CHICAGO – Around the World Trips (28%) and Australia (22%) were the top two destination choices for trips of a lifetime as shown by a recent “Trips of a Lifetime” survey from iExplore and GeckoGo. The ‘Trips of a Lifetime’ survey offers a snapshot of consumer attitudes globally towards taking “lifetime” trips, what destinations and experiences are considered, the importance of travel companions, the price and duration. There were 2,311 survey responses, and 52 percent of respondents were over 45 years of age – mainly representing North American and European travelers.
Some interesting findings:
·Seeing the World Wonders, safaris and rain forest expeditions are the top experiences travelers are most interested in for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. 70% of respondents said they are most interested in visiting natural and man-made wonders on a once-in-a-lifetime trip such as Machu Picchu, the Pyramids or Victoria Falls. Beyond that, 53% said they were very interested in going on safari and 42% were very interested in a rainforest expedition. Extreme sports—like sky diving—proved less popular with only 16% saying that they were very interested.
·Picking the right travel companion is THE most important consideration when planning a once in a lifetime trip. 50% of respondents felt “who I travel with” is a very important consideration, followed closely by “being able to fulfill a personal goal”, which was selected as very important by 45% of respondents. The preferred travel companion(s) are typically a partner/spouse (59% of respondents) or friends (24%), although 5% of married respondents would prefer to go on their trip by themselves.
·Travel media plays an important role in decision making--70% of travelers said that inspiration for a trip typically came from books or magazines versus 40% who were inspired from hearing stories from other people or 27% who gained inspiration from TV.
·The majority of travelers are independent, yet travel agents and tour groups play an important planning role. While 52% of respondents organized their lifetime trip independently, 18% join a tour group, and 16% use a travel agent to organize their trip. The remainder either used a combination of options or let their travelling partner handle the arrangements.
·A Once-in-lifetime trip does not have to break the bank. 28% of respondents who are planning a once- in-a- lifetime trip reported that they are willing to spend between $2,000 and $3,999 (excluding airfare) and another 26% are willing to spend $4,000 to $5,999.
This survey will serve as an important tool for outfitters in 2010. The results have reiterated that baby-boomers are the jetsetters of today. A beach house in Cabo isn’t enough to cure the travel bug anymore. Travelers are inclined to be more adventurous and take a trip to see the Eiffel Tower or the Great Barrier Reef.
iExplore (http://www.iexplore.com) is one of National Geographic’s ‘Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth’ and Google’s authority site on adventure travel. The website gets over 1 million visitors a month and offers over 200 privately guided tours throughout the world, giving travelers complete freedom to make itineraries exclusive and catered to their interests.
GeckoGo (http://www.geckogo.com) is a leading travel community for independent travelers to share travel experiences and discover cool places to visit. Launched in October 2008, GeckoGo has welcomed over 2 million visitors sharing over 180,000 unique tips and reviews, has partnered with Bradt Travel Guides for expert guide content , and has received funding from the fbFund program.
For the complete survey or more information about contact Amanda Sundt at amanda@iexplore.com or call (312) 492-9443 x140 or Pokin Yeung at pokin@geckogo.com (408) 966-8770
