Many Gen-Z Travelers Choose Destinations Based on Instagrammability

Image: PHOTO: Gen-Z travels for the selfie. (photo courtesy Tempura/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Image: PHOTO: Gen-Z travels for the selfie. (photo courtesy Tempura/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Janeen Christoff
by Janeen Christoff
Last updated: 3:58 PM ET, Fri November 1, 2019

Instagrammable destinations are feeling the love of younger travelers.

New research from Nixplay finds that Gen-Z is looking to the social network more frequently when considering where they are going to travel.

The study found that 38 percent of Gen-Zers will select a vacation destination based on its likelihood to result in great photos.

"The photograph has never been a more integral part of society than it is today," said Nixplay founder and CEO, Mark Palfreeman. "Creating the perfect shareable moment is increasingly swaying our decision-making, like where and how we vacation. But too often, our perfect moments are posted just once on social and then never to be seen again. All of the time and effort we put into creating that moment is all for naught, as the photo gets locked away in a social media prison. That's exactly why we created Nixplay-to free and relive the moments we care about most."

The study also found that nearly one-third (29 percent) of Gen-Zers say they have gone to "extreme lengths" to capture a photo for social media. Forty-three percent of Gen-Zers edit photos to improve physical appearance prior to posting, and one-quarter of Gen-Zers admit to taking four to six selfies prior to posting.

Despite younger generations' love of the selfie and social media, 50 percent of Americans say they find it annoying when people post selfies, and one in three people admit to frequently engaging with friends and families' social media posts despite having little interest and/or care for the photo shared.

There are also risks associated with quests for the ultimate Insta photo. Several people have died in pursuit of the perfect shot, falling from cliffs or buildings aiming to get that ideal selfie.


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