american multi-generational travel trends...more destinations have already decided on a destination...

Travel Habits and Behaviors of Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers

AMERICAN MULTI-GENERATIONAL

TRAVEL TRENDS

2

METHODOLOGY

ONLINE SURVEY

Sample Size | Total: n=1001

US TravelersGeneration Z (n=211) Millennials (n=263)Generation X (n=269) Boomers (n=258)

Field Work30 March – 7 April 2017

Data Collection MethodQuantitative Survey

Qualifying Criteria

Must have booked online travel in the past year

Generation Z = 18-23Millennials = 24-35Generation X = 36-55Boomers = 55+

Generational Ages

HOW THEY TRAVEL

4

MILLENNIALS TAKE THE MOST TRIPSWhile Boomers are not traveling as frequently as other generations, they make up for it in trip length

4.45.6

4.0 3.5

6.6 6.2 6.47.8

Last Vacation Duration in Days

Q9: Typically, how many personal/leisure and business trips do you take per year?Q15. How long was your vacation?

Total Number of Trips Taken Per Year

Gen Z Millennials Gen X Boomers

5

MOST PREFER TO EXPLORE THE VAST COUNTRYGen Z slightly most likely to travel outside the US

Q14. Was the trip….?

77%

23%

Gen Z

81%

19%

Millennials 88%

12%

Gen X

IN MY COUNTRY

81%

19%

Boomers

6Q10: What types of vacations have you taken in the past year?

VISITING FAMILY AND RELAXING VACATIONS ARE MOST POPULARBoomers and Gen Z visit family, while Millennials and Gen X travel to relax and see the sights


56%51%

45%

31%

23%

50%55%

42%45%

34%

48%51%

48%

41%

21%

67%

48%44%

27%

19%

Visiting Family Relaxing Sight-seeing Family Play Romantic Getaway

Notable Generational Difference

7

30%35%

43%38% 37%

US

64% 61%54% 51%

58%

US

TRANSPORTATION IS CONSISTENT ACROSS GENERATIONSAll generations show little variation in their preferred method of travel

Q16. How did you get to your destination?

Plane

1% 1% 1% 2% 1%

US

Car Ride Train

Gen Z Millennials Gen X Boomers Average Total

8

ALL GENERATIONS PREFER HOTEL STAYSGen Z more likely than other generations to consider alternative accommodations

58%

18%

11%8%

69%

8%

16%

3%

68%

7%

17%

4%

58%

18%

11%

3%

Hotel With Family / Friends Resort Alternative Accommodations

Q17. Where did you stay on your last trip?

Gen Z Millennials Gen X Boomers Notable Generational Difference

9

YOUNGER TRAVELERS MORE APT TO BUDGETAll generations spend almost half on hotel and flight

Q18. Was budget a primary factor when you were researching/ booking your last trip?Q20. What proportion of your travel budget did you spend on each of the following?


Proportion Spent On

Flight 25%

Hotel 23%

Food 15%

Transportation 11%

Attractions 10%

Shopping 8%

Home sharing 6%

Other 3%

Proportion Spent On

Hotel 27%

Flight 20%

Food 16%

Transportation 11%

Attractions 11%

Shopping 8%

Home sharing 5%

Other 3%

Proportion Spent on

Hotel 30%

Flight 17%

Food 17%

Attractions 13%

Transportation 10%

Shopping 9%

Home sharing 3%

Other 2%

Proportion Spent on

Hotel 29%

Flight 19%

Food 19%

Transportation 9%

Attractions 9%

Shopping 9%

Other 5%

Home sharing 2%

81%

Yes

No

Budget a Primary Factor?

74%

Yes

No

62%

Yes

No

57%

Yes

No

10

YOUNGER GENERATIONS BOOKED VACATION MOST RECENTLY

Q7: When was the last time you booked travel on a travel website for a personal vacation/holiday?

Gen Z Millennials Gen X Boomers Notable Generational Difference

49%

25%

15%11%

52%

21%17%

11%

33%27% 27%

13%

33%

19% 21%28%

Less than 3 months ago 3-5 months ago 6 months ago A year ago

Boomers most likely to have booked a year ago

Last Time Booked Travel

TRAVELER ATTITUDES AND INFLUENCES

12

9%6% 5% 4%

YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE MORE DESTINATION INDECISIVE


Don’t have a destination in mind

Deciding between 2 or more destinations

Have already decided on a destination

55% 54% 53%

40%35%

40% 42%

56%

Q23. Which of the following options best describes the way you feel when you first decide to take a trip? (Please select one)

13

OTAS AND SEARCH ENGINES ARE LEADING

PLANNING RESOURCES

Q35. Please indicate all of the resources you used when you planned your last trip? (Please select all that apply)


43%

53%

33%36%

32% 30%

52% 51%

42% 41% 40%

31%

62%

51%

41%36% 36% 35%

54%50%

41%

47%

34%

45%

Online Travel Agency Search Engines Travel Review Sites Discussed withFamily/Friends

Comparison Travel Sites Hotel Sites

14

OTAS CONVERT THE MOST TRAVELERS, ACROSS GENERATIONS

Q38: Please indicate which resources you used to book travel online on your last trip


46%

36%34%

15% 17% 16%

57%

36%32%

18%22%

19%

67%

33%29%

20%

14%9%

59%

48%

39%

18% 16%

7%

Online Travel Agency Hotel Sites Airline Sites Car Rental Sites Destination Sites AlternativeAccommodation Sites

15

VALUE AND EXPLORATION DRIVE TRAVELER SENTIMENT‘You only live once’ opportunities also rank high in consideration

Q8 Please select to what extent you agree with the following statements. (Please select strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree or strongly agree for each statement)

