That might mean learning to cook traditional Italian recipes in a 600-year-old palazzo with local hosts who have spent their lives perfecting them. It could be spending your days sea kayaking between hidden Greek coves that most visitors never see. Or perhaps staying in a luxury desert camp beneath the stars in Morocco, waking up to silence instead of the sound of traffic. When I was in Vietnam, we visited a lady who has been making rice paper in her back garden overlooking the Mekong Delta every single day for more than 70 years. It wasn't a polished tourist attraction, she was just sharing her life with a handful of tourists who found it interesting. We stayed for lunch and bought a few authentic locally made products.  Moments like that gave us a genuine insight into the local culture while supporting the communities we visited. These are the experiences that stay with you long after you've returned home. 

Maybe it's horse riding through the Tuscan countryside before sharing local wine over dinner. Sleeping beneath the Northern Lights in a glass-domed igloo. Taking a private tennis lesson with a professional coach in France. White water rafting through Montenegro's spectacular Tara Canyon, hiking in Durmitor National Park or exploring canyons with an experienced local guide.

For wildlife lovers, imagine visiting Costa Rica and learning the entire chocolate-making process, from cacao bean to finished bar, alongside the people who produce it, before heading back into the rainforest in search of sloths, monkeys and colourful birdlife. These experiences aren't just box-ticking. They become the stories you tell for years afterwards, and for many people, those memories are the most valuable part of a holiday.

There's also a growing desire to travel more responsibly. Many travellers want their holiday to have a positive impact by supporting local communities, staying in independently owned accommodation, meeting local people and taking part in traditions that have been passed down through generations. Choosing accommodation with real character rather than another anonymous hotel can completely change the feel of a trip. Whether it's a restored farmhouse, a family-run guesthouse or a historic palazzo, unique places to stay often become just as memorable as the destination itself.

Perhaps the biggest change is that people are moving away from one-size-fits-all holidays. Some travellers want wellness retreats. Others want photography holidays, walking adventures, culinary experiences, wildlife encounters or painting holidays. The list is endless. There isn't a right or wrong way to travel, only the holiday that's right for you. More than ever, people are thinking carefully about what they want to get out of their time away.

The more I understand what excites you, the more I can build an itinerary around the experiences you'll remember most. Sometimes that means including the famous landmarks. Sometimes it means introducing you to places that never make the guidebooks. Years from now, you'll remember the people you met, the food you learnt to cook, the hidden beach you discovered and the moments that made you feel like you truly got to know a destination. If you're planning your next holiday and want something that's built around you rather than a standard package, I'd love to help create a trip that's every bit as memorable as the destination itself.