Profile of the Echo Boomer market segment

In 2005, Generation Y represented 20.3% of the Quebec population 18 years and over. They account for a similar proportion of the travel market, constituting 18.8% of the province’s domestic travellers and 19.5% of its international travellers during the past year.
According to the Print Measurement Bureau (PMB), 42% of young Quebeckers in Generation Y have travelled within Canada in the past year, while the rate is 46% among the entire population aged 12 years and over (Table 1). Nearly one-third of them made at least one trip within Quebec and 10% visited Ontario.

Table 2 lists the most popular international destinations among Generation Y travellers in the past three years, noting the percentage of those who made at least one trip to each destination, as compared to the entire Quebec population. Though this demographic group visited the Northeast United States and France in greater numbers than did the overall Quebec population, it was not as fond of Cuba as other customer segments were.

Figure 1 illustrates the percentage of young people aged 18 to 29 who take part in certain activities while travelling in Canada, compared to the number of participants from the overall Quebec population. Members of Generation Y are more likely to practise sports activities, hiking and skiing, and engage in shopping and nightlife than other travellers. However, they are less likely to attend cultural activities like museums, art galleries and events.

Here are some more pertinent facts taken from the PMB with regard to the travel behaviour of Quebec Generation Y travellers in Canada:

• 85% travel by car, 9% by bus and 10% by plane
• 78% travel for only a few days, 22% for one week and only 7% for two to three weeks
• their favourite type of accommodation is with friends and family (40%), followed by hotels (34%), motels (18%), campgrounds (18%), cottages (17%) and, rarely, B&Bs (5%)

When travelling outside the country:

• 41% travel for a few days, 44% for one week, 27% for two to three weeks and 12% for one to two months
• 76% travel by plane, 36% by car and 10% by bus

Other than their favourite activities while travelling, what interests this clientele? What are its favourite hobbies and leisure activities? Figure 2 illustrates the percentage of this generation that engaged in various sports and leisure activities over the past year.

Compared to the overall population, young people aged 18 to 29 have a higher participation rate in a greater number of sports and activities (cycling, dance, photography, running, canoeing, amusement parks, etc.). Nightlife is especially popular, with 46% of young people having gone out to bars in the last year.

As illustrated in Figure 3, some Quebec events are quite popular with young people in Generation Y: for example, 15% attended the Montréal International Jazz Festival last year. Other Quebec attractions are popular too, with one out of five Quebeckers aged 18 to 29 having visited La Ronde, a proportion that is twice that of the overall Quebec population.

Looking beyond the numbers

With personalities and behaviours that differ from those of preceding generations, Echo Boomers are a challenge for the companies who would like to attract them. However, they are not unreachable, and the following information may help you understand them better.

• For this generation, travel offers a sense of accomplishment and pleasure; it is a tool of personal development, a way to discover new lands and an enriching experience, both personally and socially. Traditional sightseeing activities, guided tours and museums are not attractive to them. They prefer adventure tourism, sports tourism, the latest forms of entertainment and outdoor activities.
• Professionally, the children of Baby Boomers do not want to be like their parents. While the latter are often workaholics, Generation Y aims for a better balance between work, family and one’s personal life. Not particularly loyal employees, these people look for work that they can be passionate about, rather than something stable and well paid. They do not like hierarchical organizations.
• Though often big consumers, they are also savvy, experienced buyers. As a customer segment, they are demanding and hard to predict. Because they often have limited budgets and many have a high debt ratio, the quality-price ratio is key to them (they often travel with only one credit card). In addition, they are very skilled at searching the Web for the ideal destination and price. The Internet now offers tremendous information transparency and Generation Y is certainly the generation that takes full advantage of this.
• Technology is part and parcel of their lives and the internet holds few secrets for them; they navigate easily and confidently, whether searching for information or making online reservations.
• Unlike other customer segments, Echo Boomers are not afraid of innovation. On the contrary, they enjoy surprises, adapt quickly, and like to get off the beaten path to discover new horizons, new destinations and new activities.
• In terms of marketing, it is vital to remember that they have been immersed in advertising since birth and, as a result, are less sensitive to it or even immune. Therefore, they can be difficult to reach through traditional media and more easily reached through the internet. However, viral marketing, search engine referencing and online public relations are more effective than conventional advertising banners. Furthermore, the advent of social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook means that marketing efforts must “listen” in order to identify, target and reach Generation Y. Members of this generation like to talk about themselves and their lives (their trips, friends, photos, etc.) on personal pages and blogs.
• Remember that they share a lot. Thanks to social websites, cell phones, online chatting and Skype, they are instantly up to date with whatever their friends are doing, no matter where or when. This is why well-executed viral marketing campaigns can be so effective.
• The most powerful hook for them is probably a sense of humour, or even sarcasm. Strategies that can make them (and their friends) laugh will win points. Some marketing campaigns have used humour to great effect, even with limited budgets.

