What types of Z travellers are there? What are they hoping to find when they travel? How can travel agencies help them to reach every corner of Spain? These are some of the questions addressed in the study ‘ZShot Tourism – How does Generation Z travel in Spain?’ produced by Mazinn, our ecosystem’s consultancy specialising in Generation Z, with the collaboration of IAB Spain.
The research was carried out during March and April with the participation of 341 young people between 17 and 28 years of age from all over Spain. In addition, the study also took into account the opinions of several experts in the tourism industry, as well as young content creators who focus on travel.
The main conclusions drawn from the research are:
Price is the main determining factor. Young people will spend an average of 580 euros travelling around Spain next summer. Indeed, price is the main factor that Generation Z considers when choosing a holiday destination.
Interest in discovering culture. After price, the factors that determine the choice of a holiday destination are the natural beauty of the place (47.8%), culture (39.6%) and gastronomy (37.5%).
Entertainment and partying are not the priority Regarding the activities that young people prefer doing on their trips, they prioritise touring the city (45.7%), relaxing (42.2%) or discovering the culture (41.1%) over others that might seem more in line with their age or profile, such as going to festivals and events (26.1%) or partying and entertainment (21.7%).
Being in control of the experience. 71% tend to choose their own car when travelling around Spain in summer and 44.6% prefer to stay in a flat. In addition, they put a priority on good price (71%) and location (58.6%) when choosing accommodation.
Teleworking, an opportunity to explore Spain. 87.7% see the summer as an opportunity to travel more, even while working. In fact, 93% see teleworking as an opportunity to travel more, while 86% would work from a rural area in Spain if their company allowed them to telework. In fact, 81.2% would go to telework in a sparsely populated rural area.
Digital channels for inspiration, but the closer community when it comes to choosing. Recommendations from friends/relatives (51.3%), Instagram (49.3%) and Google (43%) are the options that young people tend to use when it comes to choosing a destination. However, when it comes to making the final decision, friends/relatives are the most trusted recommendation (46%), far ahead of social networks (12.3%), while only 2% choose travel agencies.
Mobile phone, the preferred device
As digital natives, the digital environment plays a fundamental role in the search process. Mobile phones and computers are the most widely used devices for online research, as they allow you to expand your travel options in a very short time, but when it comes to choosing… 75% use their mobile phone for inspiration and to decide on their trip.
Agencies will not disappear if they keep up to date and improve how they give their advice. While the entire travel preparation phase is evolving due to the mobile phone, travel agencies still have a valuable role to play from the point of view of Generation Z, although it is now much more specific.
The majority (60%) agree that agencies are useful for trips that require more organisation, either because of their long duration or because they are group trips. Only 12% say that agents are of no use at all, claiming that they are “outdated” (36%) or “not worth it for the services they offer” (36%).
Sustainability is not a decisive factor for most. Only 7.6% indicated that sustainability is a relevant factor in their choice of holiday destination.
All provinces are interesting, as long as they offer attractive experiences. Young people value the options they have to travel around Spain and are aware that there are certain autonomous communities, such as Extremadura, Castilla y León and Asturias, which are under-rated.
In fact, all 52 Spanish provinces (including the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla) were selected as destinations to be visited by young people this summer. Specifically, 31% of those interviewed will make three or more trips around Spain during the summer months.
“We have realised that young people are really looking for experiences and not so much for a destination. Thanks to the internet we can access almost all destinations worldwide, so what makes the difference is what experience you want to have and that is what leads you to buy into one type of trip or another and, of course, one destination or another. But this is a by-product of the experience you want to have“, says Rafael Magaña, CEO of Mazinn.
Access the full study by clicking on the following link:
