Centric Venturer
By definition, you fit between venturers and authentics but with a leaning towards the venturer side. Compared to other groups, you have lots of company. Three out of ten travelers (30%) place in your group, making you one of the largest segments of travelers. As a result, the majority of travel providers-airlines, resorts, rental car companies, tour operators, cruise lines, and others- place you at the top of their list of persons they want to reach and motivate to travel.
Your significance lies not just in how many people are like you, however. It also grows out of the fact that you are easier to motivate to take a trip or buy a product than the personalities that lie more on the extremes on either side of you. Venturers tend to ignore advertising. Authentics (at the opposite end of the scale) pay attention to advertising but their commitment to a regimen and daily routine makes it more difficult to change their habits and motivate them to take a trip. In contrast, you are more flexible and adaptable, with a willingness to sample new destinations if a travel promoter presents enticing advertising.
It would be easy to assume that you are simply an “average” personality and do not go to extremes on most things. This assumption, however, would cover over your much more unique personality characteristics and behaviors. More than other groups, you use mixed transportation modes for leisure travel. In the same year, you are likely to fly to one or two destinations and drive to a couple of others. In contrast, your counterparts prefer either to fly (venturers) or drive (authentics). Although air travel saves tremendous amounts of time when the distances are great, the convenience of auto travel (take everything that you want with you and leave when you want to), along with the ability to move at your own pace provides its own inherent interest.
Unlike venturers, you prefer at least a modest selection of good hotels and some quality commercial development before you visit an area. A good bed in a nice hotel, food that can be trusted, and a transportation network that can help you get around are what you consider to be basic necessities that you would like to see firmly in place before you visit. But, when over-commercialization sets in, signified by many souvenir shops, the intrusion of fast food outlets, and the diesel smell from too many tourist buses, you will move on to some other place that has not yet lost its qualities of freshness and uniqueness. The kinds of things that you like to buy on trips to foreign lands are the products that various countries specialize in as part of their national heritage. Thus, wool sweaters and skirts in Scotland or England; crystal in England, Germany or Scandinavia; pottery and silver in Mexico; or semiprecious stones from various countries around the world serve not only as reminders of a great vacation, but they can be used when you return home.
The great capitals of Europe have long been favorites, but some of these now seem overcrowded, far too expensive, and unfriendly in how local citizens treat tourists. Therefore, when you go to Europe you might visit smaller towns and enjoy leisurely drives through the countryside. And, when you go into villages, you particularly enjoy staying at quaint little bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) in contrast to well known hotels.
The diversity of the kinds of places that would be of interest to you opens up many more travel destinations of potential interest than is true for either venturers or authentics. You could enjoy a cruise in the Greek Isles, a car trip through gold mining ghost towns in California, or a shopping spree in New York City equally well. You will probably return to a place that you particularly like every two to four years, interspersing other new destinations (for you) in between. In some respects, you can have the most satisfying travel experiences because of your ability to absorb, and like, such different types of places. If you follow the typical pattern for your personality, you travel both independently (probably with a spouse or a friend) and occasionally take a fully escorted tour. This might include international tours and domestic to see New England’s fall colors, visit Southern mansions, or follow historic routes as part of a tour group. Depending upon your age, the Elderhostel program is largely made up of your type.
Cruising has experienced strong growth in recent years, thanks to the fact that you believe that the experience is not as confining as in the past. You have decided that it is affordable and more interesting than you ever thought. And, very important, it’s so easy and comfortable because your hotel room goes with you wherever you are and you don’t have to pack and unpack every day. You may also own a time share, the concept of owning one or two weeks of vacation time in a condo in a resort area. Time shares tend to offer excuses for travel and most of these owners venture forth regularly.
You have mixed media habits, combining both TV and reading. You enjoy quite a few shows on TV, read an occasional book, and some of the popular magazines.
In summary, you are part of a group that is very important to the travel industry, including destinations, airlines, hotels and restaurants. And, because you are generally easier to motivate for travel through advertising and are willing to visit a variety of destinations, most travel companies desperately try to focus on you and your needs. They offer lots of special deals and incentives to get you to travel. You use mixed modes of transportation to get there, tend to return to a place only if you especially like it but no sooner than three to four years, and you also mix up the kinds of lodging that you use. On the same trip you might stay at a three or four star hotel, an economy/budget motel, and a B&B.
