How Gen Z Is Changing Travel: New Values, New Adventures
Every generation reshapes the way we travel — but Gen Z is doing more than just leaving their mark. They're rewriting the rules altogether.
Born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, Gen Z travellers grew up in a digital world, raised on climate anxiety, global connection, and social activism. They're not just looking for the perfect postcard shot — they want purpose, perspective, and a travel experience that aligns with their values. And it’s showing.
From ditching carbon-heavy flights in favour of scenic trains, to choosing community-run guesthouses over all-inclusives, Gen Z is proving that travel can be both aspirational and ethical. TikTok is their travel agent, Google Maps their guidebook, and if your brand isn’t transparent? They’ll call it out faster than you can say “eco-certified.”
In this piece, we’re diving into the Gen Z mindset — exploring how they travel, why they travel, and what their habits reveal about the future of tourism. Whether you're in the industry or just curious about how the next generation sees the world, one thing’s clear: the adventure looks a little different now.
Value-driven voyages: ethics over ego
Ethical travel isn't a Gen Z invention — but it might just be where it becomes the norm.
Over the past two decades, Millennials helped shift travel culture away from all-inclusives and towards more authentic, local experiences. They were early champions of sustainable stays, voluntourism, and the idea that where you spend your money matters. Gen X paved the way even earlier — carving out the backpacker routes, choosing hostels over high-rises, and showing that independent, low-impact travel could be a lifestyle.
Gen Z has inherited that groundwork — and is doubling down. For this generation, ethical travel isn’t a trend or a niche — it’s a baseline expectation.
They’re choosing where to go not just based on aesthetics or price, but on impact. Will their visit support a local community? Are workers treated fairly? Is the environment being protected or exploited? These questions are front of mind, and they’re shaping everything from destination choice to daily habits on the road.
Sustainability is treated as standard, not a luxury. While Millennials popularised eco-travel, Gen Z is making it personal. They’re seeking stays with compost toilets and solar panels, packing solid toiletries to reduce plastic, and prioritising train journeys or carbon-offset flights when flying is unavoidable. They’ll pay more — and travel less frequently — if it means travelling better.
There’s also a deeper awareness of ethical tourism pitfalls. Gen Z travellers are far more likely to scrutinise voluntourism projects, avoiding short-term placements that do more harm than good. Instead, they favour community-led initiatives, slow travel programmes, and skills-based exchanges through platforms like Workaway and Worldpackers.
Animal welfare is another line in the sand. Riding elephants, posing with tigers, or attending marine shows — all once common travel activities — are now seen as clear red flags. Instead, Gen Z is supporting sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitation centres, and low-impact safaris led by conservationists.
Critically, they don’t just consume travel — they question it. Who’s profiting? Who’s being left out? What stories are being told, and who’s telling them? These are the kinds of reflections shaping Gen Z’s decisions — and creating ripple effects throughout the industry.
And when things don’t add up? They walk away — or call it out. With the rise of transparency tools, peer reviews, and social media accountability, Gen Z travellers are holding brands to higher standards. Greenwashing, cultural appropriation, and performative ethics don’t fly.
Still, it's not a solo mission. This evolution is part of a wider, intergenerational shift. Gen Z is building on the awareness and advocacy laid down by Gen X and Millennials — and pushing it further, faster, and with a demand for real impact. They're not just continuing the conversation — they're turning up the volume.
The TikTok travel effect: where aesthetics meet spontaneity
Every generation has its preferred way to dream up the next adventure. Baby boomers relied on guidebooks and glossy brochures. Gen X embraced Lonely Planet and handwritten itineraries. Millennials popularised the travel blog boom and visual platforms like Instagram. Now, Gen Z is shaping their travels in 15-second clips — welcome to the TikTok era.
What started as a space for dance trends and memes has evolved into one of the most influential tools in global travel. Gen Z turns to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts not just for inspiration, but for full-blown planning. Destinations, packing hacks, local eats — it’s all there, delivered fast, visually, and usually by people who feel relatable.
