Generation Hashtag in Tourism - Thematic Research

Generation Hashtag in Tourism - Thematic Research

Summary

Anyone born between 1991 and 2005 is a member of Generation Hashtag. This demographic, which incorporates both younger millennials and older members of Generation Z, cannot countenance a world without the internet or smartphones, and their priorities and preferences are reshaping the corporate world. This report identifies the companies most likely to benefit from the Generation Hashtag theme across a range of sectors, as well as highlighting those industries most at risk of disruption.

Key Highlights

Companies today are under tremendous pressure to invest in themes shaping their industry, not only to remain competitive but to survive. Airbnb and G Adventures are two companies that have invested in the Generation Hashtag theme to compete against the giants in the market and encountered growth whilst not all companies have been as successful, such as Joon airlines and the Thomas Cook Group. In the case studies below, we analyze each company and their growth strategies analyzing their popularity with tech-savvy Generation Hashtaggers.

In today’s age, travel experiences can make a candidate more attractive to a prospective employer. Generation Hashtag will begin to scrutinize the value of a pricey graduate degree over the significant experiences and life skills that can be learned from travel. The metasearch engine, Booking.com conducted research within Generation Z and discovered that the most commonly sought after trips for this generation involve a cultural exchange where a new skill is required (68%), a volunteering trip (54%) or involve an international work placement or ‘appren-trip’ (52%). This purpose driven demographic is more likely to travel than any other generation and thus presents a lucrative marketing segment for any tourism related company.

Instagrammable travel trends now largely influence the perception of a destination and the inspiration of a tourist pre-trip. The photo sharing based app has rapidly developed from being simply a platform to share photos of a vacation to peers but now DMO’s, tour operators, airlines, travel agents and companies have embraced Instagram acknowledging that it is a key factor within the booking process amongst the hashtag generation.

'Bleisure’ refers to a mix between both business and leisure trips when venturing between destinations turning a possible chaotic stay into a pleasurable experience. According to AARP research, millennials are twice as likely to book a Bleisure trip than the baby boomer generation. As generation z are welcomed into the corporate world through the next stage of their life it is only likely that Bleisure travel will continue to be a key trend for younger generational travelers.

Scope

• This report provides an overview of one of the habits of Generation Hashtag.
• It clearly defines and explains what constitutes Generation Hashtag and how its characteristics differ from previous generations.
• This report provides a detailed assessment of the importance of millennials and Gen Z to the travel & tourism industry.
• It provides an insight into what companies are doing to target this group and assesses the success of these strategies.

Reasons to Buy

• Understand what is meant by Generation Hashtag and assess its impact on the tourism sector
• Look at how this generation’s habits differ from those of the generations that preceded them
• Assess the strategies that companies and governments are adopting to tap into this market and attract travelers to their destinations
• View real-world case studies from across the travel & tourism sector