The New Travel Trend – Sight Doing

American consumers are sight-doing, not just sightseeing, said Bob Whitley, the president of the United States Tour Operators Association. Travellers are no longer satisfied with just looking…the 21 countries in 21 days will not do anymore.

The travel purchasing public, and especially the baby-boomer segment, is looking for a total experience. Creativity is new buzz word in the travel industry with wholesalers and tour operators increasingly specializing. Visiting Paris is still exciting but how about taking a cooking class or a wine tasting seminar while you’re out there Want to participate in an archaeological dig You will be surprised to find out what’s being offered…and who’s bidding for your travel dollars.

In an effort to constantly re-invent itself and rise to the demand of the active traveller, the travel industry is now marketing a wider range of sightdoing products. Specialization in tours is ever increasing with anything from knitting tours to cooking in Tuscany! From segmentation in women’s only tours to the religious and self-discovery ventures, that industry is booming.

In the past the individual traveller has always been able to customize his experience. On the other hand the group traveller had to follow the crowd and be content with a more passive experience. The new packages bring together a smaller but more compatible group of people.

Educational tours have been around for a while now, and courses can be credited towards full degrees. For a mix of work and play there are many volunteering travel opportunities and those seemed to attract a fair amount of young retirees. The cost of the trip often includes a gift to the host project. Eco Travel and Climate Sightseeing are very popular at this time, taking small groups to see our disappearing resources and wildlife.