It used to be that by the time we were 30, Americans were focused on settling down and having kids. But according to a new survey, our priorities are shifting as wanderlust takes hold.
Flash Pack, a travel company for solo travelers in their 30s and 40s, surveyed 1,000 30- to 49-year-olds through third-party research firm Mortar about what matters to them. When asked to list their bucket list priorities, 28% cited traveling to a part of the world they hadn’t visited — a larger percentage than those who considered getting married, working in a dream profession, owning a home or having children a priority.
“54% of respondents agreed that they would rather enjoy life and invest in experiences while still young enough to enjoy them than save for a house,” Flash Pack found.
People are also willing to spend big bucks on travel, while simultaneously questioning whether funneling major money into more traditional choices is the right move. 84% of respondents wouldn’t hesitate to throw $4,000 at the trip of a lifetime, but 66% would “balk” at paying the average price for a wedding.
Meanwhile, it seems 30- and 40-year-olds are changing how they travel. Though there may have been a time when it was considered taboo or sad to go somewhere alone, people are becoming more willing to be explorers or adventurers without a friend or companion. In fact, 31% of those surveyed plan to travel on their own in 2019.
Some of the experiences travelers are itching to have: Seeing the Northern Lights, staying on a private island, flying in a private jet, trying out an ice hotel, and climbing a mountain.
All of those possibilities sound great, and not just for 30- or 40-year-olds. We’re down for a flight on a private jet to a private island before heading to an ice hotel where we can watch the Northern Lights and maybe even climb a mountain. Where do we sign up?