The New York Times reported early data from Virtuoso Travel showing senior travelers leading the way in new travel bookings. With this age group leading vaccination efforts, many are now protected and ready to hop in the car to see grandchildren just a few states away – or to book that long-awaited flight to a far-off destination.
We looked at leisure travelers 65+ in the Resonate Ignite Platform™ to break down what travel providers need to know about this segment in order to connect and engage.
Senior Travelers are Focused on Duty, Security, and Dependability
As they move through life, senior travelers value obeying rules and laws, feeling safe in their community and nation, and being reliable and trustworthy. They may be more self-disciplined, organized, and dependable. For these travelers, life is about being there for family and friends.
This has likely been a tough year for them as they’ve balanced the pull of both of their priorities: following the precautions set forth for seniors and other Americans alike, while also giving up valuable time with their loved ones.
To connect with this audience, consider highlighting themes of being proper, accountable, decent, dependable, trustworthy, and honest in creatives and messaging.
Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™
These travelers value dependability and trustworthiness in their own lives and they expect the same from their travel service providers. Compared to the average adult, they are 100% more likely to select travel providers that are trustworthy and 27% more likely to select providers that are dependable.
This audience is also uniquely likely to prefer travel services providers that are easy to use. Emphasize a seamless booking and travel experience for these seniors.
Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™
Key Message: The Trip is Half the Fun!
With age comes experience. These are seasoned travelers (no travel anxiety here!) and they believe getting there is half of the fun. Travel providers who provide services for the first leg of a trip should lean into the excitement these travelers have for the whole process.
TIP: Taking that first flight is a monumental experience after a year in lockdown! Lean into that in your marketing messages.
When crafting packages for these seniors, keep in mind that they are less likely to pay extra for luxuries (like upgraded comfort and premium food/toiletries) and communication access (they’re probably not uploading their trip to TikTok!).
Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™
Key Message: Getting Away to See Something New
Senior travelers like to take leisure trips to spend time with family, relax/rejuvenate, and have new experiences.
Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™
When deciding what to do and where to go, they’ll look for destinations that offer educational and cultural experiences.
TIP: These travelers are 69% more likely than average to enjoy museums and performing arts – consider highlighting these cultural events at your destination.
Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™
How Senior Travelers Plan Their Trips
Senior travelers tend to start planning for a vacation 1 to 6 months in advance. They’re ready to start booking their summer travel now! Some of the readiest travelers (32%) could be ready to book a trip for as soon as this spring.
These seniors are less likely than average to believe that specialty travel sites give the best deals. Instead, they are 88% more likely than average to book their travel online directly through the hotel/airline.
Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™
They are 141% more likely than average to book their own travel without the assistance of a travel agent or tour group. They’ll try to plan carefully and stay within a budget. As we saw earlier, they’ll need services that are easy to use so they can confidently book their own travel!
With security being a top personal value for this audience, it is no surprise that they are 102% more likely to consider staying safe a priority when they travel.
Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™
These seniors are less likely than the average US adult to use social media to plan for their vacations. Service providers will need to leverage different channels in their marketing approach to reach this population.
Who Else Has Travel on Their Mind?
Resonate’s real-time, human-level, actionable taps into the motivations, values, and drivers of over 200 million American consumers. Who in that group should be on your marketing radar? Who else is eager to get back on a plane? Who’s looking to take an overnight trip to the next state over? Each of these micro-segments looks and behaves differently so you need hyper-relevant, updated insights to connect.
Request a demo today to learn how you can use our data to develop a full marketing plan for seniors who travel — or any other target group in your audience.
