Are You Traveling… or Just Performing Travel?

[0:00] To be honest, if your phone got deleted right now, would your trip still feel meaningful? Or would it feel like you lost the whole experience? Because today we're asking a question most people don't want to admit. Are you actually traveling or are you just performing travel?

[0:27] Travel used to be about discovery, trying new things, learning more about yourself. But in today's day and age, it's become more of documentation. Experiences are increasingly shaped by how they look and how you think they're going to perform on social media and not how they actually feel. My name is Kiara,

[0:47] I'm the host of Put the Guidebook Down, and this episode may be a little uncomfortable, may go a little bit deeper, but is necessary for us to reflect upon. This isn't about judging how you travel, this episode is going to be about questioning who your travel is actually for.

[1:16] I'm going to start this episode off today by acknowledging the rise of performative travel. Now, you may be unfamiliar with the term, you may have heard it before, but it's essentially traveling for content and not experience. This is a lot. And this can be a hard line to walk if you are new to travel,

[1:42] if you don't travel often, maybe you're a travel content creator. But a lot of what we all experience today, regardless of all of that, is that we're not just traveling, we're producing travel. Social media has turned travel into a visual product. Your posts are a product.

[2:10] And it has resulted in this mindset of, if it's not documented, did it actually happen? And I know this because I've said this, my friends have said this, and I've heard this aloud while traveling. It's this whole acknowledgement of FOMO, but then also feeling like we need to please our Instagram, our accounts, ourselves, or whomever.

[2:34] And the way we do this is by taking those photos. Or maybe we're just scared about forgetting. But this whole fear is starting to shift from presence to capture and to validation. Hence, performative travel. And this is supported... And I've talked about this in many of my episodes about the rise of

[2:59] artificial travel from our AI usage and travel content planning, creation, itinerary generation, but then also in terms of how we're using social media to shape our travel. And this is supported by Pew Research Center, where teens and young adults are repeatedly reporting feeling pressure to share their experiences online, going back to that point of FOMO.

[3:24] And if you didn't document it, if you didn't post it, did it even happen? And this is acknowledged now by larger companies such as Expedia Group, where travelers are prioritizing Instagrammable locations as their priority for selecting their travel destination or other experiences because of this whole pressure that we're putting onto our travel.

[3:49] And we see destinations then adapting to this by purposefully creating Instagrammable tours, literally called Instagram tours, where you have a bunch of content creators or people who are focused on just creating content for social media embarking on these adventures where most of the time the guides don't share a lot of information and they're just

[4:13] shuffling you from spot to spot, most of which are man-made, so that you can get those ideal photos and videos that you're looking for. And that's going into now the experience economy, of experiences being increasingly staged for consumption and not to actually experience and to understand the context of your location and where you are.

[4:38] And I have seen this before, especially in Bali. They have beautiful structures that they've created that people have been posting about for years now, and I'm sure you might have seen the Bali swing, where you get to sit in this really pretty swing and go over

[4:54] the rice fields, or you have the bird's nest photos, and you see these people in beautiful clothing taking these amazing photos and leaving out the actual reality of what's happening around them, which, you know, the Instagram reality versus Instagram situation, where people will be taking all of these photos of what

[5:18] they're seeing online and then zooming out to the large amount of crowds taking the same photo. But then they're also, when they're doing these content creations, prioritizing getting those photos for their social media or to keep rather than actually going into the rice fields and learning about why this is an important location, what happened here,

[5:37] how they harvest the rice, et cetera. So we need to really think, are we choosing places or are we just choosing what performs well? Would you still go if you couldn't post it? And really dive into what we're going to talk about today. When did documenting become more important than experiencing?

[6:00] I mean, come on guys, this is why we're traveling, is for experience and to try something new. So I want to get back to the roots. And this is something that I've talked about actively on a couple of different episodes. The algorithm is designing your trip, and if you haven't watched my episodes about

[6:23] AI and travel or about if your trip is looking similar to everyone else's, why? Then you really should take a minute here and look into them, because we're just going to scratch the surface on this topic in this episode. But you're essentially not choosing when you're doing your travel planning.

