What Happens When the Destination Comes Second?

Photo Credit: Images that sum up the travel experience for many travelers. Grok The conventional view of leisure travel starts with a destination. Persuade someone to choose a place, and the flights, hotels, and activities follow. But a growing part of the travel business is being built around the reverse: win the customer through something they want to do, then help determine where they go. That gives hotels, event companies, airlines, and tour operators a role in shaping demand that destination marketers cannot afford to overlook. The competition begins before the traveler has a place in mind. I asked Brian Chesky about the accommodation version of this on stage at Skift Global Forum in September 2021. Travelers had historically picked a destination and then looked for somewhere to stay, I said. He explained that accommodation had become the first choice for many people, which was why Airbnb had introduced its “I’m flexible” search. Five years later, the commercial implications extend well beyond Airbnb. The Stay Co