Experiential Travel Trend Suits Tour Operators Just Fine

The marketing of products as authentic and experiential has become incredibly pervasive. So how are tour operators, who actually design and sell the vacation experiences that take travelers to distant destinations and communities, capitalizing on the trend? "The whole experiential movement continues to grow as an industry segment," said Terry Dale, president of the U.S. Tour Operators Association. "We’ve got access to the people in communities that can put that package together that can be extremely difficult to do on your own." Instead of highly controlled and densely packed itineraries, tour operators are giving vacationers and tour guides time to breathe on the ground.