The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

Episode #723: Building Loyalty Across Different Generations of Travelers with Jeff Zotara, arrivia
Release Date: August 25, 2025
Guests: Jeff Zotara (Chief Marketing Officer, arrivia)
Host: Greg Kihlström

Overview

This episode dives deep into building travel loyalty programs across generations. Host Greg Kihlström is joined by Jeff Zotara, CMO of arrivia, a global travel technology company powering loyalty platforms for top brands like T-Mobile, American Express, and Hilton Grand Vacations. The conversation centers around key insights from arrivia’s “Loyalty and the Changing Traveler Report,” exploring how traveler expectations are evolving generationally, the impact of technology (especially AI), and practical strategies for brands to adapt and modernize their loyalty offerings for ongoing customer lifetime value.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Generational Differences in Travel Loyalty

(Main segment: 03:25 – 09:36)

• Shift from Transactional to Experiential Loyalty
  • Younger travelers (Gen Z, Millennials) desire loyalty programs that offer unique, meaningful experiences—not just points or discounts.
  • “Loyalty is no longer just transactional. It's really about creating more memorable experiences…a deeper connection with the loyalty program.”
    — Jeff Zotara [04:11]
  • Social media, especially short-form video on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, strongly influences trip planning; experience often trumps destination.
• Experience-Driven Inspiration
  • Gen Z and Millennials seek adventure tourism and international experiences supporting mental and physical well-being and deeper cultural engagement.
  • “Usually the experiences are driving the initial interest. A lot of it's coming from social, quite frankly.”
    — Jeff Zotara [04:35]
• Expectation of Frictionless, E-commerce-like Processes
  • These generations expect travel booking to match the speed and simplicity of e-commerce.
  • However, travel’s complexity (offline/online interactions, multifaceted logistics) sets a high bar for tech-driven brands.

2. The Rise of Zillennials: The Micro Generation

(09:36 – 12:09)

• Who Are Zillennials?
  • A 10-year cohort (approx. ages 22–32) blending Gen Z and Millennials.
  • Most influenced and inspired by social media; prioritize travel over other expenses.
  • "They're really wanting to use their time now to explore more of the world unlike any other previous generations." — Jeff Zotara [09:51]
• Travel Patterns and Preferences
  • This group is a rapidly growing demographic for cruising—a surprising shift from the stereotype of cruises being for older travelers.
  • Viewing cruise ships as destinations themselves, letting them experience multiple cultures and locations quickly.

3. Bridging the Loyalty Program Usage Gap

(14:05 – 16:46)

• Barriers to Loyalty Program Engagement
  • Legacy systems, outdated interfaces, inflexible redemption options, and lack of personalization hinder active use of loyalty programs.
• Opportunity of Lifestyle Integration
  • Travel should be a core component of loyalty because it’s universally appealing and emotionally resonant.
  • “Loyalty in general is becoming more of a lifestyle benefit.” — Jeff Zotara [14:50]
  • Frequent, core rewards (e.g., exclusive travel rates) support ongoing engagement, not just annual or occasional transactions.
• Personalization and Relevance
  • The need for ongoing, tailored communication—making loyalty a daily part of consumers' lives.

4. AI and the Future of Travel Loyalty

(16:46 – 20:06)

• Transformative Potential
  • AI and predictive analytics enable truly personalized travel recommendations and experiences.
  • “We get to meet the customer closer to where they want to be faster.”
    — Jeff Zotara [17:33]
  • Predictive marketing can inspire the "next trip" based on past travel, moving away from generic mass email toward micro-targeted outreach.
• Generational Differences Blur with Personalization
  • While generational data guides messaging, the true goal is one-to-one marketing—“we are really more similar than we think generationally.”
    — Jeff Zotara [18:09]

5. Modernizing Loyalty Programs in a Fast-Moving Landscape

(20:06 – 23:05)

• Advice for Brands Facing Technical & Strategic Debt
  • Lean on expert partners, don’t “recreate the wheel.”
  • Embrace third-party solutions for segmentation and personalization; stay open to collaboration and new technology.
  • Ensure loyalty programs adapt to customer needs, as revealed through direct feedback and data.
  • “Collaboration is probably my biggest advice around how do we modernize the loyalty program and focus and listen to the customer first and foremost.”
    — Jeff Zotara [21:35]

6. How arrivia Partners and Drives Lifetime Value

(23:05 – 25:30)

• The Role of Technology and Data
  • arrivia acts as the white-label tech backbone for partners, using rich data to personalize user experiences.
  • Automation is heavily utilized—up to 60% of transactional marketing campaigns are automated.
  • High-quality, relevant data is crucial; enables tailored web, email, SMS, and push notification journeys based on user context (e.g., family with kids vs. retired couple).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Loyalty is no longer just transactional. It's really about creating more memorable experiences. It's creating a deeper connection with the loyalty program.”
  — Jeff Zotara [04:11]

• “Usually the experiences are driving the initial interest. A lot of it's coming from social, quite frankly.”
  — Jeff Zotara [04:35]

• "The zillennial generation... they're really wanting to use their time now to explore more of the world unlike any other previous generations."
  — Jeff Zotara [09:51]

• “Loyalty in general is becoming more of a lifestyle benefit.”
  — Jeff Zotara [14:50]

• “We get to meet the customer closer to where they want to be faster.”
  — Jeff Zotara [17:33]

• “Collaboration is probably my biggest advice around how do we modernize the loyalty program and focus and listen to the customer first and foremost.”
  — Jeff Zotara [21:35]

Important Timestamps

• 03:25: Generational loyalty trends & experience-over-destination shift
• 04:11: The move from transactional to experiential loyalty
• 09:36: Who are the Zillennials, and why are their travel patterns unique?
• 14:05: Closing the gap between loyalty membership and actual booking
• 16:46: The transformative impact of AI on personalization in loyalty programs
• 20:44: Advice for brands modernizing programs and partnerships
• 23:05: arrivia’s collaborative approach with brand partners
• 25:45: Jeff Zotara on how he stays agile in a fast-changing market

Closing Advice: Staying Agile

(25:45 – End)

Jeff highlights the importance of listening to customers, staying data-driven, regularly communicating with clients, and balancing immediate needs with future planning to stay agile.

“As long as you look at the data, talk to the customers, schedule enough time… to focus on where we need to make those changes and stay agile. That's critical.”
— Jeff Zotara [26:30]

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a comprehensive understanding of how loyalty, technology, and personalization are reshaping travel—and what brands must do to win across generations.