Boomer women travelers: Ignored by the companies who need them most?

A recent VibrantNation.com survey revealed a lot of interesting facts about the Vibrant Boomer woman as the ultimate power traveler. We already knew that women aged 50-75 spend $150 billion each year on travel.

But last week we also learned that:

1. The Vibrant Woman makes her own travel decisions. 70% told us that they decide where they will travel by themselves. Even among those who are married, only 1/3 consult her spouse/partner in choosing travel destinations.

 

2. The Vibrant Woman spends more. Over 40% typically spend more than $2,500 on each extended trip/vacation.

How do you win this Vibrant traveler?

1. Appeal to her desire to learn. 57% of our respondents said they would pay more for trips that include educational components.

 

2. Keep her busy.
   • 74% value experiential components (meeting locals, volunteering, etc.)
   • 58% prefer a “moderate” or “extensive” degree of physical activity as part of their travel.
3. Reach her online. While Vibrant Women still consult travel magazines, they do so in smaller numbers, and nearly half of our respondents reported that they internet is their most important “travel publication.”

So far, these insights are typical of those we often report at VibrantNation.com. Marketers need to recognize that Boomer women are active, engaged citizens with discretionary income that they are willing to spend on themselves.

Our survey also suggested that some marketers with the most at stake in this opportunity could dramatically improve their business with this ideal customer. 57% of respondents told us they had taken a trip with educational components, yet several companies seem to be missing an opportunity to capture their business:

1. Only 9% had used elderhostel, which is probably doing exactly the right thing in repositioning itself as Exploritas. No single company has more to gain from these trends.

 

2. Vibrant Women represent the best-educated generation of women in history (72% of our member have undergraduate and/or graduate degrees), yet only 16% had taken educational travel trips organized by alumni associations or schools. Universities are the perfect feeder for this traveler, but have probably been focused on the travelers who are 70+ without paying attention to her daughter.

 

3. Even non-profits could improve their performance. This sector captures only a 25% share of the Vibrant Woman’s educational travel budget. Given her affinity for these organizations (and her disproportionate role in funding their budgets), the Vibrant Woman seems likely to do more travel business with the non-profits she values if they make it easy.

What does that mean? To pay attention to the marketing tactics related above; to recognize her real interests and needs; and to stop resting on its laurels as her mother’s favorite way to travel.