In short, they are skilled negotiators, ambitious and nonchalant, and they question everything. They are also wholehearted hedonists, sensitive to the fate of the planet and keen to learn more about the world. Full of ideas, these people are inspiring.

Sources:

- Print Measurement Bureau, 2007.
- Renaud, Jean-François. “Le Web de la génération Y”, Adviso, conseil + stratégies, 7 décembre 2005.
- Hira A., Nadira. “You Raised Them, Now Manage Them”, Fortune, 28 mai 2007.
- “The Children of the Web”, Business Week, 2 juillet 2007.
- Ramsay, Charles-Albert. “Fallait y penser: un nouvel emploi chaque semaine?”, Les Affaires, 7 juillet 2007.
- Canning, Simon et Lara Sinclair. “End of the Love-in”, The Australian, 20 octobre 2006.

What is a tween?

“Tween” is a marketing term used to describe preteens ages 9 to 14. Straddling childhood and adolescence, they have a foot in both worlds. When it comes to technology, they rule: they are online longer, adopt and master new technologies faster than adults and participate in a wider variety of online activities. In Canada, 85% of tweens have access to a computer, 82% to a video game system, 25% to an iPod or MP3 player and 16% have a cell phone (this number rises to 26% among 12 to 14 year-olds).

While their favourite medium is still television (50%), 27% of American 9 to 14 year-olds watch it on the internet. Figure 1 lists their favourite online activities.

Purchasing power and influence on family decisions

Spending by tweens has doubled every decade for the past 30 years. In the US today, between spending their own money and influencing their parents’ purchasing decisions, this segment controls or influences approximately US$260 billion in spending. According to the BRANDchild study (conducted by Millward Brown among 2,000 young people ages 9 to 14 years in several countries), tweens influence 80% of their parents’ brand purchases.

In 2005, there were approximately 2.5 million tweens in Canada and their average annual income was CAN$1,155. This means they controlled CAN$2.9 billion of their own money in addition to influencing another CAN$20 billion in family purchases.

It is this financial power that differentiates tweens from earlier generations; never has this age group exercised such influence. The generation is populous enough to ruin a brand it does not like or catapult another to success by adopting it. The influence of tweens is particularly noticeable when it comes to choosing a restaurant, groceries and even cars, but they can also affect travel-related decisions:

• Over 40% of young people believe they have some or a lot of influence when it comes to choosing a vacation destination.
• Although only a small percentage of tweens feel they have a strong influence on hotel choices, 59% believe they have some influence. Also, 20% of parents say they “always or sometimes” ask for their tween’s opinion when selecting a hotel.
• Tweens believe they influence the planning of vacation activities 55% of the time.

They may be plugged in, but do they shop online?

Surprisingly, tweens and teens are shopping online in increasing numbers, thanks to prepaid gift cards. Major companies now offer prepaid credit cards designed especially for young people. The Visa Buxx card is just one example and can be used everywhere Visa is accepted, particularly online!

