Stats: 39% of Gen Z Travelers Plan to Visit 3 Continents in Next 10 Years

Gen Z has ambitious travel plans: according to a new study by Booking.com, 39 percent of Gen Z travelers plan to have visited at least three different continents over the next 10 years. Booking.com conducted global research among Gen Z travelers in 29 key markets, defining Gen Z as those currently between the ages of 16 and 24. 

Adventure and far-flung locales are especially popular with this generation. According to the report, 56 percent of Gen Z travelers want an adventure experience from their travels, such as paragliding or bungee jumping. Fifty-two percent plan on visiting or trekking to an extreme location. 

Gen Z travelers are also comfortable with solo travel, with 33 percent saying that they prefer to be on their own in general when they travel. Additionally, 34 percent plan to travel on their own at least once within the next decade, while 46 percent feel that traveling with family requires them to moderate their behavior more than when they are traveling solo. 

This generation also tends to prioritize travel over material possessions. Forty-seven percent said that they would rather prioritize travel and be careful about their spending elsewhere, and 60 percent said that travel is always worth investing in. Even more, 65 percent ranked “travel and seeing the world’ as the most important thing wen think about how they spend their money, ahead of investing in higher education or professional training (60%), saving for retirement (51%) and saving for a down payment on a house or other property (60%). 

Gen Z is also sensitive to the impact of their travels on the world. Fifty-two percent said that they will visit lesser-known destinations over popular ones if it means having less of an impact on the environment, while 56 percent said that they would want to stay in a green or eco-friendly accommodation. Fifty-four percent said that the environmental impact traveling has on destinations is an important factor when deciding where to travel, while 37 percent said that they want to experience volunteering when traveling. 

Finally, this generation, too, is powerfully influenced by social media. Forty-five percent said that they trust the recommendations of those they don’t know in person, such as influencers and celebrities, while 40 percent find Instagram to be the top source of inspiration when deciding where to travel. They are also active on social while traveling: 42 percent always upload pictures from their trips on social media when they travel, and 25 percent snap over 50 pictures a day while on vacation. At the same time, 50 percent said that they believe that too much emphasis is spent on social media when traveling. 

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