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

Bertrand Sava, normal supervisor for retail and travel businesses for HBX Group’s Hotelbeds, was a part of a panel at the lately concluded MarketHub 2025 commerce convention which mentioned key developments taking place in the sector, significantly inside the Asia Pacific.

Sava, in addition to different HBX officers, identified that, removed from changing into out of date, travel businesses and their agents are thriving nicely in today and age.

In this unique interview, Save shares additional insights with Travel Daily Media’s personal Gary Marshall.

Travel Daily Media (TDM)    Right now,  travel agents are in, I believe you used the phrase, a re-emergence of the travel businesses; and you additionally commented that travel agents are misunderstood; so, let’s simply contact on these two subjects, if we could. 

Bertrand Sava (BertS)      Let’s begin with the misunderstanding about travel agents, I’d say. 

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

When I used to be invited to affix [HBX Group] to take that function as its retail normal supervisor, I used to be actually fascinated with 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 is stunning is that what is definitely fueling that development isn’t solely transactions from the older generations that used to make use of travel businesses recurrently, however from the Gen Z, which is one thing that individuals could contemplate a little bit bit stunning.

Indeed, 40 p.c of Gen Z are conscious that they’re relying on travel agents every time they ebook their journeys. 

They actually need one thing distinctive, one thing that connects to their values.

Gen Z actually needs one thing that fits them in order that they worth the expertise all the extra, significantly the add-ons, the hidden gems they wouldn’t have came upon about.

They worth all that extra than simply the complete price of the journey, and that’s precisely the place travel agents have to be at.

In the context of overtourism

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

My assumption, and I might be fallacious right here, is that this Gen Z, to make use of your phrases, is searching for extra experiential locations, perhaps even getting out of the massive cities and so forth.

Are they only tapping into the travel agents for an additional degree of experience about the place to go that’s past the massive 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 due to this fact that’s relying a bit a lot on over-tourism. 

On the different hand, additionally they choose to do solo travel, that uniqueness that they’re ; 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 as the common points of interest, 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: Too a lot data kills data.

BertS   Yeah, it was really a French journalist who stated that.

But I find it irresistible, as a result of there typically actually is an excessive amount of data. 

That’s what occurs while you need to ebook someplace and even in the event you’re simply looking, 

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

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

You additionally made a remark saying a travel company or agent must be the place the prospects are.

But, to be extra particular, on what kind of platform do you assume they must be based mostly on your analysis? 

BertS     Well, I imply, you understand, it’s social media, it’s travel blogs,  it’s opinions posted on-line, even prompt messaging platforms.

Those are all the platforms that Gen Z is utilizing nowadays; and, for travel agents, that’s the place they have to be.

They additionally have to be lively, posting, reacting, and showcasing, as a result of they’re actually making a relationship with shoppers even earlier than they present up at the door, and that’s essential right this moment.

Being service oriented will get outcomes

BertS    I believe that profitable travel agents have all the time centered on wonderful customer support. 

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

I imply, you need your prospects to return again, and they may come again in the event that they know that you’re going that further mile they want in some instances.

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

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

Now, are you speaking about the expertise with the travel agents or about the precise expertise at the vacation spot? 

BertS     I used to be talking of that in normal.

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 nice, the worth is much less essential. 

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

Another attention-grabbing statistic is that Gen Z really 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 stated earlier right this moment whereby a woman on one among the panels stated that the oldest technology was all “Let’s work now, then travel later.”

BertS     But Gen Z needs their travel time now, not once they retire, and they may repeat the expertise.

That’s why they assume it’s value it, and additionally why they’ll fortunately pay up for it.

About Bertrand Sava

A French nationwide, Bertrand Sava has been normal supervisor for retail and travel businesses for HBX Group subsidiary Hotelbeds since March 2022.

He has a well-demonstrated historical past of working in the data know-how and companies business.

As such, he’s extremely expert in the fields of banking, gross sales administration, in addition to monetary applied sciences (fintech.)