The Motivations of European Travelers from Generation Z to Baby Boomers

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

While travel is something to be experienced and enjoyed by people of all ages, it’s not one size fits all. Each generation—from Generation Z to to Boomers—has its own set of unique preferences, from what type of content they’re drawn to, to what type of device they use to book a trip, to the types of destinations and experiences they seek. A new study from Expedia Media Solutions on multi-generational travel trends in Europe found that while Millennials take the most number of trips per year, Boomers are taking the longest ones. On average, Europeans take 3.7 trips per year.   

The study, “Connecting the Digital Dots: The Motivations and Mindset of European Travelers,” explores the motivations and mindset of British, French and German travelers across Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers as they research, plan and book trips online.

Here are three key takeaways from the study:

● Use compelling imagery when trying to reach younger audiences. 53 percent of Millennials and Gen Z said they are influenced by ads with appealing imagery, followed by appealing deals. For Gen X and Boomers, they are more likely to gravitate and be influenced by informative content and helpful reviews.

● Lead with unique activities and experiences. When prioritizing what influences booking preferences, all generations ranked activities and experiences significantly higher than price and deals. Gen Z is more likely than other generations to seek a once in a lifetime experiences, whereas Boomers are more likely to look for a cultural experience than the younger age groups.

● Create a multi-screen strategy. Younger generations are online and mobile; however, computers are still prevalent and used throughout the travel purchase journey for all generations. More than 50 percent of Gen Z and Millennials said they use their smartphone for looking for travel inspiration compared to eight percent of Boomers. Smartphone use is significantly higher during the trip as more than 70 percent of Gen Z and Millennials are using their mobile devices. While desktop and laptops are more widely used across generations, they play the largest role during the research and booking phases of the purchase journey. More than 70 percent of all generations and over 90 percent of boomers use their desktop or laptop when researching and booking travel.

For more insights on European travelers, you can download the full report here.

This content was created collaboratively by Expedia Media Solutions and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.