I am a college student researching for the specific travel needs of Baby Boomers. If you are a Baby Boomer, I would greatly appreciate if you could provide me with answers to the following short questions:<BR><BR>Q1: Disregarding budget and feasibility, what is your DREAM VACATION DESTINATION?<BR><BR>Q2: What quality does your dream destination exhibit that appeals to you (e.g. culture, nature, casinos, etc.)?<BR><BR>Thank you so much for your help!<BR><BR>Justin

I am not so sure Baby Boomers want any thing different in vacations than anyone else. What would make us to different? Just curious.

What ages are you using to define Baby Boomers for your research?

well I'm a baby boomer so I'll answer for what it's worth. I think there is some usual definition of this, something like being born between 1946 and 1964 or so (big range). <BR><BR>I do think people in different stages of their life have different vacation definitely -- you see that on here to some degree. For example, not too many baby boomers will say, &quot;can you tell me the best spot to stay for clubbing&quot;, or &quot;do you know any hostels without curfews&quot;. I definitely had a different budget when I was much younger, different tastes in roughing it, etc.<BR><BR>So, I'll answer but I'll be honest Kensington, I don't think those two simple questions are really going to tell you much about baby boomers travel needs for a variety of reasons. First, they are too simplistic. Secondly, they don't mean anything without further demographics (socioeconomic, nationality, etc). <BR>1) Paris<BR>2) excellent performing arts scene and museums, reasonable costs, good public transportation, good dining, pleasant street life (ie, outdoor cafes), and beautiful architecture and city planning.<BR><BR>IN reality, I have several favorite vacation destinations and I don't really believe in one single &quot;dream vacation&quot; destination.<BR><BR>What college course is this, anyway?

Kensington- Dream vacation- <BR>A week in St. Tropez and a month on the Amalfi Coast--all with 5 star hotels overlooking the sea....<BR><BR>Area must have fine dining,great shopping, and tons of nice friendly people---I love outdoor music,wine tastings,and culinary adventures...

Born in 1953. My dream vacation destination is somewhere in Europe where I have not been before.<BR><BR>Normandy and Brittany last September<BR><BR>Vienna, Prague, Poland and Scotland in May 2003.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR>

Dear Kensington,<BR><BR> Justin, It is my pleasure to help you. Would love to know more about your research.<BR> My DREAM VACATION: AFRICA-to quote from my friend Susan, who has also been there(although she went to east africa and I to south africa &amp; zimbabwe)&quot;I believe there is no sickness of the heart too great it cannot be cured by a dose of Africa. If I have ever seen magic, it has been in AFRICA&quot;. I DREAM OF AFRICA!!!! I must return.<BR>The quality: Nature like I've never experienced-the unspoiled Savannah-the wildlife-an environment whereupon you become one with nature;to experience the bushveld, the smells -wildlife unfolding before your eyes. The african experience is unforgettable!<BR>A pleasure to be of help.

Born in 1949...and my dream vacation would be to fly to Frankfurt and put my top ten cities in a hat and then draw the first one and head to that city and continue the process until I had visited them all.<BR><BR>No time frames and if I overlap on getting to the next city..so what!<BR><BR>Its not about being logical...its about having fun!<BR><BR>US<BR>

My dream destination doesn't exist, because it would have to be a mixture of 4 very far apart places - <BR><BR>It would be the city of Hong Kong, but with easy access to the beaches of the British Virgin Islands. It should have the Great Barrier Reef just offshore and be populated by the people of Greece!

For me it tends to be what I haven't been to, so it might change if I got there...<BR><BR>Madagascar for a month with a great nature guide

Hi:<BR><BR>Born in the late 50's.<BR><BR>My dream vacation.....<BR><BR>A many months long trip all over the South Pacific.<BR><BR>WHY?<BR>Because it is paradise and I have not had the chance to be anywhere for more that two weeks at a time.

As Christina pointed out, the official definition of Baby Boomers is everyone born in the US between 1946 and 1964. In other words, everybody between 39 and 57 years old.<BR><BR>That's a very significant chunk of the total US adult population, and it includes most people who have both the income and the health to travel freely.<BR><BR>How could such a broad, large segment of the population even *have* specific trvel needs, and how do your questions even *relate* to an inquiry about specific travel needs??

Thanks so much for the responses thus far! Please accept my apology for the generalization I proposed in my questions. I am at a very early stage of my research project hence I am merely seeking for general reoccuring themes that baby boomers seek in their travel experiences. For individuals interested in knowing the nature of my research project, I am attempting to develop a boutique hotel product that caters to the needs of baby boomers. I am a student at the Cornell Hotel School and this is part of my Hotel Development course.<BR><BR>So, based on the responses I received, I wonder if it would be fair for me to propose that most (not all) Baby Boomers seek for great CULINARY experiences when they travel. Though destinations vary from metropolitans (Paris, Hong Kong) to the country (Madagascar, South Africa), Baby Boomers want to RELAX when they travel.<BR><BR>Are food and relaxation the primary attributes Baby Boomers seek for in their travel experiences?

