India, Sept. 9 -- W hat if the best thing you brought back from a holiday wasn't a souvenir, but a skill? The trend, popularly called skillcations, is part of a larger evolution of experiential travel, with travellers moving beyond traditional sightseeing. American Express Travel's 2026 Global Travel Trends Report found that 79% of Gen Z and millennials actively seek local workshops and destination-specific activities for their holidays. And as per Google Trends data, 'skillcation' recorded a breakout increase of more than 5,000% worldwide over the past month. For Indian travellers, too, skillcations have increased in demand. Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) president Ravi Gosain says that tour operators have seen a double-digit rise in queries for learning-led activities over the past two years, with yoga, wellness, local cuisine, photography, crafts and certified adventure experiences being the most sought-after. The shift is particularly visible among women, who are increasingly seeking more immersive experiences, says Simran Malhotra, CMO, Wander Womaniya, a tour agency that organises women-only group trips. "Itineraries with more hands-on activities are seeing 40% higher traction than the regular plans," she adds. The idea of learning something while on holiday, however, is not entirely new. Celebrities have long used their vacations to pick up new skills, with actors such as Sonakshi Sinha and Parineeti Chopra becoming trained scuba divers. What's changing now is the way travellers are seeking to attend hands-on activities that are being built into itineraries. Content creators and travellers are also sharing videos of skills they picked up on their trips....