Receptiveness to advertising

Young people in the United States, Australia and Great Britain see an average of 20,000 to 40,000 commercials per year and spend 60% more time in front of the television than at school. Two surveys conducted by The Harris Interactive Youth and Education Research Group in May 2006 offer more insight into young people’s attitudes towards advertising:

• Tweens attach a great deal of importance to objects and brands “cool.”
• Friends have a tremendous influence on their preferences and they want what their friends have. Their consumer choices are also influenced by advertising.
• More than earlier generations, tweens are very receptive to celebrity-driven advertising.
• Young people say they are most influenced by television commercials (54%), magazine ads (23%) and movie-theatre commercials (19%).
• Advertisements for food seem to attract the most attention from tweens.

Generally speaking, marketing specialists use the strategy of treating tweens like teens. The marketing industry has forced children to grow up faster and studies show that those aged 11 and older no longer consider themselves children.

Ethical debate

There is a major debate concerning the ethics of tween-oriented marketing. By treating these young people like mature, independent consumers, advertisers are taking parents out of the decision-making process and thereby making children more susceptible to unhealthy messages about body image, sexuality, relationships and violence. This is an emotional issue that creates sharp divides. Although the tourism industry is less involved in such marketing, it is important to be aware of the issues.

Some tourism examples

In terms of the tourist experience, tweens are often too old for activities aimed at children and too young for teen and adult activities. Very few tourism-based businesses offer products specifically for tweens. However, some businesses have adapted their products for this segment.

Club Med offers two programs designed for 11 to 17 year olds: Junior Club Med, which supervises young people and organizes group activities (beach volleyball, trapeze, trampoline, sailing, inline skating, tennis, etc.), and Club Med Passworld, an exclusive new zone with special high-tech equipment. Specially-trained counsellors facilitate the discovery of new activities designed specifically for them and encourage their development and socialization.

Some Four Seasons hotels (Atlanta, New York, London, Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto) have added a youth concierge to their service teams to deal specifically with tweens and teens. These hotels have also conducted focus groups with tweens in the aforementioned cities to identify cool things to do locally. They now have an updated idea of this clientele’s preferences and interests. These hotels also provide special amenities to this customer category, offering things like popcorn, recent magazines and films, an indoor pool, and balanced meals designed especially for them. For its part, the Ritz Carlton in South Beach, Miami, provides a tech centre for tweens and teens.

Finally, the Florida tourism portal lists activities aimed at tweens, like scuba diving, an indoor rink for roller-skating and skateboarding and water skiing.

Be among the first!

Given their economic muscle, tweens will no doubt continue to be targeted by businesses. In addition, since relatively few tourism businesses target this clientele in particular, doing so would probably provide a competitive edge. A few suggestions for reaching this market segment:

• Carefully analyze their likes, dislikes and influences, to offer products and services tailor-made for them.
• Speak their language: tweenspeak is the system of abbreviations, symbols, icons and numerals used for text messaging and in chat rooms. This new language enables them to communicate with each other around the world without even speaking the same language!
• Keep wait times to a minimum. Although no longer interested in colouring, tweens still don’t have much patience.
• Offer cool products traditionally aimed at older customers, but ensure they are closely supervised to reassure parents.

Sources:
- Business Wire. “iGillottResearch Finds Significant Opportunities for Wireless Devices in the Tween Segment,” July 22, 2005.
- De Mesa, Alycia. “Marketing and Tweens,” Business Week Online, October 12, 2005.
- eMarketer. “What Do Kids, Tweens and Teens Do Online?” www.emarketer.com, October 10, 2006.
- Lindstrom, Martin. “Branding Is No Longer Child’s Play!” Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2004.
- Martin, Suzanne. “Advertising to Youth: What Youth Want And What Advertisers Need to Know,” Trends & – Tudes, Harris Interactive, Vol. 5, No. 7, August 2006.
- Media Awareness Network. “Special Issues for Tweens and Teens,” www.media-awareness.ca.
- Shohan, Aviv and Vassilis Dalakas. “He Said, She Said, They Said: Parent’s and Children’s Assessment of Children’s Influence on Family Consumption Decisions,” Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 22, No. 3, 2005.
- YTV, Corus Media. “2002 YTV Tween Report: Special Kidfluence Edition” and “Winter 2006–YTV Kids Trend Report.”

