5 Travel Experiences You Need To Start Expecting, Even If You’re Not A Millennial
Have you been getting the most out of your travel experiences?
Have you seen the rise of boutique hotels and unique experiential travel?
Have you noticed those pesky fees for amenities are being rolled into the booking fee or resort fee?
Did you know that we may need to start thanking millennials?
A millennial (or generation Y) is someone born roughly between the mid-1980’s and early 2000’s. They’re just entering the primes of their lives, and this includes travel.
A word I hear getting thrown around a lot with reference to millennials is “entitled”, but why is that considered a bad thing? I discuss this subject a little deeper in this blog post:
Is Your Sense of Entitlement Stopping You From Reaching Your Dreams?
I think entitled can be a way to describe someone who expects the best and won’t settle for less. It just so happens that the millennial generation is able to create a bigger voice for themselves with the early adoption of technology like social media.
Why shouldn’t we expect the best for our travel experiences? And why shouldn’t we broadcast our recommendations to whomever will listen? Isn’t that what we’ve always done?
If you’re not doing it already, here are 5 travel experiences you should start expecting before your next vacation … and you can thank millennials for making them mainstream!
Expect Technology
Growing up with technology, millennials expect that to continue while travelling. Great WiFi, helpful apps, and online accessibility from multiple channels are high on the list of any traveller these days.
When was the last time you stood in line at a hotel concierge or pulled out the phone book to decide where to eat?
On the flip side, when’s the last time you stood outside a Starbucks to squeeze in some free WiFi while touring around? I know we often jump from hotspot to hotspot, especially in Las Vegas where they still can’t seem to figure out how WiFi works in hotels.
With so many great travel apps available, you can find one to suit pretty much any need you have:
– Looking to translate a foreign language sign? There’s an app for that.
– Wondering when the next bus is scheduled to arrive? There’s an app for that.
– Want quick directions to your next attraction, taking into account current traffic conditions? There’s an app for that too.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out this blog post I did where i listed the 10 Must-Have Apps for Travelers.
Use Recommendations
The rise of recommendation selling is hugely popular, and incredibly valuable to any traveller. Peer-to-peer reviews are more likely to sway a decision than any traditional advertisement. An ad may pique our interest, but we’re not booking anything until we check out the reviews first!
When planning travel experiences, millennials are less likely to listen to a hotel or resort branded message. They prefer to follow the recommendations of their friends and peers on review sites and social media.
By using trusted sources like TripAdvisor and Yelp in conjunction with recent social media posts, you’re more likely to get an accurate view of exactly what your experience will be like. Just weigh the positives and negatives and make a better decision.
Isn’t that better than just listening to your know-it-all uncle who’s travel tastes are nothing like yours?
Be More Social
Have you seen the rise of social lobby areas with more seating and space to plug-in?
Millennials have little interest in sitting at the desk in their hotel room or in the business center when they could be socializing or enjoying the atmosphere of their destination.
Isn’t this a lesson we could all learn from? Just because we need to do a bit of work while we’re away doesn’t mean we should lock ourselves away and deprive ourselves of the very things we’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Seriously, which of these looks more appealing to you?
Unique Matters
The days where your hotel was “just somewhere to crash” have been disappearing. More and more, where we stay is a big part of our travel experience.
Whether or not they’re leading the charge is up for debate, but millennials prefer unique hotel experiences over cookie-cutter hotels. This is already impacting hotel design for even the biggest chains, worldwide.
We expect the same level of comfort, but want that integrated with the local culture to create a better overall experience. Personally, when I’m given the choice of staying in a brand-name chain hotel or a lesser-known local option, I’ll take the local option. It’s become my expectation that the chain hotels need to work harder for me to give them a second look during my trip planning.
Diverse Budgets
Just because we want unique design and experiences doesn’t mean we’re only looking at high-end luxury stays!
Like the rest of us, millennials cross the full spectrum of high to low budget traveller. But these diverse preferences don’t take away from the bottom line: the travel experience.
Millennials may stay at an expensive, trendy hotel during one visit, then switch to a budget location next time. No matter what they choose, they’re expecting to get first 4 travel experiences we’ve already discussed.
I don’t know about you, but this describes my travel lifestyle perfectly. Sometimes even within the same trip!
During a recent visit to Europe we constantly changed our hotel budget as we changed cities (and sometimes even within the same city!). Overall we found this gave us an amazing overview that we’d never have had if we opted for the same type of stay everywhere we went.
How do these expectations compare to your own?
I thought I was doing pretty well, until I recently found an entirely new level of travel that blew my expectations out of the water! Best of all was that these new high-expectations came with an even lower price-tag than my previous travel.
Do you see how maintaining expectations like these ones help provide the amazing travel experiences we’re looking for? Let me know in the comments below.
Was this helpful for you? If so, please share it with a friend who you think would get value!
Be sure to comment below and let me know what expectations you now hold that help improve your travel experiences!
