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GENERATION EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL AND THE RISE OF THE GLOBAL NOMAD
by Mark Tungate
To a certain extent the vendors of travel have always sold experience. In the 19th century, Thomas Cook was a pillar of the Temperance movement who conceived his ‘pleasure trips’ as a means of distracting industrial workers from the hardship of their daily lives–and the consequent temptations of alcohol. At a more exclusive level, the creator of the Orient Express, Georges Nagelmackers, was careful to weave a tapestry of romance and adventure around his train, advising male passengers on the inaugural journey to carry pistols against the possibility of marauding bandits. Later on, the early airlines–with their rickety short-range planes–positioned frequent refuelling stops as opportunities to soak up the local sights. There was a very long period, roughly from the early 1960s until the start of the current decade, when the allure of experience was forced to compete with the pleasures of consumption. Home ownership, domestic appliances, electrical goods, automobiles, affordable fashion, gadgets and more recently mobile devices: all the traditional trappings and signifiers of success seemed vitally important to the baby boomers and their heirs.
And then something happened. Very possibly, it was linked to the financial crisis of 2008, the collapse of property prices and the accompanying sound of bursting dreams–climate change, the rise of global terrorism and the sense that life is both uncertain and precious no doubt contributed to the shift. The fact was, suddenly owning stuff didn’t seem quite so important any more. Perhaps it was possible to have a different life; a better one, furnished not with objects but with memories, stories and knowledge. Ironically, the very gadgets that had started out as status symbols aided the rise of the modern nomads. If it was possible to work from home, why go home at all? Why not work from elsewhere? Even travel itself had become magically accessible, thanks to the rise of low-cost airlines and the world-is-your-oyster informa- tion and booking capabilities of the smart phone. This was not the world of my childhood. In the 1970s, the closest I got to a fabulous destination was Sand- banks in Dorset. (Maybe my parents were saving up for a microwave oven.) But only a few days ago, my son could be seen striding over the Luis I bridge in Porto, part of the experience economy at the age of seven. And let’s not forget the ‘I’ word. The bragging
potential of Instagram has raised experience to the level of currency: a fantastic view or a shot of an exotic city is now far more desirable than a designer t-shirt. The luxury goods industry is anxious about this development. While I was researching my book The Escape Industry, I came across a quote from Shaun Rein, founder of the China Research Group, who was speaking at a conference in Shanghai: ‘The new luxury is not buying a branded bag, it’s swimming with dolphins, hiking mountains, visiting far-flung amazing places – and then sharing the images on your phone.’ It’s notable that Louis Vuitton is pushing ever harder on its past as a purveyor of upmarket baggage – ‘The Art of Travel’ – while many luxury brands now also own hotels. Once experience had taken primacy over consump- tion, people began casting their nets wider. Why not explore art, culture, creativity? Some of the more enlightened modern nomads evolved into cultural treasure seekers. As culture is somewhat trickier to navigate than pho- togenic vistas, it’s understandable that organisations such as Leading Culture Destinations sprung up to provide a curatorial and advisory role. Particularly for seasoned travellers, who may have visited the more obvious destinations, they shine a light on the extraor- dinary. Not to mention allowing us to experience it in the very best of circumstances. I think it would be wrong, however, to assume that cultural nomadism is solely the terrain of the wealthy or privileged. In London and Paris–and no doubt in many other cities around the world–a metro card is a ticket to fascinating neighbourhoods and inexpensive (often free) art galleries and museums. Even the wonders of Venice and Istanbul are far easier to access now than they were in the days of the Orient Express. The culture of experience–and the experience of cul- ture–is more a question of attitude than of budget. So there you have it: a new generation, hungry for experiences, keen to learn, and alert to beauty. Let’s not call them consumers. Their watchword is culture.
Mark Tungate is a Leading Culture Destinations ambassador and Paris-based journalist. He is the author of The Escape Industry: How Iconic and Inno- vative Brands Built the Travel Business (Kogan Page).
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