Young people prepared to spend big on travel, Kilroy report finds

More than a quarter of young people are prepared to spend big on travel this year, according to a new report.

Travel agency Kilroy has published its ‘Youth Travel Insight Report 2023’, revealing spending habits of people aged 18-35.

A total of 26% of those surveyed said they were planning to spend between £2,000 and £4,000 on a trip abroad this year.

More: Youth brand Kilroy targets STA Travel market with UK launch

Kilroy’s head of UK marketing, Hollie Youlden, said: “Pre-Covid, older travellers were typically the biggest spenders on holidays and trips abroad. So it’s refreshing to see younger travellers driving tourism recovery post-pandemic.”

The study, which was conducted online in February, surveyed 800 people in England aged 18-35.

As well as finding that more than a quarter would spend between £2,000 and £4,000 on travel this year, it revealed that a further 13% planned to spend between £4,000 to £6,000.

Youlden said: “Whether it’s a trip to celebrate a milestone birthday, an overdue getaway, or a more profound need to make the most of life, many young people are not letting the current economic situation get in their way of exploring the world.”

Destination-wise, Europe was found to be the most popular – a total of 41% were considering a trip within the continent this year.

The second-most popular was North America (27%), followed by Southeast Asia (20%).

Youlden said nearly a third of respondents indicated they would seek the expertise of a travel agency to help them book a holiday to Europe if it was a tailor-made trip with a combination of accommodation, sightseeing and transport.

She added: “The challenge for brands like ours is showcasing what Europe has to offer outside of the typical bucket-and-spade or weekend city break destinations.

“Agents have an opportunity to engage with these young travellers, but we need to showcase Europe in a different light and provide customers with highly tailored holidays.”

For those seeking to explore further afield, the desire to travel for longer periods of time was found to be strong. A total of 15% of respondents were considering a trip of between one to six months.

As well as opportunities, the study also pointed out some “roadblocks” that travel agents face in attracting young travellers.

It found that 33% of respondents were concerned that travel agents would only recommend “touristy” activities and destinations, and 22% were worried that by organising their trip through a travel agent they would not be able to customise their trip to their needs.

Kilroy, founded in Denmark in 1991, launched in the UK last month. The agency’s full report can be read here.

Photo: Kilroy’s head of UK marketing, Hollie Youlden, and the front cover of the new report