With two billion holiday takers within the age range 25-34 in 2021, the second highest for its number of holiday takers, behind 35-49, travel and tourism companies need to target millennials and Gen Z with offerings away from busy summer periods that create value for money and authentic experiences, found GlobalData. Millennial and Gen Z travelers

The leading data and analytics company notes that a significant contributing factor as to why there are so many holiday takers in the 25-34 age range is their ability to travel during off-peak periods. Many young millennial and Gen Z travelers have no children or major responsibilities in terms of occupational and financial obligations.

Ralph Hollister, Travel and Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments:“With prices for flights and accommodation being their cheapest in times of low demand, many young travelers in Europe, for example, will often holiday internationally in March or November. If low-cost carriers (LCCs) and budget accommodation providers are offering rock bottom prices, they may even travel more than once in off-peak periods during the same year.”

Off-peak trips can also offer higher levels of authenticity and personalization. According to GlobalData’s Q1 2021 Consumer Survey, 27% of Gen Z and 26% of millennials stated that they are ‘always’ influenced by how well a product or service is tailored to their needs and personality. These were the two highest percentages when compared to the remaining age cohorts that responded to this question.

Hollister adds: “During peak tourism months in established destinations, visitor numbers will often outweigh the number of local residents, and all aspects of tourism infrastructure will be overcrowded. In off-peak months, travelers are more likely to have meaningful interactions with locals and experience cultural and natural attractions in a more intimate fashion due to less crowding. This allows for a better overall experience and a more positive perception of a destination.

“As destinations and travel companies continue to recover from the pandemic, younger travelers that can more easily travel in off-peak months should be targeted with low cost and authentic experiences. This will reduce the impact of seasonality and boost revenue.” Millennial and Gen Z travelers

Travel brands need to use social media to directly engage with younger cohorts, observes GlobalData Millennial and Gen Z travelers

With social media proving to be the most cost-effective and impactful way of directly getting engaged with younger consumers, travel companies have begun to invest time and resource into this space for faster outreach and connection, finds GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s Job Analytics Database reveals that there was a 175.8% increase in social media-related jobs in the travel and tourism industry from 2020 to 2021. This showcases that an increasing amount of travel companies have acknowledged the importance of social media for brand engagement and customer service.

According to GlobalData, *30% of Gen Z and *32% of Millennials state that direct engagement with a brand is a key driver of a purchase. These percentages are significantly higher when compared to Boomers and the Silent Generation, with *13% and *4% of these cohorts perceiving direct engagement with a brand to be a key driver, respectively.

Ralph Hollister, Travel and Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments:“A travel company’s success with Millennials and Gen Z can now be determined by its performance on social media, with positive performance and service levels on these platforms encouraging brand loyalty while boosting visibility.”

Ryanair is a leader in terms of encouraging brand engagement through social media, with 1.6 million followers on TikTok.

Hollister continues:“Ryanair has gained a mass following on platforms such as TikTok because it capitalizes on viral content such as memes that are entertaining and relatable. This social media strategy allows the company to already be in the minds of its next generation of customers. It also creates differentiation, as the airline can cultivate its own distinct personality through the content it posts.”

Additionally, social media allows for widescale company contact through direct messaging services, allowing for enhanced levels of customer service. Dutch airline KLM considers social media to be an integral part of its customer relationship strategy. Since 2010, KLM has gained a reputation as a pioneer in the field of social media by consistently adopting the most advanced social media-related technologies, such as AI and voice-activated technology to boost service levels. As a result, KLM now offers a 24-hour customer service platform via various social media sites, in 10 different languages.

Hollister concludes: “With social media’s ever-growing popularity, travel companies have moved to where their younger customers are. As such, social media will continue to grow as an integral part of travel companies’ strategic operations as specific roles and teams managing social media output continue to be bolstered at all major companies.”