Tag Archives for AARP 2015 Travel Trends

Bridging the Generations Through Multi-generational Trips

Published in Woonsocket Call on May 24, 2015

        For America’s 76 million baby boomers who spend $120 billion annually in leisure travel, three generation family vacations, including kids, parents, aunts/uncles and grandparents, are becoming a popular way to bond and create lasting memories, says a new AARP study about travel patterns of age 45 and over persons.

Researchers say that “a multi-generational trip is not typically inspired by a special event, but rather a desire to spend quality time together as a family.”  Although grandparents are more likely to pick up the tab for the trip, typically each family pays for their own expenses, they note.  Eighty one percent of travelers stayed at the same accommodation with their entire family.

The February 2015 research study on Multi-Generational Travel, offers insights into multi-generational vacations including why families are going, where they’re going, what they do on these family vacations, the challenges to plan them and why they create memories of a lifetime.

“Multi-generational family travel is becoming the new trend in family vacations. Our AARP 2015 Travel Trends found initial evidence that they would be popular in 2015 and now we know why,” said Stephanie Miles, Vice President, Member Value, AARP. “Our multi-generational travel research found 98 percent of travelers who took a multi-generational trip were highly satisfied and 85 percent are planning to take another one in the next 12 months.”

According to the study’s findings, 80 percent of the respondents traveled domestically in the U.S. and many chose active cities, beaches, amusement parks (Disney, too).  Also, California and Hawaii were two popular states to visit.  Domestic generational trips usually spans from 4 to 7 days.

Twenty percent traveled internationally with half heading to the Caribbean, Mexico or South America, says the findings.  Cruising is also a popular way to vacation for 25 percent of international travelers.  But, almost 40 percent chose nostalgic destinations to share a childhood memory.

The study finds that regardless of the location of the multi-generational trip, “dining out is the primary activity that engages the whole group.” While selecting and planning a trip may challenging, especially choosing the travel date, 98 percent of the multi-generational travelers were satisfied with their most recent trip.

Researchers found that traveling with parents, kids and grandparents can be positive in many ways.  Eighty three percent say that the trip brings the entire family together, while 69 percent stressed it helped to build special memories.  Fifty percent of the respondents noted that they were able to spend time with grandkids and 36 percent note the quality one-on-one time with family/spouse experienced during traveling.  Twenty nine percent say there were benefits of adult relatives spending time with younger generations.

The new research conducted by AARP Travel offers valuable insights into multi-generational travel, findings that Collette certainly can relate to, says Amelia Sugerman, Communications & Public Relations for Pawtucket-based Collette, a third-generation family-owned travel company.  “Over the past five years, Collette has witnessed an increase in family travel by about 20%,” she says, noting that this might be tied to age 65 and older adults who feel an urgent need to create ever lasting memories with their families.

“In a day and age where text messaging and face time has become the norm, it’s a unique chance to spend quality time together as one unit.  Although we do agree that bringing the family together and helping to build memories are top benefits of multi-generational travel, we have also identified many families who use the experience to celebrate a momentous occasion or event, says Sugerman, noting that the AARP study did not find special events triggering the planning of a Multi-Generation Vacation.

An older traveler, who took Collette’s National Parks tour, recently shared the details why this trip was so important to her family.  “My husband and I are getting older. Of course we think about the time we have left to spend with our grandchildren. This experience was the perfect way to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.”

Like many of Collette’s older travelers, this customer was ambivalent about the destination. adds Sugerman, noting that the older couple did not want to travel too far and wanted everyone to enjoy themselves, but the experiences were far more important than the sights of the destination.”

Sugerman says the benefits of touring organized by companies like Collette, is that guests of all ages can have a great experience and no one has to worry about the details of planning.  This reflects findings in the AARP study that found 20 percent of families identify the task of coordinating the trip to be the toughest.

“Guided travel takes the guess work out of it [traveling] and leaves valuable time for guests to simply enjoy their time together, says Sugerman.

Don’t forget to document your family multigenerational trips, suggests Patricia S. Zacks, proprietor of the Camera Werks, on Hope Street in Providence.   “While it’s trendy to be taking pictures on your cell phone or selfies documenting your vacation, people tend not to print these pictures,” she says, noting that statistics indicate that these pictures stay on a disk or memory card.

