With so much emphasis on Generation Y’s blooming purchase power and the golden parachutes Baby Boomers are enjoying post-retirement, Generation X, otherwise known as the forgotten generation, is … well, being forgotten yet again. But this is a huge mistake if you are a traveler marketer.

Generation X by the numbers:

If getting people to your resort starts, at least in part, with the numbers game this should be enough to grab your attention. According to Shullman Research Center, there are 60 million Generation X-ers in the United States — or 25% of the adult population. It’s true, that the Baby Boomers and Millennials still represent a larger subset of the population, but no savvy decision maker would advocate ignoring 25% of your potential audience. Perhaps more appealing: members of Generation X have more ideal purchase demographics than other generations. A healthy swath of Generation X has a household income of more than $250,000 (36% to be exact), and the remaining 64% still boast higher average household incomes than the majority of retired Baby Boomers and up-and-coming millennials. While these statistics might not always hold true, now is the time to market your resort to Generation X.

The majority of Generation X is likely to have a family, be established enough in their career to travel, with disposable income to burn. This is a recipe for success for resorts that can position themselves as a romantic getaway (sans children) or a family-friendly escape for the whole crew.

Resort advertising potential for Generation X:

So, how do you appeal to a generation primed for travel but often overlooked in the hype around other generations? The answer might shock you: get your website and online booking engine in gear. According to renowned MMGY travel agency partner program, 82% of Generation X books their travel online, with 71% of them conducting research via online travel agency programs to craft their perfect vacation.

No generation is more primed for self-service travel booking than Generation X. Often self-identified as former latch-key children and hyper-independent consumers, they are reticent to trust mainstream media and untested hype about products or places. That means that your resort needs to have an authentic, credible website with up-to-date photos, testimonials, and clear information about your unique value proposition. You also won’t survive without peer reviews and a strong social presence to validate the claims your marketing team is making.

Tips and tricks for appealing to Generation X:

• Sync your promotion schedule with standard school schedules to encourage family travel.
• Create a loyalty program that rewards past guests for referrals and their honest review of your destination.
• Focus on building tonality and credibility on your website: over promising and under delivering is the quickest way to lose this generation’s respect.
• Try direct mail. It might surprise you, but 5/7 direct mail recipients will look at a mail piece and seriously consider its content.
• Create a blog that highlights experiences, local flavors, and unique, one-of-a-kind opportunities at your resort.

For more ideas about how to appeal to Generation X, contact us today. We specialize in multi-channel marketing that allows you to be where your target audience needs you to be. Together, we can build a content strategy and communication plan that helps you reach one of the most underrepresented generations in market today.