Travel companies zero in on 'zoomers'

(Originally published in TOURISM)

Zoomers - boomers with zip -- are hanging up their Bermuda shorts and opting for more colourful adventures, says the Calgary Herald.

No longer content to bask their golden years away on the beach, they want to explore exotic getaways, immerse themselves in foreign cultures and discover something new about their destinations and themselves.

"They're really after interesting experiences," says David Cravit, executive vice-president of the 50plus group, a multi-faceted media company that owns CARP magazine and 50plus.com. "And I think we're just beginning to see the travel industry see those kinds of experiences for this market."

Cravit says that 50-plus group account for 54 per cent of all trips by Canadians and 55 per cent of foreign trips. Individual companies in the travel industry stand to make a lot of money if they can appeal to this growing sector.

To attract this demographic, the travel industry has refocused its packaged trips and altered its travel loyalty programs.

Moses Znaimer, the boomer-centric media mogul (who coined the term "zoomer" to describe the new-style 50-plus traveler), recently purchased the 50plus group.

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