Move over Paris, London and Rome. Hello, Vienna, Budapest and Prague!
According to Pat Cinfici, president of Boscov’s Travel, the latter three are the new destination hot spots for the senior set.
According to a study conducted by the AARP last year, seniors are considered the biggest travel spenders. The study projected that Americans ages 60 to 69 would spend $7,300 on average in 2023, with travelers aged 50-plus averaging four trips.
With the task of heading up Boscov’s 17 travel management locations in five states, Cinfici has a vantage point that enables her to see the latest trends in travel for all age categories. When it comes to seniors and domestic travel, she’s seeing lots of interest in heading north.
“For 2024, seniors are gravitating a lot to cruising — especially to New England,” she said, adding that their “Canada — New England Cruise” they offer goes to Boston, Bar Harbor and Portland in Maine and Canada.
“That destination for this year is very hot for this summer and early fall because it’s different from going to the beaches or the Caribbean,” she said.
Another big draw has to do with the great amount of history offered at these destinations along with beautiful scenery.
“Seniors are very interested in learning new things, people and destinations,” she said.
The option to cruise out of New York, New Jersey or Baltimore makes the trip very convenient.
“They can take a motor coach to the pier, and then they set sail on their cruise ship,” she said.
If you’d rather not travel by water, Boscov’s Travel also offers some motor coach tours to New England.
“There is a lot of interest in the Gilded Era, so Newport, R.I., is very popular,” she said. “This is a fun trip, and people are learning how people lived centuries ago.”
Travel deals
If you’re looking for some deals, there are many available in all realms of travel. Boscov’s Travel offers group opportunities that are specific to seniors.
“You can just be one or two people joining the group and can reap the savings since the rates are contracted,” she said. “Those rates are attractive to people.”
Custom tours created by Boscov’s Travel’s group planners are specifically designed for seniors and their various activity levels.
“If someone has a special need, whether it’s dietary or physical, if they share the need we do our best to meet their needs,” she said.
If you’re apprehensive about traveling to a foreign destination or going to a destination you aren’t familiar with, Cinfici recommends traveling in a group.
“There is a certain security to traveling with an escort, especially in a foreign country,” she said.
Cinfici said that most have already made their summer plans since they recognize there is a significant savings if you book ahead.
“The earlier you book, the bigger the discount,” she said. “Post-pandemic travel has boomed, and we already have 2025 on the books.”
For those who have a Boscov’s credit card, you can use it to purchase travel to get rewards to use to shop in the department store or put toward your travel.
Since seniors generally have more flexibility with time, Cinfinci said, they are more apt to do a nine- or 10-night stay instead of a week-long stay.
50th anniversary
Celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, Boscov’s Travel has relationships with families that span generations.
“We have some customers who have been with us for 50 years, and we booked their honeymoon and now we’re booking their grandchildren’s honeymoons,” she said.
While the internet has made the booking of travel more convenient for some, Cinfici discussed the benefits of going with a travel management company.
“We are fully insured and bonded, so they don’t have to worry about their financial investment, plus we seek out the best pricing for our clients in order to make it affordable for all,” she said. “We also have 24/7 service for our travelers to resolve any issues, and you don’t get that online.”
Cinfinci said the backbone of their company is about people and relationships.
“We want to create a trip to suit what a person desires at the best possible rate,” she said. “Our goal has always been to deliver a dream.”
More information
Boscov’s Travel’s 50th anniversary
Boscov’s Travel has been a leader in leisure, group and business travel since opening in 1974. Being able to provide affordable vacations for everyone started as a dream for Albert Boscov, his wife Eunice Boscov and Alma and Edwin Lakin, and has grown to 17 locations in five states. They attribute their success to their valued clients and their experienced and tenured staff.
For more information: www.boscovstravel.com, 800-755-8020
Pat Cinfici’s Top 5 picks for the seasoned traveler
• Portugal for a river cruise on the Douro
• Croatia to see the great scenery and culture with beautiful medieval cities
• Amalfi Coast in Italy if you’ve already done other parts of Italy
• Alaska for the untouched frontier
• Montreal and Quebec to see the Christmas markets
Source: Pat Cinfici, president of Boscov’s Travel
