If it’s the experience that matters, why travel?

More and more, people are traveling not for the destination, but for the experience. It’s not about ticking off a location on a map; it’s about the memories, the emotions, the moments that define us. This shift in why we travel is a big one, and it raises a crucial question: Can we bring those experiences closer to home?

Take the indoor ski slope in Dubai. At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss. Why create snow in a place where the sun blazes year-round? Doesn’t it seem odd, even wasteful, to simulate winter in a desert? In my eyes it is beyond crazy.

But here's the thing: If the alternative is thousands of people boarding flights to Norway or other cold destinations just for the sake of experiencing winter, maybe the choice isn’t so clear. We’ve all heard the phrase "fly less, travel smarter," but it’s not so simple. What if the demand for these experiences is so strong that creating them locally actually makes sense?

The real question becomes: what if we could bring more extraordinary experiences closer to home? Imagine a world where we don’t need to board a plane to chase after novelty and thrill. What if the adventure we seek, the moments that matter, could be just around the corner?

This shift could not only help us preserve our carbon budgets, but it could also reshape how we think about travel altogether. Instead of the traditional model where we fly long distances to seek something "new," we could cultivate those experiences where we already live, saving time, energy, and resources in the process. It’s not about eliminating travel or escapism; it’s about shifting the paradigm to make sustainability an active part of the journey.

The future of travel might not be about where we go, it could be about how we experience the world right where we are.