)

Designing

Customer-Centric

Experiences .

Understand Your Best Guests

Demographics?

Market origins?

Characteristics?

Interests and passions?

Attitudes and behaviors?

Planning and purchasing?

Media consumption?

Social media habits?

Focus on Special Interests and

Themes

.

Travellers are matching their interests and

passions – such as cooking, yoga, fishing,

gardening, wine-making - with the places they

decide to visit.

Culinary Travel

. Culinary travel is one of the biggest special

interest trends, driven by rise of celebrity chefs,

TV food channels and shows, ‘foodies’ and

promotion of unique culinary experiences by

destinations.

An exciting gastronomic adventure exploring the

delectable and varied world of Vietnamese cuisine

Highlights (10 days/9night):

•Cooking classes including full day with local celebrity chef

•Chef-led visit to a Fish Market and cruise on a local drift

boat

• Prepare and dine on a traditional ‘Royal Dinner’

• Learn Relaxing Tai chi in a park in Saigon

• Visit renowned Mai Gallery and private meeting with

owner Doung Tuong, who translated for Jane Fonda during

her visit to Hanoi during the war

• Interpretive walking tour of Hanoi’s Ancients Quarter

• Farewell Dinner at the legendary Hanoi Press Club

A journey that takes in 'must see' sights of Vietnam while tantalising the

taste buds with some of south-east Asia's finest cuisine.

Focus on Special Interests and

Themes

.

Culture, wildlife, adventure

are other popular themes.

Earthwatch Expeditions Conserving Grevy's Zebra Samburu District, Kenya

Experience the rich traditions of the Samburu people of Kenya as you join them to help protect the endangered Grevy's zebra.

Highlights (13 day - Family):

• Count and photograph zebras to help to monitor

population size, structure, and distribution

• Record GPS locations, activities, and other details of

livestock, people, and wildlife you observe

• Visit local homes to experience life in a Samburu

manyatta (homestead or ranch)

• Visit a local school

• Visit Samburu National Reserve, staying overnight at

the Samburu Serena Lodge.

Learn about Frida Kahlo, an enigmatic and ground breaking woman

who expressed herself through her art, politics, friendships and loves.

Visit historic sites, museums and receive special lectures by art historians and anthropologist who will give us more insight into Frida Kahlo's life and work.

Highlights (8 days/7 nights): • Attend special seminars on Frida Kahlo and visit the

Frida Kahlo Museum

• Learn about the provocative murals at the Palace of Fine Arts

• Interpretive walking tour of Mexico City’s Historic District

• Explore charming Coyoacan, San Angel and the Bazaar Sabado market

• Interpretive tour of Puebla and Cholula , to see traditional Talavera pottery and visit Spanish and Indigenous churches

• Final dinner enjoying Mexico's finest traditional cuisine

Explore multiple ethnic communities and discover their

cultural and ethnic expressions in dress and textiles

Highlights (10 days/9 nights):

Learn of the Indigenous Textile Traditions of Oaxaca

Meet weavers and coops in remote communities to learn of

their unique traditions in weaving and dress

Travel with the purple Murex dyers of the coast to see how

they extract this scarce purple dye

Learn about the history and evolution of "traje" from the

Isthmus of Tehuantepec

Meet weavers and dyers from Teotitlan del Valle who

continue to develop their ancient traditions

This is an extraordinary, close up journey into the communities where

we meet the people and artisans who create visual masterpieces.

Break away from the crowds and enjoy the rich cultural flavors of Waikiki’s Chinatown

Highlights (3 hours):

- Interpretive cultural walking tour of Waikiki’s Chinatown

- Experience the sights, sounds, and smells of Chinatown,

something most tourists don't get to do.

- Taste the various offerings of Chinatown from hand-selected

vendors:

Malasadas and Kona Coffee; Local Artisan Jams and Jellie;

Char Siu and Roast Pork; Dim Sum; Manapua; Bubble Tea;

Exotic Seasonal Fruits; Traditional Asian Street Foods

Walk though its mysterious streets, learn about local Tongs (quasi

secret societies), cultural dishes and even homeopathic remedies.

Gain insight into Aussie beach culture

Highlights:

• Surf with a former world champion

• Take a night-time nature walk with a local wildlife

expert

• Visit Gunnawannabe (an Aboriginal café and

learning centre) and learn about Bundjalung

culture while trying some bush tea and damper

Gain insight into Aussie beach culture at the

easternmost point of Australia, Byron Bay.

Duration: 4 days / 3 nights

Interactive Exercise….

.

Choose and describe a best guest

Choose a special interest and theme

Create and describe the experience

Promoting Customer-Centric

Experiences .

Reaching your Best Customers

.

If you communicate the special value you bring

and if you connect to your guest, you will

attract more customers and they will pay more.

It doesn’t cost more money to demonstrate

value or connectedness, it takes creativity and

attention to detail.

Power of Storytelling

The best stories often

illustrate one simple truth.

The story clearly illuminates

a idea, principle, or belief for

the reader.

To make a difference, the

story must be easily

understood. It must be

simple, direct, and

entertaining.

Powerful Storytelling

Storytelling & Product

Marketing

Label describes how a

community harvests a plant that

is the key ingredient in Body

Shop product. Connects you to

community and makes you feel

that you are personally

improving the lives of community

members by using product.

Storytelling & Product

Marketing

Storytelling for Tourism

Gives you ability to connect and create trust in a way that is far

more powerful than any other marketing document.

Provides context, is memorable and makes emotional ties. Helps

customer to connect more deeply with your company.

Start with the facts. Mix in emotions. Close with your message.

Tools for Telling your Story

Photo Credit: Olivier Bekaert

Social Media

.

28 percent of travelers start their travel

search with social media, travel opinion

websites and general search engines.

Over one-fourth travelers are using

resources outside tourism industry BEFORE

they begin the purchase process. IBM Institute for Business Value Travel 2020: the distribution dilemma

Use and Encourage Social Media

Encourage Social Media

.

Users take a photo with

their iPhone, type up a

description, and add it to

Afar's library of travel

experiences. Or they can

check out the photos others

have posted and use for

planning their next trip.

Social Media Explained

Twitter – I am in Guyana

Facebook – This is what I am doing now in Guyana.

Foursquare – This is where I am eating in Guyana

FlickR – Here are photos of me in Guyana

Instagram – Here’s a picture of me right now in Guyana

You Tube – Here’s a video of me in Guyana

Pinterest – Here is a recipe for Guyana Pepperpot

LastFM – I am listening to Guyanese music

Google+ - I hang out with Guyanese photographers

Linked in – I work in tourism development in Guyana