Study shows that money spent on doing (experiential purchases) tend to provide more enduring happiness than money spent on having (material purchases).
Many people especially the ones aged between 18 and 35 are turning to experience travel. If you look up for events on online platforms like Facebook you will find tour companies advertising city walking tours, cultural tours, street food tasting tours, shopping tours, wine tasting tours and other events with a local touch.
The trend is evident with locals as well as international travelers. Many millennials are opting to engage themselves with the locals and learn their culture and traditions. Unlike in the past where visiting Kenya was limited to safari, nowadays you will meet travelers wandering in the streets of Nairobi or visiting museums on their or with a local guide.
Fitness and Wellness tours
In addition to experiences, millennials are turning to fitness and wellness travel. Many of them would gladly book a hotel or hostels which offer them wellness classes. Distant Relatives Eco-Lodge (Kilifi Backpackers) is one of the accommodation facilities which has embraced this trend offering yoga classes during different times of the year.
Cycling tours is another example of Fitness and wellness travel. In Nairobi only, you will find many such tours. Cyclist enthusiasts have formed tour companies and groups to offer the tours to a large number of people who are seeking such experiences. Some of the groups to watch in Kenya when it comes to cycling tours are Bucketlist Adventures, Baiskeli Adventures and Active motion Kenya.
Solo Travel
According to google trends, the number of people who searched for the term “solo travel” or “traveling alone” or “solo female travel” increased by 30% in the first week of January 2018. This was compared to related searches in the last three weeks of year 2017.
Many people especially women are preferring to travel on their own. This has been characterized by the need to choose own route, reflect on one’s life, experience better, and enjoy self-company.Many Kenyans are embracing this trend very fast as well. If you follow solo travel bloggers in Kenya, you will constantly see them posting their experiences in different parts of the world on their own.
Digital Nomads
Wikipedia define Digital Nomads as, ‘type of people who use telecommunications technologies to earn a living and, more generally, conduct their life in a nomadic manner. Such workers often work remotely from foreign countries, coffee shops, public libraries, co-working spaces, or recreational vehicles. This is often accomplished through the use of devices that have wireless Internet capabilities such as smartphones”
With the fast-changing technology, many young people are opting for jobs that are location independent. With such a job, they are able to work from anywhere in the world.
Adventure Travel
Adventure travel has been there for a long time but it undergoing changes every year. More and more activities are being discovered to cater for the growing demand for adventures. Many people are now exploring the less traveled locations and taking more road trips that ever before.
Some of the best adventure travel in Kenya includes Kayaking and Rafting, Bungee jumping, Zip-Lining, Skydiving and Mountain climbing. Everyone has their own style of traveling; I choose Backpacking because it offers me a chance to explore a destination better, to connect with the local people, to enjoy the landscapes, to meet new people and to create long lasting memories on a budget.
What is your travelling style? Where in the World are you now and where are you traveling next?
Let’s share!
Author Bio : Kenyan Backpacker
Born and raised in a Kenya, Leo loves Hiking & Trekking, Travelling the World, Volunteering, Meeting nice people, Backpacking and minding my own business. While not on his computer, he tries as much as possible to share personal experiences. Most of which are about backpacking, volunteering, Solo travelling, road trips, train trips and wandering in general.
Read more about his experiences on his blog https://www.kenyanbackpacker.com/ (Kenyan Backpacker)
