The millennial generation is the most sociable profile in business travel

Millennials are much more social than older business travelers and are also more concerned about their personal safety. Thatí is clear from data in the “CWT Connected Traveler Study” report. The study was conducted by surveying more than 1,900 travelers from 16 countries across generations.

58% of millennials travel accompanied. Forty-three percent do so for work colleagues and 15% for friends or family. In stark contrast, almost three-quarters (71 %) of baby boomers travel alone. They occasionally travel with colleagues (23%), but rarely with friends or family (6%). Somewhere in between are the travelers of the X generation. Fifty-eight percent travel alone, 31% travel with work colleagues and 11% with friends or family.

“We see a significant generational shift in the habits of younger travelers. Millennials are much more social when they travel, they love technology and are more concerned about their personal safety," explains Julian Walker, CWT's senior manager of external communications.

The study shows how millennials, defined here as those between the ages of 24 and 34, are the most likely to cancel a trip for safety reasons. Nearly one-third (29%) have done so, compared with 20% of Generation X (35-51 years old) and 12% of baby boomers. Similarly, nearly half (49%) of millennials buy travel insurance, compared with 36% of Generation X and 31% of baby boomers (ages 52-65).Nearly half of millennials (45%) contact friends or family on the go more than once a day, compared with 38% of Generation X and 29% of baby boomers. Millennials communicate more with customers during their trips (55%) than Gen X (44%) and baby boomers (35%). The same is true when it comes to keeping in touch with their work colleagues: 41% do so compared to 28% of Generation X and 19% of baby boomers.

The use of technology also varies drastically between generations. When it comes to communicating with family, baby boomers prefer to use the phone (51%), compared to just half of Generation X (44%) and 39% of millennials. In contrast, 31% of millennials use Skype, compared with 24% of Generation X and 17% of baby boomers.

When it comes to keeping in touch with work colleagues, email is the most preferred by all. However, here too there were notable generational differences. More than half (52%) of baby boomers use email, compared to 46% of Generation Xers and 34% of millennials. When it comes to phone usage, 30% of millennials as well as 22% of baby boomers and Gen Xers prefer to pick up the phone and call their co-workers.

 

When it comes to phone usage, 30% of millennials and 22% of baby boomers and Gen Xers prefer to pick up the phone and call their co-workers.