By Valarie D’Elia
I stopped counting after spotting at least six mentions of Ancestral Travel as one of 2020’s top travel trends.
Forbes.com, Conde Nast Traveler, The UrbanList.com, Luxury Travel Magazine, travelweekly, adventurestudenttravel.com are among those media outlets that consider it one of travel’s top motivators.
Call it Ancestry Travel, DNA Vacations or Heritage trips, this category of tourism is having its day and then some.
On a personal note, the summer of 2020 will mark the third year that I will lead a roots trip back to the land of my Italian heritage in the Campania region.
As an award-winning videographer and travel journalist with 103 countries under my belt, sailing on as many cruise ships, visiting countless cities and calling it a night in myriad hotels, I believe there is nothing more meaningful than the trip that brings one back to the basics. Connecting your DNA to the dirt under your feet.
As a result of my growing interest in genealogy travel, (read: obsession) 2019 led me to two Roots Tech conferences, huge events sponsored by the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints and Family Search.org.
The first one I attended in Salt Lake City in February of 2019, and the second one, later the same year in London.
The London trade show was the first international venue for the conference while the Salt Lake City location at the Salt Palace will be turning ten this February and is considered the world’s largest geneology conference lasting four days from February 26-29.
Compare that with NY Times Travel Show , which will feature just one heritage session in its three day run, with a panel I will be speaking on January 26, 2020 at 3:45pm. I will be joined by Lisa Vogele of Travel Your Tree and Linas Zabaliunas of Baltic Holidays.
As far as it has come in a short time, this growing area of ancestral travel has a long way to go. Earlier in the spring Airbnb and 23 and me developed a partnership which informs people, a little too vaguely in my opinion, where their DNA comes from and finds them a place stay.
A promising start, that will be more useful as they zero in with more specificity, hitting a bullseye with people’s roots.
Ancestral Travel Expert and genealogist Kyle Betit works with the behemoth Ancestry.com, the largest online consumer DNA network, which generated $1 billion in revenue in 2017, the last year statistics were published on their website.
Betit was part of the launch of Ancestry’s travel program in 2017, with its first group tour to Ireland. “The ancestral travel category is growing as people find ways to enrich their love of travel with exploring their roots,” Betit said.
To date, Ancestry has provided 15 group heritage tours in collaboration with EF Go Ahead Tours, and in addition to Ireland, travelers can visit Italy, Germany and Scotland.
“It has been rewarding to see the ancestral travel opportunities we offer our clients expand into the last two years, ” said Betit.
For the second time, Ancestry will be hosting a Geneology crossing onboard Cunard’s QM2 in August of 2020, to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower crossing. I will be onboard, leading a group of likeminded roots trippers in the same direction our ancestors sailed to the new world at the turn of the 20th century.
(Stay tuned to this website for more details on both my Italy roots trip and QM2 crossing)
Even if you’re not quite at the point of traveling to the location of your homeland, attending the Roots Tech conference can give you that nudge you might need.
The theme for this year’s Roots Tech is The Story of You which will feature 300 classes, “power hours” with three presenters & follow up with Q &A.
A “lunch and learn” session offers a box lunch and will be headed up by a speaker who will present information in a fun and engaging way, where the information will be on the lighter side, so you won’t have to swap your fork for a pen to take notes.
Morning “forums” full of interactivity focus on DNA and technology while traditional sessions keep the emphasis on DNA, record-keeping, archival photos and family storytelling.
The fabulous Expo Hall will have expanded hours, with the popular cyber cafe, coaches’ corner, free consultations and a demo theater for exhibitors.
Traveling to Salt Lake City in late February has some other benefits, not the least of which is the “Greatest Snow on Earth.”
Wrapping your trip up as I did with a fabulous ski getaway, and wondering if Great Grandpa D’Elia ever slapped on a pair of boards?
