Category Archives for Travel

Overnight Vacations Popular with Aging Baby Boomers

Published in Pawtucket Times, August 1, 2014

As the nation slowly emerges from a severe economic downturn along with gas prices rising, a new AARP Bulletin Survey delves into travel planning of vacationing boomers. A phone survey, statistically sampling 76 million baby boomers sought, to shed light on their views on overnight vacations, specifically, trips taken away from home that usually lasted one night or longer.

According to the May 2014 report, “Boomers and Vacations: An AARP Bulletin Survey,” over 57 percent of the nation’s boomers say they are planning to take an overnight vacation in the next 12 months. Among those planning this overnight vacation, seven-in-ten (68%) responded they may take more than one overnight trip, while three-in-ten (29%) reported they are just planning to make one overnight excursion.

Getting Away for Short Vacations

The 19 page AARP report noted that almost half of those surveyed (47%), who are planning overnight vacations in the next 12 months, are planning one or two week vacations, while just one-third (34%) are planning to take longer trips, lasting over two weeks.

Overnight vacations can hit boomer vacationer’s right in their wallets, indicate the AARP report’s findings, with survey respondents noting they will budget a minimal of $1,000, up to a whopping $5,000 for an overnight vacation outing. The majority of those surveyed (56%) say that they plan to travel with their spouse or partner, 15 percent plan traveling with their child or children. Meanwhile, seventeen percent say they will go it alone. .

While two-thirds (64%) of vacationing boomers say they will travel to another state within the United States, twenty percent will travel throughout their home state, noted the AARP report. However, 19 percent of survey respondents say they will book vacations outside of the country, with Europe being found to be the most popular destination (38%) followed by Latin or South America (21%), Caribbean (13%), and Canada (10%).

As to motives taking overnight vacations, most respondents say “to see, connect, or spend time with family and/or friends (45%), or “for a pure fun, or relaxation (38%).

Balancing Work and Play

The AARP findings suggest that Boomers are active and looking for ways enjoy life,” Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell said. “We all know that staying active is important for both physical and mental health as we age. If this is a trend, I hope it builds and I think it will,” she says, noting that one of the reasons will be that AARP motivates people to be maintain active lifestyles – whether it’s an extended vacation or a day trip to a nearby attraction.

Connell believes that as boomers decide to work longer for the purpose of retirement security, they also realize that as they work longer and harder they have earned a break. “Working longer allows people to delay dipping into retirement savings. Many say that if that’s your plan, you actually can and should reward yourself and take that vacation and return to work refreshed.” she says.

“As to those Boomers who have ‘retired,’ I shouldn’t have to tell you that AARP encourages those people to get out and enjoy life,” says Connell.

“The AARP study certainly reinforces the fact that Boomers have a significant amount of discretionary income and that they are an important part of the economy. If the Boomers stayed home, the tourism industry would be is big trouble,” she observes.

Connell states that “Rhode Island is a great destination for people of all ages and I am sure that the local tourism promoters are aware of that. It’s very competitive out there when it comes to capturing Boomers, so the good news is that even attractive destinations such as Rhode Island offer travel discounts and incentives. People should take advantage, and I imagine the AARP survey reflects some of these opportunities to save, too.”

Rhode Island Tourism Officials Have Their Say

Carl G Richardson, Director, Branch Office Sales & Service, of AAA Southern New England, cites similarities in AARP’s report findings from his personal experiences in the travel industry. Just like the findings that 15% of Boomers are traveling with their child or children, “we’re seeing our members traveling with their grandchildren as well.”

Another finding as to the reason for travel also jumps out for Richardson. “When we conduct our Holiday Travel forecasts we see “visiting family or friends” as the number one reason members travel 50 miles or more away from home. AARP’s findings supports that point,” he says.

Mark Brodeur, Rhode Island’s Tourism Director with Commerce RI, sees boomers as a generation driving tourism to the Ocean State for more than three decades.

As the state’s main sales person and a boomer, Brodeur understand this demographic group, especially their buying power associated with them. “American Express Travel insights indicated that more than 50% of Rhode Island overnight visitors are 50 and above,” he says.

