Despite the 21st century’s changing tendencies, one important element is propelling people’s desire to travel more and more: the spirit of scientific inquiry.
In the past, expeditions were reserved for experts: researchers, scientists, and explorers who went out to explore uncharted territory in an effort to increase human knowledge. However, a new sector of expedition tourism is opening up the excitement of exploration to the general people by providing expert-led trips that concentrate on topics like ethnography, science, and conservation.
People don’t just want to sit on a beach anymore – there’s more of an appetite for self-fulfilment,” said Kevin Currie, director of New Scientist Discovery Tours. “We launched in June 2019, at a time when experiential tours were growing at twice the rate of normal tourism. That’s resumed since the pandemic; we’re seeing exponential growth.”
New Scientist Discovery Tours are accompanied by experts in their fields, who lead visits to conservation areas, historical sites, or scientific institutions, explaining to guests in depth what it is that they’re seeing and experiencing. Current tours include a trip to CERN in Switzerland with a particle physicist and a cruise to Svalbard featuring on-board lectures from world-famous evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins.
