What is “Authentic Travel” Anyways?
Yesterday I received a spammy email from a travel company that offers “authentic tours” to India. The company’s name is not important because it’s one of hundreds that send similar messages to by inbox every week. Yay, email!
As someone that’s fairly receptive to travel information (and has a relentless curiousity about India), I clicked through to see what this company had to offer. The language and tone of the website positioned the company as one that “goes beyond the brochure” to find “unique and authentic” travel experience.
My curiousity kicked in, so I continued to read. But the more I read, the more I began to question the meaning of authentic travel experiences.
According to this company, authentic travel meant visiting all of the tourist hotspots in northern India – and in record time I might add (14 days to visit 11 cities – yowzers!). Tours had guests sleeping in westernized 4-star hotels, transported in fancy air-conditioned coaches and dining at buffet-style tourist restaurants. It looked interesting, but it also looked exhausting.
Let’s be clear – there is absolutely nothing wrong with this type of travel (we’ve been on several organized tours and had a great time – I fully support not thinking when on vacation).
Most casual travelers don’t want to step too far outside of their comfort zone – and that’s okay, it’s about personal preferences. Given the insane price point of these “authentic tours” to India, I think it’s safe to say that its target customers do not ride public transit in their hometown – so I can’t imagine they would want to ride an uncomfortable, overcrowded bus in India.
Okay, let’s be honest – who really wants to ride an overcrowded bus in India?
But I question the authenticity of such a trip.
By definition, authentic means “not false or copied; of undisputed origin; original; genuine; real”. So my question is – can a company really claim that its tours are authentic if they run the same tours every week?
I began reflecting on my personal travel experiences, the ones that felt the most original and worthy of the title “authentic”.
Let’s stick with India – the Taj Mahal specifically.
Wandering around the extravagant marble mausoleum was an incredible experience, one that I’ll never forget. We snapped countless photos and sat speechless as the morning sun climbed over the world famous monument. The moment was special, it was personal, it was wonderful, but I wouldn’t classify it as authentic. Millions of others have shared a similar experience within the gates of the Taj Mahal complex.
Therefore, by definition, this cannot be labeled as authentic – can it?
For me, the most memorable and meaningful Taj Mahal experience happened on the rooftop restaurant of a budget hotel, located a few blocks away (the spot where the above photo was captured).
Our stomachs lead us to this unassuming, poorly advertised restaurant. We were looking for an outdoor venue to enjoy the sunshine and soak up the Taj Mahal views.
A young employee barked at us as we passed by, raving about the fantastic unobstructed views of his restaurant. We entertained his offer and climbed the sketchy stairs to his makeshift rooftop restaurant. The restaurant was empty, so we knew we were taking a chance – we had already suffered a serious bout of Dehli Belly, so we were playing it cautious (not an easy task in India).
Because we were the only guests in the restaurant, our server began chatting with us. He was a young man, clearly educated and eager to practice his English. We were not in a hurry, there was no tour bus waiting to whisk us away to another attraction, so we obliged and asked him to sit with us. We helped him with his pronunciation and we answered his questions about the language. We exchanged stories about our home countries and compared our very different cultures.
It was an interesting afternoon, an unexpected travel experience that has made a lasting impression on us and our views of India.
Street views of Agra from the rooftop restaurant, a few short blocks from the Taj Mahal
At some point in the conversation we realized that he too was having a cultural experience. He was just as curious about us as we were of him. By stepping outside the tourist bubble and breaking down our own walls, we were able to have a meaningful connection with a resident of Agra. For a moment, we understood what life was like for a young Indian man filled with enthusiasm and hope for India’s future.
Now, one can argue that such an experience has nothing to do with the Taj Mahal, but I challenge that thought. The Taj Mahal was the purpose for our visit to Agra and we chose that particular restaurant because it boasted views of the Taj Mahal. I’m not saying we were the first people to dine at this rooftop restaurant, but this experience was our own. It was not planned, it was not fabricated – it was genuine and real.
I question whether we could have had such an experience on said authentic tour?
What do you think – can a tour operator really claim to offer “authentic travel experiences”? Or does one need to step outside the “organized tour” to fully experience authenticity?
Share your feedback in the comments section below, we’re curious about your thoughts!
