By Juan Antonio (Oso) Oseguera, TravelPulse
What captivates centennials or “Generation Zers” when it comes to travel?
Assist Card recently analyzed the trends and revealed this cohort’s particular preferences when it comes to seeing the world.
Workcation
It’s one of the newest travel trends propelled by the pandemic. It combines work with travel in such a way that there is the possibility of moving to a destination for work reasons but also having extra time to get to know the tourist attractions where business events are held.
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Study trips
Student exchanges for this generation allow them to enrich their academic training and arrive with better tools for the labour market and live an unforgettable adventure by getting to know new international destinations.
Sustainable tourism
Young people increasingly love the closeness to nature and take care of it in each of their trips, so local destinations in beach and rural areas have marked the main travel trends emerging from the pandemic.
Digital experiences
For new generations, it’s essential to stay connected. They have little interest in what’s not showable in their social networks to establish a community. So connectivity to choose destinations, accommodations, transportation and activities during their journey is a priority.
As the revival of the tourism industry progresses, the importance of digital generations for the tourism sector is evident. For the travellers of this generation, the intention, more than living new travel experiences, is to be “always connected” and showcase these centennial travel trends.
Millennials (born 1981-1995) have sought in recent years to enjoy experiences focused on knowing cultural places, nature destinations and magical towns. However, millennials have recently shared their prominence in tourism with centennials (1996-2010). The latter prefer ecotourism and activities that allow them to connect with nature and travel to concerts and music festivals.
According to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the so-called Gen Z or centennial represents more than 35 per cent of the population worldwide. Recognized for being the first generation of digital natives, something that stands out is that both generations are digital.
Recently, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) promoted the restart of tourism activity based on sustainability and innovation and opened the door to intensify the possibilities of booking accommodations, purchasing transportation tickets, or buying travel assistance through technological applications that facilitate the choice and save time.
“Young people research and evaluate experiences, costs and everything digital platforms provide. This fact has become a need that influences the other generations to open up to new travel experiences and destinations,” says Carlos Bricka, Country Manager of Assist Card Mexico.
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