2026 Tourism Trend: Tourists Are Now More Interested in Trying Local Experiences

The 2026 Travel & Tourism trend is showing notable shifts. Travellers are no longer only drawn to visiting popular destinations or capturing photos at iconic landmarks. Instead, they are seeking experiences that let them directly understand the culture and daily lives of local communities.

This change is reflected in the rising interest in experience-based tourism, or experiential travel. This concept offers activities where tourists actively participate in the daily life and traditions of a region: from craft making workshops, local cooking classes, to joining traditional cultural gatherings.

This development is detailed in the Tripadvisor 2026 Mid-Year Experiences Trends Report published in August 2026. Based on booking data from January to June 2026, craft classes ranked as the fastest growing Travel Experience category.

Bookings for these activities rose 88 percent compared to the same period in 2025.

Aside from craft classes, bookings for concerts and special events also recorded 87 percent growth. This data confirms that experiences tied to local culture are gaining significant attention from travellers.

Tripadvisor also noted that cooking classes, craft workshops and traditional dance lessons received the highest user ratings, with all three categories holding an average score above 4.8 out of 5.

Travellers Want Direct Engagement With Local Culture

This growing demand for local experiences shows that on-trip activities have become a major deciding factor when travellers select a destination.

Travellers no longer only want to observe how a culture is preserved. They also want to take part in activities that are part of ordinary local daily life.

Japan is one prominent example of a country riding this trend. Tripadvisor recorded that bookings for Japanese craft classes by United States-based travellers jumped over 300 percent compared to the previous year.

These bookings even accounted for roughly one fifth of all global craft class reservations made through the Tripadvisor platform.

Experiences such as traditional pottery making, learning heritage art techniques, and joining local craft workshops are top choices for travellers seeking unique, memorable travel moments.

This same pattern appears in culinary travel. Traditional Food cooking classes give travellers the chance to learn about local ingredients, cooking methods, and the cultural stories behind regional signature dishes.

In this way, travel no longer only offers scenic views, but also delivers personal new experiences and knowledge.

Indonesia Holds Strong Potential For Experiential Tourism Development

This global trend opens major opportunities for Indonesia's tourism sector. The country's diverse regional traditions, handicrafts, cuisine and performing arts can be packaged into interactive travel activities that actively engage visitors.

One existing example is batik tourism in Yogyakarta. Travellers do not only view finished batik artworks, they learn the traditional motif design process and can even practice using the canting wax pen themselves.

Another established experience is pottery making in Kasongan, Bantul, where visitors are guided through every step of processing raw clay into finished handicraft goods.

Across many other regions, travellers can also join traditional cooking classes, learn handcraft production techniques, and both observe and study local performing arts.

These types of activities add unique value to destinations, as they give tourists the chance to interact directly with local residents and gain an authentic understanding of regional cultural identity.

For tourism operators, this approach also creates opportunities to build travel packages that do not rely solely on attraction entry tickets, instead offering more personal, meaningful visitor experiences.

Authentic Experiences Are Now A Core Part Of Travel

The growth of experiential tourism demonstrates that a destination's appeal is no longer defined only by famous landmarks or scenic beauty.

Activities that give travellers the chance to learn new skills, try new things and connect with local communities can also become the primary reason someone chooses to visit a location.

While Tripadvisor's data only reflects bookings made through their platform and does not represent every global traveller, the growth of craft classes and Cultural Experiences provides a clear indication of shifting demand in the global travel market.

Moving forward, destinations that can deliver authentic, community-integrated experiences will be well positioned to expand their visitor offerings.

For travellers themselves, this trend also redefines how travel is experienced. Holidays are no longer measured by how many locations someone visits, but by what meaningful new experiences they take home.