Examining the Disruptive Potential of Generation Z Tourists on the Travel Industry in the Digital Age

The tourism industry has faced several challenges over the years, due to the evolution of technology and behavioral changes of the generations. The research focused on the new generation of tourists, Generation Z. Known as digital natives, the study aimed to identify their current travel behavior in the digital age and their perception of the future of travel in the context of recent technological developments, namely artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, thus highlighting specific elements that could disrupt the travel industry. To achieve this goal, qualitative research was conducted, using two sessions of focus groups among 20 Generation Z tourists. The results show that Generation Z tourists exhibit disruptive behavior primarily due to their heavy reliance on social media platforms, even for travel purposes. Social media has become their primary search engine, and travel influencers hold significant sway over certain individuals in this generation. In addition, they serve as influencers, by sharing visual content from their travels. Another noteworthy trend in the travel industry is Generation Z’s inclination towards multi-channel booking, effortlessly switching between different booking options. Lastly, although the results show little awareness of the potential of advanced technologies, their openness to adopt them to simplify the travel planning process further contributes to the disruption of traditional travel patterns. Generation Z can be considered a bridge between previous and future generations. The study has implications for management and marketing activities in the tourism field.