I had a wonderful time talking with CBS in Salt Lake City about something that has become central to how I think about travel: Memory-First Travel™ and what I call the Travel Test.
Whether you’re planning an educational adventure with your child, setting off on a solo trip to recharge and focus on your well-being, or an executive evaluating a resort for your company’s next convention or retreat, the question is the same:
Will I remember this five years from now? Will the people traveling with me, or attending this event, remember it?
If the answer is no, it may be time to reevaluate how you’re spending your time, your energy and your budget.
A beautiful resort, an incredible meal, an inspiring destination or a thoughtfully planned experience can all be wonderful. But what makes an experience truly worthwhile is what stays with you long after you leave.
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The Travel Test: A Different Way to Make Travel Decisions
Memory-First Travel™ doesn’t mean every experience has to be profound or that every trip needs to be life-changing. Sometimes, a wonderful vacation is simply about having fun, exploring somewhere new or enjoying a little luxury.
It’s about being more thoughtful about the experiences we choose rather than automatically following someone else’s must-do list.
Before booking an excursion, choosing a restaurant or deciding where to hold a corporate gathering, consider what makes that experience worthwhile to you. Is there something you want to discover? An opportunity to learn about another culture, challenge yourself or connect with the people around you? For a business gathering, could the setting encourage the kinds of conversations and relationships that are harder to develop in a conference room or over a video call?
The answers will be different for everyone. A family might discover a shared interest in history or another culture. A solo traveler might return home with a renewed sense of perspective. Colleagues might build relationships that continue long after a convention ends.
That’s the beauty of the Memory-First Travel™ and The Travel Test: it doesn’t dictate what makes an experience meaningful. It encourages you to think about what matters to you- and make your choices accordingly.
It’s not about predicting exactly what you’ll remember five years from now. It’s about giving yourself a better chance of creating an experience worth remembering.
Why I’m Sharing Memory-First Travel™
One of the things I love most about my work with FoodFamilyTravel.com® is sharing ideas like these with television audiences around the country and around the globe. I get to bring practical travel insights into people’s homes and hopefully inspire them to think differently about their next adventure.
My conversation with CBS in Salt Lake City was a wonderful opportunity to talk about Memory-First Travel™ and The Travel Test and how a simple question can change the way we approach travel.
The next time you’re deciding where to go, what to book or how to spend your time, give the Travel Test a try: Will I remember this five years from now?
You can’t know the answer for certain. But asking the question may help you focus on what matters most to you, rather than simply following someone else’s itinerary.
And that can make all the difference.
Watch the full interview with Christianne Klein and CBS here: