Inviting local people to become fellow explorers

On all of her trips, Ann incorporated a homestay element for her travelers to get to know local families, learn firsthand about daily life in a small community and contribute directly to local economies. When a participant cancelled last-minute several years ago, Ann invited one of her local partners to take the open spot. She discovered quickly that, in addition to the powerful homestays, she could deepen cross-cultural experiences further through a shared travel adventure in which visitors and locals are fellow explorers.

What began as a serendipitous opportunity became part of the planning for Ann’s subsequent trips. Local invitees were excited to visit a part of their country, often for the first time, and proud to engage in the experiences and nature’s beauty with the other travelers. For the international visitors, their travel was enriched by additional local perspectives, casual conversations over meals, and the spontaneous joys of being on the road together.

The ability to share these experiences created a natural and seamless feedback loop of connecting, learning and growing.

How can you make this possible? Invest regularly in building local connections and trust; prepare thoughtfully and communicate expectations clearly to all; be open to serendipity when opportunity presents itself; and celebrate joint exploration.