“Boomers are foodies where Rhode island’s varied and celebrated culinary scene fits right in with this demographics interest, says Brodeur, noting that they want fresh, farm or ocean to table creations in a unique atmosphere. “Rhode Island offers some for the country’s best food and foodie experiences. Walking tours, culinary museum, cooking classes, wine, brews and now distilled lavations,” he says…

Brodeur adds, “The boomer is active; walking, cycling, swimming, sailing, tennis. Whether you’re offshore or landside, Rhode Island offers the perfect soft adventure. He observes that the boomer generation is considered lifelong learners; they’re curious, very educated and intellectual. “Rhode Island is a classroom with Colonial to gilded age, industrial to pristine and natural. Audubon, art museums, historic societies and attractions offer educational experiences that are world class,” he says.

Robert Billington, President, of the Pawtucket-based Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, is a firm believer of overnight vacations, experimenting with the idea of seeing providing trips for Rhode Islanders in their home state. Over a decade ago, the Central Falls resident developed a tour, “Tour Rhode Island, There’s No Place Like Home,” one that attracted the attention of Boomers and seniors. “Over 1,200 persons returned, year after year, traveling to sites throughout the Ocean State in 24 motor coaches,” he says.

The tour gave Rhode Islander’s a chance to personally visit places in their home state they never saw, state’s Billington. “Our state has so much to offer visitors and even more to offer its residents but sometimes you have to be shown the beauty in your own back yard,” he adds.

Billington says, for Rhode Island Boomers, especially those outside of the state, the greatest thing Rhode Island offers to vacationers is its size. “You can enjoy the best of America within a1, 240 square miles drive…”

Planning Your Overnight Getaway

AARP’s newest tool to plan your overnight getaways (travel.aarp.org/weekend-getaways), includes itineraries curated by Fodor’s Travel. The collection recommends local escapes less than three hours from home, including where to eat, shop, and stay, from popular cities including Denver, Washington, D.C. and more locations nationwide.

As detailed in a recent release, AARP Travel’s range of travel tools and features include:

● Trip Finder — a fun, smart and visual series of questions to deliver ideas and recommendations for destinations — including some unexpected ones;

● Map Explorer — a detailed street-level interactive map that includes attractions, restaurants, hotels, local color and reviews for each destination;

● My Trips — a personal page where users can save and organize trip ideas, itineraries and related articles in one place and add to or edit them over multiple visits;

● Articles and Destinations — travel tips from AARP Travel Ambassador Samantha Brown, articles specifically geared toward the 50+ traveler and information about hundreds of domestic and international locations; and

● Book Trips — booking tools provided through AARP’s relationships with
Expedia and Liberty Travel and directly to hotels, and rental cars.

Data for AARP’s “Boomers” and Vacation Plan survey were gathered by a random-digit dial telephone omnibus survey fielded March 5-March 30, 2014, using a national representative sample of 1,410 respondents ages 49 to 67 (Boomers). Of those, a total of 907 respondents are under age 60 and a total of 461 are age 60+, and 42 respondents refused to report their actual age.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12, is a Pawtucket-based writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

Bridging Generations: Travel Can Bring You Closer to Your Grandchildren

Published in Senior Digest on May 2004

Once upon a time, seniors interests, hobbies or life experiences were major factors in choosing where to go on vacation.

Today, however, the type of households in which their children live is another element influencing vacation plans for active seniors.

Single parents and partners of two-income households, of which there are a growing number can find it difficult to take time off from work. So their parents often step up to the plate and take the kids in the household on vacation. Trips are merging generational lifestyles, giving grandparents and grandchildren time to get to know each other a little bit better.

According to a soon to be released Travel Industry Association study, a growing number of seniors are now traveling with their grandchildren, which also strengthens intergenerational bonds and relationships.

The national travey study found that 17 percent of the estimated 93.2 million adults who took family trips in 2003, included grandchildren on those excursions, says Brian Kightlinger, director of Meredith Travel Marketing. The year before only 9 percent of the traveling adults brought along their grandchildren, he said.

