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Authentic experiences attract boomer travelers

 


Dog sled puppies at Seavey Ididirod Center, courtesy Cruises and Tours Worldwide


‘They really get hooked on it’

Boomers are more adventurous than tourists of years past, and “once they get going, they really get hooked on it,” said Kevin Amante, product development manager for Massachusetts-based Go Ahead Tours. “It’s definitely something that takes over; they want to see more and more.”

That’s why Go Ahead has been expanding its packages to include untapped areas such as the Puglia region of Italy, which hasn’t been a traditional tourist stop in Italy, and new destinations such as Myanmar, “an area that’s an undiscovered gem, sort of like Thailand 20 years ago,” Amante said.

After baby boomers have gone to Europe, they want to try somewhere new, so Go Ahead has been growing its non-European portfolio to keep up with where they want to go. There’s a lot of interest in South America, particularly Brazil and Peru, he said.

Baby boomers are loath to be labeled “tourists.” They want to get to know the area on a local level, and they’ve done their research about the region and its history beforehand, Amante said.
“They want to be a local traveler, someone who is able to really appreciate and take in the culture,” he said.

With that in mind, Go Ahead has moved away from traditional sightseeing in some of its tours and started offering more off-the-beaten-path activities: visiting vineyards and farmhouses, taking hands-on cooking classes and interacting with indigenous tribes.

The company also is working to put together a portfolio of smaller group tours, which appeal to boomers’ desire for more intimate access. In New Zealand, Go Ahead now offers customers the opportunity to eat a home-cooked meal at a host family’s house. The company’s Botswana safari is also limited to smaller groups to give travelers more authentic experiences when visiting local villages and participating in dinners and demonstrations.

www.goaheadtours.com

‘More expensive, exotic trips’
The number of baby boomers taking tours is on the rise, something “we never thought would happen 10 to 20 years ago,” said Anne Davis, president and owner of Cruises and Tours Worldwide, based in Missouri.

The company’s niche is bank groups, which often pull in boomers on their trips. Most of those boomers are well-established professionals, so they’re willing and able to take the higher-priced trips. Baby boomers aren’t showing up as much on motorcoach tours, Davis said, but “they’re showing up in droves in more expensive, exotic trips” such as Tuscan vacations and Greece tours.

Boomer clients don’t seem to book cruises as often as land-based trips because they feel like they can set up cruises on their own, whereas “they really just want someone to take care of everything for them” with international land-based trips, such as Ireland, Davis said.

Wine-related vacations seem particularly popular among boomers, she said. The wine features are a big selling point for the company’s Tuscany tours; its five-day California wine country experience, which includes Napa Valley and San Francisco, is a popular domestic option.

Alaska also attracts “a ton of baby boomers” because of the state’s diverse experiences, Davis said. The company’s customized Alaska tour includes a hike to Exit Glacier, river cruises and dog sledding.

Regardless of the destination, boomers are eager to have free time once they arrive.

“Older adults, they want to stick close to your side,” Davis said, “but the baby boomers want to have that free time, that half a day to go running off on their own or with another couple and see stuff on their own.”

Because Cruises and Tours Worldwide often still has a mix of older adults and younger boomers on trips, the company has adjusted its tours to find a middle ground. Those who don’t feel comfortable being on their own can go in groups with guides who will take them on walking tours or to the farmers market, for example; and those who want to can head out to do their own exploring, Davis said.

www.cruises-toursworldwide.com

 

Rachel Carter

Rachel Carter worked as a newspaper reporter for eight years and spent two years as an online news editor before launching her freelance career. She now writes for national meetings magazines and travel trade publications.