November 10, 2023
It’s experiences, not things, that spur longstanding happiness, and travel is one that rises to the top. Tripadvisor investigates what about travel makes it so deeply impactful, and what defines particularly fulfilling trips.
Priority is shifting from material possessions to enriching experiences; two thirds of travelers surveyed indicate that they now place more value on experiences over things than they did in the past. Nearly three fourths regard travel as a priority and 95% of respondents would decrease their discretionary spending in other categories to save for their next vacation
Experiences, travel especially, matter more because they have staying power. Nine in ten respondents said their fulfilling trip provided lasting memories and nearly seven in ten found personal growth.
All experiential trip components – lodging, dining, and in-destination activities – are graded high in importance, but activities are the frontrunner. Nearly half of respondents rank activities as the top contributor to memorable trips.
It’s not what you have, but what you do that matters. Material things can bring bursts of joy—but the moment passes quickly and it’s not long before thoughts of the next big thing overtake. With the pandemic in the rearview mirror, many have emerged with a renewed attitude towards collecting moments, not things. In Tripadvisor’s recent survey of 5,618 travelers from seven key markets, two in three indicate that they now place more value on experiences over things than they did in the past. Spend behavior further solidifies this sentiment – on average, survey respondents allocate more than half (54%) of discretionary income to experiences, and 34% now spend more on experiences than things compared to past actions.
As a company of avid travelers, Tripadvisor understands well why people increasingly prioritize experiences – travel experiences especially. Whether it’s first setting eyes on iconic monuments like the Colosseum or Eiffel Tower (which are consistently the most popular activities on Tripadvisor), delighting tastebuds with unfamiliar local flavors, or opening the door to an impeccable hotel room, travel is at its root a collection of moments with staying power.
At its most basic, the experience of travel grants freedom from routine. When asked about the top benefits of travel, nearly half said that travel is an important way to disconnect from daily life (47%) and a way to unwind and recharge (46%). While that may seem overly simple for an experience with such staying power, 61% define a fulfilling trip as an experience that provides a rejuvenating break from routine.
Going a layer deeper though, the fulfillment of travel stems from defining moments that become lifelong memories.
said it provided lasting memories
said it elicited intense emotions, such as excitement, awe, and joy
had novel or surprising experiences
Beyond the memories, travel has the power to transform. Travel pushes boundaries and opens doors to new ways of thinking. The lasting impact to travelers personally is undeniable – nearly seven in ten (69%) respondents found personal growth on their recent fulfilling trip. That element of personal growth is a key ingredient to trips that stand out from the rest – 31% designated their recent trip particularly fulfilling because it facilitated such growth and self discovery.
Source: Tripadvisor’s The Experience of Travel, N=5,618; Australia, France, India, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, United States; November 2023
In-destination activities (tours, activities, attractions, events) influence travel choice right from the onset, guiding the decision of where on the map to even go. Second only to cost considerations, activities have the greatest influence on destination choice.
Overall, a trip is fulfilling and memorable because it’s a sum of all its parts – each trip component matters.
find lodging to be very or extremely important
say dining is very or extremely important
say activities are very or extremely important
But if travelers must identify which single piece has the most impactful contribution, in-destination activities emerge the winner. Nearly half (46%) ranked activities as the most important component in making a trip memorable. Oftentimes, defining trip moments happen while engaging in a destination activity; nearly nine in ten (87%) experienced some of their most memorable moments while participating in an activity on their most recent trip.
Even when the trip priority was relaxation, nearly all travelers surveyed (95%) participated in at least one in-destination activity. The realm of potential activities is wide and varied, but those with mass appeal are still most sought after on these stand-out trips. Natural attractions were the most popular activity type on recent fulfilling trips; 45% of travelers surveyed visited a natural attraction like a national park or botanical garden and 42% visited a cultural landmark or monument.
Source: Tripadvisor’s The Experience of Travel, N=5,618; Australia, France, India, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, United States; November 2023
It’s clear that travel is a meaningful purchase – one that has a lot riding on it – making it a high-stakes investment. While “experiences, not things” has become the popular mindset, purchasing experiences is not as straightforward as things. Unlike tangible purchases, travel choice requires committing to an experience without examining it first-hand, which increases risk of dissatisfaction at the end. Trust and ample due diligence to confidently make decisions become even more critical.
Traveler review sites are a top source of guidance that empower travelers to make well-informed decisions that result in meaningful trips, second only to general search engines. From lodging to things to do, reviews fuel discovery and choice. On their most recent fulfilling trip, travelers considered location and cost above all in accommodation choice– consistent with Tripadvisor’s past research of general travel behaviors. But once the basics were covered, travel reviews tipped the scale. Having positive reviews was a top three decision factor for nearly one in four travelers that ultimately led them to their place of lodging. On the activities front, more than one in three (37%) chose their tour, activity, or attraction because it was well rated by other travelers, and 26% first discovered their activity on a travel review site.
Source: Tripadvisor’s The Experience of Travel, N=5,618; Australia, France, India, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, United States; November 2023
With such a substantial return on investment, nearly three-quarters of travelers surveyed consider travel a priority. Positive travel experiences change mindset on what matters most: travelers who have recently experienced a fulfilling trip regard travel in the year to come as a higher priority than those who haven’t (78% vs. 55%).
Even through the uncertain macroeconomic landscape of today, an extraordinary 95% of respondents are willing to decrease their discretionary spending in other categories to save for their next vacation. Travel is a superior experience type, as respondents have high willingness to cut back other experiential spending like dining out (44%) or entertainment and events (33%) in exchange for trips. Travelers are also more inclined to cut back on conveniences like food delivery (42%) and rideshares (33%), or material goods like clothing (36%) and tech devices (32%) than leisure activities and experiences (25%).
Tripadvisor’s take? The “experiences over things” shift is more than a passing trend for the moment, but like travel itself, one with staying power.
Source: Tripadvisor’s The Experience of Travel, N=5,618; Australia, France, India, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, United States; November 2023
Stay tuned for full research findings in Tripadvisor’s forthcoming report The Experience of Travel, publishing in January 2024. Additional industry insights from Tripadvisor’s proprietary research can be found on Tripadvisor for Business.
Source: Tripadvisor’s The Experience of Travel study, November 2023
