Julie Audette, Senior Director of Destination Marketing, The Red Sea and AMAALAIn today’s tourism landscape, travellers seek more than just beautiful places. They’re looking for a sense of connection; to the culture, to the people and to the storytelling that shapes the experience. They travel for the thrill of discovery, the warmth of human interaction and the feeling of arriving somewhere that stirs something profound within them.
As marketers in the luxury space, our role is not just to describe a destination; it’s to help people feel something long before they arrive.
Today’s luxury travellers – particularly those in the top 15 per cent of global travel spend – are more discerning, curious and conscious than ever before. They are culturally connected, globally minded individuals who’ve stayed in the best hotels, flown to the farthest corners and seen beauty in countless forms.
What they’re drawn to now are experiences and emotional resonance: the personal, the purposeful and the real. They want to understand where they are, what makes it matter and how they can connect more deeply to the people and stories behind the view.
This is where storytelling becomes so powerful. Because meaning travels farther than messaging can.
Why storytelling works, and why it has to change
For years, destination marketing leaned on the same ingredients: sweeping views, glossy architecture and curated amenities. And while beautiful content still matters, it is no longer enough.
Recent insights reinforce this change. McKinsey’s 2023 report on experience-led spending shows that people are increasingly drawn to trips that leave a lasting emotional impact.
Skift’s 2024 travel trends highlight emotional storytelling and human connection as key factors in destination preference, especially in the luxury segment. This shift isn’t just about what people want to see – it reflects what they’re hoping to feel. In a world that often feels disconnected, the desire for transformation, self reflection, authentic encounters and purposeful travel has only intensified.
So how do we speak to this audience – the one that values meaning as much as beauty? We start with people.
When storytelling is centred on locals, community leaders, artisans, guides and quiet moments of interaction, it creates a kind of trust that no visual alone can replicate.
It draws travellers in not as consumers, but as participants. And in doing so, it elevates a destination’s identity from a place to visit to a place to remember.
At The Red Sea, I’ve seen how these ideas come to life through the people who guide our guests: There’s a beekeeper whose family has worked the same stretch of land for generations, sharing not just honey but a taste of heritage; a mountain guide who shares how his great-grandfather discovered the very cave guests now explore on one of our trails, making every step an echo of history; and then there are brothers – Mohammed and Eddie Alkhamees – who introduce guests to ancient navigation traditions, explaining how their ancestors once crossed the desert and seas using only the stars.
In a world of digital everything, these are the kinds of moments guests talk about later, not because they were part of a brochure, but because they were real.
These narratives bring texture, emotion and identity to the experience in a way that branded visuals or amenity lists never could. These stories do more than add colour. They shape perception. They add depth. And most importantly, they reflect the truth of a place, not just the image of it.
Similarly, as we develop AMAALA, which is envisioned as an ultra-luxury wellness haven with a strong emphasis on arts and culture, the stories will emerge from the world-class wellness practitioners, the artists shaping its creative landscape and the culinary experts who translate local ingredients into transformative experiences.
Campaigns that invite, not just impress
The most effective destination campaigns today don’t just showcase luxury; they open an emotional door. They extend a feeling of welcome, of resonance and of belonging. That human layer is what elevates a destination from a place to stay to a place to connect.
This kind of storytelling is especially relevant in the luxury sector, where guests are no longer looking to be impressed – they’re hoping to be understood. They want a brand that reflects who they are and what they care about.
Some of the most meaningful campaign ideas I’ve worked on started not at a laptop, but have emerged in moments of observation. That’s when you realise that our job isn’t just to shape campaigns. It’s to listen closely enough to share what already exists.
As marketers, we’re often seen as storytellers. But I’ve come to think of us as translators, and increasingly, as responsible stewards of these narratives.
We take the essence of a place, its values, rhythms and voices, and help others understand it. Not through adjectives, but through tone, intuition and care.
And that kind of storytelling? It builds more than affinity. It builds loyalty. That loyalty doesn’t just result in longer stays or return visits – it shows up in word-of-mouth, advocacy and reputation. It’s how brands last.
We’re at a moment in the industry when travellers are asking for something more, something real. And that evolution is not just an opportunity; it’s a responsibility to the places and people whose stories we are privileged to share.
Because when we get it right and build stories that honour the place and the people, travellers walk away with more than memories.
They walk away with something that stays with them. And they come back for how it made them feel.
By Julie Audette, Senior Director of Destination Marketing, The Red Sea and AMAALA
