Every year we send out the iconic Voice of a Generation survey so that we can get our dedicated travellers’ opinions on all things destination dupes, social media hiatuses, celebrity companions, and much, much more.
Now comes the time where we bring a fine-toothed comb to all your answers and figure out what exactly makes our Gen Z and Millennial travellers tick. The results have been fascinating to say the least, and we’re sharing them with you now, so you can hold a mirror up to yourself and decide whether you’re going against your generation’s grain, or fitting right in with the mold!
This is the new wave of travel, dictated by YOU, so tuck in to find out more.
My bank account doesn’t know I’m rich
When asked whether Aussies would give up a pay raise at work in exchange for more annual leave, 65% of respondents said yes! At first this might sound surprising, but when you balance this with the fact that only 7% of people said ‘Career is my primary focus, with travel experiences taking a backseat’, and 20% said ‘I prioritise personal growth through travel, even if it means sacrificing some career opportunities’ instead, it all makes sense.
This just goes to show that for our 18-35 year old audience travelling and getting to explore the world and meet new people is more valuable than having a fat bank account. These experiences just make you rich in other ways!
Image source:Contiki
Sustainable kings and queens
Overall, 94% of Aussie travellers believe that prioritising sustainability while travelling is very important indeed. But let’s break these stats down.
60% of travellers have sustainability on the brain, stating that it is important to them as long as it doesn’t incur too many extra costs – fair enough! 30% have said that sustainability is very important, and they actively seek out brands that share and uphold the same sustainability values (this is when we at Contiki wave and beckon you over). And 4% have said they prioritise sustainability over anything else in all the travel choices – fantastic!
When asked what they think of when they think of sustainability, 38% said they thought of preserving wildlife, and 48% said they thought of having a positive impact on the economy of the communities they’re visiting. Only 12% said they thought of keeping their carbon emissions low, which goes to show that sustainability reaches far wider than just environmental impact.
Journey over destination
Some of us have our hearts set on specific travel destinations – maybe Japan has been at the top of your bucket list for years and you’re still scraping together the cash for the flights, or maybe you’ve been dying to head on a safari and see some baby animals at home.
However, when asked whether they’d travel to a ‘dupe destination’, somewhere less popular or known than their bucket list entries, 90% said they absolutely would! It seems it doesn’t really matter where you’re travelling, and in fact 55% of respondents said they actively seek out hidden gems as one of their main travel priorities! So, while we love the fan favourites for a reason, it’s great to hear that our audience has that curious and adventurous spirit.
Image source:Contiki
In touch with your roots
Listen, we all know travelling can be expensive – though it is completely worth every penny! But to combat these prices and save better, 52% of our 18-35s said that they have moved back home to live with their parents, and 33% have admitted to considering this option.
Not only are travellers thinking of returning home, it seems that many of them are also keen on leaving the city and returning to quieter countryside. When asked whether they’d prefer to live in a swanky city penthouse or a cottage in the middle-of-nowhere, 55% said they’d prefer the countryside. Personally, I have to agree…
Believe everything you see on TV
You just can’t escape pop culture these days, it’s everywhere. But, what if you become pop-culture, and by that we of course mean travelling to some of your favourite filming locations?
71% of travellers have been inspired by films or tv shows to travel to different locations, with the most popular muses being Game of Thrones, Emily in Paris, and Mamma Mia – which 1-in-10 Gen Z and Millennials said they were inspired to travel to Greece by! Dreamy.
Image source:Contiki
Pop stars all around the world
Maybe you can relate to this, but I always let my mind run away to fantasy scenarios in which my current celebrity crush and I are yachting through the French Riviera, having the most romantic time ever. Or… maybe you can’t. But either way, we asked our beloved Gen Zs and Millennials which celebrity they would rather travel with, and the results did not disappoint.
Same as last year, Taylor Swift garnered the most popular vote, with the other most popular picks being Harry Styles and newcomer Sabrina Carpenter (it’s that her espresso).
And, when given a choice of who to travel with between Benson Boone, Coldplay, Hozier, James Blunt, Olivia Rodrigo, and Tate McRae, 30% chose America’s angsty sweetheart Olivia Rodrigo, and 27% chose the always reliable and iconic Coldplay.
Seems like pop is really taking over the world!
Image source:Contiki
Putting the bottle down
Although your 18-35 years are meant to (apparently) be your youngest and most fun, filled with partying and nights you can barely remember, there’s been a shift in the culture. Indeed, 83% of young Aussies would consider booking a completely sober travel experience, in which no alcohol will be available at all.
Image source:Contiki
Eager travellers
Last but not least, travel seems to be more of a calling than a meticulously planned thing: 73% of respondents said that they would book a trip departing in 10 days, showing both an adventurous and spontaneous side to our audience. But what are you going to do? When the world calls you’re not going to pick up? Yeah, us neither.
