Leisure Tourism = Experiential Tourism
Posted by D'Arcy McKittrick on Fri, Jun 19, 2009 @ 04:08 PM
The other day a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Radio reporter from Atlantic Canada called to ask a few questions about experiential tourism. Her questions got me thinking about the relationship between leisure tourism – traveling because you want to rather than you need to – and experiential tourism.
When she asked if experiential tourism was growing, I answered first that all leisure tourism is experiential at its core.
Whatever our reasons or motivations for leisure travel, when we do it we are engaging in an experience. We are not just buying a product (although we may buy souvenirs) nor are we just buying services (although we buy transportation, accommodation, food service, etc.). We are buying an experience that comprises what and how we feel during and at the end of a trip – our emotional response to our journey through time and space that includes purchases of products and services, but also our interaction with people and places.
And secondly I suggested that what is growing is the realization among tourism providers and destinations that many of them need to do more to enhance the experiences of their visitors if they wish to continue to attract visitors. Most often this means developing and delivering programs that allow visitors to engage more fully with the people and places they visit, to immerse themselves in local culture and history. For example:
• Not just driving through the countryside looking at farms, but
stopping, maybe staying overnight, and participating in farm type activities and celebrations;
• 
Not just visiting and looking at a famous archaeological site, but getting your hands dirty and participating in ongoing digging and exploration at the site under the guidance and direction of skilled archaeologists; and
• Not just attending an outdoor festival and
listening to music and watching dance, but participating in workshops with the performers to learn how to play some of the music and perform the dances.
Today tourists can travel virtually anywhere in the world. Our choices of destinations are essentially unlimited – we have more choices than time or money and so we can’t possibly visit every destination available to us. Faced with this abundance, the expected or perceived quality of the experience takes on more importance as a choice factor. In a sense, the competition for our leisure travel time and money is intensifying.
For tourism destinations and operators, this is good news for at least two reasons.
First, any destination and business can enhance their visitor experiences without the need for iconic attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal or Disney World. Lesser-known destinations and small and medium sized businesses can offer rich, engaging and compelling experiences every bit as good if not better than major destinations.
Secondly, offering richer experiences increases value for visitors. Increased value equates with increased price. In short, there is more revenue (and profit) in enhanced experiences.
If you are a tourism business or destination that wants to learn more about how to develop and offer enhanced experiences to leisure travellers, check out the The Edge of the Wedge program offered through the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism. If you decide to attend the course, tell the course facilitators -- Celes, Nancy and Todd -- that their friends at the Tourism Company say hi.