29 Baby Boomer Travel Statistics and Trends

Travel isn’t only for the young. More and more older people around the world are traveling each year, and the number just keeps rising. It’s not much of a surprise – typically when people hit retirement age, travel becomes one of their main goals. After several decades of work, they often finally have the money and time to go on the vacations they’ve always dreamed of.

It’s important to stay up to date with your information, so I’ve put together a brief list of the most recent, most relevant studies and statistics relative to Baby Boomer Travel.

Important Baby Boomer Travel Statistics

1. Boomers anticipate taking an average of 4.4 trips in 2019. (AARP)

2. 47% of Boomers plan to travel only domestically in 2019, while 48% plan to travel both domestically and internationally. (AARP)

3. For Boomers, the most common motivations for traveling are to spend time with family and friends (57%), to relax and rejuvenate (48%), and to get away from normal everyday life (47%). (AARP)

4. The large majority of Boomers (94%) anticipate at least one domestic trip in 2019. (AARP)

5. Over half of Boomers (53%) plan on traveling internationally in 2019. (AARP)

6. The average Baby Boomer is anticipated to spend an estimated $6,600 on travel in 2019. (AARP)

7. The most common types of international trips taken by Boomers are Bucket List trips (24%), Summer Vacations (10%), and Romantic Getaways (10%). (AARP)

8. Heritage travel and Adventure travel each only account for 1% of planned international travel for Baby Boomers in 2019. (AARP)

9. 7% of Baby Boomers anticipate traveling solo in 2019. (AARP)

10. Europe is the most popular destination for Boomers, with 41% planning to visit in 2019. (AARP)

11. 33% of Boomers plan to visit the Caribbean, South America, and Central American in 2019. (AARP)

12. 11% of Boomers plan to visit Asia in 2019. (AARP)

13. 10% of Boomers plan to visit Canada in 2019. (AARP)

14. The most popular types of domestic trips preferred by Boomers are summer vacations (13%), weekend getaways (12%), and multi-generational trips (11%). (AARP)

15. The most popular region of the United States for Boomers to visit is the South, with 38% of Boomers planning to visit in 2019. (AARP)

16. 29% of Boomers plan to visit the Western United States in 2019. (AARP)

17. 16% of Boomers plan to visit the Northeast United States in 2019. (AARP)

18. The state that is most visited by Boomers is Florida, with 17% of Boomers planning to visit in 2019. (AARP)

19. Approximately 30% of Boomers said that one or more of their international trips will be via cruise ship in 2019. (AARP)

20. Boomers will travel primarily by plane in 2019. 87% of international travel will be by plane, while 66% of domestic travel will be by plane. (AARP)

21. Hotels and Motels are the most frequently used accommodations for Boomers. 62% of Boomers traveling internationally in 2019 will stay in Hotels/Motels, while 66% of Boomers traveling domestically will stay in Hotels/Motels. (AARP)

22. Smartphone usage makes traveling easier, and Boomers know this. 92% of Boomers use a smartphone on domestic trips, while 54% use a smartphone while traveling internationally. (AARP)

23. According to Boomers, the biggest advantages of staying at peer to peer accommodations (opposed to traditional hotels) are the cost, amenities, and space provided. (AARP)

24. Only 30% of Boomers will use all of their company provided vacation days. (AARP)

25. While most Boomers won’t use all of their vacation days, when on vacation, they do make sure to unplug. The majority of Boomers (57%) do not think it is important to stay connected to work while away. In fact, if they do anticipate bringing any work with them at all, the majority will not let it consume more than 10% of their time off. (AARP)

26. Boomers don’t enjoy mixing business with pleasure, as only 26% have extended a business trip to add vacation time in the same location in the past two years, and just 17% have plans for doing so in 2019. (AARP)

27. Boomers say that cost (40%) and health (32%) are their biggest travel barriers, and the most likely factors that will prevent travel in 2019. (AARP)

28. Many Boomers are looking to get more adventurous with their vacations. 20% intend to go on a backpacking or hiking trip and 18% are planning a road trip. (Booking.com)

29. More and more Baby Boomers are opting to travel solo, with 40% of global Boomers having taken a solo trip in the past year, and a further 21% planning to take one in the future. (Booking.com)

Hi, I’m Ash!

I’m a laid back traveler who loves experiencing new things and spontaneity. My favorite hobbies are hiking, gardening, skincare, and all things tea.

My biggest goal is to spread the word about sustainable travel and show everyone how easy it is to partake in. If you wanna learn more about that or get to know me better, feel free to click here.