Gen Zs aren’t easing into the travel market — they’re exploding into it.
Despite their youth and relatively low income, greater than half of American Gen Z adults are frequent travelers, having taken three or more leisure trips prior to now 12 months, in keeping with the info research company Morning Seek the advice of.
That is because traveling is more mainstream now, and Gen Zs are broadly exposed to travel inspiration through social media, said Lindsey Roeschke, travel and hospitality analyst at Morning Seek the advice of.
“Briefly, they’re being raised in a society where travel is more prioritized than it was for past generations,” she told CNBC. Thus, “brands have to concentrate now.”
Big plans, little money
Gen Zs — those born between 1997 and 2012 — are traveling greater than Gen Xers and baby boomers, and are “on par with millennials, who’re currently the main target of the industry,” said Roeschke.
Survey conducted from December 2022 to February 2023.
Source: Morning Seek the advice of
Yet unlike past generations, Gen Zs aren’t waiting until they’ve high-paying jobs or a nest egg of savings to travel. Slightly, “they’re finding ways to suit it into their budgets now,” in keeping with Morning Seek the advice of’s report on Gen Z travel trends.
Only 11% Gen Zs who travel regularly come from households earning $100,000 or more annually, in keeping with Morning Seek the advice of. Most (61%) say they earn lower than $50,000 per 12 months, the info shows.
But that doesn’t suggest that Gen Zs aren’t anxious about travel expenses.
In a survey of 4,000 full-time students aged 18 to 25, some 76% named financial costs as their biggest travel concern. The survey, published in March by the travel tech company StudentUniverse, showed nearly two in three Gen Zs search for the most cost effective options when traveling, and nearly half (46%) said they expect to get financial help from their parents.
Also they are willing to chop other spending to pay for travel, in keeping with a survey published in March by the Gen Z media company Student Beans. Within the survey, 83% of young adults said they plan to reduce on non-essential spending.
A guide published by Student Beans shows that from 2021 to 2022, Gen Zs’ average spending per purchase decreased for fashion (7%), tech (6%) and food (12%), while their travel purchases surged 60%.
“Cost-of-living crisis or not, nothing goes to get in the way in which of Gen Z taking a well-earned break,” the report stated.
Why Gen Zs travel
In accordance with Morning Seek the advice of’s survey, the highest three motivators for American Gen Z travelers mirror those of other generations: to chill out, escape or get away, and spend time with family and friends.
Yet the info shows they’re motivated to travel for adventure, mental health and cultural experiences greater than older generations.
Greater than every other age group, Gen Zs are also planning to travel longer, to take more trips abroad and are the least fascinated by visiting places they’ve already been to, in keeping with Morning Seek the advice of’s data.
What Gen Zs care about
Gen Zs increasingly want their travel experiences to be meaningful, in keeping with a survey of 4,000 full-time students by the travel tech company StudentUniverse.
Some 68% of respondents, aged 18 to 25, said they were fascinated by experiencing a latest culture, while only 21% were seeking nightlife and clubbing.
Commenting on the report, Will Jones, the corporate’s brand manager, said, “It wasn’t too way back that the 18-30s travel market was practically synonymous with raucous partying … that is not the case.”
Social issues matter to them too, with some 82% indicating a rustic’s approach to issues like LGBTQ rights would affect their decision to go to, in keeping with StudentUniverse.
Gen Zs and millennials also want — and can shell out more for — pools and pet-friendly accommodations, in keeping with Hopper’s “2023 Travel Trends Report.”
And a report from the posh travel agency Virtuoso states 56% of Gen Zs can pay more for travel corporations with environmentally friendly philosophies and practices.
How they plan
Millennials may remember life without mobile phones and social media. But Gen Zs don’t. That is why many turn to technology for travel inspiration and booking discounts.
Some 62% of adult Gen Zs said they use technology to assist them save on travel, in keeping with Booking.com’s “Travel Predictions 2023.”
And they don’t seem to be just making decisions for their very own trips — some are spearheading family vacation planning too.
“Travelers are being influenced by their children,” Deborah Frank, editor-in-chief of Luxury Magazine, told Virtuoso. “I actually have seen lots of mother-daughter, father-son trips and have been told that the children are determining where they’ll stay and what they’ll do.”