Justin, I would say the biggest problems Baby Boomers (or anyone over 30 for that matter) have with many of the current boutique hotels is that they are designed with style over function. Rooms LOOK great but they don't provide things like proper lighting for reading or applying makeup. The rooms are often too small &amp; feel claustrophobic. Perhaps the bed side tables are non-existant or too low. A frequent &amp; well traveled poster here, Patrick, recently described an experience in one of these hotels that was priceless. I don't remember where it was. Maybe he'll see you post.<BR><BR>The other issue is attitude. Many of the existing hotels hire staff based more on their looks than their abiity. People feel put off by staff that is too &quot;cool&quot; to provide service.<BR><BR>I think focusing on destination for this project is less important than comfort &amp; service. Food is important to travellers, but not necessarily at your hotel unless it is at a beach resort. Breakfast YES!

I was born 1950. BTW, in Finland we consider Baby Boomers are born between 1946 and 1954 = the big generation born right after WW11.<BR><BR>My dream destinations right now are a safari in eastern Africa, perhaps Tanzania. Or Namibia in south western Africa.<BR><BR>Another one is Kambodza with a lot of time in Angkor.<BR><BR>Important thinghs while travelling are: nature, food and cultural activities and atmosphere in towns. But personally for me nature is number one.<BR><BR>For hotels I try to look for small ones, with &quot;something extra&quot;. Lately I have liked &quot;agroturismo&quot; places in Spain: old farm houses, manors, small stone buildings in the middle of orange trees...

Hi Kensington,<BR> I would take the QE2, or maybe the new QM2, around the world -- twice.

Born 1963... Any tropical paradise I haven't been to yet. Amenities would include a villa with a balcony overlooking the water, a private lagoon, a 40' Hunter moored by the dock. <BR><BR>I'd be far enough away from town that my retreat would be private. I'd be close enough to town that a short ride would give me my choice of wasting the day away with the locals, strolling through the local markets, fine dining in the evening or a bit of wild fun.<BR><BR>As to the culinary question - just make sure you provide the opportunity of authentic local cuisine. My friend recently spent 10 days in Europe. She ate at McDonalds nearly every day because she was fearful of ordering &quot;the wrong thing&quot;. I'm putting her in therapy next week. *chuckle*<BR><BR>~ Sheryl... who never dines on anything on a vacation she can get at home<BR><BR>

hello - born '51 in Europe. Have been lucky enuf to visit many of the places on my wish-list in the last 15 yrs. Now would go for 6 months in S America - or similar in E Europe and the old USSR - esp the Asian republics - because I have never been there. Travelling for me is a chance to recharge the batteries - the stimulus of new places, new cultures, people, landscapes, history, and the getting around from A to B. Accommodation - as long as it's clean and safe - it's just a place to sleep. And food - the best meals are had in the most unexpected places - almost never in places with a reputation - tho that may be not be true if you spend the sort of money on one meal that would keep a family somewhere on the planet for a month.

As someone in the tail end of the baby boomers generation, I like to see special focus on whether there are in fact specific needs to my population sector. If I were you, I would first research a profile of people between the ages of 59-39 y/o. It is quite evident that the range is from people who are retiring (in huge amounts!) to people who are sending kids to college. So travel needs would range with whatever better fits that lifestyle demands. People retiring now are in much better shape physically and financially than generations prior, so retiring boomers will be more mobile and will be more likely to spend in good quality outdoor type of niceties. An heighteness awareness of national pride (and sadly heightened security) may also result in an increased national tourism, including national parks, and to fun US cities. Just some thoughts. By the way, I understand your Hotel Management program is Cornell is one of the best in the country; best of luck in all your future endeavors!!<BR><BR>Dream Vacation Destination/appeals: a place that offers history, relaxation, great food, fun locals, not crowded, great $$$ value. I've been to this place, sorry but I think I'll keep the name to myself -D)

Kensington, The food issue is complicated by the dream destination. If the boutique hotel were in a country or city with local cuisine other than that which I can get at home in Massachusetts, I would seldom if ever eat in the hotel. I would search out local restaurants. If it were on a desert island, I would want the hotel to provide a variety of dining options, all of high quality but varying in price and menu. <BR><BR>As a baby boomer I have many conflicting dream destinations, some for culture, some for nature, some for both.