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AI may make human expertise more valuable, wellness could increasingly be about doing less and the travel industry needs to rethink how it talks about ‘authenticity’. 

Those were three of the key themes to emerge from Pure Life Experiences 2026, attended by ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×’s Sacha Scoging, editor of National Geographic Traveller (UK) — The Collection, in Marrakech, Morocco, from 7 to 10 September. 

The invitation-only experiential travel show brings together journalists, travel designers, destination specialists, destination management companies and other travel professionals from around the world to make connections and exchange ideas about how travel is evolving. 

The event kicked off with Open House, Pure’s annual thought-leadership festival, with workshops exploring subjects including AI, responsible tourism, community partnerships, storytelling, luxury, wellbeing and the changing relationship between travellers and the businesses serving them. 

Among the key themes explored were: 

• AI could make human expertise more valuableÌý
  Sessions explored what algorithms struggle to replicate — including taste, trust, relationships and local knowledge — and the value these distinctly human qualities could hold as AI becomes more embedded in the travel industry.Ìý

• Wellbeing may need less, not moreÌý
  As tracking, testing and optimisation become increasingly commonplace, discussions questioned whether constant measurement risks becoming overstimulating. Instead, nature, quiet and unstructured time may prove just as valuable as another wellness protocol.Ìý

• The industry needs to rethink ‘authenticity’Ìý
  Discussions challenged the travel industry’s reliance on terms such as ‘hidden gem’ and ‘authentic’, calling for greater context and complexity in the way destinations, communities and experiences are presented.Ìý

Beyond the discussions, Pure also gave journalists the opportunity to experience Marrakech beyond its familiar attractions. The show’s programme of curated media excursions offered access to the city’s food, design, art, culture, communities and creative scene. 

Sacha joined two excursions, both hosted by the Akan Collection: 

• ‘Inside a Collector’s Gaze’ began at Moroccan photographer and collector Youssef Bouskri’s gallery, Terrasses des Arts in Bab Doukkala. From there, participants entered a private space showcasing his family’s collection of textiles, jewellery and heritage objects. Youssef photographed each journalist using pieces from the collection to create a personal author portrait. The experience concluded with a private visit to El Fenn hotel’s restaurant and rooftop bar, with participants receiving a fine-art print of their portrait and an original piece by Youssef.Ìý

• ‘The Women of the Sahara Ritual’ introduced journalists to Tijout, an ancestral ceremony from Tissint in which women gather to prepare and exchange fragrant blends of dried flowers, herbs and spices. Participants prepared their own blend to take home and add to oils to use as perfume.Ìý

The excursions encapsulated Pure’s aim, which is to position experiential travel not simply as a more exclusive way of seeing the world, but as a way of understanding it on a deeper level. 

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About ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×  
¹ú²úÂÒÂ× is a multi-award-winning content marketing agency and publisher, creating high-quality print, digital and live media across the travel and lifestyle sectors since 1997. It has published National Geographic Traveller (UK) under licence from National Geographic Partners LLC since 2010, alongside brand extensions including guides, events and digital platforms. Its portfolio includes Living360, a digital lifestyle brand spanning wellness, travel, food, sustainability and culture.   

¹ú²úÂÒÂ× delivers custom content, branded campaigns and editorial consultancy, internship schemes including Step Up and produces leading events such as the Travel Media Awards. It’s also a leading reseller of advertising for national newspapers. Its trade titles include Postcards and the ASTA Worldwide Destination Guide, with content also created for national newspapers. aplmedia.co.uk