Trends in Digital Marketing Capable of Attracting Millennials: Impact of Instagrammers on Consumer Travel Behaviour

Millennials as Consumers and Travellers

Millennials or Gen-Y are individuals born between 1980 and 2000 as there is no exact birth date defined yet. These individuals are known to differ from the previous generation, baby boomers, in that they have the tendency to increasingly postpone the transition to adulthood. Their priorities have changed and drifted from family and home ideologies (Chaudhary, 2017; McCormick, 2016; Monaco, 2018). On the other hand, they are the first generation connected by the internet and social media; thus, they are leading technology enthusiasts. More than half of them have created a networking profile, are likely to engage online, and spend less and less time on TV and Radio.

As consumers, they are characterized, amongst other features, by their desire for immediate information and their ability to filter it, no matter how many sources it comes from. More than half of them will research a product before they consider buying it. Their ability to be information savvy makes them no longer easily manipulated by brands as before. Thus, they place more trust in the opinion of those who appear to be similar to them, making them more powerful than any marketing pitch could ever be. Consequently, if they follow influencers on social media, who endorse products, they are more likely to pay attention (McCormick, 2016). In the tourism area, consumer behaviour is very complex and includes different interrelated stages. Being born in the era of Web 2.0, these individuals are not just an important segment for travel but also a source of change, innovation and autonomy. They are seen as natural travellers, taking 4-5 trips a year. This is due to the fact that tourism and leisure time are no longer a residual part of life but are instead highly-valued activities that contribute to the construction of the identity of the individual (Cavagnaro, et., 2018). The main motivational factors for this generation to travel are mostly to live an experience of personal development. However, it is also framed with reference to traveller’s peer group, embracing the need to partake in this social trend. They are also known to be more resilient, meaning they visit destinations that are under socio-political or environmental stress, skip on travel and accommodation costs to spend more on destination and finally, spend three times more than an average tourist on a major trip.