Travel in the Age of the Experience Economy
Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 11.14.05 | 2:45 PM ET
Recent research suggests you may be happier spending money on experiences such as foreign travel and adventure than on a flashy new car. According to a story in the Guardian, it all goes back to the idea of the experience economy, first put forth in 1998 in the Harvard Business Review.
“According to the theory,” the Guardian story states, “experiences are uniquely valued because memories last longer than material goods, which are prone to wear and tear. They are also unique. The Joneses next door might have the same Ferrari as I do, but they are unlikely to have taken a year off to drive a converted shopping trolley around rural China.” Hasn’t everyone traveled around rural China in a converted shopping trolley? But seriously, the article doesn’t delve into the research as much I would have liked. We’ll see if we can dig up more elsewhere.
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Jim Benning is the editor and co-founder of World Hum.
Paul 11.18.05 | 4:03 AM ET
yeah, i agree. btw, the rural china is not you guys know from american wired news. pay a trip of your own will return you a big surprise.
Paul 11.18.05 | 4:13 AM ET
well, make it clearer: rural china has become very rich and beautiful, especially in coastal region.
Paul,BD manager,KanXiQi.com private tour guide service
JIm 11.18.05 | 1:19 PM ET
I agree, Paul. I spent about six weeks traveling in China—certainly not enough time to see it all, but I did get a great glimpse of rural China. It is beautiful.
Paul 11.19.05 | 8:16 AM ET
hi jim! glad to hear from you! An old chinese saying goes: “One eyewitness is better than hundred hearsays.”
Paul,BD manager,KanXiQi.com private tour guide service
ivy 02.27.06 | 10:02 PM ET
I’m a chinese and I am very glad that you like china. now I’m very interested in “experience tourism”,would you please tell me more about the development of it?In china I can’t find much information of your language.thank you very much.I’m looking forward to hear from you!