Group tours are striking a chord with Aussie Gen Zs. Here’s why

Millennial friends on a hiking trip celebrate reaching the summit and have fun posing for photos

Now aged up to 24, Australia’s Gen Z are keener than ever for extended trips to compensate for the travel experience they lost due to the pandemic.

As concerns around safety and security still linger from the pandemic, group tours have become increasingly popular amongst Australia’s Gen Z population. Global group tour operator for young people, Topdeck Travel, surveyed over 500 Aussie Gen Zs to uncover their latest travel trends and found that 66 per cent are open to taking a group tour. 

Amongst these group touring enthusiasts Topdeck was able to identify three key market segments with distinct preferences around how they like to travel and what they want to experience:

1. The more, the merrier

They want to experience a bit of everything within a large group where they can meet many new people. – Suited to “Get Social” trips

2. Travel and chill

They still want a bit of everything, but at a slower pace, with time to rest, recuperate, and do their own thing.  – Suited to “Play and Pause” trips

3. In-depth

They want to spend time getting to thoroughly know one or two countries in depth and see more than the usual highlights. – Suited to “Delve Deep” trips

The tastes of younger customers may have changed over the pandemic, but proactive tour providers like Topdeck overhauled their trip styles to cater to what Gen Zs want and need today.

Topdeck also asked how Gen Zs best enjoy spending their time while travelling, finding that by far the most popular activity is trying local food and drink (74 per cent of respondents), followed by exploring cities (enjoyed by 57 per cent).

Other interests include:

Catching some sun (60 per cent)
Visiting museums/cultural places (52 per cent)
Enjoying nightlife (45 per cent)

Overall, the critical insight Topdeck took from their research was that when Gen Zs travel, they do so to escape their every day and, by doing so, discover more about who they are away from the comforts of the norm.

That’s what inspired their “Feel Real” philosophy.

“Feel Real” means the element of self-discovery that Gen Zs crave is fully facilitated alongside carefully curated itineraries of unforgettable destinations within the safety and comfort of an expertly guided group tour.

All these changes mean agents can more easily find the ideal tours for their Gen Z customers.

Head to Topdeck’s website today and be the one to help your customers find new, live more, and feel real.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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