The world of traveling has definitely changed. We always wanted the next new thing: the hottest destination, newest adventures, and more.
Now, a new generation entered the travel club and from someone who’s constantly traveling and meeting other people, it’s nice to know how they’re different from other generations when it comes to traveling.
It’s tricky to write about an entire generation. After all, how will you condense their traits and personality without unfairly and inaccurately generalizing them?
Just take a look at the millennials where people think they’re not buying real estate because they’re too broke on spending so much on avocado toast and Starbucks.
So whether you’re planning a trip with the young ones and you need to keep things fresh and interesting or just curious about how this generation is different from yours, this quick and easy guide on how the Generation Z travel will definitely help you out.
What does Generation Z mean?
Generation Z, or Gen Z for short, is basically the people who were born in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
While the exact date is different from each researcher, Gen Z is described as the generation that reached adulthood in the second decade of the 21st century. In short, they’re basically our youth and the young ones.
It’s also important to note that majority of Gen Z members have used some form of digital technology from a young age. That’s why the Internet and social media are a huge part of their lives.
What is Generation Z interested in?
Knowing that they’re the recent generation entering the workforce and already have their own purchasing power (meaning they have their own money to spend without depending on their parents), it’s interesting to see how the Generation Z evolves when it comes to their lifestyle choices and what keeps them interested.
For Gen Z, they treat the world like it’s their oyster. This generation grew up along with the advancement of technology so anything seems possible and accessible.
Which is why the things that they’re interested in are not confined within their physical geography.
It seems like the more diverse their interests are, the better. Just take music for example. For the older generations, it looks like they’re categorized in just a certain genre but for Gen Z, you’ll find every single niche.
There’s a group that likes KPop and another for classical music enthusiasts.
Everything for this generation is just a tap or a click away. It doesn’t matter if their new interest in movies is in another language or the newest hip destination is miles away.
If there’s something that we can safely assume about Generation Z is that they value what they like.
What makes Generation Z happy?
One thing that makes Generation Z happy is their connection and relationships.
Since they grew up surrounded by technology, the way they’ve connected with people is so much wider compared with other generations.
Unlike older generations, the people who belong to this generation don’t distinguish between relationships with people they met online and those they know in the physical world.
Being sociable is one of the traits that a lot of people notice about Gen Z. Particularly, how this generation loves to live 24/7 in a social media world.
They use their Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms to keep in touch with their family and friends regardless of their location.
The constant connection with other people made this generation braver to travel. One thing that the older generations do when it comes to traveling is that they always pick a place that is somehow associated with them.
Whether it’s the same language, the place where they grew up, or a relative living in the area because it gives them a sense of comfort even if they’re outside of their own home.
But when it comes to Generation Z, they’re much more open to traveling to places where it’s not usually traveled by other people.
They don’t mind having a vacation in a small Asian country or the farthest island in Europe because even if they don’t know anyone in that area or they don’t speak the same language, the technology that they have makes it so much easier and doable.
What do the Generation Z care about?
Like the Baby Boomers love stocks and real estate, Generation Z puts their attention on what personally matters to them. When it comes to finances, Gen Z doesn’t like the idea of tightening your pocket just for the sake of saving for the future.
It’s not like financial stability is thrown out of the equation, but rather this generation cares about living in the moment and putting their money where their values are.
This obviously shows the way they travel. For them, traveling is essential because they don’t have the luxury of time to do this in the future. Because of that, this generation is absolutely picky when it comes to destinations (and rightfully so).
Because Gen Z cares about making the best out of their bucks, Gen Z’s approach to travel is absolutely smart and ingenious.
You’ll never see them not look up the place or the restaurant they’re going to beforehand. Whether it’s the TripAdvisor rating, a Yelp review, or a couple of blog posts.
How is Generation Z different from Millennials?
There are a lot of ways that Generation Z is different from Millennials.
Here are some of them:
1. Independent vs Collaborative
Gen Z likes to do things on their own especially if they want to do it right while Millennials would rather have a collaborative arrangement.
This also reflects on the way that they travel. If you’re a frequent traveler, you would notice that those who go on an adventure on their own are usually the younger generations.
They’re the backpackers who would love to try out sleeping in a capsule hotel or just pitching a tent in a national park.
2. Private vs Public
Generation Z loves to keep things private despite growing up on the age of the Internet and social media.
In fact, they’re much more calculated and selective with the information they share online unlike the Millennials who are very much willing to explore every single thing on the Internet because they were the digital pioneers.
3. Experience vs Destination
Ever heard that quip “it’s about the journey and not the destination”? Well, Generation Z lives by that when it comes to traveling.
For older generations, it may be enough for them to visit the beach where they could lie in the sand, have a couple of drinks and cocktails for a week, and then go home.
But for Gen Z, they want a lot of things packed into their vacation. It’s not just about the beach — it’s a mixture of the resort, spa treatments, events, music, and all other things that make their vacation worth it.
How much do the Generation Z spend on vacation?
Generation Z changed the business of vacation. In fact, they’re considered as an “always-on” traveler where there’s no such thing as peak travel season.
Gen Z travels consistently year-round where they would exert the effort to make advanced plans and at the same time, make spur-of-the-moment traveling.
They’re always on the lookout for that next great escape. Their standards are really high too. All that Instagrammable photos and review research that they do should match what they actually experience on the vacation itself.
Especially at this age where they love following influencers who would post their tropical vacation on an overwater bungalow at the Maldives, if they would plan for that trip, they should experience that getaway the same way or much better than the photos.
Which is why Generation Z goes all out as much as possible. If they can afford it, they would absolutely do it. In fact, the buying power dedicated to traveling by this generation is estimated at $29 billion to $143 billion.
Gen Z loves a good deal and the more unique it is, the better.
Which is why they would rather pay $1,000 plus for a night at an overwater bungalow in the Maldives than a $50 hotel.
That doesn’t mean that this generation is not budget-conscious too. But, Gen Z will spend more on an immersive and experiential trip that will let them experience life as a local and not as a tourist.
They would avoid tourist traps areas even if it’s cheap or free because they want something unique for them to experience.
Generation Z is considered to be better traveled than older generations because they crave authentic experiences in unique destinations. They love new things especially in traveling.
It doesn’t matter if it’s gimmicky as long as it’s fun and worth the money.
That being said, older generations really have something to learn from Gen Z when it comes to traveling.
In fact, it won’t hurt you to try to do it their way once in a while because there’s always a beauty in spontaneity and uniqueness.
