UNDERSTANDING MILLENNIALS AND THEIR TRAVEL DECISIONS

Are you familiar with the word ‘Instagrammability’? You should be – because it's changing the way millennials are choosing their holidays.

Are you familiar with the word ‘Instagrammability’? You should be – because it’s changing the way millennials are choosing their holidays.

Since the first photograph was taken in 1826, photography and travel have gone hand in hand. Travellers would capture these visual memories and share them with friends, display them on their wall or (eventually) post them on social media.

For a number of years, travellers have been citing social media as an inspiration for their journeys. But now, the relationship is coming full circle. A recent survey from Schofields (a UK-bases holiday rental insurance provider) found that 40% of millennials prioritise Instagrammability when choosing their next holiday. That means that this group believes that how the photographs of a holiday will look on social media is the single most important factor in their decision.

According to the annual Luxury Brands Online report from digital marketing agency PMX, social media is the key to success. Across the four major social platforms – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube – followers made more than one billion engagements with luxury brands in 2018. The highly visual Instagram accounted for 95% of all these interactions, up from 93% the year before.

Millennials are the first generation that has been able to present their life to the outside world in real time through social media. So it’s only natural that they would want their travel snaps to be as carefully curated as the rest of their feed.

At the same time, they are looking for one-of-a-kind, money-can’t-buy experiences that will make their feed the envy of all their followers. Securing an exclusive villa or front row seat now brings more cachet than a designer handbag.

How can destinations or hotels capitalise on this trend? By creating Instagrammable spaces that are designed to tap into the millennial desire for the perfect photograph. Embrace their creativity and offer something that is sure to be the envy of all their followers. And don’t forget the hashtags.

PC: Tourism Australia