|
Two
hot travel trends are heading for a collision course, with a tour operator
from Oregon poised to lead the way. "People are looking for outdoor
fun and adventure. They don't want to be stuck in hotel rooms far away
from nature, they want to be in the middle of the action, and they want
to smell the pine needles and see the stars," says Teri Fahrendorf
of RV Caravan Tours.
One
trend concerns those over-achieving baby boomers who want to play as hard
as they work. They're not content with sitting on a tour bus watching
the scenery go by; they want to experience a place and the people who
live there. No whirlwind "See Europe in a week" trip for them;
they want to slow it down, see an area from all angles, exploring each
region one at a time.
USA
Today featured this trend, called multisport vacations, in a recent
article. Tour companies offering trips that include two or more sports,
such as hiking, swimming, fishing, and kayaking, are among the leaders
capitalizing on this trend. "Tour members are encouraged to bring
their trekking poles and fishing poles on our 'Discover Oregon' tour.
On this best of Oregon and the redwoods offering, we have the best spots
all picked out and we shuttle folks to the hiking trailheads," Fahrendorf
said. "We also take care of the advance reservations and fees for
the usual activities that visitors enjoy in Oregon, like the Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center, Columbia River Gorge waterfalls and sternwheeler
cruise, and the Shakespeare Festival, for example. Plus we know how to
participate in these high-demand activities in the summer season while
avoiding the crowds."
The
other travel trend is one that people usually associate with retirees,
but the numbers may surprise you. The University of Michigan Survey Research
Center has determined that more than 45 % of current RV owners are between
the ages of 35 and 54, compared to 40 % aged 55 and older, which is the
traditional core market of empty nesters. From these statistics, RV
Life magazine projects that the number of RV-owning households will
rise from the current 8.6 million to 10.4 million in the year 2010. That's
a gain of 21 %, outpacing overall US household growth of 15 %. "These
days lots of active people are thinking about buying an RV, but they're
not sure if they fit the RV lifestyle. Most of our one- and two-week regional
tours are loop-trips; designed so people can fly in and rent an RV and
take our tour during their annual summer vacation," says Fahrendorf.
Another
benefit that this combination of travel trends offers is community with
privacy. You have the community of a small group of like-minded active
fellow tour members, while at the same time you have the privacy of your
own RV. Fahrendorf says, "On our tours, we provide a community campfire
and charcoal grill every night. We love it when people from other countries
take our tours; it really gives the evenings an international glow. Also,
we provide 2-way radios for each vehicle, allowing us to communicate while
on the road. I can give historical and local narrative about the areas
we are driving through without stopping the vehicles. All in all, RV travel
with the multisport and wilderness experience is a really great combination."
We think you'll be hearing more about this RV Travel / Adventure Travel
genre that we are introducing. Tell them you saw it here first!
|
