Changing Trends in the Baby Boomer Travel Market: Importance of Memorable Experiences

Abstract

Globally, the number of baby boomers who are age 60 years and over are expected to more than double, from 841 million people in 2013 to more than 2 billion in 2050. In recent years, boomers have demonstrated that they are willing participants in new and memorable experiences where they can learn and broaden their minds through travel to new locations and to learn more about different cultures through a variety of first-hand experiences. As a result, the numbers of baby boomer travelers over 60 years of age have grown substantially from 593 million international travelers in 1999, which has been forecast to exceed 2 billion trips per annum by 2050. The hotel and resort industry needs to respond to their changing needs, and allow guests to achieve memorable experiences in exotic and different destinations as well as through the provision of hotel design that is inextricably linked to the place they are visiting. This article outlines the changing sociodemographic trends of baby boomers, examines their need for different hotel and resort experiences in an expanding market place, and concludes with a discussion of key marketing considerations.

在全球范围内，60 岁及以上的“婴儿潮”一代人数预计将翻一番，即从 2013 年的 8.41 亿人增加到 2050 年的 20 亿人以上。近年来，婴儿潮一代表明他们愿意参与难忘的新体验，通过到新地方旅行来增长见识和开阔心灵，通过第一手体验了解更多的不同文化。结果，60 岁以上的婴儿潮一代游客数量大幅增长：1999 年约有5.93亿次国际旅行，到 2050 年这一数字预计将超过每年 20 亿次。酒店和度假村行业需要满足他们不断变化的需求，让旅客在异国他乡享受异国情调，获得难忘的体验，并因地制宜进行相应的酒店设计。本文概述了婴儿潮一代社会人口趋势的变化，考察了他们在不断扩大的市场中对不同酒店和度假体验的需求，最后讨论了关键的营销考虑因素。

Keywords:

• Baby boomers
• hotel and resort services
• hotel design
• memorable experiences
• socio-demographics