Adrian Stalham is the chief change officer at Sullivan & Stanley, a U.K.-based business transformation consultancy.
Anyone born prior to 1997 will attest to the unique relationship they had with technology growing up. From dial-up internet to the Nokia 3310 (otherwise known as "the brick") -- despite widespread attempts at innovation, it's fair to say these new devices and services were rarely praised for their ease of use.
It's very different for Gen Z. These "digital natives" have grown up with the technological world at their fingertips. As a result, they've become a generation of early adopters, particularly when it comes to shopping trends. For example, Snapchat reports that more than nine in 10 Gen Z consumers want augmented reality to be a part of their shopping experience.
However, it appears that their stereotypical rebellious streak is rearing its head, with the generation now pushing back against the travel sector's preconceived notions. Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI, has stated that Gen Z is behind a revival of travel advisors. The reason: They believe that researching and booking the perfect holiday on an app or online takes too much time.
Don't mistake this "analog revolution" for a passing trend; it's not just another example of Gen Z riding the nostalgia wave. The fact that the travel-tech ecosystem has become so fragmented and so user-hostile that even digital natives would pay humans to navigate for them is a damning indictment of the industry's digital transformation strategy.
The challenges of flying blind
It's concerning that, after the industry's significant investment in automation, it doesn't resonate with travelers. Data from YouGov shows that less than 20% of consumers want to use their mobile devices for big purchases. Gen Z aren't asking for more bells and whistles.
Instead, it's emotional reassurance that they crave -- especially as, for younger audiences, it really is about the journey. American Express research identified that 70% of Gen Z and millennials invest as much time planning their trips as they do picking the perfect destination. As expected, this is a time-consuming venture: the average traveler visits 277 different web pages before booking a trip.
So what does this mean for travel agents and their role in the proceedings? Despite the recent resurgence of advisors, they are in desperate need of repositioning if they're going to cater to Gen Z behaviors. Given that this has been referred to as "the most stressed generation," the first step is to delivering a seamless experience that will provide a perfect platform to create long-term loyalty amongst Gen Z travelers.
Change isn't a world away
This isn't a call to arms for the travel industry to abandon technology. Rather, it's about redefining its role: technology should facilitate human connection, not replace it. However, to recalibrate automation roadmaps successfully, companies must first "upskill" their teams, starting with transforming travel agents into experience architects and crisis managers.
The time has come for the travel sector to stop selling destinations and start designing moments, something that can only be made possible by embracing experience-first transformation and new organizational capabilities. It's our belief that companies that fail to remake themselves around this Gen Z-driven "analog rebellion" will find themselves checking out of the industry within the next 36 months.
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