Skift Take
The hospitality industry has found that the higher a family's budget, the more concerned they are about environmental and cultural sustainability. Luxury operations that craft experiences that engage the family, and especially Gen Z, will see the long-tail impact as this generation has more control over vacation decisions.
Family travel will look a lot different in 2020 and beyond — especially in the luxury space. Not only is multigenerational travel on the rise, but Gen Z, in particular, is looking for sustainable operations that align with their values. Sure, the family cruise will still be around, but Gen Z will likely push their parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles toward more environmentally friendly experiences.
This kind of multigenerational travel, that's truly sustainable and offers opportunities to engage with the local environment and culture, however, comes at a higher cost. What does that mean for families who are eager to not only patronize sustainable hotels but learn together as a family? We explore how sustainability really factors into multigenerational travel decisions and which luxury hotels are crafting programs that teach younger generations about sustainability.
Gen Z's Sphere of Influence
Gen Z has a propensity to want to pay more for sustainable travel, but there is a gap in the actual purchase numbers, according to Skift Research's Millennial and Gen Z Traveler Survey 2019: A Multi-Country Comparison Report. The generation is, however, influencing their parents and grandparents when it comes time to plan a family vacation, the report also shows.
That makes Gen Z, many of whom will be graduating college and entering the workforce in the coming years, an important segment to watch. Not only are they swaying their families’ decisions now, but they’ll soon have their own families for whom they’ll drive the majority of travel cho
