Consumer Changes Of Relevance To Responsible Tourism 8 th International Conference On Responsible Centre For Responsible Tourism Manchester Metropolitan University

Travellers Today Aspire For A Meaningful Holiday “… travellers these days are looking for a more value-added travel experience … People now are more ‘conscious of their values’ and want to evolve as a better self-entity through the process of ‘self growth’ and collectively as well.” Source: Hotel & Resort Insider

Experiential Tourism A Key Travel Trend For 2014 & Beyond Experiential Tourism is: spiritual ".... experiences that engage visitors in a series of memorable activities, revealed over a period of time, that are inherently personal, engage the senses, and makes connections on an emotional, physical, spiritual, or intellectual level." Source: Earth Rhythms

Characteristics Of Experiential Tourism Related to Responsible Tourism – both are reliant on local resources Experiences are complex concepts Characteristics include: Meaningfulness & Togetherness “The quest for a new experience while travelling that adds something substantial to one’s life is the dominating trend of travellers at present times … today consumers are motivated to travel for two burning reasons: First is ‘concern with the environment’ and second is ‘the desire for time with family and friends’.” Source: Hotel & Resort Insider

Inter-generational Travel

“Use your parents as babysitters … frame this one not as ‘oh, great! I can use you guys as free babysitting while I’m on my own vacation’ but rather as ‘We really want Billy and Suzy to have memories of this vacation that are just about them being with their grandparents’.” Source: travellingmom.com Inter-generational travel relies on two key experiential constituents – Togetherness & Meaningfulness Experiential Tourism aims to establish connections Meaningfulness derived by fostering Togetherness in the experience

Agelessness Associated with inter-generational travel A baby boomer consumer trend Expressed in other sectors too e.g. fashion and music Embark on trips conventionally regarded as the preserve of younger generations For example round-the-world and ‘flashpacking’ In adventure travel 25% of participants are over 55 yrs old

The New Flashpackers Baby Boomers Generous travel budgets Long-term travellers to multiple destinations Experiential travellers ORIGINALS NEW

The Life Of A Recovering Party Girl The blogger and her best friend One-week holiday in Koh Samui Celebrating graduation from international school, Hong Kong Staying at Al’s Resort, GB46 per night. Visiting the Full Moon Party “If this is what being independent feels like then bring it on”

The Educational Element Educational content is inclusive to RT guided holidays An educational shift away from receiving learning to passing it on or sharing Especially seen in family and inter- generational holidays Educational experiences stimulate cohesive inclusion, or Togetherness, through sharing of values This in turn contributes to the Meaningful nature of the experience

Brand Habituation Growing preference for resources operated under strong brands Driven by increasingly differentiated market, and the demands of today’s wary tourists Branded hotel stock outpaces growth in most markets Hotels increasingly targeting segmented customer bases Expanding options result in a more competitive environment Guests place greater stock in hotel’s brand and reputation

Brand Habituation In Destination Choice For adventure tourists risk and satisfaction are two sides of the same coin A destination’s iconic status can convey risk level For example, surfing in Bali perceived to carry greater risk factor than surfing in Wales The Bali brand therefore carries greater perception of satisfaction

Transformation – the chance to discover the ‘real me’. Discovery – the reward for exploration and stepping out of the comfort zone Deep Appreciation – the opportunity to appreciate something bigger, timeless, beyond everyday life Engagement – the chance to engage with different cultures The Web Of Life – the opportunity to be a part in the interconnected network of nature The Real Thing – a unique authentic experience that can only be gained by being there Legacy – the opportunity to tell the stories gained from the trip, to discuss the ideas and beliefs encountered Source: ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association), 2009