Music Drives Millennials’ Vacation Choices, Study Says

Travel agents looking for more ways to enhance their clients’ vacation experiences, and earn additional commissions in the process, will be singing a happy tune when they read new research revealing that music is a main factor when Millennials choose a travel destination. 

This finding, and others that support the fact that Americans like to travel for a tune, bodes well for a market that is increasingly seeking out experiential vacations, while also adding a boost to a commissionable event sales industry segment that is rising in popularity. 

One in four Americans said they would travel to a different country to watch their favorite artist perform, while 40 percent said they want to attend music festivals abroad, according to online travel agency, eDreams, which commissioned a multinational survey of 13,000 respondents from eight nations (U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Sweden). 

The results also found that Americans are the most inclined to travel to a destination because its local music style inspired them, with 23 percent saying so, compared to just 8 percent of British respondents and 14 percent of all Europeans surveyed. 

Furthermore, jazz tops the list of music styles that most encourage people to take a holiday, with 41 percent of Americans saying they would be interested in visiting New Orleans due to their love of the genre, with the highest response among the 60+ generation (46 percent). Meanwhile, reggae music inspires 34 percent of Millennials to venture out of the country. 

Experiential travel still trending
It’s clear that music-led vacations are enticing Americans to travel more. And, as Millennials move away from spending money on material things and more towards memorable experiences, travel agents can incorporate these findings into a win-win for both parties. 

Summer may be winding down, but the upcoming seasons present a huge opportunity to encourage clients to attend events and festivals that are not only commissionable, but round out the stellar vacation experience that travel advisors want to provide. 

Toranio Turkvant is one agent who has personally experienced the value of incorporating events into her clients’ itineraries. “The days of relaxing in the room are over,” Turkvant said. “My clients want the ultimate experience of the city or country they are visiting. They want to experience the food, music, and culture.” 

Turkvant explains how the benefits are twofold: “My clients get to see their favorite recording artist or sports team and, in return, I get a percentage of the ticket sale. How awesome is that?” 

Event options are endless
With music being a huge draw, the time is now to start booking clients to attend popular Fall music festivals, particularly from September through October, which include KAABOO, Life is Beautiful, I Heart Radio, Treasure Island, Austin City Limits, Voodoo Experience; and for December, Snowglobe.  

And, don’t forget the attraction of Broadway at holiday time, or any time of year, for that matter. Family friendly shows are on the rise and tickets are currently available for “Harry Potter,” “Mean Girls,” “Pretty Woman,” “Frozen,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Band’s Visit” and, of course, “Hamilton.” 

For sports lovers, Fall means NFL and college football, but it also means Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs, which start in October. What about a baseball itinerary paired around a trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, for fans young and old? Tickets to a game make for an ideal bonding trip for grandparents and their grandkids. 

Another finding of the study showed that Millennials are more interested in intimate and creative music festivals rather than bigger events like Coachella. Travel agents can look to Las Vegas to meet this demand. The energetic city is diversifying as of late, mixing up its resident performers to incorporate newcomers like Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani, blink-182, Backstreet Boys and the return of stage favorites Mariah Carey and Aerosmith.  

And, as streaming music for free on mobile devices has become even more accessible in recent years, it’s no surprise that 26 percent of Millennials (16 percent U.S. average) have downloaded music from local artists before a vacation to get them in the mood; and 22 percent admit to making a playlist with local music from their trip to relive memories once they are back at home. 

Music has a way of bringing us back to a place, reminding us, in most cases, of a happy feeling we experienced. Who wouldn’t want to make that connection for their clients? Research shows that incorporating music into vacations can satisfy clients, not to mention the monetary returns it can deliver to agents. 

FROM THE SPONSOR: Events 365 is a booking platform that offers travel consultants exclusive purchasing access to over 80,000 exciting live events around the world, including sports, concerts, theater and special events. With over $3.5 billion worth of tickets running through an easy-to-access, internet-based booking platform, taking your client’s vacation to the next level is a breeze.
Travel advisors using Events 365 have the ability to earn commissions on competitively priced tickets backed by a 100 percent buyer guarantee; and access to a dedicated sales and support team that will guide them through the registration and booking processes.
If that wasn’t enough, travel advisors can earn commissions even when their clients purchase directly, by sending a dedicated link to them through the Events 365 booking portal. Signing up is free, and commissions are paid out to agencies on a monthly basis. Learn more at Events365.com, and register for an account HERE.