Next generation travel inspiration: new Millennial travel trends

From long haul holidays on a shoestring to family moons – Millennials blazing a trail with the emergence of a series of new travel trends

London, UK – 2016 – A truly different breed of travellers, Millennials continue to revolutionise the face of travel. Research revealed today by Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travellers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, shows how this generation is still blazing a trail with the emergence of a series of new travel trends¹.

Driven by their desire to build and enjoy unique experiences, without busting the budget or sticking to the same old type of holiday – travellers of all ages can take inspiration from how Millennials are now planning their time away:

1. Long haul holidays on a shoestring: with a bit more money in their pockets, three fifths of Brits aged 18-34 say they would prefer a long-haul trip to an exotic destination over a short-haul trip to a swanky hotel (60%).
2. Mates in mansions: half of this age group say that clubbing together and taking joint holidays with friends allows them to stay in accommodation they wouldn’t be able to afford on their own (50%).
3. Adrenaline fuelled adventures: not content with putting their feet up, two in five 18-34 year olds (40%) want their time away to be active, instead of an indulgent lazy break.
4. The family-moon: celebrating new arrivals, one in four 18-34 year olds would consider travelling with a new baby while on maternity or paternity leave, making the most of their time off work.
5. Alternative hen dos: proving the girls just want to have fun, 62% of 18-34 year olds are more likely to plan a hen do that goes beyond a regular night out, such as a weekend trip away (61%) or glamping (51%).

David Mau, Director of Product Development, Booking.com said, “The way we travel is constantly evolving. As Millennials grow older and have more money in their back pockets, they are looking at the world through the lens of unlimited possibilities, redefining what adventure means and pushing themselves to get as much as possible out of travel. That goes for all types of trip, near and far. Whoever you choose to travel with and wherever you choose to stay, from homestays and apartments to villas, igloos, boats and even treehouses – at Booking.com we have 30 different types of instantly bookable accommodation to choose from so Millennials can find answers to their ever expanding travel wishes.”

The further the better: long haul on a budget

Three fifths of Brits aged 18-34 say they would prefer a long-haul trip to an exotic destination over a short-haul trip to a swanky hotel (60%). More affluent now, they want to explore far reaching places but are still mindful of cost when they’re there. To this end, almost half (42%) prefer to stay in a rental property in their quest for value for money, and believe vacation rentals are more affoardable than traditional hotel stays (48%).

Travelling like a local is a great way to experience a destination and still a popular choice (44%), but for the majority of Millennials travelling like a tourist has become increasingly popular (56%) – providing a tick list of attractions that can be crossed off and discussed with friends when back home.

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Adrenalin adventurers: health and fitness on holiday

Feet-up, relaxing holidays are becoming a thing of the past. Booking.com’s research shows that two in five 18-34 year olds (40%) want their time away to be active, instead of an indulgent lazy break away. Nearly half of this age group agree that they are more likely to book an active holiday today than they were five years ago (47%), showing how the trend for ‘clean living’ is spreading into the travel sector.

Millennials are spearheading this movement, with more than half (55%) of 18-34 year olds stating that the availability of healthy food is the most important ingredient to booking a holiday. They are also twice as likely as Generation Ys to seek out blood pumping adventures, with over two thirds (68%) looking for some kind of high intensity activity when booking their travel accommodation, compared to just 46% of 35-54 year olds and only 28% of 55+ year olds.

Celebrating new arrivals with a family-moon

Filtering family-friendly holidays online has never been easier, so it’s no surprise that ‘family-moons’ are the new craze for millennials. One in four 18-34 year olds would consider travelling with a new baby while on maternity or paternity leave, making the most of their time off work. Similarly, over a third (37%) of 18-35 year olds would consider a gap-year with their kids, sharing the experiences as a family.

Through using the Booking.com customer review system, travellers are now able to search for the most endorsed destinations for family-friendly travel. Below, Booking.com reveals the top locations, showing that European destinations are firm favourites:

Mates in mansions – people power!

Little beats a trip with friends, relaxing in a holiday home at the coast in the UK or abroad, and unsurprisingly, British millennials agree. Half say joint holidays with friends enables them to stay in accommodation they wouldn’t be able to afford on their own (50%). Offering far more flexibility, when respondents were asked how much they would spend on a two night stay either in the UK or abroad, the most popular answer (40%) was just £101-200.

In fact one in two (56%) would prefer to celebrate their birthday with a weekend away with friends, compared to celebrating at a local bar or club. Booking.com has over 456,000 vacation rentals around the world, so when booking a relaxing riad in Morocco or a beautiful villa in France, be sure to share the memories (and cost!) with friends.

Hen dos with a twist

The summer wedding season not only brings beautiful ceremonies but also fantastic hen dos. Watch out stags, women are also contending to have the best experience with their friends before the big day. This is especially important for 18-34 year olds, with nearly half (47%) agreeing that women are now competing for who can have the best hen do!

While a spa day at a hotel stands at number one (64%), a country side retreat (62%) comes in at a close second. Proving the girls just want to have fun, 62% of 18-34 year olds are more likely to plan a hen do that goes beyond a regular night out, such as a weekend trip away (61%) or glamping (51%). The need for a night out clubbing is diminishing, with only 29% even considering it as an option. With luxury hotels, glamping or seaside holiday homes just one click away, Booking.com takes the stress out of planning an overnight stay.

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Notes to editor

¹ Research conducted by Booking.com with 2,003 nationally representative respondents in the UK. Respondents were male and female. Respondents had to be 18 years of age or older. All respondents had to be at least part of the decision-making process when planning most of their trips. Data was collected in May 2016.

CONTACT DETAILS

Booking.com Press Office: Lon-booking@ketchum.com / 020-3755-6400