Tourism is Picking Back Up: What Does that Mean for Millennials and Gen Z?

With vaccination rates rising, travelers are looking forward to a light at the end of the tunnel; the coming new normal. In fact, 63% of Millennial and Gen-Z travelers are ready to book a trip this year, with 77% of those staying Domestic. Here are some data points relating to the priorities and decision-making process for younger travelers looking to plan their next trip:

• 39% miss discovering new destinations and

• 21% miss experiencing something for the first time

Some studies suggest Millennials take an average of 35 vacation days per year, and are more likely to spend money on travel compared to other generations- with 1 in 3 spending $5000 for a getaway! Gen Z takes an average of 29 vacation days per year but are much more budget-conscious than Millennials, with 81% saying budget is the biggest factor when booking a trip.

Travel Priorities

Millennials

• 55% Relaxing

• 52% Visiting Family/Friends

• 45% Bucket List/Adventure

• 34% Romantic Getaway

Gen Z

• 56% Visiting Family/Friends

• 51% Relaxing

• 45% Site-seeing

• 36% Special Event (ie Festival, Bachelor Party)

Booking Considerations

Millennials

• 95% use Facebook, Instagram, or some form of social media to research destinations.

• 49% of Millennial travel is due to last-minute plans and deals

• 29% of Millennials opt for weekend trips.

• 26% research the best time of year to travel

• 58% prefer full-service hotels compared to 11% who prefer rental services like Airbnb and VRBO.

Gen Z

• 90% of their travel decisions are influenced by social media, with Snapchat and Instagram at the top of the list.

• 93% look for the best deals

• 83% want to explore the outdoors and be active

• 81% are looking for bucket-list experiences

• 78% are looking for off-the-beaten path experience