Gen Z in India prefers weekend and short trips over annual holidays, Airbnb survey finds

Gen Z retires annual holiday, prefers weekend trips, short breaks: Report

Gen Z in India has quietly retired the ritual of one annual holiday and shifted to frequent weekend trips and short breaks, with 87 per cent preferring trips that last under a week, according to a research report by Airbnb.

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Gen has redefined travel, finds new report

New Delhi: Gen Z in India has quietly retired the ritual of one annual holiday and shifted to frequent weekend trips and short breaks, with 87 per cent preferring trips that last under a week, according to a research report by Airbnb.According to the report based on a survey of 2,012 Gen Z respondents aged 18-29 across 11 Indian cities in April 2026, weekend trips lead the preference, followed by three-to-five-day breaks. Longer holidays are the exception."70% prefer 3 short trips over 1 long annual holiday," the report said. Travel for this generation is less a planned event and more a reflexive response -- to stress, to an open weekend, or to a friend who simply said 'let's go'. The data showed 66% book their trips within days or weeks of travel, not months in advance, and 67% say no two trips they've taken have ever looked the same.Also read | A German & a Chinese walk into India's hot corporate battlegroundThe survey found that travel has become an expression of identity for Gen Z. "87% agree that the way they travel reflects who they are as a person, and 92% say it matters that their choice of destination or stay reflects their personal taste, not just a popular option," the report noted.This conviction shapes decisions, with 80% saying small moments on a trip matter more to them than famous attractions. When they arrive somewhere, they are more likely to be found in a local market or neighbourhood grocery store than at the nearest landmark.The report calls Gen Z the "Anti-Itinerary" generation. "Gen Z doesn't travel to execute a plan. For this generation, the absence of a plan is often the plan," it said.95% said it matters that their trip feels personal and unique rather than typical or pre-planned, and 64% intentionally leave portions of their schedule unplanned to explore. The most telling data point: 2 in 3 travel with the explicit intention of doing absolutely nothing -- no sightseeing, no must-do activities, just resting and taking slow days. Nearly a quarter do it on every trip.Also read | Chennai port launches 21-voyage cruise season as MV Empress arrivesFor Gen Z, the stay itself has become the destination. 82% said accommodation is very or extremely important when planning a trip, and 78% spend at least half their total trip time at their accommodation. The features they look for are not a hotel checklist but a "home wishlist" -- a balcony or terrace, closeness to local streets and markets, enough space for everyone, and a shared living area to be together.

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