- Guided tours are gaining popularity with Generation X travelers who want to maximize their limited vacation time.
- Tour operator Tauck is launching a new brand, “Roam by Tauck,” specifically for this market, with a focus on balanced itineraries.
- The new itineraries for the “Roam” brand will include a mix of planned activities and independent free time.
- Globus has also seen a significant increase in sales from Gen X travelers, with sales doubling in the past five years.
Guided tours are gaining significant popularity with Generation X travelers, a market that is proving to be highly attractive to tour operators. Companies like Tauck and Globus are seeing a rise in this demographic, with Gen Xers, typically in their mid-40s to 60s, increasingly choosing organized trips over independent travel. This trend is driven by their desire to maximize limited vacation time and avoid the stress of planning every detail themselves. These travelers are successful and independent but appreciate the convenience and curated experiences a guided tour can provide.
In response to this growing market, Tauck is launching a new brand called “Roam by Tauck” specifically designed for travelers in their 40s and 50s. This brand was created after extensive research that revealed Gen Xers are particularly interested in river and ocean cruises and small-group tours. The itineraries for “Roam” are built to offer a balanced approach, with a mix of scheduled activities and free time for personal exploration, which is an approach being described as “guidance versus guiding.”
This allows for a more relaxed pace with multi-night stays in each location rather than constant moving. Similarly, Globus has seen a doubling of sales from this market in the last five years, with their small-group and customizable tours being a perfect fit for this demographic. The focus on Gen X represents a bright future for the guided tour industry, as a new generation discovers the value of having experts handle the logistics.