Tourism reinvented
Today's holidaymakers are looking for unique experiences and sensations
The 21st-century tourist, with new technology and a wealth of information to hand, has forced tourism to offer alternatives. Conventional package deals for the masses are no longer good enough with holidaymakers looking for new sensations and experiences tailored to their personal needs.
Concepts like slow travel, soft travel and 'emodestinations' are now part of the thinking of people booking holidays online, with increasing trust in recommendations of other travellers over the number of stars.
The new tourist markets provide an opportunity to diversify the traditional holiday model and attract people to places linked to specific and unique products and experiences. In short, tourism is now only limited by the imagination of the operators and consumers.
Today, county capitals or small towns can now draw people away from grand monuments and historic old quarters, if the experiences on offer are attractive. Today it is not enough to offer a tasting session without it being part of a wider adventure allowing visitors to connect with the surroundings. What is different is now the aim, so that people leave with memories of completely new experiences. What follows are some handpicked examples.
