Are celebrities’ epic vacations fueling millennials’ travel obsession?

Millennials seem to have a travel obsession. Does seeing favorite celebrities’ epic vacations and those stunning photos drive that desire to travel?

Do you dream about celebrities’ epic vacations? Maybe it is your travel obsession? Millennials are traveling more and more. According to a recent Forbes.com article, a Contiki survey found that millennials would give up Netflix, coffee and even sex to travel. What is driving this desire to travel? Could travelers be looking to recreate that picture perfect celebrity vacation that they see all over social media?

Various studies show that millennials spend around or more than five hours on their smart devices a day. Some of that time is spent ogling social media accounts where celebrities post breathtaking pictures from their latest adventure. While you might try to convince your boss that you’re working on your device, the reality is quite different.

Think about a current topic filling everyone’s newsfeed, for example: Meghan and Harry’s Royal tour of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. How many times did you stare and fantasize about walking down a beach hand-in-hand with a special someone just like Harry and Meghan? That particular moment of travel envy might be spurring an increasing amount of bookings to these royal locales. While everyone might not be an American princess, they can step into her shoes by recreating that travel experience.

FRASER ISLAND, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 22: People walk on a beach ahead of a visit from Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on October 22, 2018 onFraser Island, Australia. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on their official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Noble – Pool/Getty Images)

With the travel accessibility, everyone can get on a plane and hit the same beach as Meghan and Harry. While my vacation itinerary might not come with a security detail, I can find that exact same beach, even the same dress, and recreate that moment for my vacation memory. That travel experience becomes mine, as well as brings me closer to my favorite celebrity. Plus, I can capture that travel memory photo to share with the world.

The Royal Tour is just one example of celebrities’ epic vacations fueling millennials travel obsession. Look at uber-popular celebrity Instagram accounts. From the Kardashians to Crissy Teigen, people want a way to connect to their favorite celebrities, and travel locales are becoming that connection.

Although the majority of us will never meet these people in person, we can try to recreate that most recent celebrity vacation. From posing on that infamous Instagram wall (who hasn’t stopped at the purple Magic Kingdom wall with their Mickey ears) to dining at the special restaurant, the experience creates a bigger fan connection.

While it might not be obvious, travel brands capitalize on these celebrity travel experiences. Gone are the days of taking a Hollywood bus tour. Now, you can almost recreate that celebrity vacation in exact detail. From that specific hotel to the places visited, the information is readily available. Numerous lists of best celebrity spotting hotels or hottest celebrity restaurants fill search engines.

Of course, travel trends ebb and flow, but many locales, hotels, and experiences are using that celebrity connection to fuel the millennials desire to travel. From the epic photo capture to the grandiose travel story, millennials want to check off the experience. And, each subsequent experience needs to be bigger, better and bolder.

Take a quick look at travel websites and the trend is clear. Even Airbnb offers travel experiences to its customers. Today, the next vacation isn’t about just getting away, it is about recording that experience to the envy of everyone else.

Previously, people looked to acquire things. Whoever collected the most toys was perceived as the biggest influencer. Today, those things are being replaced with experiences and the photographic evidence of that experience. People are realizing that things aren’t associated with value. Just like the millennial who is willing to give up that morning Starbucks run for a trip to Paris, the experience trumps consumption.

Even a quick search for travel trends shows that people are looking to recreate either a popular celebrity vacation or to visit a locale featured in a favorite movie. From visiting Bora Bora to a walking tour of NYC movie locations, these types of vacations are changing how everyone approaches travel. Does your next vacation include at least one stop at a television-featured restaurant, famous movie location or favorite celebrity stop? I’m willing to bet that it does.

As the millennials travel obsession continues to grow and celebrities continue to share their travel experiences, this trend will continue. What epic vacations fill your travel obsession? Just look to your favorite celebrity to find some travel inspiration.