P.S. If you’d LOVE to start Your Own Blog with “Just 3 Clicks”, check THIS out!
Was this valuable for you? If so I’d really appreciate your comments below and shares on social media.
Resources
Here is a list of the resources related to this post:
Travel Better – Everything you need to know about how I found an entirely new level of travel that blew my expectations out of the water! Best of all was that these new expectations came with an even lower price-tag than my previous travel
Blogger’s Jumpstart Guide – Download my FREE guide outlining how to successfully start your own blog
What an absolutely amazing blog post. You are very knowledgable in your field/niche. I will come to your blog anytime I need travel advice.
Thanks so much for the kind words Kim!
love it great tips, that technology one caught my attention
Yes, that one definitely caught my eye as well Anthony!
Love the recommendations tip. When we travel we always ask the locals what the best places are to get the best experience possible
Dr. Lisa Thompson recently posted…My 3 Best Tips How to Succeed in Network Marketing Fast
Totally agree! That always feels like the best way to get an authentic experience
Geez, Bruce! About three-quarters of the travel blogs out there are run by millennials, rather than old fogeys like you and me. They know what they are doing and are having a fun time doing it.
And taking photographs with their iphone, apparently!
They sure are!! Though I’m not ready to call myself an old fogey yet 😉
I love this post and how it looks at all the positives of traveling at a time of millennials. Millennials have often earned a bad rap but the advent of technology has made traveling more efficient and safe for most people. The use of apps, in particular, has provided amazing tools for travelers to use!
Exactly Abigail. Though I’m not a millennial I feel they often get a bad rap as well … no reason everyone can’t take advantage of what millennials create high expectations for
Going to forward this to one of my older friends, she travels a lot with her husband and was thinking about starting a blog. This will give her a perspective…
That’s great Suman! Anything else I can do to help your friend get started, don’t hesitate to ask 🙂
I must confess as a Baby Boomer I expect there to be wifi at hotels that I stay at. I even expect wifi staying in caravan parks! So I’m not sure whether these travel expectations are confined to Millennials only.
You’re definitely right about that Kathy. I know when WiFi is poor at a hotel it’s definitely a hot topic for everyone!
Love the content on this blog, especially this post. I find the technology section so accurate as well as the socializing section. Great post. Really usefull.
Thanks so much Thomas. Really appreciate you dropping by!
Great advice! Millenial or not, i think a lot of people should learn from this. I see a lot of new travelers having that sense of entitlement and complaining a lot about how much they expect a lot about the place they travel to and find out it’s different. Research and open mindedness go a long way.
You’re so right Jen. Entitlement should only go so far before common sense and research still need to take over
I definitely agree with the point about use of wifi. I have traveled abroad without using data because I knew I could still stay connected. I also want to have a community vibe when traveling and that’s part of the reason why I adore staying in hostels because I get to meet and hang out with other likeminded travelers.
Thirty30Courtney recently posted…21 Days Away: Paris, The Second Time Around
Thanks so much for this comment! Yes, WiFi and a sense of community make for such better and more relaxed travel in my opinion
I really don’t think that the millennials are the only getting the great experiences. Travel works at every age, and there are more possibilities today.
You’re very right Delphine, this post was more about how we are all entitled to those expectations .. an attribute often given to millennials
This definitely helps a lot of people in terms of getting around to doing it yourself. Well written with all the relevant points – easy to understand and follow. The digital world indeed has changed the way the world travels.
Ami recently posted…10 Travel Tips for a memorable road trip
So true Ami, thanks for your comment!
Great handy tips and food for thought, Bruce. Wifi is a n absolute must for me when I travell, But I’m sure most people feel the same, whether you are a millennial or not. As for apps, I’m constantly downloading and searching for new things to make my everyday life and travels simpler and easier. How did we ever survive without cellphones???
I totally agree! Sometimes i stop and think … what did i used to do in this situation lol
I completely agree. One must harness the power of Social Media and ensure we get what is “entitled”, and also there is nothing wrong in broadcasting. After all it is just plain sharing of information and opinions. If an experience shows the way to others, there is no harm in showcasing it.
absolutely right! How else are we going to find out about those “hidden gems” around the world?
Great article – I definitely agree about using Recommendations…and I’m not a millennial bit am using recommendations more and more with anything I am trying or doing.
Recommendations are a great way to get a “real” sense of what’s going on.
Bruce Schinkel recently posted…How to Use a Staycation to Keep You Sane Between Trips
I definitely fall into this field of age. I rely quite a bit on friends’ recommendations and a few particular influencers before I figure out where I’m going and doing. I’m still not about going to boutique hotels yet, but I’ll get there. 🙂
Thanks for your insight Rachelle! Recommendations are often how we find the best travel ideas!
I am a bit older but I can remember when I was first starting to travel, it opened up a whole new world for me and I found myself (took a while). Gotta treasure every moment in life because you dont know where the road ahead is gonna take ya.
