Are Package Tours Only for Middle-Aged and Older? MZ Generation Flocks to Unique Travel Products

Travel Agencies See Over 40% of Bookings from 2030 Generation
Complex Entry Rules Due to COVID-19... Customized Products for MZ Generation Also Play a Role

Citizens are checking in for a flight to Fukuoka at an airline counter in Terminal 1 of Incheon Airport. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] As overseas travel routes, which had been blocked for a while due to COVID-19, have reopened, package tours?once considered exclusive to middle-aged and older generations?are gaining attention among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). This is because, after COVID-19, safety awareness has increased from quarantine to security, and it has become difficult for individual travelers to cope with the different travel-related regulations in each country. Additionally, as travel products tailored to the tastes of younger people have increased, interest in package tours among the 20s and 30s age group is growing.

According to Hana Tour, theme travel packages sold from April to October had over 40% of reservations made by the 20s and 30s age group. Looking at Norangpungseon's package reservation proportions by age from January to September, those in their 20s to 40s accounted for only 17% in 2019 before COVID-19, but this increased to 37% in 2022. Modetour also saw the package reservation share of the 20s and 30s age group rise from 21% until July 2019 to 35%. Among them, the 20s doubled from 9% in 2019 to 18% this year. Kyowon Tour Travel Easy's MZ PICK also saw sales in September increase by a whopping 2909% compared to May after its launch in May.

The travel industry is developing products with unique themes that can attract the MZ generation. Hana Tour’s Mongolia travel package, accompanied by a travel writer, sold out within one minute of reservations opening. Recently, a product targeting MZ generation 'cat owners' was released, where travelers stay at a hostel operating a shelter for abandoned cats on 'Cat Island' in Fukuoka, Japan. Modetour introduced a product where customers play golf with a golf YouTuber in Haiphong, Vietnam, and have dinner. Instead of dining at restaurants for group tourists, meals are taken at local social media-famous eateries, and visits to shopping centers are limited to once. Chamjoeun Travel’s European travel package in the 5 million KRW range, flying business class, was booked by about 3,000 people during this month’s home shopping broadcast?four times the number of reservations for the same product in 2019.

A travel industry official said, "It seems that young people have started to find appeal in differentiated premium package tours instead of the past low-cost products focused on shopping and sightseeing," adding, "Although overseas travel is now possible, there are still many points to be mindful of such as quarantine, so along with the increase in travel demand, the popularity of package products is expected to grow."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.