Globus finds travellers are looking for stress-free vacations

If you’re wondering what today’s travellers are looking for in a vacation, well it’s pretty simple – they want it to be stress-free.

In fact, new research from MMGY Travel Intelligence reveals that close to 50% of travellers say stress release is a primary motivator for taking a vacation and, not surprisingly, guided tours and river cruises are providing just what today’s travellers are looking for because they package away the most stressful parts of travel – without packaging travellers themselves.

Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus family of brands, observed that: “Travellers are exhausted before they even leave home. What we’re seeing now is a conscious decision to outsource the logistics so guests can stay present, curious and connected once they arrive.”

This shift is particularly pronounced among Gen X and Younger Boomers, who are balancing busy careers, family responsibilities and limited vacation time. And according to MMGY, nearly 3 in 4 Gen X travellers (74%) and 71% of Younger Boomers find guided vacations appealing, signaling that tours and river cruises are becoming mainstream preferences.

And they’re becoming mainstream because the eliminate the biggest vacation pain points so that there’s:

• No hotel-hopping logistics.
• No navigating unfamiliar transportation systems.
• No standing in lines for must-see sights.
• No hauling luggage from place to place.
• No stressful searching on phones for next-stop options.

MMGY’s research also shows that 60% of travellers say a balance of free time and included activities is what tips them toward guided travel (tours and river cruises) – a direct reversal of the outdated perception that these experiences are rigid or overly scheduled.

Instead, today’s itineraries are designed around freedom within structure, offering guided experiences alongside time to explore independently as well as a range of Choice Excursions to follow passions and interests. The result is a vacation that feels both curated and personal.

Born points out that: “The irony is that the structure of our guided tours (Globus) and river cruises (Avalon Waterways) enables spontaneity. When the essentials of your vacation are handled, you feel empowered to wander, linger and say yes to unexpected moments. Our itineraries also take away all worries, inviting you to simply be – in the moment, on your vacation and enjoying the memories we’re creating for you.”

As for the takeaway, Globus family of brands’ Born said: “Travel has reached a tipping point. People don’t want vacations that feel like another project. They want to feel something when they’re there.”

And he continued: “They want the stress stripped away so they can enjoy the authenticity of the moment, when they’re in the world, discovering new places, new people and the connections that come with extraordinary travel.”

Go to www.traveladvisorportal.ca for more.