Gen Z travellers are ‘rewriting the rules’ when it comes to sustainable travel and tourism, with environmental considerations now ‘central’ to how younger cohorts plan trips, according to Expedia Group.
Expedia Group’s report, Travel with Purpose: How Gen Z & Millennials Are Redefining the Journey, surveyed 7,000 travellers across seven international markets, and found that younger consumers are willing to travel off-peak, choose less crowded destinations, and support measures to reduce overtourism.
Environmental impact
According to the findings, some 60% of travellers say that they consider their environmental impact more than they did three to five years ago, with this percentage rising to 68% among Gen Z, and dropping to 52% among Millennials, signalling a stronger shift among the youngest cohort.
Some 76% of respondents said environmental or social issues influenced at least one travel decision in the past year, including choice of destination, timing or activities. Among Gen Z travellers, that percentage rises to 91%, while among Millennials, it stands at 62%.
‘Environmental concerns and overtourism are a default part of planning how and when Gen Z chooses to travel, whereas it’s considered but less critical for Millennials,’ Expedia Group noted.
Off-peak travel
Other findings from the report include that 94% of respondents would travel during off-peak periods if it helped reduce crowding and preserve the local environment, while 94% also said that they would consider choosing a less crowded alternative destination.
More than four fifths (83%) said that they would support measures at population sites to.prevent overcrowding and protect natural and cultural assets – 42% of Gen Z travellers ‘strongly agree’ with this statement, along with 34% of Millennials.
‘Together, these findings show younger travellers are giving destinations permission to manage demand differently from steering trips into off‑peak seasons to nudging people toward quieter alternatives and backing measures to control crowding,’ Expedia Group added.
Elsewhere, in terms of booking decisions, a high percentage (92%) of respondents said protecting nature and wildlife was important when choosing and booking trips, and 87% said reducing the environmental impact of travel was important. Close to two fifths (37%) said a destination’s sustainability practices strongly influenced their booking decisions. Read more here.
