From todays’ Winnipeg Free Press, an article by Nafeesa Syeed with the Associated Press shares the mood on the mall in Washington, D.C. and a story about the many people who have come to be part of the experience of the inauguration of President Barack Obama, an historical event. A small quote at the end of the article captures for me, the power of experience and why experiences are the “real stuff” of what we desire in travel today…
“World history teacher Calvin Adams of Arlington, Va., said he got up extra early so he could witness history being made first-hand and teach it to his classes. “Eventually I’ll teach American history,” said Adams, 23. “I’ll say, ‘This is how it works because I’ve been there, I’ve seen it.”‘
This is the power of experience, and what makes experiences authentic, memorable, and the real “take back” potential for good quality travel in which connections are made, emotions are felt, and transformation takes place. There is something incredibly powerful about this, and it carries the weight of responsibility with it – the need for us as tourism operators to develop quality experiences that are the very best that they can be.
