Gen Z drives surge in Tamil Nadu’s summer travel demand

As summer intensifies and the holiday season approaches, travel firms are seeing a significant surge in demand from the fast-growing Tamil Nadu market. What stands out in this trend is that the majority of this increase is being driven by Gen Z travelers. With a growing appetite for adventure, cultural tours, and personalised travel options, Gen Z is emerging as a key demographic for tour operators.

“Gen Z travellers (aged 13-27) are redefining luxury travel with a clear preference for international destinations that offer a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. They are not just looking for a quick getaway — they are investing in well-curated, memorable experiences, with an average deal size of ₹2 lakh,” said Hari Ganapathy, co-founder, Pickyourtrail, a travel startup headquartered in Chennai. “They are also decisive planners, typically finalising their bookings around 42 days before departure and embarking on their adventures within 58 days,” he added.

Santhosh Kanna S., senior vice president at Thomas Cook India Limited, pointed out that demand has been strong from the Tamil Nadu market for the travel period April-June. “Summers remains a favourite time to travel for not only families but also millennials, young professionals, Gen Z, and solo travelers,” he added. According to Mr. Kanna, easy visa and visa-free entry has been a game-changer, especially for destinations like Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Malaysia, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, providing greater convenience and flexibility for last-minute plans.

Swaminathan Subramanian, co-founder of Exoticamp Adventures, also pointed out that a defining trend this year is the rise of Gen Z travellers — and they’re not holding back. Armed with EMI options, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services like Simpl, LazyPay, and ZestMoney, this cohort is comfortably booking both domestic and international trips, he added. He explained that the summer traveler demographic is a diverse mix this year. “The two dominant groups are: young families seeking school vacation getaways and young professionals aged 22-30 leveraging the string of long weekends,” Mr. Subramanian said.

Spiritual and adventure tourism

Rakesh Bawa, senior vice president and head (holidays), SOTC Travel Limited, said that Tamil Nadu’s millennials and Gen Z, have been drawn to spiritual tourism coupled with leisure and adventure experiences such as white-water rafting, river rappelling, kayaking, and night treks, among others.

For Thomas Cook, escorted group tours are witnessing brisk demand, and top international favourites include Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and new destinations like Azerbaijan, Georgia, Sabah (Malaysia), Bintan.

Tourist favourites

“Kashmir is drawing special attention this year with the Tulip Festival on and the recent opening of new train stations, making the region more accessible than ever. Down south, the staples — Kodai, Ooty, and Munnar — continue to be popular, especially among families from Tamil Nadu and Kerala looking for quick, scenic getaways,” said Mr. Subramanian.

Sharing his views on location trends of Gen Z, Mr. Ganapathy said: “Topping their list is the Maldives, reflecting their love for serene, tropical escapes. Bali follows closely, reaffirming their inclination toward picturesque island getaways. However, it’s not just beaches that attract Gen Z — Dubai and Singapore, with their vibrant cityscapes and dynamic experiences, show that this generation also seeks excitement beyond these shores.”