IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i14p6601-d1705358.html

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

Author

Listed:
  • Ioana-Simona Ivasciuc

    (Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500068 Brasov, Romania)

  • Arminda Sá Sequeira

    (Arminda Sá Sequeira, CEOS.PP ISCAP 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)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Ioana-Simona Ivasciuc & Arminda Sá Sequeira & Lori Brown & Ana Ispas & Olivier Peyré, 2025. "Digital Natives on the Move: Cross-Cultural Insights into Generation Z’s Travel Preferences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-20, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6601-:d:1705358
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6601/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6601/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andra Ramona Poruțiu & Anca Monica Brata & Diana E. Dumitras & Olivia Paula Oros & Iulia C. Muresan, 2024. "Understanding Romanian Generational Preferences and Travel Decision-Making When Choosing a Rural Destination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-13, May.
    2. Federica Buffa, 2015. "Young Tourists and Sustainability. Profiles, Attitudes, and Implications for Destination Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Shaila Jamal & K. Bruce Newbold, 2020. "Factors Associated with Travel Behavior of Millennials and Older Adults: A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-27, October.
    4. Alina Petronela Pricope Vancia & Codruța Adina Băltescu & Gabriel Brătucu & Alina Simona Tecău & Ioana Bianca Chițu & Liliana Duguleană, 2023. "Examining the Disruptive Potential of Generation Z Tourists on the Travel Industry in the Digital Age," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, May.
    5. David D’acunto & Raffaele Filieri & Stefano Amato, 2024. "Who is sharing green eWOM? Big data evidence from the travel and tourism industry," Post-Print hal-04516034, HAL.
    6. Puiu Nistoreanu & Luciana-Floriana Poenaru & Vlad Diaconescu & Virgil Nicula & Anca Atanase, 2024. "The Trend toward Sustainable Train Travel among the Young Generation Z: Market Analysis in Romania," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 26(Special 1), pages 1140-1140, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Grenčíková Adriana & Kozová Kristína & Navickas Valentinas & Skačkauskienė Ilona & Busu Mihail, 2025. "What drives the willingness to travel? behavioral and psychological predictors among Generation Z," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 20(4), pages 135-144.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shiwei Shen & Marios Sotiriadis & Qing Zhou, 2020. "Could Smart Tourists Be Sustainable and Responsible as Well? The Contribution of Social Networking Sites to Improving Their Sustainable and Responsible Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Philip R. Walsh & Rachel Dodds & Julianna Priskin & Jonathon Day & Oxana Belozerova, 2021. "The Corporate Responsibility Paradox: A Multi-National Investigation of Business Traveller Attitudes and Their Sustainable Travel Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Danijela Domljan & Nikola Lukež & Zoran Vlaović, 2025. "Sustainable Furniture Design for Rural Tourist Accommodation Inspired by the Heritage of Istria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-30, February.
    4. Yeneneh Tamirat Negash & Massoud Moslehpour & Pei-Kuan Lin & Shao-Chun Chiu & Yung-Yen Liu, 2021. "Mapping Generation Y Tourists’ E-Loyalty: A Sustainable Framework through Hierarchical Structure and Fuzzy Set Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-22, April.
    5. Xiaoming Liu & Mei Xu & Huiling Zhou, 2022. "Analyzing the Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Network Structure of Ecotourism Flow in Zhangjiajie," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Pasindu T Jayakody & Wang Fei, 2025. "Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Tourism Attitude of the Young Generation in Sri Lanka," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(5), pages 5135-5150, May.
    7. Jonatan Viejo & Ana Quijano & Lucy Farrow & Selini Papanelopoulou, 2025. "What Type of Self-Driving Vehicle Do Citizens Imagine? Results of a Co-Creation Dialogue Across Five European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-14, April.
    8. Miha Lesjak & Emil Juvan & Eva Podovšovnik, 2020. "Erasmus+ Mobility: Empirical Insights into Erasmus+ Tourists’ Behaviour," Academica Turistica - Tourism and Innovation Journal, University of Primorska Press, vol. 13(1), pages 35-50.
    9. Kristína Pompurová & Radka Marčeková & Ľubica Šebová & Jana Sokolová & Matej Žofaj, 2018. "Volunteer Tourism as a Sustainable Form of Tourism—The Case of Organized Events," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-12, May.
    10. Giachino, Chiara & Bollani, Luigi & Truant, Elisa & Bonadonna, Alessandro, 2022. "Urban area and nature-based solution: Is this an attractive solution for Generation Z?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    11. Sandra P. Cruz & Cláudia Ribeiro de Almeida & Pedro Pintassilgo & Ricardo Raimundo, 2022. "Sustainable Drive Tourism Routes: A Systematic Literature Review," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, November.
    12. Gabriel Brătucu & Ioana Bianca Chițu & Mădălina Ștefan, 2017. "Measuring The Level Of Tourist Satisfaction. Case Study Brasov County," Journal of Smart Economic Growth, , vol. 2(2), pages 35-45, May.
    13. Jorge Marques & Sofia Gomes & Mónica Ferreira & Marina Rebuá & Hugo Marques, 2025. "Generation Z and Travel Motivations: The Impact of Age, Gender, and Residence," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-16, May.
    14. Zhang, Ming & Li, Yang, 2022. "Generational travel patterns in the United States: New insights from eight national travel surveys," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 1-13.
    15. Gulnoza Usmonova & Deniza Alieva & Carmelo J. León, 2022. "Yurt Invited: Combining Tourists and Stakeholders Perceptions of Sustainable Community-Based Tourism in Central Asia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-21, June.
    16. Jose Ramon Saura & Pedro Palos-Sanchez & Miguel Angel Rios Martin, 2018. "Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-20, March.
    17. Yue Chen & Qikang Zhong & Bo Li, 2023. "Positive or Negative Viewpoint Determines the Overall Scenic Beauty of a Scene: A Landscape Perception Evaluation Based on a Panoramic View," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-23, July.
    18. Ana Slavec & Nežka Sajinčič & Vesna Starman, 2021. "Use of Smartphone Cameras and Other Applications While Traveling to Sustain Outdoor Cultural Heritage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-20, June.
    19. Barbora Mazúrová & Ján Kollár & Gabriela Nedelová, 2021. "Travel Mode of Commuting in Context of Subjective Well-Being—Experience from Slovakia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-17, March.
    20. Daniel Bulin & Georgică Gheorghe & Adrian Lucian Kanovici & Adrian Bogdan Curteanu & Oana-Diana Curteanu & Robert-Ionuţ Dobre, 2024. "Youth Perspectives on Collaborative Consumption: A Study on the Attitudes and Behaviors of the Romanian Generation Z," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-17, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6601-:d:1705358. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.