And it’s not passive consumption — it’s shaping behaviour. A trending clip of a fog-draped temple or secret cove can put a once-quiet spot on the map within days. Gen Z travellers build entire itineraries from viral content, favouring hidden gems over headline attractions if the aesthetic hits right. They’re not just asking “What’s the capital?” — they’re asking “Where’s that neon-lit alley with the bao buns?”
But where Millennials curated perfection, Gen Z craves realness. Videos of chaotic train stations, food fails, or missed connections sit side by side with scenic drone shots and bucket-list hikes. The messier it is, the more trustworthy it feels. This shift is helping democratise travel content — not everyone needs a DSLR and a drone to go viral anymore. You just need a moment worth sharing.
This spontaneity fuels how Gen Z plans. There’s less emphasis on rigid, pre-booked itineraries and more room for instinctive detours — booked on the fly via apps or sparked by a creator’s quickfire reel. They're just as likely to find a hostel through a recommendation in the comments as through a search engine.
That said, Gen Z is also aware of the downside: the overexposure of fragile places. Viral fame can quickly become a burden for destinations unequipped to handle surges in foot traffic, leading to environmental degradation or disruption of local life. Many Gen Z creators now include disclaimers in their posts — urging viewers to travel responsibly, visit in off-seasons, or engage with local businesses when they go.
And again, this isn’t a standalone revolution. Millennials built the foundation of visual-first travel culture. Gen Z is simply evolving it — leaning harder into video, adding layers of authenticity, and creating new ways to connect with places before ever stepping foot in them.
The result? A generation that travels with its eyes wide open — not just looking for the next viral moment, but for stories they can step into, share, and shape in real-time.
Digital natives on the move: planning and booking 2.0
Every era of travellers has shaped how trips are planned — from Gen X’s dog-eared guidebooks to Millennials’ travel blogs, deal-hunting apps, and Airbnb hacks. Gen Z, having grown up in the age of algorithms, is now reengineering the process once again — faster, more fluid, and entirely mobile.
For Gen Z, the travel planning journey starts not with a travel agent or even a search engine, but with social media. A TikTok reel, a shared Google Map, a comment on Reddit — inspiration and information are often fused together in real time. They scroll, save, pin, and plan, often assembling entire trips from bite-sized creator content or crowd-sourced advice from people they trust.
Their toolkit is streamlined and digital-first: Skyscanner for flights, Hostelworld for sleeps, Rome2Rio to figure out how to get from A to B, and Google Maps to pin everything in between. It’s not uncommon for Gen Z travellers to use Notion to build collaborative itineraries or use apps like Splitwise and Revolut to keep trip finances clear and communal.
But it’s not just about speed or convenience — it’s about control. Gen Z prefers flexibility over formality. Many avoid rigid package holidays in favour of booking things as they go, responding to weather, local recommendations, or even the vibe of the place once they arrive. This on-demand approach isn’t aimless — it’s strategic, designed for maximum freedom and minimal friction.
And that freedom is backed by transparency and trust. Where Millennials paved the way with peer reviews and platforms like TripAdvisor, Gen Z expects even more: honest pricing, no hidden fees, cancellation flexibility, and authentic reviews — preferably from real, diverse travellers, not staged marketing content. They’ll trawl Reddit for unfiltered takes before booking anything.
The influence of micro-creators is huge here. Travel planning for Gen Z is often guided by content from people who reflect their identities or travel styles — whether that’s a budget-conscious solo traveller, a queer backpacker, or a neurodivergent vlogger mapping out accessibility needs. It's not about aspirational travel anymore — it’s about relatable travel.
Importantly, Gen Z isn’t abandoning the tools pioneered by Millennials — they’re refining them. They want automation that works, interfaces that are intuitive, and trip planning that feels both collaborative and customisable. Travel planning isn’t a chore — it’s an extension of their digital lifestyle.
In short, Gen Z isn’t just making travel planning faster. They’re making it smarter, more inclusive, and more adaptable — building on what’s come before, and making it their own.
