5 Trends Driving Gen Z’s Travel Choices

StudentUniverse, the student and youth travel marketplace, recently outlined travel trends to look out for among Gen Z travelers. The company utilized insights from the State of Student Travel Report, as well as owned data to compile the results.

Working Vacations

Of those surveyed, 87 percent believed working vacations would improve career prospects. Gen Z is interested in travel through work experiences, as well.

Stay Longer, Spend More

The study showed Gen Z travelers are more likely to spend extended time in a destination and seek out more unique tours and activities. Tourism Australia stated Gen Z travelers make up 27 percent of all visitor arrivals, yet they account for 45 percent of all traveler spending.

Cultural Experiences

Gen Z travelers ranked sightseeing and cultural experiences at the top of the list for travel motivation, with partying or clubbing at the bottom.

Video Content for Inspiration

Increasingly, Gen Z travelers look to video content on social media for travel inspiration. Instagram (72 percent), TikTok (64 percent) and YouTube (56 percent) are the most popular social media outlets for video content.

Messaging is Key

Gen Z travelers appreciate clear messaging online. Gen Z listed hidden or additional costs, unclear cancellation policies and poor website/app experience to the top of the list of pet peeves when planning a trip.

The survey was sent to 4,000 respondents, ages 18–25 in full-time education, evenly split from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. Visit the website for a full report on the findings and more information about methodology.