Millennials and Gen Z Prioritize Experiences as Industry Offers VIP Access

Travelers, particularly millennials and Generation Z, are planning trips around experiences, and airlines, banks and hotels are responding with offerings such as concerts, dinners and V.I.P. events. Credit cards are aiming to attract travelers with once‑in‑a‑lifetime experiences, including exclusive concerts, dinners cooked by star chefs, elaborate travel packages featuring celebrity appearances and access to V.I.P.

areas at major events, including film festivals and art fairs. These types of experiences are, in turn, fueling an appetite that is continuing to drive growth in the experiences industry. Experts say exclusive and authentic experiences have become more attractive to travelers and can even dictate choice of destination.

"Gen Z is the most travel‑hungry generation, not in a luxury sense, but in a 'collect experiences early and often' sense," said Erifili Gounari, chief executive and founder of the Z Link. "A big shift I’m seeing is that Gen Z treats travel less like a vacation and more like a form of self‑development, which is why programs offering meaningful or exclusive experiences land so well with them." Travel operators view experiences as a way to capture new audiences, cement loyalty and persuade customers to spend more.

Key Topics

Business, Generation Z, Experiences Industry, Airbnb, Credit Cards, Loyalty Programs