Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 31, 1993 TAG: 9301310242
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: F-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES T. YENCKEL THE WASHINGTON POST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
VACATIONERS OF '90S GOING FOR ENRICHING EXPERIENCES
As a traveler, have you entered the 1990s, or are you still muddling along in the '80s? America's vacation values appear to be shifting, and the emerging trend points to trips that provide enrichment rather than pure escapism.If true, this change in attitudes could have a dramatic impact on the travel industry in the coming decade, predicts Travel & Leisure magazine, which commissioned a survey on travel styles of 801 frequent travelers. All the participants, representing a cross section of adults over age 18, had taken in the previous year three or more trips in the contiguous United States, Canada or Mexico or at least one trip to any other destination. The results, compiled by the Louis Harris & Associates polling firm, were released last month.
The '90s-style traveler "may represent the vanguard of a new type of traveler, one who is more inner-driven and who displays an intensified passion for travel and new experiences," says Alexandra Golinkin, publisher of Travel & Leisure, a subsidiary of American Express. "Exploring the wilderness of Alaska is more in tune with the '90s-style traveler than is a visit to a flashy Las Vegas hotel," which she cites as an example of a typical '80s-style trip.
The survey found a distinct group of pacesetters who put a high value on understanding the culture and history of a destination, profess a concern for the environment, travel to gain a new perspective on life and see travel as adding adventure to their lives. They choose places they've never before visited, look for sites of natural beauty, create their own itineraries and like to get to know the locals. Shopping, night life, luxury resorts and golf courses are much less important to them.
Why many Americans seem to be looking for a more enriching travel experience is hard to say. The impact of the recession may be partly responsible, and the survey notes the possibility that '90s travelers might conduct themselves as self-indulgently as '80s travelers if "they could afford to do so."
Of course, the fact that the survey was aimed at frequent travelers also may have affected the results. Most people with a love of travel have an intellectual curiosity that stimulates them to learn more about the people and places where they vacation. On a Caribbean getaway, for example, they are the folks who eagerly give up a day at the beach to take a sightseeing drive around the island.
Enriching travel comes in many forms, and it does not rule out pampered indulgence. Even a hedonist delighting in the glittery Las Vegas night life might enjoy exploring the rugged beauty of nearby Death Valley National Monument. Avid skiers bent on getting maximum slope time out of their holiday may find a few minutes to visit a local history museum. Among the kinds of trips that qualify as enriching:
Many organizations offer educational trips focusing on the arts, exotic cultures, architecture, archaeology, history, famous gardens or wildlife-with some of the best offered by museums and other educational institutions. One good source of information on educational tours is a bimonthly newsletter, "The Educated Traveler," P.O. Box 220822, Chantilly, Va. 22022, 800- 648-5168 or 703-471-1063; a yearly subscription is $45.
Adventure travel in the form of backpacking, trail riding, inn-to-inn hiking and bicycling and white-water rafting is '90s' travel. Invariably, adventurers are rewarded with splendid scenery, an in-depth look at the countryside and perhaps one or two character-building challenges. Tourist offices, outdoor magazines, adventure guides and travel agencies specializing in leisure travel are good information sources for adventure trips.
Many Americans use their vacation to learn a new skill or to perfect one, from crafts working, gourmet cooking or photography to scuba diving, windsurfing, golf, tennis and skiing. Look for lesson opportunities in magazines specializing in an activity that interests you.
Even the most popular form of vacation travel for Americans, the sightseeing drive, can be as enriching as any organized tour. Most national parks offer not only splendid scenery but ranger-led walks, campfire programs and visitor centers that detail the history, geology, flora, fauna and environmental concerns of the park and surrounding landscape.