Reach high-value new clients with disposable income
If you’re a travel advisor, marketing to baby boomers is a great way to bring in more revenue and enhance your business. Baby boomers, typically defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, make up about 74 million people1 – a large percentage of the US population.
Not only are they a broad demographic, but they also have disposable income and possess the majority of household wealth2, making them an attractive audience. If baby boomers are not already part of your marketing plan, they should be.
But how can a travel agency marketing to the baby boom generation making sure their efforts succeed by reaching the right audience? Find out with these helpful tips now!
1. Focus On Domestic Trips (But Not Exclusively)
Survey data from Rezdy3 has shown that baby boomers primarily prefer to vacation in their own countries. Of those surveyed, about 81% of baby boomers said that they planned to vacation in their own country – only 19% said they were planning for an international trip.
We recommend advertising packages using display ads on websites like Facebook, which is the most popular social media platform for baby boomers – more than 30 million baby boomers4 are active on Facebook each day. The great thing about these ads is you can target a specific age group and in your area, meaning only those you want to will see the ads!
However, don’t neglect international trips. While fewer baby boomers are willing to travel internationally, those that do will have a large budget for it – and you don’t want to miss out on this demographic.
2. Emphasize Your Competitive Pricing (And Package Travel Deals!)
Baby boomers have a lot of wealth. But that doesn’t mean they will spend freely. It’s quite the opposite. Baby boomers love to get a good deal, particularly on travel. According to the survey mentioned above from Rezdy, 95% of surveyed baby boomers said they always “look for the best deals,” and 57% said budget “was a factor” for travel packages.
Make sure your competitive rates and discounts are at the forefront of your marketing messaging. One right way to do this is to offer combined vacation packages, and bundling things like airfare, hotel stays, food, rental cars, and activities. Learn how to cross-sell more with our guide.
You can lower your margins on each product – and still come out ahead because your clients will book the entire stay through your company. This lets you provide a better overall deal, and makes it more likely that you’ll attract baby boomer travelers.
3. Offer Discounts For Seniors Or AARP Members
This travel agent marketing tip for baby boomers goes along with the previous tip. If possible, you should try to offer a flat-rate discount for seniors. You can even work with an organization like AARP to become a certified travel partner.
By now, even the youngest baby boomers are in their mid-to-late fifties, so most of them will qualify for these kinds of discounts.
4. Use Audience Segmentation To Your Advantage When Advertising Online
As mentioned earlier, most PPC (Pay Per Click) platforms like Google AdWords, Facebook, and more allow you to target specific audiences with your ads. You can use this to develop ads that are focused exclusively on baby boomers. You can target individuals who are:
- Between the ages of 55-73
- Located in areas where you serve clients
- Interested in the destinations where you operate travel tours
- Actively searching for travel opportunities
5. Emphasize The Benefits Of Travel Agencies Vs. Online Bookings, Other Methods
According to Travel Market Report5, baby boomers are much more likely to understand the unique benefits of travel agencies. While 46% of millennials book online, only 18% of baby boomers do the same. 15% of baby boomers book with travel agents, compared to only 7% of millennials.
This research also has shown that baby boomers have a high overall opinion of travel agencies. 28% of them said that travel agents were “the best advocate” for them, and 27% said that travel agents were “more likely to help” when travel arrangements go awry. 33% of baby boomers said that travel agents could “find the best deal” for a trip.
That means you should emphasize these benefits – client advocacy, help if something goes wrong, and great deals – when marketing your travel agency to baby boomers.
Claim The Baby Boomer Market Segment For Increased Profits!
Baby boomers are a significant market segment for travel agents – and by using these tips, you can advertise to them more effectively! Get started today by including them in your marketing strategy, and see how you can boost profits and revenue with these tips for travel agents marketing to baby boomers.
1. Source: Cleveland.com
2. Source: Marketingcharts.com
3. Source: Redzy.com
4. Source: businessinsider.com
5. Source: travelmarketreport.com
