Sharing a short essay that arrived in my inbox today, courtesy of Dense Discovery — a newsletter about design, tech, sustainability and urbanism curated by Kai Brach, based in Melbourne, Australia.
Do we travel for transformation or validation?
It's always interesting to hear what thought leaders "outside" the travel industry have to say about the state of tourism, so I'm sharing Kai's article with his permission.
There's a few good points in this piece, including how touristic travel (e.g. mass tourism) can import more culture to a destination than it exports. I also agree that seeking validation on social media is drowning out good quality travel content.
There's some truth to Kai's point about escapism. Consider this: the biggest competitor to a travel agent is the electronics shop, where consumers can instead buy a new 50" flatscreen TV. In this scenario, which "escapism" is worse? Buying a new TV or booking a trip on a cruise ship? 😅
However, I don't believe that all trave...
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Hello friends, I’m Maria Paravantes, a first-generation, Greek-American. I was born and raised in Chicago, and spent all my summers in Greece until I moved here in my late teens. For the past three decades, I have worked as a professional journalist writing out of Athens about Greece and all the things I love most: travel, food and culture.
I am also the proud founder of TheGreekVibe.com, which is the ultimate go-to source for all things Greek.
Picture the The Greek Vibe as a ‘virtual guesthouse’ where as a good Greek host I treat you to the best of Greece, its secrets, its beautiful beaches and picture-perfect destinations, its age-old traditions, its delectable foods and intoxicating spirits, and of course, initiate you into the “Greek way” of doing things like sipping your coffee slowly as you chat with friends or sampling delicious Greek ‘mezedes’ with some anise-flavored ouzo by the beach. In short: The Greek Vibe is the best of Greek hospitality in words. Join me a let's embark on #yournextGreeceadventure
Interested in learning more about Greece?
I love reading Greek Vibe.
Maria shares her Great Knowledge about greek culture, traditions and music. First hand experience in Greece
I am looking forward for her new posts.
Thank you very much for the kind words.
A fantastic country, with so much to offer! always look forward to one of my visits!
Thank you, Ric. And there's so much people don't know about. That's what The Greek Vibe aims to do... show the world the 'other' side of Greece.
Way to go Martia! Keep up the awesome work!
Thank you, Niko! Very important for me to inspire people and provide insight for their travel to Greece.