Is Gen Z changing the way we travel?

With the arrival of the month of May and sunny days, the arrival of the most carefree season of the year begins to be felt in the air. For young people, summer represents a unique moment to relax and unwind from any worries related to work, school, or university; if not for an entire month, at least for a couple of weeks. These are days when it is possible to invest one's savings to get away from home and discover paradisiacal destinations where you can explore breathtaking natural landscapes, or find a moment of peace on a resort's sun lounger. However, if the concept of vacation has always been associated with the idea of relaxation, the Gen Z seems to have completely overturned the rules of the game, as it usually does when it comes to following a trend: according to a recent study by ScuolaZoo's Observatory, only three out of 10 young people declare they seek relaxing experiences, while over half of the young travelers interviewed travel "driven by the desire to expand their cultural horizons or to spend quality time outdoors." There is an increasing general interest among Gen Z for places with good air quality, as well as for tourist cities that offer museums and cultural spaces capable of enriching their skills for personal growth.

According to ScuolaZoo's report, the trend that surpasses any other priority among young people when it comes to travel is saving money. The survey revealed that for under 25s, the storytelling or brand proposed by tour operators when advertising organized vacations doesn't matter, price-quality ratio matters most, crucial for 47% of respondents. Influencing their choices are word-of-mouth, good customer service, personalized experiences, and online reviews, but any discounts and affordable prices always prevail. Despite this assertion, the report found that Gen Z's expenses for vacations are still quite high: among the subjects who participated in the survey, only 26% said they spent less than 500 euros on their last trip, while the remaining 74% spent more than 800 euros. The analysis not only highlights two typical characteristics of the new generations, such as attention to saving and the influence of the community on their life choices but also once again demonstrates aspects that by now could be said to be part of the Gen Z's "genetic fabric": attention to the Planet and the need for escape. Never before have young travelers been less interested in relaxing in a tourist location equipped with bars and nightclubs because they prefer to explore authentic and sustainable places where they can disconnect. It's no coincidence that they belong to the most teetotal generation ever, which has relaunched dumb phones to let go of social media even for a couple of hours and more than ever dedicates itself to its health, mental and physical.