Abstract

This article explores the influence of past memorable tourism experiences on future travel aspirations. A sample of British students were asked to name their most memorable holiday place and give a reason for their choices. The results show that places are memorable for a range of external, social and personal reasons but that the most commonly cited memory is of socialising with friends in Mediterranean beach resorts. The influence of destination management in creating these experiences seems limited. Instead the resort serves as a space in which the tourists create their own experiences. When these memories were compared with the students' choice of dream destination, there was little evidence of a 'travel career' plan, with no significant links between previous memorable experiences and the aspirations for future destinations or types of holiday.