Travel adventures quench thirst for curiosity and new emotions. Humans have always sought travel adventures. It is in the human nature to seek new experiences and discover new places. This has not changed since the beginning of time.
However, what has changed dramatically is our ability to travel. A hundred years ago a journey from London to Australia would take you a month. Today, within 24 hours, you can get to almost any place on the planet. Before travel was a privilege of the few. Today anyone can travel.
Technology made travel easy
Technology made travel easy. There is no longer a need to call a travel agent to plan a trip. You can find your travel inspiration by following friends’ adventures on Facebook or Instagram. Check recommendations on Google or TripAdvisor. Book a flight through Booking.com, Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak, and Priceline. Navigate to your hotel using googlemaps.com . Information is at your fingertips.
Technology democratized travel. According to The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) international tourism increased 56-fold since 1950. Domestic travel has also increased dramatically. People became mobile. Travel has become our way of life.
The way people work is changing. With virtual platforms like Skype, Webex, Zoom, and Slack we can work seamlessly between the office, home, airports, hotels and cafes. Companies are relaxing face-time requirements , allowing people to work remotely. This opens a completely new dimension – a dimension of immersive travel.
The rise of immersive travel
What is immersive travel? In our definition, immersive travel is a a new approach to travel focused on deeper, more authentic experiences. It’s about living in a place as a local, as opposed to visiting it, passing through as a tourist. For example, imagine renting a flat, shopping in a local grocery store, using public transport, enrolling kids in a local summer camp or school.
I know many people who take advantage of immersive travel. The opportunity is just too enticing. With current tools and technologies you can blend travel and work. You can design your lifestyle to better fit your life goals and passions.
Preparing for immersive travel
Immersive travel requires more preparation than a typical vacation. Usually because you have to combine work and travel. Rest assured – a new industry is emerging to support the trend. Some examples include companies like Airbnb, VRBO, Wework, NomandSpace, and Remote Year. You can now break the barriers of the binary “work or leisure” model and integrate travel much deeper into your lifestyle design.
For those seeking maximum freedom in life, there is also good news. The gig economy is on the rise. It has never been easier for people with relevant skills to find interesting freelance opportunities. From graphic design, to app development, to accounting, to business advisory services, and online marketing – the list of freelance opportunities is growing. Internet is linking people around the globe, increasing the market opportunities for everyone. Payment platforms like PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay, WePay make it easy to transact and earn income from anywhere in the world. Gig economy is creating create a new generation of travelers.
What is your next travel adventure?
We live in an exciting time where our big planet actually seems like a pretty small world. The possibilities to explore are limitless. Journeys wrought with adventure await everyone who aspires to experience them. Why wait?
Elena Erize; Sep 10, 2019