What Is “Authenticity” In Travel

Authenticity is something of a buzzword at the moment, but its actual meaning can be tricky to pin down within the context of travel. Does it mean staying in smaller hotels that are built/furnished in the local style? Travelling only on local buses? Only eating in restaurants that have no menu in English, and where you don’t recognise any of the dishes?

We at TravelLocal fear that travellers can be a little needlessly competitive when it comes to authenticity. Ultimately we all want to engage with the country we’re visiting in some way. It’s down to each of us as individuals to find what we’re comfortable with, and what is authentic for us. For some that means eating the local pickled sheep’s brain; for others it might mean trying a more sanitised version of the local food.

Whatever level of authenticity you’re comfortable with though, the best way to attain it is to use the services of a travel company based in your destination to plan and book your trip. These companies have the real local knowledge and contacts to put together a genuinely authentic trip – whatever degree of authenticity you’re looking for. To speak to someone in the TravelLocal office, please call +44 (0) 117 325 7898.