'NonnaMaxxing': Tourists are paying to travel like grandmothers

Whether it's making pasta with an Italian nonna or sightseeing with a gran in Japan, Gen-Zers and millennials are increasingly seeking out granny-led travel experiences.

My cheek presses into a cool mat and a forceful, yet reassuring, pressure travels down my right shoulder blade. Rose, a petite septuagenarian in a loose white tunic, crouches over me, digging her thumbs into my back and speaking in rapid Thai.

"She is telling you that this is the line you need to follow," explains a younger woman nearby. Face down, I clumsily attempt to nod, which makes Rose laugh loudly.

This is my beginner Thai massage course in Bangkok's Watpo Massage School, where the majority of staff are old enough to be my grandmother.

I find that being taught by grandmothers is supremely comforting. They're strict when they need to be, tease us when we make mistakes and encourage us when we doubt ourselves. When I get flustered in the final exam and start to cry, Rose envelops me in a hug. Suddenly, everything feels like it is going to be alright.

I'm not the only traveller seeking out the comforting embrace of a granny. #Grandmacore, which promotes the benefits of activities like crafting and baking, has almost 800 million views on TikTok. Now, it appears to be influencing "grandma tourism", in which travellers seek out tours and classes led specifically by older women.

With more than one-third of Gen-Zers and millennials worldwide saying they often feel stressed, many of us are choosing to spend time with older generations. I've found that their calming presence helps to reduce my own anxiety, and I'm not alone. A report by tour guide company GetYourGuide showed that 76% of Gen-Z travellers from France, Germany, the UK and the US would book a "grandma-inspired" holiday activity, like learning to make pasta with a nonna (grandmother) in Italy and hiring Japanese grannies as their tour guide.        

For 32-year-old Los Angeles-based fashion stylist Brittany Diego, the maternal warmth she experienced in her nonna-led pasta class was the highlight of her trip to Italy. "There were plenty of pasta-making classes [on offer]," she says. "But learning from an Italian nonna felt like the most authentic option, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations." 

Diego found that the course, which took place in the nonna's home at the foothills of Rome, felt less like taking a class and more like being welcomed into a grandmother's house.

With more than one-third of Gen Zers and Millennials worldwide saying they often feel stressed, many of us are choosing to spend time with older generations. I've found that their calming presence helps to reduce my own anxiety, and I'm not alone. A report by tour guide company GetYourGuide showed that 76% of Gen Z travellers from France, Germany, the UK and the US would book a "grandma-inspired" holiday activity, like learning to make pasta with a nonna (grandmother) in Italy and hiring Japanese grannies as their tour guide.

For 32-year-old Los Angeles-based fashion stylist Brittany Diego, the maternal warmth she experienced in her nonna-led pasta class was the highlight of her trip to Italy. "There were plenty of pasta-making classes [on offer]," she says. "But learning from an Italian nonna felt like the most authentic option, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations."

Diego found that the course, which took place in the nonna's home at the foothills of Rome, felt less like taking a class and more like being welcomed into a grandmother's house.

"My nonna spoke very little English, but we still connected through smiles, gestures and cooking together. We shared aperitivo and bruschetta before making the pasta." As a solo traveller, Diego appreciated how her nonna created a sense of community before the class even began. She left the experience with a fully belly and, despite the language barrier, new friends. "It was a reminder that genuine hospitality doesn't always require words," she said.

Since her trip, Diego plans to research more granny-led experiences for future holidays, citing the nurturing care as a key part of the allure. "[It] made me feel instantly at home. This showed me that some of the most meaningful travel experiences come from learning directly from locals whose knowledge has been shaped over a lifetime."

In my case, learning Thai massage from older women feels like I am benefitting from their decades-long knowledge of the traditional healing system. Learning from women, who have, in turn, learnt from their own mothers and grandmothers, feels very special. And soothing: during our breaks, as we sit sipping small stumpy glasses of Thai iced tea, my fellow classmates and I discuss how relaxing it is to spend time with our instructors. Outside the classroom walls, Bangkok's motorbikes beep and hawkers shout, but inside, there is a feeling of tranquility, thanks to the quiet confidence of our teachers. And, perhaps, being away from our phones.

As well as offering feelings of safety and calm, matriarchs can also pass on knowledge, traditional skills and local customs which may otherwise be lost. They may also offer younger travellers the confidence to be comfortable in their own skin.

Weeks after my Thai adventures, I find myself in an onsen (outdoor public bath) in Beppu, Japan. Bathing in a Japanese hot spring is something I have been looking forward to my whole trip, but as I undress, I'm suddenly nervous about the ritual of nude Japanese bathing. I'd hoped to slip unnoticed into the bubbling pool, but there is a shriek of excitement.

Three older women are enthusiastically beckoning me to join them. How can I refuse? I inch over and lower myself into the piping hot water, before a barrage of questions begins: "Why are you here alone?" "Where are you staying in Beppu?" "Do you know my son? He lives in London!"  

Thanks to their unbridled joy, my awkwardness soon slips away. It's hard to feel embarrassed when you're squeezed between ladies old enough to be your grandmothers, gently squeezing your cheek and telling you how beautiful you are. I can see the appeal of the Japanese "rent a granny" service offers services to tourists ranging from cooking classes to 'rent a friend' to show you the sights.

Professional skateboarder Brooke Johnson, 29, spent a day with a grandma in Tokyo, visiting Tsukiji Market. Together the pair ate sushi and Wagyu beef, before trying their luck on the claw machines and doing a photo booth together.

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As Japan battles its own loneliness epidemic, Johnson felt like the benefits of the experience worked both ways. "Even though Misa and I didn't speak the same language, somewhere between the food, the laughter and the claw machines, it stopped feeling like I rented a grandma and started feeling like family," she said on her social media.

Psychologist and author Terri Apter, who specialises in family dynamics, identity and relationships, says  that the benefits of intergenerational relationships work both ways. While younger people gain from years of experience, grandmas are keen to keep busy and share their skills. There are also health benefits to spending time with younger people, she says. "Young people will undoubtedly get a very warm reception from older people. Because if you look at phases of development across the lifespan, one need, or 'developmental task' of older age is generativity, which means giving. Being engaged with and teaching younger people is extremely good for older people's mood, their health and their longevity." 

That's why Kate Wright began teaching tourists how to make Irish dishes like brown bread and stew in her cosy home kitchen in Galway, Ireland.

"Many of the recipes have been passed down through generations and it's very rewarding to keep those traditions alive while introducing them to younger people," she says. "I love seeing guests gain confidence in the kitchen and enjoy the social side of cooking together."

Wright also believes that younger visitors appreciate the opportunity to slow down and experience something authentic and hands-on. "In a world where so much time is spent on phones and technology, cooking classes offer a chance to switch off. Guests often tell me they enjoy meeting new people, hearing stories and taking home recipes and memories that last long after their trip has ended."

Back at Watpo Massage School, our teachers present us with certificates at the end of our course. Rose hands me mine, smiling with a maternal pride and gives me a thumbs up. My heart swells and I feel genuinely happy that I've made my Thai granny proud.

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