Study Examines Travel Tastes and Motivations

If you’re a mature traveler, a recent study by an international marketing consulting firm indicates you probably fall into one of four general categories: Upbeat Enjoyers, the Insecures, the Threatened Actives and the Financial Positives.

The travel motivation study, conducted by Strategic Directions Group Inc. of Minneapolis, was based on a national check of the attitudes of 600 mature travelers ranging in age from 50 to 85. The study covered a wide variety of subjects: physiology and health, life style, purchasing patterns, finances, residence, demographics and media usage, plus choice of travel destinations and mode, frequency and type of travel.

Those questioned had to rank 60 statements on how they felt, a procedure, the company says, that forced them to make choices and prioritize their feelings. A computer program then mathematically compared how each participant ranked each statement. The following segments were then developed from the mathematical relationships:

--Upbeat Enjoyers make up 20% of the group, with an annual household income of $26,390. They are interested in activities, feel financially comfortable and think the best years of their lives are still to come. About 37% are retired. Most are three to five years younger than the other average groups.

--The Insecures: 32% of the sample group (the largest segment), with a household income of $12,719. They are pessimistic about the future, and believe aging is a negative process. They are the only segment interested in discounts offered by hotels and airlines.

--Threatened Actives: 26% of the group. They are concerned about being crime victims, and driving their cars and living in their own homes is of primary importance. With an average household income of $11,434, they make up the largest retired segment (59%).

--Financial Positives: 23% of the group, with an annual income of $30,080. They feel financially secure and have a positive outlook on life, are looking for value, feel lucky and want to look as young as possible. About 50% are retired.

Some other notations and preferences within the segments:

--Upbeat Enjoyers and Financial Positives clearly prefer cruises. About 12% in those segments have been on a cruise, compared to 8% of the Insecures and 2% of the Threatened Actives.

--Upbeat Enjoyers take the most escorted tours, 38% having taken at least one in the last five years, compared to 24% for all the other respondents.

--Although overall only 8.3% of those questioned plan on visiting Europe within the next two years, 20% of the Upbeat Enjoyers and 12% of the Financial Positives said they were planning such a trip.

--The Financial Positives travel much more than any other segment. More than 50% of this group have taken three or more trips of more than two days in the past year. By contrast, only 32% of the Upbeat Enjoyers, with the second-highest household income, had taken three or more trips.

--Of the four segments, highest use of cars on vacation was reported by the Threatened Actives, 81% of whom take a motoring vacation. This contrasted with 56% of all others.

--Driving one’s car does not appear to be related to age or income. Fifty-two percent of the Financial Positives reach vacation destinations by car, and just as many who are over age 65 do so as those between 50 and 65.

Railroad buffs among mature travelers might already know that Canada’s Via Rail will soon drop train service from Banff to Vancouver. Marlene Gordon of The Next Stage has booked space on the last scheduled run over that scenic route, and combined it with an all-rail trip from Los Angeles.

Set for Jan. 9-18, the trip includes sleeper accommodations, four nights in Vancouver and three in Banff, plus the last ride on the Via Rail out of Banff. Tour price starts at $1,200 per person, double, and rail accommodations vary from roomette to drawing room. For more information, call (213) 939-2688.