Contiki has released the findings from the brand’s annual “Voice of a Generation” report, which surveys over 1,000 Americans aged 18 to 35 years old about the psychographics that will influence the 2025 travel landscape. From the downward trend of bleisure trips, to the upward trend of spontaneous escapism, the research reveals Millennial and Gen Z travelers are "unequivocally ... travel-first generation[s]," willing to make sacrifices to travel more.
Key trends shaping the 2025 travel season, according to Contiki’s annual “Voice of a Generation” report include:
Vocation Vacation
Clocking out to check-in; while a career is still a priority for young Americans, with 54 percent striving to strike a balance between work and travel, a growing number of young professionals are prioritizing travel over their careers. A third of young professionals (33 percent) noted that travel is even more important than advancing their career, so much so that 56 percent would give up a raise to have more paid time off for travel. Not having enough PTO was the second largest barrier holding this generation back from booking their next trip, while, coincidentally, the biggest travel barrier was “not having enough money to travel.” These generations are scrappy when it comes to funding their vacations; more than half of travelers have moved back home or would consider moving back home with their parents to save disposable income to put towards travel. Likewise, there’s been a growing trend of travelers bridging work and travel over the years. These new findings demonstrate 18- to 35-year-olds are more interested in embracing full-on vacation vibes with more than half reporting they prefer to completely disconnect from work while traveling, versus booking a bleisure trip.
Rogue Trips
Travelers are going rogue in 2025, influenced by escaping their everyday routines and the impending election frenzy, spurring travelers to flee. The report shows that 70 percent of travelers are considering acting on impulse and booking spontaneous trips that depart in less than 10 days and a staggering 78 percent of travelers have considered booking a trip to escape the U.S. election chaos. This demographic is all about embracing the counterculture even when it comes to destinations, where over 80 percent reported they plan to skip mainstream vacation hubs and opt for more far-out alternatives such as the Philippines instead of the Maldives or Albania instead of Croatia. Over half of travelers said they’d prefer to visit off-the-beaten-path destinations instead of ticking off all the main attractions in iconic destinations.
Clear-Mind Tourism
Sober tourism continues to trend with 83 percent of Millennials and Gen Z travelers noting an interest in booking a sober travel experience. Gone are the days of the party-obsessed young traveler, Gen Z and Millennials want to experience their adventures with a clear head. This trend aligns with the key motivators for travel in 2025: to immerse in local culture (34 percent); to learn something new and enriching (24 percent); relax and rejuvenate (23 percent); and embark on thrilling, adrenaline-pumping adventures (18 percent). The report shows 18- to 35-year-olds are all about clearing away the noise in 2025, and 25 percent noted they plan to limit their phone usage while traveling and use their devices primarily for photography and navigation (42 percent).
Travel with Strangers
When it comes to travel companions, Gen Z and Millennials are ready to leave their friends behind. This generation is very open to forming new relationships while traveling; 58 percent noted that instead of traveling with current friends, they’d prefer to just book the trip and make new friends along the way. (Contiki’s guided tours echo this sentiment with more than 70 percent of their travelers going solo.)
Involved Travel
Sustainable travel has long been on the rise and will only continue to grow in importance. Ninety percent of 18- to 35-year-old travelers stated sustainability was important to them while traveling, with the most important causes being “leaving a positive impact on the destination and visited communities” (42 percent), and “helping to preserve wildlife” (38 percent); while conversations around carbon emissions ranked less important (19 percent). These findings demonstrate the growing interest in witnessing direct impact by participating in immersive environmentally positive experiences while traveling, first-hand versus focusing on the nuance of indirect impact that carbon offset programs offer, for instance.
Source: Contiki
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