Global Travel Collection, the luxury division of Internova Travel Group, invited some unlikely travelers to its virtual “Elevate” conference this year: teenagers.
Six young travelers — Lucas Harder (13 years old); Kyra Menon (16 years old); Campbell Chapman (17 years old); Sofia Gonzalez (16 years old); and brothers Benjamin Schlansky (18 years old) and Daniel Schlansky (17 years old) — spoke to nearly 200 travel advisors who specialize in luxury leisure, VIP corporate and entertainment travel during the event’s “Teen Family Influencers” panel, which was broadcast Oct. 6 and moderated by Shay Harrington, director of leisure operations for Global Travel Collection.
The panelists were certainly well-cultured — they’ve all visited between eight to 38 countries each — and it became clear that they also carry some serious opinions about travel.
Where Do Teens Want to Go?
The destinations most alluring to this group included New Zealand, Italy, Japan and South Africa, which were fan favorites for multiple panelists. Sixteen-year-old Menon also mentioned especially impactful trips to Egypt and the Maldives, while 13-year-old Harder spoke about a memorable experience while on safari in Africa, when he came face to face with a lion while sitting at the top of a Jeep Wrangler as a 7-year old.
Sign Up for Our Monthly Family Getaways Newsletter
I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.
On the teens’ bucket lists for the future included seeing wildlife in the Galapagos Islands, visiting historic sites in Greece and taking in the beauty of Bora Bora.
Memorable Trips Include New Experiences, Adventures
But even photo-worthy destinations seemed to take a backseat to experiences for these young adults, with nearly all panelists agreeing that cultural education, meaningful interaction with local communities and hotels with plenty of options for immersive adventure should be at the forefront of the teen travel experience.
Menon shared a particularly poignant story of her time visiting King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt. After the rest of the tourists had left, the attraction’s security guard lent her his flashlight so she could closely examine the tomb’s engravings, and even see Tut’s mummy up close. Benjamin Schlansky, a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, focused on adventure activities; one of his favorite travel memories was bungee jumping in New Zealand.
But all eyes lit up when the topic shifted to food as a lens to understanding a destination. After being hesitant to try anchovy linguine in Italy, Harder ordered the dish three more times throughout the trip. Also in Italy, Menon took a pasta-making class, and Daniel Schlansky recalled a memorable family wine-tasting in Tuscany. In Tokyo, Gonzalez discovered she liked raw tuna during an early-morning market excursion and on an Alaskan cruise, Chapman downed fresh-caught Dungeness crab.
“My parents always seek out the most authentic places to have food or to visit, and that’s always inspired me because I love to have traditional food, not just fast food,” Harder said. “I would much rather have actual unique food that you can’t really get in America or any other place.”
Teen Preferences for Hotels & Resorts
And when it came to accommodations, the teens on the panel had some suggestions for hotels looking to better cater to their age group. First, properties should “acknowledge versatility of teen interest,” according to Menon. Benjamin Schlansky added that he wished off-property tours and excursions were more heavily advertised at the resorts, and 13-year-old Harder said hotels could market such activities with sign-up sheets that allow like-minded teens to take part in activities together.
Specific hotels did receive high marks from this discerning group. Gonzalez gave a nod to the Rosewood Hong Kong, while Daniel Schlansky gave props to The Ritz-Carlton in Puerto Rico. Harder said his favorite hotel was Giraffe Manor (a five-star hotel in Nairobi, Kenya) because he was able to feed and pet giraffes during his stay.
The panel concluded with words of advice for travelers of all ages. Advice ranged from the practical (“don’t forget to pack your phone charger,” advised Gonzalez) to the philosophical:
“Travel introduces you to a lot of cultural concepts, and it makes you want to learn more about the individual aspects of it,” Benjamin Schlansky said. “And that’s especially important nowadays — teaching people about different cultures, teaching people about diversity. That’s something we should really strive for as a society.”
“My best advice for any traveler is to make an effort to really learn about different cultures, be it through exploring a place, learning the local language, eating the local foods and especially through talking to local people,” Menon added. “I think it’s the best way to … expand your worldview and understanding.”
The Details
Internova Travel Group
