Hotels will need to tailor offerings to Gen Z travellers' varied tastes: Marriott

Hotel operators may need to cater to multiple definitions of luxury as affluent young travellers take a larger role in planning and paying for leisure trips in Asia Pacific (Apac), according to a July 1 research report by Marriott International’s luxury brands group.

The US-based hospitality giant suggests that Gen Z can no longer be treated as a single demographic, as it debunks the “outdated caricature” of the cohort as “screen-addicted”, uninterested in traditional luxury, driven by the fear of missing out (FOMO), and travellers who chase novelty and book trips on a whim.

“That portrait is increasingly inaccurate,” Marriott says.

Instead, its research identifies four main traveller categories within Gen Zs with vastly different expectations around accommodation, wellness, dining, design, and cultural experiences.

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These four Gen Z archetypes in Apac are:

The 'Connoisseur Traditionalist' (34%)The 'Future Proofer' (30%)The 'Quiet Luxurist' (20%)The 'Cultural Reclaimer' (16%)

Besides, more than half of Gen Z luxury travellers pay for their own leisure trips, while nearly half are the main decision-makers for each holiday. Their top planned travel companions are immediate family and small friend groups.

The diverse range of priorities among affluent young travellers entails a structural change in how luxury hotels need to think about everything — from room configurations and wellness facilities to F&B offerings, experience design, and sales strategy, in Marriott’s view.

For example, friend groups may want adjacent rooms on a corridor with a shared social space, instead of traditional couple- or family-centric layouts such as connecting rooms.

When it comes to dining, communal menus, larger shared tables, curated tastings could resonate more with younger guests travelling together. That means traditional F&B packages tailored around romance or couples may have to be rethought.

Gen Zs' planned holiday companions this year:

For the study, the research team surveyed 2,800 individuals in eight Apac markets — Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam — drawn from the wealthiest 10% of residents in each market, from April to May 2026.

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These are frequent international travellers who primarily travel for leisure. The Gen Z segment comprised 1,200 respondents, aged 18 to 29.

Wellness treatments, traditional luxury for younger guests

The study categorises Gen Z into four emerging groups. Each prioritises different aspects of travel such as privacy, stillness, quality, service, status cues, heritage, placed-based discovery, cultural connection, restoration, well-being, and preventative care.

Four main types of Gen Z luxury travellers:

The Connoisseur Traditionalist is the largest Gen Z segment in the region, making up 34%.

This group prizes prestige, established luxury brands, design, and service excellence. With “exceptionally high” accommodation standards, they tend to stay in flagship hotels and turn to Michelin-starred restaurants and butler service, the report notes.

About 55% of them travel with immediate family, and 51% are willing to spend more on family trips.

Most of the Connoisseur Traditionalists say that brand reputation influences their booking decisions. Loyalty is also a key driver, as 85% of them are motivated by recognition and rewards.

Their trips are researched and planned months ahead, and they find satisfaction in everything being precisely organised. This category of travellers is most concentrated among residents in Singapore and Thailand.

Future Proofers are the next-largest group in Apac, accounting for 30% of the cohort. They view travel through the lens of health and well-being.

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Nearly all of these travellers use wellness facilities during their stay, while 95% would like to have access to in-house healthcare experts. Their preferred accommodation choices are luxury hotels and private villas in beautiful and restorative environments.

Retreats and proximity to nature are also important to Future Proofers when they are choosing a destination. More than half (57%) of them are willing to spend more on wellness treatments — far exceeding the broader Gen Z average of 20%.

“Their growing influence reflects the evolution of luxury travel towards an indulgence in preventive health, restoration and holistic wellbeing,” says Marriott.

In Apac, the biggest proportion of Future Proofers are found among travellers from Australia and India.

Market breakdown of the four types of Gen Z luxury travellers:

Gen Zs who want seclusion, cultural connection

Quiet Luxurists, representing 20% of Gen Z respondents, prioritise privacy, personal space, a gentle pace, and the ability to go off-grid — worlds away from packed itineraries and incessant social sharing. All of them limit technology use while on holiday.

The majority seek out lesser-known destinations and quieter places far removed from crowds, and 90% look for private dining experiences. They typically gravitate towards longer stays.

Boutique hotels and resorts, private residences and villas, secluded beach escapes, and countryside getaways appeal to Quiet Luxurists.

“They are redefining luxury as the ability to disconnect, disappear, and reclaim stillness,” the report states.

Almost six in 10 of Quiet Luxurists travel with a small group of friends, though 36% enjoy solo travel.

Geographically within Apac, the Quiet Luxurists are represented most frequently among travellers from Indonesia, and the least in Thailand. In terms of this group’s favourite destinations, Europe takes the lead, closely followed by Asia.

The least common category among affluent young travellers is the Cultural Reclaimer, making up 16% of Gen Z respondents in the region.

