An interesting observation by James Rebanks, who has fought to keep alive some older traditions of farming and sheep-rearing, including a particular type of sheep, in the north of England.  His book seems to have touched a chord, resonating with a deep-seated need for authenticity in our experiences, including as tourists.

This was written long before the Covid-19 pandemic and early predictions suggest that, at least in the short term, people may be more likely to holiday closer to home. If so, this could be an opportunity for more place-anchored, culturally rooted experiences.

‘I have seen the tourism market shift over the last ten years with greater value attached to the culture of places, seen people growing sick of plastic phoniness and genuinely wanting to experience places and people that do different things, believe different things and eat different things. I see how bored we have grown of ourselves in the modern Western world and how people can fight back and shape their futures using their history as an advantage, not an obligation.’  

Source: James Rebanks, The Shepherd’s Life (London: Allen Lane, 2015), p. 229

Photo credit: Tim Hill at pixabay