Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words, “In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil,” capture a timeless truth that resonates deeply today, especially in light of the 2023 report by the US Surgeon General, which equates the health risks of loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. While the Project for Public Spaces highlights the role of social infrastructure in addressing isolation1, the hospitality industry has an opportunity to lead a new movement in tourism: one where human connection is not just an outcome but the essence of the journey.
Imagine a tourism model where each experience is a gateway to understanding others, where every encounter is carefully designed to foster genuine connections. This is not about simply adding social activities to an itinerary but creating an entirely new way of travelling; one that places people, their stories, and shared experiences at the heart of the adventure.
Here are some ways that the hospitality industry could facilitate well-being through human connection:
1. Human Experience Designers
Introducing specialists within tourism companies to curate interactions that are meaningful and personalised. These designers would draw on insights from psychology and sociology, ensuring that each moment of connection resonates deeply with those involved.
2. Emotionally Intelligent Travel Algorithms
Leveraging AI to go beyond matching travellers with destinations, these algorithms would connect people based on their emotional and social needs, facilitating encounters that are truly enriching and fulfilling.
3. Pop-Up Human Libraries
Transforming traditional tourist hotspots into spaces where travellers can immerse themselves in people instead of books. These live stories, shared by locals and fellow travellers with unique perspectives, would offer guests an intimate glimpse into different lives, fostering empathy and understanding.
4. Interactive Social Installations
Imagine public spaces that come alive with collaborative art or music projects, where locals and visitors co-create, turning every interaction into a shared piece of a larger, evolving story.
5. Collaborative Impact Missions
Reimagining voluntourism as a collaborative effort where tourists and locals work side by side on community-driven projects, learning from each other and forging bonds through shared successes.
Destinations like Six Senses Yao Noi in Thailand and CGH Earth’s “Spice Village” in Kerala, India, have begun embracing elements of this approach. But the true potential lies in taking this idea further by making human connection the cornerstone of the travel experience. This shift not only addresses the challenge of human isolation, but also redefines the purpose of travel itself. By focusing on the people we meet and the stories we share, every journey becomes an opportunity for transformation, enriching both travellers and the communities they touch.
This is the future of travel. A future where connection is the destination.
Insignia Worldwide crafts new realities at the intersections of strategy and storytelling, by challenging what is humanly possible and creating what is Impossibly Human.TM
1 https://www.pps.org/article/2023-a-year-in-review