LSN : Daily Signals : Stat: Millennials, Gen Z and generative AI are changing the future of US travel planning

Greenpeace frames legacy giving as a final act of protest

We Won't Rest In Peace, Greenpeace, UK

UK – Global environmental organisation Greenpeace has launched a new darkly comic campaign that turns death into a stage for activism.

Its We Won’t Rest in Peace campaign positions leaving a charitable gift to Greenpeace in a will as a final act of protest that extends environmental activism beyond life itself.

Building on a tour that saw a coffin and hearse travel to iconic London landmarks, the 2026 campaign continues in the form of a cinematic short film with the tagline Continue standing up for the Earth, even when you’re buried in it. Using puppetry, in-camera effects and irreverent humour, the film animates skulls, worms and urns as outspoken advocates for post-death action.

In our Designing for Extinction report, we spotlighted a shift in the branding of ‘forever’. Rather than positioning legacy as preservation, Greenpeace frames permanence as participation, suggesting that brands can extend relevance beyond a lifetime by embedding themselves in belief systems, not just products or institutions.

Strategic opportunity

Position legacy initiatives – such as will-based giving or posthumous memberships – as acts of participation that embed your brand in consumers’ beliefs, moving beyond one-off transactions

The China Playbook: Why China’s demographics are reshaping the market

The China Playbook is a monthly briefing from Hot Pot, equipping businesses with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of the Asian premium lifestyle market.

China – The country’s population growth is slowing at an unprecedented pace, with falling birth rates and reduction in the number of people who are economically active. The long-term impact is profound (source: NBS).

To encourage an increase in the number of marriages and births, the Chinese government is moving from simple encouragement to radical – and sometimes bizarre – interventions, according to Hot Pot.

: The Demographic Decline and Its Implications:

Experts estimate that over 25 years, China’s population could shrink from 1.4bn to roughly 1.2bn – a loss of over 165m people, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Bangladesh.

Younger generations, especially those born after the one-child policy ended, are fewer and more financially cautious. This means brands cannot rely on the old assumption of endless youthful consumption.

: The Rise of the Silver Economy:

Despite population shrinkage, the silver economy is rising. This group has significant disposable income, a desire for meaningful experiences (travel, arts, health-related pursuits) and a young-at-heart attitude, all challenging the stereotype of ageing as decline.

Brands that recognise this shift and target this segment with tailored products and experiences stand to gain.

Shanghai’s Huangpu District Government has partnered with one of the city’s hottest nightlife spots, INS Club, to create a ‘wedding club night' experience’.

Hot Pot, UK

: Policies and Their Effectiveness:

The Chinese government has introduced innovative policies to boost birth rates, such as offering free pregnancy check-ups for retirees and encouraging marriage through creative initiatives such as hosting weddings in nightclubs.

While these efforts aim to address demographic decline, their effectiveness remains to be seen. Financial incentives often fall short due to the high costs of raising children, which include education, housing and healthcare. Understanding these dynamics helps brands and policymakers craft strategies that go beyond slogans and address real consumer pain points.

‘Economic pressure is the real driver here. Reducing the one-child policy didn’t work because people simply can’t afford more children,’ said Jonathan Travers-Smith, CEO of Hot Pot, on The Hot Pot Table Podcast. He also pointed out that China's 996 working system, whereby workers clock in from 9:00am to 9:00pm, 6 days per week, brings challenges.

Find more from Hot Pot here.

Strategic opportunity

With China’s 50+ population growing rapidly and holding the highest disposable income, brands that design products, services and narratives for this influential cohort will unlock long-term growth in the expanding Silver Economy

Stat: Millennials, Gen Z and generative AI are changing the future of US travel planning

Faces of Travel by Delta Air Lines and Adobe, US

US – According to Deloitte’s 2026 Travel Industry Outlook, Gen Z and Millennials now dominate US travel demand and they are leading the adoption of generative AI in trip planning. Use of gen AI tools for travel shopping tripled between 2023 and 2025, driven primarily by Millennials.

While more than half of Americans planned to travel during the 2025–2026 holiday season, the highest level since the Covid-19 pandemic, the most notable shift is generational. Gen Z’s share of holiday travellers rose sharply from 8% in 2024 to 14% in 2025, signalling a rapid rise in influence despite comparatively lower earning power.

As signalled in our TikTok Travel Agents report in 2023, social platforms are central to this shift: more than half of Gen Z and Millennials use social media as part of their trip planning, compared to just one in three Gen Xers and one in seven Boomers.

However, while enthusiasm is high, cost-consciousness remains strong, suggesting that AI-powered inspiration must increasingly align with value-driven decision-making.

We have previously analysed the rise of tech-powered trips in our travel and hospitality macrotrend report Optimised Odysseys.

Strategic opportunity

As younger people increasingly use generative AI and social platforms to plan trips, travel companies should build AI-integrated booking tools that surface real-time pricing, budget filters and dynamic itinerary swaps, turning inspiration into instant, value-led reservations