Hotelbeds’ Bertrand Sava on Gen Z and travel agents in the 21st century travel landscape

The submit Hotelbeds’ Bertrand Sava on Gen Z and travel agents in the 21st century travel landscape appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Bertrand Sava, basic supervisor for retail and travel companies for HBX Group’s Hotelbeds, was a part of a panel at the not too long ago concluded MarketHub 2025 commerce convention which mentioned key developments occurring in the sector, significantly inside the Asia Pacific.

Sava, in addition to different HBX officers, identified that, removed from changing into out of date, travel companies and their agents are thriving properly in at the present time and age.

In this unique interview, Save shares additional insights with Travel Daily Media’s personal Gary Marshall.

Travel Daily Media (TDM)    Right now,  travel agents are in, I feel you used the phrase, a re-emergence of the travel companies; and you additionally commented that travel agents are misunderstood; so, let’s simply contact on these two matters, if we might. 

Bertrand Sava (BertS)      Let’s begin with the misunderstanding about travel agents, I’d say. 

Actually, the instance I gave you, is my very own case; I imply, I’m comparatively new to this business, right here for 3 years now. 

When I used to be invited to hitch [HBX Group] to take that function as its retail basic supervisor, I used to be actually interested by whether or not or not there was an actual and thriving enterprise and rising enterprise; and certainly, there was and it’s nonetheless rising. 

What is stunning is that what is definitely fueling that progress just isn’t solely transactions from the older generations that used to make use of travel companies often, however from the Gen Z, which is one thing that individuals might take into account a little bit bit stunning.

Indeed, 40 p.c of Gen Z are conscious that they’re relying on travel agents every time they ebook their journeys. 

They really need one thing distinctive, one thing that connects to their values.

Gen Z actually desires one thing that fits them in order that they worth the expertise all the extra, significantly the add-ons, the hidden gems they wouldn’t have discovered about.

They worth all that extra than simply the complete price of the journey, and that’s precisely the place travel agents should be at.

In the context of overtourism

TDM      Okay;now, let’s contact on that phrase over-tourism. 

My assumption, and I could possibly be flawed right here, is that this Gen Z, to make use of your phrases, is in search of extra experiential locations, perhaps even getting out of the massive cities and so forth.

Are they only tapping into the travel agents for one more stage of experience about the place to go that’s past the massive cities? 

BertS    I feel that it’s balanced, proper; because on one hand, they wish to go the place they will have that submit, that image, that selfie, and due to this fact that’s relying a bit a lot on over-tourism. 

On the different hand, additionally they favor to do solo travel, that uniqueness that they’re taking a look at; so I feel they’re additionally open to the potential options to the over-tourism which can contain travelling low season or going to locations that aren’t as well-known as the common sights, proper?

TDM     You made a remark this morning, and it was so telling: 65 p.c of vacationers really feel overwhelmed. 

And I favored that saying: Too a lot info kills info.

BertS   Yeah, it was really a French journalist who mentioned that.

But I find it irresistible, as a result of there typically actually is an excessive amount of info. 

That’s what occurs while you wish to ebook someplace and even for those who’re simply looking out, 

You get bombarded by presents; there’s simply an excessive amount of info, and it simply feels overwhelming.

TDM    So quite a lot of these Gen Zs are literally utilizing social media of some type.

You additionally made a remark saying a travel company or agent must be the place the prospects are.

But, to be extra particular, on what kind of platform do you assume they should be primarily based on your analysis? 

BertS     Well, I imply, you recognize, it’s social media, it’s travel blogs,  it’s opinions posted on-line, even on the spot messaging platforms.

Those are all the platforms that Gen Z is utilizing today; and, for travel agents, that’s the place they should be.

They additionally should be energetic, posting, reacting, and showcasing, as a result of they’re actually making a relationship with shoppers even earlier than they present up at the door, and that’s crucial in the present day.

Being service oriented will get outcomes

BertS    I feel that profitable travel agents have at all times targeted on wonderful customer support. 

If you give nice customer support, you should have a profitable enterprise.

I imply, you need your prospects to come back again, and they are going to come again in the event that they know that you’re going that further mile they want in some circumstances.

Then they are going to come again for the subsequent one, and the subsequent one after that; so this is essential. 

TDM     You made a remark in the session that prospects are keen to spend 67 p.c extra if the expertise is price it. 

Now, are you speaking about the expertise with the travel agents or about the precise expertise at the vacation spot? 

BertS     I used to be talking of that in basic.

As a shopper, you’re able to spend extra if the gross sales expertise is price it, proper? 

Now, if the gross sales expertise is sweet, the worth is much less necessary. 

Statistically, Gen Zs hunt down luxurious lodging, and it’s like each two out of three, proper? In which case, they’re imply, they’re searching for one thing distinctive, one thing that basically fits their tastes.

Another attention-grabbing statistic is that Gen Z really spends 20 p.c greater than the common traveller.

So, if it’s price it, they’ll do it.

TDM     I additionally favored what was mentioned earlier in the present day whereby a girl on certainly one of the panels mentioned that the oldest technology was all “Let’s work now, then travel later.”

BertS     But Gen Z desires their travel time now, not once they retire, and they are going to repeat the expertise.

That’s why they assume it’s price it, and additionally why they’ll fortunately pay up for it.

 

About Bertrand Sava

A French nationwide, Bertrand Sava has been basic supervisor for retail and travel companies for HBX Group subsidiary Hotelbeds since March 2022.

He has a well-demonstrated historical past of working in the info expertise and companies business.

As such, he’s extremely expert in the fields of banking, gross sales administration, in addition to monetary applied sciences (fintech.)

The submit Hotelbeds’ Bertrand Sava on Gen Z and travel agents in the 21st century travel landscape appeared first on Travel Daily Media.

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