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Boomer, Mature Travelers Rely on WOM, Have Little Brand Loyalty

Boomers and matures (ages 60 +) both rely on a wide variety of sources for travel information - including TV, travel agents, radio, outdoor ads, print and the internet - but they rely most heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations.

That’s according to a survey of 30,000 consumers age 42 and up conducted by Focalyst, a joint venture of AARP Services Inc. and Kantar.

Recommendations from friends and family were cited by 96 percent of boomers and 88 percent of matures as the most-used source for travel information. They were also cited as the most valued by 57 percent of boomers and 44 percent of matures. Consumers with $75,000 or greater household income are particularly strong influencers of these two groups.

The study also found that when it comes to airlines, hotels, motels and cruise lines, boomers and matures display very little brand loyalty, with only 10 percent using the same company all the time.

More data on the travel propensities of boomers:

• More than 81 million older adults are planning to travel in the next year and collectively, they plan to spend a total of $126 billion on their next trip alone.
• One of the most lucrative segments of the 50+ population is boomers with children under the age of 18 living in the household. On average, these families take trips in the largest groups and their spending per trip was highest among all segments.
• 72 percent like to return to familiar places for their vacations
• More than one-third look forward to vacation as a time to just eat,    drink and relax
• More than half are going on road trips rather than long distance     vacations
• Overall, they steer clear of organized trips.
• 90 percent of boomers and matures alike are concerned about safety when traveling. These concerns go beyond post 9-11 fears of terrorism to include issues such as being within close distance to doctors, pharmacies and other medical facilities as well as avoiding extremely desolate destinations where communication with family is difficult.