Travellers from across the globe representing all generations now have a common interest in activities and experiences that are now influencing, indeed in many cases driving, their travel decisions. This was revealed by a new research from Expedia Group Media Solutions released ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

The research underscores the notion that cultural and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, exploring new destinations and interactive activities, are ranked by all generations significantly higher than value or a discounted price.

“Although all generations are now looking for activities and experiences, above all else, what makes this market more complex, is the individual preferences and demands of each generation and of course ultimately, the challenge facing marketers trying to engage with them,” said Danielle Curtis, exhibition director of Middle East in ATM.

ATM is holding a series of seminars on its global stage identifying the latest in hospitality concepts as well as the most recent trends in cultural tourism to future developments in the wellness economy and responsible tourism.

Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964 are the least concerned about budget and are especially interested in sightseeing and in the case of American tourists, 40% will plan their holiday around food and drink. They want safety, security and service and the so-called ‘platinum pensioners’ are a much sought-after demographic – they want to relax and generally avoid long haul trips.

Gen X travellers who are now typically aged between 40 and 56 years, travel least out of the generations, due to corporate careers – with 50 per cent of all leadership roles worldwide are occupied by Gen Xers.

Generation Y or Millennials, who are today aged between 25 and 39, are the most talked about generation and are the undisputed champions of the frequent traveller title, technically adept and the great disrupters.