Young travellers seek more sophistication
When 22-year-old Rhiannon Baldock decided to take a trip last year, she was looking for more than just a cheap jaunt partying through Europe.
Committing to an OE was off the table too, given she has her own food blog to run in Auckland.
Baldock and her friend were looking for a ‘‘more comfortable’’ experience than what they expected tour group operators would be able to give them.
They never expected to settle on a Contiki package.
‘‘The two of us weren’t so keen on tenting, the more rough-and-ready side of it, so we were after something that was more hotels and hostel-based.’’
But Baldock and her friend typified exactly the kind of approach travel companies saw more and more from younger people.
In fact, the rise of the ‘‘sophisticated’’ backpacker and youth traveller was a new target market, and may even replace that Kiwi rite-of-passage, the OE.
Travel company Contiki recently launched three new trip types for summer in 2017, after research found millennial travellers wanted more comfortable trips with different activities.
The limited edition trips were called Munch, Snap and Boutique local, and focussed on food and wine, photography and staying in more luxurious accommodation.
Contiki marketing director Tony Laskey said the company, which targeted 18 to 35-year-olds, had noticed people had become timepoor over recent years.
Contiki’s three new trips were priced from $3345.
Munch was one for the ‘‘foodies’’, he said, and would feature well-known food personalities travelling alongside you, while Snap was about learning to take good photographs.
Laskie said only there would only be a few of each trip this year, as Contiki dipped its toes into the new market.
‘‘We never claim to be a luxury 5-star brand, we’re a youth travel brand.
Baldock went on a Contiki European Quest trip with cooking classes and other optionals which let her do the things she enjoyed.
‘‘We got to see different countries and it wasn’t too highenergy.’’