75 pc of Gen Z millennials more likely to travel across generations Airbnb survey

New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) Three of four Gen Z and millennial travellers in India are more likely to go on holidays with family members across generations, with shared memories and strengthening family bonds emerging as key motivations, according to an Airbnb survey unveiled on Thursday.

     Speaking to PTI, Airbnb Country Head for India and Southeast Asia Amanpreet Singh Bajaj said younger Indian travellers were redefining not just how and where people travel, but also who they travel with, with multi-generational families and cousins increasingly coming together for holidays.

     "Our Intergenerational Travel Insights survey, conducted with YouGov among more than 2,000 respondents across major Indian cities, found that 75 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial respondents were more likely to travel across generations.

     "Among Gen Z respondents, 70 per cent said they were more likely to do so than a few years ago. We are seeing multi-generational families and cousins coming together for trips in ways that perhaps were not top of mind a few years ago," Bajaj said.

     The survey found that creating shared memories was the leading motivation for such trips, cited by 55 per cent of respondents, followed by having fun together (52 per cent) and strengthening bonds with family and friends (51 per cent).

     The trend is also reflected in Airbnb's internal data, which showed that domestic searches for stays by groups of five or more people, including at least one child or infant, grew over 55 per cent year-on-year.

     Bajaj said the accommodation itself was increasingly becoming an integral part of the holiday, with travellers placing greater emphasis on spending time together rather than merely exploring destinations.

     "Sixty-three per cent of respondents said they most enjoy relaxing and spending time together at their accommodation, while 57 per cent enjoy sharing meals. These everyday moments can be harder to enjoy together when everyone is staying in separate hotel rooms," he said.

     Among respondents who preferred whole homes, villas or apartments, 89 per cent considered shared spaces important for families to spend time together. Living rooms or common spaces, sufficient bedrooms and multiple bathrooms were among the key accommodation features sought by larger groups.

     The survey also found that 59 per cent of respondents prioritised choosing a destination that everyone in the group would enjoy, while 55 per cent looked for accommodation suited to the needs of the entire group.

     Nature-led destinations, including mountains and countryside retreats, emerged as the most preferred choice for intergenerational travel, cited by 56 per cent of respondents. Beach and coastal getaways followed at 47 per cent, while 44 per cent expressed a preference for heritage and spiritual destinations.

     Bajaj said the findings were consistent with the growing interest in spiritual travel within Airbnb's domestic business.

     The survey also highlighted generational differences in travel preferences. More than 60 per cent of Gen Z respondents said they had travelled with both friends and parents in the past year, compared with 49 per cent and 46 per cent, respectively, among millennials.

     Around half of Gen Z respondents preferred whole homes, villas or apartments for such holidays, reflecting the importance of shared accommodation for younger travellers.

     Domestic travel accounted for over 80 per cent of searches among India-origin groups of five or more guests on Airbnb, while international destinations represented over 15 per cent, according to the company's internal data.

     Bengaluru, Goa, Hyderabad, The Nilgiris, and Puducherry featured among the most-searched domestic destinations for groups of five or more guests.

     The Airbnb Intergenerational Travel Insights 2026 survey was conducted online by YouGov between September 28 and October 7, 2026, among 2,012 urban Indian respondents aged 18-45 from a select group of households across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Indore.

     The sample comprised an equal split of Gen Z respondents aged 18-29 and millennials aged 30-45.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)