Traveling with Family and Friends, People the Same Age, Sharing Memories Among Top Interests

New York, NY � A new survey released today by ThirdAge, a popular online destination for baby boomers and mid-lifers, revealed the increasing market potential the travel industry has for creating opportunities to build targeted programs and marketing campaigns that appeal to the over 40 market.

�Many baby boomers and midlifers not only have the time, money and a passion for travel, they want to fulfill life-long dreams, create lasting memories and explore the world,� said ThirdAge CEO Sharon Whiteley. �The majority of ThirdAgers responded that they were �definitely interested� in seeing places they hadn�t visited before. This is a time in life when many ask themselves, if not now, when? And -- they go for it.�

With 65 percent of respondents seeking a combination of different settings while traveling, this signals expansive opportunities for tour operators, tourism boards and the cruise industry to attract boomers and the over 40 crowd with specialized offerings.

They�re on the Move

� Sixty-three percent of those surveyed responded that they traveled for recreational purposes for more than four days at a time � at least twice a year � over the past two years. Thirty-eight percent of this group traveled four to five times a year.

� When asked whether they had a preferred venue for their travels, 65 percent of respondents answered that they preferred a combination of different settings, 51 percent also indicated that they liked being by the ocean and 40 percent said the �experience mattered� more than the location. Only 10 percent of respondents indicated that they would enjoy the �wilderness or roughing-it."

� The biggest factors in impacting a respondent�s decision to travel were money (39%), followed by work (32%).

Opportunities Abound for Travel Marketers

ThirdAgers also have a growing desire to learn, volunteer and reconnect. �Experiential travel is synonymous with this audience and tour providers and hoteliers are rapidly packaging these experiences into their offerings,� said Kathy Dragon, ThirdAge Travel Expert. �This consumer group is consistently choosing to invest in experiences. Look closely at the daily itineraries and you'll find everything from tango classes to tree planting. Increasingly popular are cooking courses, hands-on grape harvesting, wine-tastings, visits to local farmers markets and artisan workshops.�

� When asked if they would use a travel planner, tour operator and/or travel company when planning a future trip, 74.5 percent of respondents said they would �likely� use one. The top attributes of those surveyed that would influence their decision to go on a trip with a specific tour operator were: the company�s safety, reputation and reliability (86.7%), affordability (84%), confidence that the tour guide is knowledgeable about the destination (80.1%) and the destinations they travel to are places that they are interested in (76.1%).

� When queried as to �once they had decided to embark on a trip offered through a travel planner, tour operator or travel company,� whether they would be interested in meeting other travelers in person beforehand, 64 percent indicated they would �definitely,� �very much� or �somewhat� be interested; 35 percent were �very little� or �not at all� interested in such a meeting.

� The top three parts of the world that those surveyed said that they would most like to see on their next trip were: Western Europe (43%), Caribbean (31%) and North America (28%).

� When asked which type of trips with �action� or �adventure� themes interested them most, 41 percent of respondents ranked safaris and 40 percent ranked rainforest expeditions as their first choices respectively, indicating that they were �very much� to �definitely interested.� Only 10 percent of respondents were interested in trip themes that were focused on extreme sports, such as hang gliding, skydiving and mountain climbing.

Online Interests:

Three key areas in which respondents were quizzed about online usage were research, booking and photo sharing.

� While 86 percent of respondents said that they were �certain� or �very likely� to do online research while planning a trip, 71 percent said that they go online/use online travel sites to actually book their trips.

� Sixty-one percent of those surveyed indicated that they would be �very much� to �definitely� interested in reading reviews/ratings of trips taken by other ThirdAgers; another 31 percent had �some� interest.

� Forty-five percent of respondents indicated that they would be �definitely� or �very likely� to reach out to others online if they were able to identify people who have visited a place that they were planning a trip to.

� Forty-two percent of respondents indicated that they would be �definitely� to �very much� interested in sharing their trip photos and experiences online with fellow travelers in their group after their return; another 39 percent were �somewhat� interested.

Age Matters

� Of those surveyed, 84 percent indicated that they were �definitely,� �very much� or �somewhat� interested in traveling with a group of ThirdAgers -- people in their general age bracket.

� Sixty-six percent indicated that they were �definitely� or �very much� interested in planning a trip with friends, 54 percent with their sons and daughters and 33 percent with grandchildren, however 36.5 percent of total respondents answered this was �not applicable� to them.

About the survey

A total of 1,605 survey participants completed the survey in June 2008. Thirty-one percent of respondents were male and 69 percent were female, with 90 percent of respondents 45 years and older.

Of these survey respondents: � Fifty percent had a Bachelor�s degree or higher; of those 22 percent held professional or graduate degrees � Thirty-eight percent had an annual income of $75,000 or greater, with 20 percent over $100K � Fifty-one percent of respondents were married

ThirdAge Inc. is a leading online, media, marketing and consumer insight destination exclusively focused on serving the Baby Boomer and aging midlife audiences, and premiere marketers who want to build a trusted relationship with them. Pioneers in the arena, ThirdAge currently attracts more than 1.1 million unique visitors a month with a core focus around community-based content in health and wellness, relationships and passions, growth and enrichment, and life stage transitions. Please visit www.thirdage.com for more information.

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Media Contacts: Hilary Allard 617.337.9524 hallard@thecastlegrp.com Linda Walsh 617.337.9516 lwalsh@thecastlegrp.com