When Covid-19 travel restrictions started easing around June 2022, the concept of ‘revenge travel’ became popular with travellers around the world. Tired of being fenced in, revenge travellers took to the skies – undeterred by the 15% to 25% spike in the cost of plane tickets, hotel accommodation, and attractions.  

While the idea of revenge travel has faded, the appetite for travel remains strong. In fact, industry professionals are predicting that travel will bounce back to pre-pandemic levels by 2024. Recognising this trend, the Singapore government is loosening its purse strings to invest more than S$300 million to fund the country’s post-pandemic tourism recovery. 

The cultural tourist 

Cultural exploration is high on the list of priorities for many travellers. According to UN Tourism, cultural tourists make up 40% of all international tourist arrivals. It is likely that they will visit at least one cultural and heritage attraction when they are on vacation. 

Who are cultural tourists? And, what kind of experiences are they looking for?  

They are often interested in exploring tangible heritage such as museums, galleries, and historical sites. They could also be drawn to intangible culture such as traditional arts, music festivals, or cultural events. A culture tourist could also be someone who wants to immerse in the modern culture and daily life of a place by tasting the local cuisine or getting to know ethnic neighbours. 

The search for the authenticity of a place  

More importantly, these tourists are ultimately looking for experiences that represent the authenticity of a place. They want genuine, one-of-a-kind experiences that have recognisable characteristics and offer unique stories.  

Cultural tourists are typically driven by a desire to gain a better understanding and appreciation for the cultural places they are visiting. They seek experiences that are perceived as true to the people, traditions, and spirit of the place, rather than those that are created or customised for tourists.  

Why is authenticity so appealing to the cultural tourist? As the owner of a museum or attraction, what does it mean for you?  

Cultural tourism is a booming business. The cultural tourism market is expected to exceed USD22,772 million by 2033* and the number of cultural tourists are only going to rise. And since all cultural explorers enjoy emotionally resonant experiences, it is something worth investing in. 

(Read more about this in my last blog post, where I shared how storytelling is an essential part of creating emotionally resonant experiences.)  

As an experiential consultancy, we work closely with clients who often have rich content they want to share with their visitors. They want to showcase interesting information in an exciting format. Is this enough? In our experience, visitors will only care about your content if it answers a question that matters to them, or if it is already something that is in their minds.  

Therefore, how we share our cultural stories can help to deepen a visitor’s experience and elevate their understanding and appreciation for a place. This deep connection they feel is what will encourage them to return.  

Here, let me share how HOL uses storytelling to enhance the emotional connection for one of Singapore’s attractions.   

Singapore Discovery Centre, Singapore  

Some time ago, we had the opportunity to create The Sandbox Experience @ Singapore Discovery Centre. The objective was to get Singaporeans to imagine and create the country’s future together in the Sandbox Experience. 

But how could we get Singaporeans to join the conversation? We had to convince Singaporeans that their voices matter. Therefore, the storytelling for this experience focused on evoking emotions and collective memories of home, so visitors could see themselves playing a part in shaping Singapore’s future. 

Our strategy was simply to tell stories. Because stories help people remember what they experienced. Good storytelling is what will help you to move hearts and change minds.  

Conclusion 

Making use of storytelling as a strategy not only produces more emotionally engaging experiences that attracts cultural tourists, but it also leaves them with lasting, positive memories. Ultimately, it is the memories of a place that will make tourists want to return. 

*Cultural Tourism Market is Set to Exceed a Valuation of US$ 22,772.0 Million by 2033 | Future Market Insights, Inc. (2023, March 14). Yahoo Finance.  

Angeline Tong is an architect of narratives and Chief Experience Officer at HOL, an experience and engagement strategy consultancy. Angeline has a Master of Education (Human Development & Psychology) from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Museum Studies from Harvard University. She currently resides in Singapore.

To contact Angeline, email atong@hol.sg