Modern travelers desire to jump into new cultures and experience destinations as a local. Recently, travelers have been much more inclined to seek out experiences that are authentic, and that create lasting memories. The importance of experiencing the local culture when traveling internationally has been a huge draw to the current travel industry.

At least three out of five travelers feel as if a trip is wasted if they do have the opportunity to experience the local culture. A few local priorities that travelers have been seeking out are local food (70 percent), sight seeking (67 percent), and experiencing the local art scene (48 percent). Younger generations especially, desire to spend more money on experiences that are representative of the local culture.

Some travelers have called this trend life-seeing instead of the traditional sightseeing. These travelers are venturing out of the well known tourist destinations and into much lesser-known city neighborhoods. Travel advisors and tour operators have picked up on this trend and are now offering more personalized trip options.

Companies such as Airbnb and Outdoorsy are capitalizing on this trend to provide travel experiences that can be easily booked online. Airbnb currently offers their Experiences feature that gives travelers the opportunity to have experiences on their trip that are “hosted by a local.” Companies have also begun to offer additional camping and “glamping” opportunities that would allow travelers to be immersed in nature while creating lasting memories.

Some sources report that the global travel experience market could grow to more than $3 trillion. Millennials and Gen-Z desire authentic experiences, and they are willing to go out of their way to create memories that will tell a story. The travel industry has shifted tremendously to accommodate this current trend and companies will continue to market experiences that emphasize the local culture.