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

Bertrand Sava, normal supervisor for retail and journey companies for HBX Group’s Hotelbeds, was a part of a panel on the just lately concluded MarketHub 2025 commerce convention which mentioned key traits occurring within the sector, significantly inside the Asia Pacific.

Sava, in addition to different HBX officers, identified that, removed from changing into out of date, journey companies and their brokers are thriving properly this present day.

On this unique interview, Save shares additional insights with Journey Every day Media’s personal Gary Marshall.

Journey Every day Media (TDM) Proper now, journey brokers are in, I believe you used the phrase, a re-emergence of the journey companies; and also you additionally commented that journey brokers are misunderstood; so, let’s simply contact on these two subjects, if we might.

Bertrand Sava (BertS) Let’s begin with the misunderstanding about journey brokers, I might say.

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

Once I was invited to hitch [HBX Group] to take that function as its retail normal supervisor, I used to be actually enthusiastic about 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’s shocking is that what is definitely fueling that development is just not solely transactions from the older generations that used to make use of journey companies repeatedly, however from the Gen Z, which is one thing that individuals might take into account just a little bit shocking.

Certainly, 40 p.c of Gen Z are conscious that they’re counting on journey brokers each time they ebook their journeys.

They actually 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 of the extra, significantly the add-ons, the hidden gems they wouldn’t have came upon about.

They worth all that extra than simply the full value of the journey, and that’s precisely the place journey brokers should be at.

Within the context of overtourism

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

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

Are they only tapping into the journey brokers for an additional stage of experience about the place to go that’s past the large cities?

BertS I believe 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 subsequently that’s relying a bit a lot on over-tourism.

Alternatively, additionally they want to do solo journey, that uniqueness that they’re taking a look at; so I believe 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 because 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 preferred that saying: An excessive amount of info kills info.

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

However I adore it, as a result of there usually actually is an excessive amount of info.

That’s what occurs whenever you need to ebook someplace and even should you’re simply looking,

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

TDM So lots of these Gen Zs are literally utilizing social media of some form.

You additionally made a remark saying a journey company or agent must be the place the purchasers are.

However, to be extra particular, on what kind of platform do you suppose they should be primarily based in your analysis?

BertS Properly, I imply, you already know, it’s social media, it’s journey blogs, it’s opinions posted on-line, even instantaneous messaging platforms.

These are all of the platforms that Gen Z is utilizing nowadays; and, for journey brokers, that’s the place they should be.

In addition they should be energetic, posting, reacting, and showcasing, as a result of they’re actually making a relationship with purchasers even earlier than they present up on the door, and that’s crucial right now.

Being service oriented will get outcomes

BertS I believe that profitable journey brokers have all the time targeted on wonderful customer support.

If you happen to give nice customer support, you’ll have a profitable enterprise.

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

Then they may come again for the following one, and the following one after that; so this is essential.

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

Now, are you speaking in regards to the expertise with the journey brokers or in regards to the precise expertise on the vacation spot?

BertS I used to be talking of that basically.

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

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

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

One other attention-grabbing statistic is that Gen Z truly spends 20 p.c greater than the common traveller.

So, if it’s value it, they’ll do it.

TDM I additionally preferred what was mentioned earlier right now whereby a girl on one of many panels mentioned that the oldest era was all “Let’s work now, then journey later.”

BertS However Gen Z desires their journey time now, not once they retire, and they’ll repeat the expertise.

That’s why they suppose it’s value it, and likewise why they’ll fortunately pay up for it.