Skip to content
7 min reading time
Published on 30/10/25, Updated on 10 hours ago
In this series, Vanguelis Panayotis breaks down the major trends shaping the future of tourism, starting with travel storytelling. Travel is no longer just a brief escape, but a way to express oneself through shared worlds, passions and experiences. Between fiction, music, sport and culture, tourism is becoming themed, seeking to create meaning and collective emotion. For Vanguelis Panayotis, CEO of MKG Group, ‘we have moved from consumer tourism to participatory tourism; people no longer want to go somewhere, they want to be part of something’.
The era of themed travel
The new generations of travellers are no longer just looking for a destination, but an experience to enjoy. This expectation is fully in line with the era we are living in, known as the experience economy, which is the logical continuation of the service economy.
‘People no longer want to spend a week on a sun lounger. Nowadays, a holiday has to offer a variety of experiences,’ observes Vanguelis Payanotis, as trends embodying this need multiply, from set-jetting to book-tripping (literary tourism) and gig-tripping (music tourism).
According to Skyscanner, 34% of travellers have already planned a trip inspired by a book, while films and TV series continue to influence 53% of them, according to Expedia. And just over a third (36%) of French travellers would even be willing to take part in a role-playing retreat inspired by their favourite fantasy game, book or film, according to Booking.com.
Fiction is not the only source of inspiration for these themed trips, however. Cultural and sporting events, concerts and other festivals also create a veritable tidal wave of tourists in the host destinations. This phenomenon was recently observed in the Ile-de-France region with one of two concerts given by global superstar Beyoncé in Europe.
‘”his phenomenon used to exist in the small world of festivals and contemporary art. Today, it has spread to thousands of other artistic, sporting and cultural dimensions. It has become mainstream.” – Vanguelis Panayotis, CEO, MKG Group
This is a trend that more and more players in the tourism industry are beginning to capitalise on, such as VisitBritain, which is fully embracing film tourism in its latest communication campaign, ‘The Real Star of the Show’. This highly original promotional campaign earned the organisation a place among the six finalists in the ‘Best Destination Marketing…
This content is for subscribers only. You have 80% left to discover.
Every week, Hospitality ON Team brings you an expert look at the world of hospitality.
By becoming a member, you will have access to a complete ecosystem: exclusive content, jobs, etc.
Already a member ?
Login
Every week, Hospitality ON team brings you an expert look at the world of hospitality. By becoming a member, you will have access to a complete ecosystem: exclusive content, jobs, etc.
