Intern, Gen Z Travel Research & Strategy
As an intern at AAA, you will have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects, receive mentorship by industry leaders, and participate in activities designed to support your personal and professional development.
The Gen Z Travel Research & Strategy Internship provides an opportunity for students currently pursuing a marketing, digital strategy, or business degree to get hands on experience. You will contribute to projects and advance our existing programs. We are looking for talented and inquisitive students that are excited about making an impact at an organization. You will be able to make real decisions, focus on real work, and initiate real results.
This internship will support the development of AAA Young Traveler, a new initiative designed to better understand and engage the next generation of travelers through modern, digital‑first travel experiences. This intern will play a pivotal role in shaping the research foundation for this initiative by conducting deep AI-powered analysis into the top trips, behaviors, motivations, and booking patterns of Gen Z travelers.
This role blends consumer insight development, trend analysis, AI research, and marketing strategy. The intern will use tools like ChatGPT and Claude to identify Gen Z’s preferred trips, the types of experiences they prioritize, and the ways they navigate the travel planning and booking process.
This position will work on a hybrid schedule (onsite & remote). It will require you to work on-site 3 days per week in Wilmington, DE for the duration of the internship program (June 2 – August 7, 2026).
The starting base compensation for this position is $21.50 to $24.50 hourly. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience, geographic location, and other job-related factors as permitted by law.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Research and analyze Gen Z behaviors, motivations, and trends about travel using AI tools (ChatGPT and Claude)
- Conduct comprehensive market sizing research and opportunity assessment
- Synthesize insights and compile findings into presentations for leadership review
- Collaborate with Marketing, Digital, and Strategy teams to ensure research aligns with ongoing Young Traveler workstreams
- Other duties as assigned
Minimum Requirements:
- Be a rising sophomore or higher working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business, Data/Consumer Insights, Market Research, Digital Strategy, or related field.
- Strong interest in Gen Z consumer behavior and modern travel trends.
- Comfort with AI research tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.).
- Strong analytical, writing, and storytelling skills.
- Ability to manage multiple research threads simultaneously and summarize findings concisely.
- Able to commit to a full-time schedule for the duration of the program (June 2 – August 7, 2026; 10 weeks; 37.5hrs/week)
- Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team
- Familiarity with competitive travel platforms (Expedia, Airbnb, Skyscanner, StudentUniverse) preferred.
- Interest in UX, digital product, or mobile-first travel experiences preferred.
- Experience building clear, presentation-ready slides preferred.
Occasional Associates are eligible to participate in the 401k plan with company match up to 7%.
ACA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment practices laws. At ACA, we are committed to cultivating a welcoming and inclusive workplace of team members with diverse backgrounds and experiences to enable us to meet our goals and support our values while serving our Members and customers. We strive to attract and retain candidates with a passion for their work and we encourage all qualified individuals to apply. It is ACA’s policy to employ the best qualified individuals available for all positions. Hiring decisions are based upon ACA’s operating needs, and applicant qualifications including, but not limited to, experience, skills, ability, availability, cooperation, and job performance.