The travel industry is growing exponentially, but must also be ready to become more flexible and make more changes to cater to the needs and requirements of the market segment currently driving its growth – the Millennials. This new generation of travelers has hit an average annual spending of $200 billion on tourism and travel, according to a FutureCast report titled ‘Millennial Brief on Travel & Lodging’ (http://dtn.fm/Rf12j). The figure is the largest average the tourism industry has ever seen, a trend that’s likely to be maintained, provided that the industry’s operators are able to meet the needs of this group of tourists.
Having reached adulthood in the 2000s, at the peak of the Internet age, it is no wonder that Millennials thoroughly research their options and destinations when making travel plans. According to the FutureCast report, Millennial tourists check an average of 10 sources before they make a travel purchase. This habit is also a result of this group of travelers’ collective desire to experience something utterly new and unique on their trips. Perhaps more than any other generations, Millennials are primarily interested in new, personalized experiences on their travels rather than just relaxing or sightseeing, with nine out of ten in agreement.
Additionally, 70 percent of Millennials are interested in exploring the communities they visit during their vacations in order to learn something new about them, mingle with them and experience life as they would. This also reflects their lodging preferences, with more and more Millennials opting for alternative lodging rental units when they travel instead of more traditional solutions such as hotels. It is no surprise that a growing number of Millennials use online platforms such as Airbnb or Booking.com to research their lodging options and make a booking before they travel.
Monaker Group, Inc. (OTCQB: MKGI), a technology-driven tourism company offering comprehensive travel solutions and personalized tours, is ready to tap into this fast-growing travel market segment by offering not only an impressive portfolio of alternative lodging rental units but also access to full-service tours to hundreds of destinations around the world.
The group currently has a portfolio of more than 1.1 million alternative lodging rental units available under its NextTrip Resorts platform, and it is currently in the process of adding more than 200,000 timeshare and resort units by the end of the year. Via its flagship NextTrip.com platform, Monaker allows tourists to plan their trips to the smallest details by offering them access to a wealth of alternative lodging options, such as unused timeshare inventory, resort residences and vacation home rentals, as well as a wide range of hotels, rental cars, tours, airlines, concierge services and more.
The platform, launched in February 2016, has grown exponentially, being the only real-time booking engine that combines various booking options to meet tourists’ every need. With Millennials’ influence on the travel industry set to expand further over the coming years as this population segment continues to grow, full-service booking platforms such as NextTrip.com are likely to become an increasingly important part of the industry.
For more information, visit www.MonakerGroup.com
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