In their Luxury Travel Trends to Watch in 2025 report, Virtuoso and Globetrender highlighted an interesting fact: 2025 is the first year in history in which up to seven different generations can travel together.
This includes the babies of Generation Beta (2025 to 2039) and their Generation Alpha (2010 to 2025) siblings, born to Gen Z (1997-2012) and Millennial (1981-1996) parents, alongside older family members from the Gen X (1965-1980) and Baby Boomer (1946-1964) era, and even the The Silent Generation (1928-1945).
This is not just an interesting demographic quirk, but it highlights a shift in the luxury travel market. A single family trip now encapsulates the diverse needs, values, and spending habits of nearly a century of human experience.
For luxury brands, this requires a change in how luxury experiences are packaged, sold, and, most crucially, marketed.
Who are multigenerational travellers?
Before strategising, brands must understand the unique dynamics of the multi-generational group:
1. The finances (Often the grandparents)
Often, the Baby Boomer or Silent Generation grandparents are the primary funders of the trip, viewing it as an investment in family connection and an experience to share with their loved ones, sometimes even as part of a "Spending Kids' Inheritance" (SKI) approach. They value quality, established prestige, seamless service, and clear value.
2. The decision-maker and planner (Often the parents)
The middle generation, typically Gen X or Millennials, often handle the logistics, research, and final booking. They are pressed for time and demand solutions that offer convenience, flexibility, and a high return on effort. They are the gatekeepers, searching for proof that the itinerary will satisfy everyone, from toddlers to octogenarians.
3. The influencers (The younger generations)
The Millennial and Gen Z children and grandchildren are the emotional influencers. They want Instagrammable moments, authentic local experiences, digital connectivity, and activities aligned with their values, such as sustainability and cultural immersion.
How to market your brand for the multigenerational shift
Targeting a single group with three distinct needs is a challenge. Luxury marketing must evolve from a one-size-fits-all approach to a multi-channel, segmented strategy focused on collective well-being and diverse engagement.
1. Shift messaging from indulgence to connection
Luxury messaging traditionally focuses on individual escape and indulgence. The multi-gen market demands a shift to storytelling centred on shared memory-making and emotional bonds.
Content focus
Use evocative imagery and video to show a family cooking together in a private villa kitchen, a grandparent reading to a child by an exclusive-use pool, or a group engaging in a private conservation effort.
Highlight the why
Marketing copy should speak to the legacy of the trip. Instead of "An opulent suite," message "A sanctuary where three generations connect." Frame the experience as an investment in family history.
Values alignment
Authenticity is key. Show commitment to local culture, sustainability, and community. Younger generations are willing to pay more for brands with a clear, demonstrable purpose.
2. Market the itinerary, not just the property
The "experience" is crucial. A luxury resort cannot simply offer a children's club and a spa. The marketing needs to articulate a seamless, multi-layered itinerary that allows for both group connection and individual pursuits.
Segmentation in action
Your website must feature segmented content. Show "Activity A" (e.g., a private wine tasting) alongside "Activity B" (e.g., a supervised junior eco-adventure). Show how the family can come together for a sunset dinner after a day of diverse, age-appropriate enjoyment.
Product packaging
Highlight interconnected suites and private residences explicitly designed for group comfort, space, and privacy. Ensure all marketing materials clearly define the separate zones for adult relaxation and child-friendly activity.
The convenience factor
The planner demands efficiency. Marketing should showcase the seamlessness of pre-planned, customisable packages, all-inclusive options, and the convenience of on-site services, from private chefs to multi-lingual guides, to reduce their planning burden.
3. Use personalisation to connect with every family member
Multi-generational travellers expect experiences tailored to their individual needs, interests, and preferences. Luxury brands can use personalisation not just in the product, but as a key marketing tool to engage and convert each member of the family.
Segmented marketing campaigns
Use data-driven insights to deliver targeted messaging to different decision-makers and influencers within the family. Emails, social ads, or website content can speak directly to grandparents, parents, or younger travellers, highlighting experiences that resonate with their unique motivations, whether it’s comfort, convenience, adventure, or cultural immersion.
Interactive, personalised experiences online
Your website and digital strategy should allow users to customise their journey. Interactive tools, dynamic itineraries, and tailored suggestions based on user behaviour can show how your brand accommodates diverse preferences while keeping the family experience cohesive.
Attention to detail as a marketing signal
Highlight services like dietary options, mobility support, flexible check-in/out, or age-appropriate activities. By communicating these personalisation capabilities, your marketing reassures planners that your brand understands every family member’s needs, creating trust and increasing conversion potential.
Behaviour-driven follow-ups
Use insights from previous interactions (browsing patterns, past bookings, or preference data) to serve relevant recommendations and reminders. Personalised messaging reinforces your brand as responsive, thoughtful, and capable of curating experiences that genuinely reflect each user’s priorities.
4. Use AI to anticipate needs and guide discovery
AI allows luxury brands to move beyond reactive personalisation and instead anticipate what families want before they even ask. By analysing browsing behaviour, past bookings, and market trends, AI can help brands predict which experiences are likely to appeal to different generations.
Smart recommendations
AI can suggest curated itineraries, destinations, or add-ons that families might not have considered, creating a sense of discovery and delight.
Optimised digital experiences
Websites and apps can dynamically adjust content in real time, highlighting family-friendly suites, intergenerational activities, or wellness options based on user signals and AI-driven intent analysis.
Enhanced marketing efficiency
AI can automate campaigns to reach the right family members with the right message at the right time, while continuously learning which offers and narratives perform best across generations.
Trend-informed storytelling
By identifying patterns in how multi-generational families engage with content, AI can guide your brand in creating more compelling, targeted stories that resonate across age groups without manual guesswork.
Ready to reposition your brand for the multi-generational luxury traveller? Boost Brands specialises in creating bespoke digital and content strategies that resonate across every generation.
