When it comes to the choice of accommodations while travelling, Gen Zs in most surveyed markets report budget-friendly hotels as their primary accommodation type, but in about 20 of the 25 surveyed countries, luxury accommodations rank among the top three choices. However, its popularity is higher in Middle Eastern countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where it ranks as the number one accommodation type.

In terms of factors that influence choice of travel destination, the ease of travel and deals on flights, hotels, and activities are top considerations for Gen Z in UAE with nearly two in five (41% each) stating these reasons as most important drivers. Comparatively, travel brochures (16%) and recommendations from travel agents (21%) rank lower on the list of factors influencing destination choice. For travel marketers and tourism boards, this is an important insight as it shows that lucrative price deals and comfort may together act as a better proposition for Gen Z travelers.

Furthermore, we see that Gen Z, also known as the “digital natives”, are very dependent on technology, and social media plays a major part of their lives. Data from YouGov Custom Research indicates that about nine in ten (88%) Gen Z consumers currently follow a social media influencer and out of these, almost one in five (19%) follow a travel influencer. When we look  at travel influencer following by country, we find that Gen Zs in UAE are more likely to follow a travel influencer than the global average (23% vs 19%). For travel companies, this presents an array of opportunities to channel their efforts towards influencer campaigns and online promotions in order to target and engage this digitally savvy generation of travellers.