Discretionary income combined with grandparents wanting to spend quality time with the youngsters are fueling the demand for intergenerational travel, says Kightlinger.

“With two parents working, grandparents are taking on a more active role with vacations,” he says.

Even the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) recognition of the emerging intergeneratioal travel niche was clear to see when the nation’s most widely recognized travel club launched its Ready, Set Travel! series.

When Helena Koenig became a grandmother 18 years ago, she created Grandtravel at her Chevy Chase, Md. travel agency to plan itineraries for seniors and their grandchildren. The travel agent combined 34 years of working in the industry with her new experience of being a grandparent.

Koenig says that Grandtravel’s goal is to “help grandparents create lasting memories for themselves and their grandchildren.” To encourage this bonding, no moms or dads are allowed on any of the 24 domestic or international trips, usually scheduled during Christmas and summer school breaks. When Koenig established Grandtravel in 1986, she offered three trips.

Banning parents from Grandtravel trips allows the oldest and youngest generations to get to know each other better. Koenig notes, adding that travel is a gr eat way for grandparents to transmit a “cultural inheritance” to their grandchildren.

Today, Grandtravel’s domestic offerings include the Grand Canyon, Alaska, Western Parks, New York and Dinosaur DIscovery. International offerings include trips to England, Ireland and Scotland, Italy, Australia, Southern Africa.

France, Peru, Kenya and Austria “Grandtravelers” can even take a Transatlantic passage on the Queen Mary 2 to London and Paris or to Ireland, Scotland and England.

Grandtravel trips can last from seven days to two weeks, costing from $ 3,000 to $ 8,000 per person.

For travelers who want to get to know their grandchildren better, only groups of 20 are booked on the company’s worldwide intinerary, says Koenig. These trips accommodate children of similar ages whenever possible.

Other companies are following Grandtravel’s lead. Disney Cruise Lines is placing a greater importance on appealing to multigenerational travel, says Christi Erwin, a spokesperson for the Port Canaveral Fla. company. “More than half of our guests now travel in multigenerational groups, says Erwin.

Responding to customer suggestions, Disney Cruise Lines has created several new areas to accommodate the interest of different ages within the teen and adult groups, says Erwin. The Stack is a new area for teens located in the ship’s forward (faux) funnel atop Deck 11, and on board programming is designed for specific age groups.

Erwin says at Studio C, considered to be the hub for family entertainment, grandparents and their grandchildren can attend dance parties and participate in sing-alongs and trivia-based games.

Day or night, the intergenerational travelers can even see first-run movies in the Buena Vista Theatre, says Erwin, who adds that the recently released Home on the Range just premiered at the theater.

At the larger Walt Disney theater, both old young can watch Disney movies, too, but also can attend special afternoon matinees of stage shows.

A daily schedule of events is delivered to every stateroom. “This type of programming gives grandparents more flexibility to plan the type of activities they want to participate in,” Erwin says.

Even with specific programming geared to children and family-centered activities, grandparent can slip away to recharge their batteries at the Quiet Cove pool, Cove Cafe lounge, Vista Spa and Salon or the Palo restaurant.

Costs for three-day ($ 409 per person), four day ($ 509 per person) and seven-day ( $ 829 per person) cruises included room meals and entertainment. Those prices exclude federal taxes and tips.

Established in 1975, Elderhostel, the nation’s first and the world’s largest, travel and educational organization for adults age 55 and over, views the world as it’s classroom. Each year, 200,000 seniors enrolled in over 10,000 programs offered by this nonprofit organizations in more than 100 countries.

Mary Harrington, Elderhostel administrator at the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, will be offering eight Elderhostel courses from July to October, two specifically designed for grandparents and grandchildren.

Harrington says participation in this program usually ranges from 25 to 45 seniors. Ten slots are put aside for local commuters who wish to attend the program but do not need hotel accommodations.

From Aug. 5-9, Kayaking, Biking and Hiking long the Blackstone River (four nights) allows physically active hostelers and “grandfriends” ages 11 to 14 to explore sections of the 46-mile river. With a naturalist and a historian on the hike, both old and young participants will earn more about the plants and creatures that inhibit riverbanks and local Algonquian history.

