Marriott debunks Gen Z myths in new luxury travel study

The long-held stereotype of Gen Z consumers as screen addicts, uninterested in traditional luxury, passive travellers and prone to impulsive trips has been challenged by Luxury Group by Marriott International APEC’s (Asia-Pacific excluding China) latest State of Luxury Travel report.

Rather than viewing Gen Z as a single traveller segment, the report identifies four distinct traveller profiles with different travel motivations, spending priorities and behaviours.

Decisive travellers
The study challenges the assumption that Gen Z consumers rely on others to plan and finance their trips. Findings show that more than half of Gen Z respondents fund their own trips entirely, while nearly half plan everything.

They take an average of 3.2 domestic trips and 2.9 international trips every year. For short getaways, 3.3 nights and 3.7 nights are favoured for domestic and international trips respectively. For longer holidays, Gen Zs tend to spend 7.1 nights on domestic trips and 8.8 nights on international trips.

Gen Zs increasingly want to explore the world together – immediate family are their favourite travel companions (51%). Trips with small groups of friends are up 17%, while larger friend gatherings are up 8%.

Precise expectations
Safety, impeccable service, personalisation, prestige and high-quality accommodation are non-negotiables for this demographic, but new expectations are emerging.

The State of Luxury Travel report notes that engagement with local communities and cultural immersion represent the most important factors in their choice of travel destinations, at 87%. Close behind are discovering new food or culinary experiences (86%), proximity to nature (86%) and restorative wellness experiences (85%).

Other influencing factors include thoughtful architecture and design, and the ability to purchase locally made products.

Gen Zs dislike potential friction in travel, citing “wasted time” and “communication gaps” as their key pet peeves.

Different identities
Instead of being a single profile, Gen Z consumers span four distinct traveller tribes: Connoisseur Traditionalists (34% of Gen Z); Future Proofers (30% of Gen Z); Quiet Luxurists (20% of Gen Z); and Cultural Reclaimers (16% of Gen Z).

Connoisseur Traditionalists make up the largest Gen Z cohort in APEC, and are most concentrated among travellers from Singapore and Thailand, and least among those from Vietnam.

They pay close attention to classic luxury markers, such as a hotel’s brand and reputation, Michelin-starred restaurants, butler service and storied brand names.

They find satisfaction in everything being precisely organised, with 46% conducting their own research to help shape their itineraries, while 45% use online travel platforms and 40% choose professional planners. The majority (66%) book trips at least one to two months ahead, and show relatively little appetite for spontaneity.

They are drawn to new hotels and restaurants, value loyalty programmes, favour trips with immediate family, and gravitate towards Asian destinations.

Next up, Future Proofers form 30% of the Gen Z demographic, and are most concentrated among travellers from Australia and India, and least represented in Japan and Thailand.

They regard travel as an investment in wellness, restorative health and preventative care. Hence, 92% expect in-room wellness facilities, 97% make use of wellness facilities in hotels, and 95% value the availability of in-house healthcare experts. Hotel pools, spas and gyms influence hotel selection, while 93% say that non-alcoholic drinks at bars are important.

They travel solo or in small groups of immediate family or friends, and their destination choice is shaped by access to advanced wellness infrastructure and pre-booked specialist appointments. Their preferred holidays include dedicated spa retreats (56%), beach holidays (53%) and city breaks (43%). A strong connection to nature also underpins their travel decisions, with 95% saying it is important.

Luxury hotels and private villas are preferred (61% and 55% respectively), while exceptional design is also key.

They draw travel recommendations from social media (41%), classic online search (37%), and word-of-mouth recommendations (33%).

The third segment, Quiet Luxurists, make up 20% of the Gen Z demographic, and are strongly represented in Indonesia and least among travellers from Thailand.

They gravitate towards privacy, nature, restorative retreats, low-friction travel and low-technology interaction. They are spontaneous, with 98% having booked a trip within two weeks of departure, and favour less-discovered regions, with 86% wanting somewhere new.

They tend to book longer stays, prioritise sleep and wellness programmes, select accommodation that offers genuine privacy, and travel alone or with small groups of friends.

They are also highly engaged with hotel brands, as 50% book directly through loyalty programmes and 41% book direct.

Finally, Cultural Reclaimers make up 16% of the Gen Z demographic, and are most strongly represented among travellers from Vietnam and Japan, and least among those from India.

They prioritise Asian heritage, family time, place-based discovery and local culture. This tribe leads in family trip planning (100% will do so, compared with 43% of all Gen Z respondents), and 65% are the primary paymaster, compared with 36% of all Gen Z.

They are slow and immersive travellers, preferring to spend extended periods away to get the most from every experience.

The majority (89%) are inspired by places they have seen online, while other sources include private travel planners (31%), online travel agencies (29%), AI tools (29%) and social media (28%).

Most lean towards luxury hotels (74%), with spending priorities focusing on hotel design (26%), location (26%), and authentic local experiences (25%). They also rely on hotel facilities to enhance their trip experience – 92% expect wellness offerings, 91% want award-winning restaurants or bars, and 88% want immersive experiences.

Impact on luxury hospitality
Oriol Montal, Marriott International’s managing director for luxury in Asia-Pacific (excluding China), told TTG Asia that it was important to understand Gen Z consumers, as the findings provide guidance for hotel developments over the next five to 10 years.

The demographic is widely recognised as the next major consumer market, with a report by NielsenIQ, GfK and World Data Lab noting that Gen Z’s spending power is expected to grow to US$12 trillion by 2030.

The four distinct Gen Z identities will help the Luxury Group by Marriott International APEC determine the products, services and experiences that would best resonate with each group.

“With Future Proofers, we know that the JW Marriott brand’s Mindful Rooms, which we debuted at JW Marriott Tokyo earlier this year, will be something that is relevant to them. With Cultural Reclaimers, the Luxury Collection brand would speak to them, as properties are opened in remote destinations,” Montal said.

At the same time, a single brand could also cater to all Gen Z tribes. He pointed to The Ritz-Carlton Reserve collection, where properties boast spacious wellness facilities that appeal to Future Proofers, immersive destination programmes that Cultural Reclaimers value, a high level of space and privacy that is suited to Quiet Luxurists, and a reputation for service excellence and luxury that Connoisseur Traditionalists demand.

He noted that with seven different brands across the Luxury Group by Marriott International APEC, the company is well positioned to “cater to all the different Gen Z tribes”.

However, Montal believes that no single Gen Z consumer will sit within one tribe, as their travel preferences and consumption priorities could change depending on the purpose of their trip and their travel companions.

“The traveller could show characteristics of the Quiet Luxurists segment when travelling solo, but would display Future Proofers tendencies when on a wellness retreat with close friends,” explained Montal.

Hence, it is more important that hospitality brands and operators understand the many layers that make up the Gen Z consumer, tailor dedicated experiences for the four Gen Z tribes, and move beyond a single luxury proposition.

Montal underscored the importance of hyper-personalisation in winning over Gen Z guests, saying that “the secret of success would come from pre-arrival processes” that allow hotels to capture as much information as possible on the guest’s travel intentions.

Forward decisions
Montal shared that findings from the 2026 State of Luxury Travel report are now being considered in discussions about upcoming infrastructure changes.

“We are having conversations about the gym of the future, and believe that these facilities should be 30% larger because of what our guests are demanding today. We also recognise the growing importance of the family room product, so that is something we are working on today,” he said.

These changes will take time, as the company will first create a prototype, which will then be refined before being rolled out across properties.