It was just a few weeks ago that I watched 50 or so affinity travel planners filling out travel surveys in a sunlit room overlooking the Ohio River in Owensboro, Kentucky, at the Select Traveler Conference. A lot of fascinating data came from that session — and while that data represents only a snapshot of the industry, it’s a meaningful one.
This column addresses the results of just one question that asked attendees to rank the key value propositions for traveling with a group. I detected a shift in thinking that I believe reflects where group travel is going. Here are the stats:
Camaraderie: 34%
Value: 30%
Convenience: 19%
Security: 16%
Forty years ago, I think the highest ranking two of these propositions would have been value and security. I remember a time when the value of traveling with 40 or so people on a motorcoach, using group rates for rooms, meals and admissions, was a sales proposition that was hard to pass up. And I remember when security was a calling card for many older travelers who had surrendered the family car for the first time.
It does not surprise me that camaraderie is the highest-ranking proposition today because many groups now travel together dozens of times to places all over the world. Doing that with friends from an affinity group is one of the biggest reasons to go.
Nor does it surprise me that security ranks last in today’s travel world because group travelers now expect to have lots of free time to wander through amazing cities, exploring on their own. Many look forward to breaking away from the group to do their own thing.
If you did not receive a copy of the annual breakout session summary from this year’s conference, please e-mail me, and I’ll send it to you.
