Millennial travelers look for individualised, cultural experiences

New data from YouGov Reports* reveals the many ways today's youth aren't vacationing like their parents' generation

With the sun rising from its sleep, and the school books getting ready for a season of slumber on the shelves, young people across the globe are preparing to travel.

New numbers from YouGov, however, show that Millennials born between 1980 and 1999 aren't preparing in the same way, or for the same things, as older generations. Unlike their elders, today's youth want individualised experiences that explore local culture — a need largely unmet by traditional tour operators.

Millennials from the UK, US, Germany, and China, for example, are booking their trips online at higher rates than older consumers. These young people are also showing more interest in platform-based services, such as Airbnb, Uber, and Lyft, than older consumers, while simultaneously showing less interest in conventional car rental companies and national hotel chains.

Beach holidays rate high for Millennials from the UK, US, Germany, and China. When compared to the types of leisure trips older generations enjoy, however, young people as a whole are far more inclined toward adventure and cultural trips.

In short: Millennials want more esoteric, unique experiences when compared to other groups. While many destinations have the types of activities they seek, many have not taken appropriate steps to fully develop their offerings or highlight them through marketing.

Ultimately, the data stresses that traditional tour operators need to evolve if they hope to remain relevant to today's young travelers.

YouGov Reports aim to reveal both the big trends and granular details in sectors ranging from finance to technology to food and drink. Each report is built using data from YouGov Profiles and YouGov BrandIndex.

Download the Full Report* on Millennial Travelers Here

*This report covers UK, US, Germany and China.