No kayaking experience is necessary, says Harrington, stressing that instruction and guidance will be provided. Kayaking, biking and hiking trips are two to three hours long and moderately paced. Bikes, helmets and easy access kayaks will be provided, she says.

Harrington promises that history will come alive in the Elderhostel course, History as a Great Story: Colorfully Told and Not Just for Kids (five nights). Designed for children ages 9 to 12, the course sheds light on Ocean State’s dazzling history. Field trips will take the participants to an 1870 lighthouse and early 19th century coastal fort in Newport. Children will enjoy riding an 1895 carousel at Slater Park and even learn a little bit about the Industrial Revolution that started at Slater Mill in Pawtucket.

Tourism Council Starts Intergenerational Trips

Published in the Pawtucket Times on April 8, 2002

A growing number of affluent and travel-savvy seniors are fueling the demand for grandparent-grandchildren travel. It’s becoming big business for the travel sector.

According to a recent issue of “Time” magazine, a survey performed by Zogby International for American Demographics found that last year about 20 percent of U.S. grandparents traveled with their grandchildren. Experts believe that this travel trend will continue especially with more than 77  million aging baby boomers who are taking on the role of grandparent. The popularity of seniors taking their young grandchildren on trips is also documented by the National Tourism Association (NTA). According to NTA, children’s tours ranked number 9 out of 50 for top national and international travel tours.

Bonding and getting close to their grandchildren are just a few of the benefits of this trend in fueling the demand for intergenerational travel.  Deepening of the bonds  between generations can occur without the frustrations of planning the details of a trip.

Recognizing this increasing popular travel trend, The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council (BVTC) is finalizing the travel itinerary for four affordable, intergenerational trips. The new series, “Bring Your Grandparents to the Blackstone Valley,” will feature the valley’s historic sites, museums and the Blackstone River.  Additionally, these day trips will also feature fun destinations such as the zoos, waterslides, nature areas and orchards in the valley.

The first day trip, scheduled for April 17, is planned to coincide with school vacations, notes Mary Harrington, BVTC’s Group Tour Manager. With a lot of parents working during school vacations, grandparents can easily step in to take  care of the youngsters, she says.

On this day trip, grandparents and grandchildren from kindergarten age up to 12 years of age, can explore the history and culture of the Blackstone Valley Corridor by watching an award film, “Hidden in the Blackston Valley,” in a theater in the City’s Visitor Center.  The 20-minute film tells the story of the rise and decline of the  textile industry and the role it played in setting the American Industrial Revolution in motion.

Meanwhile, trip organizers are hopeful that both generations learn more about ecology along the 46-mile Blackstone River by scheduling an hour-long riverboat ride on the Explorer. During the ride, an ecologist will perform water quality tests. Youngsters will also find out more about the plant and fish and animal species that live in and along the riverbanks and even learn how to help clean up the river.

Also, included in this affordable travel package is a child-friendly lunch were hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled  cheese sandwiches and French fries will be served at Pawtucket’s Modern Diner. The custom-built Sterling Steamliner is recognized as the first diner to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Finally, a child-oriented tour of Slater mill, the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, is planned. Both young and old can see a replica of an early 19th century waterwheel turning real machinery and see flax spun into linen. They will even learn more about child labor laws and how the 19th century industrial revolution changed virtually every aspect of daily life. After the tour both grandparent and grandchildren, supervised by a Slater Mill educator, can work together on a traditional fiber arts craft project.

“We came up with this trip package that takes care of all the details,” Harrington said. “It is not always for grandparents to figure out what to do.”

With many seniors living on a fixed income, the costs of each day trips will be kept affordable and interesting, Harrington says. She says that the price tag for a day trip is only $22, covering the registration of both the grandparent and their youngest charge. However, for the first day trip, the ecology program on the Explorer will cost an additional $6 per person.

For details, call Mary Harrington at the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council at 401-724-2200.  Deadline for registration is Monday, April 15.