You knew it: Millennials and their parents are very different travellers
Among the key findings in TripAdvisor’s annual global study, young people spend less on travel, are more enticed by deals and sometimes don’t even know where to go.
When it comes to accommodation, baby boomers spend an average of S$1,540 – twice as much as millennials, who had a more frugal expenditure of S$675.
This was one of the findings from a global study recently released by TripAdvisor.
The annual TripBarometer polled over 23,000 respondents from 33 markets around the world, and there was a significant difference in the travel habit of the young and not-so-young.
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Younger travellers are more likely to be enticed by deals, with 16 per cent of respondents aged 25 to 34 even rethinking their itinerary due to savings. The older you get, the less tempted you are by promotions. Only nine per cent of those above 65 admit to being swayed by travel discounts.
Meanwhile, millennials are also more inclined to take a short city break holiday (42 per cent) compared to everyone else, and are more likely to seek excitement while older travellers prefer to relax and soak in the culture.
Wanderlust starts even before the trip itself – but millennials and their parents go about planning things very differently.
Younger people are less fixed on a destination, with only 46 per cent of participants aged between 18 and 24 having decided on where to go before starting their research.
For those above 65, planning is key – 70 per cent already have a place in mind before reading up about it.
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That said, when it comes to actual things to do on a trip, millennials are more proactive in pre-booking attractions before embarking. Only a third of baby boomers polled actually bother to do so.
When it comes to splurging, however, both age groups are prepared to loosen the purse strings. Slightly over half of those polled from both groups said they were prepared to pay a little more for a luxury trip.
Aside from age, cultural patterns also emerged in the study.
Asian travellers prefer to visit multiple locations and go for excitement and fun, rather than to chill out and relax. They also value hotel brands more compared to Europeans.
In particular, 82 per cent of Chinese travellers said it is important to stay in a hotel with a brand name they know and trust. UK travellers are the least interested in hotel brands, with only 22 per cent placing a premium on their bed and breakfast.