• Climate of uncertainty
  The political, economic, climatic and health crises of the past few years have shown us that the travel industry, particularly the airline sector, can become very vulnerable and that no destination is immune from these threats.
• Rising oil prices
  More gas price hikes are expected in the next few years. Since the price of oil affects tourism-based businesses in myriad ways, travel costs will rise. This situation, coupled with risk factors, could lead to an increase in intra-regional travel. Poorer countries will be hurt by higher transportation costs and require special assistance.
• Security procedures to facilitate travel
  A country’s methods of providing security and protection for travellers play an important role in its position in the global tourism marketplace. In the coming years, these methods should be harmonized.
• Increased wealth in both existing and emerging markets
  Economic prosperity drives tourism growth. Existing markets will continue to increase their wealth. Among emerging markets, China and India will experience the most growth. Experts anticipate problems due to overcrowded airline routes.
• Development of both multilateralism and regionalism
  South-South alliances will develop and create more equitable relations. The current trend towards political and economic consolidation in major global regions will restructure the overall globalization movement. Asia will become an economic centre to watch. As a result, tourism, as well as transportation structures and costs, will be profoundly affected.
• Technology in the forefront
  Whether we are talking about developments in communication, the convergence of the Internet, cell phones and television or the rollout of new aircraft models, technology will continue to play a primary role in the evolution of the tourism industry.
• Demographic changes
  Concentrated urban populations and family/work dynamics continue to modify travel behaviour. The populations of large industrialized countries are aging, meaning that more baby boomers will have the time and money to travel. However, some experts have reservations about the amount of discretionary income available to retirees for travel.
• Increased consumer power, thanks to the Internet
  When it comes to accessing information, prices and reservations, the centre of power has shifted from tourism professionals to travellers themselves. Consumers are very comfortable with the Internet and the decisions it enables them to make.
• Improved quality of life as a travel incentive
  Travel is seen as an element that can help improve one’s quality of life, whether it is used for adventure and discovery, personal growth, relaxation or to get a new lease on life.
• Heightened competition
  In an attempt to stimulate economic growth, every city, region and country will be looking for a piece of the tourism pie, creating a context in which branding strategies are key.
• Promotional strategies involving public-private partnerships
  These types of partnerships are especially common in countries with federal or highly decentralized political systems.
• Ongoing mergers and acquisitions
  The hotel industry, airlines, distribution network and tour operators will continue their trend towards consolidation.
• Infrastructure deficiencies
  When it comes to infrastructure, the major Western countries lack the planning needed to respond to the coming international growth. It requires several years’ lead time to expand airports and build more hotels.

• Booming products
  Green tourism, spa tourism and health tourism (surgery and convalescence) are becoming increasingly popular. Although these are examples of segmentation and specialization, mass tourism is in no danger of disappearing.

Flirting with China and India

Even though China and India are enormous potential markets, there is a long list of countries competing for their business. Over 170 destinations are using their charms to attract Chinese and Indian travellers. Despite these efforts, travellers from emerging markets often follow the same pattern as they start to venture outside their country. They begin by traveling in groups and are most likely to visit neighbouring countries. Afterwards, Europe and North America (particularly the West Coast) are added to the list of destinations and the number of individual travellers increases.

Not everyone behaves the same, however. Chinese travellers like to feel safe by finding people who speak their language and can provide familiar food. As a result, they will be attracted to foreign countries that boast major Chinese communities. As for travelers from India, their travel experiences have made them more likely to travel alone, anywhere in the world.

All the same, those who wish to appeal to these travellers are well-advised to get busy.

Tourism in general likely to continue its upward climb

If we look at the past fifty years or so, although its growth curve may have had a few blips, tourism is not ready to collapse. And yet, even though international demand is expected to grow by 4.2% annually, there are also more and more regions vying for travellers.

Sources:
- Baumgarten, Jean-Claude. President of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and a guest lecturer for the Cercle de tourisme du Québec, April 20, 2006.
- Désiront, André. Interview with Jean-Claude Baumgarten following his remarks to the Cercle de tourisme du Québec, April 20, 2006.
- Frangialli, Francesco. “Défis pour un nouveau millénaire,” Le Devoir, April 1 and 2, 2006.
- Sarrasin, Bruno. “Temps de ruptures et continuités,” Le Devoir, April 1 and 2, 2006.

