Traveler Demand Growing Fast for Experiential Travel, Says Study

Travel that focuses on experiences is the new emerging global trend, according to data released this month by tourism intelligence provider Mabrian.

According to a Mabrian study that used Big Data and artificial intelligence to analyze over 400 million tourism-related interactions on social media from 2019 to the first half of 2023, demand for experiential travel activities is growing over conventional travel options. Indicative of the demand, experiential activities have gained 10 percentage points over the past four years, nearly equalizing with conventional activities by mid-2023.

Source: Mabrian.

These activities include experiences focusing on wellness, active & lifestyle, nature, and food, which are replacing, the study found, activities such as the arts and culture, sunbathing, family, shopping, and nightlife, which now account for about 34 percent of all travel motivations, losing 7 percentage points since 2019.

“The way we travel is constantly switching. From the traditional holidays of sunbathing in coastal destinations and culture and shopping in the cities, to disconnecting and discovering experiences where the connection with the environment and ourselves is key. There’s an obvious impact of the pandemic and the effect of being locked down that made us realize how important it is to enjoy the outdoors and feel well and healthy during our free time which has stuck in travelers’ motivations,” said Carlos Cendra, chief marketing and communication officer Mabrian.

In view of this shift in traveler interests, Mabrian underlines the need for destinations and tourism stakeholders to diversify their products in line with new trends.