Interest in experiences broadly, and cultural tourism
specifically, has been on the rise in recent years.
A joint
research project from Phocuswright and Arival late last year found that guided
and self-guided tours, museums and cultural/historical attractions were four of
the top five categories for the prior 12 months for travelers surveyed from the United States, Europe, Latin America, India and Australia/New Zealand.
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Meanwhile, at the Arival 360 event in Orlando in mid-October,
Viator chief commercial officer Sarah Dines said the platform has seen 200%
year-on-year growth for cultural tours and private tours.
None of that is surprising to tourism and hospitality veteran
Karin Aaron. Aaron is now president and CEO of the Green Book Experience, a
digital directory and booking service for historical and cultural sites, venues
and experiences in destinations around the United States.
“Tourism is community. It’s about the people in that
community. It’s about customs that are specific to that destination. And it’s
about storytelling,” Aaron said.
“What we find is people who want to really get to know the
people and enjoy their vacation from an authentic way. Those are the experiences
they are looking for. So … why not give them a tool to experience that in one
place, easy to find, easy to build, so ultimately it becomes educational and rewarding.”
Aaron is working with GroupCollect as the site's technology
partner to manage bookings and payments. She attended the Arival 360 event in
Orlando to meet with online travel agencies, tour operators and destinations as
she prepare to launch the site.
During the event, Aaron spoke with PhocusWire editor in chief
Mitra Sorrells in the PhocusWire studio at Arival to explain the historical significance of the original "Green Book" guide, first published in 1936, and her strategy to create a much broader, more modern version today. Watch the full discussion
below.