Call them ‘travelebrities’ – the celebrities, icons, and digital influencers who are increasingly shaping the travel desires of a younger demographic when it comes to planning their ‘scenecations,’ according to a new survey from the Flight Centre.
The study, conducted in conjunction with YouGov, suggests that over two-thirds of younger Canadians say they are influenced by content creators and celebrities such as Taylor Swift, known for their jet-setting lifestyle.
Their digital offerings result in real-world travel decisions for 41% of ‘Zillennials’ – a combined cohort of 4,000 Gen Z and Millennials from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK, according to the data.
However, a deeper dive into the numbers reveals that 69% of Canadians are more likely than those from Australia (56%), South Africa (51%), and New Zealand (50%) to say that travelebrities provide some inspiration for their travel aspirations, albeit cautiously.
While younger Canadians are drawn to visually impressive scenecation getaways, 71% agree that travelebrities contribute to over-hyped expectations, making it challenging to appreciate simple and meaningful travel moments, with a quarter (25%) strongly agreeing.
Even so, 65% express interest in destinations that promise picture-perfect scenecations, indicative of the persistent allure of Instagram-worthy travel.
The YouGov data highlights that travellers are often influenced by their preferred scenecation backdrops (i.e., vacations driven by beautiful scenes or picture-perfect snapshots): sun-kissed destinations with golden beaches and crystal waters are top priority for 61% of respondents, followed by mountain paradises enveloped in fresh air (60%), and lush, tranquil forests where every shade of green soothes the soul (53%).
Canadian women are more likely than men to say that a sun-kissed destination (68% compared to 53%) or a journey of the open seas (40% compared to 31%) are scenecation experiences they’d most like to explore.
“Today’s travel influencers are more than digital creators, they impact travel decisions,” explains Chadd Andre, executive VP for Flight Centre Canada. “Yet, our findings suggest there’s more to a journey than ‘likes’ and follows; travellers are engaging with the true essence of a destination –its culture (33%), its connection (32%), and its community (31%).”
Further, that savings and exclusive deals (86%), destination variety and uniqueness (74%) and personalization and customization (57%) are the most important factors when planning a vacation.
Nevertheless, Andre encourages tapping the trend and using social media influencers as initial ideas to spark wanderlust, supplemented by travel experts personalizing a journey that blends both Instagrammable moments with meaningful encounters.