Summer is nearly here and, with it, the peak travel season. With people living longer than before, there are a record number of generations walking the Earth at the same time. What are the key differences in each generation’s travel habits?
Travel Habits of the Generations
According to Afar, there are seven generations alive right now. And that’s incredible. Each generation is defined slightly differently. But the Pew Research Center says a generation “typically refers to groups of people born over a 15-20 year span.”
The Silent Generation (1928-1945): These folks are age 80 and older. They tend to prefer a single familiar destination, where they’ve already been. They like to feel secure and make the most out of their trip. Experienced tour guides for private tours are preferred as well.
Baby Boomers (1946-1964): They were born in the population boom after WWII. Some of these folks have a good deal of spending money. They often like to travel with their kids and grandkids. When choosing a destination, they like to hit dream spots like seeing something they’ve always wanted to see. They like to be pampered and can be demanding.
Gen X (1965-1980): These folks are planners and their travel habits are to have the logistics of a trip all planned out before traveling, so everything goes smoothly. But they’re more likely to be planning that trip at the last minute. They’re comfortable spending money while traveling, and they often have elder parents and their own children to think about. With busy schedules, they’re all about the scheduling. They like authentic cultural experiences.
The Younger Generations
Millennials (1981-1996): They grew up with smartphones and technology, so they do a lot of their research and planning on the internet. They use AI to book trips, but they will ask a travel advisor for help when planning a big, important trip. Their travel habits are to arrange things ahead of time so they can relax, but they also enjoy trips with groups of friends and adventures outside of the usual.
Gen Z (1997–2010): These folks like to take a few trips each year, and they also like to have an adventure that’s off the beaten path. They think about sustainability and being planet-friendly. They like trips that are all-inclusive and traveling with groups.
Gen Alpha (2010-2024): They’ve been growing up in a world where tech is prevalent, and they are the biggest generation. So they learn about a lot of things, including travel destinations, from social media. Family trips are influenced by their travel habits and what they want to do. And their top destinations are beaches and theme parks.
Gen Beta (2025-): They’re just arriving on the scene. So their influence has yet to make an impact. It will be interesting to see the decisions and preferences of this new generation.
Wrap Up
Of course, this is all for fun. Every person is an individual, and travel habits can be unique. But there are some trends based on age groups, and it’s interesting to study. Wherever you’re traveling this year, be safe and leave the places you visit better than how you found them. Show kindness and everything is bound to go swimmingly.
