Travel and the enjoyment thereof comes with age. The younger the traveler, it is perceived that they are more adventurous, daring and excited. As travelers get older, the adventures mellow down to simple dinners out of the country and prioritize convenience over the struggles of seeing so many things in a single day. Scientifically, does age determine one's travel attitude?
A population survey by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) showed that "Baby Boomer" generation individuals prioritized domestic trips over international trips in 2016, indicating that most elderly travelers choose convenience over hassles. However, the passion for travel is still there. Next Avenue cited the AARP to indicate that older travelers were planning at least four to five trips for 2017.
MarketWatch -- citing the same study -- showed that the trend of convenience is only upset by having to share the room with another person. "Couchsurfing" and even flat-sharing in the form of Airbnb options is not something the elderly would consider using. They would rather pay for a single room for themselves.
Older generations were found to be more picky with hotel and accommodations service rather than the do-it-yourself attitude most young travelers -- specifically Millennials -- have when it comes to room service, transportation and even itineraries. These generations also tend to be "less patient" with other travelers -- primarily focused on their own itineraries and interests.
But it is possible the need to have others to do these aspects of travel is because the elderly have physical ailments of their own. Adventure is clearly out of the window as hiking and climbing are -- leisure travels are a better way to go for the them. This is primarily the reason why the elderly and baby boomer generation of travelers tend to create their itineraries at home and less likely to react positively for improvisations.
However, older travelers are sensible when it comes to making memories. They would rather travel with their extended families -- making them the target of most all-inclusive resorts, cruise deals and travel agencies.
