Immersion, adventure activities popular among travelers ages 18 to 35

Travelers between the ages of 18 and 35 are springing back from the pandemic in big ways.

Over the past year and a half, when all travel was stalled, these travelers were the ones sharing their stories and their favorite destinations on social media, changing not just the destinations they’d like to visit, but also the trends and experiences they prefer.

Younger travelers, according to Contiki, desire either beach vacations, European explorations or something in between.

Immersion and adventure activities are top-ofmind for many travelers as they begin venturing back out into the world. The desire to experience more is going to be the impetus for many young travelers to visit places like Thailand, Ireland, Egypt and South Africa.

Solo travelers also make up almost half of the tour operator’s bookings for next year, signaling not only a confidence in traveling alone but a desire to experience the world from their own unique vantage points.

The average age of travelers booking with Contiki is 27, which makes sense considering that’s usually a time when working professionals are earning enough to begin going on trips before they’re obligated to pay for other expensive life milestones, like marriage, buying a house or having a child.

Ryan Doncsecz, Groups Department Manager at VIP Vacations and Jordan Bradshaw, Vice President at Northcutt Travel Agency, are both seeing similar trends emerge from their clients.

Popular destinations for younger clients from both agencies include Mexico and the Caribbean, especially when it comes to all-inclusives.

BRAD CALKINS/DREAMSTIME Resort hotels in Cancun, Mexico. Young tourists were picking Mexico and the Caribbean as their destinations of choice in 2021.