Travel Brands Think They Have a Gen Z Problem. Most Have Two.
Photo Credit: Young woman traveler using mobile phone outdoor Getty Images / Poike
Skift Take
Reaching Gen Z is a distribution problem, resonating with them is a product problem. Few travel brands have figured out which one they actually have. Those that haven't are already losing ground — they just can't see it in the numbers yet.
There’s no shortage of Gen Z research in the travel industry. Scores of surveys and thinkpieces exist, touching on what this generation values, how they spend, and what motivates them to book. The consensus finding: to win with Gen Z, a brand needs to be where Gen Z is. Get on TikTok. Partner with creators. Show up in the channels this cohort actually uses.
That's not wrong, but it’s only half the answer (and, for what it’s worth, the half that's easier to execute). The tougher challenge is whether the end product is actually built for the Gen Z traveler.
Travel brands are generating genuine Gen Z reach without converting it — impressions are up and travelers are clicking through, but satisfaction and loyalty data suggest the product isn't delivering.
Skift Research’s Gen Z Travel Readiness Framework is a tool that can be used to turn that gap into a structured diagnostic.
The Skift Gen Z Readiness FrameworkThe framework map
