What Is Millennial Travel?

If you’d asked me a few years ago what the niche or focus of this blog was, I might have mumbled something along the lines of budget travel, solo female travel, student travel, cultural travel and working abroad. It was difficult to explain the focus as it was like me as a person: a bunch of seemingly random things put together.

But trends in travel have changed and now there’s an easier word for what this blog is all about. Millennial travel is a big conversation topic among the industry because everyone wants to tap into that 18-35 market. I even went to a talk at a travel conference about how travel agents are seeking out millennials using buzzwords like “YOLO.”

I can’t make this stuff up. But what is millennial travel? What does the millennial traveler want and how does it apply to this blog? While this post isn’t focused entirely towards working holidays, it falls under the same realm since most working holiday visas are for those under age 30.

What Are Millennials?

Pew Research Center defines millennials as those born after 1980, but many of the features attributed to this generation could be true of those born even earlier. Many complain about the laziness of millennials and their unwillingness to do hard work as well as traits like “self-absorbed, wasteful and greedy.”

But you also see a rise in creativity as millennials are less likely to stay at a job they’re not passionate about. This is the generation responsible for startups, apps, and the “sharing economy.” They’ve had computers for most of their lives, so technology plays a large role in everyday life.

They’re flexible to change, whether that’s picking up and moving to a new city without knowing anyone there or switching job fields. They’re also idealistic, hopeful that they can make a difference in the world. For more on Millennials, read this White House study.

Millennial Travel as a Buzzword

“Millennial” was first coined by historians in 1987 but did not become a part of the public lexicon until around 2013 when Time Magazine featured the generation in a cover story. In the last few years, the travel industry has hopped on board, as this generation is the future of travel.

They decide the direction of tourism, as evidenced by the networking group known as Millennials in Travel. Skift put together an extensive study on millennial travelers that’s worth a read.

What Millennial Travelers Want

When I’ve been asked about millennial travel, I tend to say the same few statements. To put it simply, here’s what millennial travelers want:

• To Go Now: These travelers don’t want to wait until they save up enough money or after they retire to travel, as their parents and grandparents might, but instead seek to go now, even if it means saving on some things like meals and accommodation.
• Unique Experiences: They want a trip that’s not cookie cutter, something everyone else is doing. This might lead them to choose different destinations than previous destinations might. Flexibility is key, appealing to travelers’ individual interests, not the group mindset.
• Willingness to Splurge: Despite their income levels, millennials are willing to splurge on specific experiences. This might be bungy jumping, riding in an open-door helicopter or scuba diving with whale sharks.
• High Value: They want more bang for their buck. This is especially the case for hotels, where they are willing to sacrifice large hotel rooms for a low price and lots of amenities.
• Connectivity and Sharability: It didn’t really happen unless you can share it with your followers. WiFi is important and better, yet, free WiFi. Plugs should be plentiful on transportation and accommodation. One outlet will not do!

Brands That “Get” Millennial Travelers

There are three camps in terms of thoughts on millennial travelers. There are the brands and destinations that “get” millennials and are marketing appropriately. Then there are the ones who ignore them entirely. And lastly, the brands that think they are marketing towards millennials but aren’t speaking their language. This is like the presentation I mentioned earlier that thought words like “YOLO” would help them reach millennial travelers.

Ace Hotels– This stylish brand started in New York and has expanded to Los Angeles, Seattle, London and recently, New Orleans. Their properties are high on amenities, including in-house bars and coworking spaces. They put an emphasis on design and decor, even in the lower priced rooms, which start at small and bunk bed rooms and go up to suites.

BusAbout and Contiki– Both owned by The Travel Corporation, these 18-35 market tour operators understand their bread and butter. Contiki assigns hashtags to each tour for their guests to share experiences with while BusAbout provides flexibility with their hop on hop off buses. Both have run successful marketing campaigns with YouTubers.

AirBnB– The original creator of the “sharing economy,” AirBnB has taken a concept that existed, namely in sites like Couchsurfing and Vacation Rentals By Owner, and made it trendy for a new generation. Travelers can now stay with locals in their homes or just rent out their space. It provides you with a unique experience, as rentals can be in neighborhoods you might not find a hotel.

JetBlue– Budget carriers are nothing new, but JetBlue has been a trendsetter in many other ways. Millennials appreciate the cheap flights with the option of add-ons like meals and bags. They’re also active on social media. A number of other budget carriers are following suit, offering cheap fares on social media like Twitter.

A Blog About Millennial Travel

The negative connotations to the word “millennial” cause some to redefine their focus, but I’m perfectly happy using the label in terms of my blog’s niche. I myself am a millennial and have many of the same values when I book a trip. I don’t wait until I’ve saved up enough, as my working holiday tells you, but choose to travel now.

I don’t have a steady job that only allows two weeks of vacation, but instead follow my passion. I choose to splurge on unique experiences and want to share them with my friends, family and social media connections. So that’s what you’ll continue to see on this website.

One day it may be about cheap hotels with great amenities and the next it may be about facing your fears to go traveling. I hope you’ll join me as the focus of this blog tightens and becomes more narrowly defined.

Are you a millennial traveler? What’s important to you when you travel?