Taking special pictures of your family members on a trip will give you images that you can look at and reflect on, says Zacks. ‘There is nothing more special to look at than a 100 year old printed photo.  The younger generation geared to cell phones won’t have this experience.

For more information about Multi-Generational Travel vacations, go to http://www.gocollette.com

For details on planning a stress free family vacation, go to travel.aarp.org/articles-tips/articles/info-10-2013/how-to-plan-a-stressfree-multigenerational-trip.html.

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

Entering One’s 60s Marks a New Beginning  

Published in Pawtucket Times on October 13, 2003

During the turbulent 1960s, young protestors would say “Never trust anyone 30 years old.

Forty years later, the younger generation sees the benefits of successfully making it to age 30.

Last week, an article in a local newspaper even told readers – the twenty something crowd now celebrates their entry into their 30s. This life stage decade has now become a major milestone in growing older.

Aging baby boomers realize   they care entering their senior years when they receive AARP’s invitation to become a member. This little notification announces your chronological age is quickly tilting  toward your later years. Some would joke your senior years.

What about moving into your 60s. You’re still at the peak of your professional career, but five years shy of age 65, society’s milestone for moving into the rank and file of the retired.

Dr. Justin Aurbach, a Dallas-based endodontist, who also happens to be my brother-in-law, recently turned age 60. He told All About Seniors some of his thoughts about becoming a 60-year-old.’

While some become frail or face debilitating chronic conditions as they enter their early 60s, my aging brother-in-law is still in relatively good shape. He acknowledged that he can’t run a four-minute mile, but he never could at any age. But the 60-year-old plays a little golf, walks, jobs, and does a little light weightlifting. He’s a believer in vitamins and takes “lots of them.”

“Professionally, I believe I am on the top of my game and still improving. Not only am I technically better, but my years of life experience have made me wiser in respect to knowing what can and can not be done in my life,” Justin said.

Researchers have found that being plugged into a network of family and friends is a key ingredient to successful aging. Justin told me he has been very lucky to have numerous friends who have part of his extended family.

“They are the kind of friends who will go to bat for you when the chips are down.”

Family support is very important to Justin, who recognizes their positive support to him throughout the years.

“My wife has always been supportive of me both in my professional endeavors and personal goals,” he said, bragging about his three children and two granddaughters, he said.

Looking back over the years, Justin relives the ups and downs of his life. “There have been times of sadness, during my 60 years,”

he said, like the loss of his mother, common parental problems that he experienced while raising his children and failure to quickly achieve some of his professional goals. Looking at the glass half-full rather than half empty, he added. That’s just a small price to pay for all the wonderful things living brings to you.”

As Justin  looks into the next decade, he said he wonders if there is enough time to accomplish all of his personal and professional goals.

“I certainly keep forging ahead at a break neck race,” he said, noting new goals will always replace those that have been accomplished.

“Some of the accomplishments in science and technology, like the breaking of the sound barrier, the development of computers and nuclear energy, advances  made in medical technology leading to the advent of non-invasive texts, the near elimination of many dreaded diseases and a greater understanding of genetics and molecular biology have resulted in significant human lifespan,” Jusin said.

Justin noted being age 60 becomes even more wonderful when you look back on what you have accomplished.

But in your 60s, “It’s a time of excitement, fun and learning,” he said, urging others to never stop learning and gaining more knowledge.

At age 60, Justin firmly believes his life is just beginning for him.

He urged those turning this age to look at the vent with joy because you are coming into the “best part of your life.”

“Age is more than a matter of your chronological age, it is a combination of your attitude and mental state you have about your life,” he said.

For this writer, aging has always been like a bottle of wine, as you age you get better just like the wine.

For those turning age 60, exercise and eating a healthy diet, developing a strong support network, and continuing to learn and seek out knowledge is important. Now is the time to  take some time to reflect upon the ups and downs of your life and use the knowledge and wisdom gained to make better choices into your later years, the 70s and beyond.

Most important, share your newly gained insights with your children, grandchildren, and younger colleagues. Give them the gift of your hard-earned insights.

Justin said turning age 60 is like a new beginning for him.

“I feel like a newborn who is just beginning his trek into the wonderful world we live in,” he said.

Hopefully, all those entering their sixth decade will have that positive attitude about aging, too.