People want places that change them
Consumers aren’t looking for a nice afternoon out; they’re looking for encounters that shift perspective, build skills, or offer genuine personal growth.
The experience economy has moved on. 88% of people want experiences that feel meaningful, not just entertaining – and 87% say the best experiences leave them feeling changed in some way.*
This is reshaping hospitality, leisure, and destination marketing across every sector, from wellness retreats to food and beverage venues staging immersive events with a genuine narrative.
For destination and mixed-use schemes, this is an invitation to reframe what a place offers.
The question to ask of every brief is: what does someone leave with that they didn’t arrive with? Memory, perspective, connection, confidence – these are the new currencies of place. Campaigns that answer this question will outperform those that simply describe the environment.
*Source: The Future 100 2026 report, VML Intelligence