Online Travel Behavior of Millennials Versus Gen Z: A Comparative Analysis

Targeting Millennials and Gen Z, two of today’s most significant demographic groups, is challenging for tourism destinations and organizations. To reach these markets with integrated tourism experiences and services, they must first identify and comprehend their behavioral patterns and differences. Despite those groups’ importance to the travel industry, the tourism sector occasionally seems to ignore these travel behaviors. Thus, this chapter will look into how technology has affected Millennials’ and Gen Z’s travel behavior. The overall goal of this chapter is to compare the differences in online travel behavior of two of today’s most important demographic groups, Millennials and Gen Z. The chapter specifically examines (a) the tourism behavior of Millennials and Generation Z; (b) the impact of technology on their tourism behavior; and (c) the impact of the COVID-19 healthcare crisis on their travel behavior. A primary survey with a self-administered questionnaire was developed and implemented to serve the above purposes and research questions. Evidence from primary research studies reveals intriguing findings and conclusions about the two generations’ tourist behavior, the online media they use, the role a hotel brand plays in the selection process, and their travel behavior in relation to the COVID-19 health crisis. The chapter ends with recommendations for tourism destinations and organizations targeting these important demographic groups with integrated tourist experiences and services by knowing these distinctions and similarities.