Breaking the Barriers of Boring Itineraries

Guidebooks like Lonely Planet and usual itineraries defined by Travel Agents are now becoming irrelevant in a world of travel apps. The modern Millennials are leveraging the internet and social media to discover travel destinations where they can experience different micro-moments. Trodly, the travel-tech company enabling hassle-free discovery and online booking of Experiential Tours & Activities, analyzed the market trends for travel activities and found that 81% of the Millennials would choose to spend money on experiential travel instead of the usual boring itineraries available.

CONTEXT

Holidays are no more about just visiting a hill-station or spending days at beaches of Goa. Indian holidaymakers are getting much more active on holiday. Beach breaks, wildlife holidays, exploration of local culture, and weekend breaks are becoming popular amongst the modern Indians, especially amongst the millennials who are living busier lives.

This doesn't mean that the rise of the experiential holiday is only limited to Millennials. Even affluent travelers are increasingly opting to indulge in memorable experiences rather than favoring luxurious yet boring itineraries. These independently-minded travelers are designing every aspect of their trips and holidays. From customizing their hotel stay to how they spend their time at the destination. Millennials are following the 'Do it yourself' concept, where they are booking flights & hotels, getting a boarding pass or check-in - everything through a phone. The modern travelers looking for seamless experience for their holidays rely on their phones for destination ideas, places to visit or eat, maps, walks and so on.

In fact, research by Phocuswright projected Travel Activities Market to reach USD 183 Billion by 2020 making it the largest segment in the travel industry. Another global survey by Hamed 9n 2017 revealed that by 2020, travel expenses of millennials will reach more than 50% of all travel expenses on the global scale. In the context of the rising trend of experiential travel and travel activities, Trodly conducted research in 6 major cities of India.

METHOD

Trodly, the travel-tech company helping travelers to book in-destination experiences and travel services conducted a survey amongst visitors on Trodly website and mobile app. The Millennial survey conducted between November 2018 and February 2019 registered 8600 respondents between the age group of 21 and 35. Out of which, 68% of respondents belong to metro cities of India.

KEY FINDINGS

The study revealed that 81% of the Millennials would choose to spend money on experiential travel instead of the usual boring itineraries available through travel agents. Out of these, 76% of respondents preferred to stay in locally-owned accommodation or homestays, hire local guides, and explore local culture, cuisine, and arts.

73% of the Millennials assigned special value to gain unusual experiences during their travel, regardless of the destination and type of travel. This showcased that consumer behavior is changing and travelers prefer experiential activities over traditional amenities.

65% of the Millennials consented that they perceive themselves as explorer instead of tourists and favored the deep engagement in experiential travel.

86% of the Millennials agreed that social media plays a key role in deciding travel destination for them. 67% of these respondents attributed Instagram to be the prime source of travel inspiration.

89% of the Millennials showed interest in exploring online platforms which can facilitate unique and local experiences for travels during their experiential travels.

78% of the Millennials consented that they do quality research and gather relevant information before deciding on their travel destination and travel activities. This establishes Millennials as one of the most informed travelers and not as impulsive young consumers.

The study also revealed that 66% of the Millennials are familiar with the terms – 'Experiential Travel', 'Responsible Travel', or both. Furthermore, 72% of the total respondents stated experiencing local culture and local life is an authentic way of experiential travel.