Trending in local guide
In addition to being more cost effective than traditional options, this business models provide travelers with a unique experience each time they travel. In the cases of Uber and Airbnb, customers can consider the details and reviews listed for each driver or host and choose a provider that seems most complementary to themselves. Both present unique opportunities to break from mainstream tourism and the tricks that often follow suit and experience an area from a local’s perspective.
Trend of travelling in the present
More travel companies are catering to travelers wanting to experience a destination through the eyes of the people who live there by offering unique ways to connect with locals. For example, “Foreign travel is all about engaging with other people and other cultures,” says Tom Merchant, co-founder of Black Tomato. “Technology once thought to be harmful to authentic travel experiences but now is helping travelers connect and scout out local places.” Travel start-ups geared to local experiences are popping up, such as EatWith.com, which connects hosts who love to cook with travelers who want a taste of local cuisine, and OneFineStay.com, which provides travelers with homes abroad so they can truly live like a local while on vacation.
Overall, this new direction has the potential to make traveling accessible to a wider variety of people, to improve the quality of travel experiences in general, and to make opportunity for travel more available to those that did not travel often previously.