Hawaiʻi's hospitality industry is seeing a new kind of visitor in Generation Z. How they travel could bring changes to the state's largest private industry. We get more on that story from Pacific Business News Editor in Chief Janis Magin.
Hawaiʻi hotels have spent millions of dollars upgrading rooms and amenities. But this new generation of travelers — Generation Z — is looking for a different experience.
Gen Z includes people born in the late 1990s through about 2010. And they’re changing travel to Hawaiʻi before they even set foot in the Islands.
For example, their parents may book vacations months in advance, but Gen Z likes to book at the last minute, sometimes within a week of departure.
Jerry Agrusa is a travel industry professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He says Gen Z is also traveling more — but taking shorter trips. He says many of them travel for rejuvenation, mental health and discovery.
And they spend more. A study by the Hawaiʻi Visitors & Convention Bureau found that Gen Z travelers are expected to spend about $10,000 on leisure travel over the next year. That's $4,000 more than the average among all travelers.
Experts say these new travelers are setting the stage for future generations. And businesses are adjusting their assumptions. Hotels are getting used to forecasting around shorter booking windows.
Activities and attractions are changing their marketing strategies to appeal to travelers seeking authentic experiences.
Lori Barrett at Blue Dolphin Charters says the Kauaʻi company has shifted its messaging.
She says Gen Z is looking for experiences that feel unique and are worth sharing on social media.
And that means her team has become storytellers. Now they don't just show what they do — they tell what it feels like to be here.
