Azlan Othman
Two-thirds of Muslim Generation ‘Z’ (Gen Z) travellers are looking for cultural immersion in their chosen destinations, according to a report from Mastercard and CrescentRating.
The report, Muslim Gen Z: The Next Generation of Travellers, is based on a survey conducted from August 2022 to December 2022 with 550 Muslim Gen Z segments.
Sixty per cent were from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.
According to the report, the Muslim Gen Z population is actively looking to travel, with 69 per cent planning to take two or more trips in the next 12 months, and 32 per cent wanting to stay at their destinations between one and two weeks.
Almost half of the respondents (45 per cent) identify themselves as environmental enthusiasts. Nearly a third are willing to minimise flying, while 11 per cent will pay for carbon offsets and 14 per cent will take holidays closer to home to avoid long-haul flights.
When it comes to travel spending, 77 per cent of Muslim Gen Z are willing to spend with sustainability in mind, such as reducing air travel, participating in “voluntourism” (or volunteer tourism), and supporting local businesses.
When it comes to payment methods overseas, 73 per cent of them are more inclined to use a debit or credit card while 57 per cent prefer to use cash.
“Being the first generation born in the digital age, Gen Z is often considered the true digital natives with exposure to the Internet, social networks, and mobile devices from a very early age. Gen Z is actively redefining what it means to travel. This report presents clear, actionable findings for tourism operators around the world that can help them to capture this incredibly important demographic,” said founder and Chief Executive Officer, CrescentRating and HalalTrip Fazal Bahardeen.
Muslim Gen Z women also emerged in the study as important decision makers, with over 70 per cent heavily involved in planning for family travel. Almost 70 per cent prefer cultural immersion activities such as experiencing local traditions, heritage, and cuisine. In addition, 63 per cent seek opportunities to learn something new in their travels. This segment is also the driver for change, with 76 per cent indicating social causes to be important in their travel plans.
Faith-based services are also important for Muslim travellers, with Muslim Gen Z identifying Halal food services, prayer facilities, and water-friendly washrooms as “need-to-have” factors when considering destinations.
Mastercard Division President of Southeast Asia Safdar Khan said, “We’ve seen that all over the world, consumers are making up for the lost time in travel due to the challenges over the last few years.”
He added, “They are enthusiastically wanting to visit new places and discover new experiences while keeping sustainability top of mind, and this demand will influence consumer choice and spending significantly in 2023.”