Slow, immersive, and intentional: how they travel differently
Millennials helped move travel away from all-inclusive resorts and “tick-box tourism,” instead seeking out experiences that felt local, lived-in, and culturally rich. Gen X did it too — taking gap years before they had a name, building van-life dreams long before hashtags. Gen Z isn’t rejecting that legacy — they’re deepening it.
For this generation, slow and intentional travel isn’t a niche; it’s the goal. They’re deliberately spending longer in fewer places, choosing depth over breadth, and approaching travel as a chance to be somewhere — not just visit it. The pace is slower, the experiences are more personal, and the rewards more meaningful.
A month working remotely in Medellín. Three weeks learning ceramics in Kyoto. Ten days at a language retreat in the Basque Country. This is how Gen Z is travelling — slowly, curiously, and often with a sense of purpose. It’s not about how many passport stamps they can collect, but how deeply they can connect with a place while they’re there.
The rise of co-living and co-working spaces has fuelled this shift. While Millennials pioneered the digital nomad lifestyle, Gen Z is making it more accessible and more community-focused. They’re not just working remotely — they’re joining ecosystems. Places like Lisbon, Tbilisi, and Chiang Mai are seeing surges in Gen Z travellers who want more than just a desk with a view — they want workshops, language swaps, rooftop dinners, and neighbourhood rhythms.
Everyday life matters. Gen Z travellers want to know where locals grab coffee, how to navigate the markets, which grandma makes the best empanadas. They’re opting for hostels with kitchens, walking tours led by locals, bike rentals over Ubers, and cultural exchange programmes that offer more than surface-level experiences.
They’re also more attuned to the ethics of travel. By slowing down, Gen Z reduces the environmental impact of frequent flights, distributes their spending more evenly across a destination, and avoids contributing to the churn-and-burn style of tourism that has strained many hotspots.
And importantly, they’re not just trying to blend in — they’re trying to learn. Whether it’s taking part in indigenous ceremonies with proper guidance, enrolling in local cooking classes, or simply staying present and observant, Gen Z is prioritising understanding over consumption.
They're continuing the slow travel movement not as a rebellion against fast-paced tourism, but as a conscious evolution of it — rooted in respect, curiosity, and connection.
The new travel identity: solo, fluid, and unapologetically themselves
The idea of discovering yourself through travel isn’t new — Baby Boomers did it on Eurail passes, Gen X backpacked through Southeast Asia, and Millennials fuelled the rise of solo sabbaticals, female travel communities, and nomad retreats. Gen Z is proudly continuing this legacy, but with a new lens: one that’s fluid, inclusive, and entirely on their own terms.
For Gen Z, travel is as much about identity as it is about location. It’s about finding spaces where they can express themselves fully — whether that means travelling solo, embracing queerness, reconnecting with cultural roots, or simply existing without the filters imposed by everyday life.
Solo travel, once a rite of passage mostly romanticised by Millennials, is now a default mode for many Gen Zers — not out of necessity, but by choice. It offers autonomy, spontaneity, and the opportunity to define a trip entirely around personal interest. Importantly, they’re also redefining what solo travel means. It’s not about isolation — it’s about self-direction. A solo Gen Z traveller might spend their day exploring alone and their evening at a hostel dinner or community event. They're alone when they want to be, and social when they choose.
Safety remains a priority, especially for women, queer travellers, and travellers of colour. Gen Z draws heavily on digital tools and online communities to navigate these concerns — from curated safety maps to forums that flag red flags in specific destinations. But they’re not waiting for the world to be perfect — they’re finding ways to show up in it safely and powerfully.
Gen Z also embraces identity as fluid, and their travel patterns reflect that. Many are exploring heritage or diasporic roots — building trips around ancestral lands, intergenerational connections, or the intersection of multiple cultural backgrounds. Others are drawn to destinations that embrace diversity and individuality — cities with queer history, Black art scenes, or spaces where neurodivergent travellers feel included.
