Video: Q&A on The Shift Toward Traveler Authenticity and Meaning with American Express Travel

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Today, travel goes beyond planning a trip, booking it, and arriving at the destination. Travelers are looking to take trips that allow them to spend time with their loved ones, gain rich, valuable experiences, and accomplish personal goals. Understanding these changing consumer mindsets—and the shifting bucket list—is key to engaging the modern traveler.

Jamee Lubkemann, vice president of strategic partnerships and marketing for American Express Travel, sat down with SkiftX executive editor Greg Oates at Skift Global Forum 2017 to talk about the evolving role of authenticity and meaning for today’s traveler.

American Express found that 61 percent of people say their most important travel goal is spending time with the people who matter to them most. Meanwhile, 71 percent of people say that they want to learn about different cultures when they travel. The conclusion? People are looking for more purposeful travel.

“It’s about having experiences that connect with a traveler’s passions,” said Lubkemann. Today’s traveler plans for experiences, whether that means taking a surfing lesson in Ireland, having a romantic dinner in Le Marais in Paris, or discovering an underwater museum in the Canary Islands.

American Express understands that there’s a demand for more immersive connectivity with new cultures and is working to provide personalized, unique, and curated experiences to their customers that go beyond air and hotel booking, converging the best in class technology and the best in class service.

Watch the full discussion below.

At this year’s Skift Global Forum in New York City, travel leaders from around the world gathered for two days of inspiration, information and conversation. In 2018, Skift will be analyzing travel trends around the globe with four Forums. Get the details now and register here.