Living like a local

INSIDE THE SHIFT TOWARDS IMMERSIVE TRAVEL

- DEBASHINE THANGEVELO

EXPERIENTIAL travel, which first became popular in 2014, has seen a notable increase in uptake following the pandemic.

This is more prevalent among younger generations, especially millennials and Gen Z.

In this era of social media fame, where personal adventures gain likes and followers, travellers are gravitating towards more life-changing and soul-enriching experiences.

These can vary from going from those standard sightseeing trips evolving into a more connected experience, where participating becomes more enriching. Also, these tours are tailored for the mindful traveller. Often, it is a local imbuing it with plenty of culture and history.

And hotels are no longer the only go-to option. Eco-friendly accommodation, community-run guesthouses and homestays are the preferred choice.

First, let’s unpack experiential travel, which is also known as immersive, transformational and meaningful travel. It essentially embraces the “living like a local” concept.

As such, participating in cooking classes, art classes, festivals, spiritual retreats, sharing a traditional meal with locals and lending a helping hand with a conservation project, among other things, tend to strike a chord with the traveller.

In a chat with Miguel Farinha, the hotel manager at Kruger Gate Hotel, he unpacked this evolving landscape.