Gen Z is leading international leisure travel's strong post-pandemic rebound, and they are increasingly not the backpackers of old. What do marketers need to know about them, and how can they most effectively reach them?

What you need to know

The current cost of living crisis affecting consumers in many countries is seemingly having little impact on the travel industry. In fact, consumers are foregoing other expenses to realise their travel dreams. Over half (53%) of consumers in APAC said traveling or taking vacations would bring them more joy in the future.

There are, however, significant shifts in travellers' priorities and booking habits that marketers must react to. The international traveller is increasingly prioritising relaxation, food and wellness over nature and adventure.

With Tripadvisor reporting that travel research activity from travellers aged 55+ is down, Gen Z's has greatly increased, and, perhaps counter-intuitively, many are willing to pay for upgrades and luxury experiences. So how can marketers address this newly-powerful audience?

Reaching Gen Z where they are

1. Paid media

• The message: While Gen Z travellers will splurge for upgrades, they still want to feel they've gotten good value. Knowing this, when marketing to travellers, we apply precision targeting and retargeting to paid media, promoting exclusive deals, experiences and upgrades.
• The medium: The message needs to reach Gen Z travellers where they are. We conduct thorough audience research to understand their media consumption behaviors, both online and offline, means of brand discovery, and any favored platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and/or TikTok.
• The timing: At AGM, when we plan travel-related media, we consider travellers' entire purchase journey from dreaming to booking, and these journeys not only differ from market to market, but also by generation, with younger generations much more likely to shop for travel on mobile devices, for example.

2. Earned media

We understand the importance of authentic partnerships and how they can amplify paid media, not just in the booking journey but also during a traveller's trip while there are still plenty of purchase decisions to be made. We recommend collaborating with influencers on travel exposés, blogs and vlogs that highlight experiences attractive to Gen Z, including culinary journeys, private wellness retreats, and exclusive shopping expeditions.

3. Owned media

Travellers visit several websites throughout their research and purchase journey, so making sure your brand's website is presenting Gen Z with the right information is paramount. At AGM, we design landing pages that clearly present information these travellers are looking for, with variations built to cater to different target markets' preferences. We recommend (and can help with) testing multiple landing page variants containing different designs, content and calls to action.

4. Creative

We understand the power of authenticity in advertising, and we always tailor our creative to the audience we aim to reach. Keeping in mind what Gen Z travellers value, we utilize imagery that is recognizable and themes that resonate, for example, the allure of relaxation, food, shopping and wellness retreats.

In conclusion

Gen Z travellers' shift in priorities is a reminder that agility is key. We continuously monitor and react to these kinds of trends in order to ensure we effectively speak to the audiences we're trying to convert. Want to know more about how we drive success for travel brands? Get in touch.