Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), Airlines, and Resort Hotel owners, managers, and marketers looking to drive visitors, airline passengers and hotel guests this summer need to understand what target audiences are most likely to travel. 

Based on over three decades of personality research and refinement with about 200,000 travelers, here are the six key leisure target audiences and the destinations they are most likely to travel to this summer:

Venturers

Leisure travel holds a central place in the life of travelers we classify as Venturers. The typical Venturer goes to more places, more often, and participates in more unique experiences compared to any other type of travelers. Thus the name Venturer, someone who ventures very eagerly and excitedly, Venturers fit in a small group of 4% of all travelers that share their extreme love of going out of the way to places and continuously seeking out of the ordinary adventures.

Based on overall ratings for destination appeal and overall value for the money, here are the Top 5 domestic and international destinations for Venturers this summer:

Pioneers

Pioneer’s personality lay between venturers and those more in the center of the personality spectrum (‘Voyagers ‘& ‘Journeyers ‘). They share several characteristics in common with Venturers. Pioneers enjoy traveling to foreign destinations, seeking new experiences, and unique destinations for all trips they take. Pioneers are usually physically active at home and during trips. But, unlike Venturer travelers, Pioneers don’t want to take such extreme vacations and are more likely to plan their trips, set an itinerary of places they want to visit, and schedules when they’ll be there. Pioneers belong to 17% of the population has a personality that matches Pioneers, vs. only 4% for Venturers.

Based on overall ratings for destination appeal and overall value for the money, here are the Top 5 domestic and international destinations for Venturers this summer:

Voyagers

Voyager traveler personalities are between Venturer and Traditional but leaning towards the Venturer personality. Compared to other personalities, Voyagers have lots of company with three out of ten travelers which makes 30% of the group. Voyagers make one of the most significant segments of travelers. As a result, the majority of travel providers such as airlines, resort hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, and rental car companies, and others place Voyager travelers at the top of their list of consumers they want to reach and motivate to travel.
Based on overall ratings for destination appeal and overall value for the money, here are the Top 5 domestic and international destinations for Venturers this summer:

Journeyers

Journeyer personalities belong to one of the two largest travel groups, three out of ten people share these characteristics. Journeyers fit in the center of the spectrum, and their travel interests and daily life are more varied and diverse than Traditionals or Sightseers. Journeyers have a steady and predictable approach to travel interests, they will typically fly, but they generally prefer to go by car.

Based on overall ratings for destination appeal and overall value for the money, here are the Top 5 domestic and international destinations for Venturers this summer:

Sightseers

Sightseers make about 17% of the population, meaning one out of six share characteristics. Sightseers are calm, laid back, easygoing, untroubled, happy-go-lucky, unruffled, casual, careless, and carefree. Above all, Sightseers have probably been labeled as mellow, creating a feeling among friends that they are genial, calm in most of life’s storms (at least on the surface), cordial, affable, cheerful, pleasant, and agreeable. Sightseers are a true-blue kind of person, someone who never plays the snob and who is loyal to friends and associates.
Based on overall ratings for destination appeal and overall value for the money, here are the Top 5 domestic and international destinations for Venturers this summer:

Traditionals

If you examine the Venturers characteristics, you will find the opposite personality from Traditionals. Traditionals prefer a life that is structured, stable, and predictable, Traditionals would rather follow patterns and routines in their life. Hence, they are likely to know what will happen during each day and, therefore, prepare for it.

Based on overall ratings for destination appeal and overall value for the money, here are the Top 5 domestic and international destinations for Venturers this summer: