It’s hard to believe, but the oldest members of the Snapchat and smoothies generation are approaching their mid-30s. Millennials, also known as Gen-Yers, are no longer an afterthought for incentive travel programs.
Millennials love to travel, but their tastes, needs and desires are decidedly different from Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers.
“No matter where they travel in the world, whether it’s a local hotel or an exotic destination, they absolutely want great connectivity,” said Ed Netzhammer, managing director for Omni Dallas Hotel and regional vice president for Omni Hotels. “Millennials love to validate their experiences for social media as well as post on review sites to assist others in their age group in selecting the best options.”
Destination Decisions
While luxury golf, spa and beach resorts are no-brainers for Baby Boomer incentive programs, Gen-Yers’ desires are more diverse.
“Millennials tend to favor the local experience and under-the-radar finds more than widely known tourist areas and attractions,” said Frank Manchen, area director of sales and marketing for Hilton San Francisco Union Square.
High-end properties are certainly a lure for any age group on an incentive program, however, Gen-Yers are acutely aware of other key components of the trip.
“Ease of travel to the destination is a very important part of the entire travel experience for Millennials,” Netzhammer said. “They came of age after 9/11 with the subsequent airport hassles, and they view air travel much differently than other generations. Direct flights, well developed public transportation systems in urban centers and short distances to travel for events are some of the things they want.”
Jim Schultenover, president of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI), a national sales organization that represents more than 170 AAA Four- and Five-Diamond luxury hotels and resorts worldwide, concurs.
“Everyone is time challenged, so convenient access, except in very rare instances, is extremely important,” Schultenover said. “That still may include Europe as a destination, but a consideration of the length of the flight and number of connections is needed.”
Increasingly popular with Gen-Yers for incentive programs are all-inclusive properties.
“It’s a very attractive option for this age group,” said Kelly Parisi, solutions department senior manager for Spear One, a Dallas-based meeting and incentive company. “Millennials don’t want to feel like they have to take out their wallet to pay for ‘overpriced’ drinks.”
Boutique and adaptive-use hotels are appealing to Millennials who enjoy the friendliness, personal service, connectivity and communal spirit of smaller properties.
Favored Gen-Y-focused hotel brands, according to Parisi, include W, Kimpton, Moxy, Aloft, Hyatt Centric, Vib, Tru, Radisson Red and Andaz.
“Millennials often look for trendy, chic accommodations that they can blog about, post on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, and talk about with their friends,” said Jessica Bowman, director of sales for Charlestowne Hotels, which has several properties in Charleston, S.C.
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Experiential Excitement
Millennials enjoy the resort lifestyle as much as other generations, but they’re more enamored than other age groups with dynamic urban centers like San Francisco, New Orleans, Chicago and Miami, which have a multitude of diverse dining options and interesting museums and attractions.
Planners should suggest dining choices and free-time activities, but be aware. Gen-Yers revel in discovering exceptional, less-publicized restaurants, nightclubs, events and attractions.
“Information is at their fingertips, and they’re constantly reading review sites for the latest information on hotels and restaurants,” said Peter Kacheris, managing director of Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando, a luxury resort complex that encompasses Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. “They thoroughly enjoy finding interesting restaurants and special hotels with the connectivity and amenities they like.”
Millennials are also adventurous, he added.
“They enjoy trying new types of cuisine, beers and wine that have a local flair they can talk about on social media with their co-workers and friends,” Kacheris said.
While Gen-Yers certainly like lounging at a luxurious, comfortable, expansive hotel lobby, sipping a latte and surfing the Web, they also crave action-oriented group activities. Bicycle tours, kayak excursions, high-tech scavenger hunts, hiking, surfing lessons and art and cooking classes are some popular options with their age group.
At hotels and resorts, Gen-Yers are increasingly venturing outside for classic lawn games as a way to combat technology overload and to temporarily escape from their computers and tablets, though mobile phones rarely leave their side.
Among the various lawn games prevalent with Millennials are corn hole toss, glow-in-the-dark games, bocce ball and life-size tic-tac-toe and chess.
Discerning Guests
Millennials often stereotype hotel food as expensive and not worth the price, according to Parisi.
“If there are other options close by, hotels really have to work to prove their food can compete with the hip, eclectic tastes of this audience,” she said.
As a group, Millennials are the most analyzed generation ever, with countless surveys and statistical reports about what they like. However, there are certain things they typically don’t like, especially at hotels.
Parisi said most Gen-Yers could care less about a mini bar, pillow chocolates, turndown service, old-school coffee makers, iPod docking stations, overpriced room service, unimaginative room service menus and newspapers in front of their door.
What Millennials do crave, she said, is “a 24-hour fitness center they would actually want to work out in, group fitness classes, organized social activities, opportunities for community such as evening social hours, communal tables, fire pits, outdoor verandas, charging stations, free Wi-Fi, nearby attractions and complimentary transportation.”
Kacheris said hotels that lag in high-tech elements will quickly discover they must update to attract and please the Millennial market.
“Things like mobile check-in, texting communication with guests, digital signage, tweet walls and charging stations, not just in the lobby, but everywhere on the property, are extremely important to Millennials,” Kacheris said. “They practically live in lobbies and love to socialize there. Great lobbies with lots of plug-ins, comfortable chairs and couches, a sleek bar and coffee bar are hugely attractive to them.”
The hotel sports bar is a popular gathering spot for Gen-Yers who enjoy watching sports events as a group rather than alone in their room.
“They’re not that far removed from college and they grew up with ESPN and all the other sports networks, so they’re very keen on following their favorite teams in a place where there are lots of screens and choices,” Netzhammer said. “The food and beverage menu has to be appealing, too, with lots of craft beer selections and creative appetizer and small plate choices.”
Feeling comfortable and relaxed at a hotel is another integral part of the overall experience for Millennials.
“When our hotel managers would go out to dinners with them, they felt overdressed, and their appearance made the Millennials uncomfortable,” said George Aquino, vice president of AHC+Hospitality, which owns and operates two hotels in Grand Rapids, Mich.: Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and JW Marriott Grand Rapids. “Our managers stopped wearing suits and dressed more casually, and we’ve had great feedback from our guests about that subtle but important change.”