]]> http://tourismintelligence.ca/2006/04/26/what-can-we-expect-from-the-tourism-bubble-in-the-next-few-years/feed/ 0 http://tourismintelligence.ca/2005/05/22/are-senior-travellers-really-so-different/ http://tourismintelligence.ca/2005/05/22/are-senior-travellers-really-so-different/#comments Sun, 22 May 2005 15:13:59 +0000 Claude Péloquin http://tourismintelligence.ca/2005/05/22/are-senior-travellers-really-so-different/ The tourism industry has been watching closely as aging baby-boomers gradually shift into the seniors category. And with good reason because, for all that it requires special treatment, this category has undeniable appeal. However, an informed approach to the senior market must be rooted in an understanding of its behaviours. Research shows this market is not a homogenous one; certain segments are more profitable than others.

Why target the senior market?

Demographics is one of the few fields capable of generating fairly reliable forecasts. Here are a few interesting statistics concerning the senior (50 +) market:

• In the United States, a baby-boomer becomes a senior every 8.4 seconds;
• People born in 1950 live 20 years longer than those born in 1900;
• In 2025, there will be 63 million Americans over 65 years old;
• Florida currently has the highest concentration of people over 65, and will continue to do so until 2025;
• In 2025, 30% of the French population (over 16 million people) will be over 60 years old;
• Given current demographic trends, there will soon be more grandparents than there are young people;
• On average, seniors spend more than any other population segment on a variety of consumer goods, one of which is travel;
• In 2001, more than 50% of Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 were using the Internet.

William S. Reece (West Virginia University) studied the senior market by isolating specific sociodemographic variables likely to have a positive or negative impact on senior demand for travel (see Figure 1). He based his findings on two sample groups: one consisting of senior American leisure travellers (average age: 69) and another one of non-senior travellers (average age: 40).



Certain variables can have a greater or lesser impact on seniors’ demand for travel. Study findings revealed that propensity to travel varied between groups of individuals that were defined by a specific variable. Thus, 40-year-olds with an annual household income between $75,000 and $100,000 are more likely to travel than seniors in the same income category.

The accompanying figure shows the extent of each factor’s influence. The orange arrow (1.96+) marks the point beyond which the variables become significant. Only two criteria reach that threshold: the distance from residence to destination, and the type of residence (house). Based on these variables, seniors show a markedly greater demand for travel than people in their 40s. One possible explanation for this is that older consumers generally have fewer financial obligations: 80% of Americans over 65 are home-owners, and 80% of that group are no longer paying off a mortgage. As for the other criteria, the differences are not great enough to be deemed significant.

The study’s author rejects the idea that senior travellers behave the same as other travellers, although the differences are not as marked as one might have expected. However, the results do show that older people travel further than the average.

The term “baby-boomers” refers to people in the 40- to 60-year age bracket. Within that group, those over 50 are called “young seniors.” Even though their demand for travel may – by and large – be the same as that of their older counterparts, their reasons for travelling are significantly different. According to Lalia Rach of the Tisch Center for Hospitality, understanding the new reality for seniors is key to grasping their influence on the tourism industry.

The new generation of 50+ seniors was born in the 1950s and lived through the dramatic social changes of the 60s. As a result, people in this consumer segment no longer conform to the stereotype of an elderly stay-at-home. Inaccurate assumptions about seniors abound:

• They are brand loyal;

• They are not comfortable with technology;

• They prefer organized travel (such as senior tours);

• They prefer activities geared towards older people;

• They retire at 65;

• They live a slow-paced lifestyle.

The 50-year-old senior is much more likely to be:

• highly educated;

• completely independent;

• experiencing a sort of personal awakening;

• living a fast-paced lifestyle;

• able to enjoy life on their own terms;

• eager to make choices;excited to learn.