Cameron and Nicole Wears are a Canadian couple and newbie parents living in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. A passion for travel and outdoor adventure has taken them to over 65 countries & territories on 6 continents in the past 7 years. Consider following us via 
I think to fully experience authenticity one has to step outside the boundaries of an organized tour but I think ‘boundaries’ can be defined in the sense of stepping outside of the expected and planned. I’ll use my own experience as an example. When we visited Jaipur some years ago, my husband and I booked a private tour with a local guide. Much of our experience was not so ‘authentic’ in that we went to the famous sites, our guide told us about their history, shared interesting tidbits and made sure he snapped plenty of photos of us. As he chatted, we got glimpses into his personal life and he into ours. By the second day, when our tour was wrapping up, he took us to a place not on the tour schedule – the temple where he worshiped. Then he took us to visit the school he attended as a boy and a home across the street run by nuns who cared for the mentally disabled. The time we spent there, playing and laughing with the residents was a very genuine experience – and one that never would have happened had we not first been on a tour.
Great feedback Anis! Thank you for sharing your story. It sounds like you had a similar experience with your guide. Isn’t India fascinating?!
Ugh. Authentic and Off the Beaten Path are both on my most hated marketing terms list.
In rare cases I’ve seen companies partner with a local village or remote town to offer something unique. But…once those tours start rolling in week after week, and the expectations of locals change from ‘wow…why are these people interested in this’ to ‘oh boy another tour group from X Company’ the all that authenticity is thrown out the window.
Nothing beats finding your own special place that the tour companies don’t know about
Agreed. I feel like authenticity can only be achieved organically, it cannot be planned and scheduled. I do like tours and have nothing against visiting tourist hotspots, but when I reflect on my most memorable travel experiences it almost always has an element of surprise to it. But that’s just my story… I’m sure others have a differing opinion.
I think one of your questions makes a great statement, “can a company really claim that its tours are authentic if they run the same tours every week?”.
I don’t think the tours provide the most authentic travel experiences, just experiences in a different sense. With such guided tours I couldn’t imagine that they could show what life is really like in certain places. That takes time.
The good thing (at least I think) is that the tours provide an opening for those type of travelers to grow truly curious about a place. It might start the flame to push people to want to stay there in the future for an extended amount of time. Maybe then they will get an even more “authentic experience”.
You make a great point Pablo. Sometimes the tour provides the spark and confidence that an individual needs in order to step outside the tourist bubble and genuinely connect with the people and the land. Well said.
If people are still under the illusion that there are “off the beaten path” excursions to top attractions of a country, they must be living in a world without internet or TV. I find labels like ‘authentic travel’ or ‘spiritual journey’ a load of nonsense marketing jargon because you don’t need to travel all the way to India to get those experiences. Simply stating, many visitors are blown away by seeing how different the lifestyle in a foreign country can be, and they misconstrue this as ‘authentic’ travel or something like that.
Driving an auto rickshaw through 11 cities in 14 days, that would be something cool.
Priyank
Well said Priyank. And yes, driving an auto rickshaw through 11 cities in 14 days would be pretty cool!!
This is a tough one. I think tour companies can provide an authentic experience if they work with local family-owned businesses and if they build an itinerary that mixes seeing the main sights with experiences that are difficult to find on your own in a short time period. It is also good if they give you downtime, so you can go out and discover things on your own.
Yes, sufficient downtown is a certainly a must for any tour. It’s important to have some personal exploration time.
I think tour operators can offer “authentic experiences” but not in a large group setting. I know an operator that sets up customized tours for one or two people that incorporates home stays, etc. depending on what the travelers are interested in. I think those can be very authentic experiences even if they are arranged by a tour operator. But I don’t think that a big-scale, canned tour can offer such an experience.
We share that view. I guess it really comes down to the tour offering and the operator?
Kent and I talk a lot about what constitutes “authentic?” We maintain that any experience is authentic because it is the experience you are having.
Appreciate the feedback guys! Yes, on some level every experience and interaction that we have is authentic because it’s personal to you.
Great post and very interesting read. I agree with you and everyone else raising doubts about ‘authentic experience’ and ‘off-beaten destinations’ (although I confess that I indulged a few times in such expressions in my own writing).
As more and more places, once remote, become accessible to tourist, there’s less and less authenticity. Like you, I have nothing against organized tours (although I’m much more of an independent traveler) but I’m afraid that the only way to still experience authenticity (no matter if it’s about food, people, nature etc.) is just wandering without a specific objective, open to whatever may happen or be revealed in front of your eyes.
Some of my most memorable travel experiences are the ones that just happened without any planning or organizing. Serendipity has always played a big role in creating long lasting memories.
It’s funny – I always want things to “go as planned” but its rare that a good travel story is created when everything “went according to plan”.
Authentic travel–to me–is being true to yourself and immersing in the cultural experience the country has to offer. Everyone’s version of authenticity will be different: a luxury traveler would have an authentic experience staying at the Oberoi chain of hotels, the budget traveler the hostel etc…each one sees India through their own eyes. That said, group tours can be a good introduction to a place you’re not familiar with –but you’re obviously seeing the place through “their” eyes and their definition of authenticity. Good post and much to think about!
