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February 10, 2026
Generational Differences in Travel Preferences
Travelers of different generations prefer different types of travel experiences, according to data from Internova Travel Group’s annual Internova Index: North American Traveler Insights report.
The report, which was created from a survey of 4,000 travelers across North America along with Internova’s bookings data, found that Millennial travelers, those aged 30-45 years old, continue to prefer more flexible, personalized travel itineraries while valuing better quality experiences. Also in the report was data on how the current economic uncertainty is impacting how Americans travel.
These travelers, while not the youngest generation (Gen Z was left out of this particular study), are fueling the trend in private touring, short cruise trips under five days, and more adventure or culturally immersive travel experiences. Due to this shift in travel desires, they’re also open to using travel advisors to seek help planning their trips.
“Millennials want curated experiences that feel unique to them,” said Henry Gilroy, Executive Vice President, Strategy, at Internova Travel Group, one of the world’s largest travel services companies. “But they don’t want to risk being disappointed, so they value the expert guidance provided by travel advisors to make the most of their limited time.”
Gen X travelers, aged 46-61, are often parents of Millennial travelers. This age group is leading the growth in wellness travel, luxury travel and ultra-luxury travel experiences. They increasingly prefer trips, styles and accommodations that encourage rest, wellbeing and other restorative practices. They’re mostly heading to travel advisors to build multi-stop trips or challenging itineraries.
Baby Boomers, those aged 62-80, continue leading the way in group touring and traditional cruising. Sociable and interested in convenience, these two travel styles are often the preferred among this generation, enjoying the structure of an already-planned itinerary, along with the comfort that comes from not having to plan it themselves. Boomers often use travel advisors, especially for longer or further trips.
“Many Boomers have the time and disposable income to travel widely and for longer periods, often checking destinations off their travel bucket list,” Gilroy added. “Cruises and traditional group tours are attractive to this group because all of the details are handled for them.”
Despite generational differences in travel preferences, what ties these different generations together? As we continue this new year, Internova is seeing a continued strong demand for leisure travel and the use of travel advisors such as My Journey Begins Travel to help them plan their trips, provide support and give them the personalized service that other travel resources cannot give them.
This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.