Profiling the Silent Generation

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this study was to profile the travel preferences of the “Silent Generation” and to analyze whether this cohort could be segmented into specific types of travelers based on these preferences. This particular age cohort was born between 1925 and 1943 and is presently between 58 and 76 years of age. The results indicated five distinct clusters: “Active Travelers,” “Urban Mobile Travelers,” “Mobile Budget Travelers,” “Educational Cultural Travelers” and “Uninvolved Travelers.” Each segment sought unique preferences for pleasure travel. With respect to demographic differences between the five clusters of the Silent Generation, only gender and education significantly differed between the groups. Tourism suppliers and marketers must acknowledge that there are differences within cohorts as well as between cohorts and develop products and services that meet their needs.