Strategic Approaches

These days, tourists in the over-50 set are more adventurous than ever. According to a survey of UK residents conducted by NOP World, seniors are now choosing far-flung destinations over the traditional beach holiday, with roughly 65% expressing the desire to go on a safari. The survey also showed that fully two-thirds of individuals over 50 find they are still able to enjoy all aspects of life. Tourism products and marketing strategies need to reflect that reality.

Certain industries are ahead of the game in this area, offering innovative equipment that allows older people to keep practicing their chosen sport for longer. Skiers can wear the much more comfortable ?soft? boot (see illustration), and golfers can use the ?Big Bertha? club (see illustration), enabling them to hit a long, straight shot with less effort.



Advertising campaigns have not adapted to certain aspects of the aging boomers’ sociodemographic profile (for example, 31% of this group are single). Destinations should make a point of showing photos of radiant older people in their advertising material. Seniors have never felt so youthful ? roughly 63% say they feel younger than their actual age, and they want to see that perception acknowledged when they purchase a product. To win over this market segment, be prepared to do the following:offer them a product that is simple, yet original;

• provide an activity that others are unwilling or unable to offer;
• don’t try pigeonhole them;
• encourage them to get involved;
• offer an experience, not a product;
• guide but do not manage them;
• build in frequent breaks and rest stops.

Advertising messages aimed at seniors must be pitched in such a way that they target them without pandering to blatant stereotypes. Seniors do not want to be thought of as ?old,? or consumer automatons. Merchants take note: the following terms are to be avoided when speaking of seniors: golden agers, the elderly, senior citizens, retirees, the grey rinse set, etc.

Companies will have to adapt their approach to the new reality. Golden age discounts can stay, but they should be renamed ?specials for 60+ customers,? in order not to stigmatize those who use them. Finally, managers should be constantly evaluating their products or services for signs that they are no longer relevant to an aging clientele.

Sources:

- Direction du Tourisme de France – Département de la Stratégie, de la Prospective, de l’Évaluation et des Statistiques. «Les pratiques touristiques des seniors en 2003», octobre 2004.
- Littrell, Mary A., Rosalind C. Paige et Kun Song. «Senior travellers: Tourism activities and shopping behaviours», Journal of Vacation Marketing, vol. 10, n^o 4, 12 mai 2004.
- Outburst Advertising/Marketing News. «Why Target the Senior Market?», octobre 2004.
- Rach, Lalia. «The Aging Society: Realities and Perspectives Impacting the Travel Industry», 18th Annual Governors Conference on Travel & Tourism, 29-30 mars 2005.
- Reece, William S. «Are Senior Leisure Traveler Different?», Journal of Travel Research, vol. 43, août 2004.

]]> http://tourismintelligence.ca/2005/05/22/are-senior-travellers-really-so-different/feed/ 0 http://tourismintelligence.ca/2004/05/31/baby-boomers-the-backbone-of-the-tourism-industry/ http://tourismintelligence.ca/2004/05/31/baby-boomers-the-backbone-of-the-tourism-industry/#comments Mon, 31 May 2004 15:46:40 +0000 Michèle Laliberté http://tourismintelligence.ca/2004/05/31/baby-boomers-the-backbone-of-the-tourism-industry/ When they were young, baby boomers sported peace signs. Today, they worry about the stock market and the chances of early retirement. Their travel curve will rise but will be difficult to profile.

General characteristics

• Among industrialized countries, Canada experienced the biggest baby boom.
• Mass retirement of boomers from 2010 to 2020; their median age will be 55 in 2010.
• 9.8 million boomers in Canada, or 33% of the population (Foot and Stoffman, 1999).
• 76 million boomers in the United States, or over 25% of the population (American Demographics, 2004).
• By the year 2010, the countries of the European Union will be home to 140 million people aged 50 and over (Austrian Institute of Economic Research).

