Summary:
- Millennial business travellers are the most likely to cancel a trip over security concerns, with nearly one-third (29%) of millennials having done so, compared to 20% of generation X (ages 35-51) and only 12% of baby boomers.
- A high 58% of millennials travel with others, 43% travel with colleagues, and 15% with friends or family. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of baby boomers travel alone.
- The CWT Connected Traveller Study collected data from more than 1,900 business travellers between the ages of 25-65 from 16 countries around the world.
A high 58% of millennials travel with others, 43% travel with colleagues, and 15% with friends or family. In stark contrast, nearly three-quarters (71%) of baby boomers travel alone. Sometimes, they travel with colleagues (23%) but they rarely bring along friends or family (6%). Generation X travellers are somewhere in the middle, with 58% traveling alone, 31% with a colleague and 11% with friends or family.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel head of external communications Julian Walker said: "We see a massive generational shift among the habits of younger travellers - the much-vaunted millennials. Millennials are far more sociable when they travel, love technology and are most concerned about their own personal safety."
The study found that millennials - defined here as those between the ages of 24 and 34 - are most likely to cancel a trip over security concerns. Nearly one-third (29%) of millennials have done so, compared to 20% of generation X (ages 35-51) and only 12% of baby boomers. Similarly, almost half (49%) of millennials buy trip insurance, compared with only 36% of generation X and 31% of boomers (ages 52-65).
Nearly half of millennials (45%) contact friends or family while traveling more than once per day, compared to 38% of generation X and 29% of baby boomers. Millennials connect more with clients while traveling (55%) than generation X (44%) and boomers (35%) - and with co-workers (41%) versus 28% of generation X and only 19% of boomers.
The use of technology also varies dramatically between generations. When it comes to connecting with family, boomers prefer to use their phone (51%), compared to barely half of generation X (44%) and only 39% of millennials. Conversely, a full 31% of millennials use Skype, compared to 24% of generation X, and only 17% of boomers.
When it comes to staying in contact with colleagues, email is everyone's preferred method. However, here too, the generations differed markedly. More than half (52%) of boomer's use email, compared to 46% of generation X and only 34% of millennials. When it comes to using the phone, 30% of millennials and 22% of both boomers and generation X prefer to pick up the phone and call colleagues.