The generational tourist: how age cohorts influence travel product choices
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32015/JIBM.2025.17.1.4Keywords:
generational values, tourism product selection, consumer behaviour, generational cohorts, travel preferencesAbstract
Purpose of the article – The purpose of this article is to explore the correlation between generational values and tourism product selection. It addresses the scientific problem of how socio-historical experiences influence consumer behaviour in the tourism sector. The goal is to identify distinct patterns among Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y that affect travel preferences including price sensitivity, trip duration, travel style, and desired levels of autonomy.
Research methodology – A two-step research methodology was applied. In the first step, a codebook was created based on the catalogue of trips from a cooperating travel agency. Trips were categorized by seven characteristics such as type, length, and autonomy. In the second step, a dataset of 9605 travellers was analysed using SPSS 24. Generational cohorts were determined based on age, and correlation and cross-tabulation analyses were conducted to uncover significant patterns.
Findings – The findings reveal significant generational differences in tourism preferences. Younger tourists (Generation Y) exhibit higher price sensitivity, prefer shorter and more autonomous trips, and show a stronger preference for city breaks. In contrast, Baby Boomers tend to favour more expensive, longer, and organized travel experiences. Generation X occupies a transitional position, showing moderate preferences across all categories.
Practical implications – The results offer actionable insights for tourism providers and marketers. Understanding generational values enables travel agencies to tailor their offerings more effectively, segment their markets, and design targeted experiences that align with customer expectations, thus improving satisfaction and loyalty.
Originality/Value – This study offers a novel contribution by empirically linking generational theory to concrete travel behaviour using a large dataset. Unlike previous studies that focused on general consumer behaviour, this research provides specific insights into generational travel preferences in the European market context.
References
Berkup, S. B. (2014). Working With Generations X And Y In Generation Z Period: Management Of Different Generations In Business Life. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5, 218–229.
Cohen, D. (2002). I/Os in the know offer insights on Generation X workers. Monitor on Psychology, 33, 66–67.
Egri, C., & Ralston, D. (2004). Generation cohorts and personal values: a comparison of China and the United States. Organization Science, 15, 210–220.
Gardiner, S., Grace, D., & King, C. (2014). The Generation Effect: The Future of Domestic Tourism in Australia. Journal of Travel Research, 53(6), 705–720. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287514530810
Goldman Sachs Report. (2016). Millennials: Coming of age. Retrieved from https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/archive/millennials/
Gravett, L., & Trockmorton, R. (2007). Bridging the generation gap. Franklin Lakes: Career Press.
Holbrook, M. B., & Schindler, R. M. (1989). Some Exploratory Findings on the Development of Musical Tastes. Journal of Consumer Research, 16, 119–124.
Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (1991). Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069. New York: Quill William Morrow.
Kupperschmidt, B. R. (2000). Multi-generation employees: Strategies for effective management. Health Care Manager, 19, 65–76.
Lancaster, L. C., & Stillman, D. (2002). When generations collide: Who they are. Why they clash. How to solve the generational puzzle at work. New York: Harper Collins.
Mannheim, K. (1972). The Problem of Generations. In Paul Kecskemeti (Ed.), Essays on the Sociology of Knowledge (pp. 276–322). London: Routledge.
Parment, A. (2011). Generation Y in consumer and labour markets. New York: Routledge.
Parment, A. (2013). Generation Y vs. Baby Boomers: shopping behaviour, buyer involvement and implications for retailing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 20(2), 189–199.
Patterson, I., & Pegg, S. (2009). Marketing the Leisure Experience to Baby Boomers and Older Tourists. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 18(2), 254–272.
Rejec, V. (2012). Relevantnost dvofaktorske motivacijske teorije pri generaciji X in Y. Fakulteta za uporabne in družbene študije v Novi Gorici.
Schewe, C. D., & Meredith, G. E. (2004). Segmenting global markets by generational cohorts: determining motivations by age. Henry Stewart Publications.
Schewe, C. D., Meredith, G. E., in Noble, S. M. (2000). Defining Moments: Segmenting by Cohorts. Marketing Management, 9(3), 48–53.
Schuman, H., & Scott, J. (1989). Generations and Collective Memories. American Sociological Review, 54, 359–381.
Špindler, T. (2018). The Influence of Generations and Their Values on Tourism Product Selection – Theoretical Overview. In M. Gorenak & A. Trdina (Eds.), Responsible Hospitality: Inclusive, Active, Green (pp. 165–192). Maribor: University of Maribor Press.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mitja Gorenak, Janko Virant, Tomi Špindler
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The authors retain rights under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International CC BY-SA 4.0. Authors assign copyright or license the publication rights in their articles, including abstracts, to MIP=JIBM. This enables us to ensure full copyright protection and to disseminate the article, and of course MIP=JIBM, to the widest possible readership in electronic format. Authors are themselves responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyright material from other sources.
