From ME to WE: The shift from experiential travel to transformational travel
“Open yourself up to the world and it can surely transform you, but travel with purpose and you can transform the world.”
In recent years, we have entered an era of “fast travel,” which, like fast food, is cheap and easy but not nourishing. People jumped on flights for an Instagram photo but many of us weren’t interacting with locals, learning about culture or community issues. Overtourism was recognized as a threat not only by the sites enduring an influx of tourists but even by the very industry that profited from an ever-expanding tourism economy. The recent lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, however, has forced an end to frenetic travel, but it has also inspired a seismic and irrevocable shift in values and attitudes in many. We have all gained an appreciation for what had been taken for granted and a determination not to mess it up again. We hope that people will begin to travel in a more conscientious and responsible way.
At the same time, we have seen a rising buzz about “transformational travel”…a form of self-improvement and personal transformation through immersion in unfamiliar cultures and landscapes. The trend began in the adventure travel sector with a focus on making personal fulfillment the new ultimate luxury, allowing for travelers to return with a changed view of the world following their interactions with new cultures and their self-reflection. The movement has since gained global traction with various bodies like the Transformational Travel Council (TTC) springing up.
Most recently, the mindset of experiential travel has been gradually shifting from "Me" to "We". It’s all about immersing yourself in local culture and focusing on authentic experiences, but making sure that you’re leaving a positive impact at the same time.
What exactly is transformational travel?
Travel in any form, whether you’re exploring the Serengeti National Park, meeting the Maasai tribe or relaxing on a Zanzibar beach can be a meaningful and transformational experience. The TTC defines transformational travel as “intentionally traveling to stretch, learn and grow into new ways of being and engaging with the world”.
In an interview with BBC last August, Denise Brown, Sababu Safaris’ co-founder, described it as travelers looking to “disconnect from the western world and reconnect with themselves and with others” across Africa’s many amazing destinations. But changing your mindset from “Me” to “We” is acknowledging the fact that “we can only thrive if the local communities and the places we visit are also thriving”. A nice place to visit should also be a nice place to live.
As Amanda Renna says: “Transformational travel is about you and every single person, place or thing you touch along the way. It’s about awareness, predicting how your journey will affect others, finding ways to minimize the potentially negative impacts, and gaining a valuable perspective that informs how you relate to the world. It’s about breaking down cultural divides and finding those commonalities that brings us closer together.
Taking time to care about the how and why of your travels, you will undoubtedly find a deeper connection to those people and places you visit. They will walk away feeling understood, and you will always be welcome back. Will everything be unicorns and rainbows from that moment on? Of course not, but your meaningful exchange will lay the foundation for a truly global “community”. You should care about transformational travel because it doesn’t really matter how pedantic it sounds, the movement is real – globalization is real – and it affects you each time you set foot outside. So the only question is, what kind of world do you want to live in?”
How Sababu Safaris promotes transformational, purposeful travel to Africa
At Sababu Safaris, our commitment is to help travelers to Tanzania engage in purposeful experiences and visit successful community projects. This way, you can explore Tanzania’s dazzling landscapes and experience wildlife to your heart’s content, while also having the chance to immerse yourself in the local culture and give back to the local communities in different ways.
While on safari, you can visit the Maasai tribe, learn about their fascinating traditions and take part in some of their daily activities. It is the best way to gain an authentic insight into their unique way of life and obtain a deeper appreciation for Tanzania’s cultural diversity. You can also accompany the Hadzabe bushmen, one of the world’s last remaining hunter-gatherers, on a hunt to witness firsthand their ancient, yet exceptional hunting techniques, how they prepare their food and other cultural norms. On the way, we will likely come across remote villages that still lack access to electricity and you can join us in distributing solar lights to them.
If you’re in Arusha, you could visit some of the schools, interact with the students and even share a meal with them. Alternatively, take a tour of Shanga, a bustling workshop that employs people with disabilities to create high-quality items like handmade jewelry and decorative woodwork. Take part in the production processes, listen to their stories and learn a bit of sign language.
At the end of the day, it’s a win-win situation for both you and the local community. Some travelers get inspired by what we do and even want to financially support certain community development and empowerment projects after their trip. We aim to make every trip a unique and transformational experience for our guests.
The Future of Transformational Travel
While memorable, personalized experiences are still important to travelers, it seems that these concepts are no longer enough. Experiencing personal fulfillment but prioritizing authenticity, sustainability and community support during travels now take precedence. We need to gain a greater awareness of our roles as custodians of the planet that we're leaving our children. Let’s dive deeply into places, stay longer and consider our time and our impact. We must broaden our global view, seek to understand how everything is connected, and make decisions that are informed, thoughtful and effective, not just for ourselves but for the greater world we love to explore. Once we visit a beautiful place, we naturally become its ambassadors. We have a responsibility to support the people and places after we return home. And it is in this sentiment that we see our biggest opportunity to effect positive change — as travelers, as world citizens, as humans.
Is this trend here to stay? We certainly hope so.