STA Travel, a student and youth travel agency, has released a look at the year ahead in terms of what’s trending for Gen Z and Millennial travelers. By analyzing these globetrotters' searches and bookings for 2018, STA Travel has been able to draw the following conclusions about what the 18-35 group is seeking in their travels next year.
The overwhelming trend for 2018 is adventure travel, STA Travel said, with the most active trip styles experiencing a surge in popularity, particularly to "endangered" destinations. The Arctic, Columbia Ice Fields in Canada and parts of New Zealand are of greater interest to youth travelers next year as they feel the urgency of climate change, which could also explain increased interest in sustainable travel tours. See below for how the various trip styles rank in terms of popularity in 2018:
- Mountains and Trekking
- Sailing
- Island Hopping
- Music Travel
- Foodie Travel
- Sustainable Travel
- Spring Break
- Hop on, Hop off tours
- Wildlife and safari
- Active adventures
Student and youth travelers that are more inclined toward adventure travel are straying away the traditional trip to Europe and moving toward the following destinations to get off the beaten path:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Italy
- UK
- Spain
- Thailand
- Portugal
- Costa Rica
- Philippines
- Peru
Thanks to budget-friendly airlines and accommodations like Norwegian Air and Airbnb, Europe is still on student and youth travelers’ bucket lists, putting 6 European cities on the top 10 cities list for 2018. Not far behind? Three Asian cities and a New Zealand spot that also points to youth travelers’ desire to tap into their adventuresome side.
- Rome
- London
- Dublin
- Madrid
- Barcelona
- Bangkok
- Auckland
- Amsterdam
- Manila
- Tokyo
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