Mike Sullivan
In the second half of life, people show a stronger interest in learning for personal growth and for sheer pleasure. It’s a wonderful truism for you to remember as you plan bank travel trips for the large and profitable segment of your bank’s customer base: the baby boomer generation.
First, you know they are the most traveled generation in history. They love it, and they need it; and generally speaking, they have the resources to do it. Almost 70 percent have passports, and they are ready to go.
Second, as a rule, they tend to seek out more exotic destinations and more ways to experience them. They don’t just want to visit the national park or the mountain; they want to climb all over it and then read and study about it.
Third, organized group travel becomes more important and fulfilling when participants can be challenged mentally and physically. Road Scholar’s Adventure in Lifelong Learning is built around this principle. Boomers tend to choose group over independent travel when safety and cost make it more practical.
What categories of learning-travel destinations are most popular with boomers?
Adventure travel leads the list. It fits with their individualistic natures and the focus on themselves. They are big on hiking, skiing, cycling, snorkeling, scuba diving, white-water rafting, rock-climbing, hot-air ballooning, canoeing and sailing.
Eco-tourism is also high on the theme group travel list. It blends well with boomers’ lifelong sense of expectation that they could change the world for the better. Their causes are many and diverse: environmental sensitivity, finding cures for major illnesses, saving the rain forests, global peace, and helping the poor and disadvantaged. Travel packages might include glacier hiking, caving, exploring primitive landscapes, mountain biking, horseback riding and sailing on pristine lakes.
Culinary travel is popular because boomers love their food and wine and love visiting new locales. Tasting the foods of many cultures is part of the personal growth aspects of boomer-ism.
Family or intergenerational travel, especially with grandchildren, adult children, brothers and sisters, is a growing type of travel, especially with adventure themes. Quite a number of major hotel chains have developed properties with criteria ranging from activities for children and young adults of all ages to comfort for the whole family.
When you plan your next boomer trip, create programs for bank customers based on personal growth and learning pleasures.
For information about bank sales training programs, contact Sullivan at mps50plus@aol.com or 704-554-7863 or visit www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpsullivan50plus.
