Aussie Research Shows Importance of Boomer Travelers

By Kim Walker, Silver Group

July 4, 2009

Australia

While the 14-29 year-olds are a shrinking portion of the travel market, the 50-plus group is growing, according to Roy Morgan's Domestic Tourism Trends report released in March.

In the year ended September 2008, 74 per cent of Boomers went on holiday, compared with 68 per cent of Generation Y, aged 18-29.

Baby Boomers are shaping up to be a tourism operator's dream, with research showing they are the most frequent and cashed up travelers. Often mortgage and child-free, Boomers on average take longer holidays and spend hundreds of dollars more than their younger counterparts.

But generally, the industry is overlooking them in marketing and advertising campaigns. Contrary to typical tourism ads showing young couples frolicking in swimwear, the Roy Morgan research indicates that Baby Boomers are more likely to travel than younger generations.

To the benefit of Australia's tourism industry, Boomers have a tendency toward domestic travel and "are very risk averse" and "not very adventurous", unlike younger travelers who find the prospect of overseas travel more exciting.

The research also indicates that there's the issue of interest. Young people tend to be more interested in computers or going to the gym. A lot of the money spent is on mobile phones or the latest technology.

While Generation Y and Generation Z (under 18) are likely to travel to Asia or South America, the Aussie Boomers predominantly travel to western English speaking nations, with New Zealand being the most popular, followed by England and the US.

"Baby boomers are the first generation to really feel that travelling is a right and not a privilege".

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