35% hotels are still not ready for digital wallets – despite 79% Gen Z travellers using them.
New analysis TerraPaya, a global payments infrastructure provider, highlights a widening gap between traveller habits and the hotel industry's readiness. While 79% members of Generation Z already uses digital wallets, The 35% hotel still does not offer this payment option..
Gen Z is setting the pace – mobile and in real-time
Do 2028. real-time transactions It will account for 271 TP3T of all global payments. Generation Z, known for its rapid adoption of technology, expects payments to keep pace.
„With an estimated attention span of just eight seconds, Gen Z wants payments as fast and easy as scrolling through their mobile,“ explains Koert Grasveld, Vice President of Payments at TerraPay. Digital wallets bring lower costs, wider availability, greater inclusion, and open up new business models.
Social media is changing travel decisions
Gen Z finds inspiration online 40% booked the trip directly because of the content on TikTok., until 49% uses Instagram as the main source of ideas.
Hotels are late to the trends
Although 80–90% bookings come via mobile devices., many smaller hotels and private landlords still lack implemented digital solutions.
„Small businesses often face challenges with international payments – from slow transactions and high fees to complex procedures that restrict cash flow and competitiveness,“ highlights Grasveld.
Digital wallets and real-time payments are becoming a key tool for attracting younger travellers. Gen Z is setting the standard – mobile, fast, and simple – and hotels that don't adapt risk being left behind.
