Boomers Planet. The most beautiful trip? The next

AND‘the generation that shaped the world, the one on the road, of cultural revolutions, of great rock gatherings, of economic and social changes, of new opportunities. Dreams, never finished, indeed. Except that today, despite being flexible in travel planning, he prefers to rely on agencies and travel advisors for itineraries dedicated to relaxation, culture and quieter adventures. These are the Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, of whom – according to Altagamma – 23 percent use specialized magazines for inspiration and a large part is influenced by the quality of the destination and the hotel, only marginally by trends and fashions.

They usually have a medium-high education, significant economic resources, prestigious positions and are not very sensitive to the shopping experience, being owners of homes that have been furnished for some time and already very crowded wardrobes. «Boomers represent 60 percent of our customers, they consider uniqueness a value and are therefore more likely to spend. And then they appreciate the services, the human contact in assistance before and during the trip, the personalized treatments and the relevant experiences. Preferring, often as the final break of a cultural trip, a beach holiday, which has a more relaxed pace” says Stefano Bajona, founder of Onirikos (onirikos.com), voyage advisor, which organizes high-level tailor-made itineraries.

Savor the atmosphere of the places

But not just luxury. Among their most frequent requests, experiential tourism stands out, one of the favorite formats for getting to know a place, its genius loci, and savoring its atmosphere. For example, the Aloe Route in Salento, Puglia, dedicated to the beneficial plant, which has its epicenter in the town of Martano (Lecce) and winds up to the Botanical Garden of Nardò to end at the Naturalis Bio Resort & Spa (naturalisbioresort.com), an 18th century village transformed into an eco-sustainable farm where, in addition to 10 thousand aloe plants, medicinal herbs, olive trees and orange groves are also grown to create regenerative cosmetics and culinary delicacies. You discover the secrets of the green philosophy, you go on bike excursions, you relax in the silence of the spa carved into the rock, you taste the Salento delicacies. According to the Virtuoso Observatory, an international network of travel agencies, for 20 percent of Boomers, food and wine excellences are an excellent reason to leave. Discover, for example, the tradition of Italian or transalpine wines with Les Collectionneurs, the community chaired by Alain Ducasse of hoteliers and restaurateurs ready to offer moments of conviviality (lescollectionneurs.com): like at the Manoir Henri Giraud, an ancient manor house, among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, near Reims, in Champagne, with only five rooms and the promise of total immersion in the territory and history of the wine estate.

In the footsteps of Picasso and Gaudí

The “fathers” generation is also very attracted by cultural tourism in cities of art. In Spain this year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picassowith various initiatives (including, in Malaga, his hometown, for the 20th anniversary of the Museum of the same name, the exhibition The echo of Picassountil March 2024). But also the 100th anniversary of the death of the architect Lluis Domnèch i Montaner, whose life we ​​follow Route of Modernism in Barcelonaan itinerary that leads to the discovery of the Barcelona of Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch, the architects who, together with others, made the city the world capital of Modernism (catalunyaexperience.it/ruta-del-modernism).

Once in a lifetime

Dream routes are also growing, where nature meets the richness of millenary civilisations. As in the journey to Vietnam and Cambodia of Kel 12 (kel12.com), starting in December, starting in Hanoi, once rich in temples and pagodas and then transformed by the French into a large colonial city with wide tree-lined avenues, lakes, parks and villas that bring us back to the 1930s and the atmospheres of novels by Marguerite Duras. After Halong Bay, “the eighth wonder of the world” and a UNESCO world heritage site, you will be enchanted by the ancient town of Hoi An and the My Son archaeological site before flying to Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, and then in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penhup to Siem Reap and the Khmer temple Angkor Wat, inside the archaeological site of Angkor, considered the largest religious monument in the world.

Barefoot in the Maldives

Furthermore, Boomers, as we know, love relaxing breaks in hushed atmospheres by the sea. Like at Soneva Fushi (soneva.com) in Baa Atoll, Maldiveswhich has just been awarded 7th place in the World’s 50 Best Hotels, where the philosophy is “No news, no shoes”, uneven and barefoot (the Soneva Secret opens in Haa Dhaalu Atoll in January).

Or in the two five-star luxury hotels on the Le Morne peninsula, among the most spectacular points on the south-west coast of Mauritius, the Dinarobin Golf Resort & Spa and the Paradis Golf Resort & Spa, both by Beachcomber (beachcomber-hotels.com/it): if the first offers suites with slate pools, villas with private beach, an Ayurvedic wellness area and a wide range of sports, the second, recently renovated, also offers the same services, including a spa with a holistic approach , villas in a tropical garden, among bougainvillea, Indian almond trees and frangipani trees, a Kids club where you can leave grandchildren and children and be “free” to explore the island. Don’t miss a walk in the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, which has the rarest varieties of palm trees in the world, with a collection of 85 different specimens.

Holiday with family

Speaking of sports and relatives, Boomers are regulars on Multigenerational Travel: they stay in rented villas, sometimes extensions of the same hotel, together with their loved ones, extended family or old friends, more than ever if they live far away. To meet up, share private moments and create lifelong memories. In Castelfalfi (castelfalfi.com), medieval village with castle in an 1100-hectare estate on the hills between Florence and San Gimignano, villas and farmhouses with private swimming pool and the possibility of a home chef can be booked.

But, given the season, there are those who also opt for the mountains. Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne (brambleski.com And hautemontagne.com) offer chalets in ski destinations, from Zermatt and Verbier in Switzerland, to St Anton and Lech in Austria, up to Val d’Isère, Méribel, Courchevel and Megève in France. Some with concierge, chef, ski instructors available. Nice furnishings, quality services and nearby ski lifts. Boomers definitely appreciate it.

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