Millennials value travel more than owning their own home and car. A trend among these young people is to make a 'travel bucket list'. When choosing the destinations on this list, social media appears to be a very influential source compared to other generations (42 percent). In addition, close contacts (friends, family), other consumers (review sites, travel blogs) and experts (travel organisations) appear to be of influence. On average, 3.7 sources are consulted before a trip is booked – more than any other generation. This is according to research by Expedia.
Two out of three millennials are looking for authentic travel experiences. Discovering hidden gems and living like a local are important, but the travel experience must be recognized by their social network. One in three millennials say friends who comment enthusiastically on their vacation photos are just as important as the authentic travel experience itself, compared to 24 percent among other generations. In addition, they find it important that the travel experience is verified by their network, because they do not want to run the risk that the trip is disappointing. Also, 59% is consciously concerned with his/her safety during the trip.
This generation further believes that technology makes travel easier. Sixty percent are interested in traveling with wearables, for example to receive notifications during the trip. In addition, 68 percent want to use a smart travel suitcase that can be traced with a smartphone. In order to discover new travel destinations, fifty percent of the millennial generation surveyed wants to use Virtual Reality to look around at the upcoming holiday address. Technological travel gadgets are therefore highly desirable.
