3 Reasons Why Everyone Should Try Community-Based Travel

For years, the solo backpacker with nothing but a one-way ticket and lack of itinerary was the ultimate vision of someone trying to disconnect. Today, many people are doing the complete opposite. They aren’t traveling to leave work behind, but rather to connect with others and improve their skills.

In a world where we are constantly connected with everything around us, it can still feel lonely and overwhelming at times, which is perhaps why travelers are turning to community-based travel experiences to explore, to create and to connect in order to learn how to navigate the hectic digital world.

More and more people are beginning to realize that their creativity and passions don’t have to stay locked up and have taken their holidays not to relax by the beach, but to up their game so they can go home with a fresh mindset and to bring their side-hustle to life. In fact, many community-based travel experiences bring like-minded individuals together to inspire and empower each other in their interests.

“Women love to be lifted up and surrounded by other women, especially passionate, entrepreneurial spirits,” says Tracy Komlos, founder of Pangea Dreams. “During our retreats, guests begin each day by setting intentions and goals for their futures, whether that’s being their own boss, or balancing their career with wellness. Each woman leaves with a powerful community and network of other women who support them well after the retreat is over.”

Travelers seeking community-based experiences consider their fellow travelers and the skills they will gain just as important as the destination that will be surrounding them. As much as Hawaii’s beaches may sound tempting, many travelers with a side-hustle are now more inclined to use their precious vacation time to travel somewhere like Cambodia. That’s if there’s a group there ready to immerse themselves in social media strategy, videography and photography workshops without the distractions of day-to-day life.

It’s no secret that social media has changed both how we live our everyday lives and the way we travel. It has allowed many travelers to live remotely and turn their passion of writing, photography or web design into a full-time career. It has also made it easy for those who are craving this life to seek out advice about how they can do the same, leading to community-based travel experiences focused on workshops such as Socality Camp. Founder and photographer, Scott Bakken, says, “Learning and creating is always an outcome of our trips, but the main goal is to provide a space of belonging. Social media has connected people across the globe and has allowed them to build sincere online friendships. Traveling to learn from each other’s experiences seems like a logical next step. We have taken that next step and turned it into a community-based experience.”

Shared experiences can turn solo travel into a powerful way to connect with others, but also allows travelers to step outside of their comfort zones. From learning new skills to picking up a new hobby and building a community, there is no limit to what this new breed of travelers can achieve when they don’t have the daily grind distracting them.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.