Cultural Reclaimers seek deeper engagement with local communities, heritage, and identity, and wish to strengthen intergenerational bonds.

Half of them say that destinations linked to their family heritage are “very important”, and nearly nine in 10 look for immersive experiences. About 93% of them like to explore architecture and design.

All Cultural Reclaimers take an active role in planning family trips, with roughly two-thirds also acting as the main financial decision-maker. This archetype is most commonly based in Vietnam and Japan.

How hospitality brands can respond

As more wealthy young travellers actively plan and fund their trips, hotel owners and operators may have to accommodate a greater variety of travel styles within each property.

The key is to invest in personalisation without adding friction, so as to build spaces to serve multiple modes of luxury.

“The same property may need restorative wellness spaces, highly social dining venues, family-oriented experiences and private retreats to meet their expectations,” Marriott highlights.

It adds that hospitality brands ought to design for traveller motivations, instead of demographics. Behavioural data can help hotels curate relevant dining, wellness and local experiences.

In particular, wellness is one of the defining themes influencing luxury travel demand, with such offerings becoming a significant part of the hospitality proposition.

Among Gen Z luxury travellers, 85% point out that restorative wellness experiences are key to picking a destination.

Gen Zs: How important are these factors in your choice of travel destinations this year?

The Future Proofer group is especially keen on wellness-oriented offerings — the vast majority say it is important for hotels to have in-house healthcare experts, wellness therapies, and a spa, gym, and swimming pool.

The findings suggest that wellness is extending beyond traditional spas to encompass other types of amenities and experiences, including sleep programmes and preventative health services.

Gastronomy as a differentiator

Food continues to be a primary driver of luxury travel, with 88% of all respondents in Apac describing gastronomy as either an important or very important part of their experience. Among Gen Zs, 86% want to discover new food or culinary experiences.

That said, hotels can no longer compete on exceptional dining quality alone, as travellers are placing greater emphasis on dietary requirements, allergy risks, wellness considerations, uniqueness, and personal preferences.

A wider variety of F&B options including vegan and vegetarian food, and low- or no-alcohol beverages, are among must-haves for younger guests.

Many Quiet Luxurists desire wellness-focused dining, Cultural Reclaimers expect unique dining experiences, and Connoisseur Traditionalists actively seek restaurants with accolades such as Michelin stars or 50 Best awards.

Besides F&B, Marriott reckons it will be important for hotels to rethink their concierge services to attract Gen Z luxury travellers, who name personalisation and cultural immersion as major influencing factors in their choice of destinations.

For instance, Cultural Reclaimers want heritage tours, community programmes, and immersive local experiences, while Future Proofers look for wellness practitioners, and Connoisseur Traditionalists seek priority access to sought-after restaurants.

Iconic hotels, family trips appeal in Singapore

In Singapore, Connoisseur Traditionalists make up 42% of the Gen Z respondents — the biggest proportion of the archetype among the eight markets surveyed.

Motivated by celebrations, status and experiences, this group of travellers from the city-state prefer iconic hotels, exceptional service, loyalty recognition, acclaimed dining, and meticulously planned itineraries.

Most of the Connoisseur Traditionalists based in Singapore note that Thailand is their preferred destination, often with immediate family.

Beyond Gen Z, in the broader Singapore market across other age groups, the study found that family is likewise the core focus, with 47% of wealthy Singaporeans most willing to spend on trips with their families.

Roughly six in 10 respondents in the city-state also cite brand reputation as the main factor when selecting accommodation abroad.

Cruises (36%), beach holidays (35%), and travelling holidays such as coach and train trips (32%) rank highly among travel preferences for high-net-worth individuals in Singapore.

Top destinations include mainland China, Australia and India. About 88% plan to visit somewhere new, which reflects “a strong appetite for discovery” among Singapore residents, the report notes.

More are staying within Asia Pacific

As for the wider Apac region, the findings conclude that luxury travel is seeing a recalibration.

While travellers from the eight markets surveyed are still spending, they are taking fewer trips, staying longer, remaining closer to home, booking closer to departure, and choosing more immersive experiences.

A clear shift this year is the growing focus on travel within Apac. Planned travel to every region outside Apac has declined amid an uncertain global environment.

Southeast Asia is among top destinations for Apac's luxury travellers:

Australia continues to be the region’s most popular destination, holding onto its number one spot. Indonesia is seeing the biggest rise in rankings, jumping to second place in 2026 from 16th place in 2025.

Southeast Asia, which increasingly appeals for short-haul luxury travel, now dominates much of the top 10 spots for affluent travellers in Apac.

Luxury accommodation options also have to broaden beyond the traditional five-star property, as the appetite for exclusive villas and “characterful” properties is growing, Marriott says.

Despite global economic uncertainty, spending on leisure travel is likely to increase. Nearly seven in 10 well-off travellers in Apac plan to put more money into longer leisure trips, while 60% expect to spend more on shorter breaks too.