Teens drop tech and look to faith for meaning during family
road trips. Baby Boomers beef up multigenerational camping plans
this summer. Economic constraints and appetite for travel push GenZ
to search for free campsites. Demand for developed campgrounds
booms.
AUSTIN,
Texas, May 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --
Outdoorsy, the leading outdoor travel and accommodation
marketplace today released Generations in the Wild: The 2024 U.S.
Family RV Travel Report. The company's inaugural independent
research explores motivations behind travel, benefits of time on
the road, and cultural values restoring human relationships across
four generations of RVing American families.
"This independent research was deliberately designed to span not
just generations, but to represent Americans from all walks of life
who seek the benefits only the outdoors can provide," said
Outdoorsy Co-Founder Jennifer Young.
"Resoundingly, every group acknowledged that RV travel provides a
powerful way to strengthen family bonds, reconnect with themselves,
and draw closer to their faith."
Notably, Outdoorsy's survey found that today's always-on work
culture is negatively impacting young families on the road -
cutting into quality time and reducing enjoyment for GenZ parents
in particular. GenZ is most likely to take work on the road, with
74% saying they work at least sometimes during a trip, and 96% of
those who do reporting that their work hours negatively impact
their time with family. By comparison, GenX has a healthier work
life balance, with only 53% reporting that they work during family
trips.
"Creating time for a digital detox is closely correlated to
better reported trip outcomes, but we found that only one in five
families will always take the time to do so," said Young. "However,
we discovered that disconnecting from tech isn't the only way to
reliably improve your summer vacation. Our research showed that
parents who involve their children in every aspect of trip planning
- from meal planning to destination selection to activity mapping -
report improved journeys across almost every metric."
Families with children who are highly engaged in trip planning
report lower stress (+21%), an increase in positive attitudes
(+12%) and increased excitement (+16%). Families who engage their
children in every aspect of trip planning are also more likely to
report strengthened faith after a trip (65% vs. 39%) and a higher
likelihood of tech-free time (66% vs. 52%).
Additional key findings from this year's report
include:
GenZ: The changing face of RV travel
The
youngest generation of RVers are notably
different from their peers. They're the most likely to travel, with
the majority (65%) saying they plan to take at least five RV trips
this year. However, this cost-conscious generation is also the most
likely (47%) to seek out free RV accommodations this year,
signaling that this cohort especially is feeling the strain of
inflation. This group also tends to stay closest to home, with an
average trip length that is 100 miles less than that of older
generations.
Developed campgrounds are the most in-demand in
2024
This year, developed campgrounds are in high demand,
with 83% of families preferring their RV campground to be packed
with amenities like showers, pools, biking paths, pickleball
courts, and more.
RV trips reduce tech time and increase spiritual
connectedness for teens
Nearly half of all teens (48%)
report reduced screen time during family RV trips, and the vast
majority (88%) report at least some level of spiritual
connectedness, with more than half (59%) engaging in prayer,
reflection (34%), and reading sacred texts (21%) during family RV
trips.
Baby Boomers beef up multigenerational camping plans this
summer.
In their youth, Baby Boomers
popularized backcountry camping. However, over
time they fell into travel patterns that were less likely to
include outdoor experiences. Now that they're entering their
retirement years, they are much more likely to turn to RV trips as
an affordable means of travel that can include their children,
grandchildren, and extended family. Three fourths (74%) of Baby
Boomers will include their adult children in their next RV trip,
and 31% will include their grandchildren.
Millennials: The experience-first
generation
This formidable travel group started the
trend of investing in experiences instead of things, and their
desire to fully lean into family travel shows up in a variety of
ways. Seven out of 10 Millennials say RV trips are an important
time to disconnect from technology, and this generation is less
than half as likely to always work while traveling as
their GenZ counterparts (11% vs. 26%), signaling
they have a better handle on work/life balance.
Nearer, my God, to thee
RVing families tend to
be highly religious or spiritual, with 96% of parents and 88% of
teens reporting at least some connection to faith or spirituality.
Of religious families, 82% report being Christian. And although
teens are less likely to say they're very connected to religion or
spirituality, they're just as involved (and in some cases more
involved) as their parents in spiritual pursuits while in
nature.
Methodology
The results of the first Outdoorsy U.S. RV
Family Travel Report are based on a total of 3,200 surveys
completed among a random sample of U.S. families and a
corresponding sample of n=400 teens. Within the sample of families,
quotas were established for each of the four primary census
regions: Northeast (n=800), Midwest (n=800), South (n=800), and
West (n=800). Overall, a sample of n=3,200 U.S. families is
associated with a margin of error of +/- 1.63 percentage points,
and a sample of n=400 teens is associated with a margin of error of
+/- 4.9 percentage points. All surveys were completed only via
an outbound solicitation sent to a randomly selected cross-section
of families. The sample of respondents was statistically balanced
to ensure that the results are in line with overall population
figures for age, gender, and ethnicity. Some results may not add to
100 percent due to rounding.
Access the full report, Generations in the Wild: The 2024 U.S.
Family RV Travel Report
About Outdoorsy
Outdoorsy transformed access to the
outdoors with the launch of its RV and campervan rental
marketplace in 2015, and expanded to offer marketplace insurance in
2018. Today, Outdoorsy's partnership with its hosts has resulted in
over 7 million travel days through RV rentals that are available in
4,800 cities across North America.
Outdoorsy's marketplace, insurance, and retreats provide
life-changing financial benefits for RV hosts and retreat
communities and offer guests the trust and guidance they need to
enjoy memorable rustic travel experiences. Outdoorsy's team is
inspired by a mission to restore our relationship with the outdoors
and each other by inviting guests to Live Outdoorsy.
About Cairn Consulting Group
Cairn Consulting Group is
a market research firm with extensive experience in the hospitality
and services industries. For the past several years, Cairn
Consulting Group has worked with organizations in both indoor and
outdoor hospitality, including the gaming/casino areas, food
services/restaurant space, accommodations, travel/tourism and the
products and services that are a part of the hospitality industry.
The organization also serves clients in branding/brand positioning
efforts, evaluating consumer behavior, public opinion & policy
and product development.
Media Contact
Lydia
Davey for Outdoorsy
lydia.davey@outdoorsy.co
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SOURCE Outdoorsy