• Understanding key generations
• Travel trends by generation
• Approach to planning travel
• How marketers are reaching these generations

Matures Baby Boomers Generation X Gen Y
1920-1945 1946-1964 1965-1978 1979-1999
62-87 years old 43-61 years old 29-42 years old 8-28 years old
40 million strong 78 million strong 55 million strong 84 million strong
12% of population 26% of population 18% of population 28% of population
Security Individuality Self-reliance Duty
Self-sacrifice Self-fulfillment Balance Complexity
I owe it I deserve it I need it I must earn it
For the next seven years,
WWII vets dying at a Every day, 10,000 Currently the dominant
10,500 will turn 21 every day
rate of 1,056 per day Boomers turn 55 family-rearing generation

Defining Events Values
• •
Farm life Discipline
• •
Great Depression Hard work
• Roosevelt’s New Deal • Dedication & sacrifice
• •
World War II Respect for authority
• •
GI Bill Duty before pleasure
• •
Korean War Honor
• Patriotism
• Loyalty
The greatest generation

Defining Events Values
• Civil rights & women’s rights • Optimism
• •
Rise of communism Teamwork
• •
Woodstock Conformity
• •
Space travel Opinions
• •
Political assassinations Personal gratification
• •
Vietnam War & the draft Personal growth
• Watergate • Work/jobs
The me generation

Defining Events Values
• •
Fall of communism Family
• •
Gulf War Self reliance
• •
High divorce rates Entrepreneurialism
• •
Space Shuttle Challenger Fun
• •
AIDS epidemic Informality
• •
1987 stock market crash Convenience
• •
The mall Balance
– Work to live, not live to work
The family generation

Defining Events Values
• •
Columbine Optimism
• •
Oklahoma City bombing Individualism
• •
Instant access technology Self-confidence
• •
Clinton-Lewinsky Achievement oriented
• •
September 11th & terrorism Respect for authority
• •
Hip-hop Respect for diversity
• •
Rodney King & O.J. Integrity
• Drawn to civic duty
• Education
The next greatest generation

• Rural America
• Historical appreciation
• Botanical
• Luxury birding
• Extended stay

• Vacation clubs
• Open road
• Grandtravel
• Exotic destinations
• Second honeymoon
• Fantasy camps

• Ritual free
• Functional hotels
• On the fly
• Camping
• Ruggedless adventure
• Babymoon
• Girls only

• Destination status
• Voluntourism
• Green
• Short burst
• Indulgent extras

…
Internet

• Established online players versus user-generated
content for research
• Boomers more comfortable than Seniors to make the
online purchase
• First generation travel Web sites for booking travel
• But still want the option to talk to a human with
questions and concerns

• Web 2.0 – want to know others’ experiences
• Enjoy booking travel themselves
• Treasure hunt for best deals
• Tend to window-shop

• 3,796 Tourism
• 6,048 Vacation
• 56,253 Travel
– 5,169 family travel
– 1,490 adventure travel
– 1,096 beach travel
– 374 leisure travel
– 284 golf travel
– 219 exotic travel
– 160 eco/environmental travel
– 72 culinary travel
– 51 historical travel

–

–
“We have your missing button.”
“Don’t burn your tongue.”

–

–

–
“The only image of Israel that young men have in
their minds from the last five years, since they
were 12 or 13 years old, is of conflict, of the
intifada, of buses blowing up. We want to show
them that Israel is not a one-dimensional place of
just wars and politics and conflicts.”

–
“Unfortunately, some things don’t stay in Vegas.”
“For more fun and less trouble, come to the track.
You’re this close to winning.”

dstutts@luckie.net

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