New Survey Analyzes Next Generation Travelers

PhoCusWright and the Ypartnership released the results of the “NEXTgen Traveler” survey of 2,559 adults the two entities conducted. Respondents were “active users” of the latest computer, entertainment or consumer technology, and took at least one overnight trip requiring the use of commercial accommodations during the previous 12 months.

According to the survey, these “next generation” travelers are highly educated (30 percent with a 4-year college degree; 20 percent with at least one year of graduate school), affluent (30 percent of households with an annual income in excess of $100,000), and are equally likely to be Echo Boomers (18 to 28 years of age) as Baby Boomers (43 to 61 years of age), thereby debunking the belief that the usage of new technology is concentrated among younger travelers.

They have a zest for travel (75 percent would travel more if they had more money; 62 percent would travel more if they had more time) and spend, on average, over 50 percent more on travel services annually than their less tech-savvy counterparts.

As expected, “next generation” travelers are heavy users of the latest technology: two-thirds (65 percent) take pictures, text message (63 percent), access the Internet (33 percent) and play video games (29 percent) with their phones. Two-thirds also shop online sites such as eBay (67 percent).

Four out of ten (37 percent) own the latest video game console, and one out of four (23 percent) has a GPS in their car. Seven out of ten (71 percent) use the Internet to search for travel information, while 41 percent have taken a virtual tour of a destination, and 38 percent have built a trip itinerary online; More than half (58 percent) cite the “ability to check the best fares/rates” as the most important feature in a travel website.

Almost four in ten (37 percent) report being influenced by personal comments read on social networking or travel advisory web sites, but they frequent social networking sites such as MySpace.com (56 percent) and Facebook (30 percent) more than travel advisory or review sites such as TripAdvisor (14 percent). One-third have authored and posted a travel review online.

The media consumption habits of “next generation” travelers also differ markedly from those of their less tech-savvy counterparts. Advertising messages are often ignored, and traditional media outlets appear to exert little influence. More than half (56 percent) read newspapers online, while almost one out of five (18 percent) never reads a hard-copy newspaper.