Travel has changed, so have priorities. What people desire from their…
2025
Travel has changed, so have priorities. What people desire from their vacations is no longer confined to guided tours. There is a yearning to go beyond having a good time and delve deeper to feel the pulse of the place. People now seek deeper, more meaningful experiences that connect them with a destination’s culture, history and people. This shift, known as experiential travel, has become widely popular.
Experiential travel is not just about visiting places; it is about feeling them. Many travellers find joy in kind strangers, quiet moments and the wisdom in old faces. These experiences help create a sense of belonging and deeper connections to the world.
Since the pandemic, people have started prioritising themselves, realizing how short life can be. A report reveals that 86% of millennials now prefer immersive travel experiences over traditional tourism. Instead of simply checking places off a list, they want to live their journey—joining local festivals, exploring hidden culinary gems, and embracing cultural traditions authentically.
Experiential travel fosters a lasting appreciation for places and their people. Travellers immerse themselves in local traditions, engage in community activities and learn from those they meet. Whether it is exploring nature, understanding regional customs or connecting with locals, these moments create lasting memories.
Experiential travel is not just about fun; it is a way to learn, grow and truly become a part of a place, even if only for a short time.
How is the passage structured?
- A.
Cause-effect, explaining why travel has changed and its outcomes
- B.
Problem-solution, presenting issues with tourism and proposing solutions
- C.
Thematically, introducing experiential travel and elaborating on its significance
- D.
Chronologically, tracing the history of travel
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept: A passage's organizational pattern is revealed by how each paragraph relates to the one before it. Four common patterns are chronological (events unfold in time order), cause-effect (a cause is traced to its resulting effects), problem-solution (an issue is stated and then a remedy is proposed), and thematic (a central idea is introduced and then examined from several angles such as its definition, its motivation and its benefit).
Application: Tracing this passage paragraph by paragraph — paragraph 1 introduces the theme that travel priorities have shifted toward "experiential travel"; paragraph 2 unpacks what that theme means (feeling a place rather than merely visiting it); paragraph 3 adds a motivating angle (a post-pandemic shift and a supporting statistic); paragraph 4 adds a benefit angle (lasting appreciation and connection); paragraph 5 closes by restating the theme's significance. Each paragraph explores a different facet of the SAME central idea rather than following a timeline or a single cause-to-effect or problem-to-remedy chain.
A cause-effect reading would need one specific cause traced to its resulting effects; here the paragraphs instead unpack several distinct facets — definition, motivation, benefit — of one idea, not a single cause-to-effect chain.
A problem-solution reading would need an explicit problem with tourism followed by a proposed remedy; the passage never frames traditional tourism as a problem to be solved — it only describes a shift in traveller preference and elaborates on it.
A chronological reading would need a sequence of past events tracing how travel changed over time; the passage instead discusses a present-day preference and its qualities, without walking through a historical sequence.
Cross-check: since every paragraph elaborates on one idea (experiential travel) from a different angle rather than tracing time, a single cause-effect link, or a problem-remedy pair, the passage's organization is thematic — it introduces experiential travel and elaborates on its significance.