There is no doubt that the next generation is growing up with fierce confidence and a desire to reshape the world. Every day it seems like we see another example of young people confronting the tough issues we face as a society.
It should be no surprise then that teens are also very opinionated and involved in family travel decisions. In general, these kids have experienced more of the world at a younger age than any generation before them, and many have developed strong ideas about what makes a successful vacation.
In this issue’s cover story, “Teen Travel for the Win” (page 14), we offer tips for parents and travel advisors looking to craft amazing family getaways. And if you don’t think it’s important to focus on a teenager’s interests when planning a trip, you need to reconsider your philosophy — or risk dealing with some seriously miserable customers.
At the recent Virtuoso Travel Week conference, a panel of luxury travel advisors talked about trends they see in family travel. Jenny Graham, of Quintessentially Travel in London, said that young people have become central to the way she deals with families.
“I think my family clients are not baby boomers, or Gen Xers or millennials,” Graham said. “It’s the children, ranging from ages 6 to 16, that are making a lot of the decisions. We’ll actually create one itinerary for the parents and a separate one for the kids to help with the decision-making process.”
The advisors on the panel pointed out that these young people are often not only the biggest influencers in their own families, but also on social media. Because of this, they have a lot of power as consumers, and hotels and other suppliers are focused on making sure these future customers are happy.
So ignore these confident, opinionated teens at your own risk. And if you do, there’s a good chance you won’t have to deal with them for long — because you probably won’t be selling family travel much longer.
