Imagine that - a generation gap! Older people talking about younger people as if they were totally different creatures;
I'm referring to travel industry commentary surrounding Gen Y, also known as the Millennials, those pampered citizens of the western world born somewhere between the early 1980s and the first few years of the new century.
They are different, completely different, speaker after speaker said at a conference I recently attended. They will change travel forever through their use of technology was the refrain.
Really? Well, time for a reality check. The latest TripBarometer survey from TripAdvisor shows that it's the older travellers who are leading the way on many key travel metrics, including online.
The survey of 61,007 travellers across 32 markets showed that retirees aged 55+:
- Are the least-cost sensitive traveller segment.
- Took nearly 50% more international leisure trips last year than 18-24 year olds.
- Are most likely to plan in advance, most commonly booking three to six months ahead of their trip (43%).
- Are most influenced by ratings (82%) and reviews (75%) for accommodations, attractions and restaurants on review sites.
- Are more likely to use tablets to find their way around (52%) while on a trip than the average traveller.
The final two points are, I believe, significant because it shows that travel tech use is very much a trait of older travellers, just as it is for their children.
They are also as prone to peer group pressure as their younger counterparts, relentlessly referring to their iPad to canvass the opinions of others.
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