We call them Generation Wanderlust—but what kind of trips are Millennials most interested in taking? From cruises to glamping, they’ve got more ways to see the world than ever before. Here’s how they’re really hoping to travel…
Why do we call Millennials Generation Wanderlust? It’s one of their biggest passions, with 96% of Millennials saying they are interested in travel, and 81% saying they have a bucket list of places to travel and things to experience. Evidence continues to support the idea that they’ll sacrifice spending on other things to get their jetset fix. In fact, some Millennials are choosing their wanderlust over home ownership, according to a survey from Realty Mogul. They found that 47% of 18-34-year-olds would “rather spend their money on traveling than buying a house”—and 74% of Millennials told Ypulse they would rather spend their money on experiences over things.
Because of their major penchant for lusting after, and spending on, traveling the world, we are constantly keeping you up-to-date on their travel preferences and behavior—from their biggest travel essentials to the trends impacting where they go and what they see. According to our Instagrammability research, 70% of 18-34-year-old social media users say that it’s important that the places they travel look good in the pictures they post to social media—and 45% say it’s very/extremely important. In fact, almost two in five Millennials tell us that they would be more likely to travel somewhere new if it would make a great looking social media post. But of course, they also have preferences when it comes to the kinds of trips they want to take. These days, everyone is competing for young consumers’ travel dollars—and from glamping to Millennialized cruises, there are more options for them to explore the world than ever before. But what kinds of trips are they most interested in taking next? In our monthly Ypulse survey of 1000 Gen Z and Millennial consumers, we asked all about their travel desires, and found out just what different kinds of trips 18-34-year-olds are interested in taking in the future. Here is the ranking:
Three quarters of Millennials are interested in taking trips exploring other countries, making it the most desired kind of trip among the generation. According to the U.S. State department, the number of valid passports in the U.S. has grown 87% in the last 10 years, and we found that 62% of Millennials have a valid passport. When we asked Millennials why they like to travel, observing differences in cultures outside of the U.S., learning interesting new facts, finding places that are off the beaten path, and indulging in food and beautiful scenery were major themes. All of those experiences are things they’re more likely to envision happening outside of the U.S.
Seeing the sights within a major city, having a water-related trip to the beach, a lake, etc., and visiting an all-inclusive resort were the next most popular kinds of trips. Interestingly, half of Millennials do say they are interested in taking a cruise. While it’s not the majority, there might be good news there for the cruise industry, which has been working overtime to win over the generation. U by Uniworld is one example, capping their cruise passengers’ age at 45, and offering a slew of Millennial-friendly amenities—including dorm-like quarters, silent discos, yoga, and classes to learn how to make your favorite, over-priced craft cocktail. Excursions to the places they pass are encouraged and, at the end of a long day of painting and drinking wine, there’s a DJ party.
When we compare this to interest in different trips in 2016, we can see that the interest in certain kinds of trips among Millennials has actually increased:
In the last year, interest in trips to all-inclusive resorts, getting closer to nature, and eco-tours has gone up among 18-34-year-olds, perhaps showing their desire to unplug and find trips that will help them escape their distractions and worries even more.
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