Technological change has reinvented the manner in which travel service suppliers bring their products and services to the marketplace in recent years.

A new report—co-authored by PhoCusWright and Ypartnership—reveals that emerging technology has had an equally profound effect on the behavior of those who use it.

The NEXTgen Traveler™ surveyed 2,559 adults—"active users" of the latest computer, entertainment or consumer technology, and who took at least one overnight trip requiring the use of commercial accommodations during the previous 12 months.

These "next generation" travelers are highly educated, affluent, and are equally likely to be Echo Boomers (18-28 years of age) as Baby Boomers (43 to 61 years of age), thereby debunking the belief that the usage of new technology is concentrated among younger travelers. They have a zest for travel and spend, on average, over 50% more on travel services annually than their less tech-savvy counterparts.

As expected, "next generation" travelers are heavy users of the latest technology: two thirds take pictures, text message, access the Internet and play video games with their phones.

Two thirds also shop online sites such as eBay. Four out of ten own the latest video game console, and one out of four has a GPS in their car.

"Next generation" travelers also rely heavily on the Internet when it comes to planning, purchasing and sharing information on travel experiences:

• Seven out of ten use the Internet to search for travel information; 41% have taken a virtual tour of a destination and 38% have built a trip itinerary online;
• More than half cite the "ability to check the best fares/rates" as the most important feature in a travel Web site;
• Almost four in ten report being influenced by personal comments read on social networking or travel advisory Web sites, but they frequent social networking sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook more than travel advisory or review sites such as TripAdvisor;
• One third have authored and posted a travel review online.

The media consumption habits of "next generation" travelers also differ markedly from those of their less tech-savvy counterparts.

Advertising messages are often ignored, and traditional media outlets appear to exert little influence. More than half read newspapers online, while almost one out of five never reads a hard-copy newspaper.

The NEXTgen Traveler™ (170+ pages and 200+ charts and tables) is available for purchase at www.phocuswright.com