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Yep, We're an Old Group

April 28, 2025 9:07 AM | Bill Magargal (Administrator)

Graph of membership age groupsby Bill Magargal

Well, I know for sure that I'm old... after all, I live in an old-folks home, but what about the overall US Servas membership? Last week we ran age demographics for all 1909 active members, including both friends and host-travelers. No surprise! We are still an older group. Our median age is 67, with a mean (average) age of 62.

Although some people are distressed by this, it is just a fact of life. We are a travel and peace organization... we travel. Young people are involved with careers and families, and it is difficult to include extended travel in the mix. Retirees on the other hand have the time and are more likely to have the funds to travel. Older adults are also much more active than even our parents’ generation, which further extends the age-line.

It is wise of us to encourage younger twenty-somethings to become members to give them a taste of authentic, meaningful travel before job and family commitments become entrenched. Hopefully they will fondly remember and resume having Servas experiences when they get older.

Comments

  • May 01, 2025 6:50 PM | Josh Gerak
    I learned about SERVAS in the 80's and finally joined in 1993 when I was 31. Now I'm 63. I try to tell every "freelance type" traveler I meet. Not everyone is cool to stay with "strangers", maybe Gen Xers and Millennials more so? There is a lot of fear stoked in the world the past several decades. I feel blessed to have been born when I was.
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  • May 01, 2025 10:13 PM | Shawn Joost
    I joined at age 35 and enjoyed hosting Servas travelers for the past 25 years. I made my first trip as a Servas traveler just two years ago. Hosting is as enjoyable as traveling and is easier to do even when you are in the midst of work and kids.
    Link  •  Reply
  • May 02, 2025 7:12 AM | Steve Dickens
    The data I've seen shows that younger people comprise a higher percent of travelers in the world than older folks. I suspect the reason that fewer young people join Servas has some to do with an outdated/ cumbersome process to become a traveler and host (this may be fixed now; I rejoined Servas about 5 years ago), and more to do with a lack of outreach and media presence. Obviously we're an all volunteer group, so I'm not criticizing anyone, but I do think conducting a major fundraising drive to promote Servas would make sense if we want more younger members.
    Link  •  Reply


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