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Download the Experience Maker Toolkit
This is a Destination North East England legacy project.
This content was produced as part of the Destination Development Partnership Pilot.
Why experiences matter
Visitors travel for landscapes, heritage and culture but what they remember most are the moments of connection. Experiential tourism transforms “things to see and do” into something guests can feel, participate in, and carry with them.
Experiential tourism is:
- Hands-on rather than observational
- Story-led rather than fact-based
- Hosted and human rather than transactional
- Memory-making rather than itinerary-filling
A tourism product is what you buy. A tourism experience is what you remember. Across the UK and globally, demand for authentic, small-group, bookable experiences is growing and visitors are willing to pay more for experiences that feel personal, local, and meaningful. That’s a major opportunity for North East businesses.
Why get involved?
Creating a small number of well-designed, hosted experiences can help your business:
- Stand out in a competitive market
- Increase average spend per visitor
- Reach new audiences from local explorers to international travellers
- Build partnerships with local producers, guides and makers
- Contribute to shared regional goals such as year-round tourism and longer stays
And importantly, you don’t need to reinvent your business. This toolkit helps you recognise the activities, stories, spaces and skills you already have and turn them into something bookable.
