More people are taking cross-country trips and extended international vacations than ever before. Whether it’s backpacking through Europe, trekking the Inca Trail or even hitchhiking across the country, the number of people traveling has never been greater.
Millennials, those born between approximately 1982 and 2002, are hitting the road in larger numbers than previous generations. According to a survey conducted by Boston Consulting Group, this demographic is 23 percent more likely to travel abroad as much as possible compared to older cohorts. Another survey of more than 34,000 people from 137 countries conducted by the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation found that travelers are favoring off-the-beaten-path backpacking trips more than two-week vacations. In fact, the study showed that between 2007 and 2012, the average length of visits for travelers grew to 58 days, or nearly a week longer than previously recorded.
“Millennials are hitting the road in larger numbers than previous generations.”
What’s behind this surge in extended excursions and long-term tours?
There are many reasons why people are increasingly taking part in longer vacations and overseas trips. First off, incomes have been rising, giving Americans more spending money that can be used to travel. In addition, the proliferation of mobile apps designed specifically for travelers has made it easier than ever before to book a room, hail a ride, and compare flight prices.
Mobile apps make travel easier
From Airbnb to Uber, mobile apps have streamlined some of the previous pain points prevalent when traveling. Finding a place to lodge at a reasonable price, and traveling around a new location: Both of these can potentially ruin a vacation if something goes wrong.
Thankfully, the rise of mobile apps that allow you to effortlessly find a spare room or open an apartment has greatly reduced the stress, worry, and difficulty that used to accompany these searches. The WYSE Travel Confederation’s survey found that after price, the availability of mobile booking apps was the second biggest consideration contributing to an individual’s decision to travel for extended stays.
Mobile apps have made traveling much easier, safer and cheaper.The internet lets people work from anywhere
Companies in a wide variety of sectors have been offering their employees the freedom to work from home or from a remote location. This autonomy is leading to more people taking advantage of this opportunity to extend vacations and even redefining what’s possible in the modern workspace.
This makes it much easier to balance work and home life, and it’s also creating more incentive to hit the road and work on the go.
Caroline Shin, travel expert and CEO/”Chief Vacation Officer” of Vacatia, a booking service touted as the Airbnb for family-oriented resort rentals, told Parenting.com that companies are implementing much more flexible time-off and remote working policies for employees.
“This shift, and our ability to connect to WiFi from almost anywhere – even cars! – means working parents have greater flexibility than ever before,” Shin explained. “So while there’s peak seasonality around spring break and summer when school’s out, vacation activity is happening all the time as we’re no longer tied to our desks and desktop computers to get work done.”
Using a storage unit
When it’s finally time to take the plunge and head off on an extended vacation, it can be wise to use a self-storage unit to house your important belongings. Even with light timers and automatic sprinklers on your home, not being around for several weeks, a month or even a year, leaves all of your belongings unprotected and exposed to greater risks.
Instead of leaving your possessions unprotected in your home, while you jaunt around the world, a storage unit can be the answer you need to keep all of your stuff safe and sound. With round-the-clock security and a climate-controlled environment at many storage facilities, SecurCare Self Storage offers an inexpensive way to maintain peace of mind, while you’re exploring the four corners of the globe. Contact SecurCare Self Storage to learn more about storage solutions at locations across the country.