With each stage of life, travelers’ desired experiences and destinations change along with their amount of free time and level of activity. And their travels, predictably, follow suit. Virtuoso Life Magazine recently took an in-depth look at travelers’ habits by age group: where people are in life, what that means for their travel style, and how they prefer to see the world.
Travel House Inc in Barrington’s Ice House Mall is one of Virtuoso’s member agencies and is weighing in on the research, with a closer look a the latest local trends in travel for both Millennials and Gen Xers.
Millennials (Age 22-32)
The findings show that millennials (aged 22-32) tend to take more close-to-home getaways. They’re price conscious, have high expectations and are motivated by a “need to go now”. This type of traveler tends to have a clear reason to take a big trip, be it a honeymoon, one final trip before starting a family, or to celebrate finishing graduate school.
Often honeymoon couples say that it might be the last time they can get two weeks off for a decade. Eleanor Nelson, owner of Travel House Inc, a Virtuoso Agency, asks her clients “Why do you travel?”. The reasons are compelling – “cultural awareness”, “getting away from the daily grind”, “expanding horizons” and “just for fun” are high on the list for millennials. And millennials say they find value in working with Travel House advisors.
They say working with a travel consultant enhances the planning experience. “Anyone can book a trip online. Eleanor can get me the same trip for the same price I can find but with extras included like transfers, spa credits and even a room upgrade once in a while. ”
“Growing up in the Google age creates a more exacting traveler – One who doesn’t seek a lot of hand-holding,” Eleanor says. “With an older traveler, tastes are more set and they’re more laid-back about price. With a millennial, when comparing different hotels where one is $1,000 per night versus $800 per night – the millennial wants an exact justification of price difference.”
Eleanor recently worked with a young couple contemplating a trip to either Costa Rica or Peru. For the same cost, Costa Rica would allow for a five-star-property stays during peak season, while Peru offered four-star properties during the rainy season. It seemed like a no-brainer. But the clients chose Peru. They were thinking this was the last big trip before they stared a family. Costa Rica seemed reasonable in six years with kids, but for Peru, the kids would need to be older. This personified millennials because they’re open and want to see many places in the world, but they need to organize their bucket lists into what works best for the current phase.
Eleanor Says Millennials Should Try These Trips:
- An Independent Trip through Peru – Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon
- Head to Turks & Caicos for impeccable service and white sand
- Drive the Pacific Coast Highway
Gen Xers (Age 33-49)
School calendars largely dictate travel timing for the Gen Xers. In the 33 to 49 age group, Eleanor says trips are based on the kids’ ages. Travelers in this age group seek extraordinary experiences and are highly motivated by a desire to spend time with family.
Another notable aspect to this group of travelers and their involvement in the process. “They tend to be tech-savvy and will research hotels and experiences themselves,” Eleanor says. “Then, we can collaborate to create the best experiences. People with toddlers tend to travel less. In this age group, you see families that have some money, but they’re so crushed with work, life, and family commitments that the main type of trip they want is a chance to reconnect with their family.”
At the same time, though, Eleanor says this group wants different experiences. “Clients say that they want to avoid the average/mediocre tourist activities. They choose to work with a Travel House advisor to gain access to exclusive and authentic experiences like tapas tasting with a local host or after-hours access to main city attractions.”
There is a similarity between Gen Xers and millennials in terms of hotel booking: they both want the same value. Gen Xers though want to play a greater role in finding it, often directly collaborating with an advisor. And Millennials tend to stay a bit closer to home, whereas Gen Xers are branching out to Mexico and beyond. With boomers, as they get into their sixties and they’ve built a relationship with their advisor, there’s more of an “I trust what you have arranged will be a good experience”. On the other hand, Gen Exers want to be more hands-on during the travel planning.
Eleanor Says Gen Xers Should Try These Trips:
- Mexico for sunshine
- Disney – beckons during these years, Disney World’s on-site properties are fantastic
- National Parks – take the family hiking and biking
On Condé Nast’s list of the top 100 travel agencies in the country for nearly fifteen years, Travel House Inc has been helping Barrington area residents plan travel experiences with outstanding quality since 1968.
As a member of the Virtuoso travel network, Travel House has access to a vast selection of suppliers and partners in the travel and leisure industry.
With these exclusive connections, Travel House advisors offer clients with a range of budgets tremendous value and craft experiences that simply can not be discovered with individual research online.
Travel House Inc is located upstairs in Barrington’s Ice House Mall at 200 Applebee Street (Suite 200) and their advisors look forward to helping you plan your next adventure! For more information, call 847-381-0600 or visit TravelHouseInc.com.
