Baby Boomers Spur Interest in Spain and Portugal, Says Globus

The Baby Boomer generation is alive and well—and headed for Spain and Portugal, says Steve Born, vice president of marketing for the Globus family of brands.

In exit interviews with customers about their recent experiences on Globus tours and where they’d like to go next, “one thing stands out—and that’s the interest in Spain and Portugal,” Born told TMR in an interview last week. “Those two countries jumped seven spots to number one for next year, and the numbers are bearing that out. Our early bookings for 2016 are up 30%.”

He attributed much of the jump to the big cruise ships’ excursions in Barcelona, which give Americans a one-day taste of Spain and have them coming back for more. Also spurring the interest is the fact that many Boomers already have been to Italy, and now are “looking to get out there and find other interesting destinations.”

The fact that it’s a good value doesn’t hurt. Where an average per diem in Italy might run $310 or $320, a day in Portugal is only about $250—a substantial savings over 7 or 10 days, Born said.

(Separately, a recent Starwood survey confirmed the growing interest in Spain.

In the Starwood 2015 Member Favorites Hotels and Resorts survey, Fuerteventura, Spain, in the Canary Islands, and Adeje Tenerife in Spain topped the Top Ten Emerging Hot Spots list, which also included Maspalomas, Spain. The list was ranked based on the destinations where members of Starwood’s frequency program are using their points for the longest length of redemption. Also on the list were the Red Sea in Egypt, Rhodes in Greece, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Khao Lak in Thailand, Le Morne in Mauritius, and Serrekunda in Gambia.)

Reach out to Boomers, Globus Says
Reaching Millennials may be all the rage in the travel industry, but it’s their parents—the Baby Boomers—who are instilling a love of travel in the next generation. And paying for their tickets.

That’s the thinking behind the new Time to Travel survey and Time to Tour video rolled out by Globus last week. The video is a timely tool for travel agents to share to get their customers moving. And the survey says the best customers are the Baby Boomers.

“At no time have there been more Americans in the empty nest part of their lives, when they have the time to look inward,” Born said. “They are looking over at their spouses and saying, ‘Who are you, and what should we do together?’ “

The message for travel agents is that “the Millennials are 90 million strong and emerging, but the Boomers are 70 million strong and they’re here,” Born said. “It’s the Boomers who are fueling that passion for travel, who are leading the Millennials, and who are paying for them.”

To help agents reach this huge market, which will continue to grow as the generation begins to retire over the next few years, Globus has developed a video “to help you get the conversation started, that you can share in your own marketing, and tools to help you close”—including a 10% early-booking discount on tours booked by December 1.

While you might think that Boomers are looking to relax, the “Time to Tour” survey showed the opposite is true.  Almost all the respondents (93%) said they travel to experience the places they’ve only read about, to see new cultures and taste different foods. Only a handful ( 7%) said they take a vacation to relax.

Born urged agents to “use Globus as a resource. We’re chock full of tools, and we can help you reach those empty nesters and get them coming in your door.”

And unlike many cruises, “every element is commissionable, including excursions if they are booked in advance.”

Pic: Alvesgaspar