From a Trendcentral newsletter from earlier this month, posted here before I forget about it:

Experiences are the new status symbol and, for many, are becoming more important than products.

We?ve seen a shift from wanting ?things? to wanting ?experiences?. Products can break, go out of style, or can quickly feel obsolete due to the introduction of new and improved versions. The actions and emotions involved with a particular activity, and the stories and memories associated with it, are what people are searching for.

When asked if they had an extra $500 to spend, 75% of trendsetters and 55% of mainstream respondents said they would rather spend it on an experience than a product.