Photo: Contiki
Contki enjoys endless reviews, posts and comments from travelers telling us how our trips changed their lives in surprising and spectacular ways. From changed perspectives, to changed careers, from on-trip love stories to people getting through breakups. It’s the ‘Contiki magic’ we love to talk about – but we wanted to prove it. So we did.
With the help of neuroscience, and in partnership with Myndplay, creators of the groundbreaking EEG ‘Myndband’, we conducted an industry-first travel experiment –sending 5 real travellers on 5 real trips, and capturing their brainwaves every step of the way.
Image source:Contiki
Who took part?…
Maddy Macrae from Australia, who joined Contiki’s Greek Island Hopping trip; Mollie Pearce from the UK, who joined Northern Thai Highlights; Bradley Riches from the UK, who visited Italy on Italian Escape; Michelle Leung from the USA, who visited Southern Africa on Cape, Safari and Falls; and Coleman Geiger from the USA, who joined our European Discovery.
The small headsets they wore were connected to cameras that automatically took photos when brainwaves reached peak level – capturing the exact Contiki moment that sparked their personal brain peaks.
And what were the results?
Happiness:
The big one. Anyone who’s been on Contiki won’t be surprised that our participants experienced 10 moments of Euphoria per day on average (ie. their brain activity was equivalent to stroking an adorable puppy or hugging a loved one)
Engagement:
Engagement was super high throughout the trips. Our travellers averaged 151 peaks of focused attention (hyper-focus) per trip – which in a world where TikTok exists, is pretty incredible. (To give you an idea, this peak focus state is equivalent to a brain surgeon performing an operation).
All our participants reached a state of “flow” or peak performance (being “in the Zone”) at least once during their travels too – and one participant did so every single day! (Comparable to a professional athlete or musician performing at the top of their game).
Image source:Contiki
Relaxation:
Think Contiki trips are all fast-paced without downtime? Well our participants experienced an average of 18 daily moments of ‘zen’ – a deep state of relaxation comparable to the state experienced by monks during meditation – with the maximum recorded being 48 in a single day.
Creativity:
Seeing things from a fresh perspective is great for creativity. And what better way to do that than exploring the world? So it’s no surprise creativity spiked an average of 76 times per trip. On average, travellers experienced a peak in creativity 11 times per day.
Learning:
Think travel is just about flopping on a beach? Well it’s clear Contiki gives your brain a boost, too. On average, 12 peak learning moments were recorded per day.
And which Contiki experiences were the most popular? Well the the most peaks happened during walking tours – led by our wonderful Contiki Trip Managers. Clearly there’s something about walking through a spectacular destination, with new friends, and learning the stories behind every statue that enlivens the mind.
Image source:Contiki
The group changes the game
The most fascinating part? For each participant, the group dynamic enhanced their overall travel experience. Whether they preferred activities like cycling, trying new food, walking through the city or spotting animals on safari, their brainwaves recorded higher peaks and lower stress while they were surrounded by other members of the group versus alone.
What’s more 100% of participants reported a change in mindset regarding personal beliefs and insights, and 80% experienced increased openness to new social connections. Every participant said they’d definitely consider group travel with Contiki again in the future. So there you have it – travel with Contiki changes your POV for the better. Backed by neuroscience – proven by Contiki travellers.
