I Flew to Rio for Shakira. Instead, I Discovered Why Holidays Feel So Different Now.

Shakira performs at Todo Mundo no Rio in Rio de Janeiro.

I flew to Rio expecting to report on Shakira's record-breaking concert. Instead, I found myself inside a fully immersive brand world that made me question whether holidays themselves have fundamentally changed.

Increasingly, it seems we're travelling not just to see places, but to become part of a moment—and brands have noticed.