Get All Access for $5/mo

Millennials are Changing the Face of Travel Millennials have been brought up in the age of technology and this their tool of choice to stay in focus when they tell the story of their life

By Abraham Alapatt

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

graphicstock

From social media to e-wallets, the recent developments in technology have impacted life as we know it. The tremors of these developments have reached the travel sector as well, particularly as the millennial generation, born and raised at the advent of technology, is driving the change.

The millennials are known for their unique sense of travel. They stress on their need for rich experiences and exploring the unknown. This means that their travel is a blend of adventure and customization.

Millennials Ready to Explore

A preplanned list of landmarks to visit at one particular destination is a thing of the past. The young traveller is eager to explore and curious to match. They want a vacation that is tailor-made to their preferences and is not overwhelmed with the idea of referring to a plethora of websites before selecting the best option for them. According to Internet Marketing Inc, 87per cent millennials look to Facebook for their travel inspiration and 85per cent check multiple sites before booking to get best deals. The tech-savvy traveller is assiduous about leveraging all the facilities internet provides them. At every stage, they want to ensure that they lock-in on the experiences that are in sync with their preferences.

Role of Social Media

The current generation is digitally active and most millennials streamline their travel by way of using social media and travel apps on their mobiles to coordinate and integrate their full travel experience. Itineraries, loyalty programs, and flight information are all a result of extensive scrolling on social media. Furthermore, 58per cent of millennial travellers in India has expressed a desire for more personalised messaging. This growing interest in personalized channels of communication is another testament to the degree to which the need for a personalization drives their vacation planning.

In the New Age of Travel, the story is about the traveller and their unique experience on the vacation and technology, particularly social media, is a powerful tool that the vacationer uses to tell this story. 74per cent of travellers use social media while on vacation and a whopping 97per cent post their experiences on social media. Now, Snapchat and Instagram stories are important considerations for millennials as they present youngster a platform to share their travel stories with the world.

The Great Shift

We have embarked upon an era where the essence of a person's life has shifted to the digital world, and millennials are at the forefront of this transition. At the moment, 55per cent individuals would rather lose their wallet than their phone. An individual's phone holds the key to a person's experiences. It represents the deeper connection they have with the people around them, the unique experiences they have gathered. 39per cent of travellers age 18-29 say they would check-in at a cool place while on vacation and 32per cent of travellers claim to have tracked the interactions on their social posts while travelling. Millennials have been brought up in the age of technology and this their tool of choice to stay in focus when they tell the story of their life. Millennials have been brought up in the age of technology and this their tool of choice to stay in focus when they tell the story of their life. It is important for millennials to be connected and share their experience with their friends, family and with the world at large.

Abraham Alapatt

President & Group Head - Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services & Innovation, Thomas Cook

News and Trends

Recur Club Announces Credit Offerings for Startups Beyond Series A and SMEs

In FY 24–25, the platform also plans to deploy an additional INR 2000 crores through its Recur Swift program for startups.

News and Trends

India's Data Center Capacity to Reach 2,070 MW by End of 2025: CBRE

Cumulative investment commitments in the data center sector in India to cross USD 100 billion by 2027. Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi-NCR to lead data center supply addition

News and Trends

Supply-Chain Financing Platform Mintifi Raises USD 180 Mn in Series E, Valuation Soars to USD 850 Mn

The raised funding will enable Mintifi to diversify its product offerings, such as dealer management systems, loans against property, and factoring services, powered by artificial intelligence.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

I Tried Buying a Car on Amazon. Here Are the Pros and Cons.

Amazon Autos just launched, and users can buy a new car online. Here's how it works and what needs to improve.

News and Trends

Stride Ventures Launches Fourth Fund with USD 300 Mn Target Corpus

Industry leaders like BlueStone, Upstox, Moneyview, Ather, Pharmeasy, Infra.Market, and Ola Electric have benefited from Stride's support.