Digital Natives on the Move: Cross-Cultural Insights into Generation Z’s Travel Preferences

Ioana-Simona Ivasciuc (), Arminda Sá Sequeira, Lori Brown, Ana Ispas and Olivier Peyré
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Ioana-Simona Ivasciuc: Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500068 Brasov, Romania
Arminda Sá Sequeira: Centre for Social and Organizational Studies, Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto, Polytechnic of Porto, 4465-004 Porto, Portugal
Lori Brown: Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, USA
Ana Ispas: Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500068 Brasov, Romania
Olivier Peyré: Lycée Nicolas Brémontier Bordeaux, 33800 Bordeaux, France

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-20

Abstract: Generation Z (Gen Z; born 1997–2012) is reshaping global tourism through digital fluency, ethical awareness, and a desire for authentic, sustainable travel experiences. This study surveys 413 Gen Z travelers across France, Portugal, Romania, and the USA to map their booking behaviors, information sources, transport modes, accommodations, dining practices, and leisure activities. The findings reveal a strong preference for independent online bookings and social-media-influenced destination choices (Instagram, TikTok), with air and car travel being used for long-distance journeys and walking/public transit being used for local journeys. Accommodation spans commercial hotels and private rentals, while informal, local dining and nature- or culture-centered leisure prevail. Chi-square tests were performed to identify differences between countries. To reveal distinct traveler segments and their country’s modulations towards sustainability, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed. The results uncover four segments: “Tech-Active, Nature-Oriented Minimalists” (32.3% in France); “Moderate Digital Planners” (most frequent across all countries, particularly dominant among Romanian respondents); “Disengaged and Indecisive Travelers” (overrepresented in the USA); and “Culturally Inclined, Selective Sustainability Seekers” (>30% in France/Portugal). Although sustainability is widely valued, only some segments of the studied population consistently act on these values. The results suggest that engaging Gen Z requires targeted, value-driven digital strategies that align platform design with the cohort’s diverse sustainability commitments.

Keywords: Gen Z; tourism preferences; cross-national trends; sustainability; clusters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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