Millennials refer to the tech savy, open-minded, and morally reflective generation born between the years 1981-1996. Over the past years, we've seen rapid changes in travel trends and consequently in the tourism industry. Following these trends can teach us how to travel efficiently and give us some insight into the perspective of this generation.
With low-cost flights and instant bookings, travel has never been as accessible or affordable as it is today. It's no surprise that millennials are the demographic most capable of evaluating and making the best possible choices by being informed. A bit of research goes a long way so, with the help of offline maps, online reviews, and personal tips from bloggers, effective planning can be made before and during your trip. For example, the TIH smart agent presents travelers with the best options. You can try it out in this link
Millennials love to travel because they prioritize the enjoyment of life and strive for a healthy work/ life balance. In today's casual work environment and with the help of technology, many have started to take advantage of business trips by tacking on a couple of extra days to enjoy the city. It has also become more common for young people in the workplace to take mini-vacations or long weekend getaways. Despite poor economical situations or stressful periods at work or university, young people will choose to take time off, valuing the opportunity to refresh and relieve stress.
Many consciously make the decision to take a longer period of time off and travel for personal growth. Similar to the trend in Israel in the 1970's of volunteering in the 'Kibbutz' (a communal settlement or farm) to support the culture and community, 50 years later the same concept of volunteering at a hostel or within a community offers a deeply meaningful experience. Staying active and getting outside one's comfort zone is also a strong motive for young travelers who plan entire trips around hiking, surfing, snorkeling, and spending time in nature.
After speaking with fellow millennial travelers it seems that one of the most important factors during travel is authenticity. Planning accommodation via Couchsurfing or Airbnb allows for the opportunity to meet locals and hear their personal recommendations. Rather than spending money on material objects, millennials value authentic experiences and prefer to spend money on local food, travel, and extra time in new environments. This attitude of also attributes to budgeting expenses and general awareness of travel sustainability. This ultimately creates positive outcomes that effect the tourism industry, for example, the growing support of eco-conscious businesses.
Of course, social media has a huge influence on how people create shared experiences while traveling. Wifi, being accessible even in the most remote mountain villages allows you to share a brief beautiful moment with the world. Another trend for travelers is to meet new people in their immediate location on social apps such as tinder or solo traveler. Even in our current state of travel paralysis due to the spread of Covid 19, virtual tours online allow for people to connect and continue to learn through travel.
Millennials have helped create positive trends by using the latest tools to seek out meaningful experiences. Their value on community and human connection is happily being cultivated within the tourism and the world. On that note, at the Israeli Holiday, we aim to encourage travelers to visit Israel and the West Bank and we believe that by sharing insight and professional guidance we can help travelers have the best possible experience here in Israel.
For assistance with planning your trip to Israel, you can contact us here.
About the writer, Tay Eskin
Tay Eskin studied art at Tel-Hai College in Israel. With a background in tourism, she currently works as a package tours leader at Abraham Hostels & Tours.
Great blog, interesting read and solid information.