Not far behind, however (and often overlooked by travel companies and brands in ways big and small), is another incredibly lucrative demographic: women who are 50-plus.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
Travelers in this age group are a force to be reckoned with in their own right. And the spending statistics supporting this reality are equally staggering.
According to a new report titled “Invisible No More: The Ageless Adventuress,” published by JourneyWoman and sponsored by Colette Travel, Intrepid Travel and Aurora Expeditions, the economic power of this market is a multibillion-dollar gold mine. In particular, the report notes:
—In North America, 41% of women travelers are 55-plus and represent a $245 billion travel market.
—In the U.S. alone, 40% of women travelers are 55-plus, and their spending power amounts to $214 billion.
—Travel spending by women 50-plus is set to more than double to $519 billion by 2035.
While the tourism industry focuses heavily on reaching the hearts, minds (and wallets) of millennials, says JourneyWoman’s report, it is simultaneously ignoring – or at the very least failing to fully acknowledge and reach – Baby Boomers and Gen X, particularly women travelers who are 50-plus.
“Knowing the size and economic power of this market in North America, why aren’t more travel companies prioritizing the older, active, solo traveler?” Carolyn Ray, CEO of JourneyWoman, questions during an interview with TravelPulse.
JourneyWoman’s new research found that 45% of women who are 50-plus say the industry could do a better job at understanding older female travelers.
“It’s one thing to say that women 50-plus matter,” continues Ray. “But it’s quite another to show that through actions.”
Recognizing the 50-plus female traveler
There’s a tremendous growth opportunity for the travel industry in fully recognizing the needs of women who are 50-plus.
The 50-plus women represent a rising movement of consumers in their prime who are eager to travel. These women see travel not merely as a ‘nice to have,’ but a ‘must-have’ that’s an essential part of their lifestyle.
“I think the number one most important thing to understand about this moment in history that we are in, is that 50 years ago, it would be frowned upon if women traveled alone. You usually had to have a companion or husband or somebody to look after you,” says Doni Belau, founder of Girls Guide to the World, a company offering small group, women-only trips since 2019.
Now, plenty of women earn lucrative incomes and have power and freedom. It’s an inflection point that Belau has watched unfold firsthand.
Sixteen years ago when she started Girls Guide to the World, it was not usual for married women interested in her trips to say, “Oh gosh, I have to ask my partner.” But Belau says she hasn’t heard that kind of comment in a string of years. Her business is booming, and women traveling alone have become more and more acceptable.
And for the women who are busy exploring the world solo, it’s a way of life that they’re passionate about.
“After the pandemic, a lot of us woke up to the fact that ‘Yes, we are mortal. And this is not going to last forever,’ ” says Belau. “We have people booking two and three trips. Because I think many of them realize that once you hit 50, how many years do you have left?”
Designing for the 50-plus female traveler
Despite all the progress women have made, particularly those in the 50-plus age group, the travel industry continues to lag behind.
Stereotypes about who travels and how, remain in place. Particularly within cruising and elite train travel, says Belau. She’s referring to the continued persistence of requiring solo travelers to pay a single supplement fee when booking a cruise vacation or luxury train getaway.
That’s a steep penalty for a woman to pay to explore the world without a partner. Some cruise lines, for instance, may charge as much as an additional 50% to 100% of a full fare. That means if a cruise fare for one is $5,000, then a solo female traveler must pay an extra $2,500 to $5,000.
When planning itineraries for her women-only travel company, Belau has consciously chosen not to charge this type of fee.
Among the 55-plus women’s travel segment, 23.1 million (61%) are solo travelers. Furthermore, traveling without a partner is their preferred way of exploring the world (up from 50% in 2020), according to the JourneyWoman study.
The single supplement is merely one example of the ways the travel industry has failed to truly understand the 50-plus female traveler. Belau and Ray say this demographic also has a unique approach to exploring the world that needs to be recognized and more fully embraced.
“Women want to know how women in other countries are living,” Belau continues. “They don’t travel to just check off the 10 most popular places. We are really trying to understand a place, and its culture and also get to know how women there are living.”
Ultimately, Ray says she’d like to see more product offerings designed for women, along with more affordable pricing for solo women — both on trips and for longer stays. She also hopes to see more destinations focusing on solo women.
The payoff will be extremely valuable for companies and destinations that rise to the occasion.
“Women are loyal and openly share recommendations through word of mouth,” she says, adding: “With women 50+, there’s an opportunity for them to become advocates and ambassadors for your company or destination. Loyalty and retention drives future revenue; so if you’re not seeing return customers it’s time to revisit your overall experience.”
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