Before Jim and I started in the travel industry, I never thought about different types of travelers. To me, you traveled for work or for fun - and that was as far a my mind wandered. Now I realize there are very different types of travelers. Here are just a few of the ones I've discovered. Please know there are many combinations of these "types" I've created below - and that these are not official by any means. They are simply my way to explain to help you think about the traveler you are.
For example, I'm a Homebody. I love nesting at home and have my favorite places to relax or be (like my kitchen). I realized this year when traveling with friends, that I do that on ships too. I find a few favorite spots and I tend to spend most of my time there. Each ship has a few special places to me. There I can relax with a coffee and read; enjoy specific restaurants or listen to music. I am not an explorer, so shows, excursions and even exploring the cruise line's private island were not usually a high priority. Jim and I explore various cruise lines for our business and we have a few we gravitate to for our personal travel. For us, the ship is the destination and we choose a ship/cruise line that will match our mood for that cruise - whether it's adults only, family or a relaxing transatlantic voyage.
Now, enter my friends. She is a Planner. She and her husband have their favorite spots too. However, as soon as they board the ship, they make reservations for all the shows they want to see. They've already scheduled their one or two excursions and they ALWAYS get off on the cruise line's private island. They explore the ship completely. My friend is a planner and she is on several FB groups about cruises. Many
times, she has copies of the shows from other cruisers and already knows what
date and time she wants reservations - even before she boards the ship! My friends are primarily dedicated to one cruise line and sometimes, their sister companies. They are using the loyalty program to build status with that cruise line.
Then there are the Explorers. I have a family member who falls into this category. They are Planners but also have an excursion at every port so they can explore all the ports the ship stops at. The ports and what they can see and do at them are their primary decision point. The cruise line and then the ship that will take them to those destinations are their next decision points. The ship is not their destination but the vehicle to get them there. They are braver than I am because they will go into jungles or do excursions that may take them out of their comfort zone a little bit. They are there for the experience of each location. They also rarely go back to the same destinations because there is so much of the world to explore!
Then there are our friends who, for this post, I will call the Resorters. They prefer to be on land and have a beach available every day. The country the resort is in may or may not matter. For them, it is the atmosphere and amenities of the resort. How many pools are there? What's the beach like? What are the restaurants like? Is it adult only or family friendly? Are there privileges at a sister resort? For some the country does matter because they want to explore off resort. Jamaica, Mexico or the Dominican Republic tend to be our client's favorite locations.
And we have clients who are Adventurers. They have specific destinations they want to explore. For some, that is Machu Pichu. For others, that is creating an itinerary around a specific event. We've had clients travel Europe before and after attending a special concert stop. Or those who are taking a cruise in Europe and want to spend time in a specific country before the cruise. And there are special interest tours for fans of Game of Thrones, Outlander, Lord of the Rings or Downton Abbey, among others.
Finally, one of my favorite travelers are the Celebrators. There are special events like Family Reunions, Birthdays, Weddings, Retirement or Special Groups you want to celebrate or be a part of. We have industry events we look forward to every year. Sometimes you share a special interest and you want to travel with others who have that same interest. This could be a church group, your yoga studio or any group you cultivate. In that case, it could be a cruise ship, a resort; a castle in Europe or even Las Vegas. There are as many locations and opportunities as there are reasons to celebrate! It all depends on your event or group and what's most important to you.
When you think of travel, who are you? The Homebody like me? The Planner, Explorer or Adventurer? Are you maybe the Resorter? And of course, we can all be Celebrators! The wonderful thing is you can be any or all of these, depending on your season of life! Let us know in the comments who you are... :)