French Millennials are set to disrupt traditional travel models
Following on from our initial post highlighting our Millennial traveler research, we delved a little deeper into the travel habits of Millennials in France. Our research revealed that Millennials across France are travel influencers who often help friends and family make purchase and brand decisions. We also discovered a few interesting nuances and unique insights into this highly sought after demographic.
The French Millennial uncovered
French Millennials are dedicated travelers with 2 in 3 (66%) prioritizing travel above any other expense, but at the same time are savvy bargain hunters with a penchant for the occasional luxury upgrade. They are more likely to book direct rather than through intermediaries and are less likely to be members of loyalty programs.
The research also showed that when compared to their older counterparts, Millennials in France are more likely to use digital resources, such as Google (39% vs. 33% among those 35+) to plan and book their travel – proving that marketers need to adapt their campaigns to reach this audience. In addition, the research found that:
- Unlike their counterparts in the US, Millennials in Europe are more likely to book flights through airline websites (40% in France; 43% in the UK vs. 34% in the US)
- They are also more likely to book hotels through general travel websites (57% vs. 18% hotel sites)
- 62% (highest globally) of those surveyed agree: “I don’t think it’s worthwhile to sign up for loyalty programs.”
83% of French Millennials prioritize price over airlines when choosing a flight (vs. 70% of those over 35+). Millennials tend to plan ahead compared to older travelers – they start searching for flights 13 days in advance of booking the flight compared to 9 days to ensure that they get the experience at the best price. Hotel searches are no different, with a longer window of 8 days prior to booking compared to 6 days for older travelers.
The data also revealed that French Millennials fly more and opt to travel front of cabin (32% of flights), highlighting that they have disposable funds to spend on favored luxuries. This is lower than those surveyed in the UK (44%), but higher than Singapore (25%) and Hong Kong (23%). In addition, Adara found that:
- 24% of French Millennials are willing to pay for upgrades, compared to 20% of 35+ year old’s and are more likely to purchase amenities in-flight
- 34% of Millennials in France have stayed in a house or apartment rental (e.g., Airbnb) in the past year compared to only 30% of those 35+
- 72% have stayed in hotels, and they are more likely to prioritize free Wi-Fi and amenities such as a spa & gym compared to those 35+