Travel "Boomers"

Are you a travel business in need of growth? Would newspapers possibly help your situation and who exactly would be your audience? Let’s find out! This week, our main focus will be on the use of newspapers within the traveling industry.

The truth is, the uses for travel newspapers are dwindling. In the 1970s through the 1990s more than 100 people wrote traveling newspapers as their full-time job. Today, less than fifteen people have this profession. Clearly, that is a major difference! So, why is that? The times have changed and most people use the internet to retrieve information. They have less of a need for a physical newspaper, especially when any curiosity can be quenched by the push of a button. Professional travel writer, Roy Stevenson comments on the decreasing number in travel writing. “The fallout of all this for freelance travel writers is reflected in the compensation for articles. Larger papers may pay $200-$500 per story, plus extra for photographs. The smaller regional newspapers will pay much less - perhaps $50-$250 per story if you’re lucky”. Does this mean that the travel industry should forgo the use of newspapers? Absolutely not. Perhaps we have simply been trying to reach the wrong audience.

The question we ought to ask ourselves is who exactly is using newspapers these days? When analyzing the newspaper industry one sees a decrease within the last twenty years, which is clear to see that this is a generational issue. The younger generation uses technology to receive the vast majority of their information. They use social media, television, online articles, or even a simple google search to find what they are looking for. However, the older generation continues to use newspapers. This is how they have in the past and they like consistency, which should be taken advantage of. The travel industry should still use newspapers to reach out to them, especially businesses that are geared toward this population. An incentive to reach out to this group is that they often have the money and time of retirement.

So why is it that the older generation continues to use printed newspapers? The older generation appreciates the simplicity of print and paper, far more than they enjoy technology. The San Diego Union-Tribune confirms this and gives several reasons why. One of the main reasons is because of their eyesight. “Old people like the actual print in newspapers better than the pulsating fonts on a screen. Easier to read, especially if you need to adjust the distance to your failing eyes”. Another is that they are disinterested in fancy graphics and whatever else may entice the younger audiences as they prefer to be more practical. Also, newspapers are familiar. They have always been around since they can remember and impacts their decision. They have seen newspapers their whole lives and the new technology that has come out is too complicated for many in this population.

The retired audience is at the best time in their lives to travel! Think about it. What exactly stops people from exploring the world? Perhaps their demanding jobs, children, lack of money, or just plain busy lives deprive them of the ability to simply hop on a plane and travel the world. But the older generation leads a different life because they are at a different season of life. They are free to relax and enjoy their hobbies. They typically do not have kids at home, are retired, have money saved and plenty of time on their hands. This is their chance! As a businessman or woman in the newspaper industry, travel ought to be targeted towards the older generation.

The elderly are well aware that the clock is ticking. They are not getting any younger! This is their chance to explore the world and experience the joys of life that they have been missing out on. Newspapers are the perfect way to grab their attention. People in the traveling business can use newspapers to encourage them to live life like never before and experience the beauty of the wonderful world we live in.