Posted by David Porter on March 14, 2016 · 1 Comment
6 Things Boomers Want When They Travel
With nearly 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day, it’s no secret what they’re looking to do in retirement: travel.
But, inquiring minds want to know, what are they looking for when they travel?
In a recent survey of nearly 1,200 Americans 65 years or older, retirees were asked exactly that with the results published in the 2015 Portrait of the U.S. Retiree Traveler report by the Resonance Consultancy,
“Retiree travelers have become more curious and adventurous in their preferences of travel activities, and as the wealthiest demographic in the world, they will likely continue to spend money on the activities they seek to try for the first time,” said president Chris Fair.
Let’s take a peek at the survey findings…
6 Things Boomers Want When They Travel
Now that they have time, they want to explore new places, spend more time with family and friends, and explore different interests.- Most want to visit a major metropolitan city (33%); with vacation with friends (30%), go on a cruise (29%), visit a beach resort (28%), and multi-generational travel (21%) following close behind.
- Key decision factors when deciding a destination include: safety (60%), favorable weather (48%), English spoken (44%), cost (43%), U.S. currency accepted (41%), and scenery/nature coming in at (39%).
- What do they like to do on vacation? The top five included dining, sightseeing, learning new things, visiting cultural attractions, and shopping.
- Where do they want to stay? Again, the top five include a full service hotel/resort, stay with family/friends, a cruise ship, upscale luxury hotel/resort, limited service/economy resort.
- In terms of desirable hotel amenities, they’re looking for free Internet, privacy, walking distance to shopping/restaurants, proximity to must-see attractions, and a beach.
That all sounds about right. Don’t you think? 😀
How about you? Ready to search for a fun vacation? If so, start your search by clicking here. Have fun!
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Posted by David Porter on March 11, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Santorini is the latest popular tourist destination to begin limiting the daily infusion of cruise passengers to its shores each day. According to a Greek news source:
“Authorities on the island of Santorini are introducing a system to manage the flow of cruise traffic to the popular destination, which will allow a maximum number of 8,000 passengers per day, following a study on its capacity.
Hellenic Port Association data showed that in 2015 Santorini received 636 cruise vessels, topping all Greek destinations and leaving Piraeus port in second place. The number of cruise passengers who arrived on the island came to 790,000 from ships mooring at Athinios and Fyra ports.
In the peak May-to-October season , some 90 percent of the year’s arrivals were recorded on Santorini. On a daily basis the island saw an average of 3.6 cruise ship arrivals with an average 4,000 passengers disembarking. However, there were days when Santorini received over 10,000 passengers….”
Italy’s Cinque Terra
To help you put this in perspective, according to the 2011 census, the whole island of Santorini has a population of 15,500 people. So, just imagine the onslaught that must be occurring in these tiny towns on the days that 10,000 come ashore. :O
As I alluded above, Santorini is not the only popular tourist destination to take such measures. Italy’s Cinque Terra received 2.5 million visitors in 2015, and through the use of an online ticketing system, they plan to reduce that number by a million people to a maximum of 1.5 million visitors each year.
Overcrowding has become a real problem. I’ll never forget our complete shock when we got to the Palace of Versailles last year and witnessed thousands of people standing in unbelievably long lines.
Thankfully, we were prepared with a prearranged private tour and walked right in the front door. However, we felt really bad for the mob of uninformed tourists standing in the line. I suspect a great many of them gave up and never got to see the Palace of Versailles.
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
A decade ago, when Carol and I made our first trip together to Rome, we found ourselves standing in a massive line that stretched for MANY blocks around the Vatican Museum. We had absolutely no idea that we would encounter such a thing. We didn’t know what we didn’t know! Trust me, when you’re spending thousands of dollars to visit a dream destination, the last thing you want are these types of surprises.
If you don’t mind a little shameless plug, this is one of the many reasons that folks hire us to collaborate with them on their important dream vacations. We bring our in-country travel partners to the table to help us avoid such problems.
If you’re contemplating a dream vacation, anywhere in the world, give us a call at (480) 550-1235, or use our convenient online information request (click here), and let us share with you the value we bring to the table. We promise, you’re going to like it! 🙂
Link: Greek News Source
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Posted by David Porter on March 9, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Virtuoso Travel Dreams Contest: Win $2,500
Share your inspiring travel story, photo, or video for your chance to win!
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Posted by David Porter on March 9, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Enjoy up to $2,000 in resort credits plus Virtuoso exclusive amenities at three spectacular Four Seasons Resorts in Hawaii.
To view the offers, click the image below…
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Posted by David Porter on March 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Durnstein, Austria on the Danube River, Wachau Valley
I shot this photograph on December 10, 2014 while sailing the Danube on a Christmas Markets river cruise with Viking River Cruises. As you can see in my photo, the vines are bare and there’s a fog in the air as the Danube’s waters were warmer than the cool winter air. When we got off of the ship, we found frost in the shadowy parts of the landscape. I’m going to guess that the air temperature was 45º. If you like, you can find more of my photos from Durnstein, here and here.
Most river cruise ships will sail during the night allowing you maximum time in the cities. However, when sailing the Danube, the Wachau Valley is one of those spots where you’re certain to be sailing during the day and taking in all of the sights.
The Wachau Valley is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Lower Austria, much akin to Napa Valley, as the region is famous for its high-quality wines, fabulous restaurants, and stunning Danube views. And, this section of the Danube is where you’ll encounter ancient monasteries and castles perched above the Danube.
While we enjoyed Budapest, Vienna, and many of the other stops on our journey, I found Durnstein to be the most magical. The little town was charming, the locals were out walking on their cobble-stone streets, and the surrounding views were gobsmacking.
To learn more about sailing the Danube with Viking River Cruises, click here.
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The Roaming Boomers
