Rethinking airport retail: Blueprint on how to win over Gen Z travelers in Asia Pacific
There’s a new traveler in town, and they’re transforming the travel retail landscape. That’s according to Copenhagen-based independent travel retail consultancy, Blueprint.
The company identifies Gen Z as the “most tech-savvy, digitally connected and content-driven customer profile”, and its latest report details how this demographic is impacting airport shopping across the Asia Pacific. The region represents 60% of the global population between the ages of 15 and 29.
Gen Z’s presence is rising, their global airport spending is not. This customer group spending less in airport shops in favor of immersive high street shopping, curated e-commerce offers, and experiences that scream authenticity over affordability.
The Disconnect: Why Gen Z Spend Less in Airports
Thomas Kaneko Henningsen, Partner at travel retail consultancy Blueprint, said, “Gen Z lifestyle travelers are not motivated by price advantage alone. They’re the world’s first digital natives, relentlessly curated in their tastes, and deeply value-driven. To connect with them, airport retail needs to evolve beyond a price advantage; it requires authenticity, content-driven experiences and personalization.”
Despite a rebound in travel post-pandemic, Gen Z isn’t loosening the purse strings at airports. According to research agency m1nd-set, Gen Z spends on average 20% less in airport retail in comparison to other customer profiles. Instead, they’re investing in high-street fashion and e-commerce platforms where product selection, convenience, and identity alignment matter more.
Gen Z’s concerns for the environment are reflected in their shopping habits: 62% prefer to buy from companies committed to sustainability and 73% are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Think Patagonia, which has built a huge community around its eco-friendly values and even has a VP of Environmental Activism.
Add to this the rise of super apps in Asia – like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop. In the Gen Z world, visual storytelling rules with Instagram (65%), YouTube (63%), and TikTok (58%) leading this trend. On top, 46% of Gen Z use these platforms as their go-to search engines and this is likely to intensify as 70% of Gen Z embrace new generative AI technologies.
“In Asia-Pacific, Gen Z spend more than six hours a day on their phones. Travel retail is struggling to compete with a 24/7 digital shopping mall in Gen Z’s pocket” added Kaneko-Henningsen. “For decades the duty-free stores had the lead on ‘the deal’ but Gen Z can
sniff out a better price on their phones in seconds. What they’re looking for now is content-driven experience, discovery, and a reason to care.”
Across Asia Pacific, Gen Z shoppers are showing where their loyalties lie. In Tokyo, Gen Z swarms Harajuku for exclusive Lacoste capsule drops. This summer, the iconic brand takes on gastronomic experiences by the Mediterranean Sea with the official launch of an exclusive pop-up café in Monaco in close partnership with renowned restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi and the Hôtel Le Méridien Beach Plaza.
How Can Airport Retail Keep Up?
The twist is this isn’t a death sentence for airport retail; it’s a wake-up call. Here is food for thought on how airports, retailers and brands can team up and engage Gen Z travelers:
1. Make It Personal: Gen Z values products and experiences that reflect their lifestyles. Mass-customization and personalization – whether through technology, customer service, or exclusive collaboration – go a long way in making them feel seen and heard.
2. Invest in Content-Driven Experiences: If it’s not Instagrammable, TikTok-able, or worth a social media post, it’s probably not on their radar. Curate retail environments with emotional and immersive storytelling in mind.
3. Be Culturally Fluent: Speak Gen Z’s language, hire Gen Zs! Static company messages are easily ignored; culturally relevant video content builds connectivity and loyalty.
4. Think Omni-channel: Act phygital. A seamless digital + physical experience is key to staying relevant by merging the very best of the two worlds.
5. Show Purpose, Not Just Product: Authenticity, sustainability, inclusivity, and ethics matter. Companies that wear their values on their sleeves, and back them up with action, earn trust and spend.
Final Boarding Call for Innovation
“These are transformative times,” said Blueprint Partner Sonja Soskic. “Gen Z is a global lifestyle (not just an age group), and it is transforming the travel retail landscape. It powers megatrends like social media, social commerce, artificial intelligence and experiential retail. This lifestyle supersedes borders and nationalities, and the travel retail marketplace has to adapt quickly. By 2028, Gen Z will become the biggest customer profile representing 1.2 billion travelers.”
The industry is finally waking up to the fact that the travel retail experience must evolve. Airports, retailers and brands need to collaborate, reimagine and experiment what shopping in transit can become.
“Airport retail has a unique advantage: a captive, curious customer audience that’s primed for discovery. That’s why Gen Z isn’t out of reach, they’re just waiting for something worth engaging with,” Soskic concluded.