Nothing new in their profile

• Enjoy high disposable income
• Tend to be stressed workaholics
• Demanding, quality-oriented
• Active, healthy and intent on staying young
• Interested in learning and new experiences
• Adventurous

Beyond age and income

It is easy to divide the population into segments according to age and income, but reality is more complex. Lifestyles and attitudes towards ageing are becoming important factors. Some people are healthy and fit at age 70, while others feel old at age 50. In Canada, a 50+ Communication Marketing study defined four segments among those aged 40-plus:

• the wealthy

  (21%) – satisfied with their financial situation, careful with money, thrifty, with a long-term attitude towards things, rather dissatisfied with their appearance and open to the idea of cosmetic surgery, see their health as an investment (good eating habits, exercising to stay fit);

• the enthusiasts

  (27%) – are more or less concerned about their financial situation, eternally optimistic, enjoy life’s pleasures, open to taking job-related courses and continuing to work past retirement age, sensitive to the time factor (prefer one-stop shopping), often eat in restaurants for fun and to save time, more or less concerned with the state of their health (good food habits and exercising for fun);

• the careful

  (30%) – make independence a priority (living at home and driving one’s car for as long as possible), interested in continuing to work post-retirement, worried about financial security and even more about their physical health, seeking durable products and discounts, with poor health habits (overweight, large proportion of smokers);

• the worriers

  (21%) – pessimistic with regard to their finances and physical appearance, looking for products to help them regain their youth both mentally and physically, feel a loss of energy, seek a good quality-price ratio, think they should improve their eating habits.

A wired clientele

In the United States in the 50-58 age group:

• 62% have access to the Internet. Of that number, 75% read the news online and 55% do information searches.
• 76% use a computer on a regular basis (Pew Internet & American Life Project).

In Quebec, in the 45-54 age group:

• 55.4% use the Internet on a weekly basis (Cefrio).

Baby boomers who travel

In the United States, boomers travel more and spend more than any other age category:

• 44% of all trips, or 241 million trips in 2002.
• US$491 per trip, excluding transportation (Travel Industry Association of America).

In France:

• 48.7% of 50-somethings make travelling a spending priority versus only 40.3% of the national average (INsee and Notre Temps magazine).

Coveted tourism products

• Growth of the high-end market.
• Gradual decline in travel to the south and to resorts in favour of adventure and ecotourism products (observation of wildlife in Costa Rica, travel to Irkutsk on the Trans-Siberian Railway).
• Increase in demand for cruises and diversification of this product with smaller craft offering quality trips to limited groups.
• Demand for packages and personally tailored vacations.
• Increase in passive activities (golf, walking, bird-watching, etc.) and cultural pursuits.
• Popularity of safe destinations.
• More frequent travel to nearby countries.
• Popularity of bus trips for tourists who want to leave responsibility behind and be pampered – low-kilometre itineraries to enable travellers to get to know certain regions in depth or tours to little-known countries.

Look for uneven growth

Expectations about the rising boomer travel curve will have to be revised. Although this clientele will be very sought after, it will not behave uniformly. Some boomers will go into semi-retirement, or take progressive retirement. Others will retire later, or have less money upon retiring than anticipated, for the following reasons:

• lower returns on pension funds, due to dropping share values and low interest rates;
• a growing disproportion in the number of pensioners to workers – money is being withdrawn from retirement funds faster than it can be put in because there are fewer workers to make contributions;
• recent corporate governance scandals have compromised employee pension plans;
• the government will probably raise the official retirement age;
• more and more workers will be asked to continue working because of their experience;
• many people already receiving pension benefits will return to work.

With today’s longer life spans, people must make their post-retirement revenues last longer, which reduces annual income. Many fear that their pension plan will expire before they do.Sources:
- 50+ Communication Marketing. “Une étude marketing sur le marché des baby-boomers et des personnes âgées,” press release, April 28, 2004.
- La Presse canadienne. “Les baby-boomers rêvent maintenant d’une retraite progressive,” February 16, 2004.
- Research ALERT. “Leading-Edge Boomers Approach Senior Status, Changing the Face of Aging,” vol. 22, no. 8, April 16, 2004.
- Sarrasin, Bruno and Guy-Joffroy Lord. “L’évolution du tourisme international : une analyse prospective à l’horizon 2010,” Téoros, fall 2003, p. 5-9.

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