Entertainment plays significant role in choices of Vietnamese Gen Z travelers: Booking.com

About 67% of Vietnamese Gen Z travelers are inspired to visit destinations they’ve seen in shows or movies, while 60% want to travel to places for the food and culture depicted on screen, according to a research by Booking.com released on Tuesday.

As Gen Z emerges as a dominant force in travel, their unique preferences are reimagining today’s travel landscape. This generation, born between 1995 and 2010, believes that travel is a way of life with 77% of Vietnamese Gen Z feeling like their best self while traveling.

They prioritize immersive and unique experiences centered around personal interests and passion, said the travel platform.

Influence of social media

For Vietnamese Gen Z, social media is not just for connecting - it’s their primary source of travel inspiration.

About 69% of the respondents turn to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Youtube to gather travel ideas and inspiration for their next adventure.

Breathtaking landscapes shared by influencers, trending destinations in viral videos and the visual appeal of social media are their sources of travel inspiration.

Travel choices captivated by passion

Traveling for a certain reason is also an emerging trend for the Gen Z. Whether it is attending a music festival, concert, or sports event, these young travelers are motivated by their hobbies.

Of those traveling for a music festival or event, 22% of Gen Z are motivated to travel to a destination for music if they’re passionate about the musician and an equal number are willing to travel specifically for their favorite music events even though they do not perform near where they live.

Entertainment shapes travel dreams

Entertainment plays a significant role in influencing the travel choices of Vietnamese Gen Z travelers with 67% inspired to visit destinations they’ve seen in shows or movies and 60% wanting to travel to places for the food and culture depicted on screen.

Gen Z’s desire to connect with what they watch extends to iconic landmarks, cultural experiences and even specific locations highlighted in the show or a movie.

These statistics highlight the deep connection between pop culture and their travel decisions.

About 55% of the Vietnamese Gen Z would travel to a specific landmark from a show or movie, while 49% would travel to participate in an activity featured in a show or a movie.

Up to 65% are motivated to travel to experience the culture portrayed from a show or a movie. 46% choose to dine at a restaurant featured in their favorite show or movie. 37% would stay at accommodations they’ve seen in the media. 40% of Vietnamese Gen Z, would travel just to meet a famous celebrity from a show or a movie. 22% would want to travel to stay at the home of a famous celebrity.

Varun Grover, country head, Vietnam at Booking.com, shared that gen Z’s travel preferences offer a glimpse into the future of the travel industry - a future driven by personal passions and seamless digital integration. Travel for them transcends mere sightseeing, it's a journey connected with their passions and digital narratives that is shaping their world.

A majority of Vietnamese survey respondents (56%) feel guilty about less sustainable travel choices and almost all of them (94%) want to travel more sustainably over the next 12 months. These are among key insights found in the ninth edition of Booking.com's Sustainable Travel Report 2024, which covered more than 31,000 travelers across 34 countries and territories.

The report, which explores the latest consumer attitudes, priorities and influences related to sustainable travel, reveals that a sense of weariness may be emerging globally, fueled by ongoing challenges that travelers experience in making more sustainable travel choices.