- They say, when it comes to memorable travel experiences, it's not about where you're going, but who you're going with.

So we eagerly joined People First Tourism in Wake County to make some new memories.

[bus engine hums] - I devoted 10 years to diagnose the goods and the bads of tourism.

And as I was trying to do that, I felt that more and more I was just explaining the illness but not proposing a cure.

How can local people make money and speak through their engagement in tourism?

People First Tourism is a research and practice movement that focuses on local tourism, micro entrepreneurship.

People seek authenticity.

That's I think what you get when you are in a People First Tourism experience.

- I want other people to be able to experience what's fantastic about where I live and you know, to really get a sense of who we are out here in Zebulon.

We produce artisanal honey gathered from our hives across the state and we love to bring people out to the farm to experience what we do and taste the honey that we've gathered.

[gentle music continues] - I've never actually seen beekeeping up close, you know, close enough to see inside of a hive.

They make incredible products and they do us the favor of helping bees stay alive.

I'd absolutely recommend people coming out here and supporting them, supporting small business and supporting the honey bees.

Most important part.

- If everyone were to just believe that their tiny choices matter, then big things happen.

[train chugging] - I am your host for the night.

I am Krystal Da Muse.

We are gonna have fun.

Are you ready to have fun?

You gonna have fun?

[all cheering] Let me hear you say, alright.

- [All] Alright.

- That was real good.

That was real good.

[upbeat music] Put your hands together for the acts tonight.

[audience cheering and clapping] - You can never fix what is broken if you just keep giving it fresh coats of paint.

[audience oohs and snaps] - This event is called Culture at the Mic.

Where artistry, culture and community collide.

- I feel like the culture's always changing and in order to be current with the culture, you need to hear the voices of the people that are here.

- Every set's different, every show is different.

It's about you relaxing, having a good time, and most importantly connecting with other people.

- A lot of times we look at artists in the commodity sense.

What can they do for me?

Right?

But this platform is more of a homage to the artists.

What can we do for you?

- Hey y'all.

[all applauding] - [Audience] Hey!

- I like the audience.

The people that come, they love art just for the sake of art.

They're not judgmental, they're free.

They participate.

I think my goal for my music is a form of expression.

Just to be seen, be heard.

[upbeat music fades] [gentle string music] ♪ I remember when ♪ ♪ I remember I remember when I lost my mind ♪ [crowd cheering] ♪ There was something so special about at that place ♪ ♪ Even your emotions had an echo ♪ ♪ And so much space ♪ - [Audience Member] That was good, sis!

[all clapping and cheering] - I feel compelled to talk about things that are vulnerable and puts me in a state of humility because people like to know that they not alone.

The people I wronged got to watch, they are still watching.

Talk about humiliation, how loud it can get, how it turns the light on when you're trying to sleep, how it declines forgetting.

Talk about me.

Knowing that people are impacted by my performance and knowing that people are changed and healed and you know, free, set free in a way through my poetry.

That's what keeps me going and that's what keeps me excited about, you know, writing poetry and going to perform it because I know that somebody is gonna leave changed and impacted by what I'm doing.

- [Dr. Duarte] We're doing this to support the artist, to support the farmer, to allow the tourist to have these magnificent connection with all of those local people.

The experience is about the connection between the people.

- [Deborah] People First Tourism operates in and around Raleigh and they offer all sorts of events throughout the week.

To check out their calendar and book a spot for one of their experiences, head to peoplefirsttourism.com.