Singapore — Nearly three in four Gen Z travellers across Asia plan to take between one and six trips each year, signalling a shift in how banks, airlines, and loyalty providers need to design travel rewards as younger consumers increasingly expect seamless and experience-led journeys.
Agoda’s 2026 Travel Outlook found that 73% of Gen Z travelers intend to travel one to six times annually and 86% prefer shorter trips lasting one to seven days, demonstrating a lifestyle shift toward more frequent travel that creates year-round engagement opportunities for brands.
These evolving travel habits are also changing expectations around loyalty programmes, as Gen Z consumers increasingly expect travel booking, rewards, and personalised offers to be integrated into a single digital experience, allowing banks, airlines, and financial service providers to keep users engaged while making travel planning more convenient.
Experiences remain the biggest motivation behind Gen Z travel decisions—led by cultural exploration at 32%, outdoor activities at 30%, and culinary experiences at 28%—which presents brands with opportunities to move beyond traditional discounts by offering destination-specific experiences, exclusive member perks, and bundled travel packages that make loyalty rewards feel more meaningful.
Sustainability is also becoming a stronger influence on booking behaviour. Around 38% of Gen Z travellers actively look for accommodation with recognised sustainability certifications, while 23% choose to travel during off-peak periods to reduce their environmental impact.
These preferences create new opportunities for brands to incorporate sustainability into their loyalty strategies, as airlines can encourage off-peak travel through exclusive member fares, while banks and loyalty providers can highlight certified accommodation, reward responsible travel choices, and make sustainable options easier to discover within their platforms.
The findings suggest that loyalty programmes are evolving from transactional rewards into connected travel ecosystems, where booking, experiences, and sustainability are embedded into a single customer journey, meaning that as Gen Z continues to prioritise convenience, personalisation, and purpose, brands that integrate travel more naturally into their digital platforms are likely to strengthen long-term engagement and customer loyalty.
“Gen Z is changing what travel loyalty needs to feel like,” said Damien Pfirsch, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Rocket Travel by Agoda. “They plan around experiences and expect a straightforward path from discovery to booking. The opportunity here is to make travel feel native within the platform’s existing experience, so members can see value clearly, book with confidence and use rewards across the trip.”
“Programs must also be thoughtful about surfacing offers that align with their growing budget and sustainability values. When travel feels like a natural extension of the loyalty experience, partners can increase engagement and build stronger long-term customer relationships,” added Pfirsch.
