Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Young Korean travelers increasingly prefer AI-friendly, cost-effective travel: survey
Courtesy of Booking.com
By Lee Hae-rin
Booking.com, a leading online travel platform, analyzed the travel behavior and types of Generation Z (those born in the 1990s and early 2010s) travelers and found that they actively use artificial intelligence (AI) technology and value cost-effectiveness.
The analysis is based on sustainable travel reports and travel trends from Booking.com's survey data.
Gen Z travelers from around the world and Korea tend to utilize various technologies for travel preparation as well as during their trip, the survey showed. Some 57 percent of Gen Z travelers in Korea and 53 percent of global respondents said they would like to use an AI travel planner before commencing their travels.
Additionally, about 44 percent of Korean respondents and 40 percent of global respondents said they prefer AI-based products and services during their respective trips.
Gen Z travelers are open to traveling alone, with over half planning to do so within the next year (58 percent in Korea and 63 percent globally). Additionally, four out of 10 respondents have traveled on their own in the past six months (39 percent in Korea and 43 percent globally).
Regarding travel ideas, “advice from friends and family” (42 percent in Korea, 50 percent globally) and “using social media” (41 percent in Korea, 58 percent globally) topped the list, suggesting that social media plays a great influence on the travel decisions of Gen Zers.
Notably, 65 percent of Korean respondents and 58 percent of global respondents said they plan to avoid the peak season during their travels due to economic reasons, with about half of them, (58 percent in Korea, 51 percent globally) saying that they refuse to tip service workers.
In addition, about 42 percent of Korean respondents and 48 percent of global respondents said they consider cost-effectiveness as the most important factor when deciding on a destination.
About six out of 10 respondents, (67 percent in Korea, 64 percent globally) said that reviews on cost-effectiveness greatly influence their travel plans.