The once-vibrant term ‘authentic’ experiences has lost its luster across industries, yet a suitable replacement remains elusive. Industry leaders are in search of fresh terminology, circling it with terms like culture and community—words that resonate only when experienced.
But have we perhaps overextended ourselves in the pursuit of ‘authentic’ experiences? Can a genuine connection with a culture be achieved through a signature, locally sourced mezcal cocktail or yet another sound bath? Maybe what we truly seek is the ability of spaces and stories to inspire profound moments—not by creating a fabricated sense of locality, but by leveraging the heritage of a place as a value system that sparks meaningful epiphanies.
“what we truly seek is the ability of spaces and stories to inspire profound moments”
While supporting local communities and promoting environmental responsibility are now baseline expectations (as they rightly should be), the challenge lies in crafting an experience that goes beyond the ordinary. The key is to define or unearth your unique value system, paving the way for distinctive and original moments.