Summary:
- Younger consumers are redefining hotel discovery through platform-hopping and peer input, according to SOCi.
- Fragmented search and discovery are reshaping how trust is built.
- About one-third of consumers aged 18–34 report less brand loyalty than a year ago.
GEN Z IS RESHAPING hotel shopping through multiple platforms, peer input and real-time research, according to SOCi, a marketing platform for multi-location businesses. Unlike previous generations who relied on a single search engine or map app, the younger consumer moves through a series of smaller decisions - starting on TikTok, checking Reddit or Yelp and ending with a Google Maps search.
SOCi’s 2025 Consumer Behavior Index found that the traditional front door has been replaced by multiple digital entry points, each influencing how a brand is perceived.
“Legacy retail marketing models weren’t built for today’s buyer,” said Monica Ho, SOCi’s chief marketing officer. “Gen Z is redefining what discovery looks like; they don’t follow a path, they create one. Brands that can’t meet them across platforms with authenticity and proof won’t earn their trust or their business.”
This fragmented approach to search and discovery has shifted how trust is formed, the survey said. While search engines and navigation tools remain widely used, Gen Z is more likely to try newer tools like AI platforms and rely on peer-driven content. Despite this, they remain cautious—AI still ranks lower in trust, while user content on Instagram, TikTok and Reddit has greater influence on decisions.
Brand loyalty is declining among younger consumers, SOCi said. The recent CBI survey included 1,001 U.S. adults evenly distributed by gender, age and region.
According to the CBI, nearly one-third of consumers aged 18–24 and over one-third of those aged 25 to 34 say they are less loyal to retail brands than a year ago. Among the youngest buyers, brand reputation ranks ninth in purchase decisions, behind price, quality, convenience, customer reviews and visual content.
“There’s no single source of truth anymore,” said Ho. “Consumers, especially younger ones, are assembling the full picture themselves, platform by platform. To win their trust, retail brands must meet them everywhere and prove their value at every turn.”
Separately, a recent Cox Business survey found that staying connected is a travel priority for Gen Z and millennial professionals.
