Gen Z holidaymakers are driving an increase in wellness staycations and see features like hot tubs and saunas as “must-haves”, according to Europe’s biggest holiday homes business.

Awaze, which owns brands including Hoseasons and Cottages.com, said younger couples and adult groups were its fasting-growing demographic when it comes to bookings in the UK.

They were also the most likely cohort to seek out wellness features on trips away, including hot tubs, saunas and a cold water plunge.

Awaze manages more than 100,000 properties in 20 countries, and dug into its own bookings data for UK rentals to uncover holiday trends.

Properties with hot tubs make up more than half of all bookings, at 55%, up from less than 40% before the pandemic, the travel giant revealed.

They also gain 51% higher average weekly rates and 45% higher occupancy than homes without, driven by increasing demand for stays outside of peak periods.

Awaze said a 4% increase in occupancy across its global portfolio of homes in the third quarter, compared with last year, was boosted by younger people booking stays during “shoulder season”.

This refers to the time between the most in-demand months and offseason, such as between March and April, and September and October.

A separate poll carried out by the company found that around half of Gen Z holidaymakers said they had taken a wellness-focused getaway in the past three years – almost twice the proportion of older generations who said so.

The survey, of more than 1,000 travel consumers, also found that 59% of younger travellers would be willing to spend an extra £250 per person for a relaxation-focused break with wellness facilities, compared with a traditional UK stay.

Gen Z typically refers to people born between 1997 and 2012.

Matthew Price, Awaze’s chief executive, said experiences centred around wellbeing and relaxation were increasingly being prioritised over other forms of non-essential spending, like shopping on fashion and homeware.

He said: “The rise in wellness-led travel shows how younger generations are prioritising their physical and mental wellbeing over other things, and redefining what a great break looks like, with huge implications for the entire UK holiday market.

“Owners who are investing behind more wellness features in their homes, as we are seeing across our Hoseasons brand, are benefitting as they attract new audiences, boost occupancy levels and strengthen returns all year round.”