Kate: Do you feel like we've been on this vacation before? The scuba diving, we did that in Bali and Costa Rica….

Brad: Yeah, but this is Fiji. We've never been to Fiji.

Any Four Christmases fans will recognize this exchange between Reese Witherspoon’s and Vince Vaughn’s characters. And if you think REAL people aren’t thinking & feeling the same way, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

According to Skift, 70% of US millennials and Gen Zs report that they will be seeking travel experiences their family and friends haven’t heard of. In China, that figure reaches 90%.

This quest for novelty can leave travelers exhausted during their booking process, often settling for experiences that are commonplace because that’s all they can find.

So how as hosts do you remedy this? By..

• Creating experience concepts that break with conventions.
• Blurring the lines between a traditional experience and a curated one.
• Designing an experience that is centered around a passionate purpose.

I want you to give your experience a basic label. Perhaps that label is “arts activity” or “boutique hotel” or “walking tour” or “cooking class”. Now fill in this simple formula:

Let’s walk through this with a commoditized market that has had to evolve over the years: hotels. Hotels used to be just about ‘heads up beds’ and then as competition grew, they were forced to innovate. So, the formula started to look something like…

The only boutique hotel with its own rock labyrinth and boulder field hike. (Mohonk Mountain House - $1k/night)

And for years, smart property owners were able to continuously increase their pricing and draw in high-value guests by incorporating more and more differentiating twists. They added spas, restaurants, outdoor adventure parks, aquatic activities, etc.

But at some point, many of those new additions are adopted by the competition, making them expected by guests. And this is where most business owners just throw up their hands and say ‘enough is enough’. They stop innovating and finding ways to deliver more value because they either lack the creativity or funds.

And this is where the second part of that formula comes in: unique impact. This is one that 99% of hosts and operators still haven’t figured out. But a deeper impact is one of the most powerful, high-value aspects of an experience that has people walking away saying "wow, that was different." So now we have...

The only boutique hotel with its own rock labyrinth and boulder field hike that is dedicated to supporting guests in slowing down and opening their heart by...

Now of course, a lot of hosts can say they care about the wellbeing of their guests, and you may say that it's not unique. But if you have some time, watch the Mohonk Mountain House Stories and you will see how they go about it differently than most properties because of their origin story. And of course, they have many programs and initiatives that support their purpose, too many for me to list here.

So what comes up for you when you hear 'differentiating twists' and 'unique impact'? How does your unique purpose add a level of valuable differentiation? What have you added to your experience that makes it THE ONLY? Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be just ONE thing - in fact, it's often a few things that come together to differentiate you.

If you're feeling stuck, high-value differentiation, positioning, and concept development is our speciality at The Storied Experience. Schedule a call today to learn how we can help!

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