1. Obligation to travel
More than ever before, millennials are feeling pressured and obligated to travel. It’s no longer a luxury or relaxing vacation, but rather, a necessary experience and rite of passage. This pressure has increased as a result of growing social media prevalence. Millennials see photos from trips on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook and are further incentivized to travel.
2. Exploring a new culture
Instead of using their vacations to party, Millennials are focusing on gaining cultural experiences. According to a survey conducted by Topdeck Travel, a group travel company, 86% of millennials listed experiencing a new culture as a priority when travelling while 69% listed exploring local cuisine.
3. Last minute planning
Millennial travelling is spontaneity at its finest. About 69% of millennials regret not taking a last-minute trip and often experience FOMO (the fear of missing out). Millennials are always looking out for deals and are more likely to book a weekend trip when they see a cheap flight or hotel.
4. We came, we saw, we Snapchatted
Social media plays a big role in millennial travelling. Before planning a trip, millennials look to travel bloggers and vloggers, who post their adventures regularly, for inspiration. During the trip, about 2 out of every 3 millennials post once a day while travelling. About 94% will use Facebook during their travels and 36% check into different locations as they move from city to city.
5. Using apps to find deals
Millennials rarely go to travel agents for help finding the cheap flights, accommodations and tours. Instead, they are looking towards social media sites and travel apps to find deals. With the plethora of resources online, millennials are taking the time to weigh their options using sites like Tripadvisor, Facebook and Expedia. These sites and apps have made travelling more budget friendly and accessible to young people.
6. Hostels and Airbnbs
Hostels are in, hotels are out. Limited by budget, millennials are looking for deals when they travel. Luxury hotels are not required; in fact, millennials will often choose to spend money on lengthier trips and cultural experiences instead. Since millennials travel alone, hostels are a great, budget-friendly option for meeting other people. Airbnb is another popular option because it is generally cheaper and easy to use.
7. Solo travel in a group
More millennials are choosing to travel solo in a group. Companies like Contiki and Intrepid offer group travel for 18 to 35 year olds, allowing solo travellers to meet people from around the world. Solo travel in a group is immersive and offers a balance between independent adventure and safety.
8. Bleisure
Millennial travel has shifted the priorities of the younger generation. “Bleisure” is the term used to describe the mixing of business and leisure. Millennials are now choosing their careers based on whether it will allow them to travel. Business trips are increasingly being combined with travel and adventure. Some Millennials will go sabbatical to travel for a year, taking on part-time or contract work in different countries to afford their trip expenses.