Boomer Women Are Travel Industry’s Most Valuable Consumers: They Plan More, Spend More and Learn More

Feb 03, 10 | 1:57 am

VibrantNation.com, the leading online community for smart, successful women over 50, will unveil this week the results of its recent travel survey about the growing power of the Boomer Woman consumer. These insights will be shared at the 24_^th Annual Educational Travel Community (ETC) Conference 2010, the world's only conference focused on affinity and educational travel.

"While our ongoing online surveys and polling give us an up-to-date pulse of what Boomer Women want and what truly matters to them, the results of our recent travel survey even caught us by surprise with a staggering 79% of Boomer Women already having leisure travel planned for 2010," said Stephen Reily, Founder and CEO of VibrantNation.com.

According to the Vibrant Nation survey, Boomer Women are on-the-go and traveling globally:

• 79% already have leisure trips planned for 2010
• 40% of those leisure trips include foreign destinations like Europe, Asia, cruises and the Caribbean

Boomer Women, even when married, are making their own travel decisions. They know what they want. 70% of survey respondents decide where to travel by themselves. An additional 20% make that decision with their spouse/partner or friends. While 2/3 of respondents are married, only 5% allow their spouse/partner to make travel decisions without their input.

Finally, even in today's challenging economy, Boomer Women are not afraid to spend on their travel experiences:

• 58% spend up to $2,500 per trip
• 42% spend more than $2,500 per person per trip

Boomer Women are not just traveling for leisure but value educational opportunities and activity:

• 57% say they would pay more for trips that include educational components
• 31% have already taken trips that include educational travel before
• 58% prefer sightseeing with either moderate or extensive physical activity

"This influential and fast-growing demographic, who we've termed ‘Vibrant Women,' is one of the dwindling number of consumer groups with available discretionary funds," added Carol Orsborn, PhD, VibrantNation.com Senior Strategist. "As a member of this demographic, it amazes me how we somehow remain overlooked in the travel marketplace despite being the healthiest, wealthiest, most educated generation of women in history."

Both Mr. Reily and Dr. Orsborn will be sharing these and other survey results at the ETC Conference this week in Providence, Rhode Island. Survey results came from nearly 500 smart, successful women aged 50-70 who are VibrantNation.com members and e-newsletter subscribers.

For more information and to join the conversation with other Vibrant Women, please visit http://www.vibrantnation.com.


About VibrantNation.com

VibrantNation.com is the leading online community devoted exclusively to the influential and fast-growing demographic of smart, successful women over 50. At Vibrant Nation, these women (whom we've named "Vibrant Women") can look for tips, share information, and join smart conversations about work, style, relationships, wellness, books, and more.

Vibrant Women represent the healthiest, wealthiest, most educated generation of women in history, yet their real strengths and interests are generally ignored in the marketplace. As a result, they rely even more than others on support and information from other women like them when making important decisions. VibrantNation.com is the place where they can connect with other women at their lifestage and discuss the issues they are passionate about. For more information, please visit www.vibrantnation.com.