Learn While You Travel

The Contiki Bus
Originally uploaded by Andy and Tony.

If you see a tour bus unloading, don't assume they are all gray haired with fanny packs. The idea of vacations are changing as people both young and old would rather take the opportunity to actually DO something as opposed to laying out in the sun doing nothing.

It looks like a bunch of travel tour companies have built upon the idea of learning vacations and from the research I did, each company has clear goals of who they want to target. Some are going after the boomer set, with Da Vinci code tours, culinary expeditions, and art history jaunts. On the flipside, there are tour companies like Contiki going after the Millennial and X-er set with a more extreme view of touring by going to historic sites, camping, wine tastings, and "mixing it up with the locals." STA Travel caters to the college set too and makes it easier for students to study abroad. Tours aren't just about sightseeing anymore, they are about learning about different cultures and taking a participatory role in them.