Experiential travel on rise with growth in Gen-Z travellers: Report

More travellers are planning to take adventurous and outdoorsy trips, as over half of the Indians are preferring to spend their money on experiences over things, according to a survey.

The survey by online accommodation platform Airbnb also said the generation-Z (24 years and below) is becoming the fastest-growing travel segment.

According to the survey, 58 per cent of Indians prefer to spend their money on experiences over things, and 65 per cent plan to increase their spending on experiences in 2020, particularly women and young adults (generation-Z, millennials).

This survey was done in two phases -- from September 25, 2019 to October 1, 2019 and from December 27, 2019 to January 3, 2020 -- globally among 12,225 respondents, including 1,301 Indian adults.

The yearning to get out of comfort zones and into the wilderness is bringing out the nature lover in travellers this year, with more travellers planning to take adventurous, outdoorsy trips, the survey has showed.

Bookings for nature experiences are up 103 per cent year-on-year, and is the top trending category globally among generation-Z (190 per cent) and baby-boomers (177 per cent). Animal experiences and hiking experiences are seeing significant growth as well, with 141 per cent and 128 per cent increase in bookings, respectively.

As the world becomes more conscious about its dietary habits, food experience is becoming more plant based, with experiences offering vegan options up 579 per cent in 2019 compared to 2018.

About 30 per cent respondents in India would like to spend most of their money on food-related experiences with a surge in bookings witnessed in baking (up 155 per cent), dumpling making (up 124 per cent) and pasta (up 88 per cent) this year, it added.