Uniqueness, Adventure and Experience
Millennials are more inclined to seek out unique accommodations, rather than cookie-cutter hotel rooms. This bodes well for your business if you are willing to update your inn to meet the lighter, brighter esthetic of this younger generation. They tend to eschew traditional dark woods, clutter and the “collector” mentality enjoyed by their Boomer parents. They prefer to collect and document life experiences in lieu of things. And if you can provide an interactive learning situation, such as an artisanal cooking class or wine or bourbon tasting, you might book multiple rooms because this is a group that grew up dating in packs. They seek out custom travel experiences that speak to their sense of uniqueness, and when dining out, will often choose a more exotic, adventuresome cuisine to create a memorable dining experience. And, of course, they will post a photo on Instagram. Research shows Millennials are far more interested in traveling abroad and visiting every continent than non-millennials and they are much more willing to handle a modicum of risk in pursuit of excitement.
Brands and Budgets
Millennials are much more likely than their Boomer parents to stretch their travel dollars by combining business trips and personal vacations. Don’t expect them to stay in their rooms, however. They are the “coffee shop” generation and prefer working on their laptops in the common area where they can socialize and plug in rather than staying holed up at a desk in their guest rooms.
Although Millennials appreciate rewards programs, they tend not to be brand loyal, since seeking diverse travel experiences outweighs the need for consistency. These travelers are both high budget and low budget. They may splurge on spa services at an expensive, trendy hotel on one trip (as long as it is close to public transportation) and opt for a zip-lining adventure in more rugged surroundings on their next trip.
Marketing Up
More than a third of Millennials say they have influence over their parents’ buying, dining and traveling habits. So when you appeal to the Millennials, you will be rewarded with the added bonus of expanding your reach to their older, and now hipper, Boomer generation travelers. Can you say “family reunions?”