Appreciate the feedback Charu!
I too have been on organized tours although not for a long time now. I find anytime you take an organized tour, even if for the day, the tour guide has their spots they want to take you for “authentic” shopping and “authentic” eating. These are usually just places created for tourists to buy trinkets and eat overpriced meals. I much rather prefer seeing the tourist spots such as Buckingham Palace, Eiffel Tower, Chichen Itza and so forth on my own. Then I can spend as much or as little time as I want and also explore the surrounding area or go do something else.
Thanks for your feedback. You raise a good point – many tour operators “manufacture” an experience to complete the tour (or make a kick back from the restaurants or souvenir shops). I side with you, I would much rather experience a destination on my own watch, allowing myself enough time to fully soak it up.
I am not a traveler who shuns tourist sites — I feel like they are hot spots for a reason! But no trip anywhere is complete for me without plenty of time to just wander around, sit in a cafe, day-drink and meet locals… you name it. I just like it. I would never survive 11 cities in 14 days!
I’ve found that some of my most memorable travel experiences were unplanned and stumbled on, simply because I allowed myself to be open to something different. I’m also a big believer that top tourist spots get that recognition for good reason. I have no problem competing with other tourists for that perfect postcard photo, but there needs to be something real for me to file that experience as exceptional. Thanks for your feedback Abby!
I’ve been on a couple of organized tours and they are authentic in the sense that the interactions with the tour guide and fellow travellers are unique to you and only you at that time and place. That being said, I like to build in some extra room at the beginning or end of any tour to explore at my own pace.
Agreed. I enjoy a tour once in a while, provided I also have time to experience things on my own. Getting lost is often the most exciting part of traveling to foreign lands – you never know what will happen!
Authentic is just another adjective used to try to sell a product. This and similar wording and phraseology are always found in spammy emails trying to sell you something. It is pointless trying to analyse what it means.
But seriously aren’t all travel experiences authentic? Unless of course you bought them from ‘Rekall’ like Douglas Quaid in ‘Total Recall’?
I agree that all experiences have an element of authenticity, simply because it is real for each individual. But I’d argue that one cannot package authenticity and sell it.
Great question! I think that ‘authentic travel’ can happen anywhere, but one must be open to it. It can happen in major tourist areas (including those considered ‘traps’), but it may require some effort. At times, it happens as a result of luck. Or one simply has a meaningful or memorable experience that feels authentic to them.
Some tour companies can help make travel more authentic (if we’re talking about cultural interactions)–if they have the right local connections and the right intentions.
Having said this, it seems (to me) that stepping away from the major tourist zones is more likely to lead to authentic travel, but one should be open to the possibility of it occurring where you might not expect it, too. That’s been my experience…
Well said Lisa! I think we share similar views when it comes to authentic travel. Being open to new experiences is certainly a critical piece
Great article!
For me, I think travel is authentic travel when I connect with a person, the place, the culture in a way that is meaningful to me. How one defines “meaningful” is a personal question.
Relatedly, I’m a planner by nature but I know the best plans are the ones you are willing to leave behind.
This is a great post and really got me thinking, thanks!
I think authenticity can be different from person to person so a tour company offering the same tour to large groups of people kind of eliminates itself from authenticity. If everyone’s doing the same thing everyday with the group, how can they experience for themselves the authenticity of a place?
In addition, hundreds of these companies run out tours that are very similar to each other – each one going to the same sort of places – so how can one company call themselves authentic if they are regurgitating the same tours as every other company?
The thing I don’t really understand with these tours is the fact that the travellers sleep in westernised accommodation and eat in westernised restaurants. So, while other aspects of the tour might be considered authentic, this kind of makes it half-hearted – they are almost able to step outside of the ‘realness’ of the place whenever they want to. Surely, this can’t be described as authentic!
Anyway, great post and loads of great comments as well!
Definitely an interesting question… I have done these kinds of tours before, and I think it is possible to have authentic experiences, but they are more rare. It is easy to get caught up in the bubble that is the tour bus and the people on it. When I went through Russia for the first time (I’m planning to go back next summer), my group got settled into a pattern of partying and drinking at night in whatever hotel we were staying in. I grew tired of this and ventured out one night with two friends, and we had what I thought was an authentic (and somewhat scandalous) experience of Moscow nightlife. To get these experiences, I think you still have to step out on your own, away from that bubble…
Authentic travel is doing something because you want to do it. Doing something because it interests you. This is as opposed to doing something because “it’s something to tick off the list”.