Skift Research on Winning the Future Traveler

The Decision Brief SKIFT AVIATION FORUM Ashab Rizvi, Senior Associate, Skift Advisory THE TAKEAWAY Travel companies need to understand why customers travel to make better decisions about whom to target and which products to develop. Skift Advisory’s Ashab Rizvi argued that combining travelers’ values and intentions with demographic and behavioral data can reveal important differences in what customers want from the same journey. PATHS FORWARD Add motivations to customer segmentation. Rizvi proposed combining intentions, behavior, demographics, and values. For travel executives, this creates an opportunity to assess whether existing customer segments adequately explain purchasing decisions. Develop products around distinct travel priorities. Three orientations drive customer decisions: discovery, distinction, and togetherness. Skift Advisory’s framework suggests testing experiences built around exploration, recognition, and shared experiences, respectively. Use projected demand to inform product investment. Skift Advisory estimates discovery-oriented travelers will account for 45% of trips and 48% of travel spending by 2036. Distinction-oriented travelers are projected to represent 33% and 34%, respectively. These forecasts provide a starting point for evaluating future customer propositions. WHAT TO WATCH How traveler motivations reshape product development. Differences in what travelers value could influence how companies design, market, and package experiences for distinct customer segments. Where values-based segmentation creates new opportunities. Understanding travelers’ underlying motivations could help businesses identify underserved needs and develop more differentiated products and services. Access all the Skift Takeaways from this event, as well as full session videos, presentation documents, and more editorial coverage at our Skift Aviation Forum attendees hub.