| New boomer Web site finds top travel dreams of 50 | | | | starting their planning based on their interests and |
| plus Americans include traveling to Hawaii, Europe, | | | | goals, like a walking vacation or a family reunion, |
| Australia and Italy | | | | explains Ronnie Mae Weiss, an Eons travel expert. |
| The days of settling for a quick trip to Florida are over | | | | From there, the research, planning and fun begin. |
| or so it seems for the 50 plus crowd. What has | | | | For active vacations, boomers are more likely than a |
| always been an important part of Americans leisure | | | | younger audience to train with friends or with a |
| activity is now becoming a full blown passion for baby | | | | personal trainer prior to the trip. Diving into the cultural |
| boomers. In fact, 75 percent of boomers today | | | | nuances of a region, taking a conversational language |
| consider themselves travelers and 30 percent of | | | | course or inviting friends over to test regional recipes |
| mature travelers travel for adventure. | | | | are other ways to make the most of preparing for |
| Recently, Eons.com, a new Web site for people 50 | | | | trips. This new generation is embracing the Internet as |
| and over who want to live life to the fullest, challenged | | | | a resource and is likely to have a community of past |
| Americans to submit the goals and dreams they would | | | | travelers and friends to share and suggest hidden |
| like to accomplish on their way to living to age 100. | | | | treasures to enrich their travels,adds Weiss. |
| This growing collection of more than 70,000 | | | | The travel industry is turning its attention to the financial |
| LifeDreams personalized collections of top things to do | | | | prowess of this new 50 plus generation. |
| before you turn 100 reveals that nearly half of the top | | | | Approximately 8,000 Americans turn 50 every day, |
| 100 goals adults 50 plus want to accomplish center | | | | and boomers control $2 trillion in disposable income |
| around travel. What may come as even more of a | | | | annually. New offerings are being created to meet the |
| surprise is the type of travel people are planning: Eons | | | | unique needs of this age group, from plan it yourself |
| visitors are not naming passive vacations; rather they | | | | travel to extensive package vacations that can be |
| seek to experience and learn about the world and | | | | tailored for couples, adventurous individuals or families |
| themselves through meaningful journeys and | | | | seeking intergenerational vacations that bring children, |
| adventures. | | | | parents and grandparents together. |
| If you are over 50 today, you will, on average, live 20 | | | | Unique travel companies like Geographic Expeditions, |
| years longer than your grandparents did, explains Jeff | | | | ElderHostel and Earthwatch, along with others, are |
| Taylor, founder and CEO of Eons. This provides more | | | | offering experiential trips that enable people 50 and |
| opportunities than ever before to get the most out of | | | | over to participate in environmental, cultural, volunteer |
| life. Eons members have told us that they are planning | | | | and other interest driven activities as part of their trips. |
| to use this time to travel to new places, to continue to | | | | Industry leaders such as Hyatt Hotels are creating |
| learn, to deepen their relationships and to just have fun. | | | | special offers and programs, including destinations and |
| Travel is never more important than when you are | | | | packages that are particularly appealing to this age |
| over 50 now is the time to live out your dreams. | | | | group. |
| Eons lists a range of travel experiences, from seeing | | | | Travel for people 50 and over is rapidly changing, says |
| the Grand Canyon to going on safari in Africa, as | | | | Tom OToole, senior vice president, strategy and |
| among the 100 most popular LifeDreams of its visitors. | | | | systems, Global Hyatt Corp. We find it very interesting |
| The top five travel dreams include traveling to Hawaii, | | | | that travel is among the most aspirational concepts for |
| Europe, Australia and Italy, as well as taking a cruise. | | | | this group. As such, incredible opportunities are being |
| Up until now, the typical first step in planning a trip was | | | | opened up for the travel industry, including Hyatt, |
| to choose a destination Italy or Hawaii for example. | | | | serving these peoples dreams of traveling around the |
| However, we are finding that many boomers are now | | | | world. |