Percent of Travellers Who Somewhat Agree/Strongly Agree With The Statement

93% 83% 81% 78% 71%92% 89% 83% 78% 73%

93%78% 70% 71% 70%

95%

72%60%

67% 67%

I look for the best deals and mostvalue for my dollar

I'll go anywhere that allows me toexplore the outdoors and be active

You only live once, so taking risks andcrossing things off my 'bucket list' is

imperative

I often opt for "off the beaten path"locations and/or recommendations

from locals

I prefer to go to museums, historicalsites and arts & culture fill up my

travel itinerary

72% 69% 70%58%

32%

73%83% 75% 66%

40%

71% 65% 64%39%

24%

63%52% 53%

29%21%

Every vacation is family oriented andhas a specific focus on what will keep

my family entertained and happy

I prefer all-inclusive vacations likeresorts and cruises where I don't have

to worry about a thing

I'm all about taking a nap on the beach,spa treatments and all-day relaxation

I plan all my travel around where andwhat I eat and drink

I don't like travelling far, as long as I'mnot at work, I'm on vacation


16For this exercise, you will go through a small number of different screens where we will ask you to identify which consideration would be most important to you in terms of how you choose a vacation/ holiday and which consideration would be least important to you in terms of how you choose to purchase a vacation/holiday.


WHEN PRIORITIZING, ACTIVITIES AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES DRIVE TRAVEL DECISIONS

191

160153 153

135 133

178

152

134 132 137122

215

165

140 136145

112

223

157146

137

171

107

Activities I will be doing on mytrip

A once in a lifetime experience The cultural experience Lowest Price Deals and/or special offers My food experience

1728. Which of the following social media sites influence or inspire your decision making process in booking a trip? (Please select all that apply)


FACEBOOK INFLUENTIAL IN TRAVEL DECICIONS FOR YOUNGER GENERATIONS

64%

46%

35%

23%27%

1%

13%

71%

45%

31% 30%

16%

1%

17%

52%

23%18%

25%

4% 2%

35%34%

6% 6%

12%

1% 1%

60%

Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest Snapchat Other Not Influenced by SocialMedia

Boomers claim social media has little influence on travel booking decisions

18

DEALS AND REVIEWS CAN HELP TRAVELERS CONVERT Destination content closely follows in influencing travelers

Q32. Please select to what extent you agree with the following statements. (Please select one for each statement)

76%65% 58%

89%72% 66%74% 65%

48%67% 66%

50%

I talk to people who have visited the place beforemaking a decision

Ads can be influential in my decision making process I use loyalty programs in my decision making process

90%

86%

82%

91%

88% 89%

92%

87%89%90%

84%

81%

I look for deals before making a decision Informative content from destinations and/or travelbrands can influence my decision making process

I read reviews of places I want to visit from sites likeTripAdvisor before making my final decision


19

62%

49% 48%

22%

4%

67%

51% 51%

27%

9%

61%

54% 52%

35%

7%

61%66%

53%

46%

8%

The deals advertised lookappealing

The content in the ad isinformative

The imagery in the ad looksappealing

The ad includes helpful reviews None of the above

EFFECTIVE ADS FEATURE RELEVANT DEALS,

INFORMATIVE CONTENT and APPEALING IMAGERY

Q33. How can ads help influence in your decision making process? (Select all that apply)


20

ALL GENERATIONS USE SMARTPHONES IN TRIPGen Z and Millennials more likely than older generations to use smartphone during inspiration phase

Q47. For each of the following statements, which device(s) do you use? Please select all that apply.


67%

44%

27%

78%

62%

41%

30%

71%

33%25%

13%

72%

11%7% 8%

70%

When I'm looking for inspiration onwhere to travel

When I’m researching on where to travel When I'm booking the travel During my trip

21

DESKTOP/LAPTOP RULES RESEARCH AND BOOKINGBoomers most reliant on desktop throughout all phases, except in-trip

Q47. For each of the following statements, which device(s) do you use? Please select all that apply.


69%

82% 83%

37%

71%80% 78%

40%

76%82% 82%

32%

86% 90% 90%

29%

When I'm looking for inspiration onwhere to travel

When I’m researching on where to travel When I'm booking the travel During my trip

Travel on average 27 days per year and are heavily focused on visiting family, so they know where they want to go and how to get there

Boomers are less likely to be tied to a budget than other generations, and when not visiting family, they fill their itinerary with museums, historical sites, arts and culture, and recommendations from locals

KEY INSIGHTS FOR AMERICAN GENERATIONS

Are looking to opt for off the beaten path destinations, are open-minded, looking for recommendations from locals, and embrace the you only live once mentality (#YOLO)

Travel nearly 30 days a year and although they have a budget in mind when planning a trip, they invest in travel, and are more likely than other generations to travel internationally

Gen Z MillennialsMore than any other generation, said ads can be influential during the decision-making process, and they are the most influenced by ads featuring appealing deals or imagery and informative content

More than half of Millennials are using OTAs to book travel, followed by search engines

Travel fewest days per year, but when they do, they spend more on hotels, prefer relaxing trips, sightseeing vacations, and visiting family

About 90 percent of Gen X said they look for deals and read travel reviews before making a decision, and 88 percent said informative content from destinations and travel brands can influence their decision

Gen X Boomers

23

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Gen Z is Open-Minded, Bucket-List Oriented and Looking for Off the Beaten Path Locations

Millennials Embrace YOLO and Prefer All-Inclusive, Relaxing and Romantic Vacations

Gen X are Vacation Deprived Road Trip Warriors, Traveling Less Frequently than Other Generations

Baby Boomers Are Decisive and Confident Travelers, and Not Tied to Budget

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