Going Local: Experiences and Encounters on the Road

Today’s traveler seeks authentic experiences, not just viewing awesome sites, and taking must-see photo opportunities while checking an item off of a bucket list. Experiential travel, also known as immersion travel is about travel experiences that resonate on a deeper emotional level. A focus on experiencing a country, city or particular place by connecting to its history, people and culture. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is an experience worth? Travel is life changing. We all become better world citizens when we learn from other cultures. Through the use of peer-to-peer travel apps and websites, it’s never been so easy to share living spaces, share a meal or a ride, or to have a local inhabitant show you around. Real life experiences are compelling people to travel and bridge cultures together. Travel opens us up to the wonders of the world, and to the serendipitous occurrences when different cultures merge. At the forefront of any journey, travel begins with people and protecting local society and wilderness. It’s a powerful lesson that cannot be learned staying home viewing travel shows on television. Going Local Experiences and Encounters on the Road will guide you to travel like a local and become a better traveler. You will learn: Ways to become part of the peer to peer, sharing economy and join the experiential travel movement. Case studies in living overseas. Seeking out culture through local cuisine and meal sharing. Taking time out of your trip to volunteer. How an around the world trip is a life-changing experience. Learning what it means to practice responsible travel and choosing operators who protect and give back to local societies. Understanding that a good traveler brings back only memories and leaves no tracks. Keynote interviews with world-renowned travel icons: Tony Wheeler, Richard Bangs, Rick Steves, Don George, James Dorsey, Judith Fein, David Noyes, Tim Leffel. Many people – Mark Twain included – have noted how travel is a certain cure for bigotry and narrow-mindedness. Take the plunge – Go and create your own travel tales.