Skift Global Forum Video: Innovating for the New Power Traveler

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Skift Take

In this video from Skift Global Forum 2023, we hear from Audrey Hendley, president, American Express Travel, about connecting with Gen Z and millennial travelers by developing a deep understanding of their experience-driven behaviors and expectations.

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

In this video:

  • Gen Z and millennials: A discussion about how this younger cohort of travelers is driving growth in the industry and shaping the future of travel with their always-on travel mindset, drive to experience the world, and “setjetting” tendency to visit the destinations they see in their favorite media, from prestige television to TikTok and Instagram.
  • Power traveler trends: A look at the trends driving Gen Z and millennials’ travel decisions — a passion for wellness, hunger for discovery, and interest in aligning their values with the brands they do business with — as they come into their prime earning years and accumulate real purchasing power.
  • AI innovation: An exploration of how American Express invests in technology to enable more meaningful consumer connections and uses AI to powerhigh-tech meets high-touch” experiences that honor the brand’s 170-year history of success.

Gen Z and millennial travelers are driving leisure spending today, as they accumulate purchasing power and expand as a consumer cohort — according to American Express’ earnings report in the second quarter of 2023, this younger group saw a 20 percent year-over-year increase. But connecting with today’s power traveler requires travel brands to understand the ins and outs of their preferences and cater to their desire to squeeze every last drop out of new and exciting experiences.

In this video from Skift Global Forum 2023, Audrey Hendley, president, American Express Travel joins Carolyn Kremins, president, Skift, for a conversation about how American Express invests in technology and prioritizes experiences to tap into this powerful — and growing — consumer segment.

This content was created collaboratively by American Express Travel and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.

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