For many of us, travel undoubtedly means freedom. It is an opportunity to go to exotic locations in far-flung parts of the globe and embrace adventure in the places where we least expect it.
It is simply a pastime that throws up a wealth of options to suit every taste. For every person who wants to explore the culture and history of an iconic city like Rome, there are others who are simply seeking the glamour of a Las Vegas poker game, or some who simply want to lie back and relax on a beach in a beautiful land.
However, if you love to travel as much as we do, you may well subscribe to the theory that variety is the spice of life. Furthermore, you may also recognize the importance of changing things up a little now and again.
Going niche
These days, if we’re not careful, it can feel like we’re all simply traveling to tick off the types of experience that everyone has. At times it can feel like you’re just repeating the same steps as your friends, even down to the pictures of the New York skyline that you’ve all shared on Instagram. However, with an estimated 100 million Americans planning across 2019, isn’t it time to break from the norm and try something completely different? This is where niche tourism could come in.
These days, if we’re not careful, it can feel like we’re all simply traveling to tick off the types of experience that everyone has. At times it can feel like you’re just repeating the same steps as your friends, even down to the pictures of the New York skyline that you’ve all shared on Instagram. However, with an estimated 100 million Americans planning across 2019, isn’t it time to break from the norm and try something completely different? This is where niche tourism could come in.
by experts at Edinburgh Napier University outlines, the concept of niche tourism is all about creating an experience or attraction tailored to suit the needs and interests of a specific audience. This is perhaps in contrast to tourism companies simply marketing to a wide spectrum of individuals from all walks of life and offering a more generic break.
Such a special interest vacation can take place in a range of areas, and the type of experience you choose would ultimately be suited to your tastes. However, if you’re currently struggling to make a final decision on the type of break you want, here are three of our ideas on the new and exciting trends you could embrace.
Poker tourism
The global casino industry is in rude health at the moment, with Statista outlining that the gross gaming yield of such sites across the world is expected to reach in the region of $130 billion this year. Furthermore, with so many people playing casino games online now too, it seems like we have never had more opportunities to try our hand at the classics, including poker variations such as Texas Hold’em and Stud.
The global casino industry is in rude health at the moment, with Statista outlining that the gross gaming yield of such sites across the world is expected to reach in the region of $130 billion this year. Furthermore, with so many people playing casino games online now too, it seems like we have never had more opportunities to try our hand at the classics, including poker variations such as Texas Hold’em and Stud.
However, while the obvious destination of choice for casino gaming and poker fans might be Las Vegas, there are plenty of other locations that fit the bill if you want a gambling-themed break. For instance, if your specific love is poker, there are major tournaments held across the globe, and you could coincide a trip to a country with a competition that's taking place. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule might help in this regard, although you can also consider some other events too. For example, 888Poker hold globally, with one recently taking place in Bucharest. Held at the start of March, the poker tournament culminated in a main event with a guaranteed prize pool of €300,000. The champion also secured a prize package to this year’s WSOP Main Event in Vegas.
Competitions like these are great examples of how you could combine your love of poker with taking in the sights and sounds of a beautiful city.
Sustainable tourism
If you’re more concerned with going green than gaming this year, another option could be to consider embracing the ever-growing trend of sustainable tourism. As UNESCO outlines, the concept is all about travel that respects local communities and tourists, as well as the cultural heritage and the general environment of the areas they visit. It ultimately makes a vacation feel like more of an educational experience and provides a fascinating insight into the areas that are being visited.
If you’re more concerned with going green than gaming this year, another option could be to consider embracing the ever-growing trend of sustainable tourism. As UNESCO outlines, the concept is all about travel that respects local communities and tourists, as well as the cultural heritage and the general environment of the areas they visit. It ultimately makes a vacation feel like more of an educational experience and provides a fascinating insight into the areas that are being visited.
Interest in sustainable tourism really seems to have risen across the past couple of years, with a study by TUI released in 2017 revealing that one in ten Europeans now book eco-friendly vacations. Such breaks were found to be particularly popular with French, German, and Belgian tourists, with 84 percent of those polled saying they feel it is important for individuals to contribute towards cutting the carbon footprint of their travels. In addition, 68 percent said they would be willing to make lifestyle changes in order to benefit the environment.
But what exactly does sustainable tourism look like? As Sustainability-Leaders explains, can vary from experiences like visiting the jaw-dropping Uakari Floating Lodge in Brazil to heading into the Highlands for adventure and nature-based tourism with Wilderness Scotland.
Screen tourism
The film and TV worlds have brought some incredible spectacles to life through the years, making use of some truly stunning real-life destinations in the process. For many pop culture fans, there is nothing quite like being able to visit some of these locations and get a feel for how they inspired and influenced their favorite shows and big-screen experiences.
The film and TV worlds have brought some incredible spectacles to life through the years, making use of some truly stunning real-life destinations in the process. For many pop culture fans, there is nothing quite like being able to visit some of these locations and get a feel for how they inspired and influenced their favorite shows and big-screen experiences.
So, instead of spending a week-long vacation lying on a beach this year, why not instead take a trip to a famous planet from a galaxy far, far away? As any self-respecting Star Wars fan would know, the incredible landscapes of Tunisia played a key role in bringing Tatooine to life, and holidaymakers can head to the country to explore some of its most famous locations. Alternatively, if you’re more into swords than lightsabres, a trip to Northern Ireland is a great opportunity to take in a range of locations used in HBO’s blockbuster fantasy epic Game of Thrones. As Ireland.com outlines, there are a host of different sites to explore in the country, including Castle Ward, which is used in the show as the Stark family home of Winterfell.
It's hard not to walk past a piece of filmmaking history when in New York.
Of course, screen tourism does not necessarily always mean heading to remote locations. For example, you could set aside a day in your New York city break to visit a host of sites that have been immortalized on film and TV, from obvious landmarks like the Empire State Building to smaller establishments like the Pershing Square café. Found under Grand Central’s Park Avenue viaduct, the site was a safe haven for people as the Avengers battled intergalactic invaders in Marvel’s blockbusting 2012 hit. Alternatively, a trip to London is a chance to take in locations synonymous with everything from James Bond to Paddington.
Transform your travel
The ideas listed above are just three different ways that we think have huge potential for transforming your travel across the coming months. However, if pop culture, poker, and sustainability are not your thing, it is fair to say there are a host of other ideas you could also embrace. These may include enjoying food tourism to sampling culinary delights, or sports tourism to experience a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The ideas listed above are just three different ways that we think have huge potential for transforming your travel across the coming months. However, if pop culture, poker, and sustainability are not your thing, it is fair to say there are a host of other ideas you could also embrace. These may include enjoying food tourism to sampling culinary delights, or sports tourism to experience a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Whatever your interests, going niche on your next vacation could undoubtedly open up a truly exciting world of adventure and opportunity.