[6:40] If you're looking at social media or AI tools, you're being guided to what that output is. Your itinerary is shaped before you even arrive. Believe it or not, your itinerary is shaped before you even arrive. In this day and age, social media such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube are being used as travel search engines.

[7:20] And that's really cool and super okay, especially if you're unsure and just curious about a destination and you want to know what it looks like or get some ideas before you're going. But you have to be aware that you're just getting the same cafes, same viewpoints, and same quote-unquote hidden gems.

[7:36] If you're just using that as the base of your research. Because the algorithm rewards repeatable visuals, not originality, no matter how hard senior leadership or creators behind these algorithms will tell you. And this is a constant fight that many content creators will tell you, in that they're creating original content and trying something different,

[7:59] but it doesn't necessarily perform well, despite Instagram saying it rewards different content. Google's research admits that Gen Z is increasingly using TikTok and Instagram for search over traditional search engines like themselves. This is how people are going not just now for travel planning, but how they get their DIY projects, answering their Google search questions, getting more information.

[8:31] It's just where people go these days because it becomes so normalized. On these platforms, travel is a top discovery category. So it makes sense that you would want to go check out these places on social media to see what's happening. But if you actually zoom out from your scrolling,

[8:53] you will see that many people are saying the exact same things. In my trip to Grenada, I saw this happening. I went through probably 50 videos about Grenada, got tired of it because I kept seeing the same six locations repeated over and over again. And all of them looked the same.

[9:15] And I was like, is that really all there is to Grenada? And it took me actually going beyond the social media algorithms, beyond AI, to attrition... Our traditional Google research on my own to see that there is way more to do in Grenada than just six spots, okay? However, this is not what people are always doing now.

[9:37] Many just look for the AI outputs or social media to dictate their trips. And studies on algorithmic reinforcement are showing that we are experiencing these filter bubbles as a society. You're not discovering places anymore. You're just selecting from a purely You're just selecting from a pre-curated menu. And if you're okay with that, I guess that's okay,

[10:02] I mean it's your travel, but I would like you to perhaps challenge yourself to go a little bit further and push yourself to think, are you curating your trip or just consuming someone else's? Because the fact of the matter is you're probably just going to take the same trip

[10:20] as millions of other people who have viewed that exact same video or taken that AI output. And is your unique itinerary actually mass-produced? And I can answer that, if you're just looking at social media and AI, yes. So now that we got that out of the way, let's get back to the main point, performative travel.

[10:49] Performing travel disconnects you from the experience itself. So, thinking about content moments or having to capture the perfect moment or photos or videos. Thinking about content moments versus the actual moments that you're in. So you're so focused on creating the best photos, the best videos, having to post online while you're in the moment.

[11:16] You're no longer in the moment. You're in a recreation of the moment and not necessarily experiencing it because you're so hyper-focused on documenting it. And I see this all the time and I think this is starting to gain a little bit more traction amongst younger generations coming up with technology, in that you go to concerts

[11:38] and you see everyone take out their phones. Next thing you know, you're watching a concert through the phone of the person recording in front of you. How frustrating is that? And it's the same thing with travel. You pay all of this money to get to a destination only for a bunch of people to be

[11:54] taking out their phones in front of you and getting in the way of your viewpoint. Now you're probably most likely going to be that person too, because we do like to document different parts of our travel just so we can remember it.

[12:10] But the focus should be that you just take the photo to take the photo for your own reflection and not focusing on getting that ideal perfect photo that you had in your mind. Memory distortion occurs when this happens because the experiences become mediated. They're no longer genuine.

[12:35] And you may then look back on these photos and be like, wow, there was no one at the Trevi Fountain that day. It's the Trevi Fountain. There were definitely at least hundreds of other people around there with you at the same time. So that's creating that performative travel experience right there.

[12:56] And the American Psychological Association's research backs up this point. Documenting experiences can reduce memory retention in general. So that means that we're getting this photo-taking impairment effect, where you're either remembering something, it really wasn't to be because of the documentation you created in that moment, or you're just so focused on creating that moment that

[13:24] you actually don't remember what you were doing, what was being done, what was being said, what you were experiencing at that time. And I think we might actually all have been there if you take a moment to think about it. Most don't because it might bother them. And I know it bothers me sometimes,

[13:42] but you look back on these photos and you're like, okay, yeah, I remember that I was visiting that location, but what actually was happening in that moment? Who was I with? And you start to see that you're not being able to recall that experience or that information as quickly as maybe you used to.

