Video: Karin Aaron on developing the Green Book Experience for cultural tourism

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.

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.