Danik recently posted…Exploring Mt. Pfänder in Austria
Very true Danik, thanks so much for sharing that with us!
This is a very good post! We think that in our era be more social is something that everyone should do. And use some sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp before starting the trip is something we do usually!!
Hang Around The World recently posted…Palma de Mallorca
Greta tip on those sites! It’s always better to be prepared right from the planning stage
A lot of people might say using technology is killing the real travel experience, where you traveled with paper map, or finding hidden restaurants. But to be fair I would much rather save my time using GPS and still I can let myself to get lost in the city on on the road if I want to and if I have. time. Plus I am happy to read that that x restaurant is dirty and people got stomach ache after eating there so I can avoid it. Diverse budget is important as well I could not agree more with you! Great post!
Really great points Ada. Some of my favourite experience are still when I stumble upon something great, but I try to at least narrow my focus with some online searching beforehand 🙂
I’m just about in with the Millennial group, at the beginning (!) and agree with these tips. Especially the one about technology; there are so many apps and websites dedicated to travel. I’ll share this with my parents!
Thanks so much! I hope you’re parents enjoy it as much as you did.
The access to plug-in outside the hotel room is nice but it doesn’t make people to socially active talking to each other. It’s just an easy access to make them more socially active in social media wherever they want to. Another reason to not interacting with others. I think when we travel, that’s one thing we need to do: to unplug ourselves from our gadget. Enjoy the view, the people, the culture, the local sound, the food, interact with others.
You’re so right that there’s a very fine line there! It’s very important to enjoy the experience of travel more than just trying to make your next post about it,.
As coming from Scandinavia, I definitely have some work to do on being more social. My years in California have thought me a lot. You can meet so many cool people, get help, get recommendations and so much more, if you just open you mouth and make friends with locals and other travellers. Great tips!
So true Paula! Meeting new people and sharing stories is a great way to enrich your experiences.
It’s interesting that you touch on the demand for uniqueness. I wonder how hotels will cope with this and when they will start making changes. I personally prefer Airbnb because of that very reason. It also allows me to chat with a local and get their advice on where to eat and what to do! The last place I want to be is in a hotel with a whole bunch of other tourists, but some people like that and it makes them feel more secure when they are away from home. Anyway, interesting things you point out here and it is also interesting to see what travel industries are paying attention and making the necessary changes!
Thank you so much for this comment Taiss! I agree it’ll be interesting to see how hotel chains adapt when there’s a good chunk of their potential audience who doesn’t want the standards anymore.
Technology has definitely changed the way that I travel, and I think it’s forced places to up their game in a digital age where everyone is a critic (for better or worse). One of the things I love about travel in our day and age is that it has become easier to read about and research hidden gems, boutique hotels and unique travel experiences. Lots of good food for thought in this piece, Bruce!
thanks so much Flo, and I completely agree with you. I love finding out about hidden gems too … while they’re still hidden to the masses 🙂
It’s much easier with technology that’s for sure. With all the apps and the wi-fi where ever you go, it’s not that hard to find your way around or to get the info you need. Nice post! 🙂
Thanks Danijela! I really love that we don’t need to have everything planned before leaving our hotel rooms anymore 🙂
The paradigm shift in shaping travel experiences is evident in today’s world. I especially agree with how social media has shaped people’s expectations and opinions of certain tourist attractions especially through the avenue of peer reviews and recommendations. Here’s to more amazing travel adventures!
You’re so right Nathan. Gone are the days when we have to believe the marketing departments of these places or attractions.
Nothing works without Wifi these days 🙂 The minute we check in, the first thing we ask for is the wifi password 😀 With the way everything is evolving around us, sometimes I quietly hope for time travel to become a reality 😀
Hahahaha … wouldn’t that be amazing!
Interesting take on travel today. Being older than a millennial, I still expect a lot of what you pointed out when we travel. So you just made feel younger- thank you!!!
You and me both Sherrie!! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Thanks for sharing. As someone born in the mid 80’s I can definitely relate to this post. I’m one of those travelers that rely on blogs and reviews as a way to choose accommodations.
I love that we can use these “peer” sites to figure out exactly what we want, and to know what to expect when we get there.
We definitely agree on travelling millenials using a lot of technology. During our trips, we see them using their smartphones a lot to take photos, upload in the net, check out flight schedules, etc. That’s fine, but usually, the overuse of such gadgets in travel takes you away from the real experience. That’s why Sheila and I turn off our phones when we travel; we want to fully experience the place and adventure. We simply bring a camera and a notebook (yes, the one made of paper) to document our trips.
I love that approach too! It’s so important to make sure we’re really enjoying each experience.
Travel has definitely changed a lot in the last 10 years and more so in the last 5 years. Technology has been the biggest influencer in shaping these changes. One can only imagine what the future holds. 🙂
So true Punita. I can’t believe how different my trips are now compared to even a few short years ago.