Recent research carried out for Weekendesk points to a wide variety of weekend activities for French couples and families. We identified six “socio-styles”, patterns of behavior that we see in travelers looking to get away for a weekend.
Three quarters (77%) of weekenders stay in France, with Normandy, Paca and Brittany the top getaway destinations in that order. But there’s a difference between Hyperactives, whose idea of a successful weekend is an active one, and the Hedonists and Weary, who want rest and relaxation. One fifth of Hedonists book their short break on the day they start researching it – perhaps a reflection of their motto, which is “calm, serenity and pleasure”.
A weekend break happens three to four times a year on average for most socio-styles, with Culture Addicts taking four breaks, and Tribes – or families – Bargain Hunters and the Weary weekending three times a year at least. Hedonists, as the name suggests, take the most breaks – an average of six annually. Many are booked spontaneously too.
You might think the presence of children would hold Tribes back from booking weekend breaks, but that is not the case. Spending time together motivates them to travel. In comparison, the Weary are looking for rest and relaxation, being more stressed than our other five groups. This group likes to receive advice on their choice of destination, something that travel agents will want to note.
Whatever group they fall into, almost eight in 10 (78%) leave for their break by car, compared to only 11% by train.
For brands, this insight into the different type of weekenders is ideal to create targeted products and services and marketing campaigns. You can find out more about our attitudes & usages studies here: www.metrixlab.com/solutions/product-innovation/scout/
