Study: Amadeus Introduces the Future Six ‘Traveller Tribes’

By 2030 more than 1.8 billion individuals will travel internationally every year, according to a study commissioned by Amadeus and written by global consumer trends consultancy The Future Foundation. The study defines the six “traveller tribes” or segments that will emerge by the end of the next decade.

Findings of the study are based on interviews with leading futurologists, travel industry experts and travellers from across the world.

By the end of the next decade, some people will purchase and consume travel experiences almost entirely on the basis of how shareable they are, or how much “capital” they generate, via social networks. Another group of travellers will demand total simplicity and freedom from having to arrange their own travel by 2030, wanting as much as possible to be done remotely, by third parties. At the same time, a dedicated group will emerge with a desire for only the most hedonistic, indulgent and must-have experiences.

“Our research shows not just that the type of experience demanded by travellers in 2030 will be different to 2015 but that the way travellers buy and engage with the industry is also set to change”, Nick Chiarelli, Director, Future Foundation, said.

The research process, which took a psychographic rather than demographic approach, drew on Future Foundation’s proprietary consumer research forecasts to identify the six distinct traveller personalities as:

Social Capital Seekers

– Social Capital Seekers will structure their holidays almost exclusively with online audiences in mind, relying heavily on peer reviews and recommendations to validate their decisions. A whole new market may open up based on “Klout-boosting breaks”, filled with consciously feed-friendly moments.
– Cultural Purists will look at holiday-making as a chance to immerse oneself in an alien – even uncomfortably so – culture, where enjoyment of the break depends on the authenticity of the experience.
– Ethical Travellers will make travel plans based on moral grounds, for example decreasing their carbon footprint or improving the lives of others. They will often improvise or add some element of volunteering, community development or eco-sustainable activity to their holidays.
– Simplicity Searchers will prefer bundled offers, seeking to avoid managing too many trip details themselves. Holidays for this tribe represent a rare time in life to pamper oneself with the assurance of their safety and enjoyment.
– Obligation Meeters will be driven by a specific purpose for travel, whether business or leisure, and thus have constraints on time and budget; they will seek smart algorithm based technology that is able to remove the hassle of travel.
– Reward Hunters are only interested in indulgent travel. Many have come to crave something that represents an extraordinary reward or ‘must have’ premium experience, a return on their hard earned investment of time and energy in their working lives.

Reward Hunters

“Looking back 15 years it is hard to underestimate how far the travel industry has come in terms of innovation, cost and choice for travellers. And yet now, as we look forward 15 years to 2030 it is clear that change will only accelerate”, Julia Sattel, Senior Vice President Airline IT, Amadeus, said.

According to Ms. Sattel, understanding the emerging “traveller tribes” will be vital to all providers, buyers and sellers of travel in the coming years, in order to ensure the right investment decisions are made now, and to help facilitate and cater to the clear trend and demand in the industry for far greater personalisation than ever before across the entire travel chain.

To download the report and to see which tribe you belong to, press here.