Vacation Rental Owners Should Target the Gap Travel Market
A recent article in Hospitality Trends spotlights a fast growing travel market it calls the market for gap travel. It says gap year travel can be divided into three main markets: pre-university gaps, career gaps and pre-retirement gaps.
Pre-university gaps appear to be the most common, with students taking a year off before commencing higher education. The fastest growing sector appears to be the career gaps, with people taking time off between career moves. The majority of people in this category are thought to be in the 25-30 year age group. Pre-retirement gaps are taken by 55-70 year old people who are ending their careers, and are looking to explore the opportunities available in the next stage of their lives. The full article is available here.
Our own experience in a cosmopolitan mountain area ideal for those considering retirement indicates that the gap market is a good one to target. Vacation rentals are much more ideally suited than hotels for people who want to make a decision on where they want to live. Moreover, our extended stay rates also make them much more affordable as well. In other areas, vacation rentals might provide the same benefits for those in the other two gaps.