[13:59] And that's because you're so focused on documentation, but also you're taking so much documentation, experiencing so much and consuming so much at the same time, your senses are overloaded and you're not able to convert that information into the long-term memory. Which then can make you think, did I really enjoy my trip or not?

[14:21] Which you may actually have, but then you start to So this is where studies have been talking about more about mindfulness and presence to have that higher satisfaction with your travel. And this is something that I personally have been working on in my own travel, where putting the phone down,

[14:48] not vlogging in the moment on my Instagram channel, to actually be present and take in what I paid to do here and be in the moment, like, okay, yeah, I am in the middle of the piazza in Rome, let me actually see what's going on rather

[15:06] than trying to tag the location into a post on Instagram. So now I want to ask you, have you ever been somewhere incredible but spent more time getting the shot than actually being there? I think early on in my travel journey my answer would have been yes, but as I've

[15:23] done this reflection and mindfulness about my own travel journey I've started to shift that away, and I might not have all of the shots that I want to recall that memory or trip right when I want to, but I can recall the feeling and being in the moment and happy to have been in that travel experience.

[15:44] So are you remembering your trip or your content from it? And another good reflection point is, is your experience being filtered in real time by literally working on your filters? Because our actions here and how we interpret and preserve a destination, it impacts that location. It's not just personal. Performative-driven travel reshapes culture.

[16:17] These places adapt to what gets posted or what doesn't get posted, what gets talked about, what doesn't get written about. In my AI episode, I talk about how with these AI outputs, they're all pulling from data. And if there is no data for the algorithms to reference, how are you going to know that that place is there?

[16:40] This is what happens when we prioritize aesthetic over authenticity. Local experiences may become more staged so that they remain quote-unquote relevant for our content creators or people to go document, or they are forgotten because they're not seen as a priority for those who are doing the documentation.

[17:02] And we've seen this again in Bali, in Paris cafes, in Santorini viewpoints. Hot take right here, like I don't even know if I want to go to Santorini at this point because it's so over-displayed on social media. And I've read the comments about it. People were like, you can't even get a photo in that iconic viewpoint.

[17:22] It's like, well, I just wanted to go there and experience Santorini. But now I'm going to have to worry about getting in the way of everyone's photos and getting the same photos as everyone else. It's just all performative and doesn't feel real. So... That's a little bit of a rant there,

[17:37] but that's just my genuine feeling about it, which is unfortunate because Santorini is a beautiful place and I would love to visit it. So this goes back to the point of when enough people perform the same version of a place, do the same documentation, same poses, same viewpoints, such as in the Santorini example,

[17:56] the place starts performing back, and that's when we see the lack of authentic culture, and the place is just losing authenticity in general for travel. So you should be thinking, are you experiencing culture or consuming a version designed for you? And this is, again, like with you going on these travel experiences you see locals doing

[18:22] performative dances and not happy to do so because it's just become another job for them to do. It's not something that they truly value and want to preserve. And what happens to these places that don't look good online? They're disappearing. So then you may be thinking, okay, Kiara, you're talking about all this stuff.

[18:48] So is all travel performance bad? Like you seem pretty negative about it. And I acknowledge that sharing can inspire others. And as someone who goes on social media to look up some destinations and get ideas, yeah, of course. I mean, I just admitted that I'm doing it and it does inspire me for travel.

[19:08] Then content can support local businesses. And this is the huge role of content creators, and why businesses are turning to content creators to do their marketing, because their content gets widespread, goes on social media, and then therefore more people become aware of the place and visit it. And this documentation helps with storytelling.

[19:29] So preserving that local culture, language, history, people, it has a huge power behind it. But the issue isn't the sharing. It becomes when sharing is shared. It becomes a problem when sharing becomes the sole purpose of the trip. Then we lose the authenticity. Then we start losing destinations.

