Travel has become an important way for Gen Z to pursue leisure and entertainment as their consumption power grows, as indicated in a travel consumption preferences report jointly released by National Business Daily and data intelligence solution provider HCR.
Over half (52.7%) of the 1,063 Gen Z travelers in the poll searched for information about destinations via social media and short video channels such as Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, Weibo and Bilibili. About 49% of those polled chose online travel platforms including Trip.com, Qunar and Meituan. Only 16.7% of the travelers got information through offline agencies, according to the report.
Prices and budget (57.5%) continued to be the primary factor affecting Gen Z’s decision-making, followed by transportation convenience (50.5%) and safety (48.3%).
OTAs were still Gen Z’s first choices when making reservations, drawing 62.5% of this group, followed by suppliers’ official websites (46.5%) and social e-commerce platforms (45.3%) including Xiaohongshu, Douyin and Taobao.
About 56% of Gen Z travelers preferred to travel independently. Railway services including high-speed rail were undoubtedly a top choice for transportation. Self-driving and flights were also favored by Gen Z travelers, reflecting their strong purchasing power.
Most Gen Z travelers were attracted by natural landscape, accounting for 60% of the total. Despite having money to spend, they were not interested in internet-famous sites or shopping destinations.
Over 65% of Gen Z travelers would take trips of 3-7 days, and more than 22% could even travel for up to 8 to 15 days. As some of them were students, they could go on vacations during the summer and winter breaks or take leave to extend the holiday.
Of the travel costs, 26% of Gen Z travelers spent the most on accommodation, followed by tickets and dining.
Instead of attraction-hopping through packed itineraries, 57% of Gen Z travelers were more keen on in-depth immersive experiences.
Delivering content and experience to travelers before a trip, live-streamed virtual tourism had attracted over half of this traveler group. About 42% of Gen Z travelers said they watched live-streaming of travel programs sometimes, and 11% watched very often.
Although the outbreak of Covid-19 has changed travelers’ behaviors, 62% of this group stated that their interest in travel has not diminished, and 18% even stated they had more pent-up demand.
