September 2019

Travel trends of the Youth Market 2020

With a passion for exploration and a thirst to find life’s meaningful experiences, the 2020 youth traveler is seeking responsible travel that will show them the world and with a readiness to spend on such eye-opening adventures, the youth consumer has never looked more attractive to the global travel market.

But what exactly are the priorities for today’s Generation Z, that are helping shape the future trends in youth travel?

PEACE OF MIND

Gone are the days when travel was simply an experience for just the body. In 2020, travel for the mind will always come out on top. Traveling with a conscience is now fundamentally important for today’s youth consumer, more so than any generation before them.

Generation Z is fueled with a desire to make a difference, help the world and change it for the better, therefore authentic experiences are a top priority. Getting hands-on with locals and knee-deep in culture is no longer a turn-off, but a welcome invitation. Local guides offering cultural experiences will continue to be in high demand and as Airbnb’s prices continue to rise, staying with a family in a homestay is the accommodation alternative Gen Z have been looking for. As beach club lounging turns into clay bowl making, Gen Z’s desire to help with worthwhile causes continues to grow stronger year on year, with some companies already taking note.

With this increased demand for voluntary projects and crowd-funded missions, many travel brands are already offering the rewarding summer of a lifetime the youth market are after. Offering free flights and a working holiday to Darwin, Student Universe’s most recent youth campaign offered students the chance to do some good while heading north of Australia’s beachy border.

FLEXIBILITY

Having the room to adapt is only ever going to be a positive, with this being no exception for the youth market. Offering tailor-made flexi plans, open returns, and last-minute travel changes, companies today are making it easier than ever before to see the world on gen Z’s terms, and times (Dunsby, 2019).

Although the appeal of bespoke and unique activities continues to appeal to the youth market, the ability to alter and amend bookings up to the final hour is a tempting bonus to any Gen Z. However, with flexibility also comes inclusivity. Giving everyone and anyone the opportunity to give back will continue to be in high demand. You can still market these experiences as exclusive, but offering it out for everyone ensures inclusivity is also achieved.

LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS

A passion to leave no rock unturned combined with growing up alongside the world of pin-drop Social Media has lead Gen Z to have a far greater awareness of just where they want to go and what they want to do there.

Constant bombardment both online and offline of the latest travel deals and undiscovered hotspots has burnt an image on the minds of today’s youth consumer and they expect to be met with the picture-perfect view of what they’ve seen on screen. When booking a grueling 2-day jungle trek, they expect it to be just that. A 20-minute riverside stroll will no longer cut the mustard. Hot on the heels of false ads, photoshopped imagery and the 8th man-made ‘wonder’ of the world, Gen Z are willing to pay for what they want, but it better be the real deal.

Dunsby, A. (2019). THE TRAVEL TRENDS INFLUENCING GEN Z.Available: https://www.ttgmedia.com/features/features/the-travel-trends-influencing-gen-z-19195. Last accessed 19th Sept 2019.

Loyalty schemes and the youth market

Despite being born in an era dominated by deals, discounts and displays, the mobile native youth of today are yet to fully embrace the world of loyalty schemes and programmes according to a report from Kobie Marketing.

Shunning reward programmes and favouring the instant gratification achieved through sales and instant online savings, the loyalty scheme space is still ripe for the taking within the youth market, but the following factors must be considered in order to turn the tables and win over the youth masses.

Seeking unique experiences and early discounts, the 2019 youth consumer is part of a digitally immersed generation, living, working and playing online and always on the hunt for the new and now. Turning their attention to Social Media for the latest offers and interactive displays, brands now need to think, act and deliver in the mind of today’s youth market. With 36% of Gen z’s and 22% of Millennials reporting participation in just one or no loyalty programmes at all, the current offers out there just aren’t hitting the mark (Spencer, 2019).

The here and now

The first common mistake brands are currently making is dangling an impossible carrot in the faces of the youth consumer. If youth want something, they want it now, therefore instant gratification is a must!

Reward programmes that require a large number of purchases or an overly high spend count in order to earn rewards, are more off-putting than encouraging. No one wants to wait months to see the first small reward trickle in.

Brands should ensure their loyalty programmes offer perks, discounts and gifts early and often. Small rewards gifted soon after consumers join, act as an incentive to continue spending and encourage long term brand loyalty.

Everyone loves a freebie

In an age where a new app goes live every second, if there’s a cost associated with joining a loyalty programme, you’re already fighting a losing battle.

Sign-up and registration fees aimed at the right audience can promote exclusivity and drive a desire to be a part of this coveted digital club, however for the youth market an upfront payment is enough to put them off for good.

Programmes should aim to be free and accessible, or at the very least offer the option of both options or a free trial. If your rewards are as good as you think, a small payment may not be a red flag after all.

Convenience is key

Keep it short, simple and easy to digest. If the registration process is too lengthy, the page navigation requires a map or the routes to rewards are never-ending, then expect to lose the interest of the youth market seconds after sign-up.

Your loyalty programme doesn’t need to know a person’s whole life history. A rewards scheme should require as little information as possible during the initial registration, giving members the option to share more later on.

Being raised in a digital age, the youth market are more than aware of the issues associated with oversharing online, with the fear of data breaches just as prominent in this generation as the ones before them.

If delivered correctly, loyalty programmes for the youth market can drastically influence the spending power of this generation with a brand. Offering rewards that are tailored to the youth consumer’s interests, wants and needs will see your brand increase in popularity among this lucrative market, helping cement your brand as a firm favourite of a generation that will grow to have a higher spending power than any before them.

Spencer, M. (2018). What kind of Loyalty Program Does GenZ Actually Want?. Available: https://medium.com/lotzloyalty/what-kind-of-loyalty-program-does-genz-actually-want-778ad6b6d272. Last accessed 30th Aug 2019.