[20:01] And then we just start entering that realm of performative travel. You need to take a step back and... So then how do you stop performing in your travels and how do you avoid entering the performative travel category? There are a couple different ways to do this. As I always say, put the phone down, put the phone down,

[20:42] put the camera down, step in front of the lens and just be in the present moment. Now that can be easier said than done. I acknowledge that. We're all still posting. I'm a content creator. I'm still posting. So let's talk about some other ways that you can approach this. The first one, delay documentation.

[21:00] Experience the moment first, then capture it later. This is my now number one go-to, is that I'm going to be in the moment, experience it, do what I wanted to do or what I came for that experience for. And then I'm gonna capture it,

[21:17] take that photo and video to remember the moment and how I felt during it. So maybe this is like when you're in a can... So for example, if you're at a concert, rather than trying to record the whole thing with your phone or your camera,

[21:37] why don't you just listen to the music first and then maybe record 15 seconds or one song, just so you can recall it. You don't need that full concert, okay? When are you going to actually sit down and watch the whole concert through and through? Or if you're in your travel experience. Say you go to Paris,

[21:56] go up the Eiffel Tower, take the photo once you get up to the Eiffel Tower or after you even go into the Eiffel Tower. How many photos and videos do you actually need, again, of the Eiffel Tower and how many are you going to actually all watch and experience? The next one. Ask better planning questions.

[22:15] Ask what's meaningful here versus what's popular to do in X or top 10 best things to do, and let's stick with Paris. So we'll say Paris. Or asking right away to social media or the AI tools you're using to put together an itinerary for three days in Rome. Reframe the question to go deeper.

[22:40] And even maybe ask your AI tool, what are some of the least visited places in Rome that can help me truly experience Italian culture and go deeper in this destination versus the regular traveler? Trust me, you're going to get different outputs than what the millions of other people do just to search for that itinerary.

[23:11] The third one is a personal challenge for you to try to take on. Do one thing that you don't post. Maybe gatekeep a little bit here, okay? Sometimes it's okay if you're going to be actually in gatekeeping for a reason, that you want to enjoy that memory and create a private moment for you to recall on

[23:30] when you're reflecting on your travel. Next, talk to locals before your phone. Ask the people in the destination or who are from the area about things to do, where they should go, how you should experience it, before just typing it into the AI tool you're using, social media, or Google.

[23:55] Those are people who are from the area or living in that destination. They know what to do, so they're going to give you the real insights over the algorithmic suggestion. Lastly, the last one is more of a personal reflection one. Audit your intention. Ask yourself, would I still do this if no one saw it?

[24:19] When I reflect on this one myself, it's kind of disappointing to hear that I went to many of these experiences or destinations because I wanted to showcase it on social media. I think about this a lot when I go to certain landmarks. Because I'm going there because they're the seven wonders of the world, or because

[24:39] they're posting about it on social media, or they ask the question, did you even go to India if you didn't see the Taj Mahal? It's like, did I really need to spend all that money or go all the way out of my way to experience that? And I didn't really enjoy it, so probably not. But again,

[24:57] that FOMO and that pressure that social media is creating for us, whether we acknowledge it and feel it or not. So that last one does do a lot. That last one will help shape you in your travel journey and maybe make you along comfortable and that's okay.

[25:18] We're using this episode to call out and challenge ourselves to go deeper and more meaningful with our travel journey. Travel isn't supposed to be a performance. It's supposed to change you, quietly, personally, and sometimes in ways you can't even explain. This is what travel was supposed to be.

[26:04] And I don't think it's what travel is necessarily for the main focus in this day and age. So we should get back there. Ask yourself, are you traveling to experience or to be seen experiencing? And what would your trip look like without an audience, either in real life or virtually and on social media?

[26:33] If this episode challenged you even a little bit, I want to hear from you. DM me or leave a comment. What's one moment from your travels that you didn't post but meant the most in the end? And if you're tired of surface-level travel content, make sure you're following this podcast, Put the Guidebook Down,

[26:52] because this is what we're unpacking every week, learning how to travel more meaningfully and deeper. Thank you so much, everyone. Bye!