Travel experiences are constantly evolving to adapt to new trends and niches, but the latest area gaining traction is seeing travellers go back to their roots – literally.
People are increasingly interested in uncovering their family ancestry and this is now translating into travel, with search demand for ‘DNA travel’ and ‘international heritage tours’ skyrocketing.
According to Bókun, a Tripadvisor company, search data reveals a peaked interest in ancestry travel surging by 1618% in the past year.
Search insights reveal the experiences driving this boom, with searches for ‘family heritage tours’ at an all-time high and ‘genealogy tours’ up 6,671% in the past 12 months.
These experiences are designed to help people explore their ancestry, family history and cultural roots by visiting places connected to their ancestors and learning about the history and traditions of those regions.
“We’re seeing a clear shift in travellers increasingly seeking unique experiences that offer them a sense of purpose, over place,” says Samuel Jefferies, Senior Growth Marketing Manager at Bókun.
“Ancestry travel taps into this demand, with experiences offering travellers a sense of storytelling, self-discovery, culture and connection.
“The growing interest in uncovering family heritage presents an exciting opportunity for the travel industry, as more people set out to explore their roots in destinations across the world.
“Tour and experience operators across the globe have a unique opportunity to adapt their offerings to tap into this growing trend.
“Whether that’s reframing existing walking tours as heritage-led experiences that allow travellers to walk the streets their ancestors once knew, creating history tours that uncover the stories of past communities, or developing food experiences inspired by traditional local delicacies and cultural heritage.
“We expect demand for ancestry experiences to significantly influence travel choices this summer, with more people venturing beyond tourist hotspots in search of deeper, more personal connections, driving a new wave of experience-led travel.”
Main image courtesy Nadiye Odabaşı