This generation is also choosing community through alignment, not geography. Hostels aren’t just beds anymore — they’re hubs for creative exchange, co-working, and social impact. Apps, Discord groups, and niche forums connect Gen Z travellers before they even land, creating a soft landing wherever they go. These digital spaces often feel more like home than any hotel.
And while previous generations may have travelled to get away from home, Gen Z is often travelling to find a version of home that’s more honest — where they can be their full selves without explanation. Tattoos, pronouns, cultural expression — they’re not hiding any of it. In fact, they’re using travel as a mirror for self-acceptance and expression.
They’re not reinventing the identity-based journey. But they are expanding it — making it more inclusive, more fluid, and more unapologetically real.
Travel as activism: when travel isn’t just for fun
Travel has long been political — even if we didn’t always call it that. Gen X travellers popularised offbeat routes and grassroots tourism, often as a quiet rebellion against mass-market holidays. Millennials elevated ethical travel to the mainstream, championing responsible tourism, climate awareness, and social impact experiences. Gen Z is continuing that legacy — but with sharper language, stronger expectations, and an insistence on visibility.
This generation is deeply conscious of global inequality, climate breakdown, and social justice. These concerns don’t switch off on holiday — in fact, they often shape where, why, and how Gen Z travels.
Destination choice is one of the first acts of activism. Gen Z travellers are known to boycott countries with poor human rights records, or skip attractions tied to colonial histories, unethical labour, or environmental damage. But for others, the decision is more nuanced: some choose to travel to politically complex places as a form of witness, education, or support — not out of voyeurism, but out of awareness and responsibility.
The influence of climate anxiety is also clear. Building on years of environmental advocacy spearheaded by Millennials, Gen Z is asking even harder questions: Can we justify short-haul flights? How can we offset our footprint? Should we travel less, but stay longer? Many opt for train travel over flying, actively seek out low-impact accommodation, or participate in regenerative tourism — the idea that travel can leave a place better than it was found.
But activism for Gen Z isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s about amplifying voices — using social media not just for aesthetics, but for advocacy. They’ll document coral bleaching in Thailand, the effects of over-tourism in Venice, or the erasure of indigenous culture in parts of Latin America. They credit local creators, question dominant narratives, and push for a more accurate, respectful lens on global destinations.
They also engage in micro-activism: supporting queer-owned cafés, attending community protests abroad, choosing Black- or Indigenous-owned businesses, or avoiding exploitative tour operators. Even the act of asking “Who built this, who profits from this, and who gets left out?” becomes part of their everyday travel vocabulary.
Importantly, Gen Z isn’t inventing activist travel — they’re inheriting and evolving it. They’re more plugged in, more vocal, and more comfortable with discomfort. But they also build on the frameworks laid by earlier travellers who carved out space for sustainable, ethical, and justice-minded tourism in the first place.
In their hands, travel becomes more than exploration. It becomes engagement. And that shift — slow, intentional, and deeply felt — is reshaping the purpose of travel for generations to come.
Travel has always evolved with each generation — and Gen Z is the latest to leave its mark, bringing a new blend of digital savvy, social awareness, and intentionality to the way we explore the world.
While millennials helped drive the rise of remote work and experiential travel, and Gen X brought the boom in independent backpacking, Gen Z is building on those legacies — and pushing them further. They’re asking harder questions, making values-driven choices, and using technology not just for convenience, but for deeper discovery.
From choosing local guesthouses over big resorts, to letting TikTok shape their itineraries, Gen Z travellers are blending spontaneity with sustainability, style with substance. They’re changing what it means to travel — not by tearing down what came before, but by adding their own perspective to a constantly shifting story.
And perhaps most importantly, they’re approaching travel with fresh eyes: not just as a way to escape or consume, but as a way to connect, learn, and grow. Whether it’s slow travel, social justice, or simply choosing to tread lightly, Gen Z is helping to steer global tourism in a more conscious direction — and the rest of us would do well to take note.
Because in the end, travel isn’t owned by any one generation — it’s something we all shape together. And right now, Gen Z is leading the way with purpose and curiosity at the heart of every journey.
