21/04/2017
For decades, the travel industry has been dominated by popular trends such as multigenerational, wellness and romantic travel, to name a few, but one rising force is changing the industry mould indefinitely – Millennials.
Millennials are leaders of technology age and thanks to social media, gone are the days when holiday snaps were taken on a disposable camera and sent off to be developed. Instead, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have made international travel more accessible. In fact, according to HospitalityNet, 87% of travellers browse Facebook for travel inspiration.
According to Forbes, “Millennials have been loosely defined as the generation (18-34-year-olds) that approached adulthood around the year 2000”. They stand 79 million strong, making them the largest generation to date.
Looking back, the common question amongst friends and family was “Are you going anywhere nice on holiday?” Now, if your Instagram feed hasn’t been inundated with travel photos, the question has instead become, “Did you even go away?”. The rise of Millennials has encouraged brands to sit up and take notice of the power of social media, and the wonders it brings to the travel and hospitality industries.
Millennial travellers are increasingly attracted by authentic experiences and the sense of adventure. For many, it’s all about experiencing a new culture, learning about its history and “living like a local”.
With over forty years of expertise in sustainable tourism, each of the Inkaterra properties allows guests to witness the breath-taking wonders of the surroundings, including the Amazon, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and meet the mists of the cloud forest at Machu Picchu.
Originally designed as a research location for ITA and a location to train Inkaterra’s Explorer Guides, the Inkaterra Guide Field Station (opening in June) will welcome eco-conscious Millenials, researchers, volunteers and students from around the world. The Field Station “Work House” will house an Eco Centre, designed to educate guests on the various projects and excursions taking place, as well as a laboratory used for the examination of soil and the study of flora and fauna.
Deep in the heart of the Amazon, guests awake to a symphony of birdsong, monkeys swinging through the branches and the gentle flutter of butterfly wings. Situated in a 10,000-ha. private ecological reserve, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica is a realm of discovery and perfect for that Instagram shot, with trekking trails and a canopy walkway, leading through the heart of the vast rainforest.
The adventure continues at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, high in the Peruvian Andes, where guests can discover the historic and natural wonders of the region. En route to Machu Picchu, explorers can marvel at the majestic cloud forest that shrouds the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. Amidst the clouds, native orchid species in their natural habitat (there are 372 species present, which makes it a world record according to the American Orchid Society), over 200 species of birds and a variety of butterflies dance through the trees.
The last leg of the epic Peruvian adventure brings travellers to Cusco, the vibrant capital of the Incan Empire, where they’re immersed in tradition at an exquisite and totally renovated 16th award winning Century Manor, Inkaterra La Casona. After indulging in Andean culture and cuisine, guests can explore the ground that was once home to the elite army of the Incas.
Tag us in all your Inkaterra memories on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter
