EHL Innovation Rewind: Sarah Marquis on Why the Future of Travel Must Be Felt, Not Engineered

Hospitality Net

2 days ago

While attending the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, we met with Sarah Marquis, National Geographic Explorer, to talk about the future of travel and what makes it truly meaningful. In our conversation, she reflected on the importance of emotional connection, the irreplaceable value of walking, and how real travel is never about technology but about presence, feeling, and being part of the natural world.
Which technology or innovation do you believe will have the biggest impact on travel and hospitality over the next 5 to 10 years?
From my point of view, the real impact will not come from outside technology. It will come from within—the experience itself. What I look for when I travel is a boutique moment, a one-to-one connection with the locals, something deep and human. I want to sit in the best coffee shop, drink the local drink, feel the air, hear the language, and see life pass by. Travel should be about emotion and diversity. That is what makes it magical. It is not just moving from one place to another. It is about living, breathing, and feeling a different world. That is the kind of experience we must protect and encourage.
What would it take for us to stop compensating for our environmental footprint and start actually healing the system?
So far we have approached this the wrong way. We want to look green but we often do not take the real steps to be in harmony with the planet. I can speak from my own experience as a survivalist and explorer. I have hunted for food and survived off the land. I have also made the conscious choice to stop taking from nature. On one expedition in Australia, I came to a canyon with only three fish in a pond. I was starving, had lost five kilograms, but I chose not to eat them. That moment changed me. It was the start of my path to veganism. The next step for humanity is to rise in consciousness. When that happens, we will know what to do. It will not be about ticking boxes. It will be about harmony and awareness.
You have explored places most people can only dream of. Is there an ethical way for others to experience these fragile ecosystems?
Yes, and it starts with walking. Walking is the human speed. Our senses are made for it. When we walk, we experience everything more deeply and disturb the environment the least. I have learned this over 25 years. Another way is to work with the locals. In Mongolia, I was guided by a Mongolian who took me into his family. It was a real experience. Involving indigenous people leads to more authentic, respectful, and meaningful travel. Travel takes time. It cannot be rushed.
Do you think virtual or augmented experiences, like VR, can substitute or prepare us for the real experience of nature?
No. For me, there is no such thing as a digital experience of nature. That is not an experience. It is a preview. I live between two worlds—one where I wear nearly the same clothes every day, and one where I am out in the wild, not washing for three months, living off the land. When you are really out there, unmapped, breathing the land, you become part of it. There is no substitute for that. Our bodies have senses. Our heart is our core. That is where experience happens. We cannot feel that through a screen. Instagram, iPhones, VR—they show us something, but they do not let us live it.
Is there a right or wrong way to tell a story about a destination?
Yes. An experience is not just about the destination. It is about what you feel. I remember being in Italy, in a horrible train station coffee shop at 4 in the morning. I had an espresso in a paper cup, and it was one of the best I have ever had. Not because of the coffee, but because of the moment. That was the experience. The smell, the taste, the tiredness, the place—it all came together. That is what travel is. You do not think experiences: you live them.
About the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025
This interview was recorded during the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, where Hospitality Net joined as official media partner.
The event brought together a global mix of thinkers and doers to explore the future of hospitality, food, and travel through open innovation. What made it special was the mix of ideas, formats, and people. It was not only about tech or talks. It was also about people showing up, working together, and sharing energy in real time.
Key Figures
385 participants
48 speakers and contributors from more than 20 countries
7 innovation challenges collectively addressed
45 sessions
25 student volunteers
15 F&B startups letting us taste the future
1.5 days of connection, learning, and co-creation
Key Insights from the Summit