24% of those in Gen Z said they felt pressured by friends to take trips they can’t afford

24% of those in Gen Z said they felt pressured by friends to take trips they can’t afford, per Empower.

Gen Z is poised to make the biggest impact this summer, with surveys showing they are increasing their vacation plans and spending more than older travelers.

No longer content with road trips to their parents’ homes, Gen Z is planning international trips at higher rates than other generations, according to a report released by Bank of America on May 20.

The survey of more than 2,000 Americans revealed that Gen Z is planning to travel for longer periods and take more expensive vacations at higher rates too.

Ready to spend
Gen Z, along with millennials, is leading a surge in travel spending this year, according to an April report by the market services firm PMG.

That report, which surveyed 1,800 adults in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Germany, and China, shows 65% of Gen Z and 72% of millennials plan on spending more on leisure travel this year, well ahead of the 54% of Gen X and 40% of baby boomers who said the same.

However, how Gen Z — often defined as those born between 1997 and 2012 — plans to fund their travels differs from other age groups.

The number of Gen Z who said they’re traveling because they have the savings to do so has fallen since August 2023, according to a new report from the research company Morning Consult.

But that’s not stopping them, said Lindsey Roeschke, Morning Consult’s travel and hospitality analyst and the author of the report.

“Gen Z has come of age during an incredibly turbulent time,” Roeschke said. “This is deeply impacting their travel behaviors.”