Travel is much more than a vacation for 50-plus crowd

Travel for people 50 and over is rapidly changing, says Tom OToole, senior vice president, strategy and systems, Hyatt Corp. We find it very interesting that travel is among the most aspirational concepts for this group. As such, incredible opportunities are being opened up for home based travel agents serving these peoples dreams of traveling around the world.

The top travel dreams of 50 plus Americans include traveling to Hawaii, Europe, Australia and Italy. The days of settling for a quick trip to Florida are over or so it seems for the 50 plus crowd. What has always been an important part of Americans leisure activity is now becoming a full blown passion for baby boomers. In fact, 75 percent of boomers today consider themselves travelers and 30 percent of mature travelers travel for adventure.

The top things to do before you turn 100 reveals that nearly half of the top 100 goals adults 50 plus want to accomplish center around travel. What may come as even more of a surprise is the type of travel people are planning. They seek to experience and learn about the world and themselves through meaningful journeys and adventures.

If you are over 50 today, you will, on average, live 20 years longer than your grandparents did. This provides more opportunities than ever before to get the most out of life. Boomers have told us that they are planning to use this time to travel to new places, to continue to learn, to deepen their relationships and to just have fun. Travel is never more important than when you are over 50 now is the time to live out your dreams.

The travel lists a range of travel experiences, from seeing the Grand Canyon to going on safari in Africa, as among the 100 most popular LifeDreams of its visitors. The top five travel dreams include traveling to Hawaii, Europe, Australia and Italy, as well as taking a cruise.

Up until now, the typical first step in planning a trip was to choose a destination Italy or Hawaii for example. However, we are finding that many boomers are now starting their planning based on their interests and goals, like a walking vacation or a family reunion. From there, the research, planning and fun begin.

For active vacations, boomers are more likely than a younger audience to train with friends or with a personal trainer prior to the trip. Diving into the cultural nuances of a region, taking a conversational language course or inviting friends over to test regional recipes are other ways to make the most of preparing for trips.

This new generation is embracing the Internet as a resource and is likely to have a community of past travelers and friends to share and suggest hidden treasures to enrich their travels. The travel industry is turning its attention to the financial prowess of this new 50 plus generation. Approximately 8,000 Americans turn 50 every day, and boomers control $2 trillion in disposable income annually.

New offerings are being created to meet the unique needs of this age group, from plan it yourself travel to extensive package vacations that can be tailored for couples, adventurous individuals or families seeking intergenerational vacations that bring children, parents and grandparents together.