• Thursday 04 June 2026

Why More Irish Travellers Are Choosing Experiences Over Itineraries

Looking beyond the ordinary in search of experiences you'll never forget

For years, the holiday conversation was fairly straightforward. Where are you going? How long are you staying? Have you booked the hotel?

These days, the conversation often starts somewhere else entirely: What are you doing?

It's a subtle shift, but an important one. More and more travellers are choosing holidays built around experiences rather than destinations alone. It's no longer just about reaching a place on the map; it's about coming home with stories worth telling.

We can see it in the types of trips people are booking. Some are swapping airport queues and busy schedules for leisurely rail journeys, watching mountain scenery unfold outside the window. Others are embracing the freedom of a driving holiday, taking the scenic route and stopping whenever something catches their eye.

There's also a growing appetite for holidays with a particular focus. Wellness breaks, cycling adventures, escorted tours and sports trips are all attracting travellers who want their holiday to feel a little more personal and purposeful.

Perhaps it's a reaction to how busy everyday life has become. Many of us spend our weeks rushing from one thing to the next, so when holiday time comes around, we're looking for something that feels genuinely different. Not just a change of scenery, but a change of pace.

Solo travel is another trend that's impossible to ignore. Irish travellers are becoming increasingly confident about heading off on their own, whether for a city break, a guided tour or a longer adventure. Far from being lonely, solo travel often offers the chance to connect more deeply with the places you visit and the people you meet along the way. An increasing number of cruise lines also offer solo occupancy cabins now, along with activities and mixers for solo travellers to meet and mingle.

Then there are the experiences that sit firmly in the "once-in-a-lifetime" category. Expedition voyages to remote polar regions, for example, are attracting travellers who want to see parts of the world that few people ever reach. Standing on the deck of a ship surrounded by icebergs is a long way from the typical summer sun holiday, but that's precisely the appeal.

Even traditional family holidays are evolving. Destinations like Slovenia are quietly becoming favourites for Irish families looking for something a little different. It offers beautiful scenery, excellent outdoor facilities and a more relaxed atmosphere than some of Europe's better-known holiday hotspots. It's the sort of place people discover once and then find themselves recommending to friends for years afterwards. (Click here to see info about one of our favourite family campsites in Slovenia, Camping Terme Čatež)

Of course, there's nothing wrong with returning to a favourite destination. Many of us have places we revisit time and again, and for good reason. But increasingly, travellers are looking for new ways to experience those places, whether that's exploring by train, taking to two wheels, travelling solo or venturing further off the beaten path.

The destination still matters. It always will.

But what many travellers are discovering is that the moments they remember most aren't necessarily tied to a particular place. They're tied to an experience: a sunrise viewed from a train carriage, a conversation with a local guide, the sense of achievement after a day's cycling, or the thrill of finally seeing a landscape they've only ever seen in photographs.

That's what makes a holiday memorable long after the suitcase has been unpacked. And right now, there are more ways than ever to find those moments.

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Chat with our experienced teams in Cork, Bantry and Clonakilty to get started planning your own unique adventure. Take advantage of our years of experience, worldwide relationships, advice and recommendations. Get in touch:

• Cork City: 021 4277094 or 01 6965135, or info@shandontravel.ie
• Bantry: 027 50341 or bantry@shandontravel.ie
• Clonakilty: 023 8833220 or clonakilty@shandontravel.ie