by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:55 AM ET, Fri June 14, 2024
The two youngest generations of adult travelers are prioritizing their travel experience this summer, according to the Amex Trendex Millennial and Gen-Z Summer Spotlight Report, released this week by American Express.
The report, which surveyed over 2,000 American adults with a household income of over $50,000, asked travelers their perspectives on spending, saving, traveling and more.
Millennials and Gen-Z travelers range from their early twenties to about 43 years in age. Overall, the report identified three major trends: the power of women travelers to boost economies around the globe by attending major concerts and music festivals; prioritizing traveling during the summer, with a focus on wellness or entertainment activities; and making food experiences, like obtaining hard-to-get reservations to popular restaurants, a priority.
Prioritizing Travel
Travel is a big priority among our youngest American adults, with 81 percent reporting that they had summer travel plans. Of these, 62 percent reported planning a trip to a destination specifically for one activity or attraction, such as a destination’s wellness offerings.
While inflation is certainly impacting how and when people travel, 70 percent of young adults still report purchasing clothes or shoes for an upcoming trip.
Women Making Waves in Entertainment Travel
We’ve seen how Taylor Swift’s Eras tour has impacted tourism economies around the globe, and it seems young adult travelers, and especially women, are taking this trend in stride this summer. Fifty-one percent of young women have plans to attend music festivals and concerts this summer.
Of these, 43 percent reported they were attending entertainment experiences to cross them off their bucket list. Thirty-eight percent of young women heading overseas to attend a concert or sporting event are heading to Europe, reinforcing one of the biggest trends among American travelers: traveling to Europe.
Foodie Experiences
It seems that young adults are craving more experiences that connect them to trendy culinary experiences, both at home and during their travels. Forty-seven percent of young adults are planning to attend at least one food festival this summer.
They’re also much more likely than other generations to get a hard-to-obtain reservation for the bragging rights: 41 percent of young adults aim to visit these restaurants, as opposed to 13 percent of Baby Boomers and 24 percent of Gen X travelers.
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