With Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau‘s inaugural Luxury Summit Asia 2025 fast-approaching, we unveil the evolving consumption habits of new-gen travellers in collaboration with Vero – Asia’s leading communications consultancy – bringing clarity to a key question for several hospitality brands worldwide: What exactly does luxury mean for the modern day traveller?
Focusing specifically on young consumers in Asia: Gen Z travellers, based on the report – which will be available to download from 23 June 2025 – have undergone a significant shift to their approach on luxury travel. Unlike previous generations who often preferred traditional luxury – Gen Z travellers tend to seek experiences that carry meaning and lasting memories.
Young consumers favour experiences that include wellness offerings, sustainability initiatives, and social media content, which play a key role when it comes down to making travel decisions. Findings show that 71% of Gen Z respondents in Asia consider sustainability when booking luxury trips, and of that sample size, 59% are willing to pay more for eco-centric accommodations. Additionally, 45% also would prefer sustainable architecture – suggesting that modern-day consumers in hospitality are after experiences that don’t just feel better, but are for the better.
Wellness programmes are now becoming an established element in luxury hospitality. Gen Z – as strong advocates of mental health – has pushed holistic well-being as a normal living standard. The studies report that Gen Z respondents choose travel destinations based on its wellness offerings, with nearly half (45%) seeking personalised wellness programmes, while 43% of the respondents prefer exclusive, private wellness retreats. With these activities branching out to various niches – consumers have also shared their preferences in the report: 59% voted for nature therapy, such as forest baths and guided hikes, while 53% opted for spa treatments, like massages and facials.
Another important element for Gen Z travellers comes as no surprise: digital content. Consumers are now almost as present online as they are offline – key findings show that Gen Z travellers specifically from Malaysia find strong travel influences from TikTok (78%), Instagram (70%), and YouTube (60%). When it comes to travel, posting and sharing content can represent not only the destination, but the traveller’s persona and values. In fact, 4 in 5 Malaysian Gen Z respondents actively seek ‘Instagrammable’ content as a way to document their memories in the digital space.
Out of all these cultural activities – a destination really isn’t complete without local cuisine. A staggering 92% of Gen Z respondents say that the food options in each destination are a major deciding factor while travelling, with 35% saying local street food is what enhances their overall travel experience, and for 29% of these respondents, dining at credible restaurants marks a special highlight in their trip.
Apart from culinary appeal, travelling to experience location-specific events have also been on the rise. Gen Z travellers from Hong Kong and Singapore say they’re travelling to experience big-ticket events, with 74% saying they would travel to attend musical festivals, sporting events, or ‘set-jetting’ – visiting their favourite television or movie sets.
While these studies show region-specific preferences, it’s still statistically significant that Gen Z in general have shown growing interest in not only the destinations’ aesthetic appeal, but their cultural and local life. Properties and accommodations that choose to reflect local cultures and resonate with the ethos of Gen Z audiences could have a better chance of aligning with travelling values of the modern consumer.
This marks a step for hospitality brands to leverage the younger consumer’s desire to connect with local communities by presenting meaningful experiences that drive purpose in travel, for them to indulge in not only luxury, but authenticity.
