Younger business travellers are more likely to want to book non-hotel accommodation than older generations, according to a report by serviced apartment booking specialist Situ.
Members of Gen Z, those born after 1997, are increasingly looking for accommodation options such as serviced apartments, short-term rentals and guesthouses, with wellbeing cited as the primary driver for this preference.
Gen Z travellers are also less likely to book via corporate tools than older colleagues, with only 21 per cent of this age group booking through their company's channels and two-thirds of them using popular consumer platforms instead.
Situ’s new “Mind the Gap” white paper is based on a survey of around 550 UK-based business travellers across different generations: Gen Z, Millennials (born 1981-1996), Gen X (born 1965-1980) and Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964).
The survey also revealed that wellbeing was considered less of a priority for those in the Gen X and Baby Boomer cohorts compared with younger travellers.
“Gen Zs and Millennials are far more likely to want space to entertain family and friends, to spend time in shared spaces, and to have invites to social events on site,” said the report.
There were also marked differences in the importance of sustainability between generations with it being much more of a priority for younger travellers.
Two-thirds of Gen Z respondents said sustainability was a priority for them when selecting accommodation, but this fell to 41 per cent for those in Gen X and was even lower for Baby Boomers at 34 per cent.
Having access to cooking and gym/wellness facilities within accommodation was also far more of a priority for younger generations than older travellers.
However, there was “broad agreement” between different ages on the importance of factors such as price/cost, location, having a guest reception, on-site dining and security.
The Situ report also found that all generations value having flexibility in their accommodation choices but for different reasons. Younger travellers wanted options such as being able to take bikes with them or staying near friends, while older generations were looking to take family members on longer trips.
Phil Stapleton, Situ’s founder and CEO, said that travel managers now faced more pressure to “better understand and respond to the evolving needs of a multigenerational travelling workforce”.
“The nuances around generational needs and preferences are yet another dimension for buyers and suppliers of business travel services to consider, alongside priorities such as flexibility, tech and duty of care,” he added.