Move over Baby Boomers, you’re not the belle of the travel ball any longer. That status will be usurped by Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996), who are forecast to be the most active travel demographic in 2025. However, it’s the former who still hold the purse strings, according to data presented by ACTA at the association’s travel summit last week in Toronto.

Over surprised murmurs of the 500 travel advisors in attendance at the event, ACTA president Wendy Paradis, noted, “The oldest Millennial is 44 years old – what a shock! They are travelling. And the younger Millennials, and the Gen Z demographic, they are the No. 2 most active traveller in the world in 2025.

“Part of that,” Paradis explained, “is the younger generation is prioritizing travel over things. Unlike us Baby Boomers that wanted the car, the house, the kids right away, they’re prioritizing travel.”

And the point is, “We absolutely need to pay attention to those groups,” she said.

Following Millennials (age 29 to 44), and Gen Z (12-27), the next two biggest demographics are expected to be Gen X (44-59), and the Boomers (60-78).

Baby boomers & Gen X

However, Paradis was quick to advise that Gen X and Boomers shouldn’t be discounted – because “that’s who’s spending the money on travel.”

She noted, “Even though you hear all this stuff about those Millennials being so wealthy, the Baby Boomers still hold the bulk of the wealth when it come to travel. And so, they are a high opportunity client for years to come.

“The oldest Baby Boomer is 78 years old, but the younger Boomers (around 60) have the most money, and more important, the health to travel, and they have the least amount of debt. So, they are absolutely a key target market for all of us.”

As for Generation X (born 1965 to 1980), they are in the highest earning of their lives; they are also doing quality travel; and they are also inheriting billions of dollars from the Baby Boomers,” added Paradis.