What Gen Z Really Wants From Hospitality And How to Market Without Trying Too Hard
Gen Z isn’t chasing amenities. They’re buying relevance, community, authenticity, and moments worth sharing.
If you think a younger guest simply means “add TikTok” or “lower price,” you’re missing the point. Gen Z travelers are fast becoming the dominant hospitality segment, and they travel on their terms. In the 2024 Hilton Trends Report, Gen Z is identified as the next major wave sharping travel behavior globally (Source: Hilton). Key stats: TravelPerk finds that 63% of Gen Z consumers made a travel purchase in the past 12 months, and 88% follow at least one travel influencer, making social inspiration a driver of bookings (Source: TravelPerk).
The takeaway: your hotel brand can’t just cater to Gen Z. You have to align with how they travel, share, and pay, or you’ll be irrelevant.
DROP THE “YOUNG GUEST” SCRIPT. SPEAK TO WHAT GEN Z ACTUALLY VALUES.
When Gen Z books, they’re not just looking for a bed. They’re looking for a story, a community, and a reason to hit “share.” Here are the imperatives:
Authenticity over polish: Gen Z can smell forced luxury from a mile away. A hotel quote from BurdaLuxury finds Gen Z prioritizing flexibility (61% rate 24-hour check-in as essential) and amenities with real utility (Source: BurdaLuxury).
Social currency matters: TravelPerk reports that 75% of Gen Z travelers are interested in unique hotel bars during trips; 40% book a vacation after seeing it on TikTok (Source: TravelPerk).
Shared mindsets, not just destinations: A Future Partners study shows Gen Z more likely to travel for events, experiences, and solo trips. 21% said content creation was a motivator (Source: Future Partners).
Put simply: your marketing should answer “why stay with me?", not just “where.”
TECH, YES, BUT USED SMARTLY
Gen Z expects digital fluency. Studies show they prefer mobile bookings, app-based room controls, and seamless UX (Source: Hospitality Tech). But here’s the nuance: if technology replaces personality, you lose them.
Balance automation with human touch like this:
Onboarding automation: Pre-arrival chatbot with local tips & social invites.
Optional personalization: Give control, but let them opt in (i.e. room playlist or local guide via QR).
Share-first UX: Prompt a one-tap “share on TikTok/Instagram” moment post-check-in.
In other words: tech enables their story. It doesn’t tell it.
VALUE, BUT WITH PREMIUM RELEVANCE
Gen Z may have budgets, but they will spend where the experience justifies it. McKinsey notes younger travelers allocate ~29% of income to travel (Source: US-ASEAN Business Council). And TravelPerk notes 65% expected to spend more on leisure travel in 2024 than the prior year (Source: TravelPerk).
Your offer strategy should reflect this:
Tier 1: Core nonfiction - straightforward stay.
Tier 2: Experience bundle - local art walk + rooftop cocktail at check-in. Moxy Hotel does this welcome drink series brilliantly.
Tier 3: Creator bundle - exclusive access, photo-worthy room, content-friendly lounge.
The point: Gen Z doesn’t just buy “room + breakfast.” They buy “memorable stay worth showing online.”
MAKE THEIR STORIES EASY TO TELL
Influence isn’t optional for Gen Z; it’s part of decision-making. Social-first plays win. Blueprint RF finds Gen Z prioritizing “unique lodging experiences” and “shareable moments” (Source: Blueprint RF).
How to turn your hotel into an exportable story:
Design micro-experiences: neon art walls, custom cocktails, rooftop sunset DJ. Something they photograph.
Content prompts: Check-in email invites a UGC challenge: “Show your #StayStory at [hotel name].”
Low-key influencer integration: Choose creators who live your story, not just post it.
If your property doesn’t make them want to pull out their phone, you’ve already lost.
GUARD FLEXIBILITY AND PAYMENTS
Gen Z is agile. They book late, change plans fast, and expect frictionless payment. Cleartrip reports Gen Z’s preference for flexible bookings, solo travel, and digital wallets (Source: Times of India).
Your operations should reflect this:
Streamlined mobile booking (<3 taps to payment).
Transparent cancellation and add-on menus visible before booking.
Payment options: Apple Pay, Google Pay, even crypto if you really want to flex.
Simpler path in = fewer drop-offs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you treat Gen Z like a secondary demo, you’ll keep getting secondary results. To win them: build for relevance, create moments worth sharing, enable tech (without replacing vibe), and offer value with premium feel.
Start walking this path and you’ll move from “nice hotel for younger people” to “destination for young creators, travelers, and builders.”
At Golden Hour Co., we architect marketing systems for hospitality brands ready to dominate next-gen demand.
Trending Stories
