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Millennials & Travel: 20 interesting stats we learned about millennial hotel guests

  Posted in Travel Trends  Last updated 1/12/2023

Millennial guests are an exciting market for hoteliers. For successful hotels to attract, reach, and convert these guests, they must be willing to rise to the challenge of getting to know them and their preferences.

Born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, they’re a global generation of people who rely on the Internet and social media to, not only inform their everyday buying decisions, but record their daily lives.

A new report from Expedia and consumer insight analysts Future Foundation has identified the potential that millennials can offer hotels in the future – and the resulting data is fascinating.

Millennials signify a whole generation yet to embark on some of life’s biggest milestones – such as buying houses, getting married, and having children.

It’s for this reason that the report urges hoteliers to pay close attention to this group, as they continually turn to travel to help create life’s special moments.

Here are 20 interesting stats we learned about millennial hotel guests:

1.They value experiences over possessions

72% say they expect to go on a dream holiday in the future.

2. They’re the first ‘digitally native’ generation who love to share

56% like to post a photo or video of their holiday on a social network during the trip.

3. They holiday with people that aren’t partners or children

61% say they last went holiday with their parents, friends, or alone.

4. They like to live as a local when they travel

60% of millennial UK travellers feel that an authentic culture is the most important part of a travel experience.

5. They wish they were more like the images they portray on social media

40% of millennials who travel internationally admit they want to be like the idealised versions of themselves that they create on social channels.

6. They need their peers to respond to their holiday photos

58% of Chinese millennials say that social validation is important to them, mainly in the form of comments left on their holiday photos.

7. They live in a world where newsfeed inspiration is constant

2 in 5 openly acknowledge that their holiday booking decisions are influenced day-to-day by hotel and travel photos in their newsfeeds.

8. They like to collect images online of travel ideas

30% of millennials consider themselves to be ‘digital hoarders’ – and collecting images is not just a functional habit for booking purposes, but a favourite pastime for this demographic.

9. They research, research, and research when booking

Chinese millennials look at an average of 5.1 sources when booking, and in all 8 countries that Expedia analysed, millennials researched a lot more than non-millennials.

10. They let safety concerns get in the way of travel experiences

68% of Chinese millennials say they worry about their safety abroad – much higher than their forerunners.

11. They consult industry experts first during the booking process…

61% ask travel agents, travel providers, and expert opinion websites for suggestions during the research stage of booking hotels and travel.

12. …then fellow consumers…

52% consider suggestions and reviews left on review sites, blogs, and travel forums.

13. …then close contacts…

50% of millennials consult with friends, family, or social network contacts.

14. They have an unshakeable faith in technology

82% of Chinese millennials are interested in using wearable technology that automatically adjusts a hotel room temperature according to their own body temperature.

15. They book hotel rooms with online travel agents for convenience

23% of millennials chose OTAs based on ease over price, user-friendliness, and security.

16. They believe booking hotel rooms direct is more secure

13% of millennials believe booking direct is safer than using OTAs.

17. They find booking travel options for groups a stressful experience

68% of millennials are interested in using a service that allows them to split the cost of a holiday with the other people they’re travelling with.

18. They prefer their customer service to be delivered via instant messaging

50% of millennials in the UK value instant messaging customer service more than face-to-face service.

19. They respond positively to personalised booking recommendations

2 in 3 millennials are interested in a service that provides surprise holiday recommendations based first on their personality, and second on their budget.

20. They’re not just looking for the cheapest hotel rooms available

16% of millennials are willing to give up their personal data for discounts – but 57% are willing to share their data in exchange for suggestions, travel tips, and personalised advice.

 

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By Shine Colcol

Shine is the SEO and Content Manager of SiteMinder, the only software platform that unlocks the full revenue potential of hotels. With 5+ years of experience in content strategy, Shine has produced informational content across various industry topics, mostly about operations management and continuous improvement. She aims to share well-researched articles for hoteliers to discover how to optimize their time and increase room revenue.

 

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