The Resonance 2015 Portrait of the U.S. Millennial Traveler shows that U.S. residents aged 18–35 have a strong interest in travel. Although 49 percent of these millennials report using owner-direct rental services such as Airbnb either regularly or occasionally, only 11 percent name Airbnb as their preferred accommodation type.
The survey polled 1,189 millennial travelers about their travel habits and preferences, including frequency of travel, vacation spending, favored lodging types, and key factors in selecting a destination.
When asked about preferred accommodations, millennials placed room- and home-sharing services near the bottom of the list. Full-service hotels and resorts were the clear favorite, with 58 percent of respondents preferring that lodging style.
Among hotel brands, Hilton Hotels and Resorts emerged as the top choice, favored by 22 percent of those surveyed.
Resonance suggests part of Hilton’s appeal to millennials stems from familiarity and brand consistency across market segments.
“A college student can stay at a Hilton branded ‘Hampton Inn’ in their hometown as easily as staying at a Hilton Hotel in New York City,” said Vincent Szwajkowski, senior director of global brand strategy at Hilton Worldwide. “The association of the Hilton brand has helped a lot.”
Szwajkowski also attributes Hilton’s resonance with younger travelers to strategic investments in technology.
“We’ve made significant improvements to our app, including features like room mapping and mobile key functionality that allow guests to bypass face-to-face check-in,” Szwajkowski said.
Other top hotel preferences among millennial respondents included Marriott Hotels & Resorts (19 percent), Sheraton (16 percent), Westin (15 percent), and Holiday Inn (14 percent), rounding out the top five.