Why Experiences Are the New Currency of Gifting with Spur Experiences

Feb 11, 2026

Cody Sudmeier, co-founder and CEO of Spur Experiences and longtime entrepreneur, explains why people now prize feeling over things. He traces Spur’s start in wedding registries and describes instant booking, nonexpiring vouchers, and easy swaps. The conversation covers why experiences beat gift cards, corporate experience stipends, AI-powered recommendations, and memorable high-adrenaline and food-focused offerings.

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INSIGHT

Three Peaks Of Experience Happiness

Experiences deliver happiness at three points: anticipation, the moment, and memory.
That triple uplift makes experiences emotionally more potent than products.

ANECDOTE

Memorable Unique Experiences

Cody recalled feeding baby kangaroos and a doors-off helicopter tour in Kauai as unforgettable experiences.
Those unique, location-specific activities often convert customers into repeat buyers.

ADVICE

Match Personas And Locations

Segment shoppers by persona (e.g., Globetrotters, Foodies, Adrenaline Junkies) and location to simplify discovery.
Tag experiences by event type to match gifts to occasions like weddings or corporate rewards.

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People don’t just want to go somewhere anymore, they want to feel something. That emotional shift is powering the experience economy and changing how we celebrate love, milestones, and meaningful moments. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we sit down with Cody Sudmeier, co founder and CEO of Spur Experiences, to explore why gifting moments is quickly overtaking gifting things and how shared experiences create connection, joy, and memories that last far longer than anything wrapped in a box.

We trace Spur’s origin story back to wedding registries, where modern couples were outgrowing traditional houseware lists and craving something more personal. From there, Cody walks us through what makes experience gifting actually work in real life: instant booking, non expiring vouchers, and simple swaps when plans or preferences change. He also explains the psychology behind why experiences win, with happiness showing up three times over through anticipation, the moment itself, and the memories that follow. From food tours and hot springs to doors off helicopter rides and once in a lifetime access, we explore the categories people love most and how Spur helps match the right experience to the right person.

The conversation moves from consumers to companies, where experience gifting is reshaping employee recognition and retention. Flexible access to concerts and sporting events, wellness essentials like spas and retreats, and annual experience stipends are giving teams rewards they genuinely use and remember long after a bonus is spent. We also dig into the technology making this all easier, including AI powered recommendations, market gap insights, and influencer driven discovery that increasingly guides purchase decisions, especially for younger audiences.

Whether you’re looking for a Valentine’s gift that feels thoughtful and personal, planning a wedding or milestone celebration, or designing a corporate rewards program people truly value, this one’s for you.

Visit spurexperiences.com to learn more.

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