Experiencing a destination “like a local” is now at the forefront of most travellers’ minds when planning a trip. Recognizing this widespread desire, one guided vacations company has specialized in providing these immersive travel experiences, long before the concept became mainstream.

Trafalgar’s ‘Be My Guest’ program has been offering one-of-a-kind, local experiences since 2009, and this year, they’re celebrating 10 years of connecting travellers with welcoming hosts around the world.

It all started in Italy, where Trafalgar’s first ‘Be My Guest’ experience took place in the coastal town of Sorrento. The Esposito sisters hosted a group of Trafalgar travellers at their lemon farm for an evening of home-cooked food, limoncello and inspiring conversations. The event was an unprecedented hit with travellers and ‘Be My Guest’ was officially born.

Since the first gathering in Italy, ‘Be My Guest’ has expanded and is now featured on almost all Trafalgar itineraries, with over 100 distinctive experiences offered across seven continents.

Your ‘Be My Guest’ experience might see you enjoying a traditional kaiseki lunch in a historic ryokan in Japan; joining a foraging expert in Ireland to pick ingredients for a homemade meal; or enjoying food prepared by an award-winning chef in her Southern US mansion.

Whichever Trafalgar adventure you choose, you can count on exploring fascinating farms, orchards, vineyards, villas and other unique properties; and connecting with local hosts over home-cooked meals while learning about their lives.

In addition to enjoying a memorable travel experience, you can feel good knowing that you’re supporting local communities around the world, helping to preserve their traditions and heritage. About 81 per cent of ‘Be My Guest’ experiences are family-run and multi-generational, which means Trafalgar travellers are helping to provide a source of income for people who live and work in the communities they visit.

Wherever your Trafalgar journey takes you, ‘Be My Guest’ will deliver the chance to experience your destination in a more meaningful, personal way.

For more information on Trafalgar’s ‘Be My Guest’ experiences, visit Trafalgar.com and follow Trafalgar on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.